March to Music

Sorry for the lack of blogging but I've been invigilating in the exams at the local school and inspiration deserted me.  However I have managed to do my 10th postcard for The Craft Barn's Quotes and Lyrics Challenge - this time the words are PASSION and/or MUSIC.

To be honest nothing I read popped an image into my head until I saw this one by Thomas Carlyle which made me think of Scottish marching bands etc.  Unfortunately I don't have a Scottish piper or drummer stamp so used the Toy Soldiers Blueprint stamp from Tim Holtz. The background is a swooshy mix of Tumbled Glass and Salty Ocean Distress overstamped with Tim Holtz's Music stamp and the World Map from Darkroom Door.  

I got all my postcards out to see what colour scheme to use and here they all are together.......an eclectic mix!!   Think I need to use reds and oranges next time!!

Many thanks for looking and any comments you leave - they are very much appreciated!

Journal52 - When I Grow Up

Well it's raining yet again so I decided to have a play and do my week 7 piece for the Journal52 challenge.  The prompt this time is When I Grow Up. 

I had no idea what I wanted to be at school but I did like Maps.  I remember this conversation with the Careers Officer at Uni which was obviously before online forms were commonplace.  I said Maps, he thought I said Maths and advised me to do accountancy.   I had to laugh!!   I like Maths but not for a career.  The old maps are beautiful and you can stare at maps for hours and still see something new.

So my page today uses the Map Background stamp from Darkroom Door,  the Vintage Map from Hero Arts and I've inked through a Studio Calico Zigzag mask for some waves.

I'm still dithering whether to bind all the pages together or just use split rings so that's why there's a gap to the left.  Hope you like my piece this week and thanks for looking.

Make Me Smile

The Craft Barn has a new fortnightly challenge for 2014 - Quotes and Lyrics. The first words are SMILE and UP - you can choose either or both and full details are here.  Why not give it a go!!

I've decided to do a Postcard sized piece of art with my quote or lyric then I can either post them, bind them later or mount them in an A5 book with extra quotes etc.  Not sure yet.  Anyway after much searching, I've decided to do Steve Harley & Cockey Rebel's Make Me Smile (Come up and see me) which includes Smile and Up!

The  background is Broken China, Tumbled Glass and Sailboat Blue Distress Inks with a smidge of Faded Jeans.  I've used an alphabet layering stencil, the Blue Eyes are from Darkroom Door's Mail Art set and the Music stamp is from Oak House Studio.  Inspired by words in the song - breaking every code, blue eyes and resist!!   The song lyrics are just handwritten, outlined with marker and cut out.

Maybe next time I'll find something more profound, but this song did make me choose the colour scheme and the stamps.   Hope you like and thanks for looking.  I'm off to see what everyone else has come up with.

Craft Barn Dictionary Challenge 2013

Well it's nearly the end of the year with the last 2 letters of the alphabet for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge. So here they are, I and  X, plus a few photos showing all my ATCS and album.

For I, I've clear embossed the Ideogram (kanji symbol for happiness) and then inked the ATC with Dusty Concord and Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks representing Indigo and Iodine.  I've chosen to do ILLUMINATION with the light bulb flowers stamp from Chocolate Baroque embossed in gold (think illuminated letter!) and coloured. As always, it's finished with the torn dictionary definition and alcohol inked Thicker.

For X,  I've chosen to do XMAS ...well it is Christmas and to be honest there were few words to do!   The background is a mix of Barn Door and Aged Mahogany Distress inks overstamped with the Christmas Words Block stamp from Darkroom Door in Vermillion Archival.   The holly and hellebore are the Christmas Corner stamp from Oak House Studio embossed in gold, coloured with metallic markers and with red beads for berries.  I've added some tinsel, the torn dictionary definition and the alcohol inked Thicker with a touch of glitter as it's Christmas!!

Here's a photo of all 26 ATCs together.

I've mounted them on 8 x 8 black card and added other torn words from my dictionary along the edge.  These are words that either mean something to me or secondary words that I've illustrated on my ATCs.  I've also included my take on the challenge so that in 10 years time I'll remember why I did what I did!!

I've thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and surprised myself by creating every single one on time.  Thanks must go to The Craft Barn for all their hard work and the design team for their inspiration.  Thanks also to everyone who has visited my blog over the year and left such encouraging comments.  I'm now looking forward to seeing everyone else's end of year posts and finding out what The Craft Barn have in store for us in the new year.

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy Creating in 2014!!
 

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!!

Christmas?

Two apologies today.  Firstly for not posting for nearly two weeks - just been busy and making things that I can't tell you about.....yet!   Secondly, I know it's only May but I've made my first Christmas card for the Less is More challenge week 117 where there is a sketch to follow.
  

As soon as I saw the sketch I thought of my Darkroom Door Christmas Word Block stamp - so the background is stamped with Vermillion Archival and the Jingle all the Way strip in Emerald Green Archival.  I've just added a little jingly bell.

I'm also entering this into the Artful Times Challenge 28 where the theme is Clean and Simple. 

Many thanks for looking!!

Art that Shines!

Here's my tag for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge week 250 where the theme is SHINY.

