Fashionable Flowers

Hello and welcome to another challenge at Fashionable Stamping where our theme this fortnight is 'Flowers'.
we again have Flonzcraft as our sponsor and they are offering one lucky random winner a $20 spend in their online store.  All the details, as well as some fabulous inspiration from my very talented teamies, can be found here on the main blog, but remember, we are a stamping challenge and  we especially need to see that the stamping is the focal point on the project and that this must follow the format of the theme.

I love these quirky Jofy flowers, I stamped in black and clear embossed, before being colouring with Distress markers.  I  used an embossing pen and clear powder over the coloured images before adding colour to my background,  I also randomly stamped the sentiment with white Fresco paint.  The main sentiment was stamped in black, and clear embossed, the cut up sections were messily edged with Peacock Feathers DI and then again clear embossed.
I am entering this at:
   Penny Black and More - Favourite Stamp
  Paper Crafting Challenges - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you  enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Avril xx

Tag You're It' at Crafty Individual

Hello and thanks for visiting,  I've actually managed a little play time this week and made a tag to join in the challenge at Crafty Individual which is 'Tag You're It'.  I've made a double tag, although that wasn't   my     original intention, as  I wanted to use some 'pansy' card that I'd made earlier in the year -(this technique was in Craft Stamper magazine last year) - but the card was only 4 x 6" as I'd used the Cuttlebug as the press. (I do wish colours in photos wouldn't 'change' - the picture of the pansy tag looks very blue. although its not. )     

                                                        

I made a larger tag for the base, which was clear embossed with CI 182 Swirl.  I used Bundled Sage, Iced Spruce and Milled Lavender DIs to colour this, before Stamping Dream a little Dream, which was a little freebie with an order.  My main fairy image was stamped onto white cardstock and coloured.  I also stamped the image onto vellum and used an embossing ball tool to emboss the back of the image around the swirls, flowers and her wings, I fussy cut some of the black background away before attaching this over the image.  The sentiment was stamped in Iced Spruce and heat embossed with clear powder.

I am also entering this at:
  Is all about the Vintage - Summer Garden
  Rhedd and Rosies - Anything Goes
  Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Hope you have a great weekend whatever you're doing.
Avril xx

Tag Time at TioT

Hello and Welcome to another challenge at Try it on Tuesdays and this fortnight our theme is Tags - but it doesn't have to be just a Tag, as long as your project has a Tag, that's fine.
I've been playing again with the technique Tim shows for the June tag - I  used a Memory Box Texture Flourish stencil, and  my image was stamped onto a 'second generation' using water colour paper.  I used a water brush and lifted the colours from the girls face - Artistic Outpost,  then coloured her with Tattered Rose DI.  I added this to a tag that was  coloured with another  'second generation' but this time I used only one colour. The embossed layer is a TH Embossing folder used twice, for a longer effect.  Another paper clay pansy, coloured with a dry brush and Distress inks, to finish.
The rest of the DT have some fabulous creations to show, so please pop over to the main blog for all the details.

I am entering this at:
  Emergency Crafters - Not a card
  Really Reasonable  Ribbons- Anything but a Card

Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting.

Avril xx

Nicecrane share

Hello and welcome to my Nicecrane share, this time using A Dream of Fair Women , which I must admit is one of my favourites, and you can see the full sheet here.
I have used Prima Botanicals papers and my lovely image was cut using a Deckle edge Nesti.  The little sentiment was included in a little pack of 'freebies' with my last order from Crafty Individuals, and it just seemed appropriate with this image.  My roses are again made with the paper clay, just love this stuff.

