Eiffel Tower - Paris

For the Gothic Arch theme of Vacations or Places I have decided to celebrate Paris. I have been to Paris, but not visited the Eiffel Tower. This is a monument I would love to see, but not go up, as I suffer from vertigo.

I have overstamped the main images for depth.

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Stamps : Lakeland Ltd Ornate set; Tim Holtz I See Paris set

Inks : DI broken China, Faded Jeans and Shabby Shutters; Marvy pens Black and Oriental Blue; ColorBox Frost White; White gel pen

Extras : Gesso

N for Needlework

Isa's N challenge is to include an ATC on a card, the atc being the same as the artwork underneath. The scan below shows the 2 separate components. The inks were sponged over gesso - an unusual colour combination for me.

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Stamps : Time to Stamp Vintage Sewing; HA Ribbon Stitches

Inks : Adirondacl Lettuce and Latte; StazOn Olive Green; Distress Ink Frayed Burlap

Extras : Gesso; green card

Magic Carpet

The theme for Saturday Stampers is treasure. The magic carpet was a treasure indeed to its owners. And I used lots of my treasures to make it - the sequins have been awaiting a project such as this, sewn on with silver beads. This is obviously very sparkly, you just have to imagine it!

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Stamps : Elusive Images Wise Men

Inks : H20s in Blue Zircon, Icy Iris, Green Tea, Cranberry, Snap Dragon and Autumn Skies; Versamark; VersaColor Cyan

Extras : Guttermann purple thread; silver beads; Detail Silver EP; Glitterati sequins; mohair wool; ?CWC mini crystal; Paper Cellar crystals

Framed Joy

I have combined a Salt challenge on the theme of Joy with the DCM challenge to include a frame on your work. The quote is from Psalm 92.4.

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Stamps : HA Fanciful Heart Filament; Crafty Individuals 21

Inks : Marvy pens Jungle Green, lime green, Victorian Rose and pale yellow; Versamark; VersaColor Split Pea; Fluid Chalk Olive Pastel

Extras : Slide Mount; PP by Crate Paper; Prima Flowers; Brads; R&L RubOns

Deck of Me, weeks 25 & 26

The prompt for week 25 was a photo that means something to me...

This is our favourite family beach. We love the rock formations, the tranquillity, the skies, the walks, and the solitude of this little known treasure. Psalm 18.2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For week 26 the prompt was celebrating daughters...

These are my 2 beauties : Alice and Catherine (in reverse order on the photo). Both have been a great joy to me. Both love God, and use their musical gifts to help worship.

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Archival black and AudDesign stamp

Moo cards

This is an extraordinary name for mini cards, the theme of Wednesday Stamper. More details on the site, but there is a size restriction. I have made 2 on the same theme - thoughts about words and numbers. For now I have scanned with the green, but I will probably make them into a card. This was a good challenge - it made me think smaller than normal.


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Stamps : Time to Stamp ATC sets 1&2; Crafty Individuals 21; Paper Artsy One Penny 2

Inks : Castaway; DI Worn Lipstick, Tattered Rose and Old Paper; Fluid Chalk Burnt Sienna and Olive Pastel; StazOn Olive Green; Marvy pen Light Brown

Extras : BB green card background

Vrooom...

For the DCM midweek challenge on forms of transport, I have gone for a quick, masculine card. With so many male relatives I need a constant supply handy.

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Stamps : Stampers Anonymous Enjoy the journey and No journey is too great...

Inks : DI Weathered Wood and Peeled Paint; Fluid Chalk Charcoal

Extras : BB brads; CWC pearlescent grey paper; PP by Junkitz Earth Tones

Sarah's Smile

The TMTA theme is smile. I have converted this black and white image from a colour photo taken of my French pen friend's daughter on a bridge at our local park, last summer. She has the most beautiful smile. I added the text in linenstroke font, and coloured in parts of the image.

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Stamps : Rubber Stamp Craft leaves

Inks : Marvy pens Light Brown, Vermillion, no 30 and no 52; Rexel Derwent watercolour pencils in Ivory Black, May Green, Teracotta, Orange Chrome and Raw Sienna; Adirondack Lettuce

Extras : BB square brads

Watching the leaves turn

The Gothic Arch challenge is on the theme of Autumn/Fall. I wanted to recreate the wonderful colours of the leaves as they turn from greens to golds and rusts. The quote is by Elizabeth Lawrence.

