INSPIRATION STATION #85

We are back with another inspirational photo for you from Inspiration Station.  How will you be inspired by this?  I was inspired by the colours of the red and blue and also the idea that these people have finished their studies and are off out into the world.  I know this happens in May in the US but doesn't really happen in the UK until July which is when our schools and universities finish for the summer. 

I chose to create a tag using one of Tim Holtz die cuts to create the tag which gives a nice big tag to work on.  I started off by painting red and blue stripes with a paint brush with some Tim Holtz paint direct to the tag. I also added some strips of washi tape in red and white.  I then added some extra stamping from Bipasha BK for Aallandcreate - I liked the words which I thought really fit the theme.  

I then had a look through my Tim Holtz paper dolls and found these three ladies who looked as though they were just about to embark on something exciting and I found the perfect sentiment from Tim's quote book.  I added some ephemera pieces too which fit the theme. I added some cheesecloth behind the image to add some extra texture and I hand drew a stitch line around the edge of the tape as I really can't sew! 

LOVE TO CRAFT - #92

Here we are ready for another challenge at Love to Craft.  I'm sharing another tag from my tag book which I am currently working on with the theme of butterflies.  It has all the elements which I love to play with as a big Mixed Media fan.  You will see other examples of my book on my blog as I share some of them for other challenge groups I'm part of.

This one has used the Paper Artsy paint again in Snowflake and Seaglass.   I then added extra stamping by Alison Bomber and Creative Expressions. I have a lovely old set by CE which has signatures on it and I've used one of them here as part of the ephemera.  I cut out the lovely butterfly which is part of a free set by Shawn Petite and added it to some ephemera.  I stamped some linen and added it to the bottom of the tag.  The little tag sentiment is by Bipasha BK for Aallandcreate.

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA #126

Welcome back to another challenge at Creative Artiste Mixed Media challenge where we love to see at least 3 different mediums on your projects.  

I've created a canvas this week as it's been a while since I did one.  I just really wanted to have a little play and I love how this turned out.

My starting point was some lovely rice paper with the image of the garden gate on it by Studio Light.  I loved the idea of going through that gate and exploring.  I created my background with some new paints I've recently bought from Paper Artsy and they are fast becoming my favourites to use.  I only used a few colours here as I only have 3 so far - I used Steel Grey and Seaglass. I added some texture paste with a stencil and then did some stamping and stencilling using products by Alison Bomber and Tracy Evans. 

I added some extra texture and interest by using some scraps of book pages and ephemera for the butterfly which is one of Tim Holtz's Ideaology butterflies.  I fixed it to some netting. I then found these two Tim Holtz paper dolls and they just reminded me of my grandchildren who are 7 and 3 and just love being out doors exploring so the words I found from Tim's quote books were just perfect.  

I created the circles with the top of the paint pot of Snowflake also by Paper Artsy.  I love how this turned out and it has pride of place on my wall.  

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES #189 - ONE OR MORE BUTTERFLIES

Welcome back to another challenge at Moving Along With the Times and we are on butterflies this month. I'm back in my usual happy place of mixed media for this one.

I am currently working on a large tag book on the theme of butterflies so thought I would share one of my tags.  

It has background stamping with stamps by Alison Bomber and Tracy Evans.  I've added some stamped linen and attached a Tim Holtz Ideaology Butterfly to the material.  There is extra stamping from Creative Expressions set Butterfly Walk by Sam Poole.  I cut out the words No Regret for the top tag from an old dictionary.  

PEARLY SPARKLES #119 - ONE OR MORE BUTTERFLIES

Welcome back to another challenge at Pearly Sparkles where we would like to see one or more butterflies on your projects.

This is a slightly different style to my normal grungy mixed media.  I used a mask by Lavinia Stamps for the circles and edged around it in Distress Oxide Tumbled Glass.  I added some stencilling with the same colour.  The left me with the white inside circle and I used an old stamp by Tracy Evans for Aallandcreate with the lovely butterflies on it.  I added a circle in the middle and cut out a butterfly die cut out of the same backing paper I had used for layering.  I used Versafine Clair Avocado and Verdant for the stamping.  

ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE #515 DIE CUTS/STENCILS

Time for another challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More and we are on Die Cuts/Stencils.  I'm working my way through a mixed media Tag book at the moment.  They are large tags 7" x 4" which gives lots of room to play with.  I'm sharing one of my latest ones and I have about 4 more to go.  

The background is a pull from the gel press using Paper Artsy paints and a stamp set by Alison Bomber.  I'm loving these muted blue tones at the moment.  I've also been making some mood boards so I've added some of these cut up as ephemera pieces to add interest behind the butterfly.  

This is one of Tim Holtz Die Cuts called Scribbly Butterflies and they are some of my favourite die cuts.  I used the same paper as the background to cut out the butterfly and added the word Specimen to its body.  It is attached to some netting  and I've also added some scraps of ribbon at the bottom of the tag.  

