Lillies

Here's a card for the Less is More challenge week 61 where the 'Lucky Dip' theme is based on a Design Seeds colour scheme.

I have to admit I follow Design Seeds on facebook - they're a great source of colour combinations especially those I wouldn't normally use. This one made me think of flowers.


I've embossed the Elusive Images/Chocolate Baroque Lillies in silver, painted with Twinkling H20s in two tone pinks and greens and then added a sentiment.

Thanks for taking the time to look.

Resists

Loved this technique so here is a piece for Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry class Day 3.

I've used various colours of Archival and stamped Brolly Man together with Oak House Studio's Harlequins (large & Small) to create the scene. Slight problem in that I have rain pouring from under the brolly...doh! I've used Weathered Wood Distress to add to the moody feel.

Here's another Brolly Man done with Weathered Wood Crackle paint - don't you think he looks as if he's walking out of the sunshine into a rain storm.


Off to catch-up on the rest of the techniques I've learnt and maybe go shopping - Rock Candy Distress Stickles are at the top of the list!!

Perfect Pearls

Still playing catch-up! Here are two pieces for Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry Day 9 using Perfect Pearls.

As you can see from the righthand piece, I was a little heavy handed with the water mist....but it just gives a different effect!!

Nostalgic Batik

Here's my attempt at Nostalgic Batik for Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry Day 7 using embossing powders and Distress Inks.

I've used Wild Honey, Barn Door and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and stamps by Tim Holtz and an Oak House Studio flourish.

Creative Chemistry

Well it's been a busy week but hasn't the weather been glorious. Had a day out on Tuesday at the British Museum - so much to see and photograph but here's the central building. Love that roof! If you ever go, don't forget to go to the Blade Rubber Stamping Shop - it's just across the road and well worth a visit.


So having been out for the day I'm playing catch-up with my homework for Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry online class. Rather than stick everything on tags I've been putting my pieces in a book with the instructions for future reference, but today I remembered to takes photos first.

This one is my attempt at Shattered Stains (placed on an old tag which I thought was apt). As you can see the two halves are different but that adds to the texture ...right?


Below is my Crackle Paint Resist - my crackle paint was a bit thick but again it adds to the texture. Don't you think brolly man is walking out of the sunset and into a rain storm!!


The last piece has to be my favourite - Rusted Enamel - done with Broken China and Aged Mahogany Disress inks.


Still more homework to catch up on so off to play. Thanks for looking and if anyone from the pub reads this, welcome to my blog and thanks for a great evening!!

Blackbird

Here's a tag made for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 198 with the theme of Blackbirds.

The background is a Distress Ink one I made a while back - think it was the last wiping up of the ink from another project so it is quite pale.....but waste not, want not!! The Blackbird and Let Your Heart Sing are from one Chocolate Baroque stamp (I just masked out the middle) and then added some Crafty Individuals grasses in the foreground.

I know Blackbirds can be noisy, but it's a sure sign of Spring. I have a pair in my garden so hopefully there'll be some flying lessons to watch in the not too distant future!! Enjoy the weather whatever you are up to!

Pink Pansies

Here's my second card for the Less is More challenge week 60 - it's a Take 3 Challenge where you have to use the theme from 3 previous challenges.


The challenges I've used are:
Week 1 - Pink, Black and White
Week 2 - Flowers
Week 43 - Bit of Bling

I've stamped the Pansy Pot stamp by Oak House Studio with Midnight Sparkle embossing powder and then watercoloured it in 2 tone pink. It's matted on a deeper pink to add defintion and I've added more bling with Silver Stickles in the flower centres and 3 gems.

Hope you like and thanks for taking the time to look!!

Enjoy

Here's a quick card made for the Less is More challenge week 60 - it's a Take 3 Challenge where you have to use the theme from 3 previous challenges.


As I only started doing these challenges at Christmas I had plenty of ideas to choose from. I've chosen:
Week 10 - Sentiment only
Week 22 - Shades of Blue
Week 25 - Ribbon

I have an idea for second card but that'll have to wait for another day - the weather is too nice to stay in crafting for too long!! Hope you all had a great weekend.

Masking 2

Here's another little card/notelet for the Less is More challenge 59 where MASKING has to be used.


I've used a set of Darcies stamps called My Type, stamped the typewriter in Jet Black Archival, masked it off and then overstamped this with the letter background. It's just finished with a sentiment stamp from the same set.

Hope you like and thanks for looking.

Paper Roses

Thanks to Hels I have Marie Osmond singing in my head!! Why you ask? Well the reason is the theme for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 197 is PAPER ROSES.


