All you need.......

.......Is Love

After a mamouth clear out of my craft room and 4 sacks of recycled card and paper later I have nearly finished not quite still some boxes to go through, I have been brutal with all the bits and scraps of card and paper also items to alter have gone......although I still have 1 box of backgrounds and large scraps of card.  So today I had a fabulous time in my tidy craft room making a mess oh yes my empty desk is no longer but I had great fun getting inky.

I have used Sheena Douglass stamps from her range of A Little bit Festive proving Christmas stamps do not always have to be used just for Christmas.  This Victorian Gentleman is so handsome don't you think.

My gentleman was coloured using Spectrum Noir Pencils, distress ink vintage photo was blended onto card for a vintage feel, next this was embossed with a Sheena folder which  I distressed the edges and blended vintage photo and ground expresso on the embossing, gold guilding wax  was added to the embossed area also.
The paper I founded while clearing up and it reminded me of Victorian wallpaper, but it was too clean so I distressed with vintage photo and the edges where distressed and torn...that's better..... guilding wax was also added to edges.
Tim Holtz tattered banner was cut from card coloured with distress ink barn door vintage photo stamped in ground espresso. The background piece was stamped and distressed as before, the word love was a wooden word coloured in same inks and gold guilding wax applied to edges.  All this was mounted onto Kraft card .

I would like to join the following challenges

Inspiration Destination challenge Anything Goes #122

Sparkles Monthly Challenge  #89 Love

Winter Walk

This Christmas card was made using a stamp set from Sheena Douglass stamp range.
I stamped with Distress ink vintage photo and blended with water for a watercolour look.
The sparkle on the snow and on the trees was added with spectrum noir clear sparkle pen which I have tried to capture in this photo

 

I mounted my die cut panel onto gold background which I made using pebeo metallic gold paint ages ago, I am trying to use my backgrounds which I have fun making and then don't use in my cards so this year I am goin to use them and also make as many Christmas cards as I can to save the rush I have every year.

Challenges

Alphabet Challenge Blog  W for Winter Walk

Christmas Card Challenges      #5 Snow

Pretty in Pink

Hi everyone

Todays post is another AJ page, as you know I have been playing along with the Craft Barn Alpha Challenge and the letter for this 2 weeks  is D with a twist Pink has to be included! I have missed the last two challenges but I do intend to do the pages so my journal is complete.

Dragonfly and Spring popped straight into my head and I have this fabulous stamp set  from Sheena Douglass Range of stamps with matching dies, I  love this set, and any excuse to use it and I'm there.

I used distress Inks picked raspberry, mown lawn and vintage photo, using a stencil again from Sheena Douglass range I inked the wild flowers moving stencil across page, I then blended the same inks over the page and spritzed with water, the flowers wicked slightly, I really like this effect it softens the stencil a little and the background goes nice and splodgy....I like that word lol......

The Dragonfly was stamped in vintage photo straight onto the page, also stamped and die cut twice from copy paper and white card.  The Paper Dragonfly was coloured with picked raspberry and then stamped in black archival, I also used  gold pebeo gilding wax on the wings this really shines in real life photo doesn't really pick it up, the card dragonfly was painted in gold metallic paint and stamped over in archival ink.  I choose to cut them out first and then stamp them I find it an easier process.

Lastly I used the beautiful corner stamp in vintage photo and the word Dragonfly both stamps come in the set.

I would also like to join the following challenges

A Vintage Journey #40 - Spring is in the Air
Country View Challenges April - Spring
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog- All things Distress
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge - Pink and Green
Craft Stamper Magazine Make It Take It April Challenge - Spring Flowers

Oriental Clock

Hello bloggers on a very cold but sunny (well it was) it's getting dark now Saturday, hope you are all well. 
Today I have shut myself in my craft room to have a little play and also finish off  1 or 2 ( or 3)
projects I have had on the go for a while and trying to get my head around Christmas cards for the family..........not much luck there!!!      One project I did finish is this altered CD clock using my new Sheena Douglas A Little Bit Oriental stamps sets, I treated myself to all three A5 plates in the series as I just love Oriental anything. 
This project fits in with the challenge at Craft a Scene which is Trees

