Guest Designer - Angela Hoynes

Today we introduce our Guest Designer for the 

November Challenge

please say hello to Angela from Crafting with Jack

who won the challenge back in September.

Hello, my name is Angela and my blog is called Crafting with Jack. I came up with the name when I was sat at my desk and trying to think of what to call my blog and my dog Jack kept jumping in my lap! 

I love all types of craft and art and have tried most of them. Currently my passion is mixed media and lots of lovely texture. 

The project is a passport size album and I have used Crawford and Black acrylic metallic paints from the works, which I used on a Kraft card with a pattern on one side. The cover is embossed card and I have used Creative Expressions metallic gilding polish on it. I wanted to try designing a tabbed folder and I was very pleased with the finished project. 

Please do check out Angela's lovely altered canvas, we'd love for you to come back and share your project for the November challenge.

The challenge can be found HERE and is open until 11:55pm GMT on December 12th.

Guest Designer - Karen

Today we introduce our Guest Designer for the October Challenge

please say hello to Karen from Karen's Crafting Obsessions

who won the challenge back in August.

"I have always been creative, drawing and knitting then sewing as a child and young adult. I was taught how to knit and sew by my Mum, my Nan and my Aunts. As a child, I loved to draw a lot, but had to stop when I picked my O Level subjects. I love colour and pretty patterns and went from hoarding fabric to acquiring then hoarding pretty patterned paper. That obsession led me to card making and that in turn led me to stamping.  

I have created greeting cards for more than twenty years and I started because I couldn't find a card that I liked for my husband.  For the past four to five years I have been intrigued and then obsessed with mixed media. I particularly love to create mixed media canvases and home decor items.

I love mixed media and learning new techniques and skills with some of the same and some different products. Until this year I struggled with acrylic paints because I've used inks and watercolours for so long. I find acrylic paints difficult, but learning and improving my skills is something I am compelled to do, it is like it is part of my DNA!"

"I was inspired by the photograph of the family, the pumpkins and the cobweb on the tree branches and that inspired me to create a spooky Halloween canvas. I used a mix of stamps with acrylic paints and Tim Holtz Idea-Ology to finish my canvas. I experimented by stamping with acrylic paints, something I have not done before, but I felt it was the best way to get the look I was after. Full details with my step by steps are on my blog."

Please do check out Karen's lovely altered canvas, we'd love for you to come back and share your project for the October challenge.

The challenge can be found HERE and is open until 11:55pm GMT on November 12th.

Guest Designer- Karen Sessions

Today we introduce our guest Designer for the September challenge.

Please say hello to Karen Sessions from Art and Soul who won the challenge back in July 

 

Karen Sessions is from Southern California but lived in England, United Kingdom with her husband for fourteen years before recently returning to California.  Her loves for the past 12 years have been scrapbooking and card making but she also explores mixed media because she adores rubber stamping.  Karen describes her creative style as very intricate, full of textures, and embellished with a feminine flare.  She explains that she loves to focus on the tiny details that add richness and impact to the project by choosing embellishments and colors that bring a sense of cohesion. Karen added, "The process of creating brings me great joy and the result is magical and irreplaceable."  Creating is her passion and when you see her projects, it will be obvious in every little detail, that Karen creates beauty by combining products in a 

unique and wonderful way.  

I began creating this dreamy autumn themed card by stamping the main elements: the woodgrain background and bare tree.  To add a bit more color and texture, I used dimensional paint to add a variety of metallic leaves to the branches. Then I used two patterned papers and multiple mattings to build the required colour scheme. 

 Next, I added a fabulous cluster of flowers to add more shades of dusty rose.  Finally, I added some small burlap flowers and gold leaves to add richness and warmth.  In following my frugal tendencies, I should mention that the sentiment appeared on the B side of the mustard paper used for the background.  Therefore, I rescued this small scrap from underneath before I adhered the woodgrain element.

                                       Stamps: www.blankpagemuse.com

Woodgrain Background Rubber Stamp -
            https://blankpagemuse.com/woodgrain-background-rubber-stamp/
Fall Bare Tree Background Art Rubber Stamp -
            https://blankpagemuse.com/fall-bare-tree-background-art-rubber-stamp-by-pam-bray-designs/

Other Supplies:  www.fotobella.com
Graphic 45 Pattern & Solid Paper 12x12 Pad (Imagine) -
            http://www.fotobella.com/Graphic-45-Imagine-12x12-Patterns-and-Solids-Pad
Prima Flowers - http://www.fotobella.com/Prima-Marketing-Cafe-Rossa-Flowers-Rose-Quartz
Ranger Dimensional Paint - http://www.fotobella.com/search.asp#query=dimensional%20paint&showed=20&page=0

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Please do check out Karen's lovely Autumnal card, we'd love for you to come back and share your project for the September challenge.

The challenge can be found HERE and is open until 11:55pm GMT on October 12th.

We are so lucky to have two amazing Guest Designers this Month, please visit Aira Hashimoto's beautiful journal page   

Please also check out our Design Team spotlight, where one of our Dreamies have their inspiration for you.