Easter with Stampotique

Well I eventually got around to making something for the Easter Stampotique  challenge. I did not feel like making a card or similar. This is what I came up with. The colours are actually very pretty, using some spring paper from Crafty Individuals layered onto grungeboard to make it stronger before cutting out, but I could not capture this on film. It looks rather bland in colour.

The letter W - Welcome

Over on Something Completely Different there is a new challenge topic for the month. To use given the letter in some way in your creation. The format is up to you. This weeks letter is W.I think everyone on the design team has interpreted it differently which is rather fun. I think it is a great idea.

I have used a foam "W" stamp in the background and used it with acrylic paint to create a resist. When it was dry I inked with distress inks and dampened a paper towel to take the excess off the acrylic "W's"
I then stamped this new Stampotique Welcome Door stamp along with cat. I also used another stamp and a masking technique to create this little fellow peering out of the window in the door, waiting for his friends to arrive.

Vintage with Lots to Do challenge

I have not had time to play the Lots to Do challenge for quite a while. I am very happy to be able to join in again this week. My work load has been less. One of my jobs has finished for Easter so i have had more time to my self.


I think this is the first real vintage make I have done. Rather out of my comfort zone but I am happy with how it has turned out. A little bit of old lace does wonders.


Finished work and I have come down with a stinking cold. Why does this often happen? The adrenaline levels must have relaxed and cold systems have grabbed me from behind.

A Fishy Tale with PDCC No: 22

It is the PDC challenge No: 22 this week. Here are the challenge colours:




I decided to visit a piece of work I made some time ago, which never felt quite right. In the original make I just had some stamped fish. This felt very flat and 2D'ish, so the thought came to me to actually make fish so it was much more like viewing sardines in a can. 


I started off spraying cotton with glimmer mist in the colours from the challenge. hen stamping and sewing fish. Then adding more of the colours from the challenge  with paint. I also liked the link with "Can you see the Sea" and I had images of the sardines squealing this to each other. Bit macabre , but there you go!

Butter wouldn't melt!

Our dog went walkabout today. Harriet came home and did not notice the dog slip out. He wasn't noticed missing until about an hour later. What a horrid feeling.
We all went around the village searching and calling for him. Several people said they had seem him on the rec, and then by the post office. We talked to anyone we could see. He completely slipped by us. After about an hour I phoned the police and the dog warden. Then took to the streets again to search. Eventually a friend I had talked to earlier found him outside the village. He is really quite a good dog, quite well trained and she just called him and slipped a leash on him no trouble and brought him down. What a relief. The thoughts that go through your mind are just dreadful. I am glad to report a happy ending.

If he knew what he had done wrong he would be in the dog house. To him he just went for a mooch.

Reasons to Stamp in April with Gingersnaps

Bla, bla, bla day

National Kite Month

Here are my contributions for the month for Reasons to Stamp over on Gingersnaps. Fancy there being a Bla, bla, bla day and actually having a stamp that says Bla, bla etc. How perfect could that have been!  A Stampotique stamp available from The Stamp Attic if you are interested.

Then there was National Kite Month which has so many special meanings for me! In Bermuda it is traditional to fly Kites on Good Friday. Many a times I have done this. My Mother was brought up in Bermuda and when she retired she returned to live there. I have spent many summers on the beautiful Island and it was one of my teenage stomping grounds. My Mother died there a couple of years ago. I don't know how I feel about visiting now. One of the reasons was to visit her and it would seem like a big part of it was now missing for me.

Crowns; Trinchies with Something Completely Different

This is the last week of Trinchie with Something Completely Different this week. I have loved visiting all your Trinchies and hope you enjoyed them as much as I have. This month has seen the first ones I have ever made. Quite a lot of fun. I can't wait to see all your creations this week.

First Wedding Anniversary: Paper

A friend at work asked me to make a card for her daughters first Wedding Anniversary which she told me was paper. This is what I created. Now I do have a question for you all. I have these so called "Spinner blanks" and I am somewhat confused as to how they work or how they are meant to be tackled? After finishing the card I thought that probably they were meant to be turned by 90 degrees and sit more like a tent? Does anyone out there know? It worked fine like this, it just does not feel quite right. know what I mean?

