The Stampman Challenge - Easel card

I've been playing with a few newish things that I bought in July and have only just got round to using.

Firstly there is a rather lovely Dreamweaver stencil. I felt a bit naughty buying it, as I rarely use metal stencils these days, but the design was so gorgeous! The spellbinders leaves were also bought at about the same time. Finally, after visiting my friend Lynne and seeing her Artylicious Essence of Nature CD I just had to have that too!
I began by securing the stencil onto some black card and pressing my versamark pad all over it. I then brushed some blonde moments pearl pigments (Art from the heart) onto it and sprayed with water to fix the pigments. I layered it on to paper from the CD and cut out and embossed the three leaves. I applied pigments in the same way. Finally I made it into an easel card, adding a stamped greeting (Papermania?). It really gleams when it catches the light.
I'm entering this into the Stampman Challenge where the theme is Easel cards. There are some fabulous DT cards offering wonderful inspiration. Thanks for looking!

P.S. If you like Digis and haven't heard my mate Teri has freebies up for grabs every day this week. Click on the link on my side bar to have a look.

A couple of challenges

Hi There! I have been busy tidying my workspace and getting things sorted out, and I came across this tri -shutter card with the backing papers all matted and layered, but nothing on it. I made it some time ago and then went off it, because it was pink probably (I'm not a big fan of pink!) Anyway, I had the lovely penny black Hedgehog image that I coloured in with my promarkers whilst on holiday, and saw the colour of the flower matched perfectly! The large flower is a magnolia stamp, again coloured with promarkers and the sentiments are Elusive images. I finished it off with lots of punched flowers with a gem at the centre of each one, and stickles.

The Hedgehog fits perfectly with the 'By the cute and Girly' theme for this month which is Animal Antics. 

Now for a close up or two on the glitter and glitz, which is this months theme for Penny Black at Allsorts.

Hope it's glitzy enough! It would also fit perfectly into the Sir Stampalot Challenge this month where the theme is Bring on the Bling!

Edit: Instructions for making this tri-shutter are here.

Primary colours and a different fold

Good Morning! I've been working my way through the untidy piles on my desk since I got back from holiday and last night managed a bit of creative time in a reasonably large space!
This is my card for this week's Allsorts  and Rosie D's challenge. The theme at Allsorts is to use a minimum of two primary colours and the theme at Rosie D's is to use more than one fold. I made a square card and folded the front back on itself. The background was made using Barn Door  and Chipped Sapphire distress inks applied with a shaving brush. I stamped the friendship definition (Hero Arts) with weathered wood distress ink and the Silhouette grass (Hero Arts) embossed with white detail embossing powder.

I ummed and ahhed over whether to add a ribbon, a sentiment or anything else, and decided less was probably more with this one... still not sure though! Hope you like it and thanks for looking!

Sunshine at Tuesday Taggers

Okay, who stole the weekend?! I can't believe it's Tuesday already! Anyway, here is my card for this week's Tuesday Taggers challenge where the lovely Michelle chose the theme 'Sunshine'. You could've ordered us some of the real stuff as well, Michelle!

I used masking and sponging on the background with Adirondack butterscotch and Wild Honey distress inks. I stamped the wheat (Hero arts) and Grass (Elusive Images) with Adirondack Lettuce and Espresso and finished it off with a swirly organza ribbon.
Hope you can make your own sunshine and join in with us this week. Pop over to Tuesday Taggers and check out the fab projects my lovely teamies have made. Thanks for looking!

Been on my jollies

I know I've had a few weeks of not commenting as much as I would normally do, but the very busy end of term was very quickly followed by a two week holiday in North Wales. The weather was a bit mixed, but it was very relaxing and the camera got lots of exercise!
These two photos were taken at South Stack on Holy Island, Anglesea.

We didn't go down the 400+ steps to the lighthouse, but enjoyed a walk round the RSPB reserve and cliff paths, getting the cobwebs blown out!

Now I don't often like photos of myself, but Meg has taken a few very flattering ones recently, like my new profile picture. She took this one without me knowing, and I think she captured the moment, so I decided to share it with you. I was watching dragonflies and damselflies resting on the lily pads.
Well, I'm off to get reacquainted with my craft table and over the next few days I hope I will have chance to drop in to see some of your lovely blogs. Please excuse me if I don't comment on all of them. You all seem to have been very busy whilst I've been away! Thanks for all the wonderful comments you have left me on my DT posts whist I've been away. They are very much appreciated x

Lots of lovely black at Tuesday Taggers

It's Tuesday so it's time for my Tuesday Taggers DT work. This week our lovely Teamie Lyn has chosen 'lots of lovely black' as the theme, so I've altered another M&S mint tin. I starteed by colouring it all over in Black promarker. It covered brilliantly and you could only tell what it had been by the texture of the lid. I then covered the lid in Brilliance starlight black and triple embossed it.

I stamped the Hero Arts leaf flourish in Brilliance Platinum planet and heat set. After that I stamped and embossed three flowers in detail silver from the Inkadinkado Mindscapes set, finishing each with a central black pearl.

I hope you get the chance to join us this week. Pop over to Tuesday Taggers and check out the fabulous inspirational work by my lovely teamies.

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.