A warm welcome to all my visitors,

Thank you for taking the time to come and look at my blog, I really do appreciate it. I would love you to leave me a comment, even if it’s just to say Hi. It means I can come visit you!

All my designs are original, so copyrighted to me. If I have been inspired by someone elses work, I have named them in the post, and where able, I have provided a link.

Please feel free to use my designs for inspiration, I just ask you to credit me, and provide a link back to my blog.

Thanks, Shaz XX

Wednesday 26 February 2020

WOYWW #560- The Inking & Stamping Edition

 A desk with crafting happening too, for this weeks WOYWW over at The Stamping Ground, as always overseen by our much loved Hostess, Julia.
 I used one of those stencils from last week to make a batch of backgrounds, to CASE some cards.
These were all done with Distress Inks, and the 'make up style' brushes.
 They really are rather good for softer blending, although you can make them darker by adding more ink of course.


I have a couple of sets, bought from Amazon, around £10 a set, compared to £50ish for the branded 'craft' version. This is a set of assorted sizes, you can also get sets of 5 of just the larger ones for about £8.
 Just search for Toothbrush Style Make up Brushes. And the beauty is, you don't need a huge number of them, as you can just scrub the brush onto a Micro Fibre cloth and it will remove all the ink, without needing to wash or change to a different brush between colours.
 

The yellow one was done after the purple ones, as you can see no ink contamination.

The mixed size sets are really good, as you can use the smaller ones to add colour to smaller areas, which I did with the darker colour at the edges.




I've started stamping on some using lights & baubles from Cardio,and the Memento Dew Drop pads. Just have to draw in the strings, then I'm going to add some Glossy Accents over them.




These are the Cardio sets I'll be mainly using stamps from.



I also forget to mention last week that you don't necessarily need a digital cutter to make your own mylar stencils, you can die cut from them too, so you can create any shape stencil you like from your dies.

And thats my desk for this week. Which just leaves.....And Finally......

24 comments:

Helen said...

those brushes look very useful; and love the shaded colouring on the ovals. Have a great week. Helen #2

Sarah Brennan said...

Great blending Shaz. Thanks for the tip about the brushes. It is always so annoying how prices jump through the roof as soon as a product is labelled for crafting. Happy WOYWW. Sarah #3

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

Fun, I just got some of the brushes, so thanks for the tip on cleaning them Want to say Thanks for the support and comments thru my Mother's death. I was truly blessed to have her this long. Lots of things to settle and prep work for all the family to be together before summer. Enjoy a great week.

Shoshi said...

Great funny, Shaz - I can identify with that lol lol!!! I love your simple backgrounds and stamped accents - they will make great cards, and presumably pretty quick to make, as well. I took your enabling advice last week and have some Mylar stencil sheets on order from Ebay - I’ve gone for the heavier ones because I want to be able to use moulding paste etc. I think that stuff will cut really well on my machine.

Hope you are well. Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi x #11

Lillianb said...

Loving the funny Shaz and so true, lol Loving all your work they look so good,
and a lovely collection of stamps,
Happy WOYWDW

Lilian B # 12

Bridget Larsen said...

wow never knew those brushes existed, they make great smooshing and your ovals look like eggs
Bridget #1

Julia Dunnit said...

Those brushes look great, am all for not having to wash them in between, it really breaks the flow. Well enabled dear gal! Love the results that Cardio stamps give, they’ve always been well produced haven’t they. I dont have many (two sets, I think) because I’m lazy about using lots of smaller images. As for the Ugandan finally ‘challenge your balance every day’ was one of the last things the Brain surgeon said to me three years ago...and legs into knickers is still that challenge!!!!

Anne said...

Hi Shaz. I'd been looking at those brushes for blending, thanks for reviewing - I shall be ordering. Might look into the Mylar as well.
I definitely identify with the 'funny' though wish I could still get up some gentle hills at least!
Anne X 14

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

Hi Shaz, you've been very very busy great to see so much creativity going on. Your right about those brushes as soon as I saw the expensive brand last year I knew exactly what they were. Contour brushes my Daughter calls them and ordered me a set of 10 from ebay for under £6, they are still good as new after 6 months.
Mylar is a great tool to have in our stash, I mainly use it with my own sketches burning through it with a stencil cutter, It makes a great portable blending mat too..
Had to laugh about your and finally.. I'm happy to still be able to do this, as long as the dog doesn't try and steal them whilst i'm mid dress hee hee!!
Happy WoywW Hugs Tracey #7 xx

Diana Taylor said...

