SDC 176 Week 5 and APC’s

My last post for 2014 are my APC’s for Claudine Criner’s Challenge week 16 which this week is backgrounds using the same technique and the Stampotique Designers Challenge Anything Goes week 5.

Claudine showed us how to use same paint and crinkled tissue paper to make our backgrounds, here is my take.

Used imagination Crafts Silkies for both backgrounds then sprayed some orange DecoArt mister which when sprayed with water gives great drippage.  Found some white tissue paper which was already decorated from Fortnum and Mason, a friend sent it to me a while back and am so glad it came in handy! It hasn’t photographed well but if you enlarge the pictures you can see the words.

The fabulous head is off Dylusions stamp plate called Strength DYR 44536 and the sentiment is off Dylusions plate Don’t hold Back DYR 44505.

Used Pitt Pens skin tones to colour the face, she looks like she’s had a tad too long on the tanning bed and don’t you love her attitude lol.

Really pleased with how this one turned out, before adding Mink (6072 by Daniel Torrente for Stampotique)to the APC i added some Hansa Yellow Pan Pastel to add a glow around her. I stamped her onto an old book page, coloured her in using the Nature set from Spectrum Noir and blended the colours using Zest It.

The Dyan Reaveley stencil with Alphabets was needed to go over the pale white background as it needed some drama. I used the Stabilo All black pencil around the edges and around the words, added a drop of water and hey presto the magic happened, there it was the smudge look i have been searching for, i was a very happy crafter at that moment.

Added Mink and my hand written words which i would like to share with all my lovely Followers, wishing you a very Happy 2015 and hope your year is filled with Love, Light, Peace, Happiness and Creativity.

Thanks for dropping by and look forward to seeing you again in 2015.

xxx

APC's Week 15

Over at Claudine Criners Blog we are up to week 15 with our Altered Playing Cards challenge. This week we are using Embossing Pastes, i have used Imagination Crafts Sparkle Gel and have added two of their Inkadink colours mango and blueberry to two different blobs of the Gel.

The first APC has a background of Pan Pastels, then a layer of the Sparkle Gel mixed with the blueberry Inkadink, when dry sprayed over the top with DecoArt Purple, Magenta and Turquoise. When that was dry went over the raised Damask stencil from TH with Treasure Gold in White Fire.

Added a Santoro Angel who has been coloured with Spectrum Noir Pencils over the top of a die cut flower.

The words are from my new Stampotique word stamp by Amy Wilson Willenstein.

The lovely Angel has just graduated with flying wings and has received her new name, she is called 'Soul Wings', she starts work in the new year when she has had her induction into the Angel Academy.

The second APC had the doily stencil by Rebekah Meier and the mango coloured Sparkle Gel, when it dried it was impossible to see so i went over it with Treasure Gold then went round the flower with a white Stabilo pen. 

Stamped the Teasel stamp from Woodware onto tissue paper and adhered onto the front, then added a piece of the TH frameworks die Honeycomb and a piece from the centres i had cut from card.

The words are from the same Stampotique plate by Amy Willenstein.

Hope you have enjoyed your visit today, thanks for dropping by.

xxx

SDC 176 Week 4 MERRY CHRISTMAS

Stampotique Designers Challenge is running for the whole of December with the Challenge Anything goes, here is my entry for week four.

I would like to wish all my lovely Followers and those that have passed by over the last 12 months Happy holidays and a Merry Christmas.

Thank you for taking the time to leave such lovely comments, each one has meant a lot, been read and appreciated.

Thanks for dropping by today as i know you are busy, hope you like the A4 page i have made especially for you all.

xxx

SDC 176 Week 3 Anything Goes

Over at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog the theme is still anything goes, for week three i am entering these ATB’s i made instead of traditional cards.

To add even more sparkle to the snow (Glass Seed Bead Texture Paste from Galleria) i used silver Glamour Dust and Twilight Sparkle glitter from Crafty Notions on the tops of the boxes. Added some little figures i have had in my stash for many years as i thought they would be perfect for this snowy scene.

This is my OH’s ATB it is the largest shape. Went round the edges with Walnut Stain DI and coloured the rest of the box with Iced Spruce DI.

The black panels have been stamped with a very old Christmas stamp set from Elusive Images (now chocolate Baroque) using white Artiste pigment ink pad then applied the Coarse White Pan Pastel over the top to add subtle shimmer and to pop the script stamp even more.