 

 I have used stamps from Koi and Waterlillies and Oriental Silhouettes.
Firstly I inked a white circle of card with bundled sage and dusty concord ink lightly at first by only dragging across the card with cut and dry foam, I darkened areas later as I added the stamps. I used   the bridge (Oriental Silhouettes)  and built up the colour around the edges and behind the bridge, with water I dragged some colour into the bridge. Next the water (Kio and Waterlillies) was stamped in dusty concord and I painted the lilly pads with bundled sage and shaded with dusty concord.  Next came the trees ( Oriental Silhouettes)... aren't they wonderful love this stamp.......in Forest Green Stazon.
Lastly I added two  Cranes....well that's what I think they are!  The numbers are black plastic from the Tim Holtz stable but sorry have no idea what they are called as I have no packaging and have had them ages......they are sticky on the back but I also used glossy accents to make sure they stayed stuck! 
I sanded around the edge of the card after I had stuck it to the CD with glossy accents and added dusty concord to them, lastly  I added clock mechanism and voila I have a lovely clock to hang in my bedroom.

thanks for looking
'till next time

Q is for

Time for another page in my altered dictionary and this time "Q" is the choice at The Craft Barn Challenge.    Not many words to choose from so I went with the one that jumped off the page at me Quill.   I apologise for the photo it is such a dark rainy day here today I will edit photo tomorrow if it is a better day!

 

Photo edited 

 



The definition "the hollow stem of a feather"
 I used this feather stamp from Sheena Douglass falling feathers set. Also added  corners and splodge stamp from her ageing beautifully set. Ink Archival black and I crossed out some words with a fine line pen, I wanted the page to be messy like mistakes on a page written in ink......I achieved messy alright not sure if I got the look I was after though......lol,
Edges of pages were inked with black soot distress ink.

Thanks for all the lovely comments
'till next time



Reciepe

Stamps Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Sketchy Range, falling feathers and aging beautifully
Inks Archival Jet Black, Black Soot DI;
Fine liner pen, Alpha Stamps (unknown)

A Life on the Ocean Waves

Week 22 and the Letter is N at The Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary Challenge.  I found this letter uninspiring and had a difficult task to make anything of my chosen word Navigate, Mr Mojo has certainly gone walkabout this week hope he comes back soon............

Main image a ship stamp by Sheena Douglass inked with distress ink walnut stain I added water to the image and dragged the ink to paint the sails.  On the other page I stamped a compass in same ink which didn't work it smudged so I re-stamped  onto card with Addirondack Coffee and cut out and stuck over the stamped images, a swirl stamp was inked with distress marker broken glass ........ which is supposed to give the impression of waves!!  Not sure if it does or just looks like a swirl in blue..........
The edges of the pages were inked with combination of the same inks. Although I found these pages a struggle I am quite pleased with how they eventually turned out funny how sometimes things just don't flow..............

I'm  off to have a look at everyone's entries now as I never look before I make my page something I have managed to do since the start.  It is very hard but really enjoy looking after I have my page under my belt as they say...lol.
 
Before I go I would like to share some good news
I also had a lovely surprise to find my Spooky Halloween make had been chosen in the top three at Country View Crafts October  Challenge "Something Spooky" and I have been offered a Guest Designer spot there in December so exciting.

See the original  post here

Thanks for looking
'till next time

Autumn Silhouettes

Hello bloggers on a dull wet and foggy day......My card to share with you  is bright and cheerful and yes I can hear you all shouting not the same stamp sets again ......I am just so in love with them and have made lots of inky backgrounds I can't help myself. :))

Today's card will be shared with a few challenges some of which are new to me and where I thought it  would be fun to play

The Stamp Man  October Challenge Butterflies, Birds, Bees
Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog #73 Autumn
Cupcake Craft Challenges #213 Autumn/Winter
Crafty Cardmakers #76 Indian Summer

Reciepe for my card - background was made with DI Barn Door, Rusty Hinge and Mustard Seed applied to white card with cut and dry foam.  Stamps~ I have used stamps from two sets Highland Silhouettes and Silhouette Grasses by Sheena Douglas which I  stamped with Black Soot DI for first layer and then stamped and embossed with Black EP, Owl was stamped embossed and cut out mounted on foam pad and settled on his perch, before mounting onto black card, Easil strip stop ~ same background and stamped in Rusty Hinge mounted onto black.