Growth: Gingersnaps

Over on Gingersnaps there is a new challenge just been launched on the topic Growth. To me this summed it up. How quickly our children grow. Before long they are taller than yourself. I can also remember of having big brothers. One was over 6' 2" and a good 10 years older than me. I can remember dancing with him, standing on his feet. He is still taller than me but I don't think he would appreciate me dancing on his feet now!  But I think the little fellow's expression about sums up how I used to feel about My Big Bro!

Gingersnaps Birthday Celebration

I noticed a few people were uploading the postcard size art x 4 they were creating for the Gingersnaps Celebratory Birthday Bash Swap. Hels over on Ink on my Fingers has very kindly offered, as she is very kind,  to organize the swap on this side of the Atlantic. During my makes my Mo Jo decided to go walkabout and things did not seem to go to plan. But I got there in the end and it was such a relief that I posted them off post haste to Hels, especially as the deadline was looming. What do you think crossed my mind as I let go of the package as it feel into the post box.  Well that probably can't be printed. So what I had done was to post them off without first photographing them! How blonde!

I came home after buying some bags of chocolates and started a groveling, pleading letter  to Hels, with the bribery items inside, to ask her if she could do the honours and photograph the postcards for me. Hels has a great sense of humour and I think found it rather amusing. So thanks to Hels I have been able to post this on my blog.

This saying always tickles me and off course it is from the legendary Mae West. All you need to do for a true quote is to replace "she" for "I". I hope you find it amusing too!

Musical Instrument Trinchies with SCD

This weeks theme for Trinchies over on Something Completely Different is Musical Instruments. This is my contribution. It uses a stamp from Aspects of Design called Classical Instruments available from The Stampman. The stamps are adorned with  these wonderful flourishes.

Play Date Cafe No: 21

This is this weeks entry for the PDCC No: 21 with colours medium pink, pale pink and pale yellow. This make is a little out of character for me but I like to have an open mind and adapt things as to the requirements. I enjoyed the change and am happy I have been able to make a pretty card rather than a quirky one this time. The colours are so pretty and I felt warranted this beautiful image of childhood.

Ginger, Copper and Rust with Gingersnaps

Meet Ginger

A Gingersnap challenge. This is a very quick post before work. I will come back later and edit it to tell you more about the products I used and the problems I encountered along the way. Despite these it was a very enjoyable make. Most the problems I encountered were with the frame which I had started for a different project. Once I conquered my skimping prep work on it things went swimmingly. If you want to know what products I used I will fill in details when I get home.

So now I can go into more details. The frame is a recycled item I had lying around waiting to be re used. I did use sandpaper on it but obviously did not do a thorough enough job as when I applied Viva Croco paint it had great tendencies to fall off in chunks. Never mind I thought. Another sand in the gaps and another coat should do the job. No, same problem but less so. Then I left it for several weeks and when I came back thought that I could just add some more of the paint to the remaining gaps. Gaps getting less all the time. Still not happy so abandoned again. Then Ginger, copper and rust Gingersnaps challenge came along. I wanted this frame and had an idea what to do with the image. So out came the Ferro Metal Effect Gold Iron paint and this was then applied on top of the Croco. Fingers crossed and this did the trick. Horray.  But it looked rather ironish rather than copperish. So I swooshed the surface with an embossing pad to catch the high points and sprinkled with copper embossing powder. I was happy with this.

Ginger started life as a Paper Artsy stamp from the Dolls Plate 1. She was stamped onto card, had her legs and arms chopped off. Given beaded legs and tiny tag arms(which are on the original stamp, but static) I re stamped these onto glimmered card and holed them and jump ringed them to the body. The button was swooshed with an embossing pad to catch the high points and sprinkled with copper embossing powder. A headdress created with foil leaves cut to size  and pretty little electrical things added and a face stuck on. Ginger was born.