This is the first outing for the Smitten Moustache Monsters from Stampotique, have added wings (Ingrid Bolme stamps) and turned them into Angels.

Used Spectrum Noir Pencils and Derwent Graphik Link Painters to colour them in.

The words are from Dyan Reaveley red rubber stamp set for Ranger.

Base of the ATB.

This is my ATB, used the middle sized box from the Eileen Hull Sizzix die and the same lovely Smitten Moustache Monsters so didn’t show you all the sides.

These words are from the same Dyan Reaveley set as above.

Both of the boxes together. Enjoyed making these very much.

I am also entering the boxes into the Pan Pastel Challenge, Christmas.

That’s Crafty challenge Blog.

Country View Crafts Challenge – Nostalgia.

Craft Stamper – White Stamping.

Hope you are getting excited,it’s only 3 night’s until the big day!

Wishing you ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS and a MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Thank you for dropping by.

xxx

Christmas ATB…

For my local cafe where OH and i have enjoyed many wonderful dishes over the years and you can get the best Christmas dinner anywhere imho, though i am biased as they don’t make me eat Brussels sprouts lol.

Wanted to make them something extra special this year and i hope they like their ATB.

Wasn’t able to take many good pictures just because of the shape so have tried to photograph it in a few different angles.

List of ingredients:

ATB die Eileen Hull Sizzix

TH Cameo Frame Sizzix Die

TH Vintage Noel Sizzix Die

Reindeer Head Pazzle Cutting File x 8

Snowflakes Bazill chips x 3

Googly eyes

Card Candi x 1 red for the nose

Snowtex

micro Beads

White embossing powder

Pan Pastel coarse white

Christy Tomlinson She Script stamp

Freebie large Snowflake stamp

Freebie Christmas Sentiments

Beads

Walnut Stain DI

Colall Tacky Glue

Black 300 gsm card stock from stash

Cream 380 gsm card stock from stash

Versamark Clear ink pad

Clear embossing powder

Galleria Glass bead Texture pastes

DecoArt Mister turquoise

Making up the ATB:

Assembled the ATB and put aside to dry. When dry inked the edges with Walnut Stain DI.

Cut out the reindeer heads and adhered 7 of them together for the front and left 1 for the rear. When dry stamped them with She Script and embossed with coarse white Pan Pastel then sealed. Added the googly eyes and the red candi nose.

Added glass bead texture paste to both sides of the 3 snowflakes and allowed to dry. Sprayed over the flakes with Turquoise DecoArt mister, left to dry. When dry adhered them together.

Placed the deer heads on top of the snowflakes and adhered together.

Cut black card to mat onto all sides of the ATB. Used an Artiste white pigment ink pad to add the She script to all of the mats, then over stamped with the large freebie snowflake, added the white embossing powder, heated and when able to i brushed over the top some of the Coarse white Pan Pastel to add the pearl look to the finished little panels. Added an edge to the panels using Inka Gold silver.

Used the same stamps and technique to the Cameo Frame, this will create the height needed to balance the 3D embellishment.

Adhered the Cameo Frame onto the back of the ATB and then added the smaller panels.

Love the texture from Snowtex, piled it onto the top of the ATB as i needed to use it as a glue for the snowflakes to sit in. Once i had the snowflakes seated i added silver micro beads to add more texture. Left to dry overnight.

Cut out the vintage noel and the 25. Used a Paper Artsy stamp which reads Joy TO The World and using a Versamark clear ink pad inked up and stamped onto the front of the Noel. Added a layer of the coarse Pan Pastel and sealed it before adding 3 layers of clear embossing powder.

The 25 was coloured with Red Pan Pastel and then some Sparkle Gel was added over the top, when dry the numbers had a vintage feel.

Stamped joy and winter wishes from the freebie set using black Archival Ink and edged them with Peacock Feathers DI.

Took 4 round beads from stash, coloured them with Sapphire Treasure gold and then over the top Viva Decor Inka Gold in Silver.

All of the embellishments were now ready to assemble using the Collal Tacky Glue which is amazing.

After assembly i added some of the tacky glue onto the deer head and the Noel and then used Glamour Dust glitter on top, this helps the glitter not to come off which is important when the ATB will be displayed in a cafe.

If i have neglected to add any of the ingredients it is because there were so many and they only came back when i was writing my post.

