Ready to Abandon

I thought it was time to make some more bookmarks to abandon, 

so armed with a few Stampotique stamps, card cut to size and my prismacolor pencils,

I was ready to go!

 "Queen of Everything" & "Dwindled"

"Boots" & "Mela"

"Ta-Dah"

The background stamps are Stampin' Up! "French Foliage"

When I'm out and about, if I notice a suitable spot to leave one of these bookmarks and no one is watching, then it is abandoned in the hope that some lucky person finds and uses it.

Happy Crafting!

Make a Wish

After my first attempt at a shabby chic card, I kept looking at what didn't quite work, (I decided the card base should have been smaller) and tried again.

This time, "Gooseneck" decided to take centre stage.

What do you think?

The background text is torn from a book, and for those that know me, you will be interested to hear that I didn't read the page first before tearing it out!) The other two pieces of torn paper are both from a packet of handmade papers I was given a couple of years ago.

I couldn't work out if shabby chic and vintage were different or crossed over somehow, but whatever the answer, I'm happy with the finished card.

Stamps used:

"Gooseneck" - Stampotique

Words - Tim Holtz 'Simple Sayings'

I think I'm starting to get the hang of the shabby chic style.

(In my previous post, I made a shabby chic ATC from a bag of leftovers)

Happy Crafting!

Does this colour suit me?

I was off playing with a couple of friends yesterday, and after a couple of pages had been scrapbooked and I'd made a couple of bookmarks, one of the girls showed us how to put together a 'shabby chic/vintage' layout from scraps.  I made an ATC while our other friend made a birthday card.  

Anyhow, I decided the ATC would make a good background for this weeks challenge at 

Wicked Wednesday where the theme is "Gray, Red & Turquoise/Teal".

So, with the background already made, it just left what image to stamp.  I decided to go with this very elegant giraffe who is from "La Vie Parisienne" from Katzelkraft.

I inked her dress in 'Island Indigo' from Stampin' Up! and her head in 'Watering Can' Archival Ink.  She was fussy cut and popped onto dimensionals, as the underneath surface was uneven due to the different layers of paper.  The words are hand written, cut out with a wash of 'Island Indigo' over the top.

 Happy Crafting!

It's Cold Outside

I've just about got time to sneak in with this week's challenge at

Wicked Wednesday

where the theme is "Baby, it's Cold Outside".

Well, maybe on the other side of the world, but here in Sydney it is almost 40 degrees and tomorrow is forecast for an even hotter day!

However, here is my ATC for this challenge

The background for this ATC is from KaiserCraft 'Silver Bells' collection, the edges being lightly swiped with 'faded jeans' Distress Ink.

"Breezy" was stamped directly onto the background and again on white card.  Her dress, scarf, shoes and flower are coloured using Gelly Roll pens in blue, purple and silver, fussy cut and glued over the first image.  The words are Tim Holtz Idea-ology 'small talk - occasions' stickers.  A small amount of Stickles was added to the snowflake and on the ground under Breezy's feet.

Stamps used:

Breezy - Stampotique

Footnote: I was too slow and this challenge is now closed!

Never-mind, there is always next weeks challenge instead.

Happy Crafting!

Coffee with the Girls

I was having COFFEE WITH THE GIRLS last night, 

and as one of them celebrated her birthday last week, I thought I would make her a Shabby Chic card.

As this is the first time I've made a Shabby Chic card, I wasn't feeling too confident, however, having recently received a Shabby Chic ATC from a swap, I took cues from this for my card.

I started by choosing my stamp, and "Dwindled" was happy to oblige.  She was stamped on white card, coloured with Prismacolor pencils and fussy cut.

I then chose a piece of handmade paper (which had actually been given to me by my friend whose birthday it was) which was torn to the right size.  I then found a piece of book paper which was also torn to the required size.  I inked around both these papers with a combination of  'antique linen' and 'tea dye' Distress Inks.  I small piece of muslin was lightly inked using the same colours.

After adding some faux stitching around both pieces, all the pieces were ready for placement.  A teeny piece of folded seam binding ribbon was tucked under the top layer, along with a little metal leaf.   A few ink spots were stamped onto the handmade paper before "Dwindled" was stamped again for the fine detail, and a piece of washi tape added.  The fussy cut coloured "Dwindled" was glued over this image and to finish off, the (sticker) words were added.

A simple sentiment was stamped in 'faded jeans' Distress Ink, and the edges torn and inked to co-ordinate with the front of the card.