I think with the Croco paint I should have used a base coat or primer first and it should have worked better. However this paint fits the theme better and I like the texture the Croco paint gave to the frame as a base coat.

Stampotique Challenge: Spring has Sprung

Well this is my make for Spring has Sprung. Bright sunny colours that remind me of spring. I started this make thinking the title and idea behind it was "Lucky Legs' Easter Bonnet" but as I was making it Kirsty MacColl's song "In these Shoes" was shouting out to me, which in he end won the day.

Alice with Ink on my Fingers

well I just managed to find time to take part and play. This is my contribution to Ink on My Fingers challenge this week. These stamps were a real bargain from The Stamp Attic who has/had? an offer on these Alice stamps. So I was so pleased I did have time to use them.

Play Date Cafe Challenge : 20

Over on the PDCC this week the colour challenge is lavender, aqua and white. Take a look at what their design team have created this week. The new design team has now been chosen and you can see who the luck ones are. This is my contribution for the week, which I am pleased with, and feels fresh and different. Why not have a play too and see what you come up with.

Men: Trinchies with Something Completely Different

This weeks subject is Men. I have chosen a black and white image this week as I felt in was most suitable for this stamp. I had to do very little to this Paper Artsy stamp, just crop it down to size. So why not see what you can come up with for this very versatile subject and also take a look at what else the design team have created over on SCD.

Springtime Yellow with the PDCC no: 19

What glorious sun we have been having. Just wonderful and the quality of light seems to have changed to spring light. The birds are singing, staking their territory, thinking about nesting. So hence my theme this week. Still cold enough to enjoy the sunshine from within much of the time, not all the time! So through my window I have been watching birds and this seemed the most appropriate subject for that warm yellow sunshine and busy birds. Yes over on the Play Date Cafe the colour theme this week is yellow. I must admit I rather like yellow.

OWOH lucky draw

Look what I received in the mail yesterday. A wonderful necklace that was made by Melinda Cornish. Isn't it superb and it was featured in the Quilting Arts Magazine. It is a wonderful treasure and I am very happy to have been lucky enough to win it. Melinda has some other great things on her blog so it is well worth a visit at http://melindasfabricfancies.blogspot.com/. Many thanks Melinda it will be thoroughly enjoyed.

Love & Romance with Something Completely Different

This month we are working on "trinchies" which are 3 inch square pieces of loveliness. I decided to use this stamp as I believe love and romance should be life long and not limited to just the young. I am sure long term love goes through different stages of life just as we do. I had happy thoughts for this couple, although they do not look as if they are in the honeymoon period of their love, of being long lived trusted friends of each other.

So why not take a look over on SCD and see how the other members of the design team have related to the subject. Come and join the fun and make a trinchie on this theme of Love and Romance.

Black, White and Teal PDCC 18

Over on Play Date Cafe this week the challenge is to use black, white and teal. Great colours.
I have used my new Martha Stewart border punch which arrived this morning. I just love this border! I think you may be seeing it a lot on my blog from now on!
Before starting I thought I would have a mooch around my drawers in my craft room and choose and use things I had not seen for a while. I love these stamps I bought many moons ago. In fact they were some of the early stamps I ever bought. Old friends! They came from Rubbadubbadoo.

Reasons to Stamp in March

Over on Gingersnaps there is masses of inspiration from loads of designers on reasons to stamp in March. Quite an eclectic mix of styles and ideas. Why not take a look!

Here are my 3 contributions:

Swallows Return:

National Cleaning Week:

"She's Funny That Way"

Go and see what you may be inspired by!

Wednesday Stamper: Alice

Over on Wednesday Stamper the theme is Alice in Wonderland. I have just become aware of my faux par! These wonderful characters are not from Alice in Wonderland but Alice Through the Looking Glass. Will I be forgiven? Or shall I start again? It just really reminds me of working in schools "He did it!" And they are such great memorable characters. Such fun, wonderful characters that are surely part of Wonderland?