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Stamps : BLine Design Botanical Fern

Inks : Ecoline Light Green, Chartreuse, Forest Green and Burnt Sienna; Sticky Fingers spray Antique Gold; Versamark; Versacolor Cocoa; Fluid Chalk Burnt Sienna

Extras : white thread; image from Vintage Photos and Ephemera; SGme clear EP; computer text

Sleeping forest

I wanted to try something a little different for the Saturday Stamper theme on trees. This atc has rather a bleak feel about it; somewhere I wouldn't like to go at night. (In fact Fangorn just came to mind from Lord of the Rings - I now wish I had used a single ring!) Trees are so amazing the way they change constantly. I like how the blue trees blend into the background.

The ribbon buckle was a very bright gold, so I dulled it a bit with the alcohol ink. I sprayed the inks on a tag - a perpetual moan now about the scanner not picking up the shimmer of blue and gold. Big thanks to my friend Rachel who came up trumps with the tree stamp when I appeared on her doorstep earlier on today!

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Stamps : tree stamp from encaustic wax retailer; Paper Artsy One Penny 2

Inks : Sticky Fingers sprays Aqua, Bluebell, Delphinium and Antique Gold; Moonglow spray Royal Lapis Laziuli Fire; Fluid Chalk Blue Iris; StazOn Olive and Black; Brilliance Galaxy Gold; AI bottle

Extras : ribbon buckle; tag; space dyed thread

Charity begins at home

This week's DCM challenge dared us to raid charity shops and use our purchases on our cards. I proudly came home from Oxfam with 3m of the beige velvet ribbon this morning, which cost the grand sum of 49p. I did look in 3 other shops, but nothing grabbed me.
I so enjoyed the colour scheme in the post below that I used it again here; the beige ribbon blending perfectly. I was pleased to recycle scraps of ribbon and threads from sewing projects.

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Stamps : Stampington Christmas Found and Scripted Greetings

Inks : Marvy Pens Victorian Rose, Aubergine and Jungle Green

Extras : PP by Crate Paper; pink paper; Ribbons and threads from Stef Francis, Oxfam, chocolate box, and my own collection

M for Mercy

Isa set us the most cruel challenge for M. No stamps!!!! and pink and brown colours. Oh my, I thought, but it encouraged me to have a ripping time (sorry!) and use some papers. I feel that this could do with some rub-on swirls, but I don't have any. I daren't draw them - I'm bound to go wrong!
I couldn't decide between Mercy and merci, but in the end made her into another Lady of Virtue. ---

Inks : VersaColor Bisque

Extras : Queen & Co mini brads; acetate image from Katy's Corner; PP by Fancy Pants, Crate Paper, and others unknown; pink paper; MM pink eyelet; beige and pink sheer ribbon; R&L RubOns

Fishing for compliments

The Wednesday Stamper challenge for this week is fish. I've been waiting for an opportunity to use this image from Bill Blanton's site for a while now. The lady looks incredibly pleased with herself - I don't know why, as she only netted one starfish!
I was pleased with myself, though, when I realised that my distress ink rose matched the colours on the image perfectly!

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Stamps : Time to Stamp ATC set 1; HA starfish

Inks : ColorBox Celadon; VersaColor Polar Blue and Smoke Blue; DI weathered Wood and Tattered Rose; computer generated text; Fluid Chalk Maroon

Extras : silver net; Bill Blanton image; mini sticky fixers

And the winner is.....

Congratulations to you, Rebecca! I will be contacting you shortly. Thanks to everyone who put their names forward - it's lovely to meet new people, and see their work.

Deck of Me, Weeks 23 & 24

Week 23's prompt was right now...

Right now I am thrilled to have received 2 RAKs from cardmaking bloggers; one for a teddy bear card. It's great to have made new Christian friends on the net too.

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For the materials used see the list under the entry Teddy Ollie in Rein's photos category.

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Prompt 24 was remember when...

I remember that the first time I heard David Fitzgerald play was at a Graham Kendrick praise evening at Coventry Cathedral. He has become one of my favourite musicians.

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The image is from the cover page of the CD album by David Fitzgerald.

Stamp on both cards by AudDesign

God's promises

I have made this arch for 2 challenges - a new site called Saturday Stampers on poetry , and Salt Faith on God's promises.