Well we could all do with some sunshine and I should have done yellows but no, it turned out a bit dark this one.   The background is mopped up Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord and Picked Raspberry Distress Inks spritzed with water and to add a little shine I've used Silver Dabber through a Studio Calico Circle Graph Mask.  This mask produces a great result but is really fine and I think I was a bit over enthusiastic with the dabber in places - never mind, it all adds to the interest!!  The metal flower at the top is cut with the Tattered Florals die, curled round a pencil and I've added a button centre.  My tag is just finished with some distress inked seam binding and the Darkroom Door sentiment from the Mail Art set.

If anyone knows of a background challenge then let me know - I really enjoy doing the backgrounds but then spend hours dithering about what else to use.  Sometimes I like my backgrounds so much I don't want to cover them up!!

I was hoping the weather might cheer up for the Easter weekend but it seems unlikely - still cold!!   Hope you all enjoy it just the same......oh, and thanks for looking!!

December

Here's my last tag for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge week 12 where the theme is EMBOSSING.

I've gold embossed the large Poinsettia stamp from Oak House Studio twice - once on the tag and just the central part on other card to create a layer.  It's a great stamp to decoupage but my tag calendar is getting a bit fat as it is so I've stuck with one layer!!   The background is blended Bundled Sage and Pine Needles Distress Inks with part of Darkroom Door's Christmas Word Block stamped in Emerald Green Archival.  It's just finished with the calendar and some ribbon.

Thank you everyone for looking and for your comments.  It's been an enjoyable 12 weeks!!  Next Sunday I think there'll be a link to add a photo of all 12 months - I'm looking forward to that and seeing what everyone else has created.

Meanwhile, hope all your Christmas plans are going well and items are being ticked off lists!

Christmas Gift Tags

Here are some tags made for Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge week 234 where the theme is TAGS.  The design was inspired by Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2012 December Challenge.

I decided to make some gift tags to go on Christmas pressies and have used Tim Holtz's Mini Blueprints stamps.  The tags were cut using a Sizzix die and the backgrounds (and seam binding) inked with Stains -  Broken China with Brushed Pewter,  Peeled Paint with Tarnished Brass and Fired Brick with Tarnished Brass.

I've stamped tthe images twice - on the tag and on white card which I've coloured with markers.  I've added various Stickles, stamped a Ribbon (from Oak House Studio) and used words from the Christmas Word Block (from Darkroom Door) which were embossed in Midnight Sparkle.  I've also stuck a clean tag on the reverse so there is space to write.

Each week Hels's challenges are based on song titles and she tries to get you singing along, so I have Frosty the Snowman and Oh Tannenbaum stuck in my head.  Any suggestions for the Toy Soldier?? 

Anyway hope you like my take on Tim's tags and thanks for looking.  Your comments are always appreciated.

Words

Here's a quick post with a tag done for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge week 207 which has the theme of WORDS.

The background is a mix of Archival Resist and Rusted Enamel!! I've used a Darkroom Door Journey Wordblock stamped in Coffee Archival, inked over that with Broken China Distress Ink, clear embossed it and then blended over with Pine Needles DI. I think it was a bit warm last night and the inks were drying too quick but it does give a nice glossy mottled effect.

The Tim Holtz images were stamped in Coffee Archival on kraft card and I've just finished with some seam binding soaked in distress inks and stamped with Enjoy the Journey.

Hope you like and thanks for looking!!

Where to go?

Here's a tag made for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 199 with the theme of On the Road/Transport. On the basis I have no vehicle stamps that might be seen on the road, I've gone for a general travel theme.


The background turned out nothing like I intended - bit dark - but maybe intense is the word. I've stamped and coloured a Hero Arts Map stamp and used a Darkroom Door Journey Word Block stamp top and bottom. I've then sprayed over Tim Holtz's compass mask with Faded Jeans Distress Re-inker. I've shrunk Tim Holtz's No Journey stamp (excuse the lack of focus on this bit) and just added some paper coated wire to finish.

Have to admit it's one of those that could well have ended up in the bin, but thought I'd persevere. It's the taking part that matters....right?

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!

For Your Eyes Only

Here's my art for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 189 with the theme of EYES.

I don't have that many eye/face stamps so decided to go with this Darkroom Door Mail Art set. I've randomly stamped the images on/off an A5 envelope in Archival Jet Black and Vermillion and then blended over with Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany Distress Inks. The 10c stamp is a Tim Holtz one.


And where are the eyes I hear you cry... well they're on the flap!!


Hope you like it. If you look closely you'll be able to spot my 'deliberate' mistake!! That Postie phrase always make me smile so I use it occasionally on my mail to give the postmen something to smile at too!!

Stars

Well it’s not even December and I’ve finished my first Christmas card!! It’s for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 182 with the theme of STARS.



I’ve used a Darkroom Door Word Block stamp for the background – Thyme Brilliance and then embossed with gold round the edge. The smaller stamp is Tim Holtz’s of course stamped in Plum Archival and with a gold star embossed border.

Having stuck it down I decided it looks a little plain so the next card off the production line with have some Christmassy ribbon lavished upon it!!

Thought I’d get this done in November so that I’m all prepared for Tim’s 12 tags starting tomorrow – not sure if it’s then or Friday depending on the time difference. May have to contain my excitement a little longer!!