Time ATC's with SCD

Time is the theme for the ATC's this week. It is currently a very popular stamping theme so I hope it will be popular. I have made 2 this week simple because I was enjoying myself. I like the way they are so different and shows how the theme can be adapted to different styles. Enjoy.

Don't forget there is potential for an ATC swap so go over to Something Completely Different and read more details on how to join in and see more takes on the theme.

Sybling Love Stampotique Challenge 2

Oh it is so nice to play again. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday are my work days. So Thursday is joy day. Girls at school, Mums play day!!!!!

This is the result of my Thursday morning play. I feel like a liberated person now.  This is my contribution for this weeks Stampotique Challenge to use their stamps and colours moss green, yellow and rose and possibly add blue if you wish.

Red, Linen and Brown PDCC 17

It is the 17th Play Date Cafe Challenge, already! Where have all those weeks gone? The challenge colours this week are red, linen and brown and this is my contribution after playing today with these colours. Yes I did have fun!

"Key" ATC over on Something Completely Different

Over on Something Completely Different this month we are creating ATCs. This weeks theme is "Key".
This is my contribution but hop over to SCD and see what else the design team have come up with. A great variety of interpretations. It would be fabulous if you joined in the fun.Go on, take a look!

3 Favourite Colours with Gingersnaps

To be honest I do not have 3 favourite colours. I like almost every colour and like to play with different combinations. But I do think these pastel green, pink and eau de nile work very well together and I chose them as I felt they represented colours often used in the 20's with crepe de chine and the the floaty silks that were used. Over on Gingersnaps the challenge is to make something using your 3 favourite colours. I have used another wonderful stamp from the Artistic Stamper. The weathered green striped background is another of her wonderful background stamps. Go and check them out they are fab.

OWOH random number generated winners

Well OWOH  has now come to an end. What a truly global event. Fantastic seeing loads of blogs I just would not have seen otherwise. Fantastic event.

Now to the random numbers

106               Gez Wins the frame

Then I have divvied up the other bits to: 

1                Kristicco

205            Lori Australia

281            Hazel

307            Jamaise

15              Astrid

38             Sue from Canada

Well done. I will try to leave a message on your blogs or email from them if possible so make sure you read  any new messages whether email or blog.

Valentine Blog Hop with Gingersnaps and The Artistic Stamper

Welcome to the Gingersnap Creations’ Valentine Blog Hop and Hop Stop #6!

If you’ve already been hopping then hopefully you have just come from Joanne at Made by Joanne. If you are starting here, welcome! It's a loop so you can start anywhere along the way!

At each stop, you need to collect a word! There are 8 stops in all starting and ending with the Gingersnap Creations blog where you can get all the specific information and get a peak at the the goodies in the Valentine Giveaway including some treats from The Artistic Stamper.

When you get all your words, 9 in all, unscramble them to form a quotation about love. Once you have your guess at the quote, email it and your name to gingersnapstamp@gmail.com by February 20, 2010. We will be picking one lucky winner at random from the correct entries to win the Valentine Giveaway package! 

If you visit all the stops, you should end up right back at Gingersnap Creations with 9 words! Unscramble the words to come up with a love quote and email it on to gingersnapstamp@gmail.com. That's all there is to it!

If you get lost along the way, you can see the entire route at Gingersnap Creations.

My word is "love".

Your next stop on the hop is Lynn at Trash to Treasure Art. Have fun and good luck!


Also over on Gingersnaps this week there is a Lace and Fibers challenge. I have made this card to fir in with this challenge and to show case further the wonderful stamps by The Artistic Stamper, Jennie. They are just fab and some really useful background stamps as well. Here I have used the polka dot stamp background. Just great! And the plain heart with some profile elegant women from the 20's. stamped inside. Finished with "The Roaring Twenties" stamp.


I love this period in the 20th century for woman. For a long time they had been harnessed and bound up in corsets. Suddenly there was a whole movement to free woman and allow them to move and breath again. To have short hair if desired and be liberated from confining clothing. The start of more freedom for women.

