Happy (belated) Birthday Eli !

I should have posted this yesterday, as that was my niece's birthday, but I have to be honest I've been feeling a little out of sorts lately and so it completely slipped my mind ! At least I actually gave her the card on time, which is an achievement!


So, better late than never, onto the card. I started my using a technique I spotted over at The Craft Barn a couple of weeks ago. It's where you take a plastic container fill it half way with water and then add drops of alcohol inks. You then dip your card into the water and the alcohol inks cling to the card and create wonderful designs. I then stamped on top of the card with a Viva Silicon text stamp and went round the edge with Walnut Stain DI. For the ruffle I used Tissue Tape and then zipped around the edge with my sewing machine. The background was made using the text stamps from a Darkroom Door set called 1920's Chic. The main image and the piece of text are also from the same set. The little bottle of Chanel is from this set and I've stamped it and then covered it with Glossy Accents. The two hearts are from a Wendy Vecchi stamp set called Art from the Heart.



The little balloon is a B Line stamp and I've added a Type Charm to it. The bow is made from Tim Holtz ribbon which I've coloured using a re-inker in Antique Linen, put a few drops in a mister and then sprayed the ribbon. The button is off some piece of clothing long abandonned ( probably because it no longer fits !) but the button found a good home !

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

• Fashionable Stamping - Anything Goes
  
• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes
  

The Stamp Man challenge

It's time for another challenge over at The Stamp Man and it's my turn to host the challenge which is stitching ! I do love to stitch on my cards it just finishes it off ! The prize for the challenge is a £10 voucher to spend at The Stamp Man.


I started by making the background using the Tim Holtz Adverts stamp set. The vertical panel is cut using the Tim Hotlz Rosette die. The main text is from the Tim Holtz Stuff to Say stamp set. The flower is made using the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die cut from Kraft Resist stack.


The swirl is also cut from the Kraft Resist stack using the Elegant Flourishes die. The letters on the ticket are cut using hte Vintage Market die and then I've rubbed Walnut Stain DI over the top.

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge !

'A' is for.......

For my Katzelkraft project this week I'm sharing a chipboard letter that I've altered. I found these letters at our local garden centre several weeks ago and I've been waiting for inspiration to strike !


I painted the letter first of all with Gesso and then used Walnut Stain Distress Stains to colour it. I've then used the Fleurs set of stamps and stamped them with Archival Coffee ink. The text is stamped with Archival Black ink and the stamp is from the Nature Quotes set of stamps.

I've used Tim Holtz Ideaology to decorate it and I've edged it with Tissue Tape and then distressed the edges with black acrylic paint.

The rose is made using the Scalloped Flower die by Paper Artsy and I've done some freehand embossing on the metal. I'm entering this project in to the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge which is embossing ( freehand embossing on the metal rose).

The stamps I've used are available exclusively in the UK from The Craft Barn and from Katzelkraft in France.

Blog hop extended !

If you've not had chance to join in with the blog hop over on the ABC Challenge then there's still time as it's been extended until 10AM Wednesday 27 July ! The challenge is 'Y' is for Yesterday, this could be an old stamp or even an old challenge. Check out the ABC Challenge blog for the details of all the fabulous sponsors and the prizes on offer.

Good luck !

Happy Birthday Libby !

Today is a special day as it's my god daughter's birthday.......Happy Birthday Libby !!!
Unfortunately, I don't live close to her so I don't get to see her very often.

For Libby's card I've used a Mo Manning image which I've shaded with ProMarkers and cut out using Labels 18 Nestabilities. The embossed panel is made using the Happy Birthday Cuttlebug EF which I've blended Tattered Rose DI over. I've used a text stamp from a Wendy Vecchi set for the second panel.




The swirls are made using a Marianne Creatable die. The background is stamped using a stamp from the Baroque Stampin' Up set.



