Hang it all it's a Canvas at Tuesday Taggers

Good Morning! It's Tuesday again and time for Tuesday Taggers. This week it is the turn of my lovely teamie Zoe to choose and she came up with Canvas. My first reaction was AHHHHH! but once I'd calmed down I realised I'd been intending having a go at a canvas for some time as I had everything I needed including a choice of canvases in the house. Really, Zoe, I should be thanking you for giving me a shove in the right direction! Also this week we are lucky to be sponsored by Art From The Heart. Click the logo to have a look at the wonderful goodies you can buy from Dyan.

So, I've shown you the butterfly and I guess you want to see the whole thing. I started off painting it with Adirondack Acrylic Dabbers in pastel colours adding some distress and Adirondack inks round the edges and through a stencil. I then stamped some plain tissue with a range of Elusive Images wild meadow stamps. I used acrylic gel to apply it to the canvas. I sprayed it with some blonde moments pearl pigments in festive gold, mixed with water.

After that I painted another coat of acrylic gel over the whole thing. My only regret at this point was stamping the swirl (Crafty Individuals) in Distress inks in the bottom right corner. It's water based ink and the acrylic gel made it bleed a bit. Believe it or not it isn't so obvious in real life! I stamped  the butterfly (Hero Arts)  onto some card, coloured it with promarkers and used a versa marker over the top to apply clear EP. I did 3 layers so it's very rigid! The swirl around the edge was a freebie from CI with my last order.

I took another photo in sunlight (Yes there was a bit at the weekend) to try and capture the gold sparkle from the pearl pigments - not sure it did though!. Not too bad for a first try, I hope you agree. I think it is rather summery too, so I'm entering it into Allsorts challenge this week, which is summer days. Thanks for looking everyone and please pop over to Tuesday Taggers and have a look what my lovely teamies have created. There are some real beauties!

A bit like buses!

I don't know! Two posts in one day then none until five days later - a bit like buses in a rural village! I will try and be a better blogger over the next few days, as it's half term - yeah! Anyway, here is my first offering, a card for this weeks Allsorts challenge where the theme is Black and white and one other colour.

My 'other colour' is bundled sage distress ink. I started off sponging bundled sage over a Crafter's workshop stencil on half the card. I over stamped that with a Paper Artsy squiggly ink swirl stamp. The border is a Martha Stewart punch . The main image is an Elusive Images stamp from the Poppy Collage theme plate. 
Thanks for looking. I'm off back outside to finish helping Steve clear up hedge trimmings, which seem to be blowing half way across Nottingham! Can't complain though, as the sun is out and it is so much better than yesterday!

Sock label to Bookmark - recycling at Tuesday taggers

Our Theme at Tuesday Taggers this week is recycling and was chosen by our lovely teamie Ildiko. I bought a pair of ski socks during all the snow to wear with my hiking boots. This was the label on one side...

and this is what it looked like on the other. I really liked the colour, so I hung onto it, thinking tag or bookmark. I added some embossing, some scraps of paper and a bit of recycled cork matting and turned it into a bookmark.

The flower stamp is one of a relatively new range by 'Stamp to your Art's Content'. This link will take you straight to them. The stamps used for the silver embossing are from Penny Black. Thanks for looking and do check out some of the wonderful creations by my amazing teamies. Hope you get chance to join in this week!

I'll be back later hopefully with some thanks for the wonderful birthday cards I've received.

Give us a tag at Tuesday Taggers!

For this week's Tuesday Taggers we are asking you to make a Tag! It can be on any theme you like. We have a Guest DT member this week - Georgina who has donated a lovely prize. Check out some of the wonderful projects on Georgina's blog. I probably told you already that my dear friend Lynne donated me some American magazines and I found some lovely ideas in them, one of which was this. It's a tag...

 and it opens out into...

a little card with pockets!    

Here is a close up of my shrinky butterfly.

