Inspired by Stamping March Blog Hop.........Chalkboard Technique.

Hello, I'm back today with the second Inspired by Stamping Blog Hop, on the 20th of each month we will be featuring a different technique, idea or colour combination, this month it's a technique called the Chalkboard Technique

I've seen quite a lot of this technique on the internet but have never tried it myself, I absoloutely love the effect it gives and will definitely be giving it another a go.

I decided to use one of the quotes from the Amazing Inspiration set, this technique suits text very well.

I took a piece of black card and with a Versamark clear ink pad, I stamped the quote and covered with white embossing powder, take your heat gun and emboss until you get a nice, raised, glossy finish. Try not to handle the card too much as the white embossing powder will stick to where it's been handled, you could use an embossing buddy to help with this.

Ink the stamp up again with white ink and carefully over-stamp the embossed image, I went slightly to the left and bottom of the text. Before it dries, with my finger, I smudged it in places to make it look like it had been wrote in chalk. It also gives a slight 3-D effect.

I then took the 'LIFE' stamp and in white ink stamped above the quote, giving it a more faded chalk look and did the same with the little fancy embellishment stamp from the Fancy Label 18 set. You never get clean chalkboards so I took a tissue and dabbed around the card in white ink, making it look like smudged chalk.

I then put my inspirational quote in an inexpensive frame, that I picked up from The Range, I'm so pleased with how it turned out. I think it would make a great gift.

We would love for you to have a go and upload your project onto your blog, leave a link using Mr Linky over on Joanna's blog. Two lucky people will each win a $25 gift card for the IBS Store, you don't have to use Inspired by Stamping products but if you do you could be a featured artist on the Inspired by Stamping Facebook page.

Checkout what the other DT have created using this great technique, you have two weeks to enter and will end the 3rd April.

Cindy Blancett

Colleen Dietrich

Kendra Sand

Irit Shalom

Grace Tolman

Leah Cornelius

Vicki Dutcher

Calypso

and finally

Joanna

this is where you link up.

Happy Crafting

xxxxDebxxxx

Scrapbookers Anonymous February Challenge......

February is the month of love so this month's challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous is to use at least 3 hearts and some stitching. I decided to alter a photo frame for Jodie, there is a story behind these frames. On Friday myself and my friend Diane ( who is also Jodie's boyfriends Mom) won the raffle at the Panto. We won a set of 3 oak effect frames and some bubble bath. I insisted Di had them and she said I should have them, in the end I left them in her car without her knowing. The next night when I went to bed, I found them under my pillow, she did say she would have the last laugh, lol, I got really excited thinking Mick had bought me a surprise present.

This is how the frame looked originally.

My inspiration came from this week's colour challenge over at CR84FN, isn't the inspiration board stunning and I love the quote.

The frame now:

I painted the frame with Paper Artsy Fresco Finish white paint, love this product, and when dry got some sandpaper and gently rubbed to reveal some of the wood, adding a MF swirl and Prima flower. I punched some hearts from The Girls Paperie paper range and also used the heart border punch which are both Martha Stewart punches. I love this photo of Jodie & Dan and thought it was perfect for this revamped frame.
Join in the fun here, use up some of your old stash ready for the new CHA releases and the chance to win a fab prize, all you need to do is use at least 3 hearts and some stitching on your project.

Happy Crafting
xxxx Debxxxx