This is the first paper rose I've ever made and thankfully Hels has a tutorial on her blog. It's made out of thin red card blended with Spiced Marmalade Distress ink and then sprayed with Craftynotions Pink Lustre. To me it looks more like a carnation but that may be becuase of the Tattered Floral die I cut it out with. It's not perfect but not too bad for a first attempt.... I can see why they are addictive though!!

I've just mounted it on a Vintage Photo Distress Ink tag, with Tattered Leaves blended with Pine Needles and Tim's Creativity stamp. I thought it was apt on this occasion.

Anyway it's a lovely sunny day here so think I should venture out and prune something. Have a good day everyone.

Spread your Wings and Fly

Here's a quick card I've made for this week's Less is More challenge with the theme of Masking.


I have various ideas in my head but I thought I'd just start simply by using a mask - I've blended some Broken China Distress Ink through a Tim Holtz compass mask and then overstamped this with his Aeroplane stamp and a sentiment in Jet Black Archival.

I seem to have used my favourite colour combination again - black, blue and white - so I'll try a different colour scheme next time and do some proper mask stamping. Now I'm off to concentrate on the rugby .... thanks for looking!!

Less is More - Script 2

Here's my second card for the Less is More one layer challenge week 58 where SCRIPT has to be used.


I was looking through my stamps yesterday and came across this Oriental Script. Not sure anyone has done an oriental card this week so thought I'd have a go. The dragon, script and symbols are all Oak House Studio stamps inked with Jet Black and Vermillion Archival. The symbols are for Happiness, Friendship and Luck (I think).

Hope you like..... I'm just putting off doing the ironing!!

Mists

Here's a tag I've made for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 196 with the theme of MISTY.


I've used a couple of tags I made about a month ago for this. The base is Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Mists in purple and blue with some Craftynotions Pink Lustre spray over a Glimmer Screen. The Enjoy stamp uses the second tag which was made using the Pink Lustre with the Glimmer Screen. It's just finished off with some navy ribbon and paper flowers misted with the Pink Lustre again.

It's really difficult taking a photo to show off the mica - it's just too bright and sunny. Not that I'm complaining!! Have a lovely day everyone.

Less is More - Script

Here's a one layer card made for the Less is More challenge week 58 where a script and sentiment have to be used.


I've just stamped the Winter Garden Text stamp twice with Colour Chemistry Powder Blue ink, overstamped this with the Imagine block and finished off with the Beech Tree silhouette in the corner. The text and tree stamps are Oak House Studio and Imagine is from The Artistic Stamper.

It's such a lovely day today - maybe Spring is here. Thought I'd use the winter tree and text whilst I still can!! Thank you for looking and for all your lovely comments over the last few weeks.

Diamonds

Here's a tag I've made for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 195 with the theme of DIAMONDS. Having dismissed "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Diamonds are Forever" as ideas I went looking for inspiration on a quotes website and came up with this by Peter Marshall:

When we long for life without difficulties,
remind us that Oaks grow strong in contrary winds
and Diamonds are made under pressure.


I stamped the Harlequin with white Brilliance, embossed with Crystal Sparkle powder and swooshed over this with Chipped Sapphire and Dusty Concord Distress Inks. I then embossed the Walesby Flourish with Lilac powder and added the sentiment, gems and some eyelash fibres to carry on the bling. The stamps are Oak House Studio and the Celtic Alphabet is a PSX one.

Thanks for looking and I hope you like.

Neutrals

Here is a card made for the Less is More challenge week 57 - the colour theme is Neutrals.


Now this one stumped me so I decided to get out all my brown ink pads and have a play. I just used Vintage Photo Distress Ink for the background and then Coffee Archival for the stamping. The main image is from Tim Holtz and the Get Well is an old wooden one, maybe Personal Impressions. I was oh so tempted to add colour but I refrained!!

Thank for taking the time to look!

Enjoy the Journey

I was looking at The Artistic Stampers Creative Team blog and the March challenge has the theme of TRAVEL - as I have loads of suitable stamps, I thought I'd have a go.


The background is Distress Inks - Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge, Stormy Sky and Bundled Sage spritzed with water - then overstamped with Darkroom Door's Journey Wordblock and Tim Holtz's Enjoy the Journey.

The map is an old Hero Arts one watercoloured with Distress Inks and I've added a shrink plastic plane and compass - both Tim Holtz stamps. I painted the back of the compass with gold Dabber to give it a brass look but I'd forgotten shrink plastic doesn't shrink nicely so its a bit oval!!

Thanks for looking!