"Dwindled" - Stampotique

"happy birthday" - Tim Holtz 'Simple Sayings'

"make a wish"  - Tim Holtz 'Simple Sayings'

This card fits perfectly (well, I think so, anyway) with this week's challenge at:
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - "M is for Mixed Media"
Craft Stamper - "Take a Technique - Text Me!"

I was really pleased with how my first Shabby Chic attempt turned out.

What do you think?

Happy Crafting!

Believe in Magic

I really enjoy playing along with different challenges, so this time I'm joining in with 

(Simply) Less is More

where the theme is 'One Layer - include a stem'

I inked up the words with 'Jet Black' Archival Ink and with a mask in place and using 'peeled paint' Distress Ink, stamped the grass stems.  In keeping with the words, this little fairy is inked with 'Watering Can' Archival Ink.  To finish I used a light inking of 'peeled paint' around all the edges.

Visible Image - Large Tall Grass

Prima Clear Stamps - Butterfly

Katzelkraft - Magic

Happy Crafting!

Earl sees red!

I think I can just about sneak in on this weeks

Wicked Wednesday Challenge - #196 "Seeing Red"

before it closes in a couple of hours.

Introducing "Earl", a stamp I recently bought while I was browsing after my mixed media class (see previous post), along with another long beaked bird.  Earl fits quite nicely on an ATC, so after giving him some brightly coloured plumage using Prismacolor pencils, I then created the background for him.

I started by colouring the ATC with Silk Acrylic Glaze in 'Love Struck' and once it was dry, I clear embossed a Darkroom Door texture stamp 'Floral' over the top.  Dipping my finger into the glaze I lightly gave it a second coat which brought out the lovely red colour.  I then embossed fine gold around the edges.

As the theme for this challenge is "Seeing Red" I printed 'red' a number of times on the computer using different fonts and letter sizes, then cut them out and glued them in place.

Joggles Artisan Rubber Stamps - #33670 "The Bird Earl"

Darkroom Door Texture Stamp - "Floral"

Happy Crafting!

The Village

A couple of Saturdays ago

  (if you were in Sydney, it was the afternoon of that torrential rain & storm we had), 

my crafty friend and I went to play in a mixed media class.

We took along our journals and with step by step instructions, everyone created variations of the original.

This is my finished page (or more correctly, double page) which I only put the finishing touches on over the weekend.  When I got home after the class, I had left it open so everything could dry properly, but then had put it aside.  Only when I opened it again this weekend just gone, did I realise the clouds still needed to be glued into place and my one & only unique house needed it's sparkly roof added.

Some brief instructions (before I forget how it all went together)

1. Mod Podge the bare page before adding printed tissue paper.

2. Mod Podge over the top of tissue paper.

3. Trim brown patterned paper to create hills.

4. Glue hills in place with Mod Podge and Mod Podge over the top of them.

5. Colour sky with Distress Paint in yellow colour.

6. Paint over yellow sky with a couple of Silk Acrylic Glaze paints, watered down.

7. Stamp borders around edges with black ink.

8. Stamp houses (Dylusions) twice onto patterned paper and fussy cut.

9. Arrange houses and Mod Podge them in place.

10. Cut clouds from patterned paper (I also inked around them)

11. Colour one house to be unique.

12. Add Distress Stickles to roof of the unique house.

This was a fabulous way to fill in a Saturday afternoon and I'm sure I will soon be creating some more pages along similar lines.

The only downside to the afternoon was having to drive home in torrential rain.  Everyone was crawling as it was so hard to see through the downpour.  

Even worse, I arrived home to find our gutters had overflowed (they had needed cleaning out for a while) and backed up and we had a stream flowing across the floor of our family room.  We had to pick everything off the floor and mop and dry stuff out - ughh!  

Our gutters have now been cleaned out and we're just waiting for the next lot of rain to see if we have fixed the problem or if it is worse then we think!

Happy Crafting!

Who am I?

Now that I've found the end of the table again, I've begun to make a list of all the projects & challenges that are coming up so I can stay on track and play along.

This isn't exactly a project or challenge, but was needed nevertheless.

A common practice at my church is for the members of the congregation to wear name tags, so anyone who is new and/or visiting, can put a name to a face without feeling embarrassed by not remembering who they have been introduced to.

Either that or my memory is failing rapidly and I need to remind myself who I am!!

