A Country House for August's Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

Hi everyone and welcome! August's challenge over at the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge has been sponsored by IndigoBlu and their amazing Design Team have been sharing some fabulous projects using IndigoBlu stamps. Check out the first selection HERE and the mid-monthly round up HERE.

There's still time to enter with the challenge closing on August 31st at 11:55 p.m. EST so get inspired by the photo prompt and make sure you get your entries in to be in with a chance to win!

For those of you in the US you'll be pleased to know you can now get your IndigoBlu stamps from Topflight Stamps at https://topflightstamps.com/. One of the stamps that proved a favourite with the MMMC Design Team was the A6 Country House (UK - here / US - here). We thought you'd enjoy getting even more inspiration for using this image.

Ksenija Rizova (two takes one stamp - version one)

Ksenija Rizova (two takes one stamp - version two)

Elizabeth Robinson (step by step tutorial)

Giovanna Zara (video tutorial)

Giovanna Zara (vintage canvas)

Giovanna Zara (altered book)

Jenny Marples (layered canvas)

With all that wonderful inspiration to get your creative juices flowing don't forget, there's still time to enter the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

We'll be back soon with more from IndigoBlu.

Country House | Creating a Focal Element

Hello Everyone and Welcome! Today Ksenija is here, and I am excited to share with you a new project featuring Country House stamp from the latest IndigoBlu release. Previously I demonstrated how to use a complete impression of this stamp, while today I will show you how to create a focal element.

For my background I used IndigoBlu 6 x 6 inches stencil Roses. It covers the standard card panel (5 1/2 x 4 inches) completely. I blended Distress Inks in Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin and Barn Door. Then I distressed the edges of the panel with Antique Linen and Black Soot Distress inks.

To create a focal element I inked Country House rubber stamp in archival black ink and stamped it down to an oval watercolour paper die cut. I did not want to colour it carefully, so I just smeared Antique Linen Distress ink directly with an ink pad across the impression and added shades with a water brush using Walnut Stain Distress ink.

I love adding a little bit of interest with a different texture. I stamped an ivy hanging over the door in FlitterGlu down to a piece of watercolour paper and covered the impression with Chariot of Fire Mega Flakes. Then I coloured the ivy with watercolour markers and fussy cut it out. To mask white fresh cut edges I distressed them slightly with Walnut Stain Distress ink.

To finish off my card I adhered the oval element and stamped the sentiment from Floral Fantasy stamp set in black dye ink and added a few border elements from Tiny Backgrounds stamp set.

To assemble my card I used a foam tape to raise the panel and an ivy over the door. Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoy this card and will give a try to Country House stamp in your next project.
IndigoBlu Supplies Used:
Country House Stamp
Roses Stencil
FlitterGlu
Chariot of Fire Mega-Flakes
Floral Fantasy Stamp Set
Tiny Backgrounds

A Magical Altered Book

Hello Giovanna here, with my first post as International Design Team member :-)

I am well known as a crazy upcycler and this time is no exception: books are one of my favourite things to alter,  these are pretty easy to find, can become unusual ArtJournal or lovely artworks to display.

The main charactere of this story is Jewel, and such a mithological animal can walk only on golden roads, that lead to enchanted houses.

And the tiny bottle, encased in a golden niche, can only contains Unicorn Sparkle.

To alter a book, open it in the middle and gesso the pages. When dry add some texture spreading the gorgeous Super Thick Slap it On through a stencil. When dry spray with your favourite mists. 

Stamp on white cardstock the door and the unicorn, cut them out, colour them and glue to the pages.

Add all the golden details you like, stamping with the Flitter glue and brushing the Mega Flakes. To make the road pat the phat foam with Flitter Glue and cover with the Mega Flakes.

And then, Believe in Magic!

Products I used:

Country House Retreat

Hi there Elizabeth here sharing a colourful project this morning. I love this Country House stamp and can see many different used for it.

I started off by adding Fine Texture Paste through the fab new Stars Stencil drying it and then painting over with a coat of White GeeSsoGood While this was drying I stamped out the Country House  doorway stamp twice onto Perfect White Stamping card using Black Versafine Ink and coloured in using Caran d'Ache pencils

I cut around a complete coloured image and adhered it to the canvas. Once that had dried I spread paste around the edges of the stamped image, and scored brick lines into it using the end of a paint brush.

Once this had completely dried off I began adding the Cottage Garden paints layer by layer, starting with Pink Iced Gems and building right up to Park Lane around the edges.

I love the way the paints blend together. Next I mixed a tiny amount of the gorgeous new Luscious Powder in Bronze and using a fine brush painted inbetween the brickwork, and slightly over the top of the bricks as well for a gorgeous sheen.

Then after cutting out the lanterns and topiary tree's I added them using black foam pads.

I also cut out the door, painted it with a mixture of Luscious Powders and made a cut down the centre and edges, so one door could be opened. (sorry about the blurred picture).

Next taking a piece of card I added several different colours of paint, blending them in at the edges where they met.

I stamped out a sentiment and Butterflies from the gorgeous Floral Fantasy Stamp Set on my Rainbow background, made myself a cuppa and set about cutting them out, which took no time at all.

Then all that was left to do, was to build up the picture, add the chopped up sentiment, position the Butterflies escaping from the doorway, and of course add a few paint splatters using the left-over Luscious and also diluted white GeeSsoGood.

I think you will agree, the combination of the Cottage Garden paints and the Luscious powders is just amazing, so vibrant.

I had such great fun creating this project and hope you've enjoyed it too.

Thanks for looking, Elizabeth x