Memories of Venice

It's time for another challenge over at Fashionable Stamping and this time the theme is Water Inspired.
I have chosen Venice - lots of water there - which gave me a chance to use these Darkroom Door stamps, which are not unloved, but they are neglected.  The tag was stamped with black Versafine, and then to make my gondola stand out, I used a Versamarker pen and heat embossed with clear powder. To give a little more depth I stamped the Venezia inside the scroll, and again clear embossed, using foam pads in the centre I glued the sides to the tag. Ticket and label were stamped onto kraft card and distressed (heavily).
It would be lovely to see you join us  and all details are on the main blog here, and you will also see how the rest of the DT have been inspired.
We are again sponsored by Flonzcraft who are offering one lucky random winner a $20 gift spend in their online store.
I am entering this at :
  A Little Bit Crafty -  Are we there yet
  That's Crafty - Anything Goes

Have a lovely Sunday,
Avril xx

Room with a View

Hi Folks,  its time for another challenge at Try it on Tuesdays and this time we would love you to 'create a scene!  It can be a landscape, seascape or whatever is your interpretation of a 'scene'.
I bought these Darkroom door stamps on Ebay a couple of months ago for about a third of their price and this is their first inking,  but they are only a bargain if you use them -I was just waiting for the right time.  I decided my scene would be the view from a holiday apartment window overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice!
This is the first time I have used Napkins for my background, this was torn, glued and then dry brushed with Paper Artsey Fresco Snowflake, to give a shabby peeling wallpaper effect. I then inked  IndigoBlu Crackle stamp with Frayed Burlap and random stamped.

My friend Diane recently bought the window and flower spray dies and was kind enough to let me use them. I used Distress stains to give an aged look to both. My 'piece' is set into an old wooden box top, (wish I had the whole box)  which was painted with Fresco and then stamped with the Crackle stamp.
It would be lovely if you could join us and if you need any inspiration, my very talented teamies have some very varied projects, so please pop over here to take a look

I am entering this at:
  Simon Says monday challenge - Make the cut( Die cuts and punches)
  Make it Monday - Anything Goes
  Anything but a Card - Summer Fun - (Holidays are fun)
  c2cu - Summer Days - Fun in the Sun
  Heck of a Challenge - Holidays

I have started a bit of a catch up in blogland - life is settling down after a hectic few weeks of more Wedding Stationary, don't actually know how many Invitations I have made - DD just kept asking for more, think its somewhere in the region of 80.  Same number of Order of Service and double that for Place cards - only Menu and Thank You cards left to do, its going to be a big wedding!  So, I think you can see why I have been such an absent blogger of late and I do appreciate all your visits and comments.

Have a good week whatever you are doing, I hopefully will manage some 'me' crafting.

Avril xx

Thank you for Chocolate!

                                        

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and 'Hello' to my new followers, its lovely to see new faces and I hope you continue to enjoy your visits here.

Our new sponsor at Fashionable Stamping Challenges is Flonzcraft, who do some fabulous vintage stamps, and as you know, I do like my vintage.  Our challenge at FSC this fortnight is 'Sentiment/Sentimental' and as this card has a sentiment, it might just give you the inspiration to join us.  My card today uses stamps from Darkroom door to create the scene and sentiment, background script is Tim Holtz.  My chocolate loving friends, is a Flonzcraft stamp, coloured with Promarkers and fussy cut, then mounted onto foam pads.  My flower and leaves are TH Tattered floral strip.
I have made this as a Thank You card for DD to give to a friend, for turning up with a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine, when boyfriend had to dash to Ireland due to family illness, (fortunately a full recovery was made).  I had intended printing the sentiment 'Thanks for being there' but the printer is playing up - so she will just have to write it!  Anyhow, I'm sure it will still fit the bill at Vintage Stamping  Challenge which is 'Thank you'.
I am also entering this at:
  Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
  Amusing Challenges - Anything Goes
  Craft your Passion- Add Text/Sentiment
  Make it Monday - Anything Goes


That's it for now, the sun is shining - lets hope it continues!

Avril xx

Temptation!!!

Hi All,

Just a quick post to show a card made earlier in the week using my new Darkroom Door 'Chocolatier' stamps, this time with the Clarity 'Velvet Lady' stamp.  Lady was masked and then the Chocolate shop stamped twice, I thought this looked as if she was trying to resist the temptation to cross the road!
I love the little sentiments.  The background is sponged with Vintage Photo after stamping with a Crafty Individuals swirl.

I am entering this card in:
  Try It On Tuesdays - A card - but with all your own work
  Gingersnap Creations - Use a set of stamps
  Little Miss Muffet - Anything New
  Freshly Brewed - Something New
  Inky Impressions - Anything Goes
  Simon Says Stamps - Something New
  Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes with option of new (stamps)

That's it for now - hope you like it - and thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Chocolate!

Chocolate! I here you say - Oh NO - .......Its OK - its not the edible kind.

I was very lucky at Christmas and got lots of crafty goodies, including these Darkroom Door stamps, which I have wanted for a while, and there are some great sentiments in the tin (the tin  is also fab).  I was stamping up some of the images the other night and thought they looked good as a background, and better still on pink cardstock with brown ink than black/white,  So .....I stamped again with brown ink on a slightly paler pink card for the main image and sentiment, both matted onto brown cardstock and then attached with 3Dfoam.
I am entering this card in:
  Sir Stampalot - Monochromatic
  Through the Craft Room Door - Monochromatic
  Heart Song Inspirations - Anything Goes
  Stamps RUs - What you got for Christmas
  Simon Says Stamp & Show - Something Old Something New (Ribbon is old)
  Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes

Thats it for now and thanks for looking.

Avril xx