Winter Quietude
Posted: December 2, 2020 Filed under: Penny Black, quietude, Stamped Landscapes, tannenbaum trio | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Stonehenge watercolour paper 10 Comments
When I posted a card stamped with the PB ‘quietude’ stamp recently I mentioned I would be making a more wintery looking version. Today I have two different colour schemes featuring snow and an extra tree from the tannenbaum trio set.
In this snowscape inspired by my friend Liz’s love for all things purple, I used speckled egg, dusty concord and black soot distress inks to paint a sky, a lake and snowbank shadows. I stamped the top of the scene first in speckled egg so I would know where to paint the sky then used a paintbrush and smooshed ink to fill the area above the horizon. I dried that then painted the lake area with speckled egg and dusty concord before stamping the trees in dusty concord and black soot inks.
For the colour scheme below I again used speckled egg but with pine needles and chipped sapphire distress inks.
The falling snow on both cards is a result of splattered masking fluid on hot pressed watercolour paper. I splattered it ahead of time and did all the stamping and painting before rubbing it off to reveal all the white dots.
If you have been reading this blog for a while you will know I have participated in the Dressember campaign in the past to raise awareness and funds to fight human trafficking. I’ve signed up again and will be wearing a dress every day in December while I share information about the work being done around the world to end modern day slavery. To support this cause please visit my fundraising campaign page https://dressemberijm-2020.funraise.org/fundraiser/heather-telford where you can donate. I will be posting the daily dresses on my instagram account with occasional updates here on the blog. (Please note I have signed up with Dressember Canada this time so tax receipts will be sent to Canadian donors only.)
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Woodland Getaway (and a winner!)
Posted: November 26, 2020 Filed under: Nature's Friend, Penny Black, woodland getaway | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks 3 Comments
Before I give you the details about this winter scene I want to announce the winner of a registration in my new online class, Winter Wonder. Congratulations Colett, who told us plenty of things she loves about winter.
Sledding with the grandkids. Skating. Skiing. The way sound is so clear and crisp on those very cold cold days. Crisp snow beneath my feet and the crunch it makes. Hoar frost on the trees. Chickadees and other birds sitting all puffed up on the feeder. Sitting by the crackling fire with a good cup of coffee. Lots to love about winter!
This forest landscape is a new PB stamp called woodland getaway To turn it into a snowy scene I used hot pressed watercolour paper splattered with masking fluid. I began by creating a sky with chipped sapphire ink smooshed on a glass mat, I spritzed the ink with water and swiped the panel through it several times to pick up ink and fill the top half of the panel.
I dried the inky sky before moving the panel into the stamp positioner. I stamped the scene first in stormy sky distress ink, the lightest colour, painted over the distant hills and added a little chipped sapphire ink to the edges. I inked the trees in black arteza real brush pen, stamped and repeated to build up the forest area. I spritzed the stamp a little to move the ink.
To define the track and edges I stamped in chipped sapphire and blended with some water to get shadow. Did you notice I called it a track not a road? I’m trying to avoid the ‘deer in the headlights’ interpretation. That is not what I was going for; I prefer to think of it as a trail where the skiers or snowshoers (?) came over a rise and surprised a couple of deer crossing the track. The deer from PB nature’s friends are stamped in versafine clair nocturne ink.
Just in case you are planning a little shopping this weekend the Foiled Fox is having a sale, Friday through Monday. I thought you should know!
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Frozen Vista
Posted: November 25, 2020 Filed under: frozen vista, juniper, layered Xmas wreath die set, Penny Black, Uncategorized, Winter lantern | Tags: brutus monroe embossing powder, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks 6 Comments
This lovely window stamp is from a Penny Black set, frozen vista which includes two arched window stamps. I stamped it on hot pressed watercolour paper in versamark then embossed in white powder. I used three distress inks to paint over the embossing, chipped sapphire in the sky, scattered straw at the horizon and stormy sky on the snowy ground.
To make a swag below the window I added double sided adhesive to some neenah solar white cardstock then die cut the PB juniper dies, holly from the layered Xmas set and pinecones from the winter lantern set.
