Collage with a Twist at TioT

Hi and it's time for  another Challenge at Try it on Tuesdays and this time the theme is 'Collage' but there's a TWIST - you must include some SCRIPT.

For my card I have used a lovely Crafty Individuals image that I chose as my 'prize', as I was one of the lucky winners of the June challenge.  The image, which has lots of lovely collaged elements, was all fussy cut and layered with foam pads to give a little depth. The balloon was coated with Glossy Accents.  My little 'home-made' chit chat stickers were cut from a TH stamp.  The hidden postcard is also a CI stamp, and all layered onto a page from a french novel, gifted by my lovely blog friend Lynne in some candy a while ago.
My very talented teamies have some wonderful and very varied inspiration for you, so please pop over here to take a look, and also meet our newest member - Laura.

I am entering this at:
  Dream Valley Challenges - Summer Days
  Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes
  Stemplesonne - Travel
  Happy Campers - Summer
  City Crafters - Summertime

That's it for now,  apart from saying thanks for all your lovely comments, especially as I have been a little neglectful of blogging lately.

Avril xx

Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hello and welcome to another Fashionable Stamping Challenge and this time it's 'Script/Books/Pages/Print' and as long as there is some 'real' stamping on your project, we would love you to join us.  We are again sponsored by Leo of Flonzcraft who is offering the lucky random winner a $20 spend in their online store.

For my DT piece, the background was stamped with  Inkylicious stamps, and Walnut Stain DI then distressed with Antique Linen. The main image, another Inkylicious image was stamped with black Archival before colouring with Distress markers.  As by way of a change, my flower was made with 'Retro' punches.
My very talented teamies have some wonderful and varied inspiration for you, so please pop over here to take a look, you won't be disappointed.

I am entering this at  Ali-Craft  where the  theme this month is  Butterflies, well, after winning last months super prize, it would be rude not to.
  Also at:
  Crafts4Eternity - Anything Goes
  Totally Papercrafts - Use Lace
  Charisma Cardz - Make your own Embellishment (Flower)
  Crafts & Me - Anything Goes

Enjoy the rest of your weekend whatever you are doing.

Avril xx

Decisions! Decisions!

Hello and welcome to something that's not a DT post for a change.
Yes, I managed my 'me' time crafting and got carried away until the early hours, but what a dilemma I had!
 A couple of weeks ago I was very lucky and won the 1st Challenge over at Alicraft  Blog and such a fabulous prize - 2  different size- yes 2,  Graphic45 Secret Garden paper pads! These papers are so beautiful, hence the decisions - what side of the paper do I use.  Eventually I chose...

I used the 12" x!2 pad, cut my image with Deckle edge scissors, distessed my edges with Iced Spruce and Antique Linen, well I couldn't not have inky somewhere! Tim Holtz Doily and  Tattered florals dies,  and bits from my stash.  Those of you who are regular readers know that almost everything I do involves stamping, but these were such a pleasure to use...the next one will be soon!

I am entering this at:
  Crafts Too Challenge You - Choose a Decade or Era + Layers - 5 layers inc. gauze - Victorian era)
  Oldie but a Goodie - In the Garden (my pearls, flower die and gauze are old items)
  The Hobby House - Vintage

Hope you all have a great weekend whatever you're doing.

Avril xx

'L' for Lace at Alphabet

Hi Folks, its time for another letter over at Alphabet Challenge and this week its Team B - and we have 'L for Lace'  chosen by yours truly.
For my DT piece I have used IndigoBlu's Elizabeth Bennett for the main image, coloured with Distress Markers.  My lace is TH Tattered Doily and an extra strip of crochet lace. The flowers are made using the Floral strip die.
My very talented teamies have some wonderful inspiration for you, so please pop over here.  Don't forget, we now do a Top 3 for each challenge and offer a Winner's badge.

I am entering this at:
  Southern Girls - No Spoolin (no ribbon/twine or cotton)
  Rhedd and Rosies - Anything Goes
  Crafting for all Seasons - Bingo (top line - pink- flowers and blue)
  Crafty Cardmakers - Birthday
  Totally Papercrafts - Make your own Flowers

I am pleased to report that the Wedding Invitations are finished - whew!
Now - just Order of Service, Place Cards, Table Settings Menus and Thank You cards left to finish - why did I offer a design with more than one die cut -  I have been die cutting in the garden this week - it looks as if someone has sprinkled confetti!!

That's it for now, I think a little bit of 'me' crafting time is in due tonight, and I hope to do some catching up in Blogland later.

