Alpha Y and Z

It is a great sadness that Isa's alpha challenge has come to a natural conclusion. I have so enjoyed awaiting each week and all the optional extras, most of which I have managed to achieve. Thank you Isa for the work you have put in to running this for us. Your examples have been inspirational. I hope you can challenge us in new ways next year.

Y is for Yuletide - I'm not sure if you can make that out on the image, which is from http://www.anoldfashionedchristmas.com/. On the airship it says,'A Joyful Yuletide'.

This partners a tag that I made earlier in the week. I shall need to make one more and then I have one for each of my children.

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Stamps : Denami Starburst; Katy's Corner Peace

Inks : StazOn Olive Green and Ultramarine; DI Broken China, Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters and Fired brick; Glimmer Mists Walnut Gold and Candy Apple Red

Extras : Elusive Images tag; mohair fibres

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Z is for Zinnia.

This is 4x4 in size.

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 118

Inks : DI Tattered Rose, Aged Mahogany and Worn Lipstick; Versamark Bamboo; Adirondack peach Bellini

Extras : Image from Crafty Individuals Flowers and butterflies pad; BB card; green ribbon; Stippler

Alpha W and X

Because time is limited this weekend, I am doubling up both of these challenges. Isa's W challenge also fulfills Theme Thursday's Winter/Snow theme.

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Stamps : HA Wishes tag and snowflakes set; Artworks Diamond Dust

Inks : Adirondack dabbers Pool, Juniper and Purple Twilight; DI Dusty Concord; ColorBox Frost White

Extras : MM RubOns and purple eyelets; Tracing Paper; BB blue and purple; Sirdar fibres; Gesso

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The X factor I have doubled with 4x4 Friday's theme of mostly red.

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Stamps : HA swirls; Paper Artsy Frames 2; Funstamps C55 & C57

Inks : DI Worn Lipstick and Fired Brick; H2Os Gold Dust, Spiced Pumpkin and Green Tea; ColorBox Frost White; Glimmer Mist Walnut Gold

Extras : crystal gems; MM RubOns; Heart embossed ribbon; pearlescent black paper

Alpha U and V

Isa has set 2 challenges this week. Here are U for Urchin and V for Violin ( I've been waiting for weeks to do this one!!). The Wednesday Stamper theme is diamonds, which I have included on the violin atc.

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Stamps : PaperBag Studios Addison; Time to Stamp ATC set 1; Stampington Small Violin

Inks : Alcohol Inks Butterscotch, Terracotta and Gold Mixative; StazOn Black

Extras : Pearlescent black paper

T for Tea

The sketch above is for Isa's T challenge. This is my interpretation. I really enjoyed the colour scheme last week, so continued with it on this card. You can just about make out the cup embellishment.

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Stamps : Stampington Cup Collection and Letter T

Inks : Brilliance Coffee Bean; VersaMagic Turquoise Gem

Extras : PP by Fancy Pants, Crate paper and Debbie Mumm; Brown ribbon from chocolate box; MM blue brads; Clear shrink plastic

S for Stitches

Isa's Alpha challenge is S this week, with the additional options of the work being a bookmark, and using the colours green, blue and brown.
I got out the sewing machine to fulfill my own title. And I do intend to use this, as my books are always left out open face down.

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Stamps : Vintage Sewing

Inks : Ecoline Light Green, Turquoise Blue and White; VersaColor Brown

Extras : MM copper eyelet; YLI Harvest thread; wool scraps

R for Rose

I've gone for a simple design for Isa's R challenge. There is a beautiful stamp by Stampington which I haven't got, so I tried to recreate my own version of it in miniature, including the colour red, set as an optional extra.

I wondered about using 'Ros' but don't know anyone of my name to send it to!

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Stamps : Stampington Fresh Flowers Elements; Time to Stamp ATC set 1; Invoke Arts backgrounds

Inks : DI Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick; Adirondack

acrylic Butterscotch; Archival Black

Extras : ZDesign RubOns; red card and black paper

Q for Queen Butterfly

After binning 2 attempts, I am settling for this for Isa's Q challenge. (The 1st day of half term, and my brain has gone flop!) During our walk this afternoon we met a friend who was weeding around the herbs in her front garden - which became the inspiration behind this atc.

