Seaworld ATC's Using New Stamperia

It is always exciting when new paper lines are released, and none more so than from Stamperia.  One of the new paper lines - "Seaworld" - was created by the uber talented Antonis Tzandakis, who also designed Mechanical Fantasy and Azulejos for Stamperia.
 The Charmed Cards & Crafts monthly ATC swap was themed "Seaworld" and OF COURSE I just had to use the brand new papers:

 ATC's are based on a piece of cardstock measuring 2.5" x 3.5". I used a sand coloured piece in this size to emulate the sea floor,  then cut a fishnet from a fishnet die, and wrapped this around the base. 

The tags are from the Stamperia "Seaworld" 12x12 paper pack (we also have the pack in 8x8). I cut these out then glazed them with Stamperia Transparent Crackle Glaze. Once dry the paper had buckled so I adhered the tags onto dark brown cardstock, inked edges then put between heavy books for a couple of hours to ensure they were completely flat and stuck down. 

A large eyelet was inserted at the top of the tag and twine inserted. The tag was then mounted onto the fishnet base on foam tape, but using the wet Stamperia Mixed Media glue to ensure a strong hold. The bubbles and metal octopus were likewise adhere with Mixed Media glue. The chipboard sentiment is a Kaisercraft Flourish from the "Nautical" pack.

 You can see how the crackle glaze gave a 3-dimensional effect:

 

The papers you see below my ATC's are all from the paper pad - how amazing are they!!!  This pad definitely has the wow factor.

 

Here is a project created by Antonis Tzanadakis:

 

You can find the new Seaworld papers HERE. Soon we will have lots of coordinating products to go with them, such as stamps, stencils, rice papers and more.  Subscribe to our newsletter to get them as soon as they arrive.

Mixed Media on Cards

 At Charmed Cards & Crafts we stock a huge array of goodies from Stamperia. A recent release is a fabulous collection called "Cosmos". The collection comprises 12x12 papers, rice papers, stencils, chipboard and moulds.   Mixed media projects are fun, I want to show you that you can create fabulous cards using mixed media, and what better collection to create with.  We have run monthly ATC swaps for over a decade now, and our theme this month was a moodboard featuring Cosmos.  My swaps there also feature here. Thus - expect a million picture to follow ...!

CARD 1- "One of a Kind"

The first card I want to show you is quite large, measuring 19.5cm x 14.5cm. I used black cardstock to create the card itself.   One of my favourite dies is a Zipper die (out of stock, sorry). Cutting out the design using Duck Egg Blue cardstock, I distressed and aged it using metallic gold ink. I then notched out the section from the card front where I intended to insert the zip.

I cut a piece of paper from the Cosmos pad, slightly smaller than card front, inked edges with gold ink and attached to front of card. Again I cut out the place for the zip and attached it to the top.

To add dimension I used Finnabairs Gold Icing Paste with Stamperia Cosmos stencil KSTD044. I then added Prima/Finnabair art stones (you can also use Stamperia Art Stones "Lunar Grains"). You can see here how lush that icing paste is, rich and bright gold, love it!

The art stones were put on using mixed media glue and dries clear. On the picture below it was still wet.

 Add a piece of the same Cosmos paper inside the card. Here you can see what it looked like before I added the dimension to the front.

 

 When the card is closed you can now see the internal paper:

The centrepiece for my card front is one of the images from the Cosmos pad - and loving owls this one blew me away! I inked the edges with gold, then layered it, using 1mm foam tape, on Duck Egg Blue cardstock (inked) and then black cardstock. I used Glossy Accent on the moon, the eyes, and the beak.

When the art stones were dry I coloured them haphazardly using Finnbair/Prima Opal Magic Paint (Coral/Teal), then waxed with Stamperia Cerantica Ancient Gold Wax.

I painted a metal piece I had, using the Opal Magic paint and added it to the bottom of the card, ensuring I left room for my centrepiece.

 I inked a quote chip from Tim Holtz and attached to the top using foam tape.

The centrepiece was attached using 3mm foam tape with a few feather tucked behind it to finish it off:

  The inside was decorated too:

CARD 2-"Chase the Moon ..."

 On the next card I used art stones as a frame, not merely to add dimension.

I wanted this to be really rustic so after covering the front with Cosmos paper (and four corners cut out from the Cosmos paper) I liberally added Stamperia Clear Crackle paste. When dried it hardened and curled the edges, which was exactly what I was after, as well as leaving a lush crackle.  

