All About Childhood

Hello,  well it's back to normal after a holiday away, which is just as well as there's a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and our theme this fortnight is Childhood.  

I've made a 'Starting School' card for DD's Goddaughter, but you could interpret this with childhood memories/nursery rhymes/fantasy stories or children's cards, it's up to you.

I stencilled an Oxide background with TH School House stencil and then used another piece to stamp my image which is from Artistic Outpost's Think and Wonder set.  I've also used an inky piece of card to die cut the TH Alphabet piece, backed with some navy paper, and added a  computer printed sentiment.

It's a good job this card was almost done before I went away, and now I just need to get Mr Mojo into gear and do some catching up!

Have a great day,
Avril xx

Take a Ride

Hello, it's time for a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and this fortnight the theme is 'Take a Ride'
we would love to see how you would like to travel - bus/car/train/plane or in my case a sledge ride!

I've used the sledge from Tim Holtz Deco Christmas, stamped in Black Versafine, I tore a mask from copy paper and stamped one of the Tree Line stamps with Iced Spruce to create the scene for my 'journey'  I blended Stormy Sky and Chipped Sapphire for the sky and used gesso through the Speckles stencil for the falling snow.

I don't think I've ever made a Christmas card so early, but I've been dying to use this stamp since getting it in January!

The rest of the Design Team have some fabulous inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog where you will also find all the challenge details.

Thanks for calling in,
Avril xx

Mother's Love

Hello,  since using family photos in my vintage journal I realised I hadn't used one of my Mum, I have some lovely photos of her as a young girl - by the date on the back she is 21 in this one.

I gessoed the page before adding the DecoArt Crackle paste through the Doily and Rose stencils.  Next, a watered down wash of PaperArtsy Concrete, then came some ink blending with Tattered rose, Frayed burlap and Vintage photo, before edging with Distress Crayons and rubbing back with a wet finger!  There's also some background stamping in Frayed Burlap.  I reapplied the rose stencil and coloured the rose with DIs, before finally adding the cut apart words from a TH stamp.

I am going to enter this over at Art Journal Journey, where Elizabeth and Bluebeard have chosen the theme of Count Your Blessings - well, I count my blessings for my Mother's love.

We've got thick cloud and very breezy weather today, feels very Autumnal -  think I want some sunshine back!
Have a great weekend
Avril xx

It's a Bugs Life at FSC

It's time for a new challenge at Fashionable Stamping and this time we would like to see 'Bugs'.  You can opt for creepy crawlies, butterflies, bees or dragonflies included.

I've used the Tim Holtz large butterfly from the Perspectives set, stamped fussy cut  and coloured with Distress inks.  I added Glossy Accents to the body.

I've been seeing lots of gorgeous cards using the new 3d embossing folders, which prompted me to use one of my old ones,  I've embossed black cardstock through a TH folder and then blended Shaded Lilac Oxide ink over the top.  I stamped 'Special'   from the Postal set of stamps with Shaded Lilac and clear embossed.  The layered sentiment is from Artistic Outpost.

The rest of the DT have some fabulous inspirations for you, so please pop over to the main blog where you will also find all the challenge details of our sponsor Ink Art Designs.

I am entering this at:
  Penny Black and More - I Spy Something Beginning with 'B'  - butterfly and black cardstock

Thanks for calling in, have a great day.
Avril xx

Pink Peony

Hello, a month or so ago I was lucky to win the challenge at PaperBabe and this peony is from the set of stamps that I chose as my prize.

I've stamped the flower and leaves onto watercolour card, fussy cut and coloured with Distress inks.
My background is a piece of textured card, gessoed and coloured with Distress crayons and the colours blended with a baby wipe. I stamped the Crafty Individuals background with Weathered Wood and Dusty Concord.

I'm entering this at:
  Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Distress it

It's quite cool here today, looks like our heatwave is over for now, so maybe normal service can resume in the craft room, my Alcohol Lift ink has just arrived, so I feel a little play is needed.

Avril xx

Inspired by a Song

Hello, it's time to tell you about the new challenge at Try it on Tuesday, this fortnight the theme is 'Inspired by a Song' and we'd love you to join in and tell us what song inspired your creation.

DD was needing some 'girly' birthday cards and as I'd just watched one of my favourite movies - Pretty Woman I used that song title as my inspiration.  I love this stamp and it's just a shame she hasn't got  a shopping bag as she's walking down the street.

My background is a Sheena Douglas stencil with a  TCW mini daisy, the sentiment is an old Hero Arts stamp, and the main image is from a Dyan Reaveley Couture set of stamps, paper pieced with some hand made paper.

The rest of the team have some great inspiration from songs, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find the challenge details.

Thanks for calling in,
Avril xx

Favourite Stamp for Stamping Sensations

A couple of weeks ago I won over at Stamping Sensations and was asked if I'd like to be a Guest Designer and as it's one of my favourite challenges,  and with a theme of 'Use Your Favourite Current Stamp', well of course I said YES.

This is another DL card made with the Glorious Bouquet, I did think this stamp would take time to colour, but there's so much detail in the stamp itself, it really is quite simple.  This was coloured with DIs and very little shading was needed.

I made a rough cut mask which I used before stencilling with the Nordic stencil using Frayed Burlap, and then shading with Antique Linen DIs.  The sentiment was stamped and heat embossed with clear EP.

The DT have made some fabulous choices in their favourite stamps, so why not pop over to Stamping Sensations to have a look.

Thanks for calling in and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Avril xx