Crinklies

What a happy band of friends these three old biddies look, I thought maybe a big blousy over the top  flower might cheer them up a bit.
Anyway, over at Gingersnap Creations the Spicy Supply Challenge GC 118  is Crimpers.
Either search out the old crimping tool,, or pleating  is acceptable I think.
I've never used mine in years,  so it crimped the border  and the die cut shabby chic flowers. It may have done the card as well, but it wasn't wide enough.  Shading was antique linen and vintage photo distress inks. The stamp I cannot remember which company it came from. This I think is one of the minus points to unmounted stamps
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

The Time Keeper

This time keeper sure looks all fingers and thumbs, think he obviously needs a good wind up, or the bird will  loose its call up 'cheep'
I have added a tag to this hanging for the moment as I cannot remember where I put my magnetic tape to make it into a fridge magnet.
I used  Paper Artsy and Tim Holtz stamps on the background.  The main pieces are Wendy Vecchi  Art Parts.I covered the man with a page from a French book, the hand is stamped with script, then the key was covered with vintage photo distressed embossing powder. All the shading has been done with distress inks, black soot vintage photo and antique linen.
Challenges I think fit this piece are
Simon Says Stamp and Show  -'Men Only'.
Make My Monday- Steampunk, 'Anything but a Card'.
Just for Fun  a shape with More than Four Sides.

Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate you calling.

Alice in Wonderland

Well, I know we all think of Alice as a sweet little girl, but hey this Alice is one of the Octopode stamps and I couldn't resist using her for this hanging.

I struggled a bit with our new Try it on Tuesdays  theme. Which is to 'Create an Altered piece of Art', that was inspired by a Childrens Book . Pop over for all the information and see the super  pieces that our guest designer and my fellow teamies have made.

So how was I inspired. First of all, I have to refer to the Craft Retreat, when Michelle, gave us all a gate hanging, comlete with watering can, flower and insect.  "Alter this over the weekend ", she said and show us what you did.

I had the Alice stamp with me , so  an alternative ' Alice in Wonderland'  tending her magical garden, came to mind.,  all I had to remember was not to mention the next TioT's theme.

 The white rabbit and words are by Crafty Secrets. The fence was toned down with vintage photo distress inks, the colouring is cosmic shimmer watercolours.

The mushrooms were my own creation, don't think I would fancy eating these. Luckily I had a few embellishments that fitted,  the Martha Stewart edger I borrowed from Siobhan and  the flowers were  made with Liz's papers.  Thankyou both.

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

A Shared Moment

I just love this Paper Artsy stamp and the  words on the tag .
 Friendship is to be treasured.
I used various papers for the layers including a page from an old french book, randomly stamped with my favourite rose.
The border is punched with a Martha Stewart punch, as you can see,  I used a Nestability shape to layer up  the image.
The shading is antique linen and tea dye distress inks, the colouring cosmic shimmer watercolour paints.

Challenges that  I think will fit this card  are-
Gingersnap Creations  GC 119 Random Redhead Challenge, 'Shared Moments'.
Sugar Creek Hollow   'Vintage Children'

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

Across the miles

Vintage is our next theme over at Fashionable Stamping call over for all the details and see the fabulous examples done by my fellow teamies, they are awesome.
For this card I used an Aspects of Design stamp and decided to keep to a vintage colour palate.
The base card is covered with an old map, one of the layers is embossed in a script folder.
Shading is distress inks, tea dye, antique linen  and vintage photo. lace and flowers with a couple of pins complete my card.
This is  a shedueled post, as we will be travelling home today from Yorkshire.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments

Steampunk ATC

Another quick post, , this time its an ATC.
Over at Simon Says Stamp and show the current  theme is to show an Artist trading Card.
I used Paper Artsy and Creative Expressions stamps.
The shading is tumbled glass, tea dye  and vintage photo distress inks, with a few highlights of gold cosmic shimmer paint and a couple of metal embellishments.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

Steampunk Hanging

This is one of the altered pieces I made at the Craft Retreat, this past  weekend.

First of all the frames had the distress stains treatment. The stamps I used were Paper Artsy and Creative Expressions. Finishing off with some metal embellishments. Sorry this description is brief, as I am once again in Caravanland, staying close by to Bolton  Abbey, a most beautiful part of Yorkshire. Also I have given up after numerous tries to place these photos in a better order. Me and the laptop are not comunicating with each other very well  at the moment.

Challenges-

Make  My Monday  - Challenge 16 Metal Steampunk.

Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I will catch up with you all soon.

