February Inchies & ATCs

Well the weather is wet and windy so thought I'd get on with my Inchies and ATCs for the UK Stampers Forum Challenge on Facebook.

The theme for the Inchies is Anything Goes so I got out my Inkadinkadoo Special Thoughts stamps and chose 3 that seemed to go.  They are stamped using Onyx Black Versafine and clear embossed on some pale blue sprayed card.  I do challenges to try and use stuff up but even with 6 of them, they don't make much of a difference to my scrap box!!   Anyway I've just blended on a little Wilted Violet Distress Inks to enhance the colour.

For the ATCs the theme is Hearts/Love so I got out my reds and entitled them the Music of Love.  The backgrounds are a swooshy mix of Fired Brick,  Barn Door and Pickled Raspberry overstamped with a Music stamp in Vermillion Archival.  The Walesby Hearts are from Oak House Studio and I've just added some ribbons and typed words.   It wasn't until I did the third did I realise maybe I should check the musical notes.....guess what, the first one I did is upside down!!

Hope you like and thanks for visiting.  If you've left a comment, then my thanks once again!!

Elaine xx

V for Valentine

For various reasons I'm not getting much crafting done but thought I'd have a play this afternoon and make my postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge.  The letter this time is V - I've chosen Valentine but if you visit regularly you will know I've tried to use as many v words as possible!!

So the background is a variegated vibrant mix of yellows through to reds and I've stamped the Pansy Pot down the side with Vermillion Archival.  I've also gold embossed the Pansy stamp and coloured it a purple-blue.....think Violas!!   The main element is the Walesby Heart gold embossed and again coloured in purple-blue.  It's just finished with the V Thicker and the dictionary definition.

Well I've filed that as no. 21 so we can only have 5 more to go = 10 weeks to Christmas.  How did that happen???   Anyway thanks for popping by and for all the comments you keep leaving.

Elaine x


 

Hearts & Kisses

It's ages since I've had chance to make something but I saw the theme for the Less is More Challenge week  259 and just have to play.  The theme is KISS STAMPING - a great technique!!

I've used Oak House Studio stamps - the large Walesby Flourish inked with the Triple Fruity Red Ink Pad for the background/ Then the smaller version inked with the darkest red kissed onto the Heart Palette stamp inked with the lightest red.  You can also do naked kissing where you take ink off with second stamp....so I'm told!!

Sorry about the state of the photo - it's very gloomy here as what snow we had has now melted away.  I do love a cold, crisp sunny day - unfortunately as you can see from the view of my local park,  today wasn't it!!

Thanks for visiting.

Oak House Studio - Texture Challenge

Just a heads up that over on the Oak House Studio blog there's a new challenge where the theme is TEXTURE. 

Here's a  card for a man for a change using homemade washi tape banners.  I've used 4 Oak House Studio stamps that can be used to create texture - Squares Border, Linen Background, Harlequin and Checkerboard with Pigment Ink Pads - Midnight, Forest Green, Fired Brick and Powder Blue.   I've just added some buttons and the sentiment from the Men's Stamps set.

 

 

 Oak House Studio stamps are very versatile - they are clear but can be used to stamp textures in polymer clay, embossing paste and hot embossing powder without coming to any harm.

 For this tag, I've used Totally Turquoise and Citrus Lime Ink in a Bottle for the background and stamped this with the large Walesby Flourish.  The tile is triple embossed with copper and stamped with the small Walesby Flourish.

All stamps, ink pads, spray inks and embossing powders are from Oak House Studio and can be bought HERE.

Pop over to the Oak House Studio blog, join in the fun - there is a £40 prize to be won!   Oak House studio are also looking for new Design Team members so if you are interested, all the details are HERE.   Good luck!

Shabby Chic?

I spotted a strip of corrugated card and decided to go for a shabby chic hanging with browns and blues for my next Poinsettia project for the ONE STAMP event.

 

I've used Glorious Gold Ink in a Bottle and white and gold acrylic paint for the bases and various stamps on this - the Enjoy What You Do stamped in Sea Green Pigment Ink, the Walesby Flourish stamped in Midnight Pigment Ink and the Winter Garden Text stamped with gold acrylic paint. Obviously I've used the large Poinsettia stamp inked with Midnight Pigment Ink on card sprayed with Totally Turquoise Ink in a Bottle.

For full details and to check out all the projects go to the Oak House Studio blog and see other projects on the One Stamp facebook page.  Hope you've been inspired!

Plum Bookmark

Another make for the ONE STAMP event using the Decorative Diamond stamp from Oak House Studio.

I've clear embossed the Decorative Diamond stamp on either side, silver embossed on some spare card for the middle one and coloured all three with a Sakura Stardust pen.  On the reverse I've stamped the Walesby Flourish and again coloured to give a little sparkle.

