Love in Japanese

The Gothic Arches theme this week is hearts. I wanted to make something very delicate, which I'll probably send to my Japanese sister-in-law. She gave me the cream and gold paper which you can see fragments of here.

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Stamps: Stampington Romance Elements; Simple Expressions The Orient; HA Heartfelt Messages

Inks: DI Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick and Aged Mahogany; Brilliance Galaxy Gold; VersaFine Onyx Black; Castaway; DI Refill Antique Linen; Gold Pen

Extras: Perfect pearls Gold; Gesso; Japanese paper; Prima Flowers; PM eyelet and Adhesive Stones; Fibres

Sketched flowers

The Tag You're It challenge this week is to use a given sketch. The minute I saw it I knew exactly what I wanted to do, which was to use some of the domed stickers I've had for too many years to mention.
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Stamps: Darkroom Door Full Bloom Vol 2; Elusive Images Boys on Bikes

Inks: Adirondack Lemonade, Juniper and Bottle; Castaway; DI refill Antique Linen

Extras: PM Domed Stickers and Eyelet; Sheer ribbons; Perfect Pearls Gold

Gathering together

I made this card for the Hero Arts challenge on stamped backgrounds which can be found on Flickr.

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Stamps : Just Johanna Birds; Hero Arts Old French Writing and Fanciful Flourishes; Time to Stamp Birds of a Feather

Inks : DI Aged Mahogany and Scattered Straw; Archival Black; Castaway

Extras : EK leaf punch; Prima Flowers; brads

Fairy wishes

I have finally found a bit of time to myself to create but will probably not be seen again for another week. My work load has been enormous, and will be until term ends next Thursday. Then I will on the scene again. I have missed you all, my blogging friends.

I made this card for my goddaughter - and on the right you can see she made one for me! Her favourite colour is purple, of course! The background is distressed, and oversprayed with homemade glimmer mist. This suits the 4x4 Friday theme of Faeries.

Yesterday I went to the NEC and had a great time buying stamps, but was very disappointed by the lack of variety of inks. Did anyone else go?

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Stamps : PaperBag Studios Adisson; Tanda Stamps Flourishes set; HA clear flourishes; Stampington Scripted Elements

Inks : Adirondack Dabber Snow Cap; Ecoline Red Violet; DI Dusty Concord; StazOn Grape; Castaway

Extras : Tracing paper; Star gems; Waxy Flax Plum; Perfect Pearls Gold

Deck of Me, weeks 42-45

Happy New Year everyone!!

I am in the process of fulfilling my new year's resolution - to complete my deck of cards, which I have neglected lately. Week 42's prompt of a grateful week had me stumped for a while, but then I realised how many thank yous I was saying, so recorded it here.

I am grateful to the pupils who came to extra rehearsals to prepare for the school concert. We played music from the recent Narnia film. I wonder if the Seikh girl who chose it realises that it's based on Christian principles!

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Stamps : Stampington Small Violin and Small Trumpet; AudDesign

Inks : StazOn black; DI Fired Brick and Broken China

Extras : 2 Narnia images from internet

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Week 43's title was sCaRy.

Some might say that it is scary when you receive a word of knowledge; eg. I 'knew' when my Nana died, despite being hundreds of miles away. I would say this is a blessing.

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Stamps : Lakeland Ltd Ornate Set; AudDesign

Inks : Kaleidacolor Melon Melody; Archival Black

Extras : brayer; Gesso; computer text

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Week44's challenge was home...

The first day we looked at this house we knew it was ours. It was empty, dirty and rundown, but I sensed God's prompting that this would be our 'home'. It certainly is!

It is a house that retains some of the original Victorian features, one being the floor tiles in terracotta and black, which I based this card on. The keys and lock are there to express the joy I felt the day we moved in. This is an open house to our friends.

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Stamps : Paper Artsy Letters 5; Time to Stamp ATC sets; AudDesign

Inks : Adirondack Butterscotch and Caramel; DI Fired Brick; ColorBox Charcoal; StazOn Black

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Week 45's title was self realisation

I was recently invited onto the prayer ministry team at church, and have been greatly blessed by this. My realisation is that God can use me more than I'll ever know - I have to be ready and open.

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Stamps : Stampington Collage Cube; AudDesign

Inks : Adirondack Wild Plum; Glimmer Mist Black Cherry; Castaway; StazOn black; ColorBox Eggplant

Extras : Image from chicks57 on flickr

It amuses me that some of the inks used have fruit names. Reminds me of the fruits of the Spirit!

Holly

The Gothic Arch theme is text. I have gone to Cora's blog for more inspiration and used one of her photo shares.

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Stamps : Stampington Christmas Found Elements; ?Denami Diamond Dust; Clarity More than words

Inks : DI Frayed Burlap, Dried Marigold and Antique Linen; VersaColor Topaz; Castaway; Marvy Pens Bottle green and Red; Adirondack Stonewashed

Party

The Gothic Arch theme for this week is party. I was pleased to discover this photo at my local antique market. I painted castaway ink in the centre of clear embossed daisies, then ironed the EP and the colour out.

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Stamps : AudDesign; HA Posy Vase

Inks : DI Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade and Scattered Straw; Adirondack Sunshine Yellow; White Gel pen; Castaway; Marvy Black pen

Extras : Imaginations Epoxy Stickers; SGme Clear EP

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

Polka Dot

The Wednesday Stamper challenge is Polka dot.

For the last 2 years I have played in New Year's Day concerts featuring Viennese music, including Polkas. All last week I played in a show called the Gypsy Princess, based in Austria. So I thought I would use music as a theme.

To musicians another word for music is dots. Hence : look at the dots! The Annen polka title is copied from music I found in the school cupboard. Incidentally, Annen means Anna.

The main background is a colourwash, with dots stamped on with castaway.

The trumpet background is a new technique for me - spread some diamond glaze on embossable acetate, and drip a few drops of alcohol ink on the DG. Mix around until happy. Crumple some tissue paper and lay it down on the mixture. Allow to dry. On the other side, stamp your image in permanent ink.

I got a bit carried away with the alcohol inks, and even coloured the photo corners!

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Stamps : Technique Tuesday She loves me (the dot); Stampington trumpet

Inks : AI lettuce, stream; Adirondack lettuce, stream; castaway

Extras : clear photo corners, embossable plastic, white tissue paper, black paper prima flowers, Dovecraft polka dot brad

Vintage angel

This card was made for the DCM challenge entitled vintage, a while back. I'm not exactly sure how to define 'vintage' but this is my version. (Another term I haven't fathomed is grunge!) Would somebody please enlighten me?


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Stamps : Lakeland Ltd ornate set; Elusive Images scripts and timepieces

Inks : DI fired brick, antique linen; Castaway

Extras : silver paper, image from Above the Mark, PP by Kelly Harwood for Dovecraft