Two for One

I made these two cards for The Artistic Stamper Blog, I didn't set out to make two but the second came about from the scraps from the first, so all's good....

here is the second...

For the details on how I made these...and a little story on my very obvious corrugated card obsession!!!!... it would be great if you hopped over to THE ARTISTIC STAMPER BLOGSPOT, and maybe join in their ongoing Christmas Challenge, it would be great to see you there. 

Happy Kissmas

Hi.  Well.. this is  my very first design team post for  The Artistic Stamper and for my first card I wanted to do a Christmas themed card with non traditional colours and to make use of a stamp that is not necessarily for Christmas. I have this Rodin's "The Kiss" statue on my fireplace... (obviously the small version!!) so when I saw that The Artistic Stamper had it in a stamp....I just fell in love with it, a versatile stamp that can be used for lots of occasions... ie... Valentines Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings,....and now...... Christmas!!.

I started by inking up an old book page, then stencilled blue ink through the SMALL DOTS 6x6 mask, I then stamped and heat embossed the SNOWFLAKES, then on a separate piece of paper, stamped the THE KISS, cut it out, and along with the computer generated sentiment, added it to my card. 

I do hope you can join in this months challenge over at THE ARTISTIC STAMPER , where, of course, the challenge subject is Christmas. I look forward to seeing all you fabulous makes. 

We Three Kings

Well......the 1st of December, and the first post for me as a new ARTISTIC STAMPER design team member!!. I am so happy to be joining this talented team and looking forward to using their fabulous stamps.
There is a new challenge over on The Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog, and the subject is Christmas!!.

For my very first design team card I have started off with distressing a piece of sheet music...We Three Kings of Orient Are....apt, because I have used three of the crowns from the CROWNING GLORY stamp set, I stencilled some flake and glitter glue through a section of the A4 SWIRL MASK then added some gilding flakes, but then knocked it back with gesso. The sentiment is from the CHRISTMAS GREETINGS #2 stamp set, I then finished off with the computer generated Three Kings names and some sewing.
I do hope you will join in the Artistic Stamper Christmas Challenge, I look forward to seeing your creations.

Beautiful Life

I am combining two challenges this week, the MIXED MEDIA MONTHLY CHALLENGE has set a colour challenge, the colours really got me going because I already have the colour palette in my spray inks stash!!!, lovely almost fluorescent colours, and who doesn't love a rainbow type colour challenge!!











I have used the fabulous VISIBLE IMAGE  "sparkle in the rain" stamp set. I started the drippy background with my paints, then splattered the paints on a separate piece of card, then stamped the image with purple ink, cut it out, edged with the purple ink to make it stand out a bit more, then stuck it onto my background, the words "beautiful" and "life" are from other visible image quotes that I have paired together.

STEAMPUNKED

Hmmmmm.... steampunk is not really one of my strongest themes, but hey, that's what these challenges are for eh!!..to challenge yourself !!.. so I have joined in with this months  THE ARTISTIC STAMPER "steampunked"challenge.
The background started off as a cogs embossing folder print, where you put ink on an embossing folder then lay the paper on it to get a print of the design, but I didn't put it through the machine as I didn't want the paper embossed!!. It came out a bit rubbish, not too clear, so I got the TST steampunk mask and inked through it, then added a few paperartsy cogs stamps, the Artistic Stamper grid background stamp, then finally the carabelle studio Man and Bird stamp...oh and to finish off, the Indigoblu Quintessentially English stamp.
FRILLY and FUNKIE are also having a "show us your stamps" challenge, so I am entering it there too.

PAPERBABE picture inspiration #57

Well... I am still lovin doin the PAPERBABE challenges, and this weeks is a picture inspiration challenge, also, a double whammy...cos I get to add another Christmas card to my stash!!!..so it's all good!!!.
I know these are not typical Christmas colours, and they are not necessarily colours that I would usually use, or would think of putting together, I am more of a blue n green type of girl!!, but I guess that is why I enjoy these challenges, treading outside my usual comfort zone, thinking outside the box...and all the other cliche quotes!!... lol.
All the products used, the girl template, the snowflake stamps, the herringbone stencil, and the sentiment stamp are all from Paperbabe.  I love the end result, hope you like it too.

