X for Xmas

Today is the first day of Autumn and yet I'm doing Christmas!!  The letter for the next Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary Challenge is X.  There are few words to choose - Xenon is a colourless gas and I don't have a Xylophone stamp so I went with XMAS and added the Christmas definition too!

It's really too early for real Christmassy stuff so I decided to use this musical stamp from Crafty Individuals - I saw Three Ships..........please feel free to sing along!!   It's just stamped on some inky blue card and mounted on a holly background.  As always it's finished with the X Thicker letter and the dictionary definitions.

Thanks for coming over to visit.... I'm off to see what everyone else has been making!

Elaine x

On the Boardwalk

I was just looking through my card box and realised I'd never blogged this card so thought I'd do that today.  I made it for a challenge where the theme was Boardwalk and using Kraft, Turquoise and Orange colours.

I dry brushed some white acrylic paint through Tim's Woodgrain Stencil to create a boardwalk type feel and added some stamping from Crafty Individuals stamp sets.    I hand cut a surf board shape, stamped some flowers from Oak House Studio's Spring Bloom set and coloured them with markers.  The turquoise I did in stripes to make it look like waves.

Hope you like and thanks for popping by.  Please be honest and let me know if my surf board looks more like an ironing board - both my daughters thought so!!

Elaine  x
     

Life's a Beach

I've been so busy I haven't had chance to enter this challenge for a month or two but today is the day.....so here's my card for the Less is More Challenge week 233 where the theme is LIFE'S A BEACH.

I've used stamps from Crafty Individuals - CI278 and CI379 - and just inked with the new Distress Ink - Blueprint Sketch.  Love it as a blue so thought I'd keep my card monochrome - I just used a water brush to add the sea.   Having looked at this again there is not much beach so just think of sitting on a beach and this is your view!!

Thanks for visiting!!

Turquoise and Beach Huts

I do apologise to all my followers - my blog has been suffering from lack of attention.  This is mainly due to 7  weeks of exam invigilation (well I have to get my stash cash from somewhere) and then we've had a week away in the New Forest, there's been Wimbledon on the TV and Mr Mojo went on his hols too.....need I say more.

So today I've had chance to make my July page for The Craft Barn's Calendar Challenge where the words are TURQUOISE and BEACH HUTS. 

A simple one really - I have one Beach Hut stamp so like several others I'm using Crafty Individuals set CI - 278.   I've just stamped them with Onyx Black Versafine and coloured with markers.   The background is sprayed with Inks in a Bottle (from Oak House Studio) - I've used Totally Turquoise at the top and added some Jubilee Blue for the sea.  I've torn this to create the white waves, added a strip of sand scrapbook paper and some greenery to ground the huts.  To finish I've stamped the gulls from the same stamp set and added the July Calendar.

Hopefully I'll get chance to enter a few more challenges ..... but first the ironing!! 

Thanks for popping by.

By the Sea

Here's my card for the Less is More Challenge where week 221 the recipe is to use a TAG.

I've just got back from a quick weekend down to Cornwall delivering my daughter back to University and to be honest I'd have loved to have seen this view.   Alas it was misty, foggy and raining.....but at least it was better than the forecast thunder and lightening.   I've just created a little scene on the tag using stamps from Crafty Individuals (set CI-397) and the waves are Mermaid Lagoon Distress blended through a Studio Calico Chevron stencil. 

Sorry about the photo - the light is strange today - but thank you for visiting my blog.

Sunshine and Showers

Here's my art for The Craft Barn's Calendar Challenge where April's words are  BLUE and UMBRELLA(S).   My calendar is going to be an A5 flip one so I'm creating on 14cm square card which will be mounted on black A5 card at the end of the year.

I have two stamps with umbrellas/parasols on so thought I'd use them both - the Crafty Individuals' Bathing Beauty from the By the Sea set (CI - 278) and Tim Holtz's Brolly Man.  I thought this was appropriate as April can be a bit indecisive in the weather department - sometimes sunny but with those pesky showers.  For the background I've used a mix of blue Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire and Faded Jeans and splattered some water on the rainy side!!  The bathing beauty is coloured with bright markers and I've added some white paint for the waves crashing on her feet. 

So which side do you prefer??   

Hope you like and thanks for visiting - you're always welcome!

Mr Bunny

Here's a quick card for the Less is More Challenge week 215 - it's a ONE LAYER week and the theme is to use ANIMALS.

