Beech at Sunset

EXCITING NEWS!  I have a card published in this month's Craft Stamper magazine.  It's funny isn't it - I made this so long ago I forgot all about it but there it is in the Ready, Set, Stamp feature.

I saw the colours they were asking for and immediately thought sunset.  It's fairly simple and all the detail are in the article, but here is a list of the Oak House Studio products used:

Pure Colour Chemistry Inks -

Vintage Sepia

Vintage Burgundy + Jubilee Red

Pumpkin Pie

Bottled Sunshine

Beech Tree Stamp

As I said, simple and with few products but I love using the inks for backgrounds - add some water and let things happen - then choose the best bit!!  I dithered about adding a sentiment but didn't want to cover any of it up!

Oak House Studio are also featured in the Stamping Contrasts feature where several designers have used the Walesby Heart stamp - go take a look!!

Elaine xx

Tree Triptych

Well it's wet and miserable out there so I'm staying in....... here's my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is T.    I've probably been very boring this time and gone for TREE but Three in a Triptych with some added Text.

I've stamped and clear embossed the Beech and Oak Trees with Versafine Onyx Black (to show off all the detail) on 3 pieces of card and using a torn piece of paper as a mask added the Winter Words Text stamp up the hill !  All stamps are from Oak House Studio.   With the mask still in place I've blended on green at the bottom, then blue for the sky and finished with the torn dictionary definition and letter T Thicker.

I tried not to do a scene as my S is a seaside scene but my brain was stuck on trees on a hill.  Thanks for visiting and leaving comments, they are much appreciated!!

Elaine  x  

Autumn is here!

Sorry readers for not posting but I've been away on my hols and then Mr Mojo went on his too!  However here's my next square for The Craft Barn's Calendar Challenge where the words for September are BROWN and TREES/LEAVES.

For the background I've used Rusty Hinge Distress Ink and then sprinkled around the edge with Dark Brown Brushos.  Over this I've stamped the Sycamore Leaf stamp from Oak House Studio with Rusty Hinge again.   The Beech Tree is also Oak House Studio, inked with Potting Soil Archival and clear embossed.  I've used a script stamp from 7Gypsies with Emerald Archival to ground the tree and finished with the calendar.

I'm also entering this is the Craft Stamper Magazine's Take It, Make It challenge where anything goes and I've definitely used stamps!!

I can't believe we only have 3 more months to go so guess I should start thinking about construction - it's going to be an A shape calendar but not sure whether to bind it at the top or use rings....   Anyway thanks for visiting and thanks for commenting - they are much appreciated!!

Elaine  xx

Five Beeches

Here's my take on the LESS IS MORE Challenge week 198 where the theme is MORE THAN ONE TREE.   I've been stuck in a blue rut recently so decided to use green.....and maybe too much of it!!

I've gold embossed the Block Frame stamp, cut out the middle to create a window frame and then placed this over a tree scene.  The Beech Tree is stamped with Emerald Archival and I've just grounded them with Meadow Adirondak painted with a waterbrush.  The sentiment and extra Beech Trees are stamped with Versafine Onyx Black.  All stamps are from Oak House Studio.

Apologies for the state of the photo - it's a bit dank and dark this afternoon but it does give me the excuse to stay in and create.  Thanks for popping by!!

Something Blue

I can't believe it is 3 weeks since I last blogged - I've done 27 exams, walked miles and when I get home have no inclination to do anything.  However I only have 5 to go and then I'll have time to myself .......having said that both my daughters are coming home from university this weekend so chaos will ensue along with copious amounts of washing.  I shouldn't complain....it'll be great to see them again!

Anyway just thought I'd let you know there is a new challenge over on the Oak House Studio blog - the theme is Something Blue and all details can be found HERE.

