Find Joy Everyday

While blog hopping the other night I came across this blog called, Stampin 'B's design team challenge.
Challenge  108 is Paper pieced blue monocrome.
The papers I used for this card are a selection from my paper store, I think by K&Co.
The stamps for the  flowers and leaves are from Joanna Sheene's Wild Flower collection. They  were stamped on coloured paper as well,  before layering.
Thankyou for coming by to take a look, your comments are always appreciated.

Just for Fun

This weeks challenge over at Just for Fun is another shape--'Triangles'.
So while watching a cetain Royal Wedding this morning and seeing all the fashionable guests. This little lady was anxious to join in, pity she didn't get an invite.
Its a S.W.A.L.K. stamp, coloured with cosmic shimmer paints.
The card base is an A4 sheet folded in half , then cut leaving a long folded edge [on the right]
The bits and pieces came from my stash.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look.

Grungy Monday--week5

'A New Dimension'   is the challenge set by Linda over at StudioL3   this week. There are some fabulous pieces by the DT .
We can get all the information on how to do this  here,  at   The May Technque Challenge over on Tim Holtz 's inspirational blog. 
Once again I had to improvise as my foam pieces have gone walk about. Not to be detered,  I cut up an old computer mouse mat that was still lurking in the 'might come in useful'  cupboard.  The leaf is a broken broach, from a charity shop, coloured with red pepper alcohol ink. The heart is a Tim Holtz die, coloured with distress inks and metalic paint for the crown and wings.The papers I have had a while, I used a script stamp in places, but it has faded into the background.
Thankyou for stopping by, I realy appreciate your comments.

A Gift of Love

This weeks challenge over at Try it on Tuesdays is  to Alter a Tin.
Once again our sponsers are the Craft Barn, so pop over, get all the information and see the super altered Tins made by my fellow teamies.
My tin is quite small about 3 x 2 inches and 3/4 inch deep. It is coloured with Wild Plum alcohol ink. The lid is decorated with bits and bobs  from my stash.

You might be wondering why I called this post A Gift of Love.
It relates to a similar gift I recieved  from a friend,, together with this verse.

This is a very special gift
That you can never see,
The reason its so special is
Its just from me to you.
Whenever you are lonely
Or even feeling blue.
You have to hold this little gift
And know I think of you.
You never should unwrap it
Please leave the ribbon tied..

Hold this box close to your heart
Its filled with love inside.



I am sure that this sentiment is one we would all treasure,






Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, your comments are always appreciated

Just for You

This week the  challenge over at Less is More  is 'Off Centre'.
Once again Chrissie and Mandy have given us a super theme. There are fantastic examples to see on the blog
I have had two atempts at this one.
.The card stock  is cream, with chocolate brown layering . I used  an Expresso ink pad to stamp the  words  and  flower,  which is painted  with pink cosmic shimmer.

This is my first card, I edged it with pink and am not sure if  the shape is in the right position

Another challenge these cards will fit is
Challenge 131 at the Secret Crafter  which is to use the colours Pink, Cream and Brown
More super examples to see.

Thankyou for taking time to visit my blog, I realy appreciate your comments.

Fleur

Happy Easter Day everyone.
The cream base for this card is 5.5 inches square. The two coloured layers show a couple of resist techniques, the details are in Tim Holtzs Compendium of Curiosities , I love this book. The small square is my version of Shabby Chic, the other Dauber Resist.
The colours used were Butterscotch and Terracotta daubers with wild honey and tea dye distress inks, clear embossing ink and powder.
The other additions came from my stash, adding a loopy flower that I made with my flower loom.

I have found that this card will fit these challenges, there are some awesome examples, hope you will be able to  visit them
Just for Fun  - All Square
The Stampman  -challenge21   Resist Techniques.

Thankyou for stopping by, I realy appreciate your comments

Happy Easter

GrungyMonday 04- Textured Fades and Distress
After missing last week I am  so happy to be able to join in this  weeks challenge to Celebrate the Techniques and Products of Tim Holtz
There is a vidio link to show you how Tim uses this technique, so pop over to Linda's at Studio L3 to get all the information and see the Fabulous examples.
This card is made using  two  of my embossing folders. Terracotta and Butterscotch paint daubers. Copper metalic rub ons. After colouring the butterflies, they were covered with glossy accents then distress stickles.
A couple of stickers from the Seasonal Stack and a few bits and pieces from my stash to finish it off.

G C 96  Colour Challenge
Copper, Ginger or Rust
A bit late I know but I have realised my colour scheme also fits this challenge.
Its the Third Annual Colour Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations. More gorgeous, inspiring pieces to see.

Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate you taking the time to call.

Altered Envelope

The  challenge this week  at Try it on Tuesdays is to Up-cycle  something of your own choice.  'Up-cycle' had me a bit anxious, I'd never heard of this , but a friend kindly explained that it was a new way to say Re-cycle.
So the  'senior moment ' passed and I got my thinking cap on.

This envelope had seen better days and had dropped through my door  containing some sort of junk mail, so it wasn't sealed.  I began by covering it with a variety of 'Time' stamps
It then got the distress ink treatment, tea dye seems to be my favourite at the moment.. At this stage I decided it was goining to be a wall hanging. The paper was so thin it would have started tearing.  I used distress embossing on the cogs, so they look rusty and feel grity. The figure, I cut from a Graphic45 paper, the rest of the bits and pieces came from my stash



Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I appreciate your comments.