I said in my last post I thought my new Bunny Rabbit stamp from Deep Red Rubber would come in useful and guess what, he never made it to the stamp box.  Mr Bunny is stamped with Potting Soil Archival as is the Oak House Studio Script Sentiment.  To ground him I've blended some Green as Grass Pigment Ink (Oak House Studio) between some ripped paper and then stamped the Daisy and Grass stamps from Crafty Individuals (CI-395) for the foliage.

I'm also linking up to Crafty Individuals March Challenge which is The Animal World (details HERE) and the AAA Cards Challenge game 35 ( details here.)

I'm really pleased I found this stamp - used him twice and it's not even Easter yet!!  Thanks for visiting and for all your lovely comments.

It's a PUFFIN!

Well I'm not feeling well or doing well on the crafting front - I have ideas but no inclination.  However today I'd thought I'd enter the Less is More Challenge where the theme this 212th week is WINGS.

I was going to use my trusty owl but then remembered I had this Puffin stamp from Crafty Individuals - he's so cute!!   Anyway I inked him with Onyx Black Versafine and coloured him with Tombow markers.  I've just added some foliage to the bottom of the teal card using the edge of an Oak Tree stamp in 2 different greens and added the Hello.

Simple but striking I hope you will agree.  Thanks for popping by and for leaving comments - they are much appreciated!!

Love on the Farm

Here's my postcard for The Craft Barn Quotes and Lyrics Challenge where the words are Marriage and/or Age.   Well I've been searching for quotes and lyrics but nothing inspired me till I found these lyrics on marriage from 'Love on a Farmboy's Wages' by XTC (early 1980s). 

I'm not sure I've quite captured the scene but it's supposed to be an idyllic country setting with a colourful sunrise and a cornfield - done with Distress Inks.  I've stamped and embossed Tim Holtz's Sunrays using Sunflower Brilliance and lots of vegetation from Chocolate Baroque and Crafty Individuals stamped with Thyme and Pearlescent Ivy Brilliance. 

If I have time, I may have another go at this to see if I can improve the perspectives.  Meantime, I'm off to see what everyone else has created.  Thanks for looking and for your comments - they are very much appreciated!!

Metal Machine

It's a glorious day here with the sun shining and one crocus out. We've been out for a walk and now I'm multi-tasking - watching the Olympics, the Rugby and crafting too!   Here's a quick card for the Less is More Challenge week 160 where the recipe is METAL.  The link is to the challenge is  here.

I've used a new stamp from Crafty Individuals CI-404  - I saw it and thought it'd come in useful as my DH is a Railway Engineer.  The sentiment was a freebie stamp that came with it and the background is the Checkerplate from Kaisercraft stamped with Archival Manganese Blue.  I've just added a little blue tint to the engine and a silver metal cog.

Hope you like and thanks for looking.  I'm off to see what everyone else has created!!

S for Stamp

Here's no. 24 ATC for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is S.   Lots of words beginning with S but I dismissed the stone/slate, sewing  and seaside themes and have chosen STAMP
 ........how obscure I hear you cry!! :)

There are two colours - Saffron and Scarlet - and I decided to do a Scottish Tartan background using Stazon of course - Sunflower, Blazing Red and Cactus Green. I used strips cut off a new set of stamps to stamp the stripes.  

I guess you won't believe me but two weeks ago I decided I'd do a yellow and red scottish tartan background for S - I looked through the S's when I was deciding what colour to do for Q. I  also realised I only had one really bright ATC - F for Flourescent - so needed to do another bright yellow.  I had to smile when The Craft Barn had a tartan week last week!!   Great minds and all that!

I've also amalgamated Stamping (action) Stamp (inky image) Stamp (postal) and Songbird which is a Crafty Individuals stamp CI-180 on Shrink Plastic, coloured with promarkers and cut out using decorative edged Scissors!   I've added the Darkroom Door Special Delivery stamp,  the torn dictionary definition and the alcohol inked Thicker.

Can't believe I've managed to keep going with this challenge and whilst I don't want it to end, I'm looking forward to finishing my album.   Thanks for looking and for your kind comments as always!!

Abbey to Zoo

Here's my next ATC for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is Z. Surprisingly there were a few words to choose and I've actually made two different ones. Firstly I've gone for Zodiac....think Gemini and Age of Aquarius!!