Phew that was a long post, hope you still with me lol.

Really appreciate your dropping by and leaving comments when you are so busy, each one is read and appreciated.

xxx

Speed Craft Challenge 9 Anything Goes–Stencilling

Hi it’s my turn to choose the Speed Craft Challenge theme this time, i have chosen STENCILS but with this being the busiest time of the year the DT decided to change it to ANYTHING GOES with the option of stencilling.

Really hope you can find the time to join in, if not now then in the new year when our next challenge goes live on 8th January 2015. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Here is my latest Documented Life Journal page. For week 51 we were asked to add arrows to our page.

My stash for this Challenge compromises of:

Background made at AFTH last week using Amsterdam Paints

Rebekah Meier mini rosetta stencil

Tim Holtz damask stencil

Bespoke stencil from Glitzcraft

Arrow stamp from Jillibean Soup

Mandala stamp freebie

She script stamp by Christy Tomlinson

Portfolio Pastels

Watering Can Archival ink

Iced Spruce DI

Peacock Feathers DI

Derwent Line Painters

Head stamp by Dyan Reaveley

Sentiments by Dyan Reaveley

Cornflower Chalk Paint Silkies

DecoArt Mister Orange

Started my stopwatch and speeded ahead, used the orange mister through the damask stencil.

Added a layer of Portfolio Pastels then used the bespoke stencil to remove the colour to reveal the background. Heat setting is important here.

Added a layer of the mandala stamp using Peacock Feathers DI.

Added  the script stamp by Christy Tomlinson over the top using Watering Can Archival ink.

Placed the mini rosetta stencil over the top and added the cornflower chalk paint with a sponge, wanted a light layer which blended into the background.

I dried each layer before adding another by the way!

Cut out the sentiments and placed onto the page, inked up the arrow with black Archival and stamped between where i was going to add the wording.

Managed to glue the pre coloured head and the sentiments in place and then stopped the clock.

Just managed to finish before the deadline and breathe lol…

Afterwards i went round all the sentiments with a black Derwent Line Painter, then when dry added another line of white.

Added the white lines to the arrows, placed the washi tape under the head and added a border of renaissance Treasure Gold.

I am really pleased with my journal page, it has turned out better than i imagined.

Please visit the other DT members who have all created fantastic stencilled projects for your inspiration.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to leave a comment, i know how busy everyone is at this time of the year, your visit is much appreciated.

xxx

Q&L Challenge 25 Faith or Harmony

I have enjoyed the Quotes and Lyrics challenge over at the Craft Barn and would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who sets the challenges and keeps it going. It has been an education and lots of fun.

The next Challenge will be announced on January 5th 2015, hope to see you there!

Have met some lovely people through this challenge and have had some of the most kind and encouraging comments left. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time out of their busy lives to drop by and leave those comments.

Seeing as i got the most comments when i made a digital iCard entry i have continued to create them. This being the last challenge for 2014 i hope you enjoy this one too.

Used a few different digi kits from Craft Artist Professional 2.

The Quote is from George Washington and reads:

“Observe good FAITH and justice towards all nations. Cultivate peace and HARMONY with all”.

The back of the iCard showing the Challenge details.

Thanks for dropping by, hope you have time in the busy run up to Christmas to leave a comment.

xxx

APC’s Weeks 13 and 14

Catching up with Claudine’s Altered Playing Card Challenge for weeks 13 and 14.

Week 13 theme was Bees.

Sort of cheated on this one because i had just won some Kanban topper sheets and found this very cute Bee. Coloured the APC background with Pan Pastels and stencilled honeycomb shapes using Walnut Stain DI.

Over the top i added the topper, coloured over the top with Tea Die DI and added a glitter faux gem to the centre of the flower.

 

Once again used Pan Pastels to colour the background, sealed before stamping then used Walnut Stain DI to stamp the body of the bee and black Archival Ink for the wings. The stamps are from Ingrid Bolme for Prima.

Had some of the cut outs from the Honeycomb TH die, added 5 of them across the card then added a hint of Gold Metallic Pan Pastel to the tops.

Wrote Buzy Bee out by hand, drew the boxes around, coloured over the top with Tea Die DI then adhered to the APC. Went round the edges with a black ink pad.

Week 14 is Christmas theme.

Here are my two APC’s.