Avril xx

Home is Where the Heart Is at Try it on Tuesdays

Hi folks,
Time for another challenge at Try it on Tuesday and this time it's Home is Where the Heart Is.  Its up to you how you interpret this, as long as you tell us, and don't forget our rules,  you can only enter 5 challenges with this project including ours.My very talented teamies have some fabulous interpretations on this theme, so please take a look here.
My card started out as a piece of scrap card to mop up some Tumbled Glass and Picket Fence Distress Stain.  I embossed the corner using a TH Embossing folder, and then coloured some of the raised flowers with Distress Markers and then spritzed and dabbed with a tissue. to soften,  I bought the image from Dreamees a couple of weeks ago at a local Craft fair, (the house actually hangs from a floral branch which I didn't need), coloured with markers, Glossy Accents, Markers and Glamour Dust for the 'heart'.  Flowers are a mix of Joy Crafts, Memory Box and TH Tattered Floral strip die.

I am entering this at:
  Make it Monday - Anything Goes
  Aud Sentiments - Two word Sentiment
  Charisma Cards - No designer paper

Looks like this weather is set to continue for a while, so different from last Summer!  I'm off to do some more die cutting in the garden as I'm still working on the rest of the Wedding Stationary, although DD still hasn't given me final numbers!
Enjoy the sunshine, whatever you're doing.

Avril xx

Flora & Fauna at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hello, yes I'm still around - (just a busy couple of weeks!) and its time for a new challenge at Fashionable Stamping and this time it's Flora & Fauna - dictionary definition
  Flora and Fauna (flowers and animals) - Flora is the goddess of flowers in Roman mythology. The corresponding term for animal life is fauna.
and as long as there is at least one 'real' stamped image on your project, it's up to you!  We are again sponsored by Flonzcraft who are offering a lucky winner a $20 voucher to spend in their online store

For my 'Flora' I used a new Noor Design Stamp, which was coloured with Promarkers, and distressed with Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Weathered Wood DIs. The Prima DP was stamped with an Inkylicious Stamp in the left corner. Tim Holtz Doily and Tattered Florals for my flowers.
My very talented Teamies have some wonderful 'Flora & Fauna'  inspiration for you,  so please pop over here to be inspired.

I am entering this at
  Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
  Craft Room Challenge - Vintage Stamping
  Cuttlebug Mania - Make your own flowers
  Sweet Stampin - Shabby/chic
  Addicted to Stamps - Lots of Layers
  Eclectic Ellapu - Flowers
  The Hobby House - Vintage

I have been very neglectful of my blog of late, and the sunshine doesn't help - I think we need to make the most of it - don't know how long it will last  and its such a long time since we were able to enjoy it!
I have die cut and made quite a few flowers while sitting in the garden, so expect to see lots added to projects.
That's it for now, hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend, whatever you're doing.

Avril xx

Altered Photo Album

I'm back again - and this time I'm showing how I altered the little 6" x 4" Photo Display book that was in my DT pack this month from Shernocky Crafts.

 I decided to give it a vintage look - well you know me!

I started by distressing a piece of 4" x 6" corrugated card, then painted what was left of the top covering with PaperArtsey Fresco Finish in Taupe, and although its not showing, I distressed this with Vintage Photo DI.   Then a Gold embossing ink pad was swiped over the edges, and heat embossed with Gold powder.
My letters were die cut and stamped with the script part of one of the PaperArtsey Hot Picks HPXT02 stamps, coated in Glossy Accents, before being randomly pressed into the gold pigment ink pad and then sprinkled with gold EP, some of which was brushed off for a distressed finish, and then heat embossed.

For the inside covers I used white card, distressed with Tumbled Glass and Frayed Burlap DIs, I then inked the script with Tumbled Glass DI and stamped without an acrylic block.  The small brown envelope was given the same treatment, but with Frayed Burlap.

The back cover was painted with the Taupe FF and then distressed with Vintage Photo and some random stamping, again without the acrylic block.  To give the appearance of an old book, I used the jute to cover the middle edges.

Materials used
 PaperArtsy Hot Picks HPXT02
 PaperArtsy Fresco Finish - Taupe
 Jute Trim
 Snopake PolyView Photo Display Book
 Small Kraft Money Pockets (all available from Shernocky Crafts)

I am entering this at:
  Anything but a Card - Get Messy
  Come and Get it - Masculine

Thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Show us your Metal at Try it on Tuesday

It's time for another challenge at Try it on Tuesday and this time we would like you to 'Show us you Metal'
So as long as there is 'metal' on your project -  however you interpret this - if its metal/paint effects or whatever,  just let us know  and we would love you to join us, but remember, you can only enter 5 challenges including ours.

For my metal, I have used this  lovely metal birdcage charm, which has been in my stash for quite a while.  My image is Crafty Individuals, coloured with Distress Markers and chalked whilst still in the Nesti frame. I also edged it with Gold EP.  The script background was stamped and embossed with Gold EP. The raised area on the embossed corner was swiped with Gold pigment ink, sprinkled with Gold EP, but then I brushed some of the powder off  as I wanted a more distressed look to this.

My talented teamies have some wonderful inspiration for you, so please pop over here to take a look.

I am entering this at :
  Make it Monday - Anything Goes
  Sweet Stampin - Not Cute
  Sister Act challenge - Anything Goes

That's it for now, except to say thanks for looking and I really do appreciate you comments.

Avril xx