"Only Blue" #2

.......Well I did say that my favourite colour to use is blue!!!!.. so I have done another card for the second week of the STAMPOTIQUE only blue challenge. Isn't this Stampotique mermaid adorable!!!... her name is Smumanha.
 I did the background with the Memory Box "rings and puddles" stencil, then smudged it a little with some watery white paint, I love the effect and thought it fitting for a watery scene.

Feathers Appear When Angels Are Near

I made this card for my lovely friend who wrote a song in remembrance of her son Roman who died while he was quite small. The song was very poignant, heartfelt, and just a real tearjerker. One of the lines in the song has lyrics similar to these, so when I heard it, I was inspired to make a card for Amanda to let her know how beautiful her song is.

The stamps I have used are the VISIBLE IMAGE 
"Angels are near" stamp set.
I am also entering this card in the THAT'S CRAFTY  "fly Away" challenge,
and THE ARTISTIC STAMPER  "take a little colour" challenge

Only Blue

This weeks theme for the challenge over at STAMPOTIQUE ....(of which I won with the last Blue and Green challenge) was an easy one for me, the title is "Only Blue"...meaning use only blue on your work, .....well my favourite colour to use is blue....they say it is a sign of insecurity!!!...but who says that!!! lol. anyways, I love all shades of blue, especially the teals and turquoise's....oooohhh yummy. I have used Stampotiques cheeky little chappy, Buru, and also Daniel's hearts for the background.
Also over at THE ARTISTIC STAMPER, on their facebook site, the challenge is to "take a little colour", so I am taking my chances there too.

Vintage and Metal

I think that I am hoping that if I do Christmas cards for challenges, then by December I will have made enough to give out!!!... I hate thinking of a theme for my Christmas cards, I love the process of making them, and once I have decided, I usually do them all the same, but this year I think they will be a miss match of all the ones I have already done.
Soooo... with that in mind, I have decided to make another Christmas card while entering the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge and the topic is "Vintage" and also the Country View Crafts Challenge where the subject is "Metal".
I tried to make the frame metallic by painting the frame black, then adding gilding wax to it.
So, thats another Christmas card done, and in my favourite kinda style at the moment, recycled corrugated packaging. dont ya just love it when some of the supplies are for free!!!.

Paperbabe sketch challenge #55

The PAPERBABE STAMPS challenge is a sketch challenge this week, so if you pop over to kim's blog you will see what it is all about.
Here, I have used Paperbabe's Peaceful Flurries stamps, the Sparkle Bright sentiments stamps, and the herringbone stencil.
I am enjoying using my Paperbabe products, after winning the challenges twice now, I am getting quite a little Paperbabe products stash, if you use Kim's products in the challenge you get to win £20 worth of her stuff....so cooooool !!! and as the saying goes....You've to be in it to win it!!!

Paperbabe & Butterfly

There is a picture inspiration challenge over on the  PAPERBABE STAMPS blog today, it is a photo of a yellow flower and a butterfly, so here is my interpretation of the photo.
The background looks a bit like a gelli print to me, but it is actually just some spray ink on a stencil and I laid the paper on the top, it is a two for one technique because you get the actual stencils of the butterflies on the paper underneath. I did the paperbabe girl with bozzy eyes as if she is looking at the butterfly on her nose.
I am also entering this in THE ARTISTIC STAMPER "anything goes" challenge, as I would love to win some of their stamps.

Blue n Green Stampotique

I have made another blue and green card here, to combine the STAMPOTIQUE "only animals" challenge...does a butterfly qualify as an animal???..well.. it is one of God's creatures....and my favourite image!!..so I would say yes!!!,  also for the COUNTRY VIEW CRAFTS "blue and green" challenge, and also for THE ARTISTIC STAMPER "anything goes" challenge. pheeeeew...i dont often get to do a card that combines 3 challenges, I love this card, with my favourite colour combination, my favourite butterfly stamp, and my favourite kind of background, book page, distress oxides, and a bubble stencil, my god I am gonna have to stop buying bubble stencils...I must have a circle obsession!!!... wonder if there is even a name for that..lol.

