Sparkle and Shine---- and 'Spots n Dots' for Tag Along

Its been a few weeks since I have entered the Speed Craft Challenge.
Challenge 11 is, 'Sparkle and Shine'. !5 minutes  soon fly over and I have learnt that it is better to have a plan in you head and everything you need close by and ready to go.
So on the left is my starter pile and the time.

Base card coloured with Distress ink and a bit of random stamping.
Main image embossed with  Silver Sparkle Wow powder.
It does sparkle in real life.
I did end in the time, but had to stick to bow down again, when I was trying to get a better photo.

This is  the Tag I also made today for 

Tag Along Challenge.

Its No 73 and the theme is Spots n Dots

This was fun to make, using  stencils,  stamps  and paint .

Thank you for taking the time to stop by, the comments you leave  for me are always appreciated.

Silhouettes

Week 4 and the new prompt over at Journal 52 for 2015 is Silhouettes.

I chose to go down the stamping route again. A vibrant inky background using Aquatints [Spectrum Noir] the African images are stamps by Sheena Douglass.

I wanted  this scene to  look uncluttered and open. Harder than I thought as I am not fond of leaving spaces.

The quote reads

The Family tie, is like a tree,

It can bend, but it cannot break.

I did wonder  about adding this to  Art Journal Journey  as I was inspired to use these images after looking at some African Masai Mara pictures in Google,   there were so many awesome paintings and photographs,

but I cannot say I was influenced by any one person, 

 just the stamps I had and could use.
[update-thanks Valerie I will add it to AJJ]

Next a just for fun page.

Painted background, sprinkled with a little Brusho.

A bit of random stamping in the background as well, mainly covered with the paints.

The main stamps used  are Paper Artsy and Sheena Douglass.

Thank you for stopping by, I always appreciate the comments you leave me.

Flower Power at the ATP Exchange

The new challenge over at Artist Trading Post Exchange is called , 'Flower Power'.

We are asked by  Ruth     to bring some summer fun into our projects

 and we must use some hand made flowers.

I began this challenge by painting  my base tag with  white Gesso, then spraying it with Vibrant Turquoise Dylusions ink spray.

Cut out my flowers using a Die- Sire Quilling die  then spent a good while rolling up the flowers.

Next I used  my Tim Holtz Doily stencil and some Grunge paste to add some texture, When dry  I rubbed the pattern over with Treasure Gold, White Fire. The stamped images came from a Paper Artsy Jofy set. 

I did fussy cut the flower and leaves  and then coloured  them over with  Shimmer paints.

Here are my finished flowers in all their summer glory. As you will have seen in an earlier photo they were cut from patterned paper. The Dylusions spray inks I used were Lemon Zest and Gold Mica

Please pop over  and see what we have all been making. 

I have highlighted the products available from the Artist Trading Post our sponsor, who is kindly offering a £10 store voucher to the challenge winner

Thank you for taking time to stop by, all the comments you leave for me are appreciated.

Add some Fabric for TioT's

Add some Fabric is the new challenge theme at Try it on Tuesdays.

I gave myself an added challenge for this theme,  no stamps and no inks.

Now for me that was  difficult. The first stopping place was the material scraps bag and to cut out a couple of 4 x 4 inch squares. A piece of brown card as my first layer on the card.

The sewing machine decided it wasn't going to play nice, so I used fabric glue to stick the materials. probably a much neater result than my stitching.

We do hope you will join us and pop over to see what we all made.

Thank you for taking time to stop by. The comments you leave for me are always appreciated.

Journal Pages AJJ and J52

I am realy enjoying journalling at the moment, perhaps its because.  I am doing things just for fun,

 with no pressure and deadlines to meet.

This first page is for Journal 52 week 3 the prompt was Conversation Starters.

Recently at my Reading Group Meeting we began,  by talking about the Crime Thriller we had all just read.

Going on to crime and how it  could effect the way we live, then ending up with our favourite childhood books.  How did we get there, who knows.  But the result was that we all loved the way the books of our childhood days, were a part of how we played with each other and the games of make believe that were there in the pages  for  us to discover. Those were the days. In case you wonder, my favourite book was The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett and because of that afternoon meeting I have just finished reading it again. I won't tell you how many years passed in between.

Next is another page for Art Journal Journey

The Monthly theme for January is to take Inspiration from the Masters.

I chose an old master for my first page Da Vinci .  After seeing all  the varied and extensive range of artists that inspire everyone in different ways  over at AJJ  and Susi's  piece inspired by  Dina Wakley,
 I thought yes, I would follow this path.
 That and the fact I have just received her latest book, I thought well , I do love her style and have many of her products,  so give it a go.

Thank you for stopping by the comments you leave for me are always appreciated.

Autumn and Winter for Sheena

Autumn

Sheena Douglass  is back from the CHA and will have two shows on Create and Craft 

this coming Monday at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m..

She will be showing us her new stamps and dies, with more time for us to see 

 her fantastic techniques and demonstrations.

