This old heart of mine

This is my first contribution to the Sunday Stampers challenge. The theme is hearts.

I used the versamark resist technique on glossy card, with brayering on the darker layers.

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Stamps : AudDesign 1B and 2B

Inks : Adirondack Cabin Fever, Ginger and Butterscotch; Versamark

Extras : Brayer; MM Eyelet; Sheer Ribbon

Delicate and fragrant

The Saturday Workout challenge is to use gesso on your work. I spread gesso on the paper first, sponged with distress inks and then spritzed with water.

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 121; Paper Artsy Petals 6

Inks : DI Aged Mahogany, Tattered Rose, Weathered Wood and Faded Jeans

Extras : DCWV blue card; Fibres; MM blue eyelets; Corner punch

The Master and the Butterfly

This is my contribution to the Tag You're It challenge, which is to either use your favourite quote, or your family.

Unfortunately the butterflies got a bit squished in the scanner (and I cannot photograph it because a certain son, who shall remain nameless, but he knows who he is, dropped my camera and broke it!)(I will forgive him, eventually...)

The Lots to do Challenge has the theme of butterflies, so I'll add this to their site too.
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Stamps : Elusive Images Butterfly set

Inks : Adirondack Stream; Ecoline Light Green and Turquoise Blue

Extras : Cuttlebug; Prima Flower; PM Button; Waxy Flax Sage; Sheer Ribbon

Nine friends

The 4x4 Friday challenge is to use the colours orange and yellow. I'm not entirely comfortable with this, and kept wanting to bring in some green. I'm sure that might have been allowed, but it's good to go out of the comfort zone sometimes!


I made my own alcohol inked strip for the dymo machine, and slightly sanded the letters. The button is a very pale yellow, but looks white here.

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Stamps : Time to Stamp ATC set 1; Stampington Butterfly Girl; Crafty Individuals 161 script

Inks : Alcohol Inks Raisin, Terracotta and Butterscotch; Adirondack Rust; DI Scattered Straw

Extras : PM Button; Waxy Flax Sunflower; Junior Dymo Machine

Pins and Needles

Hels has come up with a very imaginative challenge on her site Ink on my Fingers, called In My Pocket, basing cards on pockets and hiding things in them. This week it's buttons. The template is on the blog, although I made mine slightly narrower.

Lots of homemade glimmer mist on here, and recycled buttons. The photo anchor was made from a free template from a magazine.

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Stamps : Paper Artsy Butons 4; Time to Stamp Vintage Sewing

Inks : DI Antique Linen, Old Paper, Aged Mahogany, Tattered Rose and Peeled Paint; Marvy Pen Jungle Green; Adirondack Caramel; VersaColor Old Rose; DI refill Antique Linen

Extras : Perfect Pearls Gold; Vintage Buttons; Prima Flowers; Green brads

Birds tag book

Well, here's a new venture for me - altering a chipboard tag book. Unfortunately I only had 2 tags, but if anyone out there has any SU tags that match these (8cm across), and they're going spare, I'd love to hear from you (how cheeky!!!).

The Created ByHand challenge is to alter something, and Arty Girlz have the theme of nature. Here are the 4 sides, so far...

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 116 Crackle; Time to Stamp Birds of a Feather; Tim Holtz Nature's Moments and Take Flight

Inks : VersaMagic Aegean Sea, Pixie Dust, Perfect Plumeria and Night Sky; Adirondack Cranberry

Extras : SU chipboard round tags; MM ribbon

Rejoice

The Salt challenge is something I've neglected for a while, but I loved the Rejoice theme up currently. I used the June week 3 sketch from 2Peas. The chipboard buckle was painted and painted and painted, so I couldn't possibly list all the inks it took to get this effect! The intention was to match the papers, which I think was successful.

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 116 crackle; Paper Artsy Travel 2

Inks : Adirondack dabbers Lettuce and Lemonade; Adirondack inks Lettuce, Rust, Cranberry and Willow; Archival black; Computer generated text

Extras : Prima Flower; Flower punch; DCWV green card; Dovecraft PP; CWC Pearlescent Copper paper; Green brad; Sheer ribbon; Chipboard Star buckle

Pierrot's assistant

The Theme Thursday challenge is hats, and the Lots to Do challenge is children. I just had to meld the 2 when I saw this image!

