Shall I compare thee to a summer's day

The Saturday Workout challenge is to use spin and splash. My face lit up when I saw this, as I really enjoy this technique. Once again I played with this in Adobe photoshop.

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Inks: Alcohol Inks Lettuce, Espresso and pearl Mixative

Extras: Glossy card; Image from Art creations; Flourishes from Finsternis-stock at www.deviantart.com

Spread your wings little fairy

I loved this image as soon as I saw it, and thought it loooked as if this fairy had just emerged, like a butterfly from its cocoon. It came from http://www.digitalcollagesheets.com/.

This is my contribution to the Crazy Amigos theme of Come fly with me.


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Stamps: DarkRoom Door Little Dreams

Inks: Alcohol Inks Stream, Butterscotch, Pitch Black and Pearl Mixative; Archival Black

Extras: Vintage Image; Prima Flowers; Grey Brad; Paper Cellar Square gems; Glossy and Black card; Spin and Splash toy

Heart tag

The Crazy Amigo site has Tim Holtz as their theme for this week, so here is my tag using various products and techniques promoted by him.
For the background I placed drops of alcohol inks and blending solution on a craft mat, and smooshed a piece of glossy card over the top. Note to self - the silver mixative is difficult to stamp over!
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Stamps: Tim Holtz Take Flight

Inks: Alcohol Inks Stream, Stonewashed, Butterscotch and Silver Mixative; Archival Black; Versamark Pen; Distress Crackle paint Brushed Pewter

Extras: Washer; Silver Ribbon; Mini Grungeboard heart; Detail Silver EP

Pearly butterfly

Here's my contribution for the Tag You're It theme of wings. Using such a large brad has caused the butterfly to go slightly out of focus in the scanner, but it is 3D. I don't think you get the sheen from the Pearl Mixative either.

I coloured the Magic Mesh with the Alcohol Inks.

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Stamps: Paper Artsy Petals 6 and One Penny 2

Inks: Alcohol Inks Denim, Eggplant, Lettuce,Stonewashed, Pesto and Pearl Mixative; VersaFine Onyx Black; Adirondack Eggplant, Denim, Lettuce and Stonewashed

Extras: Prima Flower; PM Eyelet and Brad; Fibres; Magic Mesh

Little darling

This little darling is the picture challenge from Art Creations Friday.

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Stamps: Stampers Anonymous Mosaic and Flourish

Inks: StazOn Black; Gold Gel Pen; Alcohol Inks Raisin, Terracotta, Butterscotch and Pearl Mixative

Extras: Vintage Image; Prima Flowers; Gold Brads

Plum and Gold

These are the colours set by the Graphicus blog January challenge, with the additional theme celebration. Birthdays are always cause for celebration! Although I used a plum named colour, this has come out remarkably pink!
A while back I received some Creative Acrylics as a free gift with an order from Elusive Images, so was pleased to use one here. I brushed over the sentiment with orange chalk, which gives a gold effect.
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Stamps: Elusive Images Butterfly, and Delightful Damask sets

Inks: Alcohol Inks Wild Plum, Eggplant and Pearl Mixative; Versamark; Brilliance Moonlight White

Extras: Elusive Images Creative Acrylics Happy Birthday; Glossy Card, Gold Paper and Plum Card; Detail Gold EP; Judikins Embossable Window Plastic; Sheer Ribbon; Orange Chalk

Numbers tag

The Tag You're It theme this week is numbers. I added my tag to another background to make a card.

I inked the brad and the washer with alcohol inks to blend in with the colour scheme. The background was inked, spritzed and placed in the embossing folder. As I don't have a cuttlebug machine, I used a rolling pin and elbow grease!

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Stamps: Crafty Individuals 101; Paper Artsy Mini 23

Inks: DI Aged Mahogany, Tattered Rose, Faded Jeans; Versafine Onyx Black; Alcohol Inks in Cranberry, Stonewashed and Pitch Black

Extras: Cuttlebug Folder Rough Diamonds; Prima Flowers; Silver Brad and washer; Knitting Fibres; Black Paper

True love

I decided to case a Tim Holtz style tag for the Saturday Workout theme on metal, using crackle paint and alcohol inks on grungeboard, and the latter on a washer.

The shininess of the metal effects are dulled by the scanner :-(---
Stamps: Tim Holtz Bank of True Love

Inks: Adirondack Stonewashed and Wild Plum; DI Dusty Concord; Alcohol Inks Wild Plum and Eggplant; Crackle Paint Brushed Pewter; Archival Black

Extras: Fibres; Grungeboard Minis; Washer; Waxy Flax Plum

Taking the road

The Lots to Do challenge is to use a quote. This gave me the opportunity to play with a colour scheme I have always liked but rarely used.

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Stamps: Paper Artsy B&M 2 and free gift

Inks: Alcohol inks Cranberry, Stonewashed and Pearl Mixative; Versamark; Adirondack Stonewashed ink; Archival Black

Extras: Grungeboard Arrow; Metallic RubOns; Vintage Button; Sheer Ribbon; BB card; Glossy Card; Brayer

Lighting the stable

The Gothic Arches theme this week is celebration. Jesus's birth is a great cause for celebration!

This is a tiny arch.

