Fossil Box using Andy Skinner Stampendous stamps (being launched THIS WEEKEND)

Hi all!

Another little tease for you today as I'm again using some of the Andy Skinner stamps not yet on release. The good news is that they ARE being released this weekend so should be available to purchase from Andy's store HERE!

The base of the box I painted with three coats of quite watery Paynes Grey (the cardboard soaks it up).  The lid I painted with DecoArt metallic Antique Bronze.  Just two coats as it is a much thicker paint than the fluid acrylic, and I used it neat.

I used a Versamark ink pad all over the top of the lid

  Then poured over  Stampendous embossing enamels (Aged Scarlett). I repeated this another couple of times mixing other gold and copper colours of Frantage embossing enamels. I tipped all the excess into a separate pot (one of those mini jam jars) so I didn't contaminate the original pots. I then prepare my stamps for pressing into the final coat of molten enamel by inking it with black archival ink. Once the stamp is ready I add more Versamark to the box lid, pour over the mixture of embossing powders and begin to heat the final layer of heat embossing. As soon as all the powder is melted, and while still molten I firmly press my inked stamp into it. I repeated this with the large fossil stamps, heating each area I am going to press the stamp into - but trying to avoid the areas already stamped as they will flatten out again if they re melt.

Once the embossing had cooled I painted the images with antiquing cream. Let that dry and wiped away the excess.

I then painted in the groves with some Titan Buff. And the final step was to use my fingers to rub over metallic lustres in the Iced Espresso over the fossil texture and the Black Shimmer all around the top edges and over the Iced Espresso.

And here is the finished box. I really like the way it turned out!

Products used:
DecoArt: Paynes Grey and Titan Buff Media Fluid Acrylics
Extreme Sheen Antique Bronze Metallic
White Antiquing Cream
Metallic Lustres in Black Shimmer and Iced Espresso

Stampendous Products:
Andy Skinner Fossils Stamps (being released at the Stitches ICHA this weekend
Frantage Embossing Enamels in Aged Copper, Aged Gold and Aged Scarlet

Other products used:
Archival and Versamark ink pads and a small cardboard box

Craft Stamper Blog Challenge project: Repurposed gift card holder and tonic bottle

Hi all. 

Here's my inspiration for the February Craft Stamper Challenge.

Have a look at the full challenge details and some gawjus projects by the team click here!

Lovely Auntie Betty gave us a John Lewis voucher for Christmas. I knew she'd love me to make something with it, so I painted it with DecoArt Chalky Finish paints in pink (Innocence) and white (Everlasting) along with a tag from Tando Creative which fitted perfectly! 

 I stamped these gorgeous stamps from Andy Skinner's new range of Stampendous Stamps (which will be released next weekend and will be available on Andy's Blog ).

I stamped them in light and dark grey archival inks. 

 I then used some of my fave Metallic Lustre called Iced Espresso by DecoArt, crushing it on my glass mat, adding water and just lightly brushing it over the projects.  Sometimes it looks dark brown, sometimes gold - I love it! 

I added lots more lustre around the edges, then stamped some of the flowers

from the same stamp set onto pink paper and cut them out.

I only used the ones stamped in brown in the end as they looked better with the lustre.

 Added lace and a strip of sparkly stuff from my stash.

 I had some embellies made from moulds and paper clay (heart) and jewellery cement (the butterflies) so painted them with the same products as the substrates. 

 I used the same chalk paints on the little tonic bottle. Then inked up the largest stamp from the set (a kind of vintage wall paper) with the grey archival and rolled the bottle over it.

 Added some text in a brown colour, and then painted on some metallic lustre (you can see it in the pics below) to match the tag and card holder. Lastly I added some of the same lace and bling to the bottle and tag. Then embellies, plus a bit of wire shaped into hearts and twisted to create a stem.

Here are all three part of the project. 

Products used:

Andy Skinner Stampendous Stamps 

http://www.andyskinnercrafts.com/stampendous.html

DecoArt: Chalky Finish paints in Everlasting and Innocence, Metallic Lustre in Iced Espresso

Archival inks in greys and browns

Substrates: Repurposed gift card golder and dumpy tonic bottle, plus a Tando Creative Tag

Other products used: Lace, bling, hand made embellies