Warm Wishes

Here's a tag for Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge week 242 where the theme is WISHES.

I spotted a technique over on Roni's blog and thought I'd give it a go....not as easy as it looks!!   After a few goes this background was the best - a mix of Stream, Sailboat Blue, Meadow and Teal alcohol inks dripped down the tag and dried.  I overstamped it with the Warm Wishes sentiment from Hero Arts, and a seagull and the waves sentiment from Crafty Individuals.   I thought the background looked like a very stormy sky hence the sea theme and the need for warm wishes!!

On my first attempt (above) I didn't use glossy card so the alcohol inks soaked in quicker. Just a different effect but I then added a pool of hairspray and let the heatgun do it's magic - the photo is not very good but it creates a fine crackley effect in the middle and bubbles towards the edges.   Obviously only try this at home with the windows open!!!

I'm hoping for some nicer weather tomorrow - getting fed up of staying in and struggling taking decent photos!!  Anyway hope you are all keeping dry and warm, and thanks for looking!!

Clematis

Well it's dull, wet and windy here so thought I'd have another go at The Craft Barn's Alpha Challenge - Letter C.

I'm going to keep doing my ATCs but thought I'd use another dictionary to stamp in and create another alphabet book. I've chosen the word CLEMATIS and used Oak House Studio's Clematis Tower stamp. It's inked with Onyx Versafine and then coloured with Inktense Pencils and a waterbrush.

Anyway I do hope you like and thanks for all your kind comments!!

Blue Lace

Here's a quick card for the Less is More Challenge week 104 where there is a SKETCH to follow - a band across the bottom third of the card.

I decided to use some pale blue card and stamp the Lace Border from Kaisercraft in Managanese Archival to create my band across the card. I've just added a sentiment, some cream ribbon and a bird from my old jewellery stash.

I was dithering about what colour to do so went for my favourite blue, but I have a feeling this stamp would look good in browns and creams too! I may have a go later in the week if I have some time.

Hope you like and thanks for looking!!

Robin in the Snow

At last I've got my act together and made a tag for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge week 241 where the theme is BIRDS.

Would you believe I made the background on Sunday using Salty Ocean and Evergreen Bough Distress Inks spritzed with Faded Jeans re-inker but then spent all week searching for my little birdie! I knew I had this Artemio wooden bird on a branch but where was he hiding ... why he was in my ribbon box I don't know!! Anyway he's coloured as a Robin with a mix of Sharpie pen and Distress Inks.

I overstamped the background with Tim Holtz's splodgey stamp from his Mixed Media set - I used Snowcap Dabber and then sprinkled on some Rock Candy Dry Glitter. I also created a bit of a snow drift at the bottom. It's just finished with some seam binding and words.

I thought the snow was supposed to go but the car was covered again this morning. Not too much but enough to make me stay in and finish this tag. Hope you like and thanks for looking!!

Continent

Here's my ATC for The Craft Barn's Alpha Challenge where the letter this fortnight is C.

I was hoping to carry on the alliteration from last time with a colour and an object starting with the same letter eg claret clematis but clematis wasn't in my dictionary.  Then thought of Christmas but decided to save that for X.   So I've gone with CONTINENT as I have this lovely Hero Arts Vintage Map stamp.

I've stamped the map in Jet Black Archival, watercoloured it and tore the edges to leave the Continent of Europe!   The background is, yes you've guessed it, Salty Ocean Distress Ink with some Faded Jeans spritzed through a Studio Calico zig-zag mask to create waves.  It's just finished with the dictionary definition and the letter C.  I found a set of white vinyl Thickers in my stash so decided to use those on all my ATCs and colour match them with alcohol inks.

I've added a V to my last ATC and managed to take a better photo showing the number plate.  It's HERE if you want to look.   I'm beginning to wish I'd chosen a bigger format but it seems we are allowed multiple entries so I may well get a dictionary to stamp in as well.

Anyway I'm off to see everyone else's creations.  Many thanks for your comments and words of encouragement - always appreciated!

Great Friends

Well it's white out so thought I'd stay inside, keep warm and craft.  Here's a card for the Less is More Challenge week 103 where the theme is FRIENDS.

I've gone for my favourite colour scheme - blue, black and white.  The stamp is the Walesby Flourish from Oak House Studio, the sentiment is from Hero Arts and the trellis is a Memory Box die.  Simple yet effective I hope you will agree.

Thanks for looking and stay safe and warm!

Violet Vehicle

Here's my entry for The Craft Barn's Alpha Challenge - it's the first week and the letter is V.

I've decided to do a series of ATCs so that at the end they can all be made into an album and can be seen all together.  Buying the dictionary was the easy bit - £1.50 from the Red Cross shop so I've done my bit for charity too!!

I chose Violet Vehicles so the background is a mix of Salty Ocean, Dusty Conchord and Seedless Preserves Distress inks overstamped with a Kaisercraft Checkerplate stamp.  The vehicle is Tim Holtz's stamped in Dusty Conchord and under that is a number plate salvage sticker.  Try as I might I couldn't get a photo of it - the light is so bad and my camera won't focus without the flash.  I've left a little space at the top to add a V once I find a nice alphabet to create a unifying feature on all my ATCs.

Anyway I hope you like.  If you want to join in, check out The Craft Barn's blog on the link above.   It's a year long challenge with a different letter every 2 weeks and prizes to be won!!

Edited to add a better photo showing the number plate and the letter V - white vinyl Thicker with alcohol inks.

 

Puffin

Well at last I've found my crafting stuff so here's a quick card for the Less is More Challenge week 101 where the theme is BLACK & WHITE with a SPLASH of COLOUR.

I knew my new Alice Palace Puffin stamp from Crafty Individuals would fit the bill but I've spent a couple of hours trying to find it.(and 6hrs trying to get blogger to load the photo..grrr!!)    Anyway here it is - a black and white bird with just a hint of colour on his bill and feet.  I've just waterbrushed a little orange under his feet to ground him.

Hope you like and thanks for looking.   Happy New Year to everyone.

A crafty new year?

Well I'm not doing very well so far this year.  I craft on the dining table so had to clear/hide everything away for Christmas and as yet, it's all still hidden away!!   Good news is the Christmas tablecloth has now gone so I'm making progress.

I've entered various challenges in the past as it's a good way to experiment with styles etc and create something.   This year The Craft Barn has started an Alpha Challenge - so 2 weeks to make something with the chosen letter and the chance to win a prize or goodies.  Why don't you check out their blog by clicking the photo and enter.   The first challenge is V.

The idea is to alter a dictionary, or use a dictionary page to make an ATC, Journal etc.  This is the part I'm struggling with as I know if I start with something too elaborate, I'll run out of time later on and not finish.  So I'm still dithering but may go with an A5 base so that I can bind them all together to create an alpha album...............First challenge is find my dictionary!!

Happy New Year

Well my craft stuff is still packed away so thought I'd show you a photo of this little fellow - singing his heart out and not flinching despite being only about 4ft away and the camera flashing!

Following all the rain yesterday it's been beautiful today with blue sky and sunshine so we went for a walk to Sheffield Park Gardens to blow the cobwebs away and enjoy the New Year.  The gardens are renowned for their autumn colours, but there's lots to see in the winter too.

Anyway I'm just writing to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and lots of crafting in 2013!!