Monday 27 October 2014

Merry Christmas


Got my chores done in double quick time today so I've had chance to make a simple card for the Less is More Challenge week 195 where the recipe is to use NEWSPRINT.



I decided to use this big Holly stamp which was the first stamp I ever bought and I have to admit it's very useful for making Christmas posters etc.  This time I've used Emerald Archival and stamped on my card to get the flourishes and then a couple of times on newspaper.  I've cut these out (can you see the deliberate mistake?) and glued these on the card, added some Stickles for the berries and stamped Tim Holtz's Merry Christmas in Vermillion Archival.

I'm thinking it would make a simple Christmas card with the Holly stamped on some papers with a small design too.  Thanks for popping by and many thanks for your comments.

Monday 20 October 2014

Nowhere Man, Please Listen


Another fortnight and another set of words for The Craft Barn's Quotes and Lyrics Challenge - this time HUG and/or NOWHERE.   There are many good quotes for both words but no image popped into my head and then I thought of Nowhere Man by The Beatles.


Having visited Wikipedia I see Nowhere Man was written 49years ago this week and was The Beatles first song not about love, but written by John Lennon with a more philosophical bent.   Tricky to depict a Nowhere Man so I went for a 1960s kaleidoscope of colour - a never ending wheel to nowhere etc etc.  The background is a mix of all the bright Distress Inks I own, blended and spritzed with water etc.  I've then used my Studio Calico Circle Graph Stencil - inked through with Versamark, clear embossed and then inked over with Faded Jeans Distress.

I love it - not sure it has anything to do with The Beatles and the swinging 60s but I think it's bright and cheerful!!   Thanks for visiting and for all your comments on my last entry - very much appreciated!!


PS. Having linked this up I saw Helen's page using the same lyrics and thought mine was definitely missing a man. I rummaged and found my man stamp (freebie from Craft Stamper) so I've added my Nowhere man too!

Tuesday 14 October 2014

101 ways with the Block Frames Stamp


I was given the Block Frame stamp by Lynnda at Oak House Studio and asked to write a post about it.  As the great man himself would say, there are endless possibilities with this stamp......if you don't like faffing then there is a very nice Christmas version (on the right) but I saw the empty frame and thought it was very versatile - add an image, a sentiment, whichever way you like and it obviously frames your work.


 
Clean and simple, inky and messy, you can do whatever you choose.  All the details are over on the OAK HOUSE STUDIO blog so please go and take a look.  Meanwhile I'll leave you with a few cards.

 


Ok I admit I haven't made 101 cards but I hope you get the idea - you can use the stamp whichever way up you like and for whatever occasion - as they say, it's not just for Christmas!   All Stamps, Inks in a Bottle, Pigment Ink Pads and Embossing Powder is from OAK HOUSE STUDIO.
 
Thanks for looking and I hope I've given you some ideas for the Borders and Frames Challenge.
 
 

Saturday 11 October 2014

Christmas Corner Decoration


Today is  ONE STAMP, ONE DAY over at OAK HOUSE STUDIO where the Design Team and anyone else who wants to join in make projects using just one stamp.  This time it is the CHRISTMAS CORNER stamp - a mix of Holly and Hellebores. It's one of the first Christmas stamps I drew about 8 years ago when Oak House Studio was born.




For my project I've made this Christmas hanger using the Acrylic Inks on Acetate and full details are on the Oak House Studio blog today.


The Acrylic Inks dry beautifully on the wood and acetate so I'm thinking they'll be great for metal and glass painting too.....and they are such a deep vibrant colour.




I've also made an Inchie necklace using a 1" square piece of Stambord - a new product on the Oak House Studio website.   For this I stamped a section of the Christmas Corner, painted with the Acrylic Inks and sealed it with 2 layers of clear embossing powder.



The Christmas Corner is lovely for making cards too and here are a few more ideas.

 
 


 
As you can see it is detailed enough to just stamp for quick and easy cards or it can be layered and beads added etc.   For more ideas please visit the Oak House Studio blog (8am-8pm) or take a look on Facebook - at the Oak House Studio page or  Inkspired by Oak House Studio - this is a closed group to keep out the spammers but if you would like to join, just ask!

Many thanks for looking and I hope you find some ideas ready for those Christmas makes!!

Wednesday 8 October 2014

A Gift to be Simple


This is the 20th set of words for The Craft Barn's Quotes and Lyrics Challenge - DESTINY and/or GIFT.  For my postcard this time I decided to go for this hymn as it was the first song that popped into my head.  I've recently been re-watching Alias Smith and Jones on TV and this is one of the songs Pete Duel sings in that.   


I've just used 3 lines on my postcard but there are a couple more verses below - I was thinking of doing the valley of love and delight or friends but decided to go for the easy option and just do a set of gifts.  The stamps are the Christmas Parcel set by Oak House Studio coloured with markers and the background is a mix of  Distress Stains.

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.


I've managed to catch up with week 17 too where the choice of words was PEACEFUL and/or GRACE - I chose this quote by Maximillian Degenerez  and used various inks and stains to create a peaceful riverside setting ......well that's what it's supposed to be!!

Thanks for popping by and leaving comments - they are always appreciated!


  

Wednesday 1 October 2014

October Challenge - Borders and Frames


Just a heads up about the new challenge over on the Oak House Studio blog. For October the theme is Borders and Frames so quite a wide choice - why not enter and have a chance of winning some goodies.  All the details are HERE and there'll be posts on the blog all month from the Design Team for inspiration.


My first card uses the Scroll Frames set of stamps - 4 individual stamps that can be placed together on your acrylic block to create a heart.  (More of my ideas for this set of stamps will be on the Oak House Studio blog on Friday).  Mine is embossed with Pearl Silver powder and painted with Delicious Damson Ink in a Bottle.  Round the edge I've stamped randomly in Purple Pigment Ink and then blended with Orchid Pigment Ink.   I coloured the seam binding with all the leftover ink on my mat and finished with the Evening Invitation sentiment from the Wedding Words set.


My second card is much simpler - I've stamped the Oak Tree and Leafy Scroll Border in black and clear embossed.  I've inked round the edges with Forest Green Pigment Ink and coloured the leaves too.


My final card uses the Men's Tools and Men's Words stamp sets along with the Thoresby scroll backgrounds.   The wooden frame is created using the Plank of Wood stamp inked in Yummy Chocolate Pigment ink and painted with Chocolate Ink in a Bottle.  I just mitred the corners and backed it with the Thoresby Square (Positive).  There is a negative version designed for silver clay and polymer clay projects.  I've stamped the large Thoresby scroll onto the card with Powder Blue Ink and added a row of tools.   Perfect for that man in your life!!

Hope I've inspired you to have a go and enter the challenge this month - thanks for visiting!!