I find the poetry of the Psalms absolutely beautiful, and relevant to every mood and emotion. These verses are from Psalm 119: 147-8

I rise before the dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. ---

Stamps : BLine Designs Botanical Fern

Inks : VersaMagic Magnolia Bud; VersaColor Bisque and Narcissus; Fluid Chalk Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna and Maroon; ColorBox Chianti

Extras : Image from art-e-cats and picture of candle; cream paper; brads; prima flower; polka dot ribbon

RAK

I was sorting through my papers, having a tidy up, and decided that I probably won't use the free gift xmas papers from a couple of craft magazines. I know a lot of you would, so I am offering them as an RAK to the first name out of the hat. The offer closes Thursday 20th Sept 10.30pm UK time.

As you can see I have added some other goodies: some xmas related, some also surplus to requirement, and some bought specially. There will also be some cling-on for you to mount the stamps.

Please leave me a comment, and some way of contacting you.

Ros x

Coca Cola Coquette

This glamorous lady was the face of an old Coca Cola advert, the TMTA theme for this week. The logo at the top is also an advert for a free glass of the brown stuff at a soda fountain.

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Stamps : Time to Stamps ATC sets 1&2

Inks : Marvy pen English Red; DI Black Soot; VersaColor Baby Blue and Smoke Blue; Adirondack Stonewashed

Extras : Images from the Internet; red rikrak and black lace

Golden Section

The Gothic Arch theme for this week is Gold. I think you normally put a vintage image on these arches; I have used a copy of Da Vinci's vitruvian man, which is vintage, but not a photo. I hope it's allowed! The other images were also drawn or written by Leonardo.
The numbers follow the Fibonacci sequence - mathematical harmony related to the golden section, used in art and architecture.
The colours are much more golden irl, and the arches more obvious.

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Stamps : Stampington Facade

Inks : Marvy pens in brilliant yellow, pastel peach, cream yellow, ?yellow, and vermillion; VersaColor Lapis Lazuli and Royal Blue; Fluid Chalk Yellow Ochre; white gel pen; Computer printed text and man

Extras : DECAdry RubOns

My love is like a red, red rose

For Isa's L challenge I have chosen not to use the extra options. Firstly I didn't have any bird stamps, and secondly the theme I chose did not really suit the waterfall card technique. But there is a lot of Love floating around, as well as Leaves - and I did go all Lyrical!

For the upper and lower backgrounds I scribbled with the pens on a craft mat, sprayed with water and smooshed my card around. On the lower one I batiked the honeycomb pattern. For the middle background I sponged inks on gesso, and then stamped. I am stupidly wearing a white cardigan, that now has a nice pink sleeve!

I am always amazed at how colours react to one another. The brads are bright yellow, but look a soft green on this card.

I will also submit this for the DCM challenge using the colour theme of golden.

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Stamps : Stampington Loose Leaves, Fresh Flowers Elements and Script Greetings

Inks : Adirondack Sunshine Yellow and Lettuce; Impress Garnet; Marvy pens Brilliant Yellow, Pastel Peach and Coral Pink; Versamark

Extras : Gesso; SGme Clear EP; YLI variegated thread; Sheer ribbon; MM yellow brads; BB green card

In a Word

For the DCM challenge I based this card around the single word violin. I've made this for my daughter's boyfriend, who leaves home tomorrow to study violin at the Birmingham Conservatoire. I'm very proud of him, following the same career path as my own.

I was fascinated by a flute card by Cheryl, who tipped me off about the fancy gizmos in photo editor. So I put a photo of a violin through the watercolour option; we all thought it looked great here. Not so great is the scanning, which clipped off the top and left side. I can't redo it as he's got the card! I think he was quite chuffed with it, in the way boys are at that age!
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Stamps : Stampington Brahms Lullaby; Time to Stamp ATC set2

Inks : Fluid Chalk Tangerine and Burnt Sienna; DI Weathered Wood; Adirondack pen Slate

Extras : Sheer Ribbon; Ribbon Buckle; brown brads

Charity

The Wednesday Stamper caused me a great deal of thinking. The challenge was ATC Triptych, using any theme you like. As I neglected 'Charity' in my 'ladies of virtue' series, here she is now, a little darker than in real life!


I firstly made a background with the H2Os, and then stamped on top. I sponged the edges with the dabber, and spread the paint around with my finger.

