Flowers are bursts of colour

The ATC Wednesday theme for this week is flowers.

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Stamps: DarkRoom Door Full Bloom 2; Time to Stamp Oriental Splendor

Inks: DI Black Soot, Dried Marigold and Shabby Shutters; VersaFine Onyx Black

Extras: White brads

Twilight crane

This stamp layout has been in the back of my mind for a while now, so I'm pleased that I can use it for the Tag It On challenge, whose theme is Oriental, and China Blue. I'n not sure if you can see the detail, but I pressed the brads into versamark and then embossed them with sparkly EP.

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Stamps: Time to Stamp oriental Splendor

Inks: DI Broken China, Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade and Black Soot; Adirondack Aqua; VersaFine Onyx Black; Versamark

Extras: Madeira Metallic Thread; Blue Brads; PM Eyelet; Fairydust EP; Sheer Ribbon

Yummy colours

The Tag It On challenge #3 is called Rhubarb Crumble and Custard. What an imaginative title!!!!

I'm particularly fond of this pudding, and grow rhubarb in my garden. Strangely enough, it's the title my brother gives to his emails to me, as it's one of his favourites too!

Back to the plot (narrative, not garden :-)) the task is to use pink, yellow, and some texture. My texture comes from the swiss dots cuttlebug folder, which I rolled over with a rolling pin as I only own some folders and not the machine (yet!). I sanded over the texture and rubbed over with Scattered Straw.

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Stamps: Crafty Individuals 121

Inks: DI Scattered Straw and Aged mahogany; Archival Sepia

Extras: PP by Imaginisce; Cuttlebug folder Swiss Dots; PM Eyelet; Sheer Ribbon; Sanding Block

Cacao Suchard

I found this great image on flickr for the Gothic Arches theme of chocolate. I'm not sure what the 4 represents - something to look up!
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Stamps: Stampington Butterfly Girl and French Dictionary; Time to Stamp ATC set 1

Inks: DI Shabby Shutters, Pine Needles, Antique Linen, Aged mahogany and Tea Dye; Marvy Black Pen

Extras: Image from Rohtola on Flickr; Scissors to distress edges

Simplicity

I've missed the Tag You're It challenge since it closed down, but am very pleased to see that Frankie has set up a new site for tag lovers called Tag It On. This tag below is to wish her well, and uses the theme of blossom as a 'pre-opening' challenge.

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Stamps: Hero Arts Treasure the Moments; Elusive Images Good Deeds

Inks: Marvy Pens Jungle green and Victorian Rose; DI Tattered Rose

Extras: Waterbrush and Spritzer; PM Eyelets; Celebrations Ribbon

Birds of a feather will gather together

I made this card for the Crazy Amigos theme of proverbs or sayings. It's a variation on a card I made a year or so ago, but promptly lost! I prefer this version.

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Stamps: Hero Arts Old French Handwriting; Time to Stamp Birds of a Feather; Just Johanna Bird Right, and Bird Left

Inks: DI Aged mahogany, Antique Linen and Scattered Straw; Archival Black and Sepia

Extras: Prima Flowers; Brads

First jaunt

The Sunday Stampers theme is cars. My daughter passed her driving test this week, so this card is for her.

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Stamps: Tim Holtz Enjoy the Journey, No journey is too great, and Flourish; Stampington Scripted Elements

Inks: Adirondack Eggplant; DI Dusty Concord; VersaFine Onyx Black; Brilliance Moonlight White

Extras: Word tag punch; MM ribbon; Black card

Paris Chic

The Theme Thursday challenge for this week is glamour girls.

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Stamps: HA Fancy Hats; See D's Ancient Alphaber; Crafty Individuals Crackle 116; R&L Travel Paris DarkRoom Door Venetian Vol 1; Stampington Venezia Correspondence

Inks: DI Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Aged mahogany and Brushed Corderoy; VersaFine Onyx Black

Extras: Black card; Vintage Button; Black lace

I sing of poppies

This is my contribution for the graphicus challenge which is twofold: yellow, and sing. I based the card around a poem by Mary A Barr:

I sing the Poppy! The frail snowy weed!

The Flower of Mercy! That within its heart

Doth keep "a drop serene" for human need,

A drowsy balm for every bitter smart,

For happy hours the Rose will idly blow;

The poppy hath a charm for pain and woe.

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Stamps: Elusive Images Butterfly Poppy collage

Inks: Adirondack Lemonade; DI Scattered Straw, Tea Dye and Mustard Seed; Archival Sepia; DI refill Antique Linen; Watercolour pencils

Extras: Perfect Pearls Gold; Brown Brads; PM Eyelet; Ribbon; WHSmith Alpha RubOns; Punch; BB Brown card; TreeGlimmer screens

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

Oh to be 70 again!

When I saw this image on Art Creations Friday I immediately converted her into black and white to see what she looked like - I think I prefer her like this. I then thought she needed an amusing caption.

All my grandmother's sisters were called by nicknames such as Ruby or Chick. In fact I don't know their real names - so I imagine this lady to be called 'Button'. Isn't it funny how what you wear can influence your art work - I realised I'm wearing a cardigan decorated with buttons!

The faux buttons are punched from dyed pelmet vilene.

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

Inks: DI Aged Mahogany, Scattered Straw and Tattered Rose; Black Pen

Extras: Pelmet Vilene; Dymo Labeller; Black paper

Paris 1900

Rhondamum is holding a 2 day All Things French event on her blog, and has invited us to share some artwork. My children are in Paris at the moment with their school band, so France is very much in my thoughts. Here's my contribution.

