Happy Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day....

I will be working all day but have a special dinner planned for the evening.

Here is the card that I made for my wonderful husband

The background is embossed using the gorgeous Stampin' Up fan folder.

The doily heart is an x-cut doily (totally amazing - thought I would lose the will to live but it was really easy removing the 'bits').  There was also a matching Papermania stamp for the doily (looks fabulous on it's own too).

The border is cut using a Stampin' Up punch.

I added some gears and washers to give my card a masculine look.

I added an Ideology word bank and 2 heart pins to finish.

I'm hoping that Dan likes my card.  Unfortunately he won't be getting a pressie - just in the process of buying a new car!! I'm sure he knows how much I love him anyway!!

Thanks for looking.

Rebel Stamps ATC Swap

Here are the ATCs that I created for the Rebel Stampers swap for January.

The first is based on the free stamp issued with the January 2013 edition of Craft Stamper:

I started off by colouring the background using fired brick distress stain. 

I then stamped the French Script from Tim Holtz Papilion set in the fired brick distress ink.

The doily is a Stampin' Up die which I coloured using wild honey ink. and attached to the atc.

I cut a window frame shape and stamped the Craft Stamper free stamp using Archival and coloured using distress pens.

I finished by die cutting a banner, colouring and stamping a greeting.

The second theme for January was 'Numbers':

I pushed broken china ink through a numbers stencil.  

I then stamped a Tim Holtz stamp using picked raspberry and peacock feathers.

The main quote was a Paper Artsy stamp and was stamped in Archival ink.

So... two very different atc's to start the new year off...

Thanks for looking.

Rebel Stampers Circle Book Challenge

I've just finished my 5th circle book challenge with the Rebel Stampers.

What is it???  You get together with a group of friends, pick a stamp and create a page, send your stamp and pages to the nominated friend on your list and they then complete the next page for you using your chosen stamp.  You then continue each month until you eventually get your book and stamp back.  Our challenge has got bigger and bigger and this time 10 pages were completed.

I was totally delighted when it landed on my doorstep.  Everyone is so talented.

My stamp of choice was 'Alice' from Stampotique which I bought from The Stamp Attic.

Here are the pages:

My page

Margaret''s Page 

Sophie's Page

Mickie's Page

Von's Page

Becky's Page 

Jennie's Page

Sarah's Page

Janet's Page

Vonny's Page

Didn't they do fabulously?!  Each page is full of gorgeous detail and texture.  I love them.

Better start looking for a stamp for the next book!!!

Thanks for looking.

Pay It Forward 2013

This year I am taking part in Pay It Forward (PIF).  For those that have not heard of it, PIF is where you offer to create a hand made product for the fist 5 people that comment on a post - in this instance on Facebook.  In return, the 5 'chosen' people have to make the same offer to people - and so it goes on!  You then have the whole of 2013 to create your projects and forward them on.

I have made my first project and the recipient (Di Potticary) was delighted when she received it!!  The box was designed on a workshop that I did with the very talented Hels Sheridan at the end of 2012.

I used a box that  I had in my stash for a while!!  I painted it using sand acrylic paint.  I then used coffee archival ink to stamp a crackle effect all over the box

I then set about decorating it!  (That was the fun part).

I started by die cutting a doily out of grunge paper and painting it using Paper Artsy paints.  I painted and stamped Studio 490 Art Parts , inked birds and flowers.  I then assembled these to the top left corner of the box.

I rubbed some gold wax over an Ideology frame. I stamped the word 'Dream' and attached it to the back of the frame before adhering it to the bottom right corner of the box.

I finished by adding coloured drops in various places.

Here is the finished project.

It didn't turn out anything like I had planned in my head before hand but think that it has a nice Spring feel to it!!

Thanks for looking.

Fun with Lace!

Today I want to share a card that I made using some fabulous new Stampin' Up products.

I started by inking a card front using Pink Pirouette ink.  I then used the En Francais stamp and stamped the back ground in the same coloured ink.

I stamped the swirl from Everything Eleanor using Chocolate Chip ink.

The Doily, flowers, button and lace are all part of the new Artisan kit - which could have easily been designed especially for me - I love this kit!!

The doily was inked using Pink Pirouette and edges using Chocolate Chip.

The quote is from 'The Pursuit Of Happiness' stamp set.  As soon as I saw this set I HAD to have it!!  I love the film of the same name (as well as the yummy Will Smith who stars in it).  Every time I watch the film I end up crying uncontrollably throughout it - such a lovely, touching movie...  Anyway - back to the card....  I adore this quote - something I have to tell myself now and then.

I attached the doily to the card blank.

I adhered some lace using strong tape at each end.  I cut the stems from the flowers and attached them to the right hand side.  I threaded some bakers twine through a button and attached to finish.

I made this card at 3 a.m while I was unwell and unable to sleep - when I saw it again the next day I was delighted - the photo does not do it justice!!

Thanks for looking...

Tim Holtz - 12 Tags of 2013: February

I can't believe January is over already!!

February means that it's time for Tim's next tag!  You can see Tim's tag Here.

This is my version

Again, I chose to create a card instead of a tag so that I can use them throughout the year.

I also changed my version slightly and did not add any tissue tape as I was not using a tag.  I also did not have a suitable oval punch (loads of oval dies but none were small enough!!) so I had to carefully draw and cut around until it fitted.

I don't normally use red and black so it was nice to take myself beyond my comfort zone for a change.

Hope you like my version!!