The centrepiece was mounted as the previous card and added to the centre (this card is 6"x6" size)

Art stones were added, then painted and waxed as previous card - as I wanted this to look really rustic I brought both paint and wax onto the card itself. As before I dabbed some of the  wax here and there for a gold shimmer. Colours were much more subtle than in my picture. Just couldn't get the light.

 

 Inside was simply decorated to coordinate with the front:

  

Cosmos Artist Trading Cards

My three ATC cards.  ATC stands for Artist Trading Cards, and are 2.5" x 3.5" pieces of art in a specific theme. These used the Cosmos papers, as well as turquoise leather craft lace, feathers  and metal.  Glossy Accent was used to accent each card also.

I hope I have persuaded you to try mixed media on your cards. 

ATC Swap for September

We are taking a break from the swap this month but September's theme has already been set. Our lovely host Carmen set the September theme as follows:  "Your favourite phrase or saying - Be it funny, romantic, spiritual......Embellishments are up to you but I would like to see just one colour with different shades."

I like it!! Look forward to doing that. Come join us. These swaps are super fun and easy, you only need to make three small ATC cards and you will get three different cards back in return. Pop over to our forum and get your name down.

Our latest swap was "The Roaring Twenties" and I just received my three lovely cards through the post from our swap host.  My own cards were similar but different this time:

 I used mainly Graphic 45's Couture collection here.  The background paper is "Stunning" and I sprayed it with Prima Color Bloom spray mist "Soft Teal". The beautiful woman I cut out from the reverse of the same paper.  I also used elements from the Chipboard Tags and Banners from the same collection. Brads are Basic Grey. Paper ribbon K&Co. I used Glossy accents on the big flower on the middle card. Distress ink for edges etc and of course a few pearls.

 Super fun. Come and join us for the next one. We keep losing members on our forum to Facebook and it's such a shame.  Once a forum is teeming with members it's much more fun than boring old Facebook :)

ATC Swaps - Artist Trading Cards

Good Morning!!! My my, it's been a long time since we posted anything on here. This is the first post this year!! Hope we haven't lost you all with our absence.  What with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and what have you, it's hard to keep up!

Did you know that we have a forum where you can come and have a chinwag? We opened that before the advent of said Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and many people have left forums to be on Facebook instead, which is a shame I think because you can't beat the interaction we have in the forum.  NOT ONLY THAT, but we have crafty challenges too! Not so many as we used to I grant you, but our ATC swaps are still going strong. We would LOVE for you to join us (sorry UK only). Each month a theme is set and each person creates three artist trading cards for the swap, and will in turn receive three cards from three other members. It's super fun and really gets your creative juices flowing. The ATC's must measure no more than 2.5” x 3.5” so it's a super little challenge. You can make them identical, or you can make them all different. We make them thin enough to go through as a large letter size as it otherwise would be too expensive to post, so try not to add very bulky items.

In the picture above you can see some of the cards I created for our swaps.  Here they are again with some of our latest swaps:

The latest swap was themed "Scarecrows"

"The Lynx effect" of course refers to the effect Lynx deoderant has on females, or birds as we also call them here in the UK LOL That scarecrow should not have used Lynx if he wanted to scare the birds away ha ha.  Glossy accents were used on the scarecrow and birds for a 3D effect.

The next one is "April Showers" where the specification were "anything with water plus one blue brad":

 Here is used the fabulous "Voyage Beneath The Sea" by Graphic 45 - love love love this collection. The background paper is Karen Foster "Rippling Waves" and I added a beautiful  Imaginice blue Polished Pebble brad.  Glossy accents were used to highlight certain elements for a 3 dimensional effect.

The theme for the next one was "Autumn/Thanksgiving":

Here I cut a smaller card, embossed it with a leaf/flower pattern then coloured with Gelatos. A die was used to cut the branch, which I again coloured with Gelatos.

Here is one entitled "Vintage Transportation:

Here I made them all different. I used Graphic 45's "Come Away With Me" for this one.

Next up theme "Hollywood".:

I printed out pictures from the Internet and embellished with sentiments I just created on the computer and printed on red cardstock, plus gem stones and ribbon. I fussy cut flowers from Graphic 45's Mother Goose paper "Ring around the Roses" and highlighted the flowers with Gold Stickles.

This one was themed "What makes me smile":

Well kittens of course!! Can't recall where I got the image. Wings and crown were Spellbinders dies "Mixed Media Elements S5-085". Added lace, brads, and lots of doodling. As with all my ATC's I used Distess ink.

 A few other swaps:

Theme "Love"

 

Theme "Anything Goes":

 Theme "2016 - 2 colours - 0 ribbon -1 flower -6 buttons"

Theme "Flowers with a little Bling":

I hope I have inspired you to give us a shot. Come join us :)