For the background I've used a Zigzag stencil from Studio Calico with Oak House Studio Ink in a Bottle sprays. I sprayed Regal Claret through the stencil onto the ATC, left it to dry, moved the stencil to cover the claret and then sprayed with Citrus Orange. Very psychedelic, 60s and Aquarius don't you think!! For Gemini, I've used the lady (twice) from a free stamp that came with Craft Stamper magazine. As always, my ATC is just finished with the torn dictionary definition and the alcohol inked vinyl Thicker.

I've also made a little progress on the cover of my Dictionary Challenge Album with a second ATC for A and Z.

For A I've chosen to do Abbey against an Azure sky. Whitby Abbey is from Crafty Individuals (CI-227) and I've stamped this with Onyx Black Versafine and clear embossed it. The background is mostly Salty Ocean Distress Ink with a little Mowed Lawn blended at the bottom. This is overstamped with the seed head stamp from Crafty Individuals (CI-207)inked with Pearlescent Ivy Brilliance.

For Z I've chosen the word Zoo. The background is a mix of Rusty Hinge and Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and I've used various spots and stripes stamps from the Inkadinkadoo Animal Skins set inked with Onyx Black Versafine. Both are finished with the torn dictionary definition and a plain white vinyl Thicker.

There is a reason for my choices - I've been digging into my family history and I've got as far back as the 1680s in the Whitby area, and to bring it up to date, my daughter has just passed her A levels and is starting a Zoology degree.

I'm off to see what other words people have found. I guess there'll be other Zoos and Zigzags and Zodiacs but it's interesting to see how everyone interprets them differently. Thanks for looking and for leaving comments - they are always appreciated!!

Yellow Yacht

Here's ATC number 14 for The Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is Y and the twist is we have to use YELLOW. The Yellow is fine - I've been trying to choose a colour, technique and subject for each letter. The problem is the subject - there are just so few Y words so I've chosen YACHT but also taken note of ytterbium and yttrium - white/silver/grey elements!

For the background I've used Tim Holtz's Sunray stamp, inked with Sunflower Yellow Brilliance and clear embossed. I've blended over this with Salty Ocean Distress Ink - lighter at the top for the sky and darker at the bottom for the ocean. The 'Yacht' is a Crafty Individuals stamp (CI-295) - not a simple yacht, but it does have sails and it was the only boat image I had!! I've embossed this in silver and then watercoloured over the hull and between the sails. My tag is finished with blue ric rac (think waves), the dictionary definition and the alcohol inked vinyl Thicker.

I probably made this harder for myself by choosing a subject beginning with Y - I could have done yellow flowers etc - but hope you like and thank you for looking. I'm off to see what everyone else has been doing!!

U for Undergrowth

Here's my next ATC for The Craft Barn's Alpha/Dictionary Challenge where the letter is U.

Well I looked through my dictionary and only wrote down 3 words - Ultraviolet, Undergrowth and Underwater.  I didn't want to do Ultraviolet as I did violet for V and so checked Wikipedia for other colours starting with U.  I discounted Ultramarine and Ube (a medium lavender) and so decided to go down the green Undergrowth route with a little Umber!!

The background is Old Paper and Shabby Shutters Distress Ink misted with Bundled Sage and mopped up with the ATC - I've blended on a little Vintage Photo too.   I've used stamps from Chocolate Baroque's Spring Foliage set and the fern and dragonfly from Crafty Individuals (CI - 207) inked with Pearlescent Ivy and Thyme Brilliance. And yes, hiding in the undergrowth are hares (free with Craft Stamper magazine) inked with Dark Brown Fluid Chalk Ink.  My initial idea was dark undergrowth but I used Brilliance which shines, so I also added some Aqua Stardust pen to the dragonflies to make them a little irridescent too.   My ATC is just finished with the dictionary definition and the alcohol inked vinyl Thicker.

Nearly at the halfway stage and I can see this challenge getting trickier - trying to vary the designs and getting a good mix of colours.  I think next time is week 13 so I intend laying all my ATCs out and taking a photo.  I ought to think about creating an album too!!

Thanks for stopping by to look and for your comments.  I'm off to browse everyone else's creations!

Butterfly Twinchies

No exams today so I've had chance to catch up with stuff in the house and as it's been thundering and lightening I couldn't potter in the garden.....so what better way to spend my time than craft.  I actually started tidying up my discarded pile - bits that had been inked and stamped but not used!!

I've made a couple of twinchies for the Twinchie Challenge Blog where the theme in June is Bees and Butterflies.  I've used my new Butterfly stamps and sentiment from Oak House Studio as they were also on top of my pile!!

