Stencil Sunday #2 August

Good afternoon all.

Yesterday didn't quite go to plan when I was struck down by an almighty migraine! Several doses of pills down the line I rallied round enough to go out and enjoy the meal thankfully. Two out of three kids made it with us but my younger son had to work so my friend joined us instead. It was a very pleasant evening with lovely food.

A month gone and it's time once again to inspire you for our mixed media Stencil Sunday challenge at STAMPlorations. It was great to see so many entries to our first challenge. I have a canvas to share with you today.

This is one of those pieces which went horribly wrong!! I started with a small canvas board which I had painted with black gesso. I then used texture paste through the Happy Flowers stencil and once dried used Mica Powders to add some colour....the result was awful!! I didn't want to waste the canvas so after leaving it for several days I covered the whole canvas with plumbers tape and used various acrylic paints to build up the colour. I used various stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge set to stamp around the edges and background with black archival ink. To finish I used some Metallic Gilding Wax over the stencilled area. It now needs a black frame to finish it off I think!

The theme is always anything mixed media goes except a card and you must use at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. Linky closes at the end of the month.

Prizes: $15 gift certificate OR choice of any 2 ARTplorations stencils to the winner

choice of 1 ARTplorations stencil to the top picks.

 Looking forward to seeing all your creations.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see what my team mates have produced, you won't be disappointed!

Challenges entered:

Mixed Media World - stencils

The Artistic Stamper - anything goes

Mixed Media Mojo - anything goes

The Mirror Crack'd - canvas

That Craft Place - anything goes mixed media

Eclectic Ellapu "By the Sea"

Good morning all.

A new month and a year older...wonder what this year has in store for me!

With the new month comes a new challenge at Eclectic Ellapu. Yvonne has picked the theme of "By the Sea" for the Pink Team this time.

I started with a canvas board which hadn't turned out as planned and covered it with a napkin before painting with white gesso. The texture paste stencilling  was still evident so I positioned the canvas with this in the bottom right corner to give the sand some texture. Once dry I used antique linen crackled paint and two shades of blue chalk frescoes from Paper Artsy to paint my background. My image is a Paintbox Poppet decoupage from Crafter's Companion which I've framed with my die from Wplus9; the sentiment, cloud and sunshine die are also from the same set. The seagull and compass stamps are from Kanban and I've stamped onto tissue paper. I've used some dark blue ink to stamp around the edges with a stamp from The Mixed Media set from STAMPlorations.

This  was one of those pieces which had no plan and just evolved as I went along...I love how it turned out....and my canvas didn't go to waste :)

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the other girls, you won't be disappointed. The Purple Team have a recipe for this month - 3 dies, 2 stencils and 1 sentiment.

Challenges entered:

Stamps and Stencils - happy holidays

Simon Says Stamp - anything goes

Die Cuttin Divas - the great outdoors

Crafty Cardmakers - anything but a card

Simon says Stamp - not ordinary paper (used a napkin)

Altered Eclectics - anything MM goes

Rhedd's Creative Challenge - anything MM goes

Sparkles Monthly - sun, sea and sand

The Mirror Crack'd - canvas

Anything but a Card - anything goes

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

Domestic goddess hat on today...don't want to have to do anything tomorrow as it's my birthday! Apparently I'm being taken out for dinner and the kids have been commanded to attend too...we'll see what happens tomorrow!

I'm off to visit Erika and share a golden oldie just for fun. Today I'm sharing a get well card made for eldest after he had maxillofacial surgery when he was 18...can't believe it's 7 years ago.

The image is off an Andy Carolan CD and the papers are from Hot off the Press.

Enjoy your weekend whatever you're up to.

Happy Birthday to you

Good morning all.

Well yesterday was a bit of a washout and today isn't looking much better! I'm off to the hairdresser's later, then getting my nails done. Hope it fairs up so I can walk there and back....I need the exercise!

Sharing another birthday card today.

The lovely Becca is hosting a Birthday Bash Link-up to which everyone is invited, here is the mood board to get your creative juices going. She has some fabulous prizes on offer!

I was inspired by the bird and the colours to create my card.

This is a real snippet buster....all the card was in the bit box! Die is my favourite from Wplus9, the sun also comes from the same set. Embossing folder is from Crafter's Companion which I sprayed with distress spray...this was a piece made for another project which didn't work. The Tim Holz Crazy Bird from Stampendous and Clearly Besotted sentiment are stamped onto some of the leftover bits from my very first gelli plate play.