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Stamps : Stampington Christmas Found Elements and Fresh Flowers Elements; HA Delicate Woven Fabrics

Inks : H2Os in Garnet, Cherry Sorbet and Cedar Wood; ColorBox Frost White; Fluid Chalk Charcoal; Adirondack dabber Lemonade; VersaMagic Aloe Vera and Hint of Pesto

Extras : Image from Katy's Corner; MM eyelets; Space dyed silk ribbon; R&L RubOns

Deck of Me, Weeks 21 & 22

Week 21's prompt was qualities you aspire to..

Childhood ailments have left me with a fragile throat, so singing is tiring, which is immensely frustrating in my job. When I go to glory I shall join the angelic choir, and sing for eternity.

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Stamps : Stampington Angelic Host And Latin Parchment; AudDesign

Inks : VersaColor Old Rose; Marvy Pens Crimson Lake and Brilliant Yellow; Archival black

Extras : PP by Scenic Route

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Week 22's prompt was what would you like to learn?

At school I often play percussion with the band, but cannot yet drum roll. Now that Peter has a drum kit, my ambition can be achieved. 2 Chronicles 5:13 - God loves noisy praise!

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Stamps : AudDesign

Inks : DI walnut stain; Archival black

Extras : drum and notation from internet; PP by Basic Grey

Big and little

The DCM challenge is as the title reads - to include the same item in different sizes. Mine is keys - another card suitable for an 18th birthday.

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Stamps : HA Happy Birthday; Sunday International Small Key'; Time to Stamps ATC sets 1&2

Inks : VersaColor Split Pea, Bisque and Heliotrope; Archival black; Fluid Chalk Yellow Ochre and Tangerine

Extras : Black and purple card.

In a dream world

My daughter suggested this title for the TMTA challenge as she said the woman reminded her of herself - in a different world to everyone else! On this one we have to use a slide mount. When I bought some of these, I thought they weren't quite the right shape, but it's just right on this. I'm pleased that I used a left over scrap from yesterday's gothic arch, but it's a shame that you can't see the shimmer of the moon glow.

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Stamps : Paper Artsy One Penny 2; Time To Stamp ATC set 1

Inks : Sticky Fingers Sprays Delphinium. Bluebell, and Aqua; Moon Glow spray Royal Lapis Lazuli Fire; VersaColor Pacific, Lapis Lazuli; DI Antique Linen and Tattered Rose; Fluid Chalk Blue Iris

Extras : Prima flower; blue brad; Slide Mount

Family Business

The theme for Gothic Arches this week is family. I have gone for the muted colours appropriate for the period of the photo, and based the background on those huge wallpaper prints popular at the time. The Closson family business is bijouterie, based in Paris.

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Stamps : Lakeland Ltd Ornate set; Crafty Individuals 147; Elusive Images Fleurs et Parfums de Paris

Inks : DI Weathered Wood, Faded Jeans; Antique linen and Tattered Rose; Fluid Chalk Charcoal

Extras : Image from Vintage Photos and Ephemera

King for a day

Another one for Isa's challenge. Unfortunately I misunderstood the challenge slightly, so hope I haven't misled anyone. It should be black and white, with a tiny amount of another colour. As I needed a boy's card I had another go.

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Stamps : Elusive Images Scripts & Timepieces; Paper Artsy Man of Numbers 2; Time to stamp ATC set1; HA Printer's Lowercase

Inks : Archival black; H20 Gold Dust

Extras : black and orange paper; orange brads

K for Kiss

Isa's K challenge is to include black/white and one other colour, and also some script.

The arch seemed the best format to use as it looked like a church door, without being one. And it suited the image so well. I used a very fine net over the background to continue the veil theme.

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Stamps : HA Old French Writing; Tim Holtz staples; Stampington Posy

Inks : VersaColor Old Rose, Petal Pink, Peony and Raspberry; Archival black

Extras : YLI variegated thread; gesso; very fine net; image from outside the margins

Tearing purple holes for Christmas!

Wow, this was a challenge and a half! DCM's task was to include purple, some tearing, some holes, and the theme of Christmas.

My holes are obviously punched, and the waste used below. All the papers are coloured by sponging. There are snowflakes stamped under the script.

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Stamps : Stampington collage cube, Christmas Found Elements, and Scripted Elements

Inks : Adirondack dabber Purple Twilight; VersaColor Heliotrope; Adirondack Eggplant; Versamark

Extras : purple brads; Woodware snowflake punch; silver EP

Homemade paper

The Wednesday Stamper theme is to use homemade or mulberry paper.