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Stamps : Elusive Images Butterfly; Stampington Butterfly Girl and Bay Leaf

Inks : watercolour pencils; Fluid Chalk Tangerine; VersaColor Topaz; StazOn Black

Extras : blender pen; SGme Clear EP; FancyPants PP

P pour parfum

This evening I've gone francais - I've learnt how to pronounce Isa's name properly in her native tongue, and attempted her newest challenge to make a mini atc 2.5" x 1.75". Eh bien, bon soir mes amies.

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Stamps : Time to Stamp ATC set 2; Stampington Fresh Flowers Elements; Elusive Images Fleurs et Parfums

Inks : VersaMagic Spring Pansy, Pixie Dust and Perfect Plumeria

Extras : gold brads; gold mirror card; ribbon; vellum

O for October

Isa's O challenge was to have an 'O'tumnal feel about it, and to omit reds and oranges from the colour palette. I'm so upset that the scan hasn't picked up the october word in gold letter stickers!! But you can see the oak leaves in the flurry of wind.

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Stamps : HA mini oak leaf

Inks : DI frayed burlap and walnut stain; VersaColor Split Pea; ColorBox Cocoa and Brown

Extras : image from art-e-cats; domed alphabet stickers; PP by BG and Dovecraft

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

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

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

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

Joy to the World

I have been waiting with my 'Joy to the World' stamp all summer, hoping that it would suit Isa's J challenge. And it did!!

The challenge also asked for the use of yellow, and to be on a Christmas theme. I have made it in ATC format.

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Stamps : Elusive Images Christmas set; Stampington Antique Music and Butterfly Girl set; Time to Stamp ATC set1

Inks : DI Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade; Fluid Chalk Blue Iris; VersaMagic Spring Pansy and Aegean Blue

Extras : Queen&Co brads

Tickling the Ivories

I've made another card for Isa's I challenge. I had fun sewing all the beads on, and accessorising. The scanner hasn't caught the gold of the beads, though.

I bought some plastic tags at my local art shop. I don't know who manufactures them as they were loose in a basket, but they come in various shapes. I found that Brilliance, StazOn and fluid chalk inks remained permanent on them if you heat set them. The plastic warps a bit in the process but returns to shape when cool. It was hard to punch the hole though.

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Stamps : Stampington piano keys

Inks : DI antique linen, milled lavender; Fluid chalk warm violet; Archival black

Extras : gold paper; DCWV purple card; mixed gold seed and purple bugle beads; plastic tag; metal piano charm; MM and Doodlebug RubOns; threads by Stef Francis; copy of music by Chopin

I for Imagine

For Isa's latest challenge on the letter 'I', you could use option a) some real stitching, and b) something transparent.

I tried a new technique of sponging with cling film on this card, both on the main tag, and pink on the background. It was a blue ink pad, but even irl it looks lilac. For once the scanner has done me proud! The flowers are sewn on.

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 101; HA Old French Writing

Inks : VersaColor Smoke Blue; Artnik Royal Blue; Fluid Chalk Charcoal; VersaMagic Pixie Dust

Extras : lilac brads; pink embroidery thread; mica; CWC pearlescent grey paper; cling film; Dovecraft pink brad; tag

Heavenly Host

Another card for Isa's H challenge. We could add option a) at least 4 patterned papers, and b) some metal. There was a list of H words we couldn't use as well.

I started with 2 BG sublime papers and built the colours up from there. It was only when I stepped back to look at it that I realised how Christmassy it is!

In half term Steve and I went to see a Burne-Jones exhibition at Birmingham art gallery. This angel reminds me of his work, which I love. He always paints long necks, and faces on an angle, with a prominent chin (the model being his wife).

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Stamps : Stampington Latin Parchment, Angelic Host

Inks : Fluid Chalk maroon; DI shabby shutters; Archival black; computer generated text

Extras : copper harp; copper brads; green sheer ribbon; Basic Grey sublime papers; Imaginisce Turkish Delight, and Rococo Loco

H for Hope

This is the 3rd of my ladies of virtue, made for Isa's alphabet challenge.



I then assembled them all together to make one card. Because the image below is a photo, not scanned, the colours have gone much brighter. The above is truer to the original.

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For materials see G for Grace. I have also added Versacolor raspberry ink.

G for gems

Here's another card for Isa's alphabet challenge. The colours are much brighter irl, but I think I prefer them on here. The background is sprayed, and the pink colour-washed with the same inks. The stems are hand doodled.

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Stamps : AudDesign corner and flower; HA alphabet

Inks : DI dusty concord; Sticky fingers pink, lilac & blackberry; white gel pen

Extras : ribbon, domed stickers, crystal gems