ONE STAMP EVENT
Lynnda will have just finished her first 12 hour shift at the Oak House Studio as part of her crafting for 24hrs with just this one stamp.  She's been stamping on card, wood, glass, metal, silk etc.  If you are local (East Yorkshire) you are welcome to pop along to the Studio between 10am-4pm tomorrow and join in the fun.  Otherwise follow the event online, I will be posting here all weekend, the Design Team have projects to post on the OAK HOUSE STUDIO BLOG and others will be posting on the ONE STAMP page on Facebook.

Hope you've enjoyed the first day.  Why not take a look at what we've been up to and leave a comment or two!!  Come back tomorrow for another 12hrs of crafting!!

 

Painty Flower

Here's my tag for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge this week where the idea is to include Texture or Raised Areas.

I don't have any Distress Paints (yet!) so used what I have. I started with a Sky Fresco Chalk Paint (Paperartsy) background and then added some Ferro through an Imagination Crafts Leafy Swirl stencil.  Once that had dried, I replaced the stencil and painted with green acrylic paint.  It was a smidge too wet and soaked under the stencil - nearly threw it away at that stage but then decided to go back in with the Sky which luckily is opaque and covered it up.

The flower uses a variety of acrylic paints (blues, greens, teal & silver) spritzed with water and mopped up with card (see Tim Holtz's tattered floral challenge) and then cut using the Tattered Florals and Tattered Leaf dies.  I've overstamped the leaves with the Walesby Flourish stamp in Emerald Archival and some of the flowers with the Mack Rose stamp in Vermillion Archival - stamps are from Oak House Studio. I've layered the flowers up with some spacers and foam pads and then finished with a brad. 

So I have raised areas on my background and a raised flower so hope that fills the challenges.  Thanks for taking the time to look!!

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.

Great Friends

Well it's white out so thought I'd stay inside, keep warm and craft.  Here's a card for the Less is More Challenge week 103 where the theme is FRIENDS.

I've gone for my favourite colour scheme - blue, black and white.  The stamp is the Walesby Flourish from Oak House Studio, the sentiment is from Hero Arts and the trellis is a Memory Box die.  Simple yet effective I hope you will agree.

Thanks for looking and stay safe and warm!

Wedding Flourish

What a great choice this week on the Less is More challenge week 87 - it's Love and Marriage.   I've just made a few samples for a friend's wedding so thought I'd post them for the challenge. 

Quite a quick card using Oak House Studio's Walesby Flourish inked with Raspberry Versacolour and embossed with Pearl Silver powder which creates a lovely subtle pearly pink colour.  It's just finished with the words matted onto silver mirri and some dusky pink DCWV embossed card.

The place setting card above uses the smaller version of the flourish and again uses the same card for matting and the evening invitation below is a little different but uses the same combination of stamps and card.

Makes a change to get a challenge done on the day.  I don't know where the time has been going but at least I have got something made this week.  And I have the base of a Christmas card done.....maybe I'll get that finished before christmas!!

Anyway thanks for looking.

With a Flourish

Here's a card for the Less is More challenge week 71 which is a One Layer card using a Flourish.



Well I know I've used this Walesby Flourish from Oak House Studio on several occasions but it is a great flourish and it was on top of the pile. I've stamped it with Versafine Majestic Blue and then copied Mandi's idea by colouring it with Sakura pens to give a glittery effect. It's just finished with a sentiment in Archival Manganese Blue.

Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments.

Circular Card

The theme this week on the Less is More challenge week 69 is to make something that is NOT A SQUARE (or Rectangular).

I've just gone for a circular card - drew round a small plate with gold pen and cut out leaving a nice gold border. The main stamp is Oak House Studio's Walesby Flourish stamped in Manganese Blue Archival and the words round the edge are from a Hero Arts Friendship Messages set. I do prefer rubber stamps, but one of the advantages of clear stamps is that you can bend them on the block to match the curve of the card. I've just finished with some white organza.

Well are we going to win Eurovision this year? Sat blogging whilst watching the Hump - sounds a good ballad but I think the ending spoilt it!! Anyway thanks for looking at my card.

Nostalgic Batik

Here's my attempt at Nostalgic Batik for Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry Day 7 using embossing powders and Distress Inks.

I've used Wild Honey, Barn Door and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and stamps by Tim Holtz and an Oak House Studio flourish.

Diamonds

Here's a tag I've made for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 195 with the theme of DIAMONDS. Having dismissed "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Diamonds are Forever" as ideas I went looking for inspiration on a quotes website and came up with this by Peter Marshall:

When we long for life without difficulties,
remind us that Oaks grow strong in contrary winds
and Diamonds are made under pressure.


