Do What you Love

Hello, I've not had much inspiration or time in the craft room lately, but as I've got four 'girly' birthdays this month, it's given me the push to get my act together and get organised.  As a little incentive to get  motivated, I bought this Dancing Woman stamp from Rubber Dance and she's been well inked this last week.

The card base had already been embossed with crackle paste through the Flourish stencil and was in the 'bits box' so I dipped it in Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber and Antique Linen DOX.  I used Brushed Pewter Distress paint and my trusty finger over the embossed cracks - which gave it a look of Mother of Pearl!  The stamped panel was a mop up piece, again in the bits box, that must have mopped up some Brushed Pewter stain along the way as it has a lovely sheen,  I used Worn Lipstick DI to emphasise her dress and Wilted Violet to the flowers.  The sentiment is computer.  I used a dull silver card to mat.

I am entering this at:
  Rubber Dance Forever Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes
  Rubber Dance - September colour challenge
 
 

Thanks for visiting and hopefully I'll get caught up on blog visiting over the weekend.

Avril xx

Stormy wildflowers

Hello.....and thanks for calling in today, it's the end of June, and this is the first 'live' post of the month, I know we all call Blogger, but at least it does schedule posts.

We had a lovely holiday at the beginning of June in Icshia, a small island in the Bay of Naples, but that all seems like a distant memory now, as we were only home a few days when hubby became very poorly and ended up in hospital with Pneumonia, but after a week on ICCU I'm pleased to say, he's now recovering well and hopefully, life is returning to normal and hopefully crafting and blogging can resume.

As a start, I thought I'd share this card which was made a while ago using a background and mop up from one of my first plays with the Oxide inks,  I stamped the TH Wildflowers with Black and heat set using clear EP.  I loved the background colours, but it reminded me of a stormy sky and as the sun was shining, it didn't get blogged at the time, I wish our stormy sky outside my window looked as pretty as this instead of just grey!

Well that's it for now, I'll be catching up with you very soon.

Avril xx

Golden Butterfly

Hello, I hope you're enjoying the start of a Lovely Easter Weekend,  but in true Bank Holiday mode, the weather has turned rather chilly compared with last weekend.    I didn't mind as I'd planned to spend the afternoon crafting, something I hadn't managed all week due to the builder being here, but we're all tidy and back to normal now.

I had another play with the Oxide inks, this time blending onto a piece of black card, the colours are very subtle but give a lovely chalky look.  I applied embossing paste through a stencil and left it to dry naturally and the paste absorbed the colours of the Oxide inks.

As I wanted to enter the challenge at Tag Tuesday where the theme is Things with Wings - but not birds, I stamped a butterfly on a Tyvek sheet that I'd used in my 'spray box'.  Next I stamped and gold embossed the just the center of the butterfly onto the tag to give me the antenna.   The sentiment was masked letting me stamp the one word, which I clear embossed.

Thanks for calling in and I hope you all have a lovely Easter.

Avril xx

Botanical at Try it on Tuesday

Hello,  today sees the start of a new Challenge at Try it on Tuesday and for this fortnight it's Botanical.  So anything with flowers, trees, leaves, plants - yes, you get the idea.

I've been playing with the Oxide inks again, but this time I used a blending tool with Spiced Marmalade, Broken China, Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo onto my card to create my watery landscape.  I've used Tim Holtz die cut wildflowers and the sentiment is from a Jofy set.  There's also a little mesh and script stamping on the background.

The rest of the DT have some amazing inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog for all the details.

I am entering this at:
  Stamping Sensations - Close to Nature
  City Crafter - In Bloom

Thanks for calling in, I do appreciate it.
Avril xx

Oxides Ink on Black

Hello,  I've had another little play with the Oxide Inks although nothing got quite finished, as in the middle I decided to try the Oxide inks onto a scrap of black card - just to see exactly how good the colours were.
I used Worn Lipstick and Peeled Paint through the mini Floral stencil and although the colours are paler - I think the Worn Lipstick looks more like Milled Lavender, I love the chalky effect.
This was just a scrap, but I thought it looked too nice, so with some Tiny Tattered floral roses, ribbon and lace spritzed with Milled Lavender, it's now a pretty gift tag.  The little label was stamped with Worn Lipstick Oxide ink.  I did try another, which I clear embossed, but the colour seemed to fade.

I am entering this at:
  Moving Along with the Times - Handmade or Die cut flowers

Thanks for calling in,
Have a lovely weekend,
Avril x

Isn't She Lovely!

Well......I wondered if I needed them and when DH said he would 'treat' me.....Of course I needed them...all I can say is that I LOVE the new Oxide Inks and 'yes' I did need them.

My first play (which you will see later in the week) was a little cautious and I only used 2 colours,but this time my background used  Cracked Pistachio, Wilted Violet, Broken China and Vintage Photo with lots of water and drying between all the layers.  I also used Iced Spruce DI with the Flourish stencil.

I don't have the Paper Dolls, so after a little search, I found this image on the internet and fell in love with her expression and thought these quotes seemed just right

DH has realised  he shouldn't have  been so generous -  he thinks he will see even less of me - but maybe that's a good thing!!

Well that's all for now,  I need more practice with these inks!

I am entering this at:
  Country View Crafts - Inspired by Tim Holtz
  Simon Says Monday - Layer it Up
  Love to Create - Anything Goes Mixed Media - Challenge  6
  More Mixed Media - Anything Goes - Option Green

Thanks for calling in today, it's always appreciated.
Avril xx