Challenges entered:

Becca's Birthday Bash - mood board

Bloggers - the letter B (bird, blue, birthday)

Fussy and Fancy - things with wings

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Creative Artiste - anything mixed media with texture and spray mists

plus colour palette

Seize the Birthday - anything goes

Southern Girls - get messy with ink and paint
Dream Valley - embossing wet/dry
Not Just Card - anything goes
One Crazy Stamper - anything goes

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

A lazy day was had yesterday although I did change the bed and do three loads of washing! The weather isn't looking too good this week so a good excuse to craft.

A birthday card to share today, made for my Uncle who turns 87 this week.

Using my favourite die from Wplus9, cut from a snippet of white card lying on my desk and mounted to the base with foam. Stamps are all from STAMPlorations (Vignette: Celebrate Artsy and Holiday Artsy), stamped with various distress inks and black archival. Sentiment from Wild Rose Studio stamped and heat embossed with white EP. A few sequins to finish.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - use snippets

Wishing Chrissie a very happy 70th birthday!

A Gem of a Challenge - birthday wishes

Happy Little Stampers CAS - stamping

CASology - lines

STAMPlorations - stamps and distressing

Christmas Card Club "Let it Snow"

Good morning all.

After spending Friday doing chores (including the basket of ironing) yesterday was spent crafting. I managed to finish some projects which had been sitting around since before my holidays and do some DT work.

Another two weeks have passed so it must be time for us girls to share our Christmas Card Club makes. the lovely Christine set the theme this time with "Let it Snow".

The bauble die is from Joanna Sheen's Signature Dies and was newly purchased just before my holidays. The embossing folder is from Spellbinders - this is an oblong folder but I positioned it to leave a top edge to match the sides and allowed the bottom to emboss over the edge. Sentiment is from Woodware Stamps. Finished with some black twine and a few gemstones. Another flat one for posting!

If you'd like to see the other girl's take on the challenge you'll find their names on my sidebar.

Challenges entered:

ABC Christmas - off the edge

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

The Glory of Christmas - feature a creature

Sparkles Forum Christmas - ribbon, lace or twine

The Crafty Calendar - Christmas in July

My Time to Craft - Christmas in July

Creative Corner - Christmas in July

Fussy and Fancy - things with wings

Crafter's Cafe - Christmas in July

Whimsy Stamps - Christmas in July

Forever

Good afternoon all.

Today it's my turn to inspire you over on the ARTplorations blog with a tutorial. Here is my project...click on the link to see how I made it.

I've recycled a photo frame....one of a string of three, the other two containing photos of the boys are still to be done.

Challenges entered:

Mixed Media World - stencils

Recycle, Re-Purpose and Re-Invent - anything goes

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything mixed media goes

Altered Eclectics - anything mixed media goes

The Mirror Crack'd - canvas

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

Off to join Erika to share a golden oldie this morning...I'll be back to share my first tutorial for ARTplorations this afternoon.

Today's share was first aired in 2011 and the original post can be found here. The papers and images were from Crafty Ann's and this was one of my DT inspiration pieces.The front was a bowed piece of acetate...this was given to my Mum and I've no doubt it's still tucked in a cupboard somewhere!

Challenges entered:

Thursday Throwback #11 - shaped card

$25,000 Reward

Good morning all.

Things are slowly returning to normal here and I hope I've caught up with most of you by now. A slow internet connection and the Ipad are not conducive to frequent blogging - hence my absence for two weeks.

Spent yesterday down home as it was my nephew's birthday, along with his Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary and as I was running late with the birthday card I had to hand deliver!

I finally made it into the craft room on Tuesday but the mojo is still hiding in the suitcase or perhaps under the pile of ironing I've managed to create! This is the card I made for my nephew....luckily the wedding anniversary card was made some time ago.

I made a similar card for my BIL last year and Jack asked me to make him one this year so I knew where this one was going. The backing paper was the waste paint piece from a gelli plate play (the results of which you may or may not see in the future!) which I ran through a Crafter's Companion brick wall embossing folder which I'd inked with black soot DI....I love how it turned out! The reward stamp was a magazine freebie...I managed to print the photo the right size and overstamp perfectly first time before heat embossing with black EP and cutting with a nestie die....love it when things go right first time!

The happy birthday die and stamp are from Whimsy Stamps and I finished with a smattering of sequins....I've had a few comments in the past from people who love sequins but feel they never manage to place them right....please know I belong in the same group! So if I can do it so can you!!