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Stamps: ISC ATC Elements; Sunday International Lady in Hat; RSTapestry Flourishes; Stampington Paris 1900; HA Old French Writing

Inks: DI Shabby Shutters, Faded Jeans and Peeled Paint

Extras: PM Eyelet; MM ribbon and brads; BB card; Sequin Waste

Brocade Texture

The Saturday Workout this week is to use shrink foil. I only had the ordinary sort of SP, so I used the brocade texture technique to create the same effect.

I painted Lumiere paints onto the SP, allowed it to dry and than shrank as normal. The paints bubble up nicely. Unfortunately the scanner didn't like the beads so the image is slightly out of focus. Try clicking it for a close-up.

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Stamps: ISC ATC Elements 2

Inks: Lumiere paints Pearl White, Pearl Violet, Pearl Blue and Metallic Bronze; DI Dusty Concord, Milled Lavender and Faded Jeans; Brilliance Cosmic Copper

Extras: Purple mulberry paper; Copper and Maroon card; Purple wire; Beads; Shrink Plastic

Dreaming of Venice

The Lots to Do challenge is to use keys, and the Vintage Veranda challenge from guest designer Jacqueline is Dreaming of Far Away Places, using a grid format. I'd love to go to Venice one day....

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Stamps: DarkRoom Door Venetian Vol1; Stampington Venetian Correspondence

Inks: Versafine Onyx Black; DI Aged Mahogany, Old Paper and Tea Dye; Versamark

Extras: Black and pink paper; Detail Gold EP; Sheer ribbon; Collage Keepsakes Key

Angelic Praise

I am so disappointed with the photo of this card. No matter what I did with the camera I couldn't get the colours close enough to the original card. I couldn't scan it as the bottle top might have scratched the surface of the scanner. Never mind! Click to enlarge for more detail.

The Saturday Workout challenge is antique paper, and I have based it on a Christmas theme with the addition of a bottle cap and beads (which I placed in the bottle cap) for Inkurable Stampers.

The music/words paper is from a really old music book that was in the bin at school, so I 'rescued' it! I then aged it more with distressing inks, spritzed on a craft mat.---

Stamps: Stampington Angelic Host and Latin Parchment

Inks: DI Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Old Paper and Antique Linen; Archival Black; Watercolour pencils

Extras: Diamond Glaze; Vintage paper; Bottle top; BB purple card; pale yellow beads

Housekeeper

The Theme Thursday challenge theme week is just vintage. I had so many ideas I didn't know which to leave out. However, I did know that I wanted to use this image from DarkRoom Door, which I stained with distress ink. I also wanted to give her a role. Every scan I took of her ended up distorted, so I resorted to photographing her on my floor!

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Stamps: Sugarlump Studios; Time to Stamp Vintage Sewing; HA Large Delicate Woven Fabric; Stampington Loose Leaves

Inks: DI Faded Jeans, Dried Marigold and Vintage Photo

Extras : DRD Photobooth Ladies

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

Art dream

This is a change from my usual splash of colour, but I thought the muted tones suited the style of the card, which is meant to look aged.

The Saturday Workout challenge is to use a cracked glass technique. I looked everywhere in town this morning for some Johnson's floor polish as suggested on the Technique Zone, without success. So I dug some Amazing Glaze out of its long hiding place, and built up 3 layers of embossing before cracking it.

The metal embellishments were originally pewter, and therefore a bit bright, so I dulled them with copper Metallic RubOns.---
Stamps: Time to Stamp Leo's Plate

Inks: DI Old Paper, Dried Marigold and Frayed Burlap; StazOn Black; Versamark

Extras: Judikins Amazing Glaze; Copper Metallic RubOn; MM Brad and Buckle; Cream Ribbon

Wings of friendship

The Tag You're It challenge is to use the colours Pink, Green and Brown. To this I've added a challenge on the ISC blog to make a tag using Tim Holtz techniques. I used spritzed distress inks on a craft sheet to make the background.
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Stamps: ISC All about me

Inks: DI Worn Lipstick and Shabby Shutters; Adirondack Latte, Rust and Watermelon

Extras: Image from Crafty Individuals; PM Large eyelet; Fibres

A huge honour

I was thrilled when Rachel Greig of Darkroom Door fame contacted me earlier in the month, and asked me if I'd be guest designer for the drd blog. Rachel asked me to feature the new Music Collection, seeing as I'm a musician. I think you'll agree that the whole collection is marvellous - such a wonderful range of stamps and accessories. The only problem was deciding which of the many ideas I had to use!

These are the projects I made for her. All the details of the making of them are described on her blog, but materials are listed here.

1) A pair of atcs
I stamped the images several times, and cut out desired sections to build up a collage.



2) An orchestral rehearsal card
The image for this card came from Nancy Dooren's blog - thank you, Nancy! The instruments were stamped onto shrink plastic, and heat shrunk.



3) Pencil box
I bought this box in a sale for 49p, and customised it for my music highlighter pens. I forgot to photograph the other side of the box, which uses 2 more quotes.


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Stamps: Darkroom Door Melody, Harmony and Chorus

Inks : 1) DI Scattered Straw and Antique Linen; Adirondack Willow and Lettuce; Archival Black
2) Brilliance Coffee Bean; DI Tattered Rose and Walnut Stain
3) Adirondack Dabbers Snow Cap, Cloudy Blue and Purple Twilight; Archival Black; DI Milled Lavender and Dusty Concord; Adirondack Pink Sherbert and Wild Plum

Extras : Shrink Plastic; MM Copper Eyelets; PM Large Eyelet; Beads from my collection; Vellum;Vintage Image; Wooden box; DRD Wordstrip Music and pp Legato; Perfect Pearls gold