Winter

 

These two cards I made with the same die cut tree and stamps from the other sets.
I know you have seen the second one before, but I've added it again
to show you  how versatile these items are.

One inky and one looking as near CAS as I get these days.

I love this tree set it is going to be so useful for all kinds of cards.

Thank you for stopping by to take a peek at what I made.

Inspired by Leonardo for AJJ and Week 2 at J52

Inspired by the Masters is the January  theme at   Art Journal Journey.

Art was never my favourite subject at school, many many years ago, possibly  because I remember my art teacher telling me in no uncertain terms that I was wasting her time..

 But now in the crafting world I am discovering artists I've never heard of thanks to Susi and Valerie at AJJ.

To create this page, my tribute to the great Leonardo da Vinci,  I reached out for a set of rubber stamps from Katzelkraft. I remember buying them for Mona's image and the horses and have used them many times.

Lots of paint in the background and a collage using the stamps, a real fun page to create.

Next is my page made for Week 2 at Journal 52
The prompt was' Just Be'

My take was to 'Just be-- me',
 no plans plenty paint and go with the flow.

Thank you for stopping by to take a look, I realy enjoy reading the comments you leave.

Sneak peek for Sheena Douglas

This is my  last couple of sneak peeks  using Sheena's new products

The launch show is on TV   Create and Craft  at 3 p.m today.

Thank you for stopping by  to see these  samples,I enjoyed using all these stamps and dies.

Like the rest of Sheena's Inkoids I will be watching the show,  to see the whole range of the new products.

I know from seeing the the samples made by the team,  that a few more will be going on my wish list.

Sneak Peak for Sheena day 3

More samples using Sheena Douglas's new stamps and dies.

I have to say that this little squirrel  is one of my favourites.

Hope you can watch the show on Create and Craft   and see  all  the sets being shown for the first time.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you are liking these new products.

Sneak peek for Sheena

More sneak peaks using Sheena Douglas's awesome new stamps and dies.

Loved using the these new products, and the quotes Sheena adds to the stamp plates 

are always  good to use on cards for all occasions

Sheena's UK launch show will be on Create and Craft Monday 12th January  at 3 p.m.

Thank you for calling in to see what I made.

Sheena's at the CHA

Exciting news Sheena Douglas is launching some fabulous stamps and matching dies at the 

CHA this weekend

I am sharing some sneak peeks with you over the next few days

The  World Premier show will be on Create and Craft 3 p.m. on the 12th January.

Thank you for stopping by to take a look, hope you will watch Sheena on TV

Fresh Beginnings ATP Exchange

'Fresh beginnings', 

is the theme for the first Challenge of the year at the Artist Trading Post Exchange.

 Sue has asked us to - look at our supplies and share a new product/new supplies/new technique etc.

Its a mixed media challenge and we would like to see stamped images,no digi's.

One of my new items was the Sizzix Artful Dwellings die cut plate.

On the left you can see how they looked in the early stages.

The favourite french script stamp in the background.

The colours mainly used were Vintage Photo and Broken China
 Distress inks. To add depth and textures I used Paper Artsy  Grunge Paste  and   layering stencils  from Tim Holtz

I had decided to use one of the images from  another new set of stamps by Dina Wakley and some Dylusions  clear stamp word quotes .

Extra texture added at this stage was Stampendous Frantage powder.

Next job was to stick them back to back and fix so they could fold.

This triptich is going to a friend with a great sense of humour so the quotes, will make her smile. Especially when I know she needs a cup of tea to start her day, before she can face the world.

I do hope you will pop over to see what we all made and join the challenge, our winner will receive a £10 store voucher from the Artist Trading Post.
 I have highlighted the products I used which are available from the store.

Thank you for taking time to stop by, I realy appreciate your comments .

My Favourite Things for TioT's

The first challenge over at Try it on Tuesdays for 2015 is

'My Favourite Things'

Could be a new product, image, a technique etc.,
 please pop over for all the details and see what are the teams favourites..

The new image for me was this Dina Wakley,  butterfly stamp. Then I got to thinking about all the things I love to use, like the very old  french script stamp in the background.

The Vintage photo distress ink was used on the material scrap in the corner, it was pure white  to begin with.

Watercolours on the butterfly and Spectrum Noir Aqua tints for the layers.

Yes I think paints are high on my favourites list.

 I did find it hard to pick out just a few  things.

Thank you for stopping by, the comments you leave for me are always appreciated.

Pathways.

2015 at Journal 52  and so our year begins with its first prompt for week 1

'Pathways'

.

There was a little mopping up on this page to begin with, hence a bit pink in places.

I used mainly stencils to create my scene [Sheena Douglas] and a variety of distress Inks

The words read....

What appears to be the end

is usually the start of a new beginning.

I will be following the prompts over the weeks, as I did last year,

 some late, some to catch up and maybe a few on time.

But that's life and we should all follow our own path at our own speed and enjoy the journey.

Thank you for taking time to stop by, I do so appreciate your comments.