Hi all, me again! Thanks for all the lovely
comments from my first guest spot; I hope you enjoy my offerings as much for
this spot! And without further ado let me share them with you!
A Passion for Fashion
This is another LO done with a mobile phone
picture (what a brilliant invention!) This photo of my niece was sent to me by
my sister and is Lilly off to the post office; she is such a fashionista so any
excuse to try out a new outfit!! I also decided to challenge myself to stick to
Lilly’s colour scheme of red, black and purple for this Layout.
When I first saw the stamps that Bev sent me
I knew they would make great backgrounds, especially the shapes in diamonds are
forever and decided this was the LO to put my theory to the test.
I tore 3 strips of basic grey paper, 2
different reds and a black and used another 12x12 piece of purple basic grey
for the base.
Using the solid diamond from the diamonds are
forever set I stamped a repeat pattern on the wider red strip with black ink,
then using the dotty outline diamond and clear versa mark I stamped in the
spaces, applying blonde moments savoury lilac embossing powder as I went. I
then heat embossed the finished pattern, I love the iridescent texture I got
from this.
On the thinner red strip I used one of the
other diamond patterns and made a repeat pattern down the strip using purple
ink.
I inked the ripped edges of the strips and
adhered them all to my base, distressing the edges of my 12x12 and inking
I love the cross hatched diamond stamp and it
made me think of darning, so I ripped a triangle from the top left of my LO,
curling back the edges and inking, then stamped the pattern on some
transparency with black stayzon, I ripped the edge of that and stuck it behind
the torn V shape. Tearing a rectangle of some of the red basic
grey paper I mounted my photo on to it, off centre. I wanted to block out the
car and some of the background that’s in the photo so I used black stayzon and
the 2 wavey stamps from It's all about circles to stamp around the edges. I stapled
some red net along the side, to echo the tutu and stuck the photo in place,
finally adding lace and a button.
Using some thin chipboard I made 6
embellishments by stamping the solid diamond on to it with clear versamark and
embossing it 3 times with clear thick embossing powder, while the last layer
was hot I applied a mix of blonde moments savoury lilac and festive berry
embossing powder. At that point I prepared the larger wavey stamp from all
about circles with black stayzon and then heated the final colour layer, while
the enamel was still hot I stamped into it with the wavey stamp (Tip when doing
this stamp straight down on to the enamel and don’t press too hard, it will slide!)
I then cut out the diamond shapes with sharp scissors which trimmed up the
edges of ‘splatted’ enamel. I love the different looks you get with this and
seeing the patterns the enamel makes around the stamp.
I laid ribbon and lace across my page and
added black flowers, buttons and a prima black key; I also used one of the
embossed diamonds in this arrangement. I stuck the remaining 5 diamonds vertically
down the page with silicon glue for extra dimension
I stamped the word fashion with the steelfish
alphabet on to some more of the red basic grey and cut the letters out as alpha
tiles, inking the edges and overlapping them into place, I then added a prima
diamante flourish over the top.
Finally I stamped with the large dotty circle
from round in circles on the bottom left corner with black ink and then put a
silver brad through each dot to look like studs tearing a journaling circle
from a notebook and inking it. I enjoyed the challenge of staying within the
colour scheme for this LOL and also enjoyed using the stamps to make
backgrounds as well as embellishments.
Mardi gras masquerade
One of the things that sprang to mind looking
at the diamonds are forever stamps was a harlequin pattern. I used to love
making masks for theatre and thought a mask would be ideal for the pattern in
my mind, however instead of making them I went to the fancy dress shop and
bought some plain white ones to alter instead.
Now as the masks are shaped I knew I couldn’t
really use the stamps on an acrylic block so I decided to play with an idea I had
been toying with and used the stamps with out the block! It worked brilliantly
as I was able to mould the stamps into the places I wanted them (you will need
to wash the stamps in soapy water afterwards to bring back the sticky on the
back from pressing greasy fingers on them!)
Instead of trying to get an exact pattern on
the harlequin mask, because it was too difficult LOL, I cheated by suggesting
it. I used the solid diamond stamp and stamped with yellow stayzon, spacing the
diamonds out roughly, I then did the same with pink stayzon filling in the gaps
Then using the smaller patterned diamond
stamp and green ink I filled in some of the white spaces
I used a couple of the dotty stamps from
round in circles to stamp semi circles on the bottom right corner and added
turquoise sequins to the dots. I then used a smaller dotty stamp and stamped at
the left corner of the left eye with turquoise stayzon applying pva to the dots
and round the eyes and adding turquoise glitter
I cut a crown from heavy weight silver card
and used the 2 wavey stamps from all about circles to decorate it with
turquoise stayzon. I curled the points of the crown, added bells to the points
and adhesive diamantes for decoration then stuck it to the mask. I tied some coloured ribbons together and
stuck them just above the elastic holes
As I’d bought the 2 shaped masks I couldn’t
help myself but keep stamping! I used pink stayzon and the 2 sizes of wavey
stamps from all about circles for the masquerade mask. Stamping in the same
way, moulding the stamps into place with my fingers, making a random pattern
Then in some of the white spaces, but not all
I applied pva glue and added pale lilac glitter, I also used pva and purple
glitter around the eyes.
I added some pink diamantes and finally the
feathers. An effective but simple project as the stamps do all the decorating
work!
You could show your masks off at a ball or
fancy dress party but I also think they would make a great piece of wall art!
And now I’ve discovered the stamping with out the acrylic block, no shape is
safe LOL
Diamonds are forever
Well I had to didn’t I? The stamp set of the
same name shouted jewellery and diamonds!
And, as I discovered it is so easy but super effective to make the mock
diamonds.
All you need is a sheet of clear shrink
plastic, the dotty line diamonds stamp, the frame edge stamps from all about
circles, silver ink, a metallic pencil and an inexpensive silver bracelet oh
and a nail file block with a smoothing side!
Stamp out a sheet of dotty triangles on the
shrink plastic (leave gaps for cutting them out)
Turn the plastic over and run the smoothing
side of the nail file block over the plastic to scuff it up a bit then apply
‘splodges’ of metallic pencil, it looks pale but intensifies in the shrinking!
Cut the diamonds out with a border to make
them slightly larger and punch a hole in the top of each one (I used the larger
punch on my crop-a-dile)
Put the two frame edge stamps from all about
circles back to back on a block and apply clear versamark to them (this acts as
a resist in the hot plastic)
Then the fun bit, shrink a diamond and while
it is still hot stamp into it with the circle stamp, by putting these two
stamps back to back it gives lots of pattern options, but the detail remains
fine enough for such a small stamping space
Admire your heist!
I used an inexpensive silver bracelet and
some silver jump rings and attached my diamonds.
Doesn’t it look pretty? People have been
fascinated by it; it’s definitely a bespoke conversation piece, next thing
matching necklace and earrings!!
I’ve loved my month with Banana Frog and really
enjoyed playing along. I hope I’ve inspired you to get stamping! I will
continue to play and invent with all the delicious stamps that are on offer,
they are just too ‘moreish’ (and indestructible LOL) Thanks for having me over
to play Bev, I’ve had a blast!!
Well what can I say, Michelle has done an amazing range of projects and we are all totally blown away. Thank you so much Michelle for giving lots of inspiration -and also showing that I am not the only messy stamper :)
We are delighted to say that Michelle will be joining the Banana Frog design team on a permanent basis. So look out for more fantastic projects!
Check back next month to meet another talented guest designer!
