Spring Flowers

Today has been so beautiful. I've been out for a walk and coffee with Steve, enjoying the spring flowers and the sunshine (a rare sight lately). I've been crafting with the sun streaming through into the room, and warming my back. It's amazing how it can cheer you up!

In fact it's put me in such a good mood I'll give you news of a give-away in a moment. But first my card for the Theme Thursday subject of Spring, and using the sketch from CPS #50

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Stamps : HA A Real Flower Drooping; BLine Rough Diamonds

Inks : Adirondack Dabbers Lemonade and Shell Pink; DI Aged Mahogany

Extras : MM RubOns and Eyelets; yellow ribbon

To celebrate my 300th post I'm offering these few goodies to one person who comments on this post. They are based on the theme of Spring - some papers, a sheet from Crafty Individuals, some Easter Peel-offs, some embellishments, and a few other things. The offer ends Thursday 14th Feb 10.00pm British time. Please leave some way of contacting you.

Cowboy Boots

When I first saw the 4x4 challenge on Wild West I had no inspiration at all, but then I remembered that I had received some free sample papers with a magazine years ago which would be ideal. You know how you save them for that special occasion, and then forget about them...

I doodled on some white paper to match the pattern on the boot, and used a homemade shimmer spray over a distressed background.

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Stamps : Diffusion Imagine

Inks : DI Refill Tea Dye; Perfect pearls Bronze; DI Walnut Stain; Adirondack Cranberry; Permanent Black Pen; Archival Black

Extras : PP by Creative Imaginations; Paper Cellar Square Gems; Red Ribbon

Daisy

I have used the (flipped over) sketch from DCM's challenge to make a birthday card for my next-door neighbour. It's a tradition that I always make her a card with her favourite flower on it.

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Stamps : HA Old French Writing; Tim Holtz Take Flight

Inks : Adirondack Dabber Peach Bellini; DI Dried Marigold and Spiced Marmalade; VersaColor Bark

Extras : Green ribbon and card; MM large Brad; Image from Crafty Individuals Butterflies and Flowers pad; Prima Flower

Victorian Fan

2Peas are having a winter festival of stamping this week, and one of their challenges is to make a Victorian fan, using this template. 'Japanning', or the art of black and gold lacquered woodwork, was very popular in this era, so I recreated my own version of it here. This also meets the Wednesday Stamper theme of Asia.

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Stamps : Time to Stamp ATC set; A Stamp in the Hand Round Lantern; Clarity Stamps Branch

Inks : Adirondack Ink pad and Dabber Peach Bellini; Archival Black; Fluid Chalk Tangerine; DI Black Soot

Extras : Prima Flowers; Japanese paper and cord; Black Lace; MM eyelet

Adore

This card serves 2 purposes - the DCM challenge entitled A Little Extra Doodling, for which there is an excellent tutorial; and Created ByHand's Collage Image challenge (the challenge being to use this image from QuietFire Design).

I have doodled with lines, dots and dashes - sorry, there isn't a secret Morse Code message in there! Now I think of it, that would have been fun!

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Stamps : Time to Stamp ATC set1

Inks : Fluid Chalk Charcoal; White gel pen; computer generated text

Extras : Prima flowers; MM and BB brads; PP by Scenic Route; Silver card; Image

Ismaki Challenge no5

Here is the sketch and card for the 5th challenge. I have kept it simple as I have made it for Steve, and he doesn't like heavily embellished and fussy cards. The optional extra was to use the colours turquoise and brown.
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Stamps : HA My Heart to Yours; SU! hearts

Inks : Fluid Chalk Charcoal; VersaMagic Sea breeze

Extras : PP by Crate paper; prima Flower; Letter brad unknown; Offray ribbon

Skimbleshanks

Toot Toot!!

I was thrilled that the Artful Blogging Magazine approached me and asked if they could publish my Wonderland ATC in their Feb 2008 issue as part of an article about TMTA. Congrats to the other ladies who work was featured too. Here is my work in situ:

The current TMTA challenge is Cats, and where better to go than the poetry of T. S. Eliot? Here is Skimbleshanks sauntering in at 11.42, just before the train is due to depart.

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Stamps : BLine Tick Tock

Inks : DI Frayed Burlap, Mustard Seed and Dried Marigold; VersaMagic Night Sky

Extras : Image from Internet; Replica of original train ticket from Past Times; Edding RubOns

Ophelia

Last week I ran out of time and had to bow out of the Gothic Arches challenge. I was determined that I would contribute today, especially as the theme is the colour purple!! I am so pleased that I could use the buildings stamp for the 1st time. I've had it for about 6 years.

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Stamps : Crafty Individuals 147; Judikins building; Paper Artsy Letters 5; Tanda Stamps Flourishes set

Inks : VersaMagic Pretty Petunia, Perfect Plumeria and Spring Pansy; Archival Grape

Extras : image from Tuscan Rose CD no.3

Bourbon Street

This is my contribution to the 4x4 Friday theme of houses. I wanted a card that didn't take a lot of preparation as I'm about to go and play in a concert, but needed to relax after the rehearsal. Minimal materials here, which unusual for me, and a good discipline.

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Stamps : PaperBag Studios Addison; Paper Artsy Man of Numbers 2; Bicycle unknown

Inks : DI Walnut Stain; Archival Black

Extras : Basic Grey Sublime

Red and White

These are the colours in the DCM challenge this week. It was hard to restrict myself to just red, as there only limited shades to play with. I also used sketch #49 from CPS.

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Stamps : Just Johanna birds; Tim Holtz Take Flight; Stampington Scripted Elements

Inks : DI Aged Mahogany and Fired Brick; Versamark; Glimmer Mist Candy Apple Red

Extras : Scissor Sisters flowers; PM Sticky ribbon flowers; SGme Clear EP

Pennant M

This is the 5th and final pennant for my 'dream' banner. Underneath you can see it hanging in my music/craft room. I will hang it a bit more decoratively later, but at least you see it in its setting.

M was the letter this week, with the extra being clocks or keys. M for music.... piano keys..... how can I resist that pun!?

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Stamps : Stampington Small Piano Keys and Mozart signature; Sunday International small key; See D's Ancient Alphabet; HA Printer's Lowercase; PaperBag Studios Addison

Inks : DI Fired Brick and Weathered Wood; VersaColor Polar Blue; VersaMagic Night Sky

Extras : SU Ribbon; MM eyelets; PM Flower Brads; Prima Flowers; Stippling Brush

Discovering India

It seems as if triangles are 'in' at the moment. This is the Theme Thursday subject. To this I have added Wednesday Stamper's Charms. The hologram EP gives the card sparkle.

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Stamps : Judikins Travels in India and Stitched Leaves; Paper Artsy Travel 4

Inks : Versamark; Adirondack Red Pepper, Sunshine Yellow and Butterscotch; Impress Garnet; Archival Black; White Gel pen

Extras : Beads from my collection; Paper Cellar Red ribbon bow; Black and Hologram EP; Suitcase Charm; Wire; Tracing Paper