I really enjoyed making this. The butterfly, script, real dill and sentiment are all Hero Arts stamps and the nettle leaf is MME. I'm not sure about the bumble bee, but Lavinia stamps do one very similar. The background was coloured with Mustard seed, antique linen and shabby shutters distress ink.  Thanks for looking and I hope you can join us this week!

Different Poppies

This is another stamp by Hero Arts that I got from Sir Stampalot. I love it! I can see it in lots of different colours, or just embossed in silver or gold. I found myself using some different colour combinations here, but I think they work! I stamped the stamp in brown versafine and embossed with detail clear. After that I coloured it with promarkers. I stamped the swirl (Elusive Images), in chalk ink on the pearlised base card.
I want to let you know that you are in for a real treat when you see the DT's cards for the Sir Stampalot challenge blog. Make sure you sign up to follow so you can join in the fun!
Sorry to those of you who I have not had chance to visit this week. It's the last week of term and on top of Data crunching and a governors meeting, I seem to be so tired I've lost the ability to focus for long! Off to try and get an earlier night tonight. Thanks for visiting!

Allsorts Challenge - Black, white and pink

Here is my entry for this week's Allsorts challenge. I have used all Hero Arts stamps, although the central butterfly is a Hero Arts Digi. I even stamped the pink ribbon with hero arts leaf flourish (yet again!). I coloured the butterfly with promarkers and added a bit of fine glitter.
Thanks for looking!

THE WINNER OF THE SIR STAMPALOT CANDY HAS BEEN RELEASED, CHECK IT OUT HERE. REMEMBER TO SIGN UP TO THE NEW BLOG AND BECOME A FOLLOWER. ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT BEFORE OUR FIRST CHALLENGE AND BOY IT IS  VERY EXCITING!!!!

Tuesday Taggers - Curls and Swirls

Here is my DT card for Tuesday Taggers this week, where the theme is Curls and Swirls. We are very lucky to be being sponsored by Crafty Individuals who are offering a fabulous prize. Make sure you put a link on your post to be eligible!
On my card I've used the flourish, script and flower by Crafty Individuals and the swirl (behind the flower) by Art Impressions. The flower is coloured with promarkers and the stamping and sponging were done with Adirondack pool and stream.
Pop over to Tuesday Taggers to see the wide range of fabulous DT projects, and then please join in and show us your curly swirly creations!
Thanks for visiting!

Zebras

I've had the promarkers out again. This time I used a digistamp from Teri at Delicious Doodles. I bought it and then thought 'Zebras don't need colouring!' It only took a few minutes to think about colouring the background though, and it could be done in virtually any combination of colours. I'm thinking of trying a purple sunset next. The background paper is made with a stamp by an American called Katy Widger and I bought it from Blade Rubber stamps on a visit to London. The stamp company is Rubber Poet. If anyone knows a stockist of these in the UK please let me know, because I'd love some more. I used Kaleidacolor creole spice ink, a Martha Stewart punch and the Victoria cuttlebug embossing folder and some brilliance gold ink to burnish the edges. Thanks for looking x

My First Guest DT slot!

Here are the tags that I've made for my first guest DT slot which is with Tuesday Taggers. The theme this week is Tag it with Birds. I've done these on shiny card stock and stamped first in versamark with the Hero Arts leaf flourish. I then used a circular mask and applied distress inks. The first has the flourish stamped again in Tea dye distress ink and highlighted with white gel pen. the second has a Lavinia stamp (vine) stamped in majestic blue versafine. Both tags feature birds and branches from the Tranquil plate by Innovative Stamp Creations, stamped in black versafine. I had such fun making these. My fingers went from looking like I chain smoked to looking like I'd bruised them very badly! I got a funny look at the till in Sainsburys!
It is such a lovely theme so why don't you pop over and have a go too?

Tuesday Taggers and I've won a lovely prize!