Serenity

'Its a Wonderful World',  is the  theme for our new  challenge at Try it on Tuesdays . Pop over for all the details and see our interpretation of this theme.
I chose to make a decoupage card using papers from Joanna Sheene's  Enchanted Dreams CD.  Adding a ribbon aand a sentiment..
The countryside holds so many happy memories for me and the family.  We live close to woodland, river walks, with  fields as far as the eye can see.  So for me nature is a Wonderful World.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, if all goes well this schedueled post will pop up on the right day.

Monochromatic Steampunk

 Well here's an update, the bags are packed and ready to go. So, its just the last minute bits and pieces, I'm sure to think I  will need.
Made this page for the current Make My Monday challenge  which is to make a monochromatic steampunk piece.
The papers are Graphics 45, some images from a  Dezinaworld sheet. The stamps are a mixture from Creative expressions, this layer was embossed with cogs and wheels. Distress inks again for colour, vintage photo and tea dye.
It is slightly darker than this in real life, this was the best photo we could get.
Another steampunk challenge is over ar Simon Says Stamp and show, the theme is Show us some Steampunk.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look. I realy appreciate your comments.
Will catch up with you all after the weekend.

Framed

Well, I am curently supposed to be getting together my craft bag and projects to take to the Craft Retreat this weekend. [organised by my lovely friends from Lovin'Ink ]. But how do you decide what to take and what to leave,  so as I  still have another day before we head off to Yorkshire, I will craft while I am deciding.[ hows that for an excuse].
This hanging is made from stuff lying around on the shelf above my desk.
A Crafty Individuals  frame, embossed with antique gold highlights one of their stamps. The papers and butterfly are from the Debbie Moore CD that I was using the other day, when I looked for the sunflowers.
All the shading is distress inks milled lavender and antique linen.
This will fit the themed for a  couple of challenges-
Just for Fun- Timeless Vintage
Sir Stampalot-Its a frame up.

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

Those were the days.

The current Chestnut Theme challenge   GC 117  at Gingersnap Creations  is  'Gal Pals'.
I think this stamp by Crafty Individuals  says it all. We have all had times like this  over the years, when we've shared our thoughts  and dreams with good friends.
The colouring is cosmic shimmer paints and the shading  antique linen, tumbled glass distress inks. 
I used a selection of Tim Holtz stamps to make my background card.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

Tags

Its Tag week  over at Try it on Tuesdays.This time for our theme, we are asking you to 'Dig Out the Old'.

So, search out the stamps you have had for ages and maybe never used. 
Pop over, to see all the details and see the super examples.

The stamps I used are a Creative Expressions set. I bought them in a bargain bin  about this time last year.  My intension was to make tags for bottles that we give as gifts at Christmas. That idea went out the window as I forgot all about them. This year these will be used. along with a few others yet to be finished.

Its my favourite french script stamp on the background.
For shading I used wild honey, antique linen and vintage photo distress inks, with cosmic shimmer watercolours for the images. The first tag has  glossy accents on the glass and bottle, I think it highlighted the colour to much.




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

Sun Flowers

I thought I was going to have problems finding a suitable flower for the new challenge theme at
Sugar Creek Hollow it is to use Sun Flowers as the focus of the piece. Then I remembered I had the new  Debbie Moore CD of Vintage flowers. My luck was in when I found these images and the backing papers, so I hope I am forgiven for showing no stamping this time.
 As you can see, I cut some flowers out and curled them a bit, then  used Vintage Photo Distress stickles on the centres. Shading the edges with mustard seed and vintage photo distress inks. The lace came from my stash as usual.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

Friends share their chocolates.

Hi all,  a bit late posting my tag, I was out  all yesterday at  our  '4th Annual Geordie Meet', a group of lovely folk  travelling many miles  to meet and share the same passion for crafting. Oh! we did have a fantastic day. They sprung a suprise on me with a luscious chocolate cake as it was my Birthday. But I think it was Caz, our organiser [Cazro's Crafty Corner] who got the biggest suprise it was her 45 th Wedding Anniversary. Anyway my day ended with a lovely meal with my OH, the family arrive today, I'm sure the cake will delight them all.
So, The new challenge theme over at  Fashionable Stamping  is to make a Tag.
Pop over and see the fabulous tags made by my fellow teamies,  get all the information and join the fun.

This  tag is  shaded with Antique linen. Tea dye, Tumbles glass and Bundled sage distress inks, with a few highlights using cosmic shimmer paints.
I stamped the Chocolatier image first, then embossed the tree image. Added the sentiment and the lady image. The stamps are Darkroom Door and Debbie Moore.
Now,  all I need is the box of chocolates to attatch it to, then give them  to a friend.

