Don't forget - It's in the Mail!

The theme this fortnight is 'It's in the Mail' at Try it on Tuesday, and  initially I couldn't make my mind up as to what to make, so I made two pieces.  My second, an altered envelope,  uses  this lovely Darkroom door stamp that was free with Craft Stamper a while ago.
My first step was to mask off an area for the address, then I stamped my butterfly post and masked that off.
I stamped 2 butterflies and masked them off too.  The envelope was then stamped with a script stamp and a small swirl before shading with Wild honey and Vintage photo Distress inks.
You still have one week left to join in the challenge and all details can be found here.

Enjoy the rest of your week,
Avril xx

It's ' 3D' at Fashionable Stamping

Time for a new challenge at Fashionable Stamping and this time the theme was chosen by Alison of Words and Pictures who is joining us this fortnight as Guest Designer AND we also have two new 'Stampettes' joining the team, so pop over and say 'hello'.   That's not all, we have Flonzcraft sponsoring us and one lucky random winner will get a $20 spend in their online store, but don't forget - 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.
For my make I recycled a box that had contained some yummy  Dark Chocolate Fig Bonbons.  After painting with a mix of Taupe PA Fresco and some cream from a match pot, I then used an IndigoBlu Crackle stamp. To cover the joins in the top corner I used TH Doily stencil and embossing paste.  My fussy cut images are Crafty Individuals.
There are some fabulous pieces of inspirations should you need any, and all challenge details can be found on the main blog so why not pop over and take a look, you won't be disappointed.

I am entering this at:
  All Crafts Challenge - Anything but a Card
  Craft Room Challenge - Recycle
  Divas by Design - Anything but a card
  Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Altered Art Anything Goes
  It's All about the Vintage - Anything Goes
  Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes

Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend and the sun keeps shining for you.

Avril xx

Thinking of You

Just a quick post, to let you know that Nicecrane Designs have some beautiful new image sheets available here.  I was lucky and got to use   'A Dream of Fair Women'                   .

I think this lovely lady is dreaming of her Beau and missing him, such a wistful expression on her face!

Crafting time has been in very short supply lately, and I have a few things that have either not been used or not used for a long time, one of which is the TH Cabinet die,  and I thought this would be perfect to frame this beauty.  I used a CB embossing folder on the frame and used Frayed Burlap to highlight the pattern.

To make this into a card, I cut a back, scored 1" down and attached at the top. While waiting for my 'dyed' muslin to dry, I put the card to one side - I have just purchased the TH Frameworks die and had cut a few ready to use - ready to complete the card, I noticed that I had put it down on the 'frame' and it reminded me of old Victorian photos on ornate stands - let me know what you think. (The card does stand by the way - not sure if you can tell by the photo)

I am entering this at
    Crafts4Eternity - Use a Die
    Cards and scrap - Shabby Chic

I hope that you all enjoy the rest of the weekend and hope the sun keeps shining.

Avril xx

'It's in the Mail' at Try it on Tuesday

Hi folks, yes It's in the Mail' and that's the challenge this fortnight over at Try it on Tuesday, where you will see we have some new Design Team members, so please pop over and and say 'hello'

I decided to make my little envelope and used papers from the Madam Payraud collection, which of course had to have a little distressing with Frayed Burlap.  My envelope started out as a strip of black card  29.5 x 8 cm.  I scored 5.5cm in from one side, cut the sides to make a flap, and then at 11.5cm in  from the other edge.  Used a Nesti circle to cut a 1/2 circle, before gluing the sides.

I made a little' address label' with some little element stamps from Crafty Individuals

And all tied up with some dyed string.

I am entering this at:
   All Crafts challenge - Anything but cards
  Crafting Musketeers - Anything but Square
  Moo-mania & More - Mail

My very talented teamies have some wonderful inspiration for this challenge, so please pop over to the main blog to take a look.

Avril xx

It's a Girly Thing

I really needed some playtime to get the brain into crafty mode and as I've a few girlfriends birthdays coming up, thought I would do something 'sassy'.  I really love these Dylusion Couture stamps, just need more playtime!
The background is a Memory box stencil that I bought at Harrogate GNP back in March, it's coloured with Bundled Sage, Victorian Velvet and Dusty Concord DIs on pale pink card stock. The image was stamped in Black Archival and clear embossed and then stamped and embossed on a some old MME paper. The roses in the same paper, were made with a Retro punch.  The sentiment is computer.
I am entering this at:
  Divas by Design - In the Pink
  Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
  Penny Black and More - Anything Goes
That's it from me for now, hope you all have a nice weekend.

Avril xx

Nicecrane

Two posts in two days -  unheard of over the last few months, and if it wasn't for DT commitments, my blog might haven even gone into hibernation!
However, talking about DT posts, I have some news, Ignacio of Nicecrane Designs has asked me to be part of his wonderful team, so how could I resist working with his gorgeous images.

I chose to work with Children with Dogs for my first pieces.

Isn't this little lady so sweet.  I kept the card quite simple as I didn't want to detract attention from the image. The little butterfly perched on the roses is from Colourful Spring Butterflies 2, which was printed on vellum.

Again, another lovely image, and this time pretty in pink, and perfect for an easel card, something I haven't made in quite a while.

There are lots of fabulous images, so why not pop over to the design store.
I am entering this at:
  Come and Get It - Anything goes with a digital image
  Dream Valley - Anything Goes

Hope you're all enjoying the Bank Holiday, I'm off to do a bit catching up in the garden as that's a bit neglected at the moment too.

Avril xx

Circle the Globe at Fashionable Stamping Challenge

Its time for another challenge at Fashionable Stamping and for this fortnight it's 'Circle the Globe' in other words we want to see circles on your project and we would love to see how you interpret this.
But don't forget, 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.
For my card I have used my new Jofy stamps, something completely different for me, but I love these quirky flowers.  I stamped in black and heat  embossed using Clear EP.  The flowers were coloured with Distress Markers and then heat embossed using a Watermark embossing pen and Clear EP, which meant I could ink and splatter without affecting the coloured flowers and circles.  My butterfly was stamped before cutting with a circle Nesti, which was left in place while I coloured with Peacock feathers  DI.  The words were heat embossed before cutting up, and all edged with the PF DI.
My fabulous teamies have some wonderful interpretations of these theme, so please pop over to the main blog, you won't be disappointed, and of course, all the rules and information is there.

I am entering this at:
  Allsorts - Butterflies
  Thats Crafty - Spring
  Crafts4Eternity - Stamp It
  A Little Bit Crafty - Flower Power
  The Artistic Stamper - In the Garden
  Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes

Enjoy the rest of the Bank Holiday weekend and thanks for  popping by,  I do hope to start visiting  and to get back to normal this week.
Avril xx