Thanks for looking 'till next time

Moonlight View

I am enjoying using the Silhouette stamps from Sheena Douglas so much that I would like to share another card with you........be warned you may see more yet as I have made lots of inky backgrounds just right for silhouettes.... Just a quick post before I settle down to watch Miranda and.....Strictly Come Dancing Yeah......can't wait!!!

Background made with DI faded jeans and dusty concorde, Island was stamped in dusty concord, stamped and embossed in black, I ran a piece of TH distress coordinations paper through embossing folder (not sure where from) added pink web net, the cute owl was embossed and cut out before he was placed on his perch.  Stamps Highland Silhouette and Silhouette Grasses - A Little Bit Sketchy Range Sheena Douglass,

I am joining in the following challenges

Anything Goes Challenge - Animals
Try It On Tuesday - Lots of Layers
The Artistic Stamper - The Natural World


Bye for now

Woodland Silhouettes

I'm back again today with a quick Birthday card I have made this morning for a forgotten Male Birthday oops! and a challenge, just  a quick post tonight as I have had my family over today with a very lively Grandson, we have had a lovely day but  are both shattered now Grandad has played trains and then we have played board games somehow I always loose........Now its feet up and a bit  R&R.....lol after I have  typed this up.

Less is more Challenge for this week #86 is "Recipe" Take 3 Challenges I have taken
Wk 5 Embossing
Wk 42 Silhouette
Wk 55 Punches or Die cuts

Background made by spraying Luminarte Shimmering Mists onto white card, Stamps are Sheena Douglas  Highlands Silhouette .......which I am loving using they make a card so quickly, I embossed them using cosmic shimmer black embossing powder, corners were also stamped and embossed onto same background, main card was embossed with Couture Creations folder Houndstooth, punches used from Stampin' Up!

Can't quite believe I have managed to play along at Less is More on the first day!!  Hoping I have read the challenge correctly ladies......

Would also like to link with Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Emboss It!


Thanks for looking 
Bye for now

 

Silhouettes at Sunset......

Good morning everyone Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr it is very chilly here this morning hope it warms up soon!! I have had some new Stamps sitting waiting to be inked and so last night I went to play in my little crafty room and got inky.........fabulous.  The Stamps are from A Little Bit Scenic Range by Sheena Douglas I fell in love with these sets because they are Silhouettes and are brilliant with inky backgrounds. Sets I used are Silhouette Grasses and Highlands Silhouette 

  Don't you just love this owl... I do............. background was made with Distress Inks scattered straw, dusty concorde, faded jeans, stamped over in black soot and embossed with black embossing powder.  The edges were distressed with my scissors as I couldn't find my distressing tool...........it is buried under the crafty stash on my desk .......somewhere!!! I then embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Denim Lilac Arora powder it is the most glorious colour blues and mauves then I got a little carried away with the sewing machine around the edges of my kraft card blank!  I am sharing this card at Anything Goes Challenge Blog - #74 make your own backgrounds Thanks for popping in ' till next time









 



SUNDAY STAMPERS

GREEN TAG

Over at Sunday Stamper this weeks challenge is green, this got me scratching the old grey matter as I'm not really a green sort of gal, but never to be beaten I thought of the things I like that are green and trees being one of my favourite things I went with the idea and here is my Green Tag for this weeks Sunday Stampers challenge.

Stamps used for the Trees are from Creative Expressions designed and drawn by the talented Sheena Douglas from the plate More Trees- I have a lot of her designs and I love them all. Stamped in Ranger DI inks Pine Needles and Crushed Olive which I then sprayed with water and let the inks move around the card to form the background, inked edges in both colours, text stamp is from Tim Holtz Collection Good Thoughts plate.  Hope you like it I was really pleased how it turned out considering I didn't have the slightest idea what I was going to do - the tag just evolved!

Bye for now