A Quote From My Mother

Hello.  Welcome.  I have been wracking my brain cell and that of BrainyQuote.com for a good one for this weeks Craft Barn Q & L challenge.  They have been my go to for my previous entries but quite honestly they weren't much help this week.  The Q&L words are Marriage and Age.  Well, what sort of quote is 'a good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband'??!!  It didn't seem to get any better so I checked out age and that wasn't so inspiring.  Then I remembered something my mother used to say.  I hope a quote by mum counts.  I'm using

'Act your age, not your shoe size'

I made a painty background using acrylic paints and then white through Memory box Honeycomb stencil and also flipping the painty stencil to give the negative image.  I also stamped with the white paint using PaperArtsy script stamp from LPC003.  

I couldn't find any shoes so I went with these guys.  These are four of the five characters in The Greeting Farm Spooktacular stamp set.  Cute or what.  They didn't have very big shoes either so I have used a black marker to give two of them boots.  I use a white ink pad all over the background to tone down the bright colours a bit.  A pity, but my funny little guys were getting a bit lost in the busy.  The words are computer generated.  Might try and get a better photo tomorrow, there's a shadow on that one.  But it's nearly midnight here and tomorrow is another day...........

Well, I had fun.  Thought it might make a funny birthday card.  Funny ha ha?  Funny wierd?  Funy weirdo.   Ooh, I detect overuse of the UHU.   

Joining the fun at

The Craft Barn Q&L - Marriage/Age

Stampotique Designers Challenge 137 - Textured Backgrounds
The Greeting Farm - Birthday Bash 

Thanks for your visit.  Have a great Sunday, whatever you may be doing.  Hugs

Swan Song

Hello.  Welcome.  Thank you all for your lovely comments you have left on my posts.  I really do appreciate the time you take to visit and it is so nice to know that you have enjoyed my crafty endeavors.  Your comments are little ray of sunshine so thank you so much for visiting my little bloggy corner. 

Joan, formerly of Joan's Garden, has started up her challenges again.  I really enjoy Joan's challenges.  She does a little recipe that really makes you think and put things together that maybe you usually wouldn't.  Well, it works like that for me.  I missed the first couple but here I am with my card for number three.  Joan's recipe this week was embossing folder, green and white and an oval.

 

I letterpressed a piece of green card using Sizzix Damask embossing folder and Distress Mowed Lawn ink.  I used Cheery Lynn Emperor Swan Doily die to cut the aperture and backed it with paper from DCWV Cherry Limeade stack.  Then I cut the swan in white and used DI to colour the frame.  I added Cheery Lynn Tiny Bubbles Border.  All the flowers are Cheery Lynn dies: Wheat Heads, Build a Flower #1 for the leaves, Build a Flower #3 Embellishments for those tiny little flowers and Cuties 2 for the big flowers.  I added a ribbon and a double bow and some more of those tiny flowers cut from the DCWV paper.  All the pearls and the pretty brad are from Storyteller.  

Joining the fun at

Joan's Touch Challenge #3 - recipe

Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 122 - Doilies

Storyteller Utfordring 11 - Punches and Dies

Papirdokkene - More than 10 pearls

Country View Challenges - Paper Chase 

Thanks for dropping by.  Off to finish my entry for The Craft Barn's Q&L challenge.  Where did that two weeks go to?????...........

Black and White and Orange

Hello.  Welcome.  Another very wet day here so a chance to work on a PaperArtsy inspired project.  This week Clare Lloyd is back with some lovely projects and I particularly liked her ATC post.    I loved the technique and decided to make a card

I started by spreading some paint around on some card.  If you like messy you'll enjoy this.  Or maybe it was just me....  Then I stamped with JM34 and cut out the flowers.  

 

I loved Clare's background but couldn't find a suitable stamp.  I did find a piece of wire mesh that I inked and stamped with.  If you think it's a great idea just be aware that most mesh is over layed so you can only stamp with one direction then you re-ink, rotate and stamp again.  The imperfect effect is pleasing.   I also used Crafty Individuals Splat stamp.  