Tuesday Taggers theme this week is just Black and White. I wanted to play with a couple of stamps I bought recently. Both are Hero Arts - the birds are from a set of clear stamps and the Leaf Flourish is wood mounted. I stamped the black paper I used for the roses  with the leaf flourish too, but in white this time. The sentiment is from Graphicus. The roses were made following Brenda's instructions. Awful photos, but I had to use flash.
We have missed the worst of the weather here by about 10 miles. Mansfield and the surrounding area has had loads of snow, but we have been lucky (?). Our hilly road is still very icy, but negotiable with care. The school where I work has been open and all staff have made it to work... many children haven't though. I had a class of eleven today! We have let them out at playtimes too and they have worked together to build the most amazing snowmen. We did ban sliding and snowballs though (I know! What meanies!) Meg's school was closed as many staff live in the north of the county, so she spent the day with a friend after sleeping in, lucky thing! I was the lucky one later though - I found out I had won a set of stamps from the stamp man blog hop! Woo hoo!

A very quick one

I made yet another following the Allsorts sketch and using up more Laura Ashley papers - the contemporary collection this time. The stamp is another of the graphicus Big Flowers. I think the rest of these papers will be going into a future blog candy along with the LA stamps I bought to go with them. I've not used them at all and I want the space!

Allsorts Challenge - old or new plus a sketch

Here is my entry for this weeks Allsorts challenge. I was very good and used old stash and a stamp I haven't used in ages. the stamp is Non Sequitur and the papers are some Dovecraft Laura Ashley ones. I bought both the traditional pack and the contemporary pack when they came out, but they weren't what I expected and I've not used them at all until today. The leaf punch was a Christmas present and the roses are made as Brenda showed me.

Now when I saw the freebie papers that were on offer from the Funky Hand I had to download them and use them too, so I did another one just for fun! The Stamp is from the Graphicus plate Big Flowers. Thanks for looking!

Getting really inky

I had a bit of time to play yesterday, and after rooting through some old stash I found a few scored pieces of astralux to make A6 cards. I've never used them because a whole astralux card was a bit scary. I decided to cut them up to make some panels instead. I stamped my new Hero Arts leaf flourish with versamark and then masked a 1.5" circle. I sponged distress inks in broken china, faded jeans and dusty concord over the whole piece. After removing the mask I sponged a bit more broken china over the circle. The blue leaves, ferns and Nigella seed heads are all Lavinia stamps and stamped in versafine. This isn't the only thing I made, but you won't be seeing the others for a little while...My fingers are still a bit blue - looks like they have been trapped in a door!
Anyway, just thought I'd pop on before I get tea ready to wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Cake and a card

This is a Hummingbird Cake. My version isn't very pretty, but I prefer to just have the cream cheese frosting in the middle and not all over it. I got the recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery Cook book (brought by Santa), but there is a very similar version here. If you like banana cake and carrot cake you will love it. It is very moist and has bananas and pineapple in it. I made it yesterday, but by teatime there was only half left!
The card is another using the Funky flowers rubber stamp plate from The Stamp Man. It's my MIL's birthday next week, so this one is for her. The rose is covering a blob of glue that was in the wrong place! The leaf punch was another pressie. The flowers are coloured with sakura stardust pens and a water brush... oh yes and a touch of pastel blue promarker.

A card for Lynne with more roses!

I've been looking forward to posting this one, but didn't want to put it on the blog until I'd given it to Lynne. I took my inspiration from Brenda who made this lovely card and box. I loved the colour combination and of course the beautiful roses. I saw it 'for real' at the Sir Stampalot demo day on 5th December, and it is even more beautiful than the photo suggests.
I stamped the pine branch (All Night Media) in versamark onto the green paper and embossed with Kaleidoscope embossing powder. The greeting was stamped in versafine and embossed with some cinnamon scented red embossing powder.
I was shown how to make the lovely roses by my friend Brenda. She has since put a very clear and easy to follow tutorial on her blog here. I used kaleidoscope embossing powder on my roses too. These are made using a 1 inch six petalled flower punch. I added some punched leaves too.
With the snow showers yesterday the light was very variable, so the top photo was taken with a flash. It is probably the best representation of colour, but the rose detail is lost. The other photos were taken in daylight.
I have been very lucky in the past week. My Christmas tree card for Tuesday Taggers won me a guest slot on the Design Team in January, and on Saturday I won the Allsorts Challenge for Pearls and Swirls. Mr Random.org has favoured me despite the fact I was number 13! I am really looking forward to the postie bringing my goodies, and thanks to the wonderful Design teams on both challenges for providing such wonderful inspiration!

AAAaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Here are the last few remaining birthday cards I had left to do for December. I can get on with finishing the Christmas cards now! I am only managing to blog these because a friend has lent me her dongle. I have no landline and no broadband at the moment. It went off yesterday and it won't be back on until tomorrow night at the earliest. I'm not a happy bunny. On the up side my boss has returned to work and this week is a lot less stressful.
The cards are all digistamps except for the 3rd. The top one is from CraftsUprint, the second is from Dustin Pike, the third has stamps from the Funky flowers plate (available from The Stampman) and the last is from Christine Dark. They were all coloured with Promarkers except for the 3rd which was coloured with sakura stardust pens and a water brush. Off to do more Christmas cards now - Thanks for looking!

Tuesday taggers - A festival of light

For Tuesday Taggers I've gone well off the beaten track. I've found some rather lovely celtic candles from a Non Sequitur  stamp plate. I then started looking for celtic festivals involving light, and it is most of them! There is the winter solstice, or Yule, summer solstice, Beltane, Samhain,  Imbolc and Lughnasadh to name but a few. As it is all based on the sun and light and dark, candles and fire are fairly major symbols. If you want to read more about it there is a good site here.
I have opted for a Yule card as it is about the right time of year. I coloured my candle sticks with promarkers and then used a clear sakura glaze pen over the top. the background was done with sponges and distress inks.
The celtic stamp on the base card is my Jumbo rollagraph. Thanks for looking!

One of those days

What happened to the extra hour? Well I know exactly what happened to ours. It was spent mopping up the freezer after it defrosted itself all over the kitchen floor! I got something out to defrost last night, but can't have closed the door properly, although I could swear that I did. A bag of blackcurrants and two ice lollies made it look like a murder scene! I have made a very large rhubarb crumble, a large lamb hotpot and there is a chicken to roast in the fridge along with some pork chops that will probably get stewed for another day. Fortunately it wasn't as well stocked as it sometimes is, although the sorbet, fish fingers and several other bits and bobs got thrown away.

In between cooking and mopping I managed to make this card for one of the girls next door. She will be nine next weekend. The stamp is 'Willow with Cookies' by Whiff of Joy. I coloured it with promarkers. The ribbon is 'borrowed' from Megan's stash and the card is punched with my Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch. The Papers are from Dovecraft and I've had them ages. The sentiment is from Craftwork cards.

Allsorts challenge week 23

Here is my card for this weeks Allsorts challenge. The theme is Monochrome Christmas following a sketch. I made two cards, as I forgot the sketch bit in my first attempt! The main stamp is by Inkadinkado from their Tin Can Mail range. I stamped it in Adirondack Espresso. I used a damp paint brush to drag some colour onto the holly. The small holly stamp is from Graphicus and the sentiment is from Hero arts I think. The paper is a download from Summer Driggs and the corner is made using my Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch. I was really not sure what to use for the embellies, and ended up punching some little trees from some paper stamped with music (Stamporuim). Thanks for looking!

More Autumn or Tuesday Taggers meets passion for promarkers

This weeks Tuesday Taggers challenge is Shades of Autumn, so I couldn't pass up joining in again. I have so many tree and leaf stamps I need every opportunity to use them. I thought I would combine it with this week's Passion for Promarkers Challenge, which is any colours and a recipe of 3 different shapes (I used a rectanglular stamp, a scalloped circle and triangles of backing paper), 2 papers and a ribbon.
So, I used the promarkers above, the stamp is by a Canadian company 'The Artful Stamper', The papers are from My Mind's Eye and the leaf charm is by 'Jest Charming'. The ribbon was a tiny bit in my stash that I only just managed to tie! Hope you like it and Thanks for looking!