Journalling the Olympics

Decided today to have a play with a new set of Journalling Circles from Oak House Studio. It's a set of 7 stamps - 2 solid circles, 2 journalling spots and 3 circular frames - that all co-ordinate to provide endless possibilities for cardmaking and scrapbooking. Here's the stamps you get quickly inked in black.

It's one year till the London Olympics 2012 so I'm sat looking at all these circles and thinking how easy to make an Olympic Flag ready for next year's scrapbooking album. I've just used one of the circles and stamped in Brilliance.


Whilst playing I've also done some kiss stamping in Versafine. I've taken the largest solid circle (fits a 2" punch) and swirled ink on it then kiss stamped with the dotted circle. Other examples are first and second stampings. Definitely a two handed job and very addictive.

Great for making backgrounds and journalling spots. Off to play some more!!

Back to Black

Here's my entry for Hels Sunday Stamper challenge 164 with the theme of Black. A sad week all round so the card is very simple with Memories as the key point.

The background is Fired Brick and Wild Honey Distress Stains slammed onto the card in a random fashion - love the splatters but not necessarily those that are now on my T-shirt...doh!! I've black embossed the foliage stamp from Tim's Fairytale Frenzy set and Memories is a 7gypsies stamp.

Hope you like!

Isle of Wight

One of the reasons for the lack of posts has been work but also we've been away for a week to the Isle of Wight. We've never been before but it's certainly somewhere we'd go back. We had glorious weather for 5 days so who could ask for more.

The first hot day we decided to go to The Needles and walked along the cliffs to The Old Battery. This is the view from the look-out post right at the end.



The next day we went to Osborne House - the summer home of Queen Victoria. The house was lovely but no photography was allowed so we spent a lot of time in the grounds, the walled garden etc. There were loads of statues including this angel - those of you who watched that episode of Dr Who... well don't take your eyes of her!!


Another day we visited the Tiger Zoo in an old fort just outside Sandown. My daughter has wanted to go for years ever since she heard they walked the tigers on the beach. Anyway they have a selection of big cats - lions, tigers and jaguars - who have all been rescued from circuses etc and just give them a lovely home. We spent all day here.




We walked up and down cliffs, round castle walls, along the coast etc. We saw most of the island and took loads of photos for scrapping. Definitely a place I'd recommend.

And now back to crafting!

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.

Free as a Bird

Thought I'd have a play with some mail art for Crafty Individual's Monthly Challenge with the theme Free as a Bird.

The photos are not good for some reason - maybe the impending thunderstorm had something to do with it. Anyway I used Crafty Individuals bird CI 180 to make the postage stamp on shrink plastic - it's coloured with promarkers and then cut out with fancy scissors to give the perforations.

The envelope is coloured with Distress Inks and then overstamped with various stamps:
Crafty Individuals CI 207 - the grasses stamped in various greens
Tim Holtz - Birds on a wire
Oak House Studio - Hessian background
7gypsies - bird and butterfly from the Nottinghill Set.

Guess I'll have to take the stamp off to use the envelope - just got to wait for the next birthday and we'll see if Royal Mail like it!!

Stars and Stripes

Here's a quick ATC for Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge with the theme of Stars and/or Stripes.



It's a rainbow of alcohol inks for the background, swiped across glossy card and then some blending solution squirted on. I then overstamped with some Hero Arts stars and PSX Celtic Alphabet.

I've never had a go at Tim's tartan technique and obviously couldn't for this challenge as the theme is Stars and Stripes not Stars and Tartan!! However while I have the alcohol inks out I think I might have a play.

May already!

So where did April go?? I was doing fine in March, blogging regularly and my last post was my 100th. But then life got in the way I guess.

I've had visitors and days out. A lovely walk around Wakehurst Place taking photos of the water gardens.


Had a great day visiting Ally Pally and the Big Scrapbooking and Stamping Show. We had a picnic in the park then hit the stalls - it was a bit busy in places but I found a few bits and pieces to buy - some Fresco paints, Distress Stains and some masks. Also bought some steampunk brass charms which are gorgeous. Since then I've treated myself to some Crafty Individuals stamps. None of it has moved much since I bought it except to start a birthday card that still needs finishing.


DH went to India for a few days and brought back an elephant - apparently Delhi Airport has a lifesize wooden elephant in the foyer but he hadn't room for that in his case!!


Then there's been Easter and all the Bank Holidays. The lovely dry sunny weather means there is gardening to do. We also bought a new caravan so that's needed attention - repacking stuff in it, making sure everything works and trying the awning up. For some reason we chose to do that on top of the North Downs on a windy day.... good practise though!!

Now everything is getting back to normal but exam season is fast approaching. I have one DD doing A levels, one doing GCSEs and me doing a variety as an invigilator. The good news it's more stash money: the bad news is I'll have no time to play with it.

My next task is to start entering challenges again and keep up the blogging....well I'll try!!