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Stamps: Paper Artsy Mini 16; Stewart Gill PB1; Studio G celebrate

Inks: Adirondack Lemonade, Lettuce, Meadow, Aqua, Sail Boat Blue and Denim; Versafine Onyx Black; Watercolour pencil in brown; Inkessentials White Gel Pen; Alcohol Ink Gold Mixative

Extras: Grungeboard Star

life's treasures

The Gothic Arches theme this week is silhouettes. The image came from Karen's Whimsy, where there are several silhouette images. I was tempted to add more to the arch, but decided that less was more.
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Stamps: ISC All About Me

Inks: Archival Black; Alcohol Inks Lettuce, Bottle, Stonewashed and Pearl Mixative

Extras: Image from Internet; Prima Flowers; Black Brad; Glossy Card

Red and green

These are the colours for the Tag you're it challenge. It's a shame you can't see the glimmer!

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Stamps: Stampington xmas found elements; Elusive Images 3 Wise Men

Inks: DI Aged Mahogany, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Black Soot and Pine Needles; Versafine Onyx Black; Alcohol ink Gold Mixative

Extras: Grungeboard Star; HOTP Red Ribbon; PM brads and eyelet; Perfect pearls gold; Copper Wire

Boys of the Light Brigade

The Created byHand theme this week is alcohol inks. I have continued my tribute to those who died in the process of serving their country in honour of Remembrance Day.

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Stamps: Stampers Anonymous background and Flourish; Paper Artsy At Home 5

Inks: Alcohol Inks Denim, Stonewashed, Eggplant and Pearl Mixative; Versamark; Archival Black

Extras: Detail Silver EP; Glossy card; Prima Flower; Silver Brad; Black Paper

Sealed with a kiss

Disaster struck yesterday. I had sent 5 atcs to a friendship themed swap at Katy's Corner UK forum, only for the envelope to arrive empty, and open. So I have made 5 new ones, and really hope they arrive intact.

This atc is also my contribution to the Created byHand theme of Ribbon. You can't see it very clearly, but the ribbon is polka dotted. I used alcohol ink to colour the buttons. Now I see this on the screen I think I should have chosen a softer colour than the watermelon.

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Stamps: Simple Expressions People 2; Time To Stamp ATC set 2; MSE Friends Always

Inks: VersaColor Old Rose and Topaz; Adirondack Watermelon; Alcohol Inks Cranberry

Extras: Paper Cellar Clear Button; Celebration Ribbon

Sunflower

The Theme Thursday challenge is to use the word sun in some way. The contrast between the stamped backgrounds and the main one is greater irl.

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Stamps: Simple Expressions The Orient; Judikins Sunflower

Inks: Butterscotch and Terra Cotta inks and alcohol inks; Archival Black

Extras: Corner Punch; Black Paper; Paper Cellar Pearl Circles

Glad Tidings

The Lots to Do challenge this week is to use some kind embossing on your work. To that I added 3 challenges from 2Peas - overlapping flourishes of different colours, using vintage lace with a Christmas theme, and using the work of someone as inspiration. I chose Nancy. Some of the flourishes are gold embossed.

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Stamps: HA Fantastic Flourishes; Elusive Images 3 Wise Men

Inks: Alcohol Inks Cranberry, Lettuce and Pearl Mixative; StazOn Olive Green; Versamark

Extras: Vintage Lace; Detail Gold EP; Image from art-e-cats; pink ribbon and paper; Glossy card; PM Large Eyelet

Black Crow

This is an atc I made on a spooky theme for Inkurable Stampers. I find crows spook me, with their flapping wings and terrible cawing.
I wanted a soft border, so I sanded the edges and sponged with distress ink.
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Stamps: Time to Stamp Birds of a Feather; PaperBag Studios Addison

Inks: Alcohol Inks Butterscotch, Terra Cotta and Pearl Mixative; StazOn Saddle Brown and Black; DI Black Soot

Extras: Glossy Card; Sander

Stamptoberfest 2008

This festival of stamping is being held on 2Peas for the next week, with lots of challenges. Here are 3 items that I've made so far:

Vintage Lace Christmas card

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Stamps : Paper Artsy xmas 1

Inks : DI Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Broken China

Extras : image from chicks57; vintage lace and buttons; pink card; Joanna Sheen lace paper; pink pearlescent paper

Christmas tag

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Stamps: Simple Expressions 3; Paper Artsy xmas 1

Inks : Adirondack Colorwash spray (diluted) Wild Plum; DI refill Antique linen, and Black Soot ink; Archival Black

Extras : Fibres; Sheer Ribbon; Prima Flower; Green Brad; PM Large Eyelet; Perfect Pearls Gold

Pea-inspired

I 'cased' a card by Jacqueline, although she'll probably be horrified at my vivid colours! You can see her original on this 2Peas post through the link on the right.

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Stamps : HA Fanciful Flourishes; Crafty Individuals 21

Inks : Alcohol Inks Wild Plum, Cranberry, Butterscotch and Pearl Mixative; Archival Black;Versamark

Extras : Detail Gold EP; image from chicks57; Glossy card; Spin and Splash toy

Yesterday is History

The Created byHand theme is Dragonflies. I'm afraid I couldn't get this atc to scan very well in focus because of the brads.

How do other people get their acetate to lie flat?
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Stamps : Clarity Stamps Yesterday is History; freebie dragonfly from Simply Stamping magazine

Inks : Alcohol Inks Eggplant, Denim and Stonewashed; Arcival Black; Adirondack Dabber Eggplant; Versamark

Extras : Eggplant Brads; Glossy Card; Detail Silver EP; Acetate

4 x 4

4 x 4 is the size of my entry for the Lots to Do challenge on numbers. I coloured the clear button with alcohol ink.

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Stamps: Crafty Individuals 72

Inks : DI Mustard Seed and Fired Brick; Archival Black; Alcohol Ink Cranberry

Extras : Junior Dymo machine; Paper Cellar Clear Button; BB red card