Challenges entered:

Crafty Gals Corner - to die for

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Top Tip Tuesday - Bingo (embossing, sentiment, punches/dies)

Card Mania - anything goes

Craft Your Passion - anything goes

Dream Valley - embossing wet/dry

Fashionable Stamping - all about men

Penny Black and More - anything goes with a sentiment

We Love to Create - anything mixedmedia/creative/inky goes

A Gem of a Challenge - birthdays

Enjoy the Journey

Good afternoon all. Arrived home safely last night to an intact, if a little untidy, house. Washing machine has been working overtime and after a trip around with the hoover things are looking more like I left things!

An upcycled stamp block to share today as inspiration for the STAMPlorations stencil Sunday challenge blog.

A few seconds in the microwave to remove the rubber stamp and a willing hubby to drill a hole for me and I was ready to go. After a couple of coats of black gesso I used some design paper to cover the front and back of the block. Words were stamped and embossed with black detail EP. Background was stamped in various distress inks. I then used the Shutters stencil and texture paste on the sides, covering with embossing powder before drying and heat embossing. Photo holder was bought from Ebay.

A close up of the stencilling.

Mixed Media Grunge

Trendy Butterflies

Shutters Stencil

Challenges entered:
Recycle, Re-Purpose and Re-Invent - anything goes
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything goes
Altered Eclectics - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

Well all good things must come to an end, we're all packed up and ready to head north again. We're stopping over at Trentham Gardens tonight to break the journey.....just hoping the M5 and 6 aren't too busy as I'm going to be driving! Hubby came down with a chest infection on Wednesday night and was proper poorly yesterday so won't be fit to do all the driving this leg of the trip.

Off to join Erika with my golden oldie this morning...just a bit of fun, but it's good to look back and see how much our crafting has moved on.

2009 again and this is my daughter's birthday card. The 3D dragon was a download from, I believe, the Canon website and I can't for the life of me remember the company who made the paper.

Christmas Card Club "Christmas Trees"

Good morning all.

We had a lovely run over Dartmoor yesterday to visit my cousin and Friday was spent on a boat trip down the Dart to Dartmouth, followed by a steam train ride. Today we're going to Paignton for lunch...weather forecast isn't great so think it will be a lazy afternoon.

Another fortnight flown by and it's time for the Christmas Card Club girls to strut their stuff. Margaret choose a theme of "Christmas Trees" for us all to interpret. Here is mine:

My very modern tree is an ARTploration stencil from STAMPlorations. I've inked with various shades of DI then dry embossed it to give some dimension. Sentiment is from Clearly Besotted. Die from Wplus9. Sequins from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Mixed Media Card Challenge - blue

Polka Doodles - add some embossing

Simply Create Too - get ahead for Christmas

4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas in July

Creative Moments - anything goes/mono

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

Having a relaxing time, weather has been reasonably kind so far.  Off on a boat trip down the Dart today and a mooch around Dartmouth. Will catch up with you all when I get home as the internet is a bit haphazard!

Off to join Erika with my golden oldie this morning...just a bit of fun, but it's good to look back and see how much our crafting has moved on.

2009 again and this was a card for my eldest. The image and paper were from Joanna Sheen's Messy Rabbit CD and I think this is Roland Rat...the black sheep of the CD lol. Inside I believe the sentiment said "Pished again!!"

Anniversary Wishes

Good morning all.

We spent a lovely day with my Aunt and Uncle yesterday.....a morning catching up, lunch in Paignton then hubby and I had a brisk walk with my Uncle to Sharkham Point - 4 miles in under an hour with my Uncle setting the pace at nearly 87 year old! Looking forward to spending some more quality time with them over the next two weeks.

An anniversary card to share today made for my niece and her husband who celebrate their first anniversary later this week.

Kraft card base; die from Memory Box; hearts stamp from Unity; sentiment stamps from Imagination Crafts; paper from Nitwits and sequins from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - anything goes make it floral

Simply Papercraft - anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Crafty Time - punches or dies

Sparkles Forum - vintage/shabby chic

The Sisters of Craft - anything goes

Scrap and Craft - celebration

Stencil Sunday #1 July

Good afternoon all.

I'm very excited to be sharing my first mixed media design team post for the Stencil Sunday challenge at STAMPlorations.

My 4x4 canvas was coated with lime Fresco Finish paint using a brayer to apply. I then used the brayer to add versamark ink and heat embossed with mint EP. I used versamark again through the Confetti Circles stencil and heat embossed with pink EP. Texture paste was used with the Nestled Circles stencil. The bird is from Some Birds stencil and I've used sparkle medium and a bead for his eye. Various stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge set were stamped in Archival  inks. Sentiment was stamped on tissue paper and attached with gel medium.

