Mid post reminder for Transport at TioT

Hello, I' may not be good at somethings, but so far, I am keeping to my resolution to continue  and have fun with my colourful journal, again I have used TioT's theme, which is Transport as my inspiration, and if you would like to join in, you still have one week left to link up, so pop over to the main blog for all the details.
I've used images  from Artistic Outpost Diesel Punk and  stamped and masked my main image before colouring my background with Broken China, Abandoned Coral and Mustard seed.  Of course it's a nice day for a drive, so we have to have a stencilled sun/rays, I don't have a 'tread' stencil so I've used a Wendy Vecchi border stencil to make the tyre tracks.  When I removed the mask, I decided not to colour my little man, as I thought he looked more like a 'guardian angel' without any colour.

This is a scheduled post as I'm lucky to be off travelling with a busy itinerary, so I might not catch up with you for a little while, but hopefully there's a sunbed waiting for me in just over a week and if the internet is good, fingers crossed I'll not get bored.
Thanks for visiting, and as always, I do appreciate any comments you leave.
Avril xx

More Wildflowers

Hello, and thanks for visiting, although I've had a very busy week, I did take a little time out to make another card with the Tim Holtz Wildflower stamps.  I stamped and heat embossed with White EP and then inked up with Tumbled Glass, Victorian Velvet, Bundled Sage and Shaded Lilac, then a little bit of script and crackle second generation stamping in Watering can.  I lightly inked the TH Mixed media die cut with Dusty concord before adding the sentiment.  A nice flat card for posting!
Well, it's back to the packing for me as we are off on holiday tomorrow, so I might not be able to catch up with you for a little while, although there are a few  posts scheduled - hopefully.
Thanks for your visit, and  I do appreciate any comments you leave.
Avril xx

Transport at TioT

It's time for a new theme at Try it on Tuesday and for this fortnight we would love to see 'Transport' on your project, as usual it's up to you what you make as long as it follows the theme.
It's a while since I made a tag,  I've used an old Elusive Images (now Chocolate Baroque) for my main image, one of the first I bought, the background is from JustRite, that was coloured with DIs.  I also stamped the image to place behind the Tim Holtz film strip, some burlap,  tickets and rusted cogs to complete.
The rest of the DT have some wonderful inspiration, so please pop over to the main blog for all the details.
I am entering this at:
  Penny Black and More - Anything goes with Stamps and dies (die cut image and frame, plus cog)
  Love to Create - Anything Goes - Challenge 4
Thanks for visiting, we've had quite a few snow showers and it looks like there's more on the way tomorrow, so stay warm.
Avril xx

Sunrise/Sunset at FSC

Hello, time to tell you about the new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping which for this month is Sunrise/Sunset chosen by Sandra.  We have Flonzcraft as our sponsor and they are offering one lucky random winner a $20 spend in their online store.
I decided on a mystical scene which I hope looks like a sunrise, I've inked up some Lavina stamps (for the first time) that were free with a magazine quite a while ago.  The fairy was stamped with Black Archival and heat embossed with clear EP, and then I inked the  background with DIs. Her 'magic dust' was stamped with Versamark and embossed with silver and Holographic EPs, and of course I had to add Star Dust stickles to her wings.
The rest of the DT have some fabulous Sunrise/Sunset inspirations for you, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the challenge details.
I am entering this at:
  Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
  Country View Crafts - Make your own Background
Thanks for your visit and  enjoy the rest of your weekend
Avril xx

And Now for Something Completely Different

Hello and thanks for popping in.  I had to have a little play last night as the postie brought me some new goodies yesterday - the  Tim Holtz Wildflower stamps.   I've kept this one fairly simple, stamped with Archival and clear embossed.  I made 2 different brusho backgrounds, both using Burnt Sienna and just varying the amount of water. The top layer was also shaded with Black soot.
Just a short post as I need a little bit more play, but I must remember to keep the fingers clean as I'm out for a meal with friends tonight.
I am going to enter this at Country View Crafts - Make your own backgkround
Have a great weekend.
Avril xx

Read All About It!

Hello, and thanks for your visit today,  I don't make many 'male' cards, but after inking up the 'girls' from  Artistic Outpost  Paperboy stamps, I thought it was time to ink up this cheeky little chap.  I used Potting Soil  Archival and Blueprint Sketch DI for his jumper, I've also inked the text stamp for the background, but it seems to have got lost under a scrap of vintage newspaper! that I've been hording for a while.   The sentiment was inked in Blueprint sketch and heat set before being cut apart, it's from the same set of stamps.
I am entering this at:
   Artistic Outpost's Show us your Art for Feb
   Country View Crafts - Make your own Background
   Love to Create  - Anything Goes Mixed Media challenge 3
   Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
               
That's it for now
Avril xx

The ' little' Album

 Hello, and thank you for visiting today - it's a rather long post from me today - very picture heavy.
I've been making a little (6 x 6) Scrapbook album for DIL.  Her father died last year and she talked about getting an album for some of his photos, but hadn't seen anything suitable, so I decided to make one for her.
The cover was made with Kraft card and Shena Douglas's technique for faux leather.
The pages were made by gluing 2 pieces together leaving openings for pockets top or sides.

I've used mainly papers  from the same pack, which lost it's label a long time ago, so I can't say who made them.  The 'hero' words are Artistic Outpost

Lots of flaps and pockets throughout

Another little flap that lifts up for extra photos or journaling                                                                         

Christmas - lots of little tags for either photos or journaling, the frame is only glued on  3 sides making it easy to slid a photo in.

For a little bit of interest, these pages fold out

and the center flap lifts up for more photos or journaling                                                                              

 Travel -space for photos and both pages have pockets full of tags and little envelopes

 Photo mats,  flaps and pockets

 A secret flap for journaling

 The film strip is just attached top and bottom, so it can hold photos, tickets etc.

and finally, if you are still here - the back cover.  I've also made a little package of extra frames, packets, photo mounts and tags and die cut die cut letters which I inked and clear embossed so she can title the album if she wants to.  I've made little albums, but not quite like this,  and I won't say I that I won't do another, but not for a while and it will be something that I won't be in a hurry for!

Have a great weekend whatever you are doing,
Avril xx

A Fine Romance at TioT

The new challenge over at Try it on Tuesdays is 'A Fine Romance'  how you interpret this is up to you as usual, but as it's getting near Valentine's day you could even use that as your inspiration.
I'm continuing on with my little colourful journal using TiotT's themes for inspiration. I stamped and masked my romantic couple before using Abandoned coral, Cracked Pistachio and Broken China DIs for the background.
The rest of the DT have some wonderful inspiration for you, so please head over to the main blog where you will also find all the details of the challenge.
I'm please to say that I've finished my 'little' scrapbook album for my lovely DIL    whew!   All I need to do now is take some photos.

Thanks for visiting, have a great week,
Avril xx

Artistic Outpost Girls

Hello - well this little blog is failing in it's aim to be more productive, but at least I've been a bit more productive in the crafting -  it's a little or should I say long project that I've been busy with for DIL.
However, I did take time out to make a quick card for a friend, and just to keep in touch, thought I'd share. I've used the 'girls' from Artistic Outpost Paper boy stamp set, the sentiment is Crafty Individuals, papers and flowers from stash.
I haven't managed any  catching up in blogland this last week, but I see I've lost a lot of followers - I'm presuming it's Bloggers 'improvements' again and not down to me be being such a bad blogger - well it's been either craft or blog and the crafting won.
Hopefully I'll catch up with you in the next couple of days.
Avril xx