October Challenge - Borders and Frames

Just a heads up about the new challenge over on the Oak House Studio blog. For October the theme is Borders and Frames so quite a wide choice - why not enter and have a chance of winning some goodies.  All the details are HERE and there'll be posts on the blog all month from the Design Team for inspiration.

My first card uses the Scroll Frames set of stamps - 4 individual stamps that can be placed together on your acrylic block to create a heart.  (More of my ideas for this set of stamps will be on the Oak House Studio blog on Friday).  Mine is embossed with Pearl Silver powder and painted with Delicious Damson Ink in a Bottle.  Round the edge I've stamped randomly in Purple Pigment Ink and then blended with Orchid Pigment Ink.   I coloured the seam binding with all the leftover ink on my mat and finished with the Evening Invitation sentiment from the Wedding Words set.

My second card is much simpler - I've stamped the Oak Tree and Leafy Scroll Border in black and clear embossed.  I've inked round the edges with Forest Green Pigment Ink and coloured the leaves too.

My final card uses the Men's Tools and Men's Words stamp sets along with the Thoresby scroll backgrounds.   The wooden frame is created using the Plank of Wood stamp inked in Yummy Chocolate Pigment ink and painted with Chocolate Ink in a Bottle.  I just mitred the corners and backed it with the Thoresby Square (Positive).  There is a negative version designed for silver clay and polymer clay projects.  I've stamped the large Thoresby scroll onto the card with Powder Blue Ink and added a row of tools.   Perfect for that man in your life!!

Hope I've inspired you to have a go and enter the challenge this month - thanks for visiting!!

Oak House Studio - Citrus Challenge

It's the start of a new challenge on the Oak House Studio blog - all you have to do is create something in Citrus colours and using one Oak House Studio product.

Here are my creations:

A card (could be birthday or mothers day) using the Pansy Pot stamp gold embossed about 4 times and decoupaged to make a lovely full pot of pansies.  I've mixed Brazil Nut and Citrus Orange Ink in a Bottle to make a terracotta colour for the pot and the flowers have just been painted with Citrus Yellow, Citrus Orange and Citrus Lime Ink in a Bottle.  I used a pipette to decant some ink into a paint palette and painted with a water brush.  To add further detail I've stamped and clear embossed a border of pansies.

My next piece is for all those scrapbookers out there.  I started with a 12 x 12 of white linen card and just flicked Citrus Yellow and Orange ink with a paint brush.  I made some homemade washi tape using 4 stamps (Mack Rose, Rosette, Checkerboard and Thoresby) and Pigment Ink Pads  (Spring Green, Daffodil, Valentine and Lemon Yellow.  I sprayed some white paper flowers with the Citrus Inks in a Bottle, added some brads  and finished with the sentiment stamp Bloom where you are planted.  

All the stamps, spray inks and ink pads can be bought from Oak House Studio.   Why not pop over to the blog to see what everyone else has created and have a go - there's a prize to be won!!

Something New

Lynnda at Oak House Studio has challenged everyone to create a postcard to send to yourself, pin on your notice board or put in a frame, with a message.   Here's mine:

I  decided to go for Spread Your Wings ie try something new, find some new challenges to do, use different colours etc.  All the stamps - Thoresby background, Butterflies and Sentiment - are from Oak House Studio.    Why don't you have a go - you may win something!

My "Something New" is to have a go at Art Journalling - I've signed up to Journal52  which provides weekly prompts and I've decided the only way I'm going to carry on with this is to go smallish (A5) and do the first thing that comes into my head.  She who procrastinates is lost I fear  - I'll just end up doing neat and tidy with straight lines. 

The first prompt is Up, Up and Away - so Soar, Kites and Stormy Seas.  I hope you can see all this is my first attempt.  I used inks and paints and the words are all from dictionary definitions or quote sites online.  I've added Soar in Thickers but they are too pale to photo so may alter that.  I'm not sure I like it but if I don't post it, it'll end up in the bin and I won't have a go next week!!

I've no idea where this is taking me and I might not post my art every week but it's good to have a go!

Patchwork

Here's my card for the Less is More Challenge week 108 where the recipe is to use some Paper Piercing.
 

 
The first thing that jumped to mind was stitching and patchwork so that's what I've done.  The squares are all Kiss Stamping using Colour Chemistry pigment ink pads - Spring Green on Powder Blue and vice versa, then Daffodil on Lemon Yellow and Valentine on Daffodil..... I think!   I just armed myself with a square palette stamp and a few texture stamps - kissed them together and stamped till I liked what I saw.  They are all Oak House Studio stamps - Rosette, Mack Rose, Thoresby Scroll and Walesby Flourish.


Here's a close up showing my paper piercing around the edges!!

I've just finished the card by matting the squares onto some pale blue card.


Well that's my card and now back to watching the rugby!  Thank you for taking the time to look and for all your lovely comments.

Queen

Here's my regal 'shield' for Hels Sunday Stampers Challenge 113 based on the Queen song Love of my Life.



It started out being based more on Queen with the Union Jack and Lion Rampant but I found some of Tim's tags so I managed to include Love and Life too. The background is Shabby Shutters and Bundled Sage and the stamping is Brilliance Pearlescent Ivy.

I didn't remember this song from the title but looked it up on youtube and now it's stuck in my head - thanks Hels! It reminded me how brilliant Freddie Mercury was - singing live with just Brian May on guitar and you could hear every word he sang. Now I think I must be getting old as most of today's bands I haven't a clue what they are singing about - the background overtakes the vocals and as for singing live, not many of them seem to manage it. Tell me you agree and it's not just me!!!

Anyway I'm off to listen to my Queen LP...oops CD!

Christmas(?)

Christmas - eek its February already and tomorrow it's off to the NEC to set up for the Stitches trade show. Here's another piece for the display - yes you've guessed it. it's black and white again!
Continuing on the background theme from yesterday, I've stamped the wood grain (plank from the Men's Tools set) and Thoresby scrolls in silver (well, it makes a change) and then overstamped with the Christmas Tree. It's embossed with black sparkle as is everything in my house including me I think! I've cut out the 7 layers of the tree to give it a little dimension - as ever, these things look better in real life.
Anyway, need to start packing today and find some thick clothes for tomorrow. Set up day is always freezing at the NEC as they have all the doors open....brrr! I'll try and get some photos of the completed stand and post them next week.