I am entering this at:
  Feeling Crafty - For the Girls/Ladies
  Crafty Catz - Stitching
  Southern Girls - Punches & Die cuts.
  Bunny Zoe's - Layers

Thanks for visiting,
Avril xx

J for 'Jingle' at Alphabet Challenge

Hello folks,  It's time for another letter in our Alphabet Challenge and this time it's 'J' for Jingle.
I immediately thought of Jingle Bells - maybe not that original!
I've used a Crafty Individuals stamp which has Jingle Bells along the bottom of the image.  The Jingle Bells at the top was a little freebie received with an order from them.  I masked the image off before stamping the snowflake stamp, which was embossed with silver EP.
It would be great if you could join us for this challenge, as we would love to see how you interpret ' Jingle'.  All details are on the main blog, as well as some great inspiration from my very talented teamies.

I hope you all have a great weekend and thanks for your visit, and before I go, I would like to say 'hello' to my latest followers, lovely to see you.

Avril xx

NUBS - or- Using up the stash!

Hi Folks,  well as the title suggests -time to use. Although I haven't had much time for crafting lately, I have still been having a little purchase now and then - and putting them in the 'hope to get used' box.   Now is the time to open the box and get them used!
I've used a large tag 7"x3 1/2" , inked up my background, but as usual most of it's covered up - but this time I did remember to take a photo .  I used a 'home made' stencil cut from Tim's Frameworks die.

My main image is from Artistic Outpost's Think and Wonder set, which I bought at a local show about three months ago and this is the first time it's been used.  I also stamped one of the quotes down the side.  I love these two little friends, especially as they took so little to colour.
My flower was made with a WOW  'pansy'  mould  (bought in March and again first time it's been used) and Martha Stewart Paper clay.
I am linking this tag to Darnell's 500 Followers NBUS Challenge - Anything Goes (NBUS - never-before-used-schtuff),  and although I'm not the best of visitors - it's always an entertaining read whenever I do, so please pop over and say 'hello',

                                    
and I'm sure you have some NBUS hiding away, so why not join in Darnell's Challeng.

That's all from me today, so thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of your day.
Avril xx

Birds & Bees at Fashionable Stamping Challenge

Hi folks, time to tell you about our new challenge at Fashionable Stamping and it's all about 'Birds and Bees'
So, as long as we see Birds or Bees or even both, then that's great, but remember - We especially need to see that the stamping is the focal point on the project and that this must follow the format of the theme.
We are again sponsored by Flonzcraft who are offering one lucky random winner a $20 spend in their online store.  As usual my very talented teamies have some wonderful creations to show, so please pop over to the main blog here to see and check out all the details.
It's been a long while since I've had time to join in with Tim's Tags, although I still check out all the details, however when I saw the technique this month, I just had to have a play.  I used a  Memory Box stencil and lots of 'pretty' inks and 'stamped' onto water colour card, loved he effect, so you will be seeing this technique again!  I stamped the TH bird, sentiment and grasses in Black Archival.  and to contrast with the soft shades of my main background, I used the same stencil and inks with a Distressing tool for a more precise look.  I kept the card 'embellishment free' as I always think this sentiment deserves a 'less is more' look, don't know what you think.
I am entering this at:
  That's Crafty - Birds
  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday- Stencils
  City Crafter -It's for the Birds (Use a bird)

Thank's for visiting and I hope you are having a great weekend.

Avril xx

Altered Drawers

Hi folks,  some free time -   but before I get crafty and catch up on DT commitments,  I thought I would show you these.
A couple of months ago I saw these reduced in my local Sainsbury's and thought great for altering.

Of course DD saw them, and she would like some, so popped back and they had a few more in stock,and a couple of other designs, so as you do, I had to buy some of them!
Time has been very short for crafting, but these boxes were ideal to do in stages, so set to and painted all the edges, a couple of days later, cut and stuck the paper, cut linings and stamped with a Stampendous stamp, which over a couple of days were water coloured and stuck in.  Managed to get a couple of photos before they disappeared to daughters.

The papers are Maja Vintage Autumn that I bought in March at GNP Harrogate, and the drawers only too one sheet of 12 x 12", the roses were made from the scraps (reverse side of paper). Only got a couple of sheets, so have since bought more online as DIL would like some too.

Bit of a cloudy day today, but hopefully it will pick up over the weekend as we are off to Northumberland for a friends Birthday, but whatever you do, enjoy.