The flower is made using the Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die and Grunge Paper which I've blended Victorian Velvet DI over. The brad is one of the gorgeous Marah Johnson brads. The button and the charm are from my stash.

Hope your week has started off well !

The Stamp Man Challenge

It's time for another challenge over at The Stamp Man, and this time would like to see anything T!m ! So get out all of your ideaology and Tim Holtz stamps and show us what you can do ! Make sure you check out the fab creations that the DT have made !

If you visit regularly you'll know that I'm rather partial to Tim Holtz products, so this challenge was a real pleasure ! The stamps I've used are from the Papillon and Good Thoughts sets. I started by blending DI over some white card stock, using Brushed Corduroy and Faded Jeans. The border is made using the Tim Holz Sizzix border die Scrollwork and I've used Walnut Stain DI to blend over it. I stamped the text stamp from the Papillon set onto white card and then distressed it using Brushed Corduroy and Walnut Stain DI. I then zipped around the edge with my sewing machine.



The butterflies were stamped onto white cardstock using black Archival ink and then I've blended Antique Linen and Scattered Straw DI around the edge. The swirl is made using the Tim Holtz Sizzix die Elegant Flourishes and I've blended Walnut Stain DI over it. The clip and metal tag are from the Tim Holtz Ideaology range.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Stitching
• C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Butterflies
  
• Paperplay Challenge - Things with Wings
  
• Stampin for the Weekend - Wings and things
  
• By the Cute and Girly - Things with Wings
  

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge.

Paris tag !

Is it me or is Blogger having a mid-life crisis !! If you knew how many times I've had to log in and out......I've definitely got more grey hairs now !

So, moving on, my Katzelkraft DT project that I'm sharing with you this week is a tag. I don't do these very often, but I am starting to get the bug !

The stamp sets I've used are Paris Postal and Paris Monuments. I've used Kraft card for the tag and then blended Walnut Stain DI around the edge. I've stamped the images in Coffee and Black Archival ink. I used Walnut Stain Distress Stain to colour some Tissue Tape. The frame is made using the Tim Holtz Sizzix die.




The discs along the bottom are recycled from a belt from a pair of jeans, I've even managed to use the same jump rings !

The stamps I've used are available exclusively from The Craft Barn in the UK and from Katzelkraft in France.

Hope you all have a great day.

Here come the girls !

I had an order for some cards from a lady at work and they're all for little girls. I was dreading making them as I'd not got a clue what to do. My mojo has been somewhat lacking of late, and as cards for 'little people' aren't really my forte I thought that I would spend most of the time looking out of the window ! Anyway, I managed to dig deep and I'm quite pleased with the first two I've made.

I've used a Mo Manning image for all of the cards and shaded them with ProMarkers. I cut this image out using Nestabilities Labels 3, sponged some DI around the edge before removing the die. The tulips are from a Wendy Vecchi set and I've stamped the flower head onto card that I've blended Wild Honey DI over and the stalk and leaves onto card that I've blended Shabby Shutters DI over. The text stamp is also from the same Wendy Vecchi stamp set.



The number is made using the Tim Holtz Vintage Market Sizzlie die and I've blended DI over it and then covered it with Glossy Accents. The border punch is a Fiskars.


I've used Nestabilities Labels 18 to cut this image out. The papers are My Minds Eye and a scrap piece from my stash. The border punch is a Martha Stewart and the die is a Marianne Creatable.

The number is made using the Tim Holtz Vintage Market Sizzlit die and I've done the same thing as on the first card with the DI and Glossy Accents. The frame is a die cut using the Tim Holtz Tag die and the name is done on my PC.

Well that's 2 down, 2 to go !

I'm entering the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Show a Flourish (on my second card)
  
• Bearly Mine challenge - Anything goes
  
• Papertake challenge - Anything goes
  
• A Spoon Full of Sugar - Sewing (on both cards)
  
• Papercutz - Ice cream cone (on my first card)
  
• Alphabet Challenge - J is Just for one word (my first card)
  
• Allsorts - Free and easy July ( I think this means anyting goes!)
  
