Top Talent For 'Make Time Mood Board' Challenge

Morning everyone. Julia here for another Top Talent spot. Today we are going to meet the very talented winner of Claudia's Make Time Mood board Challenge. It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to:

Mari from Pöydän kulma

Mari made a gorgeous card for Claudia's challenge which perfectly reflected the inspiration mood board. Please make sure you pop over to her blog and see the wonderful creations there. Let's learn a little more about Mari:

1. ​Where do you live? I live in Vantaa, Finland.
2. Name one artist who inspires you to create and tell us why. I don't follow any particular artist. I'm inspired by different crafters, craft magazines, DT work in challenges and especially new crafty stash.
3. What is your favourite crafting technique and why? I love stamping and colouring character images. Colouring is so relaxing.
4. What do you usually do when a project doesn't go to plan? Embellish. I rarely throw anything away.
5. Name one technique you have never used and explain why. I don't like to get too messy so I don't use techniques where I would have to use my fingers to spread the product.
6. If you could be any figure in history, who would it be and why? I'm happy being me and wouldn't want to be any figure in history.

I'm sure we can all identify with some of Mari's answers there! Rarely throw anything away. . . . inspired by different crafters. . . . . and new crafty stash!! Love those answers Mari,

Without further ado, let's here what Mari has to say about her project and see an image of her beautiful piece:

"I'm so honoured to be the Top Talent this month. Quite unintentionally the colours and embellishments I chose for my card resemble the ones I used in the card I won the Make Time Mood board Challenge with. The inspiration for this card came from a steampunk design paper I bought from a sale. I embossed and inked the paper and embellished the card with cogs which I decorated with ink, embossing powder and distress stain. I coloured the image with Promarkers and added some ribbon, enamel dots and rhinestones."

Lots of gorgeous layers and techniques Mari in your wonderful card! A beautifully coloured and fussy cut image too which finishes of that clever background. Having never used a Promarker ever, I'm constantly in awe of people who are able to use this product with such skill.

Thank you so much Mari for joining us as our Top Talent in March. You were a dream to work with!

There's still time to join in with our latest challenge: The Return Of The Challenge.  Just click on the link for all the details and some wonderful inspiration from the design team. Our generous sponsor this month is:

Artistic Outpost

Artistic Outpost will be donating a $15.00 gift certificate to our randomly drawn winner to spend at their on-line sister-store Our Daily Bread Designs, where Artistic Outpost resides.

One not to miss in my opinion! Just link up your project with us and you could win that randomly drawn prize, be one of our top three talent or perhaps even our new featured Top Talent guest for the month of May!

Look forward to seeing our next Top Talent in April. Thanks for joining me again this month.

Artistic Outpost Sponsor Spotlight No.2

Welcome to the second of our Sponsor Spotlight posts at OCC in March.
This month our Sponsor is....

Artistic Outpost

.

Today we have our wonderful Ana showing what she made with some AO stamps and, as always, she has provided us with some totally amazing inspiration...

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Hello friends…

I am here today to show you what I created with my new Artistic Outpost stamps. 
I struggled with my decision which AO stamp set to choose…so many beautiful choices. 
Finally I chose Jane's Countryside set…gorgeous delicate designs and words….

When I unpacked my stamps, I really didn’t have any idea what I would like to make. In such cases I start working in bigger format of paper, which can be cut later if needed. I let my head relax completely and just started playing around….

Usually I get inspiration on some point. If not, I set everything on the side and try again later….

With this project I got the inspiration when I stamped the quote: 

"To sit in the shade on a fine day"

I could imagine me, sitting under the tree and reading the book or sketching….an idea was born...covers…

Yes, I will made covers for small notebook….

…but before I came to this idea I already made some steps:

I started colouring cardstock with black acrylic paint. Paint was applied with dry brush and cross motions…some tiny parts of cardstock left unpainted, so white background pop up in a beautiful, distressed way. 

When the paint was dry, I added white circles…a thin layer of paint was applied with my finger through a homemade stencil.

 

I stamped beautiful Jane's Countryside stamps on white paper with black ink…I decided to use gorgeous Victorian ladies images and quote which is just perfect for me (at this point, I got idea what exactly I would like to make)

I stamped the Pattern stamp on cotton fabric with red ink. 

All images were cut to fit the circles on the background….I also added some vintage paper with distressed edges.

 

When everything was glued, I used black marker and traced around the edges. Then I cut paper to fit the notebook, added fabric and sewed together.

 

Now I have new covers for my notebook....

....to sit under the tree, sketch and admire beautiful Artistic Outpost images…..

Hugs, Ana K.  


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WOW!!! Ana, this is so gorgeous! You have really shown these stamps in all their beauty

If you would like to be in with a chance to win a voucher worth $15.00 to spend at Artistic Outpost and get one of these amazing stamp sets, then all you have top do is join in the challenge this month.

We are re-visiting old challenges - so take your pick of the ones on the list and join in the fun!

You could be the prize winner or even picked to be here as our Top Talent!!!

Happy Crafting

Laura
xxx

Artistic Outpost Sponsor Spotlight No.1

Welcome to the first of two Sponsor Spotlight posts at OCC in March. This month our Sponsor is....

Artistic Outpost

.

Today we have our amazing Jennie, who got the chance to play with one of my favourite Artistic Outpost Stamp sets - and she has really inspired me to get that gorgeous stamp set out again and play! 

Her beautiful, delicate work is perfect for this stunning stamp set and I am sure you will agree....she has really done Artistic Outpost (and us!) proud!

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I am a great fan of Artistic Outpost stamps, not just because they suit my vintage style, but they stamp so beautifully despite being incredibly detailed.

I chose the Think and Wonder set as it has been on my favourite list for a long long time but more importantly because I have always wanted to create a Triptych and I thought these would be just perfect having three main images. We also live in an old Manse (c.1840) here in Shetland and I often think of the young children who grew up here in Victorian times and these stamps are a lovely reminder of them.