 

I scattered my flowers and decided they needed a vase.  The best thing I came up with is this lovely bottle from LPC001.  I drew some stems to ground the flowers.  Maybe I need a shadow under the bottle as well.

Joining the fun at

PaperArtsy

Emergency Crafters Challenge - Flowers

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Thanks for your visit.  Your comments are little rays of sunshine on these grey days.  Have a great weekend everyone.  Hugs

Where's The Pizza?

Hello.  Welcome.  It's been a busy sort of a day.  It should have been a crafty day, grey and wet, and I did get some things done but the internet was on holiday and I've been working evenings this week so this is my first chance to share.  My man came to my crafty space to see what I was doing.  
"What you doing?" he asks
"Mini-pizza box" says I
"Pizza?" says he
"Nope, not even a mini one".  
I think he went away a little disappointed.  I on the other hand am very pleased with my first ever mini-pizza box.   I used the tutorial over at Scor-pal.  This was so easy to do with my scor-pal but still easy if you don't have a scoring board. 

I scored and folded MME I Believe Poinsettia paper.  Love these double sided papers for making boxes.  I cut a thumb hole to make opening easier.  It's a bit rough  I was going to use a die until I realised you can't successfully put a folded box through a bigshot!! 

 

I cut some of these using the Poinsettia paper again and also the Dots paper from the same range.  I used Crafts Too Frames 9 die and X-cut Ornate Frames die.  The edges have been inked with Brilliance Red Rocket Gold and the little strips I added are again from MME I Believe.  I found these die cut paper ribbons on the accessory sheet.  

 

I stamped the witch from The Greeting Farm Spooktacular stamp set, I have the red rubber edition, and re-dressed her for Christmas.   I coloured with promarkers and added clear Wink of Stella.   I love these little stamps and am managing to find uses for them other than just Halloween.  Great fun looking for new potential in old stamps.  Or even new stamps.......

So here's my finished box.  I've added some red ribbon to the die cut corners, a mini pom-pom to her hat and some sticky gems and snowflakes from Craft Creations.    

And inside?  A set of matching tags. 

 

My box of Christwitches is joining the fun at
The Greeting Farm FFF - Use a Diecut or Punch
Scor-pal - More Than One Score Challenge - Christmas in March and Dies
Loves Rubberstamps Challenge 93 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Tag It 
Crafty Ribbons Challenge 79 - Anything Goes With Ribbon 

Thanks for your visit.  Leave a little love so I know you passed by.  Hugs

One For The Money

Hello.  Welcome.  Happy Tuesday everyone.  Hope that the week is going well for you.  I've been working on some ATC's.  The other one is a work in progress but this one came together with a little inspiration from Wicked Wednesday where the theme is Child's Play and Stampotique where they are looking for Monochromatic.  Hoping this pleases

 

I stamped little Elvis from Paperartsy Urban Snapshots Fancy Dress 1 stamps onto white card with black archival ink.  Then I used clear Wink of Stella brush over his outfit.  The bling photographed quite well.  I cut a black ATC and embossed it with Sizzix Patchwork embossing folder.  Then I highlighted the embossing with Docrafts Artiste White pigment ink.  It was a bit bright so I removed some with a piece of tissue.  I stamped the sentiment, from the same stamp set, ripped and edged with archival.

My ATC joining the fun at
Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge 125 - Kids at Play
Stampotique Designers Challenge 136 - Monochromatic
Kort o Mania Utfordring 103 - Fargekontraster
Inky Chicks Challenge 24 - Monochromatic

Thanks for your visit.  I love to read your comments.  Hugs

Send a Card, Get a Card

Hello.  Welcome.  Just realised I haven't posted the card I made for February's Card Chain Challenge.  I am really enjoying taking part in this.   If you don't know you sign up to send a card to the person above you on the list and get a card from the person below you on the list.  I am a new participant but  Deborah has been running this for a few years.  The full reveal for February is HERE and the sign up for March is HERE.  It's amazing how much fun it is to make something for someone you don't know and to receive a surprise card in return.    Every ones a winner.