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Summer theme (My first card is summer themed)

Paris Monuments !

For my Katzelkraft DT project this week I've made a card using the Paris Monuments stamp set, which also happens to be in the sale over on the Katzelkraft main site.


I decided to go bright with this card and used Olive and Barn Door DI to shade the background card. I stamped the flourish in Archival Olive ink to make a border. The embossed panel is made using the Fleur de Lys EF and then I rubbed Viva metallic paint over the top and then some DI.



The Paris text is stamped onto some Grunge Paper that I've blended Barn Door DI over then cut out using Labels 4 Nestabilities. The main image has been stamped with black Archival ink onto card that I've blended Olive DI over. I then highlighted some areas using bleach and a fine paint brush. I stamped the monument again onto shrink plastic, punch a hole with my Cropodile before shrinking it.


I love how the shrink plastic still keeps the detail of the stamp. I then added the bottle cap and the bottle cap label. Quite a bright card for me, think I need to have a lie down now !

The stamps I have used are available exclusively in the UK from The Craft Barn and from Katzelkraft in France.

ABC Blog Hop !!

Over on the ABC Challenge blog we're having a blog hop ! Check out the main blog for details of all of the fantastic prizes on offer ! If you've followed the right path you should have arrived here from Clare (Distressed Miss).

You have until 6PM (GMT) Monday 18 July to complete the blog hop. Comments must be left on all of the blogs and the winners will be chosen at random and announced on the ABC Challenge blog.

So onto the challenge for the blog hop which 'Y' is for Yesterday, we want to see your favourite images from the past.


I got myself in a muddle as I only read part of what I should be doing so thought the challenge was 'Y' is for Yesteryear !

I started by using the Polka Dot stamp by Stampin' Up which I stamped with black Archival ink onto card that I'd blended Antique Linen, Scattered Straw and Tea Dye DI over. The vertical panel was made using a Wendy Vecchi text stamp, the words are from a Dark Room Door set and I've stamped them with black Archival ink.


The main image and the text stamp are both from the same Dark Room Door set of stamps. The ribbon is from my stash as are the buttons.

So, the next place you need to 'hop' to is Hanna. Enjoy the rest of the hop and good luck !

The StampMan Challenge

It's time for another challenge over at The StampMan. For this challenge we have an optional sketch for you to follow, but you must use alcohol inks. The prize for the winner is the usual £10 voucher to spend in The StampMan shop.

I decided to follow the sketch as well as using my alcohol inks. I've not used them in a while so it felt good to get them out and my fingers were a wonderful shade of dark sludge !



I started by using Terra Cotta, Butterscotch and Lettuce alcohol inks and dabbing them onto white glossy card stock. I then stamped the sentiment from the Tim Holtz stamp set called Good Thoughts. The side panel is from the gorgeous paper stash Kraft Resist, and I blended Shabby Shutters and Forest Moss DI over it then gave it a gentle rub with a cloth to reveal the resist text. The background was made with a stamp from the Tim Holtz Papillon set, and again I've given it the DI treatment.



The heart is stamped onto a piece of Grunge Paper which I blended Barn Door DI over first, then cut it out and stuck on top of the first stamped image.


The flower is made using the Tattered Flowers Tim Holtz Sizzix die and also using the Lin Brown technique which you can find here. I'm off to one of Lin's workshops today, so should be a fab day!

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge.

The StampMan ATC challenge

The new challenge for the ATC swap over at The StampMan is Vintage.

I'm not sure that I've hit the mark with this one, but I must admit working on something so small always is a big challenge for me ! I've used the Tim Holtz stamp sets Haberdashery and Adverts. You can't see it very clearly but I stamped the background with Old paper DI using a stamp from the Haberdashery stamp set. The advert is stamped with Archival Coffee ink.

I hope you get chance to join in with the swap this month !