I'm IndigoBlu-ming!!!

Hi everyone. Two posts from me today (the other is HERE) and this one contains some incredibly exciting news... I've been invited to join the IndigoBlu team for a spell using their awesome products!!!

It is such an honour to be able to work with this home grown British company that took the major trade shows in the US and Germany by storm this year. And even more exciting? Their product range just keeps on expanding, with the addition of superb matte English Cottage Artist's acrylic paints, stencils and 'Alter Egos' alongside their legendary red rubber stamp sets and Megaflakes. You'll need to keep up to date with everything that's going on so please do head over to the IndigoBlu blog for news, techniques, and a whole heap of inspiration.

My first card has been designed specifically with the current IndigoBlu challenge in mind; running through to 20th April, the theme is 'Spring Blossoms', so grab your IndigoBlu stamps and get creating to be in with a chance of winning your choice of stamps

(2 large plates, or 4 small plates, or 1 large and 2 small plates).

This ink distressed background seems to represent the UK skies this Spring - trying desperately to be blue but often succumbing to rain, hail, and even snow last week! You may have noticed I reached for the honeycomb background stamp for my Distress Glitter projects featured in the April edition of Craft Stamper magazine.

This honeycomb pattern is one you'll be seeing everywhere right now, perfectly complimenting embossing folders, stencils and Tim Holtz' new Framework Dies. I stamped it out using FlitterGlu and Chariot of Fire Megaflakes to provide a clean, crisp contrast with the 'leaden skies'.

(Find links to each of the IndigoBlu products used at the bottom of this post).

Many of you will know I like to get the most out of my stamps, thinking outside the box with the designs wherever possible. And so it was with these Blazing Poppies. Having created an initial flowery base with white embossing powder I realised they could easily be transformed to represent the cherry blossom currently seen covering so many trees. After covering a piece of card with Pink Iced Gem paint I stamped the 'blossom' in Goldfinger paint. As well as drying quite quickly it gives you a really sharp result - just remember to wash your stamps out  as soon as you've finished! To finish these blooms I rubbed a little Wild Honey ink on with my little finger (well that's one way to attract those bees :)

My cards all get used or sold so having a great set of sentiment stamps in my crafting arsenal is essential. These ones are found as part of the Design Numbers set and separate out as 'Happy Birthday' and 'Today' designs. 

After layering up the blossoms I needed to add some sense of structure. Leaves only appear once the blossoms have gone so bare twigs with closed blossom tips work well here and are easily achieved. After die cutting them from plain card they were coloured with Hot Cocoa and Pantry White paints. I love the fact that you get a flat matte finish with these paints and only need one coat as they are so heavily pigmented.

So there you have it, a new adventure for a new season, and I can't wait to show you what else I've been up to. In the meantime make sure you hop over to the IndigoBlu challenge blog to see some fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team and get those entries in!

For now, take care of yourselves

Jenny xxx

List of products used with links to the shop;

A6 Honeycomb Background stamp

FlitterGlu Kit in box (with instructions)

Chariot of Fire Megaflake

A6 Blazing Poppies stamp

A6 Poppy Heart stamp

A6 Design Numbers stamp

English Cottage Artist's acrylic paint in Pink Iced Gem

English Cottage Artist's acrylic paint in Goldfinger

English Cottage Artist's acrylic paint in Hot Cocoa

English Cottage Artist's acrylic paint in Pantry White