Blues & Greens

The CountryViewCrafts challenge for this month is a "Blue and Green" challenge, well..I just adore these two colours together, so expect a blue n green card overload!!!!
I made this card with a bit of a mop up with leftover paint from another card I had made, I added a couple of inkylicious stamps, I  love the sentiment, and gave this card to one of my friends who is quite a spiritual, caring and kind soul.
I am also entering this in The Artistic Stamper challenge, which is "anything goes".

Paperbabe "flower" challenge

I am really enjoying doing the PAPERBABE stamps challenge, this weeks theme is "flowers", so I have used a stamp from my stash and made a type of flower headband for my paperbabe girl to wear. I am really quite proud of how my portrait colouring is coming on and never thought I would be any good at it, I think I like doing the shading with pencils best, but also liked the watercolour one I did last time, it flows and blends better, the first time I used acrylic paint and it is quite thick for my liking so don't get as good a blending. I have left out the sentiment on this card so that I can choose one appropriate to the recipient at the time....not that I like giving my cards away, I just like hoarding them and looking at them from time to time to see how far I have come on, or to remind me of a technique that I would have otherwise forgotten.

Paperbabe Sketch Challenge

well...I am still practicing my PAPERBABE faces, the shading is just a bit tricky to master, but I think I over analyse it and am too cautious, scared of making a mistake, instead of just tackling it head on...cos come on...its only a piece of bloomin paper for heavens sake!!!! Anyway I am getting the hang of it now and just need to get to grips with the hair!!!!. This week the challenge is to be inspired by a sketch, so if you go over to the Paperbabe blog you will see what its all about and maybe be inspired by Kims artwork...she really does make it seem so simple, but like she says...the trick is to make mistakes and enjoy the "ugly stage"..lol.
I am also entering this in the THAT'S CRAFTY "All Things Grunge" challenge. 

A Splash Of Colour

I recently bought a few sets of Visible Image stamps, and my favourite is the "Born To Perform" set, the ballerina and the references to dancing are just fabulous ...I am a dancer too, but I do classical sequence, ballroom, and latin....hey Visible Image...that's an idea for new images, ballroom dancers!!!..gonna suggest that to them!!!.
Anyways...I just love them, and this months challenge over on their facebook is  "A Splash Of Colour" challenge, so as I have been playing with my Distress Oxides, I thought I would have a go at doing some splashes with them, I just adore the oxide inks and on black cardstock they are a whole new level!!!, so I started by smooshing fossilised amber, dried it, then splashing broken china on top, I splattered some white ink on too but that took on the fossilised amber that was underneath so was more of a cream colour, I love the outcome, I just adore smooshing and splattering, the randomness of it and the uniqueness of every one you do just excites me.
I finished off by embossing the ballerina with black embossing powder, and the sentiment is from the Express Yourself set, you cannot see it clearly here but in real life it is much clearer, it says "never give up on your dream".
I am also entering this card in the THAT'S CRAFTY challenge, with the hope of a chance to win the £20 voucher on offer!!

Paperbabe Picture Inspiration

This weeks PAPERBABE challenge is a picture inspiration challenge, and the photo is of lollypops and rainbow colours, beautiful!!!. well...it got my creative juices flowing straight away cos I recently bought some lollypop sticks with the intention of trying my hand at a bit of lollypop stick art (popsicle stick art) for my american friends!!!, so I had my idea instantly, I stuck a few sticks together, then used the Paperbabe "Knit" stencil with some texture paste, then dripped different coloured inks down it, stamped the warmest wishes words from the Sparkle Bright Stamp Set, then mounted it on some craft card, did some sewing...love sewing on cards, and as they say...bob's your uncle!!!
I am also entering this in the THAT'S CRAFTY challenge, where "anything goes".

with sympathy

For this weeks Paperbabe challenge it is "Anything Goes", well, I'm definitely not a fan of any challenge that has an anything goes title, like I have said before, I need a starting point, or else my mind just goes blank!!!. so I looked at other companies challenges, and That's Crafty have a "clean and simple challenge, so I thought that I would combine the two. Now I know it seems easy, but clean and simple....just aint so simple!!!...but I have to say I love the watery effect of this card, and I just adore Kim Costello's paperbabe stamps.