Stitch It

Thought I would use one of the hand made flowers that I made at  Lovin' Ink  Craft retreat  for this card.  Michelle and Janet would tell you I had fun with this technique, the threads certainly had a different agenda  to where I wanted them to go.  I am in the process of finding the loom  so I can  get more practise.
The stamps I used are by Tim Holtz and Creative Expressions, I also used a new TH embossing folder to create my Faux Stitching.  It was coloured with tea dye, and antique paper distress inks.
It will fit the themes of these super challenges
Lets Ink it up whose theme is 'Show us your stitching'.
The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, theme 'Stitching', real or faux.
Sir Stampalot  April Challenge, 'Ladies and Fashion'
Thankyou for stopping by I realy appreciate your comments.

Geisha

I have made this card with a couple of challenges in mind.
Chestnut Theme challenge GS 97 Geishas.
There are some realy inspiring pieces to see at Gingersnap creations.
Also ,
Challenge20  Embossing over  at The Stampman
I used some papers that have been in the box for ages as my background. It is mounted on black,  I got a bit carried away cropping the photo, the black border is about an inch wide.  The Geisha stamp however is called 'The scented house' by Stampington. She was embossed in black, then coloured with cosmic shimmer paints. The small tile is triple embossed, but  its hard to see the symbols on the photo.
Thankyou for stopping by, your comments are realy appreciated.

Movie Star.

The challenge shape this week over at Just for Fun is a 'Star'.
Once again there are some super examples to see at JFF.
After a couple [or6]   tries to cut the  star,   this was the one that worked best. There must have been an easier way to get the shape, this was two triangles to start with.
The papers I used are by Graphic45,  a few bits and pieces from my stash, then glitter to edge it all.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I appreciate you calling.

Simply Square.

Crafty Individuals have a new monthly challenge on their blog.
 The theme for April is  'Simply Square'. There are some super examples and entries to see  here.
I have had this CI stamp for quite a while now, but it remains a favourite, using cosmic shimmer to colour. The papers I used are from  the Annalee paper stack.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

Try it on Tuesdays--Tag week

The challenge this week is to make a tag, using a colour combination of Red,Cream and Black.
We are sponsered this week by our Stampin Up teamie Emma, who is offering £15 of goodies from the current catalogue as a prize. So pop over to TioT's for all the information and see all the super tags.
.For my tag I used a favourite rose stamp, embossed in black, with glossy accents to highlight the petals. The papers and ribbons etc were from my stash.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

Circles

The theme of this weeks challenge over at Just for Fun is called  'Get into Shape', using Circles.
Go see the super examples over there.
For my card I used a mask to create the circle background with distress ink [vintage photo], added some die cut gearsand cogs, then stamps from my new Tim Holtz set, finishing with a metal embellishment.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look at my card.

Less is More week 10

This week  over at Less is More we are  challenged to make the sentiment our focus.
I used a plain white card with embossed corners. The opposite corners I used a Tim Holtz flower stamp with shabby shutters  distress ink, and went round the edges as well. The sentiment is one of his stamps as well.
Thankyou for stopping by and please pop over to Chrissie and Mandys to see the  fablous examples.

Grungy Monday week2

Week 2 of Linda's Tim Holtz [www.timholtz.com] themed challege and a visit to Ranger Ink to get the information we need on Distress Inks with Multi Medium here.
For my piece I cut a stamp from a piece of cut and dry using the Tattered Florals die. The background is a page from an old paperback stamped initially with a few twiggy flowers. After using my home made stamp I coloured with antique linen,  and tea dye distress inks.  The finished piece I have made into an Easter card and doing so,  seem to have covered to many  of my multi medium stamped flowers, please take my word , they were there and  they seemed to fit the technique.
Pop over to Linda's StudioL3 to see some fabulous examples.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

A touch of Red

This weeks theme over at Less is More is to add a touch of red. Again a struggle to not overdo things. The stamp I used came from the Stampman and the red is a cosmic shimmer paint.

This is my second attempt, the white has photographed a bit blueish. again, stamps from the Stampman, red distress ink to colour this one.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, your comments are realy appreciated, although this week I am not able to stop and look at all the other super examples .

Home Inspirations

This week  at Try it on Tuesdays we have been challenged to make a card inspired by a colour scheme from our home. There are some fantastic examples by my fellow teamies.

My card is inspired by a cross stitch picture. Most of my house is is neutral colours, with large areas of pictures grouped together. Cross stitch was a favourite hobby of mine for many years, here is my inspitation .

For my card I used Wendy Vechi and Tim Holtz stamps, vintage photo and antique linen distress inks.

I did have a picture of the group of pictures, but as I can only get it posted sideways, I had to give up.

You must include a picture of your inspiration as well as your card. There is a £10 voucher up for grabs from our sponser One Stop Cards.

Thankyou for taking time to take a look.

Discoveries.

This week at Just for Fun the challenge theme is Anything you Fancy [create what you want].
Well, how could I not try out these new stamps by Tim holtz and Stampotique.
The background is a variety of stamps and the page is coloured with distress inks.
I think she looks quite a character.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

Altered Box

I was lucky to spend last weekend at a Craft Retreat organised by Janet and Michelle, two very talented ladies.
We learnt  lots, were well fed , met old and new friends and had a great time.
This is my version of the box which we all spent our time making during our stay.

We also made the contents.

Buttons made with clay, shrink and friendly plastic.

 Flowers using various materials, even the Needle case.

Thankyou for stopping by to take a look.