Avril

One for the Boys!

'One for the Boys' is the new challenge at Try it on Tuesday this fortnight, so that's anything for the 'boy' in your life from the very young to the not so young!
I made this card for my Son's birthday a couple of weeks ago, it's an old image, (Elusive Images) probably one of the first I ever bought and has been used before on  previous cards, but I do know he does like it, so it doesn't matter that it's used again - but differently, (my Son is an avid mountain biker and goes off road riding with a group of friends every week without fail - I try not to look at the pics of jumps they do on his FB page, the cuts/bruises I see are enough).
The background is similar to the one on the 'clocks' card from a couple of weeks ago and I used the same Spellbinders embossing folder, but the other side - to look like bicycle wheel  tread, the foil card, embossed with TH cogs, was given the same Alcohol Ink treatment and the cog had paint and embossing powder applied.  The sentiment is PaperArtsy.
My teamies have as usual, some great inspiration for you which you can see here  and as Fathers Day is fast approaching, it's a good opportunity to join in, and this fortnight we also have Dagmar joining us at Guest Designer,
I am entering this at:
  That's Crafty - Texture
  That Craft Place - Men
  Country View Challenges - Only Men Allowed
  Craft Your Passion - Fathers Day/One for the Boys
  Make My Monday - Male Themed
  Crafts 4 Eternity - For the Boys
  Eclectic Ellapu - For a Man

Thanks for visiting, I really do appreciate it.  Hope you all have a good week.

Avril xx

Going Japanese with Nicecrane Designs

Haven't managed much crafting time this week, so these lovely images from  Nicecrane Designs came to the rescueas I needed to make a couple of cards to go in the post.I have used these beautiful oriental images called Ogata Gekko and you can see the full sheetof designs here.
My first image was printed onto ivory hammer card which gives a lovely texture to the image, I layered it with gold and black.  The next layer was stamped with Versamark and then brushed with Perfect Pearls in Heirloom Gold.  The sentiment 'Wisdom' was also given the PP finish, and Mizuhiki  cords knotted  for embellishment.

For the second card I printed a Japanese text from the internet onto vellum,which was torn and layered underneath the image, a metal embellishment and the same sentiment, again with PP,  another ' flat' card  as this is going in the post, to a friend who is retiring in a couple of weeks time, I thought the image was perfect as she does like her garden.

 

I am entering these at
  Papertake weekly- Anything Goes

It's been a lovely day here in the N.E. but not too sure it will last over the weekend -hmm.. that might be a good excuse to catch up on some crafting  Anyhow, whatever you do, enjoy the weekend.
Avril xx

Like Clockwork

Time for another challenge at Fashionable Stamping and this time it's ' Like Clockwork'.  Full details of the challenge can be found on the main blog as well as some fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Team.
We also have Flonzcraft as our sponsor and they are offering one Lucky Random Winner a $20 spend in their online store.
I decided on a masculine card, something I don't do a lot of,  I used a Crafty Individuals stamp CI 305, stamped in Potting Soil Archival.  I stamped the image again and cut out the 'gent' and then triple embossed him before adding to the image.  I have used a Spellbinders M-bossabilities folder, these are quite large, so ideal for a backing mat, I rubbed  Black soot DI over the raised areas on the brown cardstock. The clock layer was a mat silver textured card, embossed with Tim Holtz clocks and then out came the Alcohol inks in black,  Ginger and Copper.  My sentiment and pocket watch, which was also triple embossed are both PaperArtsy stamps.
It would be great if you could join us, but remember, we are a stamping challenge and we especially need to see that the stamping is the focal point on the project and that this must follow the format of the theme.

I am entering this at:
  Allsorts - One for the Guys
  Country View challenge - Only Men Allowed
  Simply Create too - Fathers Day/for a Male
  Ruby's Rainbow - One for the Boys

Thanks for visiting, I really do appreciate it.  Hope you all have a good Sunday.

Avril xx