Time Flies

I am entering this card in this months VISIBLE IMAGE Challenge where the subject is dimension. I used the clock and the wings from the Time after Time stamp set, adding dimension by adding silicone glue to one of the clocks so it stands out and then adding silicone glue to the wings for added height and dimension.
The background was actually a gelli print that I didnt like that much, but I just added a bit of spiced marmalade distress oxide and stamped the numbers from the same stamp set as the other stuff, and I loved it, which goes to prove my theory, of which I am sure all you crafters are the same.... when in doubt, never bin it, just add a bit more ink....even if it is that terrible that you have to cover it with white gesso!!!! annnnnd...bobs your uncle!!!!

Oldie but Goodie!!

I am entering this card in two challenges this week,  Stampotique Designers Challenge...and the Country View Crafts challenge.  Stampotique are asking you to bring out an old stamp that you havent used in a while, but love!!..well.. that's not hard to choose, I love all the Daniel Torrent stamps, and Buru is one of my faves, I have also used the Giant Shroom stamp and the Daniels Hearts stamp too....which brings me onto the Country View Crafts Challenge where the challenge is to use hearts, sooooo...two birds, one stone...and all that!!!.

Visible Image May Challenge

I am entering this card in the Visible Image May Challenge, where the title is "Express Yourself". to make words your focal point in your card. I have used the butterfly INKognito and the Where dreams take you stamps, both from Visible Image.

2nd card for Paperbabe challenge #48

Here is the second card that I have made for the Paperbabe picture inspiration challenge. The same as the previous one where I used the face template and stamps.

Paperbabe Stamps challenge #48

This weeks  PAPERBABE stamps challenge is a picture inspired one, of some flowers and a few colours, bluey greens, and yellows. I always like it more when a challenge has a theme, I absolutely hate it when it is an "anythng goes"challenge, cos I just don't know where to start, I look round at my huuuuuuge craft stash and feel paralysed!!!

I am really enjoying playing with my paperbabe templates, I notice that the portraits trend is huge at the moment, and didn't think that I would like it, mainly because of my lack of confidence with anything new like faces.... but my god Jane.... it is just a piece of paper....get experimenting!!!!
Actually, I quite enjoy doing the face part, especially with Kims stamps because it is much easier to do the facial features symetrically so that is a help, but I also like doing the shading, what I have discovered is that I hate doing the hair...I just doesnt look right,  so I solved that one this week by eliminating it....result!!!!
I made this card and didn't quite like it because one of the flower heads covered her lips and I just felt it looked weird, so I did another one, which I will post later, but the more this one sat on my craft desk the more it grew on me....and I actually like it more than the other one I did.

PAPERBABE

well....I'm back....to show you my new obsession...PAPERBABE STAMPS.. I discovered these while I was doing some housework and Hochanda was on the TV one day... who am I kidding... Hochanda is permanently on my TV and the only time Pete is quite happy to have it on is when Alex Turchin is the presenter, she is kinda hot tho and a bit goth, just as pete likes his women!!!!...anyway, I recognised the name Kim Costello,  I have always admired her work, so my ears pricked up and I was hooked the moment I saw the portrait face templates and the co-ordinating stamps to go with them. I'm not much of a portrait artist, and definitely have trouble with light and shade, it doesn't come easy to me, but I just fell in love with these cute girl templates as soon as I saw them, so just had to have the equipment, a few templates, the torso which is standard, then a few different hairstyles, and the face stamps too. now this is my first attempt so don't be too judgemental, I'm sure I will get the hang, but am still kinda proud of it.