I used the sketch, the theme of friends and some of the suggested colours to make this card, which I sent to Sue in New Zealand.  The papers are from Prima Lyric Collection.  I stamped the pink one with Crafty Individuals Oriental Fans stamp.  The Lady is also Crafty Individuals coloured with promarkers.  I added some washi tape and the sentiment is from The Greeting Farm Pretty Hat stamp set. 

I loved the card I got from Linda (USA).  So beautiful.  If you want to see it and all the other lovely creations that were sent and received last month check out the full reveal.  Want to get some happy mail??  Why don't you sign up?  It's more fun than a box of chocolate frogs.

My card joining the fun at
Fashionable Stamping Challenge 67 - Anything Goes
7 Kids Challenge 94 - Anything Goes

Thanks for your visit.  Leave a some love so I know you passed by.  Hugs

A Work of Parts

Hello.  Welcome.  So, did anyone spot February passing?  Quite honestly I feel like I have been hibernating and have suddenly woken to discover another month gone!!  Ah well, can't wish it back again.  Must just move on and use the time we have the best we can.    

The main GDT over at PaperArtsy this week was Pam Thorburn.  Now Pam is a scrapper and despite my best intentions I often feel inadequate in the face of a layout.  Pam is trying to help us out by sharing lovely tips and her third project really lit a flame.  Check it out.  It's gorgeous.  This is actually a work of parts so I shall deal with things separately and then pull it all together, we hope!!

It's been a while since I made my own tape.  It was still fun.   Here's a section of my altered masking tape still stuck to the back of my cutting mat.

Fresco Finish Inky Pool with PaperArtsy stamps top and Crafty Individuals stamps bottom.  I remembered from my last washi make that tonal stamping an under-layer makes for more interesting tape.

Adirondack Butterscotch acrylic with PaperArtsy and Prima stamps.  This was my first attempt with the flower stamp, JM34.  Wow!  I did think I should have ordered a different stamp, I mean how many flowers do you need??  This one definitely!!  Hey JOFY, it's gorgeous.  I love how it fits perfectly if you rotate it to give almost seamless stamping.  Even for me. 

Orange acrylic with Prima Lyric stamps and more JM34.    That Prima bird is so sweet.  Brain was firing on all cylinders today and I made a good batch of tape to give me plenty alternatives.   On to the background....

Please to excuse the unusual shape of my paper.  I was looking for some watercolour paper and then remembered seeing these during the re-organisation of the crafty space.  I'd forgotten I had these!!   For the scientists amongst you this is a 32cm Whatman 3 filter paper.  Cool eh??  If you don't know what I'm talking about don't worry.  If you do, I apologise cos that means next time you use these at work you are going to be distracted by the crafty opportunities missed.  Unless of course you are a chromatographer and then possibly your scientific experiments may have the chance to become ART...... I rescued these from the skip saying I'll use those one day.  Today is that day.  I used the same three colours, Inky Pool, Butterscotch and orange, diluted.  I splatted, rather than spritz and run.  Actually very pleased with my splats.  And the craft room has remained relatively splat free.  Result.

I stamped a Prima Doll onto black card, embossed with white embossing powder and paper pieced her.  The skirt is many layers and I added lace trim on each layer for a nice frilly effect.  

I added some stamping.  The center image was Hero Arts Dandelion Frame with Bundled Sage DI but it was too detailed for my absorbant filter paper.  Never mind, Pam said something about not having exact stamping to give a grunge look.....  Good show.   JOFY JM34 there again and I also pulled out the seldom used Clearstamp Rollergraph set.  Love that these wheels self ink.  

Added washi.  

 

The whole thing.  Have though about cutting this down to card size but she actually is growing on me.   Just need to find a big round frame

Joining the fun at

PaperArtsy

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge 92 - Washi Tape or Faux Washi

Country View Challenges - Paper Chase 

7 Kids Challenge 94 - Anything Goes 

Kort o Mania Udfordring 103 - Fargekontraster 

StampARTic February Challenge - A Pop Of Colour 

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Anything Goes 

Thanks for your visit.  Hope you have had a lovely weekend.  Back soon.  Hugs