My contribution is a Bookmark and cover for Fathers Day tomorrow.  My dad doesn't look at my blog so it's safe to post the pic.  The backgrounds are a mix of Jubilee Blue and Totally Turquoise Ink in a Bottle and I dyed the seam binding with the leftover ink. The Beech Tree stamp is embossed with Copper detail powder and I've used the same stamp for the grass - I just inked the branch edges with a Midnight Ink Pad.    All products are Oak House Studio.

Lynnda has generously offered a £40 gift voucher as a prize so why not give it a go!
  

Shadow Stamping

Here's a simple card for the Less is More Challenge week 167 - it's ONE LAYER week with a theme based on SHADOW  STAMPING.

I love this technique and decided to do a tree on a grassy knoll.  I've used a Beech Tree (Oak House Studio) stamp inked with Potting Soil Archival and stamped twice which gives the tree a little more depth.   I've used the same stamp on it's side for the grass - using Meadow Adirondack, a piece of torn paper for masking and stamping twice.  It's just finished with the sentiment from Oak House Studio too.

Hope you like and thanks for looking.  Please leave a comment - they are always very much appreciated!  

Tim's Tag - March 2014

Well another month and another improvisation session to create Tim Holtz's Tag for March 2014.

I started this month with just the tag really, none of the correct stamps or extras.  Instead of the nest, I've used the Beech Tree stamp (Oak House Studio) inked with Vintage Photo and smudged a bit.  The feather stamp is from a Chocolate Baroque set and the egg is done using a hand cut paper mask inked with Broken China and then splodged with Walnut Stain using an acrylic block. 

I've blended Bundled Sage on the background, added some Broken China through the Faded Dot stencil and edged the tag with Walnut Stain.  I've added some Birds on a Wire (Tim Holtz stamp) with Jet Black Archival, handwritten the figs and finished with seam binding, paper string and a label stamped with a Hero Arts alphabet.

Talking of nature, this is a photo I woke up to the other morning.

Students get a bad press, dossing in bed till lunchtime etc but my daughter is studying Zoology down in Cornwall and they had a 5.30am wake up call the other morning to go study some birds!!  Now that is cute!

Copper Beech

Here's a quick card for the Less is More Challenge week 156 where there is a sketch to follow. 

 

I've not had chance to enter recently but as it's so wet and horrible outside I thought I'd make a quick card to while away the afternoon.   I wasn't sure whether the card had to be square but I've kept the elements the same.

The Beech Tree stamp (and the sentiment) are from Oak House Studio - I've just embossed it with copper embossing powder and added a horizontal band of corrugated card to give some texture.  I forgot I was doing a LIM card and inked the edges of the tree but I hope I can get away with it as it's so plain elsewhere.

Thanks for popping by for a look and for your comments - they are very much appreciated!

Tessellations and a Tree

Here's my next ATC for The Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is T.  Loads of words to choose from this time but I think that makes it harder!!  I've chosen TREE and three colours - Turquoise, Tangerine and Terracotta.

I sprayed my ATC with a mix of Peacock Green and Jubilee Blue Ink in a Bottle (Oak House Studio) to create a Turquoise background and then stamped the Beech Tree (also Oak House Studio) in Onyx Black Versafine.  I also sprayed two smaller bits of card - one with Citrus Orange Ink in a Bottle for Tangerine and the other with a mix of Citrus Orange, Jubilee Red and Brazil Nut to make a Terracotta colour. I clear embossed them and cut them into tiny squares to create a Tessellated tile border.  It's just finished with the dictionary definition and the vinyl Thicker coloured with silver (plus a bit of orange) alcohol ink to represent all the shiny silvery white metals ie.  Tellurium, Tin, Terbium, Titanium and Thuliam!

Hope you like and thanks once again for looking and leaving such lovely compliments.  I'm struggling with time and inclination at the moment...and the heat isn't helping either.  I know we shouldn't complain about the sunny weather but a little rain would be lovely too!!

Toy Soldiers

Here's a One Layer Card for the Less is More Challenge week 97 where the title is IN A ROW.