Confetti Circles stencil

Nestled Circles stencil

Some Birds stencil

Mixed Media Grunge stamp set

Bloom Sketches stamp set

Challenge rules:

• Your project(s) can be anything mixed media except a card (so no cards, please!).
• You must use a stencil or stencils (any brand) in your project(s).
• You can enter as many projects as you wish as long as they are in separate blog posts.
• Display the challenge graphic below in your post and link back to this post (not just the main blog).
• Link up by July 31, 11:55 p.m. Pacific (GMT-7).

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the design team's inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

The Mirror Crack'd - canvas

That Craft Place - anything mixed media

Let's Craft and Create - birds or butterflies

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything goes

HLS Christmas Challenge #1 "Tree"

Good evening all.

Arrived in Devon safely, weather has been lovely today but forecast is a bit mixed for the next few days. Accommodation is lovely, a nice peaceful location although the roads are a bit hairy!

So pleased to be here sharing some inspiration for the first Christmas challenge at Happy Little Stampers. The theme this month is:

Here is my card:

Using my favourite PB tree, which was a magazine freebie - stamped in versamark and heat embossed in white detail EP then inked with distress inks. Frame dies are from Wplus9, pennant die from Spellbinders, sentiment from same PB set, sequins from my stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the rest of the team, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. 

Challenges entered:

Happy Little Stampers - CAS stamping

Happy Little Stampers - sketch

CRAFT - embossing

Crimbo Crackers - pastels

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

CHNC - add a sentiment

Challenge up your Life - sequins

Simply Create Too - get ahead for Christmas

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

Well we had the mother of all thunder and lightening storms with torrential rain in the early hours of yesterday but woke to a beautiful day. It was a lovely drive over the Borders onto the M6 for our trip south then about Preston the heavens opened and it was torrential rain all the way to Trentham. At 9pm last night we had gorgeous sunshine and blue skies!! Typical British weather!

Hopefully I'll catch up with some commenting in the next day or so.

Off to join Erika with my golden oldie this morning...just a bit of fun, but it's good to look back and see how much our crafting has moved on.

2009 was the year and this was a card for my nephew. Sentiment stamp was possibly Papermania but I've recycled the block so can't swear to it. The golf and football stamps came in a rather large boxful from QVC. Ribbon and button were recycled from a gift box.

Embrace Life

Good morning all.

Off on my jollies today...we're travelling down halfway today to break the journey up so stopping overnight at Trentham Gardens which we visited a couple of years ago.

Sharing the card I made for June's Card Chain Challenge over at The Society of Stampaholics. This was sent to Janet in Mauritius whilst I received one from Emily in Iowa.

Die is from Wplus9, die cut twice to give a little dimension. Stamps and stencils all from STAMPlorations. Butterfly has been stencilled with texture paste then I added mint EP and once dry I heat embossed it. A few gems finish the card.

Challenges entered:

Creative Card Crew - clean and simple

Everybody-Art-Challenge - clean and simple

Sweet Stamps - bright colours

AAA Cards - use paste or stencils

Simon Says Stamp - summer

Creative Moments - anything goes/wet/dry embossing

Eclectic Ellapu "Travel"

Good morning all.

Saturday evening saw Mum and new baby blue lighted to hospital with baby suspected to have a punctured lung.... a not uncommon problem in premature babies (and possibly occurred as he was born so fast) but none of the Dr's had picked it up before they dispensed them off to the local maternity unit on Saturday morning. Thankfully he's on the mend and is hopefully now out of high dependency.

Monday's funeral was a very "happy" sad occasion and it was lovely to see the extended family again.

Another new month and so it's time for another new challenge at Eclectic Ellapu. It was my turn to set the challenge for the Pink Team and I chose "Travel".

This was Gary's birthday card. I had planned to go with a motorbike theme until his travel plans changed! World stencil is from Suzicraft, I used texture paste and covered it with white EP before drying and heat embossing. Card was then inked with salty ocean DI. Sentiments from Stampers Anonymous and Technique Tuesday. Dies from Whimsy Stamps and Clearly Besotted.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see how my teamies have interpreted the challenge, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Cards 4 Guyz - something beginning with B (birthday, blue, black)

Die Cuttin Divas - anything goes

Crafting From The Heart - anything goes

Craft your Passion - anything goes

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Oh La La Creations - happy birthday

Allsorts - blue as the ocean

Creative Corner - happy birthday

Country View Crafts - on your travels