Bring out the bling for Sir Stampalot!

Good Morning! It's the 1st August and time for the next Sir Stampalot Challenge where the theme is 'Bring out your Bling'. I've been playing with my Score-pal again, and made a diamond top card. I used Big and juicy waterfall ink brayered over a swirl (Art Impressions -T2773) stamped in versamark for the background. The Dragonfly is an Inkadinkado clear stamp from the 'Mindscapes' set. I added kaleidoscope embossing powder, stickles and gems. Everything used on this card is available from Sir Stampalot. Here's a close up with some more detail.

So, I guess you want to know what the prize is? Okay then. Feast your eyes on this little lot!

Papers, card, pens, stamps, punches and lots more- a massive pile of stash! So now you need to get thinking about bling. Take a look at my lovely teamies projects on the Stampalot challenge blog for some real inspiration. Thanks for visiting and I hope you join us this month!

Christmas at Tuesday Taggers!?!

Don't worry it is still July, but over at Tuesday Taggers our lovely teamie Emma has chosen the theme Christmas. Now I know I don't really do anything Christmassy until at least September, so I kept it simple.

An oval cuttlebugged with the snowflakes embossing folder, a digistamp from Digistamp Boutique coloured in with promarkers and lots of stickles!  Please do pop over to Tuesday Taggers and take a look at my teamies fabulous work. Hope you can join us!

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!

Rosie D's Challenge 75 - Burgundy, Pink and Cream

Oh my what a bad blogger I'm becoming! Bear with me because it won't last for much longer hopefully!
Here is my entry for this fortnight's Rosie D's where the theme is burgundy Pink and cream. I used the hero Arts stamp Dogwood, and paper-pieced the flowers. The leaves were coloured with promarkers. I used micro beads for the flower centres and used a MS punch for the edge. The pink panels were run through my Swiss dots cuttlebug folder, adding a few punched retro flowers and leaves to finish.
I've been busy trying to sort things out at school as I'm moving classroom. I've been in there for five years so it's a bit like moving house. My laptop has died and cannot be repaired, so I need to replace it. It wasn't very old and has had lots of problems, so I'll be looking for another make. There are quite a few meals and parties coming up with work, and last week I made an appearance as Freddy Mercury in the school talent show (don't ask!). Hopefully by the beginning of August I'll be back to my usual self! Thanks for looking!

Anniversaries at Tuesday Taggers

Good Morning! Our Theme at Tuesday Taggers this week is anniversaries, because my lovely teamie, Teri has her wedding anniversary this month. As a matter of fact it's mine at the end of this month too, and Steve and I are celebrating our 21st just like Teri is! Anyway, here is the card I made for a friend's Mum and Dad.

I was told they would appreciate something elegant and immediately thought of the Birthday card I got from my lovely friend Brenda. So Brenda, this is inspired by you. I used gold embossing powder on the Penny Black 'footnote', my MS Doily lace punch, and Wild honey distress ink over clear embossing on the central panel. The sentiment was computer generated. The rose was made with gold vellum.
Pop over to Tuesday Taggers and take a look at the fabulous DT makes to celebrate all sorts of anniversaries. I do hope you can join us this week! Thanks for visiting and for your lovely comments.

Blog Candy Winner and the reason I've been a bit quiet!

Hi Guys! I am sure you are all desperate to know who has won my two Tim Holtz stamps, so courtesy of Mr Random Generator the winner is.........

Number 8

Jules

Email me your address Jules and I'll pop them in the post to you.

Now, I promised I would show you my 'project' card for my boss's retirement, so.....

This is the back, 

This is the front,

and this is what the inside looks like. Each of the four panels measure about 10cm square. The plain panels are for each member of staff to write on, and I used a clarity stamp corner to do the centres of them in Tumbled Glass distress ink. the cover was made using starburst stains (See Kay Carley's article in August's Craft Stamper) Now for the panels...

A tropical sunset (Stampscapes stamps),

A musical themed panel featuring my very first bit of image transfer,

A beach in the Hebrides (sorry, Jules, I'm afraid I stole your design for this one!),

  and some blue flowers (Aspects of Design from the Stampman). I've tried to include a bit of everything she likes. Thanks for looking! I'd also like to say Hi and welcome to my new followers. It is lovely to have you with us.

I appreciate you blog candy!