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Stamps : Paper Artsy Pierrot 1 and Squiggly Ink; Hero Arts Fantastic Flourishes; Sugar Lump Studios

Inks : DI Walnut Stain, Tattered Rose and Worn Lipstick; Adirondack Sail Boat Blue, Denim, Wild Plum and Aqua

Extras : Image from Flickr

View beyond

The Friday 4x4 challenge is about the fair, and the 2Peas challenge which I've included is about doors. After a lot of head scratching, I remembered that I had a stamp of the London Eye. There's a wonderful view of it from Downing Street as you look between the buildings - I had this in mind when I made this card.

Now normally I'm the clumsiest of people. I'm forever dropping inked stamps on my work, or staining things with dirty fingers. Today I discovered a very happy accident. The first stamping of the door didn't take evenly so I turned the paper over and tried again, but when I cut out the doors, would you believe I had matched the images perfectly!!!!?

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Stamps : Judikins London Cube; Paper Artsy Arched Apertures 2

Inks : DI Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Weathered Wood and Faded Jeans; Adirondack Aqua, Sail Boat Blue and Denim; Archival Black; Fluid Chalk Olive Pastel

Extras : Peeloff circles

Gold Lantern

The Tag You're It theme this week is to make a tag in a pocket. I've added to this the 2Peas Asiana challenge.

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Stamps : A Stamp in the Hand Round Lantern; Time to Stamp ATC set1

Inks : DI Milled Lavender and Broken China; Archival Black; Versamark; Purple Metallic RubOn

Extras : DCWV Far East Stack; Gold Brad; Prima Flower; YLI thread Plum; Leaf punch; MM purple eyelet; Detail Gold EP; Sheer ribbons

Using up an RAK

As I have very little time this week due to imminent concerts (and rehearsals for them), I combined 2 challenges : Lots To Do on the theme of words, and Created ByHand which is to use patterned paper.

I have a large stash of papers and constantly get them out, only to reject them for a homemade background. This a good discipline for me. The papers here were part of an RAK, so I don't know who manufactures them.

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Stamps : HA Treasure the Moments

Inks : Adirondack Bottle

Extras : PP source unknown; green brads; prima flower; PM button; Waxy Flax Sage; Corner Punch

More WSW entries

Two more cards for the 2Peas challenges. The first one is based on a given sketch, and also 3 analogous colours:

Stamps : Stampington Venezia Correspondance; HA Style is Eternal

Inks : VersaMagic Pixie Dust, Purple Pansy and Perfect Plumeria

Extras : BB card; purple brads

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The 2nd card fulfils 4 different challenges: to stamp your own embellishment (I stamped on the flower button), using given inspiration (see entry below for picture), using 3 analogous colours on the colour wheel, and using stamps from at least 3 different companies.

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Stamps : HA Ladder Ribbon, Old French Writing, Pop Petals and Treasure the Moments; Invoke Arts Frames and Shrines; Time to Stamp ATC set 2; Paper Artsy Mini 23; AudDesign flowers

Inks : StazOn Olive Green; Adirondack Willow and Lettuce; DI Shabby Shutters, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade; Marvy pens Yellow and Pale Yellow; Versamark pen; Color Box Lime and Fresh Green

Extras : Maya Road Gem Flower; Prima Flowers; Brads; SGme Clear EP; DCWV card

WSW Get Inspired challenge

2Peas are having a World Stamping Week, with lots of challenges. One particularly grabbed my attention and so I had a go. Below is a picture of items that can be used as a starting point for a card, atc etc.

Here are my versions. I'll list all the materials used at the bottom.

I practised the Father's Day greeting for this card 3 times, and then mucked up the real thing!!! It was, however, appreciated by the relevant person this morning!

