Wings

It's time for a new Challenge at Try it on Tuesdays and our theme this fortnight is 'They Who have Wings'.
I've used my new goodies from Harrogate GNP on this tag, the new Tim Holtz Mixed Media die, which I've used to cut out the bottom corner of the upper tag, and also a little die cut was added at the top. My bee, an Inkylicious stamp  has lovely sparkly wings, not that you can tell from the photo.
Please pop over to the main blog for all the details and to see some wonderful inspiration from the rest of the team.
I am entering this at:
  Cuttlebug Mania - Tag You're It

Avril xx

Easy as ABC

Hello - this is something very new for me and I must admit I felt very out of my comfort zone before I started, but I was determined to take the plunge and try my hand at journaling, so here is my very first attempt.
My idea came from the way I felt, I wanted to, and I knew I needed to just let go and do it.  I really had fun doing it, but please tell me what you think.
I haven't altered the cover of my Journal yet, but I'm already planning page 2 - after I find a really heavy book to flatten the page out.
I am going to try adding this to the Link over at Brenda's blog ,Bumblebees and Butterflies where she's hosting a blog party to share visual journal  inspiration.

Avril xx

Favourites at Fashionable Stamping

Hi, time to tell you about that latest challenge at Fashionable Stamping and for this time we would love you to use your favourite 'Go To' stamp, you can make whatever you want as long as the stamping is the focal point. We have Flonzcraft as our sponsor who are offering one lucky random winner a $20 spend in their online store
For me it had to be 'EllaBella' from IndigoBlu,  she can look soft and feminine, bright and vibrant, vintage or modern, and when I'm lacking inspiration - she doesn't need much to make her look good - wish I could say that!
Stamped and heat embossed with Black EP and then out came the Brushos.  My first few plays with these hadn't been very successful, too much water and too heavy handed with the 'sprinkles' equals 'mud' and so the Brushos were put in a drawer awaiting the' play day'. After a lovely messy and productive day last week, I'm quite pleased with the results.  On this card I used Sea Green, love the blue and yellow shades.
Of course, I didn't stop at one

This time I used Violet and Purple and softened the edges with Dusty Concord DI.  Simple cards, but perfect for posting!
I hope you will join us for this challenge and don't forget to pop over to the main blog for all the details and to see what my fellow teamies favourites are.
  I am entering this at:
  Crafty Catz - No Designer papers

Happy Crafting,
Avril xx

Anyone for Dominos

 Hello, I've had some playtime this week, and even managed to finish off this little Domino Book, which was started over Christmas, progressed a bit further for PaperArtsy's challenge of Miniature Art, but didn't manage to get it finished in time - but 'eventually'
My real dominos were too small for the CI images, so I used mount board cut to fit and embossed this with UTEE,  Black EP and then various MoonGlow Embossing powders, before stamping into it while it was still hot. The colours have a gorgeous pearl glow that doesn't show too well in the photo.
The pages of my little book were all distressed with Frayed Burlap and Tattered Rose DIs before embossing all edges with Gold EP. The words, stamped in FB, also had the edges embossed with the Gold EP.

On the back, I stamped and distressed each 'page' and again embossed the edges with Gold, before attaching to the covers.

I am entering this at:                                                                                                                                 

  Mixed Media Challenge - Anything Goes                                                                                     

Deep Ocean Challenge - Vintage                                                                                                

        Altered Eclectic - Anything Goes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Have a great weekend, I'm hoping for a bit more 'me'  time, so fingers crossed.                                                    Avril xx                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                               

Hats is the new Challenge at Try it on Tuesdays

Hello, don't know about you, but where has the time gone - this last week just seems to have whizzed by in a blur, apart from Friday when I went to the GNP at Harrogate, and I haven't even had a chance to look at my goodies, let alone play with them.
Anyhow, good intentions for this week starting with the new challenge at Try it on Tuesday which is 'Hats'
I've gone for a 'flat' card as this needs to go in the post.  The papers and quote are from G45 Couture and my Lady is one of the G45 Ladies Diary stamps and to keep it flat, I cut this flower from a roll of applique trim given to me many years ago - it's actually from the 60's!
If you pop over to the main blog, you won't be disappointed - there's some fabulous creations from the rest of the team including our new team members.
  I am entering this at:
  Ooh la la - She's in Fashion

As always, thank you for visiting, I do appreciate it,
Avril xx

Saturday Workshop and a few more pictures

Hi, had a really good afternoon on Saturday, along with my friends Diane  and Yvonne (Meggmay) and this is the Beeswax Canvas that was made at the Hels Sheridan Workshop at Crafty Corner, South Shields.
It started with a plain box canvas base, pieces of patterned papers, distress inks,  random stamping, and  a choice of quotes.  Covering with beeswax,  and them embellishing  and adding a flower we made at the beginning of the session.
Although we all had the same ingredients, the finished results were all different.
Our three canvases -

I am entering mine at:
  Mixed Media World - Anything Goes

Some more pictures from India
  The Taj Mahal at sunset taken from gardens across he river, and yes, it does go the most beautiful pink colour.