I wanted something simple and "Breezy"(Stampotique) was perfect.  I coloured her using my favourite colours of purple and green, and added a touch of pale grey to ground her.  The letters were a combination of leftover rub-ons hence the various fonts.  Why don't the companies who make rub-ons, give us extra vowels?  Oh well, it gives a little more interest having a variety of letters.  I doodled around the edges and glued on a little peg to attach it to whatever I happen to be wearing on the day.

Happy Crafting!

Hearts Aloft

After yesterday's distinct lack of creativity, and with today being 

Valentine's Day

it was time to get back in the groove and make something worth blogging about!

With "Romek" as the centre of attention, I started by stamping and colouring him on scrap card before fussy cutting around him.  I cut around three hearts that had previously been stamped, and added tiny amounts of Silk Acrylic Glaze in 'Love Struck', 'Ginger Flower' and 'Emporor's Gold' , 

Taking a #8 tag, I scribbled Gelatos over it, then dipping my finger in some water, moved and blended the Gelatos around.  Next I took my stencil, some white craft ink and a dauber and created clouds over the pale blue background.

Once the background was dry, I stamped 'Romek' directly onto the tag.  I then glued the scrap card image of 'Romek' over the top, and added the heart balloons.

Words from Tim Holtz Idea-ology 'small talk - occasions' and a co-ordinating red ribbon completes the tag.

As this is so much better then yesterday's mishmash,

I am entering this tag in this weeks challenge.

Stampotique Designers Challenge #231 - Love is in the Air

'Romek' and 'My Heart' both from Stampotique

Happy Crafting!

Winging it!

Ok, so this isn't the most exciting thing I've ever made (or posted), but here goes ....

It came about because of the following challenges:

Stampotique Designers Challenge #231 - "Love is in the Air"

Wicked Wednesday - "Seeing Red"

Sisterhood of the Snarky Sisters #52 - "K is for Kiss"

I started out with an ATC, and stamped the word 'love' twice in red ink.  The wings are part of a Darkroom Door set which I thought were the right size for the word.  Next the hearts (Stampotique) were stamped, along with the 'X' (kiss).  I coloured the insides of the hearts as it all looked rather bland, and then re-stamped the borders again with a darker red.  The wings are coloured with gold and red gel pens.  

I'm really not taken with what I have made - maybe I'll have a rethink on these challenges before I make a complete idiot out of myself!

Happy Crafting!

Mardi Gras

I'm a little slow in getting this posted, however the theme for 

Stampotique Designer Challenge #230

is "Mardi Gras" using green, purple & gold colours.

I had the tag sitting on the table from last week when I was having a play with Ken Oliver "Colour Burst" paints.  I realised that this was a perfect background to go with the theme and since "Ellie" is a bit of a party elephant, she would be just right!

I coloured her hat and trunk with a gold gel pen, with the pompom and trim in green.  She is shaded with a pale grey pencil as I wanted her to stand out from the background.  The bunting is from a stamp in my stash.  A little piece of music washi tape adds to the festive feeling of Mardi Gras, and a length of purple ribbon finishes off the tag.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Crafting!

www.stampotiquedesignerschallenge.blogspot.com.au

Northern Lights

I've made a new friend!

We are both members of a FB craft group but until a couple of weeks ago, she was just a name; and then unexpectedly she found herself in hospital quite a distance from her home with nothing to do.   On discovering the hospital was only 15 minutes drive away from where I live, I decided to pay her a surprise visit and so off I went, taking with me a gift of a colouring book & pencils, along with a copy of Daphne's Diary.  As we were both crafty and were papercrafters, we found we had lots to chat about and so a new friendship was born.

On my second visit this week, she wanted to show me how to do the Northern Lights technique, so I packed the necessary things and we spent a nice afternoon playing and getting inky.

 This one is on thin gloss paper and I was quite happy with it.

This one is on gloss cardstock and is my least favourite.

This is done on gloss photo paper and I think looks quite good.

This is also done on gloss photo paper but with a little more colour.

Stamps used are Darkroom Door 'Yuletide' Vol 1; with a variety of coloured inkpads from both Distress Ink and Stampin' Up!

It is quite easy to see the difference in how the colours blend on the different  papers used in this technique.  The detail in the stamps is also very noticeable, especially on the photo paper.

My 'new' friend was being transferred to a rehabilitation centre today much closer to where she lives, so I am unlikely to meet up with her again unless I'm on the south coast.  It was lovely to be able to spend some crafty time with her and to learn a new technique along the way.

Hope everything goes well with her rehabilitation and she makes a full recovery!

Happy Crafting!