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Stamps : HA Heartfelt Messages, Fanciful Filaments, Treasure the Moments, Happy Birthday to you, and Old French Writing; Stampington Fresh Flower Elements and Scripted Greetings

Inks : VersaMagic Sea Breeze and Aloe Vera; Versamark; Adirondack Aqua; DI Black Soot; Archival Black; Anna Griffin Chocolate; Marvy pen Mocha

Extras : MM ribbon; ribbon from a chocolate box; SGme Clear EP; chipboard buckle; BB green and brown card; white brad; Image from Crafty Individuals Butterflies and Flowers pad

Looking up to Dad

I found a great quote that's just right for Peter to give on a card for Steve for Father's Day. He really makes the most of being taller than his Dad - this should bring him down a size or two! The girls told me today that if they're in his way, he just picks them up and places them elsewhere!

An atc made into a card for the Saturday Workout challenge on charms. I drew streaks with the dabber and sponged ink on top. Then I spritzed a tissue with water and wiped off the ink from the streaks. I dabbed some more to age the background. The knitting wool was the colour inspiration for this - the first time I've used it.

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Stamps : Paper Artsy Stagelights 3

Inks : Adirondack dabber Lemonade; DI Weathered Wood and Black Soot; Adirondack Rust; Marvy pen black

Extras : 7Gypsies key; knitting fibre; Dymo label maker; MM eyelet

Teddy moments

This is probably a bit late, but I wanted to join in with the Lots to do challenge on teddies. (It took a while for inspiration to strike.) The image is one I love, and is from Rein's blog. I made it ATC size.

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Stamps : HA Treasure the moments and Confetti Flower

Inks : Adirondack Rust, Caramel, Ginger and Eggplant; Marvy pens Black Cherry, Orchid, Leaf Green and Manganese Blue

Extras : Gesso; Sheer ribbon; Q&Co mini brads; BB purple card; image from Rein

Poste d'Italia

The Tag You're It challenge is to use the colours olive, aubergine and ivory. Although I used an eggplant ink pad, I always think this colour has more red in it. I used the resist emboss (or batik) method for the background.
I will also contribute this to the So Salsa challenge on faux postage - another new challenge site for me.

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Stamps : Stampington Butterfly Girl and Venezia Correspondance

Inks : Adirondack Eggplant and Lettuce; Versamark

Extras : Prima Flowers; purple brad; SGme Clear EP; Sheer ribbon; Sticky Fixers; Elusive Images tag

Coy creature

The Theme Thursday topic this week is fairies. Here's my little cutie, image courtesy of Cora.

Emboss resist, distressed watercolour and glimmer mist make up the background.

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Stamps : Blade Rubber Puff; Dragonfly freebie from Simply Stamping magazine; Stampers Anonymous corner

Inks : DI Scattered Straw, Antique Linen and Weathered Wood; Glimmer Mist Patina; Adirondack Denim and Rust; Versamark

Extras : SGme Clear EP; Enchanted Creations white detail and fairydust EP; Peach Vellum; Prima Flower; Orange brad; Sheer Ribbon; Image from Cora; Sequin Waste

Transform

The Created ByHand challenge is to use Versamark. Here's my ATC.

I stamped the flower and butterfly images, and coloured them using Marvy pens. Then I coloured over using a versamark pen and clear embossed. After that, I sponged inks over the top, and high/low lighted to create depth.

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Stamps : Tanda stamps Flourish set; Paper Artsy One Penny 2

Inks : Archival Grape; Marvy pens Yellow, Brilliant Yellow, Cream Yellow and English Red; Adirondack Sunshine Yellow, Willow, Lettuce and Bottle; Versamark pen; White gel pen; Blender pen

Extras : SGme Clear EP

Twilight

The Saturday Workout challenge this work is called 'crumple it!'. For the background I did a wash with H2Os and then placed crumpled cling film (or food wrap) on top. Although you can't see it very well here, it has a crackled appearance, with the light catching on the glimmer.

I worked on this yesterday evening, and was stuck for a motto for it until I looked out of the window and saw the colour of the sky - it really did have these colours in it.