This is Fatehpur Sikri, a red sandstone city built in the 16th century which was abandoned 8 years after it was built, when the local wells went dry.                                                                                                

This is the City Palace in Jaipur, and although we weren't allowed photos in some of the rooms the buildings more than made up for that.

 I labeled one of the photos wrongly in the previous post, this is actually the Hall of Mirrors, where apparently 1 candle will light the whole of the room, and if you look closely it us made up of mirror mosaic tiles

 Carved arches in one of the many Palace rooms.

I think this 'guy' thought he was a local celibrity!

 If you look in the distance on the left, you will see an elephant amongst the busy traffic on an ordinary road.

That's it for today,  hope you enjoyed the photos.

Avril xx

It's Springtime at Fashionable Stamping

Hello and thank you for visiting.  Today we have a new challenge over at FSC and yes, it's Springtime!
We have our wonderful sponsor Flonzcraft who are offering one lucky random winner a $20 spend in their online store.
When thinking about this challenge, I decided on a soft Spring shades, Floral chintz  and of course Romance which of course could mean Paris.  So I have used Stampendous 'I Love Paris'  with the matching Blossom Spray for the base card. The middle layer is TH Papillion Script, embossed with Bright White EP.   All shading was done with Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar and edged with Frayed Burlap DIs  - think I got the look I was after.
The rest of the team have some wonderful inspiration for you, just in case Spring hasn't arrived in your part of the world!
Don't forget, we are a stamping challenge and must see 'real' stamping.
I am entering this at:
  Allsorts - Spring is in the Air
  Artistic Stamper - Spring is Coming
  WOW Embossing - Spring
  Penny Black and More - Blossoms and Bows

Had a great Workshop yesterday with the very talented Hels Sheridan, will tell you all about it tomorrow,

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Avril xx

Cocoa Time and Pictures of India

 Hello, and thanks for your visit today,
This little make was inspired when we used the Airport Lounge while waiting for the connecting flight, At the coffee machine I saw these packets of Van Houten's Chocolate Drink and immediately thought of this Artistic Outpost stamp from the Think and Wonder set.  I played about with the Cabinet card die to make a little holder.

 Masked off the boy to get my 'label' for the back, I used Frayed Burlap Distress Marker and then painted in what was missing.

  I thought the quote sounded very tempting.

  I am entering this at:
  Artistic Outpost - Show us your Art
  Vintage Stamping Challenge - Olde Worlde (Chocolate is still in date - but my boy image isn't)
  Crafts4eternity - Anything but a card
  Altered Eclectics - Anything but a Card
  Country View Challenges - Anything Goes

A couple of pics from the hols.
 Taj Mahal, the flower pattern is made with semi precious stones, so beautiful

 Agra Fort and a beautiful room in the Summer Palace

Jaipur's City Palace and this amazing door                                                                                          

 and of course our Elephant ride

And this in Jaipur city, the Palace of Winds, which is only a facade to allow the ladies of the court to view the city streets

I've  lots, lots more, but don't want to bore you.

Off to a workshop tomorrow afternoon with the very talented Hels Sheridan - should be a great time.
Whatever you're doing at the weekend, hope it's a good one.
Avril xx

Pearls for Girls at Try it on Tuesday

Hello, I'm back after a wonderful holiday and I must say Thank You to all of those who took the time to leave lovely comments on the scheduled posts while I was away, I really appreciate it.

Anyhow, it's time to try and get back to normal, although I must admit inspiration is a bit lacking at the moment, so it's just as well I was organised for this 'Pearls for Girls' challenge at Try it on Tuesday  before I went away.
This little box was originally cream before applying a coat of Snowflake Fresco paint and then Distress sprays in Milled Lavender, Victorian Velvet, Antique Linen and Forever Violet Perfect Pearls (it's not quite as light as in the photo).  The roses were also sprayed before highlighting with Enchanted Gold Gilding Wax.
The rest of the team have some wonderful makes to show, so why don't you pop over to the main blog, you won't be disappointed
  I am entering this at:
    Crafty Boots - Anything but a Card

That's it for now, the last of the ironing is beckoning  and then hopefully some time to organise the numerous pictures we took and hopefully some might be good enough to share.

Avril xx