The Inventors

At last a wet morning when I can't go out or garden so I've actually got my inks out and created something!!  This is my 19th postcard for the Craft Barn's Quotes and Lyrics Challenge where the words are PATIENCE and/or BETTER.

This quote by Herman Melville appealed to me - I don't look what others have made or the words they've used till after I've finished mine.  So my choice is original (well in my head anyway)!   I had a rummage through my stamps and decided to use Tim Holtz's Steampunk set with the 3 men as Inventors.   The background is sprayed with Oak House Studio's Citrus Orange Ink in a Bottle and the stamping is Fired Brick and Pumpkin Pie Pigment Inks with the Inventors in Onyx Black Versafine.

Well that's one piece done - now I have week 17 and 18 to catch up with and about 5 weeks of journal pages to do.  Not sure what colour my fingers will be by the end of the day!!   Thanks for popping by and for any comments you leave - they're very much appreciated.

Autumn again!

I can't believe it is 2 weeks since I last posted anything.  I've decided that I'm a winter crafter....October to May I'm fine, otherwise life gets in the way.



Just thought I'd post this tag (made previously for a Calendar Tag Book) using autumnal inks and the Beech Tree to remind you of Oak House Studio's Autumn Challenge.

It ends on 30th September so still time to create something!!  

Full details can be found HERE.











Since coming back from holiday I've packed and delivered  my daughter back to Falmouth in Cornwall where she is at Uni.  Over 300 mile trip so we stayed for a day or two and ate Cornish Pasties and Fish and Chips and had a lovely walk through Glendurgan Gardens in the sunshine. The wind on the coast was wicked but in the gardens it was very sheltered and beautiful - well worth a visit!

The only crafting I've done is going to Ally Pally on Saturday to buy more stash.  Do I really need more?   I have to admit I only bought a few bits off Leandra at Paperartsy.  I was tempted by the MDF Man but really didn't want to carry much as I went by train.  The show itself seems to be going downhill with fewer stands every year but I love the setting.  This is the rose window in the Great Hall.

Also my other daughter and I were off to the Tower of London to see the 888,000+ poppies.  She's just finished a history degree and had never been so we spent 3 hours walking the walls, queuing to see the Crown Jewels etc.  We came away with lots of useless information - did you know King Henry lll had a polar bear and he used to let it fish in the Thames on the end of a rope!!   Bizarre but true.

Hopefully this week I'll get out the stamps and inks and create....after I've caught up with household chores etc etc.  One day.........

September Challenge - Autumn

Sorry for the lack of blogging but we've been on holiday - a week or so in the Norfolk Broads so lots of windpumps, fens, boardwalks and dragonflies.  Now trying to catch up with life and the new challenge over on the Oak House Studio blog.  The theme is Autumn - so colourful leaves or just autumnal colour schemes.  Here's a few of my makes to inspire you to join in the fun - there's a prize to be won!

This first one Lynnda at Oak House Studio would say is typically me - inky leaves but a bit graphic and with strong colours.  I started out spraying some card with Golden Oak, Citrus Orange and Citrus Lime Ink in a Bottle - I then clear embossed the Sycamore stamp in various places, blended over with Yummy Chocolate and Pumpkin Pie Pigment Inks and cut out.  This gives a great crinkly effect and hopefully realistic autumn leaves.  I've cut the green card diagonally across the front and then stamped the Sycamore with Pumpkin Pie onto the orange card at the back.  It's just finished with a Script Sentiment.

The next one is a bit more inky - I've used the Double Daisy stamp to create Asters which are an autumnal flower.  I inked the solid daisy with Orchid Pigment Ink, lightly spritzed with some Paris Pink Ink in a Bottle and stamped quickly.  A real watercolour effect!  I just coloured the centre yellow and then over stamped with the outline daisy in Purple Pigment Ink.  It's just finished with the Bloom stamp again inked with Purple Ink.

My last sample is a door hanger inked with Citrus Orange and Yummy Chocolate Inks in a Bottle.  I've used the Build Your Own Poinsettia set of stamps (also found in the Bumper Winter Leaves set) - the largest stamp gold embossed on green, and then all the stamps gold embossed on some red card sprayed with Glorious Gold Ink in a Bottle.  I've layered it all together with silicone glue and added beads to the centre.  The sentiment is from the Peace & Joy set.

The challenge can be found on the Oak House Studio blog and all products used can be found HERE.
Entries are being put in an album on the Oak House Studio Inkspired group on Facebook.

OK....so back to the washing!!