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Stamps : Invoke Arts Backgrounds; PaperBag Studios Addison; Paper Artsy Nature 3

Inks : H2Os in Snap Dragon, Autumn Skies, Cranberry, Passion, Blue Flame and Majestic Blue; Fluid Chalk Blue Iris; DI Dusty Concord; Adirondack Sail Boat Blue

Extras : WHSmith RubOns; BB purple card; Cling Film

Use your imagination

Isn't it silly!? I based the whole card around the ribbon, and even drew out a design beforehand, but when it came to the real thing, it just didn't go! I was determined to use it, so adapted to plan B. It looks better with just this small amount of it. (In fact, it looks remarkably like a bow tie!) This explains the title.

I made this for the Skinny Saturday challenge which has an open theme this week. It has a very rough texture as I glued photocopy paper on cartridge paper and then pulled bits of it off with masking tape. I also spritzed with water after sponging on the background colours, giving a wrinkled appearance in places.

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Stamps : Paper Artsy Mini 12, At Home 3, Man of Numbers and Frames 4; Time to Stamp ATC set 2

Inks : StazOn Ultramarine; Adirondack Sail Boat Blue, Aqua, and Peach Bellini; DI Spiced Marmalade; VersaMagic Hint of Pesto

Extras : BB brads; American Crafts ribbon

J for Journey

The Tag You're It challenge is to use a monogram on your tag. As you can see I used a 'j'. It's a chipboard letter which I painted and stamped on to customise it. I also coloured the washer to match. It was hard to get to my craft table today, as my daughter suddenly decided to make cards for her friends. If she allows it, I'll put some on here soon.

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Stamps : Paper Artsy Travel 2; Crafty Individuals 53; BLine Fern

Inks : Adirondack Willow, Stream, and Peach Bellini; DI Black Soot and Pine Needles; Versamark Pen; Alcohol Ink Stream; Archival Grape; Adirondack Dabber Snowcap

Extras : Seafoam White EP; Washer; PM Chipboard Die Cut; Japanese cord

One butterfly

The 4x4 Friday challenge is on numbers this week. Here is my contribution.

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 116; Paper Artsy Mini 23; Stampington Butterfly Girl; Time To Stamp ATC set; BLine Fern

Inks : Adirondack Butterscotch, Lettuce, Bottle, and Caramel; Archival Black; Versamark pen; DI Walnut Stain

Extras : Clear EP

Music Man

The Theme Thursday challenge is to make an ATC about men. Looking at my stamps today I realised that I have a lot of stamps that are male related, which is just as well as me and Steve have 3 brothers each! I have just realised that one of them plays the guitar but his initial is J, so perhaps I'll alter the letter sticker and send it to him.

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Stamps : Paper Artsy Stagelights 3; Stampington Latin Parchment and Small Piano Keys

Inks : Adirondack Cranberry, Aqua and Sail Boat Blue; Archival Black

Extras : MM ribbon; Fiskars Deckle Edge Scissors; Domed Letter Sticker

gift tag book, and winner

The Created By Hand challenge is wings. I decided to add the Hero Arts challenge of gift related items, and made a tag book. This folds and ties into a triangle which can be attached to a gift. I took the template from a Stampington Inspirations magazine.

Congrats to Kath who won the stack of papers - these are on their way. Thanks to all those who left blogaversary greetings.

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Stamps : Hero Arts Tiny Icons, Fanciful Flowers, Friendly Greetings, Old French Writing and small flower

Inks : Adirondack Cranberry, Wild Plum and Eggplant

Extras : PP by Blonde Moments; Fibres

Nurture and Cherish

Two for the price of one today. Half term is over, and school started in earnest again this morning. So, less time for crafting.


The Saturday Workout theme is stitching, and the Skinny Saturday theme is birds. No hardship to combine 2 of my favourites!
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Stamps : Paper Artsy Nature 3, Schooldays 3 and Travel 4; Time to Stamp Birds of a Feather; HA Background Stripes; Stampington Recommendation

Inks : DI Aged mMhogany, Black Soot, Frayed Burlap, Old paper and Antique Linen

Extras : Dymo tape; YLI thread Harvest; sewing machine