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

Bookmark

Bookmarks, what a super challenge theme. I love reading and so do alot of my friends, so I will be definately add this idea  to my makes list,  to add to gifts this year.
 For the bookmark's background I used a numbers mask, coloured with mustard seed and barn door distress inks. Added a scrap from an old school french  dictionary page.
I just love this little Stampotique charactor, those teeth and that grin  are the reason I bought this stamp. He is coloured with cosmic shimmer  watercolour paints.
The  Star stamp came free with my Craft Stamper magazine, wow a Jo Capper-Sanderson stamp for free.  This was  stamped onto red paper before cuting out.
The tassle should hang nicely over the page, it is gathered up a bit for the photo.

 The Stampotique Designers Challenge SDC37    is to make a Bookmark.
and
Gingersnap Creations GC 116- Colour Challenge is to use Primary Colours.

So this little ray of sunshine will be making his appearance  at both these challenges.

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

Steampunk ATC's

The new challenge theme  over at Make My Monday  is  'Steampunk'. and to make an ATC.
I used a selection of stamps from Creative Expressions and Paper Artsy for the images and background.
All the shading is distress inks, walnut stain, vintage photo and tea dye.
The cog is a Tim Holtz die cut.

I had so much fun with this theme that I made another.
I used  distress embossing powder on the cogs for this ATC.

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

Monochrome

Its card week again over at Try it on Tuesdays and a new theme. This time' Monochrome', pop over and find the information and see the Fabulous examples made by my fellow teamies.
This is my efforts a simple  black and white.
 You will have noticed not a stamp in sight, a difficult exercise for me. The flower was made on my Prym loom and its centre is an old button .
Here on an old post you can see the Loom
Thankyou for stopping by I  always appreciate your comments.

To bin or not to bin?

Did you like my title?
I couldn't resist it as it fitted so well with the bits and pieces I used to make this card.

One layer is from a page of the Daily Telegraph [Weekend, it has articles about wine and food etc]
A piece of plastic packaging, embossed with music and coloured with a few shades of Alcohol inks.
Now,  this piece of plastic had a different agenda to me and it took a while for it to take the colour, more on me than it.
The reel was taken to bits as I just wanted the circle piece for the words. I rather like this sentiment.
"Serenity is a magical moment of a state of true contentment."
I only had 3 brads this colour, so the flower was easy to place, it is cut  from scraps with an Alteration die.
All the shading is antique linen and tea dye distress inks.
So as you see apart from the picture, sent by a friend in a goody bag, the card was a real bodged job.
This card will these  challenges-
Sugar Creek Hollow , the theme this time is Trash to Vintage Treasure.
Just for Fun, the theme is Say it with Words.
Cheerful Stamp Pad , the theme is Lets Re-use.

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

Sharing some exciting news.

Today I have some exciting news to tell you about.
. Earlier this week when I arrived home from holiday, I set about reading my emails. One just popped off the screen, I had been invited to join the DT of the new Challenge  Blog  'Fashionable Stamping'
Wow, the excitement, I can honestly say I am thrilled to be joining such a talented,  artistic  group of stampers.

The current challenge No 3  is 'Ribbon and or Lace' so here is my card  for this theme.
The card base is covered with a favourite print stamp.  I used a script embossing folder  with a coloured card, then rubbed the top with  distress ink. The flapper image  is a Hampton Arts stamp, coloured with cosmic shimmer watercolours. For  all  the shadings  I used tea dye, antique linen and tumbled glass distress inks. The trimmings  are from my stash.
So this is my first trip down the catwalk as a Stampette, I look forward  visiting  your blogs and hope  all  my blogging friends will  join us and enter the  Fashionable  Challenges.
Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate you calling.

Family connections.

This weeks challenge over at Sugar Creek Hollow has the theme of ' Make it Masculine'.  What an excuse to use my new set of stamps,  Hot Picks by Paper Artsy. I used a mask on the base layer, it had random words and keys on it, this  I leave to your imagination as I have nearly covered it all up.   The colour shades are Antique linen, and vintage photo distress inks.  The check paper was a scrap from another project and the hinge is a Sissix die cut. Thankyou for stopping by to take a look, I realy appreciate your comments.

Sing your Song

This was a challenge to come home to from the ladies over at Make My Momday.  Challenge 13, it is a Photo Inspiration, please pop over and see the fantastic examples and the photo.
For me pinks are not usually colours I am comfortable with, but hey its all about the challenge to try something different.
For this card I used Prima papers, one layer has some branches embossed on it, and the favourite Martha Stewart branch punch came out for the strip. The stamps are by Chocolate Baroque, cannot remember the maker of the background stamp, which I used dried marigold DI so it would show up against the pink, the cage is shaded with Tattered rose.
The rest of the bits and pieces came from the stash.

Thankyou for stopping by I realy appreciate your comments.