In my Christmas stash i have a few acetate baubles which have been stamped and coloured so used one of those as i really want and need to use up my stash!

The APC diamond background was added when i first made the APC’s and drew some textures into the wet gesso. Went over with Iced Spruce DI, adhered the bauble then added the word Peace and Stickled round the edge.

When dry added Tacky Glue around the edge and some glitter. don’t like the shedding glitter it gets everywhere, this will not shed as it has dried into the wet glue.

The texture on the background was done week 1, went over with Iced Spruce DI then added text from an old Elusive Images Christmas stamp set.

Can’t remember where the tree is from think it is an Anna Griffin stamp. Stamped onto a sprayed background then added Icicle Stickles to the fronds and the bucket.

The Noel base is washi tape and the Joy is from the Elusive Images set.

Added a red button for the tree topper and some Platinum Stickles Glue for sparkle.

Hope you like all the sparkle and bling, thanks for dropping by.

xxx

SDC 176 Week 2

Anything Goes is the theme over at the last Challenge of 2014 at the Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog, this will go on for 5 weeks so i do hope you have the time to join in!

On Saturday 13 December i attended the Taster Day at AFTH Harrogate and did three workshops, the last one was an added one because there were spaces and i learnt so much am so glad i was able to attend! Have to say THANK YOU to my wonderful OH who did all the driving and encouraged me to stay for the last class.

On the first one workshop i met the lovely Karen Hayselden who took us through making an ATC with lots of different techniques. It was a fabulous hour, here is my lovely Agatha ATC which i am entering into week 2 of the Challenge.

Karen had us fussy cutting, colouring with Amsterdam Paints, adding washi tape for texture, adding hot glue then going over when it was cool with Treasure Gold and finally adding the black circles around our snow (this had to be done after the ATC was dry).

Karen had pre prepared the sewing on the ATC’s and she very kindly let me have some of the very tiny holly, tree, boots and gingerbread man that she had cut out just in case she had someone who struggled with the cutting (me!). Thank you Karen for saving my hands so i could enjoy the rest of the day.

I persuaded my lovely OH to attend Karen’s class and here is the ATC he made. I must admit i like his better!

If you ever get the chance to attend one of Karen’s classes at AFTH or wherever she teaches i would recommend you attend, i am sure you will come away with something wonderful and have fun.

Thanks for dropping by.

xxx

Speed Craft Challenge–Butterflies

Today over at the Speed Craft Challenge Laine has chosen the theme of Butterflies. I was happy with our challenge as i do love butterflies and have lots of them in different substrates.

 

Todays supplies are:

Eileen Hull Sizzix ATB die

Eileen Hull Sizzix Bigz Butterfly Die 657121

Book Paper from stash

Patterned Vellum from stash

Wallpaper samples from B&Q

Cosmic Shimmer Sprays Angel Mist, Golden Mint and Aqua Lagoon

Paper Artsy Pewter Fresco Paint that i made into a mister

Sky mist Versacraft Ink Pad

Paris dusk Memento Ink Pad

Shabby Shutters DI

Butterfly Embossing Folder freebie

Large filigree butterflies from stash

Crystal Handle from stash

Chipboard Flower from stash

Versamark Ink Pad

Clear Embossing powder

Paper Artsy HP1301 Stamp

I pre-cut the ATB’s which has a heart shape on it and the Butterflies from the Bigz die as i have learnt from previous challenges that this takes up most of the time.

Started off by spraying the ATB shapes with the Cosmic Shimmer and Paper Artsy sprays then dried them with a heat gun. This didn’t take long because the card stock is very heavy, more like board and so the sprays didn’t wet the substrate too much. Hope you can see the shimmer on them  it is lovely.

Then i stopped the stopwatch so i could assemble the boxes and the hearts so they could dry before adding embellishments and stamping to them.

Started the stopwatch again and assembled the three layers of the Sizzix butterfly die, only used the base layer today. I have taken the colours from the wallpaper design.

Embossed the vellum layer with the freebie folder then coloured over the top with the Sky Mist and Shabby Shutters inks then glued them together in the centre.

coloured the rear of the butterfly with Sky Mist ink.

Coloured the LOVE letters with Paris Dusk ink then used Versamark Ink over the top and clear embossing powder to add a shine.

Added the letters to the middle of the butterflies.

I had glued the four ATB’s together after they were assembled using the Collal Tacky Glue.