This candy is now closed

Today has been a good day. I have my new glasses, my eyes are fine (the test results are good), I got some new goodies through the post and I had a great day at work... oh yes, and England won too! Does it get any better? well, yes it does, because I want to show you all how much I appreciate you all. I am offering these two stamps as blog candy to my lovely followers. I know how much you all love Tim, so you might have them already. I'll be honest with you. They have both been used once, but the end products were so unworthy of association with Mr Holtz I decided they needed a new home. So if you are a follower and would like to be in with a chance of winning them pop your name into Mr Linky below.

Thank you for all your support and lovely comments over the past eighteen months. I really do appreciate it!

P.S. I'll draw a winner on 11th July

Make a scene at Tuesday Taggers!

Here is my Card for this week's Tuesday Taggers where my lovely Teamie Michelle has chosen the theme 'make a scene!' I used my Hobby Art harbour set again (It's a bit addictive!), coloured it with promarkers and popped it onto a card. the mini anchor stamp is from the set too.
The theme at Allsorts this week is 'Create a scene', so I'm entering it in their challenge too.
I'm afraid I'm not being a particularly good blogger at the moment. the end of term is approaching at a rate of knots and I have heaps to do before it happens.  My boss is retiring and I have a bit of a 'project' for her card. I'll post it as soon as it is finished. I'm also moving classroom and after four years it is a bit like moving house! Anyway, thanks for putting up with me, thanks for looking and don't forget to pop your name in to Mr Linky for my followers candy (see post at top).

A couple of challenges

Hi there! I've been a busy bee today, but I'm only showing you this card at the moment, as the others might be spotted by the people who are going to receive them! This is a birthday card for a friend, but I also made it with the new Penny Black at Allsorts challenge in mind, where the theme is 'A burst of summer colour'. I'm also entering it into the By the cute and Girly Challenge, where the theme is 'Warm Summer Days'.
Apart from a piece of orange paper used to mat the main image, every bit of this started life as a white piece of card. The stamps are all Penny Black as follows:
brushstroke flower - 2661K
corner - 3859H
paisley swirls - slapstick 40-011
This last one might be becoming my favourite stamp of the moment - it is so versatile. I used spiced marmalade, dried marigold, shabby shutters and mustard seed distress inks, and the leaves and flower are made using flower creations3 and assorted leaves shapeabilities. I hope the combination of colours meets the requirements for both challenges. Thanks for looking!
P.S. There is another week to go on my blog candy for followers and I've got 98 of you lovelies. Please pop your name into Mr Linky above if you would like a chance to win the two Tim Holtz stamps above x

Tag You're it Challenge - cupcakes!

Here is my Cupcake tag for this week's Tag you're it! Challenge. I used a Stamping bug cake stamp coloured with promarkers,  the flowers cuttlebug embossing folder, some backing paper, ribbon and a button from my stash and a touch of glitter. Oh yes, and rather a lot of Victorian velvet distress ink! It's a bit pink for me, but I did enjoy making it! I'm going to post all four from this month off to Janet now for the swap. Thanks for looking!

Embossing at Allsorts

here is my entry for this week's Allsorts challenge where the theme is Embossing. I embossed the base card with the Cuttlebug paisley embossing folder and a border to fill the gap at the bottom. I then stamped the leaf (Hero arts) Four times in versafine Olympia green, cut out and used sticky pads to lift it up a little. The flower (Crafty Notions) was stamped and coloured with Derwent aquatone pencils before spraying with Creative colour spray (Crafty Notions).

here is a close up of the flower. It is a very simple and quick card, but it has been a hectic week, so I haven't had time for much! Roll on the summer hols and thanks for looking!

Lazy Hazy Summer Days for Sir Stampalot

Good morning and welcome to the Sir stampalot challenge for July where the theme is Lazy Hazy Summer Days. I love to wander by the sea, so made a tri shutter card with a seaside theme. The top and bottom small panels were stamped with Crafty individuals seaside elements in distress inks. The central panel was made using a set of clear hobby art Harbour stamps. These are so versatile you can create little scenes so easily. The left and right panels were made using 'Friends'  stamps. I coloured all three with promarkers.
But what is the prize I hear you ask? Feast your eyes on these!

What a wonderful prize, eh?  I wish I could enter myself! So, get your thinking caps on, your summery stamps out and pop over to the Stampalot challenge blog for more inspiration! Thanks for looking and I look forward to seeing your entries!