Red, Lavender and Silver PDCC 16

Well what a group of colours over on Play Date Cafe Challenge 16! Red and silver or silver and lavender I would feel comfortable with, but red, lavender and silver almost got me stumped. But I am up for a challenge and like my boundaries to be stretched. So I have created something today that I would never have done without this challenge. And I think has worked really well. I put some silver foil through the Cuttlebug and then sponged with lavender ink and heat set. Cut out the words "Hi" with the Cuttlebug and used silver mirri card for this. Punched some ovals in lavender and red and added some stitch marks, stuck the words on top. Mounted onto the red paper embossed with velvet circles and scattered with silver hearts. Lace punched one edge and backed this area with silver mirri card. Then it was all layered onto a slightly darker patterned lavender/purple card.

One World One Heart

THIS POST WILL REMAIN AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE UNTIL FEBRUARY 13TH

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEW POSTINGS

Come Ride the Magic Carpet

Welcome all you blog comrades both old and new alike. One World One Heart was created and hosted by Lisa Swifka in 2007. It was developed to bring bloggers together from around the World. To meet new people, to discover new and wonderful blogs and creations. There are just so many talented individuals out there. Along the way there will be opportunities to win prizes.

The event is open to all bloggers who have an active blog where it is possible to leave messages. I am sorry but I cannot accept Facebook or Twitter applicants, after all this is a blog event. To be in for a chance to win you must leave me a comment and make sure I am able to contact you from this comment. The cut off time for comments is 11.59 am Greenwich Mean Time on 14th February. The winners will be announced on 15th February.

Here is the give away item I made especially for this event

There is also some candy that I will 'divi" up as well for prizes. Photographed, of course, on a magic carpet.

While you are here please take the time to look at some of my other creations. Blogging really does open up the whole world as being our community. The World has shrunk!

Wings ATC with Something Completely Different

Over on SCD this month is an ATC swap going on. The challenge this week is to make an ATC that incorporates wings. I wanted to try to capture the wonderful iridescent quality of a dragonfly's wings so I have used some Angelina Fiber to try to achieve this. The design team on SCD have all come up with their own take on the theme. Why not take a look and join in. Have some fun!

Heart Throb with Stampotique

Wow,  Stampotique now have a challenge blog. Yipeee, I just love their stamps. This is their first challenge  themed on Love. Why not take a look for yourselves at Stampotique Originals Challenge Blog.

The Moon is made from Gold: PDCC 15

It has been an emotional draining and upsetting week and to do anything creative has been a real effort and just not happening. I have been sitting in my craft room staring blankly and feeling numb and uncreative. So to have created this has been an achievement to say the least. "The Moon is made of Gold" is a line from a Ricki Lee Jones song which I had jotted down in my ideas book. It came to my rescue this week. Below are the colours for the challenge this week from the Play Date Cafe.

ATC Month with Something Completely Dfferent

Mad March Hare

Fantastic. Who doesn't love ATC's? 

Wonderful little pieces of art to swap. Over on SCD it is a month of these little gems and if you make one for each of the 4 weeks Carol has kindly suggested and will organize a swap. I know I am going to play! 

If you think this subject is too difficult or you just don't have a stamp or whatever to fit take a hop over to SCD as there are other options around this subject that may make it easier to play with us. Hope to see you all there!

This stamp is from 100 Proof Press and I just think he is superb!

The Artistic Stamper and Gingersnaps

Romance

I am running behind with my postings this week. To say the least it has been a very traumatic week so it  has put my somewhat and I am finding it hard to get things done.

However The Artistic Stamper is sponsoring Gingersnaps this month and has sent us some beautiful stamps to design with. This is an example of some of the lovely stamps. A wonderful background stamp that just speaks for itself. Some gorgeous plain hearts which enable you to stamp into as if they were picture frames, fantastic 20's fashion and images and some great words and sayings. Over the month I shall try to show a selection of the wide range of wonderful stamps they produce. There are some terrific background texture stamps, similar to these hearts, but more distressed looking, that I love and will definitely be using lots. The stamps are also deeply etched and stamp very well.