Assembled the butterflies on the front of the ATB’s and added the filigree ones at different angles, if you look closely you can see the glue hasn’t dried yet.

I like to decorate the reverse of most things so used the hearts (glued 3 of them together for each embellishment). Inked the edges with Paris Dusk ink, sprayed the hearts with Angel Mist Cosmic Shimmer Spray, dried then inked up the butterfly part of the Paper Artsy Hot Pick stamp and pressed the hearts onto the stamp so i could use the part with the butterfly on it.

Was able to heat emboss the stamped area so the butterfly looks raised off the heart and is very tactile and shiny.

 

Left side of the ATB’s.

Right side of the ATB’s.

I held my breath for most of the time as i wanted to finish inside the 15 minutes and i did but only just lol.

I sat looking at the ATB’s and decided to add a couple more embellishments.

Took a chipboard flower, coloured it with Sky Mist ink, used the Hot Pick stamp with Paris Dusk ink and stamped on top then added Versamark Ink and heat embossed over the top.

Added one of my favourite crystal handles, which are from my local cheap shop and only £3 for four and on the back a sentiment.

The sentiment reads Love and Laughter, Happily Ever After.

The things that take the longest in any challenge are the gluing, cutting and embossing. I hope you like the extras i added! This is now going away so i can give this to my OH for Valentines Day next year.

Now let’s see what you can do!

Please come and join in our Speed Craft Challenge, we are waiting to see your amazing creations!

Remember to read the rules and include the time it took you to complete the Challenge.

Links to the DT are below, hope you get time to visit all their blogs, each of them are so very talented and have more inspiration for you.

Amanda

Deborah

Donna

Ingrid

Laine

Thank you for dropping by and i look forward to your comments.

xxx

Stampotique SDC 176

The last challenge of 2014 at Stampotique Designer’s Challenge is Anything Goes hosted by Kim Howard.

Kim says:

This our last challenge of the year and it will run the whole month of December.  Our theme is an easy one so show us your best work using Anything Goes.

For this month only, you will have the opportunity to enter the challenge 5 times (one for each week)- 5 chances to win the random $30 gift certificate for Stampotique stamps.

We hope we see a lot of you entering!

Who could resist Kim’s plea, not me!

Stamps used:

Underwhere by Stampotique

Paper Artsy HP Xmas 06

How could i resist, these two stamps are a match made in heaven. My only regret is that you cannot see Underwhere’s sparkly pants…

Thanks for dropping by.

xxx

Stampotique SDC 175

I only have 10 minutes to write and upload this post so it will be a mega quick one lol!

Over at Stampotique Designers Blog Kay Wallace has come up with imho the best challenge so far this year, she has challenged us to use the words of Edgar Allen Poe.

Kay says:

My challenge this week is a simple one, but requires a bit of research on your part.  Just as many of the Stampotique Originals' artists design stamps that might be described as a bit "quirky," so, too, was Edgar Allan Poe a bit quirky.  He is a well-known author and poet, living from 1809-1849.  His quotes range from the romantic to the melancholy, from the thoughtful to the murderous!  The choice is yours.  Combine a quote from Edgar Allan Poe with one or more stamped images to create something unique!

 

My entry is a journal page.

The quote i have chosen is:

“There is no exquisite Beauty… without some strangeness in the proportion”.

Thanks for dropping by.

xxx

The Penultimate Q&L Challenge

I have been inspired and educated by the year long challenge over at the Craft Barn, it has been a pleasure to join in and learn so much. Thank you to everyone at the Craft Barn who have run the challenge, i am looking forward to whatever you have planned for 2015!

The words for this penultimate challenge are Heart or Risk.

I found a poem called The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer and it has gone into my heart and my soul, i wish i had found this earlier for many reasons. Now i have found it i shall be keeping a copy very close to me.

I hope the words resonate with you too.

It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon...
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.

It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.

Will you read that again and again…

 

Once again used Craft Artist Professional to create my iCard, the front shows the person who would become a fool to find their love, dream or adventure and the couple represent for if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

The images of the clown and the couple were found through searching for free vector images on Google and imported into CAP2.

 

The back of the iCard showing the author of the poem and the number of the Challenge.

Another challenge where i have found something beautiful and meaningful.

Thanks for dropping by, hope you have time to leave a comment.

xxx