Because of the subtle colours and abundance of white and offwhite I popped up the painted panel on a couple of layers of cardstock to give it a shadow frame on the same coloured card base.
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Christmas Colours
Posted: November 24, 2020 Filed under: Coliro paints, Coloured pencil, Finetec paints, {heart} Christmas | Tags: brutus monroe embossing powder, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colour Pencil, Finetec artist mica watercolour paint, Penny Black stamps, Waffle Flower dies 5 Comments
I’ve started thinking about colours I’ll use to decorate this year. I pick a different colour scheme every year. Not wildly different, usually there will be gold or silver along with a colour or white. I don’t buy new decorations every year; I have a selection of wide ribbons plus a few boxes of coloured balls and a range of unique decorations we’ve collected, made or been given over the years.
One year I did a rustic, natural sort of theme with burlap ribbon and wood ornaments with some white and gold similar to the colours in this card. This year I am thinking of black and gold. I’m not thinking of black in a sad and dark way more of a rich velvet with tartan ribbon kind of way. Just before and after Christmas last year I bought quite a few of the same decoration, heavily discounted, in preparation for a class I planned to teach this month. Well that’s not happening but I am hoping to use some of my stash and share them here. And there will be black and tartan in the mix.
I stamped the heart from PB {heart} Christmas set in versamark and embossed in white powder on kraft cardstock then used a blending brush to blend frayed burlap distress ink over the stamping to give it a shadow. I know the effect I was after with the blending but not sure that I’ve achieved it here.
I used polychromos pencils and Coliro pearlescent paints to colour in the outline stamping. I embossed in white a sentiment from the PB merry up set and used a white gel pen to add a stitching line around the edge of the panel.
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Quietude video
Posted: November 23, 2020 Filed under: quietude, Stamped Landscapes | Tags: Penny Black stamps 10 Comments
This scenic stamp from Penny Black is called Quietude and I think it is aptly named don’t you? I would be happy to wander along the shore of this lake today. It is getting cold, just on the edge of beginning to freeze but not there yet. The plants have died off but they are goldy brown colour, so still eye catching against the steely blue water. Okay, that’s enough waxing poetic for me. I plan to stamp and paint this as a winter scene soon but I enjoyed turning it into a late fall scene first.
I used a combo of archival and distress inks to create the scene and made a video of the process. To give you a little glimpse behind the scenes I made one panel in these tones and liked it so much I decided to film it. It took four attempts before I got this one! Don’t let that put you off trying it. It just goes to show things don’t always go to plan!
Speaking of winter scenes, I happen to have a new online class available that is all about winter scenes: the night skies, the snowy landscapes, the frosty branches; it’s all in my new class WINTER WONDER. I would love you to join me.
Apparently we are in for a mild end to the year here in Ottawa. That is just fine with me. This lake can stay unfrozen and for as long as it likes.
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Just the birds
Posted: November 20, 2020 Filed under: Penny Black, wreath & wings | Tags: Penny Black stamps 11 Comments
Recently I posted two cards featuring the Penny Black set, ‘wreath & wings‘, one including the birds and the other without. On today’s card it’s just the birds, no wreath. The set has three bird stamps so I stamped one flying then the other three birds waiting for him to arrive.
I stamped the birds in pumice stone distress ink then added some candied apple with a marker before blending the two colours to fill most of each bird. I use black soot for the beaks and eyes and sketched a little branch for the birds to sit on which I filled with gathered twigs ink (of course).
I added the sentiment from the PB set ‘Christmas feeling’ stamped in archival ground espresso ink. It’s such a simple panel I decided to pop it up on the card base but even then it got a little lost. I embossed it with the Taylored Expressions ‘weathered’ folder which gave it enough texture to make it stand out from the base. It’s been a while since I entered a challenge but this one is going to the CAS Christmas ‘Non-traditional Colours Challenge. Brown and grey are hardly traditional for Christmas but I think they worked pretty well especially with a touch of red!
The excitement continues for me today as my new online class, WINTER WONDER is now available. To find out more just click to my previous post where you can get a glimpse of the class content and enter a giveaway if you like. Speaking of giveaways, Penny Black has one right now to celebrate their new release; you can enter on their blog.