I made this paper several years ago using a kundalini set. I added marigold petals, wool, threads and gold flakes. I never knew what to do with it, but here it is now!

For the background base I collaged various papers, and then inked and stamped. I find this gold EP a bit overpowering on the scan.

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Stamps : Stampington Brahms, Fresh Flower Elements and Collage Cube

Inks : Adirondack Sunshine Yellow and Red Pepper; Adirondack dabber Lemonade; Archival Black; Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea; Versamark; Fluid Chalk Maroon

Extras : YLI thread; Order form from Ikea; PP by Fancy Pants; gold EP; tissue paper; Japanese gold paper; my own homemade paper; waterbrush

Deck of Me, week 20

The next challenge was entitled change...

I found it very stressful when we moved to the West Midlands (from the south) as I really dislike change. But I soon realised that 'home' is not just about the location, but about friends, and feeling part of a community. Change promoted growth.

For those of you concerned about the structural repairs needed on my church, there is a building fund ;-))

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Stamps : AudDesign; HA Tiny Blocks, Fanciful Flowers and Alphabet; Stampington Checkerboard

Inks : ecoline inks; Marvy pens in Lime Green, jade green, turquoise and light brown; black pen; Archival black

Deck of Me, week 19

This week's prompt is Surprise...

Steve surprised me recently by buying me a book. In it M Haddon demonstrates a deep understanding of Asberger's Syndrome from a teenage boy's perspective. Well worth a read. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

The image is a copy of the title cover.

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Stamps : AudDesign

You big softie

This is the title for the DCM challenge. There must be something soft on the card, such as velvet, or felt etc.

I've used mohair threads. I've also used images from the blogs of Nellie and Jamie. The girl looks ready to fly off at any moment!

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Stamps : Lakeland Ltd Ornate set; Time to Stamp ATC set1

Inks : DI weathered wood, antique linen

Extras : images; mohair thread scrap; tracing paper; DCWV grey and beige card

Roman Gladiator

The TMTA theme this week is men. This means I can use my Roman statue stamp at last. He can be anyone I want him to be (which is useful) as CI didn't know who he was when they photographed him at the Colisseum.

In real life the colour used on the statue is much greener, but I actually prefer how it is here. The EP is very textured because I used it over Archival ink, and it obviously doesn't spread evenly, as the ink dries very quickly. Shame you cannot see that on the scan.

Back to school today, and yawnsville inset day meetings. Hopefully somebody might turn up with a violin tomorrow, but I doubt it. At least I can organise my timetable.

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 55

Inks : Gladiator text image from internet; Archival black; H2Os in Golden Monarch, Blue Zircon, Copper Penny and Snap Dragon

Extras : SGme clear EP

Shine on, harvest moon

The 2nd challenge from the Gothic Arches site has the theme of moon.

I was completely stumped by this until we went on a family walk in the countryide. Part of it went through a farm, where the harvest was in progress, and the fields were stubbly and scratchy on the legs. It reminded me of this song.

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Stamps : HA Fancy Leaf Filigree; Paper Artsy Frames 4

Inks : DI in Frayed Burlap, Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters and Antique Linen; Adirondack Stonewashed and Sailboat Blue; words prepared on the computer

Extras : image from Vintage Photos and Ephemera; brown thread; circle punch

Sitting on the prom

A card for Technique Thursday's theme of stitches.

I spent a while deliberating whether to use this ribbon, or a paler one. Should have gone for the latter!

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Stamps : Time to Stamp Beach Memoirs set; Paper Artsy One Penny 2; HA Old French Writing; Stampington Butterfly Girl set

Inks : DI Antique Linen and Old Paper; Fluid Chalk Olive Pastel; Adirondack Caramel and Butterscotch

Extras : threads from my collection; EI tag; MM green ribbon

A trio of Welsh barbers

For the explanation of this title visit the DCM site. Anyway the challenge was to include 3 die cuts.

This was the perfect opportunity to use some die cut tags and matching papers that I've had for a while to make a card for a friend's daughter.

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Stamps : Funstamps happy birthday

Inks : Fluid chalk charcoal

Extras : Aunt Gertie PP and tags; Prima flowers; waxy flax in sage and bubble gum; brads; MM RubOns