Fantastic backgrounds - your blending is so delicate. I like the sound of the brushes, I tend to get 'edges' in by blending when I use the rectangular foam ones from TH. I also love the idea of using dies to make stencils with the Mylar - I have never thought of that and usually use a stencil cutter or knife, which never produce perfect results. I shall definitely try that - thanks so much for tip.
I love what you are doing with the cardio stamps, they do some gorgeous little images - I love the baubles, I have one of those sets but haven't used it yet. I now want to find it and have a play but I have too many birthday things to make first!
Hope you have a great week,
Hugs, Diana xx #15

Annie said...

I love seeing you in full crating mode Shaz but I can't concentrate for laughing about your and finally....what with knee replacement, occasional sciatica etc it's rather more appropriate than you think :-) :-) :-)
Hugs,
Annie x #13

Glenda said...

I have a set of these brushes and haven't used them. I love all your Memento inks. They are one of my favorite inks for coloring flowers! If you can visit my blog and give me a vote at Heartfelt Creations I would really appreciate it. The link is on my blog.
Happy WOYWW!
Glenda #18

Neet said...

"and even then I have to hang on to something" - (addition to your Finally)
Thanks for the enabling Shaz, you are a treasure. Love the shading you have got with your brushes and `I think I am going to send for some just as soon as I finish on WOYWW (well, maybe before). Thank you so much for all this enabling you do, you got me hooked on a certain Chinese set up (wink wink)
Love the shaded ovals you have, cannot begin to think mine will be anywhere near as good as yours but only time will tell and I do like to use DI's. Something I can do in my chair too.
Hugs to both of you
Neet 9 xx

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Wow, great shading with those brushes - and even better re the microcloth tip. You retain the Enabling Crown yet again!! Lol at the And Finally, ain't that the truth!!
Hugs LLJ 10 xxx

Lindart said...

Great tip regarding the brushes! I will have to look into those. I look forward to seeing the finished cards! And I lose my balance every day getting into my underwear! LOL! Have a great week, Lindart #20

Elizabeth said...

Oh Shaz, you have no idea how relevant your 'and finally' is to me! I wobble just getting into my jeans these days! That's lovely collection of dew drop inks on your desk - lots of lovely colours. The backgrounds are lovely too. I still don't have any make-up brushes though I keep an eye open in the shops in the hope of finding them there. The Cardio stamp sets are fab - I can see that there's lots of possibilities in your collection. Have a great week. Hugs, Elizabeth x #21

Sue Jones said...

Thanks for the tip re the brushes - saw some this morning on a shopping channel for over £60!!! Your backgrounds are gorgeous, so i will go look on amazon. Have a great week . Soojay 24

Shoshi said...

Thanks for your visit, Shaz the Enabling Queen!! Thank you for the info about the white ink. It looks excellent. Before I order any, I'm going to try with the Ranger Micro Glaze and see if I get any better results this time, but if not, this is certainly the route I shall go down. The mylar arrived today and it looks excellent quality, and soft enough not to blunt my cutting machine blade, I think. I've got several stencil designs to make and this will now give me the incentive. I'm glad you like my fishy drawing. The Towmbows are absolutely brilliant and go well with other media as well (as with the Distress Oxides in that drawing). I am now working on some small Celtic knot designs that can be made into cards. More next week, I hope!

Hugs,
Shoshi x

okienurse said...

been seeing those brushes popping up on a lot of forum recently. I may have to invest in a set. I have tons of the various and sundry foam ones but hardly ever use them cause I am horrible blending with them! I wonder if my circuit would cut stencils? Might have to try! Have a great week. Vickie #25

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Hi Shaz we're as bad as each other, I remind you about the moulds and then you remind me and make me feel guilty Lol! that I have several of those Cardio stamps and I've still not got round to using them. I must get my finger out and use them. I must say that those brushes are brilliant. It was when I saw you using them that I bought a set and they are so much better at blending inks than the other type I've used and that includes the Tim Holtz blending tools so thanks for that. Hope you have a very happy and creative woyww, Angela x16x

StampinCarol said...

I got all the way to the end of your post and had a good laugh! I agree with the quote! LOL! I love my blending brushes and got some from Amazon and some from a vendor at a Stamp & Scrapbook Expo in our state last year. Love them! Your cards are looking good! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!
Carol N #19

Dorlene Durham said...

I keep seeing people using those brushes. I may just have to try some. Happy WOYWW. Dorlene #23

Stacy Sheldon said...

Oh how smart is that to just dust off the ink, I am totally impressed you are going to draw in the strands to hook your lights together too. :) ~Stacy #22

Mrs A. said...

I did look at some of these brushes at the craft show last weekend but decided like you the prices were rather very expensive. Will look for a cheaper version as your results look great. Hugs Mrs A. .

An End of an era

An end of an era

I write this with a broken heart, that only time can heal My beautiful, wonderful wifelet Shaz (Silverwolf) passed away peacefully in the ea...