It took me a while to decide what to do but in the end decided on a row of Toy Soldiers.  I used Tim Holtz's Mini Blueprints stamped with Jet Black Archival, cut out a mask from scrap paper and then tried to create my row......several times!!  These were the best three, so I've coloured them with Tombow markers and added some Gold Stickles.  I've added a sentiment and created a hill using another mask and the edge of a Beech Tree stamp, both in Archival Emerald Green.

I've decided the soldiers look like 3 of the 10,000 belonging to the Grand Old Duke of York, marching over the hill!!   Hope you like and thanks for your kind comments!!

October

Here's my October tag for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge week 10 where the theme is to use TREES.

Well I was thinking of doing halloween for October but instead decided to go with an autumnal theme.  I clear embossed the Beech Tree from Oak House Studio and then swiped the tag through Distress Inks - a mix of Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed and a bit of Pine Needles spritzed with water.  I blended Vintage Photo and Pine Needles around the edges, added some brown ribbon and the calendar.

Only two more to go and I can't quite believe I've actually managed to keep up!!  Hope you like - thanks for popping by and for any comments too!!

March

Here's my March tag for The Craft Barn's Calendar Challenge week 3 - the theme is to use WHITE, GREEN & YELLOW.

Well they're the right colours for Spring but I have no daffodil or tulip stamps - besides my daughter is not really a flowery girly-girl.  So I've resorted to going with Mad March Hares - a free stamp with Craft Stamper magazine.

The background is Sunflower Yellow Stazon and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink swiped across the tag to give a good coverage.  I've then overstamped this with the sun ray stamp from Tim Holtz in Sunflower Yellow Brilliance, the Hares in Onyx Versafine and the edges of an Oak House Studio winter Beech Tree in Pine Needles Distress Ink to create a bit of grassy texture.  It's just finished with a white calendar matted onto green card and some green fibres.

Hopefully I'll get to finish all 12 and it should be a nice bright calendar.  Anyway thanks for looking!!

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.

Spooky....ish!

Here's my entry for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 178 with the theme of Halloween/Bats.

I don't really do Halloween so haven't got any scary stamps but thought Whitby Abbey in the moonlight on a dark menacing night might fit the bill. I'm sure there must be bats living in this gothic place now Dracula has moved out as there's no roof!!

Anyway I've used Distress Inks dragged across the card for the sky behind the Crafty Individuals Whitby Abbey stamp and used Oak House Studio's Beech Tree stamp for the foreground.

I know it's not very scary but I think it looks moody!!

Bones

Here's an ATC that I've made for Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge 125 with the theme of BONES.



It certainly was a challenge this week - I'm not really a Halloween fan so have no spooky stamps and certainly no skeletons!! However I knew I had a skull image somewhere so I've used that.
The background is Basic Grey Eerie paper with just the branches of a Beech Tree stamped round the edges to create a scary feel. Go on tell me it looks scary!!? I've inked the edges of the skull and then stuck it on a concertina of card so that should it ever be sent to anyone, then the little bit of movement might scare them!
Let me know what you think.

Tree Silhouettes

I've been playing with gloss card and distress inks again trying out an idea I saw in Craft Stamper magazine - sorry but I can't find my copy at the moment so can't credit the designer. She used just a square of colour and a silhouette flower.

Whilst working on a set of autumnal ATCs I veered off at a bit of a tangent. Everyone knows you can use Distress Inks to produce a distressed shabby effect but they work just as well swiped across gloss card to make a pale background. I've masked the background with post-it notes and used autumnal colours of Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade and Barn Door to show off the Beech Tree.


The Oak Tree background is just swipes of Shabby Shutters, Bundled Sage, Broken China and Stormy Skies again using post-it notes as the mask.

It's so simple but I think it looks very effective and really shows off these Oak House Studio trees. Apologies for the photos - the colours show up much better in real life...honest!