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Birdhouse Blessings
Posted: November 16, 2020 Filed under: birdhouse blessings, Finetec paints, Penny Black, sennelier watercolours | Tags: Finetec artist mica watercolour paint, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, sennelier watercolours 5 Comments
This delightful scene is called ‘birdhouse blessings’ and it makes me want to have birdhouses and bird feeders scattered across my backyard. A few days ago my husband and I were doing what may well be our final outdoor workout of the year and watched chickadees and a cardinal flit back and forth from tree to hedge.
I worked on a hot pressed watercolour panel which I’d splattered with masking fluid (as per usual). I only just got my hands on some speckled egg distress ink and stain so that’s what I used for the background colour. It is a lovely colour and I’m very happy with the inky background. I smooshed ink on my glass mat, diluted it then swiped the panel through it to pick up colour.
I stamped the large stamp in antique linen then did some no-line watercolour with Sennelier watercolour paints. While painting those little leaves and berries I did wonder if I should have chosen watercolour markers instead of paint brush and paints but I was already committed, so me and my very small paint brush kept on painting. When I finished painting all the elements I used speckled egg distress stain to darken the edges of the panel and frame the little scene. When I removed the masking fluid there were pretty little snowflakes over the whole panel.
I painted the little star in gold and debated whether I would add a gold frame as well. Decided in the end I liked it just the way it was. (psst a little bird wants to tell you ‘Winter Wonder’ is coming!)
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Cozy Cabin video
Posted: November 11, 2020 Filed under: cozy cabin, Penny Black, Stamped Landscapes, Tutorial | Tags: distress markers, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, grafix, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, video 6 Comments
This cute cabib is another new stamp from Penny Black; the set is called ‘Cozy Cabin’ and it includes this tree shadowed cabin plus an extra tree not shown on this card. Once again I enjoyed bringing this scene to life with splattered masking fluid and distress inks.
I used a stamp, paint, stamp, paint process to build up the colour and definition of the cabin. I had my glass mat at hand so I could smoosh inks then pick up colour with a paintbrush.
When we go cross country skiing in Gatineau Park we come across cabins that look a little like this. There are several scattered across the park for the use of skiers, complete with a wood stove, tables and benches so we can warm up, eat our snacks, and rest a little before heading back out in the snow.
I’m in no hurry for the snow to come but I do have new skis and boots after years of hand-me-downs so the pressure will be on this year to make good use of them!
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Winter Window
Posted: November 9, 2020 Filed under: art deco window, juniper, layered Xmas wreath die set, Penny Black, Winter lantern | Tags: Dr PH Martin, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps 6 Comments
Sometimes I get inspired by the detailed and delicate foliage dies from Penny Black. The new ‘juniper’ die set got me started for this design along with a navy panel of cardstock splattered with white paint.
I gathered other dies to combine into a winter window scene. I could have chosen brighter reds and greens but I am in a muted vintage style phase right now so forest green and burgandy were my picks for the juniper and berries. All the dies are listed below; I picked from a few sets and added double sided adhesive to all the cardstock before die cutting. The window die is designed to open but I chose the adhesive backing so it would be stuck down firmly to keep the snow outside and the candle from blowing out!
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Masked Snowscape
Posted: November 5, 2020 Filed under: grafix, Nature's Friend, sennelier watercolours, winter woodland | Tags: grafix, Penny Black stamps, sennelier watercolours 5 Comments
I teamed up with Grafix to create some videos this year. My first project was very definitely a summer scene, but this one, as you can see is not! We have had a few snowfalls already but currently are enjoying a reprieve and a few really nice mild days. Grafix makes a wide range of art plastics and films; I used their extra tack frisket film to mask the snowbanks and moon on this card and splattered Grafix liquid frisket to create the falling snow.
I worked on hot pressed watercolour paper and painted the sky and shadows with Sennelier watercolours. The trees and deer are stamped with the ever useful versafine clair nocturne ink. The video below shows my whole process.
If you are keen to create cards featuring the beauty of a northern winter I am working very hard on a new project that might interest you. Can’t wait to share more soon.
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Heather Telford 