I stamped the Harlequin with white Brilliance, embossed with Crystal Sparkle powder and swooshed over this with Chipped Sapphire and Dusty Concord Distress Inks. I then embossed the Walesby Flourish with Lilac powder and added the sentiment, gems and some eyelash fibres to carry on the bling. The stamps are Oak House Studio and the Celtic Alphabet is a PSX one.

Thanks for looking and I hope you like.

Art Journal - Filled with Love

I came across The Craft Barn's Art Journal Challenge and thought I'd have a go. The theme is Filled with Love, so hearts filled with what you love.


Have to say I've never done this before but I do love making Distress Ink backgrounds - they always turn out differently hence the UNIQUE ART. I also love stamping and heat embossing. I don't have a journal so just used an A4 sheet of card which I can bind into a book later...as I enjoyed creating this page I'm now thinking of doing the House challenge from last month.

Anyway I've used Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany Distress Inks spritzed with a Craftynotions Pink Lustre. There's a Glimmer Mist Screen in the background too. The stamps are from Oak House Studio - Harlequin, Mack Rose and Walesby Flourish - and the writing is my own and definitely the hardest part of the page.

Thanks for looking - I'm off to see if I have any house stamps!!

Hearts

Guess what - I made a tag for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge week 191 with the theme of Hearts.


The tag is just swooshed around in Broken China, Spiced Marmalade and Pine Needles Distress Inks spritzed with gold Perfect Pearls. I overstamped this with Tim Holtz's Love Wish Dream stamp and Oak House Studio's Walesby Flourish (well it was still on my table, so had to use it again!).

The heart was left over from my Kiss Stamping experiment last week - love the mottled look of this one. I covered it (accidentally) in a really thick layer of Glossy Accents, shaped it a bit with my fingers cracking the glaze and then blended Vintage Photo DI over it.

Thanks for looking.

Aqua

Here's a very simple DL card for the Less is More challenge 53 based on the colour Aqua. It's a difficult colour - is it more green than blue or vise versa? I'm not sure but I went with the closest ink I had.


I've used Oak House Studio's Walesby Flourish stamped across the card - I was going to add a heart or flower but I think less is more!!

Thanks for looking.

Kiss Stamping

Well it's a glorious day here but too cold to go out and as I received a new stamp in the post I thought it would be rude not to have a play.

It's a torn edged Heart Palette Stamp from Oak House Studio and as you can see from the images it's a solid palette stamp designed especially for Kiss Stamping. It's great fun and loads of different looks can be achieved. For the first set of three I used the nice juicy Colour Chemistry Ink Pads - Powder Blue and Forest Green.


Here the same Heart Palette has been kissed with the Mack Rose stamp inked with Forest Green.

On the hearts below I've used Orchid with a silver Walesby Flourish stamp, and Valentine Red with a gold Mack Rose stamp, plus some Inspirational Words.


Really the possibilities are endless - it's just great fun to get your stamps out and keep stamping and inking. If you're interested in learning more, Lynnda is teaching a Kiss Stamping class at Bishop Burton on February 11th - check out www.vip-stamping.co.uk/workshop-dates for more details.

What to do next to keep warm - well I'm thinking that heart would look good triple embossed with some glitter and micro beads added!!

Gold

Here's a tag for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 188 with the theme Gold.


For the background I embossed the Oak House Studio Walesby Flourish stamp and then blended Bundled Sage Distress Ink over it. It's spritzed with gold perfect pearls and edged with Gold Dabber. The owl is an Elusive Images/Chocolate Baroque one stamped with gold dabber. The tag is just finished with a few flourishes, some ribbon and the phrase 'Spread Your Wings'.

I couldn't get the owl to show up very well but they are naturally quite shy!!

Build Your Own Flowers

Can't believe it's over 2 months since I last blogged. Excuses... well life got in the way I guess - exams, work, holidays etc etc. I'll save the details for another post.

Just thought I ought to start making things again so here's a Dimensional Flower for Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge with the theme of Build Your Own Flower Embellie.


I've used the things I had on my table - TH's Tattered Florals cut out of card that I'd randomly misted with my new Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Mists. Eventually got round to taking out a Craft Stamper sub and they were the free gift this month. May have to get used to the pastel chalkyness of them as opposed to the glimmer mists and deep stains I'm used to. A friend also sent me a new stamp to play with (Walesby Flourish by Oak House Studio) so I've stamped that on the flowers with Gold Brilliance. Apologies for the photo - the light wasn't good yesterday!!

Well I've made the flower but inspiration went out of the window as to what to do with it - male birthdays next so I'll put it to one side and use it later!!

Bye for now - hopefully I'll get round to blogging a bit more frequently.