I started with some yellow card that had been sprayed with Citrus Yellow and Glorious Gold Ink in a Bottle. For the first one, I cut one twinchie from this, blended on a little Spiced Marmalade and then stamped the Without Change sentiment stamp with Onyx Black Versafine.  I stamped the small Charming Butterfly with Onyx Black Versafine and then used Inktense Pencils to add more colour.  The antennae were stamped directly onto the twinchie and the butterfly body stuck down to allow the wings a bit of movement. 

For the second twinchie, I stamped the large Charming Butterfly on some of the yellow card and blended a little Spiced Marmalade Distress round the edges.  For the background I blended on some Broken China Distress Ink towards the top and then added grasses from Crafty Individuals (CI-207) with Thyme Brilliance.

Can't say that I've seen many butterflies in my garden yet, but hopefully summer will eventually arrive, the flowers will all come out and they'll appear!  

Thanks for looking!!

Fluorescent Flower

Sorry that I've been missing but work has been hectic these last couple of weeks and we've been away too so no chance to create and blog.  However I'm making up for it today with a very bright ATC for The Craft Barn's Alpha/Dictionary Challenge where this fortnight it's F...but only between Fe and Fr!!

I've gone for a combination of words - the background is fluorescent  yellow paper folded to create some rays on the ATC.  I've stamped this with a Fern from Crafty Individuals (CI-207) in Archival Emerald Green.  The flower is diecut out of white felt, soaked with Picked Raspberry Distress Re-inker and also a fluorescent pink marker pen to add to the brightness - I've just added a few black beads to the centre.  It's finished with the Flower dictionary definition and an alcohol inked Thicker - Cranberry, Sunshine Yellow and Sunset Orange.

I hope you were wearing your sunglasses when you looked!!  Thanks for visiting my blog and any comments you leave - they are always most welcome!!

Purple Parasol

Here's my ATC for The Craft Barn's Alpha/Dictionary Challenge week 6 where the letter is P.

Another quick read of the dictionary and I came up with Paddle and Parasol so immediately thought of my Bathing Beauty stamp.  However she's slightly too big for an ATC - I decided she'd look better with a whole parasol, so with the ankles cut off, she's now wading rather than paddling!!  So I've gone for PARASOL and a purple one too!

The Bathing Beauty (from Crafty Individuals CI-278) is stamped on gloss card with Jet Black Archival  and coloured with Tombow markers.  The background is Powder Blue Pigment Ink spritzed with water and mopped up and I've stamped the waves round her shins in Forest Green Pigment Ink - both by Oak House Studio.  I've just finished my ATC with some beach hut ribbon,  the Parasol dictionary definition and the alcohol inked vinyl Thicker.

As we are nearly a quarter of the way through I thought I'd add a photo of my ATCs so far - love how bright and colourful they are.....but maybe I need to use yellow or orange next time!!   Hope you like.  Thanks for looking and for your lovely comments!!

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!!

August

Here's my August tag for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge  week 9 where the theme is to use TEAL, RUST and WHITE.

Now this one is much easier especially as I had the seaside in mind for August.  The background has a few elements - I used Rusty Hinge Distress Ink for the sand and  Faded Jeans for the sky plus a few dabs of Picket Fence Distress Stain to create clouds.  The sea is a mix of Salty Ocean and Pine Needles Distress inks making a teal colour and I've then torn this to create the white wave edges.

The stamps are from Crafty Indivduals CI- 278.  I've stamped the beach huts on gloss card and coloured them with Tombow pens and added some seagulls to the sky.  Its just finished with the calendar and some teal ribbon.

Well it's another dull day here which makes photoing anything so difficult.  Anyway hope you like and thanks for looking!!

Christmas Birds

Another Christmas card done - yeh!!  This one fits with Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge week 231 where the theme is to use BIRDS. and with the Crafty Individuals Challenge for November which has the theme of FESTIVE SPARKLES.

Well there are lots of robin stamps out there but I have none and in my search I came across this Crafty Individuals stamp CS180.   The black sparkle embossing powder was on my table from my previous post so I used that - the first thought was to colour the bird a little to make it robin-like but I decided to use the image as it is and carry on the black, red and white colourway.   A piece of red card, some black ribbon and the sentiment stamped in Vermillion Archival. Quite simple but sparkly!! 

Thanks for looking and thank you all for your kind comments - they are always much appreciated.