Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 5

I knew this one was going to be difficult as I was limited with suitable stamps. So I decided to keep it simple and limited myself to one colour - Green. The background was made using Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint. I then stamped the text stamp over the background using the Peeled Paint ink pad. The fob watch was stamped onto a square of acrylic which I then mounted using a brass brad on to a piece of card which I had tinted with VersaMagic Aloe Vera chalk ink. I stamped another image of the watch on to white card using VersaMagic Hint of Pesto chalk ink. My card was complete, but I can't say I enjoyed making it or am particularly pleased with it.

I had already made a card for Jennie's challenge using the fob watch and I am much happier with that.

A clipboard

I decided to alter the blank clipboard sitting in my drawer. I covered the board with brown and turquoise paper that I loved when I bought it ages ago and have been waiting for the perfect reason to use it. The big B was a push out piece from a baby frame I made and had been waiting for me to find a use for (now I only have to find a use for the A, the other B and the Y), and the nesting hearts are chipboard, I painted them all in Adirondack paint Dabbers in Sandal for the fronts and Espresso for the sides and edges. I then mounted a few of my favourite piccies behind them. Added some turquoise and brown ribbons and 2 deep turquoise tassels. A few charms and some crystals and I thought I was finished but I didn't like the space at the top so made a turquoise and brown tag and one of my favourite sayings "Sometimes on the way to our dreams, we get lost and find a better one." Then all I had to do was to paint the clip and decorate with some more ribbon and ink the edges of the board. This was a very satisfying project and I am quite pleased with the result.

Tag Swap - February

The theme for this month's swap is Paper Artsy stamps - none of which I have. So a big thank you to Hels for stamping some out for me. I tinted the backgrounds on my tags using various TH Distress Inks, cut out or tore the designs and coloured those in the same way.













Added a few ribbons and embellishments and my tags were complete, another challenge I have really enjoyed.

Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 4

Had to have a think this week as didn't remember having any bird stamps, then came across my peace dove. So stamped it all over my backing card using black stazon and then tinted the card with H2Os. Similarly tinted a tag and used chipboard letters for the word Peace. Finally stamped my peace dove onto a square of silver card and added a piece of grosgrain ribbon before placing it on the corner of the tag. Just proves we have more than we realise.

A Puddle Book

I've bought some unusual shaped beer mats - these were described as 'puddle' shape and I guess that is the best way to describe them.

I covered the front of 4 of them with a pale green paper by K & Co and painted the backs with a couple of coats of pale green silk emulsion.

Then inked the edges with Versa Magic Chalk Ink in Jumbo Java.









I stamped word meaning stamps from Crafty Individuals on the painted sides, using the Jumbo Java again and then lightly stamped single flowers onto the remaining background.










I printed off 3 beautiful 1920s pictures from Joanna Sheen's Fashion Boutique cds and cut them into the same puddle shapes and mounted them on to the papered sides on 3 of the mats.
I punched a hole in the bottom of each mat and knotted green fibres through these.








The front page was embellished with a large decoupage butterfly and flower and a few phrases were lightly stamped on to the background paper.























To finish I punched a hole in the top of each mat with my crop-o-dile and threaded them on to a small book ring on to which I had knotted some brown fibres. My project was complete.

Chocolate book

Well lets face it there can't be a better theme for a book. This one is a birthday pressie for a friend. I used the Joanna Sheen Fashion Boutique cds for the Chocolate ladies. Printed out a few sayings about chocolate and kept everything in a brown and pink theme. Only trouble is it has me reaching out for the chocolate.

(And yes I did spot the spelling mistake and have altered that page :0) )

Take 4 Beer Mats #2

Another in what I think is going to be a series. I love the shape of these mats. I wanted to keep this one in just 2 colours - mauve and blue - and kept to a butterfly and dragonfly theme. It's for Jackie (Wacky Jacky on CSF) when she comes down this weekend.

Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 3

For this week's challenge (thank you to Andrea for setting it) I inked a piece of 4" x 6" card with Distress Inks in Aged Mahogany and Brushed Corduroy, spritzed with some water and generally made a messy background. I stamped my Hampton Arts 'Travel Abroad' stamp out twice using Versa Magic chalk inks in Gingerbread and Jumbo Java. I tore the edges of the Gingerbread image and inked them using the same colour, tinting the paper slightly with a light brown wash. From the Jumbo Java colour image I cut out the lady and water coloured her in golds and browns. I then double embossed her and added a feather to her hat and some Flower Soft for the flower on her hat. A strip of gold ribbon was fixed to the background using brads and the stamped image was added over this. My challenge was complete.

Take 4 beer mats

Every time I look at these beer mats they remind me of the saloon doors in an old Western film. So I decided to change them into pairs of doors.

I cut 3 beer mats in half and covered them with toning papers from K & Co. I then stamped small expressions on to the front of each door panel.

I added small embossed embellishments in matching colours to the back of each door and then edged each panel with Adirondack Espresso Acrylic paint dabber.

Using my Bind It All machine I bound the doors to a complete beer mat, using 1/2" wires. I punched a hole in the top of each door using my Crop-o-dile and knotted chiffon ribbonthrough each hole. A hole in the centre of the middle each of the front door panels was used to close the book with more chiffon ribbon.

All that remained to finish the book was more chiffon ribbon knotted to the wires at the front and a silver Bee charm. My little book was complete and hadn't taken very long to make. Another project I am quite happy with and I'll now make more in different colours.

A Book for a Friend

Why do our best ideas always come in the middle of the night. I decided I wanted to make a special book for Jackie when she comes down to visit next week and hit on altering some free cds that I didn't want. So I started by making a background on four cds with Adirondack acrylic pain dabbers in Espresso, Hazelnut and Sandal.

When they had dried I used some Tim Holtz and Hero Arts text stamps and stamped them onto the cds in black Stazon. A few small stamped flowers were added to complete the cds. I then mounted them onto thick card which I had covered with K & Co. papers. On the reverse of the cards I again covered with K & Co. papers and used some botanical stamps together with suitable sayings.








I used mountboard for the covers and simply sprayed Tattered Angel glimmer mists in layers on the outsides and again dabbed with the paints on the insides.


















I bound the covers and pages together using my Bind It all machine and now to embellish the whole thing.




















The front cover was easy I simply added a chipboard J to which I'd glued a couple of wooden beads. Punched holes down one side using my crop-o-dile and knotted different coloured ribbons through the holes. A couple of highlights at the bottom using golden sands micro beads and a highlight across the top using cream crushed shells.













I added chipboard words and antiqued charms to the pages, a chipboard flower in the centre of each cd and a crystal stone for the centre.

I wanted to punch a hole into the cds and with trepidation did this with my crop-o-dile, crossing my fingers while I did it, but the crop-o-dile went through the cds like a knife through butter. A ribbon was knotted through each hole.












I added a tag and holder to the inside of the back cover and completed the book by stamping a couple of sayings onto the outside of the back cover and embossed them in gold.
















My book was completed and I am very pleased with the finished item.























Now I just hope Jackie likes it as much as I do.






















I think I shall have to use cds again.

Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 2

The challenge Hels has set us this week is Black & White - and as thats my favourite I couldn't wait to get started. I selected a large Tim Holtz stamp as my theme and stamped it all over a piece of matt black card, embossing with white sparkle embossing powder. Using a Versamark stamp pad I then stamped the design onto a piece of shiney black card and onto a piece of white card. I embossed the black card using the white sparkle embossing powder again and the white card using black sparkle embossing powder. I then cut across the black card at an angle and layered the bottom piece of the design on to the white card. I then matted the complete design onto black and white card again matching the cuts in the stamped design. The completed design was mounted onto the base card and some jet stones added for a little bit of bling. All in all I am quite happy with it.

Then I had a play with...

my Sugar Nellie and Tilda stamps. These were great fun and I'll get a lot of use out of them.

Some more cards with Joanna Sheen cds

I haven't been in the 'card making' mood lately, but things have changed this week, firstly playing with my new Joanna Sheen stamps and now with her Fashion Boutique cds. What a joy these are to work with and I know lots more will be added over the next few weeks. But for now here are a few I've been playing with today. The first one can only be described as a mad idea. I wanted to use jigsaw pieces and had this brainwave - if only I'd considered how fiddly it would be before I started. However after several hours fiddling it worked out as I wanted it to and was worth the effort.