INSPIRATION STATION - #84

Welcome back to another challenge at Inspiration Station and I hope our lovely image can inspire you.  I took my inspiration from the colours of the little watering cans hanging on the wall.  

I used an old stamp by Tracy Evans for the watering can and added a pop of yellow for the welly boots. I used a stencil in the same oval shapes as the ovals at the front of the picture and stamped one of Tracy's flowers for the background.  I used Prismacolor pencils to colour in the flower. I added some faux stitching around the outside with a Micron pen.

The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp set Wild Birthday. 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA #125 - TAG BOOK

Time for another Creative Artiste Mixed Media challenge and we would like to see your Mixed Media projects.

I'm really enjoying creating little books and junk journals.  I seem to have so many cards that are just piling up with no-one to love them that I need a different outlet to be creative with.  Hence creating books.

This has been my latest project - a tag book.  It is still a work in progress and I haven't yet decided exactly how many tags I will add to the finished article but so far I have finished 5 tags double sided.  The tags are quite large 7" x 4" so are great to work with. I am doing all the pages as a nature theme and each one will have a butterfly on it somewhere. 

I've used various stamps by Tim Holtz, Tracy Evans, Alison Bomber, Studio Light, Creative Expressions to name but a few. I've added die cuts by Tim Holtz, Tim Holtz Idealogy, Distress Inks and Oxides, Paper Artsy paints.  Texture Paste is by Daler Rowney which is my favourite to use.  I've also used old book pages and various material pieces, linens and lace.  

I'm adding this into the following:

Outlawz - anything but a card 

Mix it up plus Die Cuts - Tim Holtz 

Lets Craft and Create - plus butterflies 

Birds Butterflies Blooms 

Allsorts- AG 

Tag Along - Butterflies, Blooms 

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES - #188 - SPRING

Welcome back to Moving Along With The Times and our challenge of Spring.  There are so many ways of interpreting Spring and I look forward to seeing what you all come up with.

I've used Alison Bomber's gorgeous Apple Blossom stamp set again as I do love to see my apple trees in blossom.  They are very young trees and so far we've only managed a few apples of them but I live in  hope! 

I used some watercolour paper for my background and added some subtle Distress Oxide in Speckled Egg and Spun Sugur.  I added some extra background stamping from the same set - stamped off in Versafine Morning Mist to keep it subtle.  I stamped and cut out the main apple blossom stamp and coloured it in with Distress Inks in Spun Sugar and Peeled Paint. I stamped the lovely birds nest ephemera stamp in Versafine Verdant to give a contrast to all the subtle colours.

PEARLY SPARKLES - #118 SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW

Welcome back to our challenge at Pearly Sparkles this month and it's my choice of Something Old Something New.  I'm sure lots of us received new goodies over the Christmas period - maybe even some we haven't used yet so now is your chance.

I recently purchased some new dies from Lou Collins Textures - the set is called Clipboard Coverings Vol II.  I don't really go for dies unless they are Tim Holtz but I really loved this clipboard set and all its little embellishments like the paper clip, the bulldog clip and the actual clipboard.  It also has two great add on dies that give a stitched edge and as I don't do sewing that's great for me.

I've created my little clipboard to go into my journal. I'll use it as a tuck spot to add some journaling behind.   The old part is the stamp set from Alison Bomber EAB46 Apple Blossom.  

After cutting out the clipboard with the die I used some Paper Artsy paint in Sea Glass and Snowflake to add some interest.  I also cut out the inner which gives the frayed edges.  This was a gel press paper I had which had been made with an old stencil and a new stencil - the new one was from 13 arts called Back in Time Dress Circle and one of the stamps from Apple Blossom.  I then stamped an extra flower stamp and added it to the surface keeping the colours soft and muted with some Prismacolor pencils.  I added a little tag with one of the paper paperclips and some netting and a number.  The butterfly was cut from some new decoupage paper from Lou Collins.

ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE #513 - BIRTHDAYS

Welcome back to our Birthdays challenge at ATSM.  March is a very busy time in our household for birthdays and this one was for my daughter who loves her chickens.  She has about 20 of them and has raised most of them from chicks.  

I just had to use this lovely chicken stamp by Tracy Evans Boutique Designs. together with the cheeky mouse.  The wellington boots are from an old Tracy Evans set for Aallandcreate.  I added some stencilling behind and the sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Wild Birthday stamp set. 

I'm adding this into the following:

Paper Funday - fur or feathers - we have both 

We Love Stamping - wildlife - mouse 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA #124

Welcome back to Creative Artiste Mixed Media.  I'm having great fun creating little books out of upcycled packaging and this one started out life as the inside of toilet roll holders!  Who knew!  There are a total of 6 pages both double sided. 

I covered the papers first with white gesso to give me a good base to add all the extra stamping and collaging.  

On the one side are some lovely images of vintage birds I found in an old book.  The other side has stamped images of birds from my stash - mainly from Tracy Evans various stamp sets.  I've also added stamping by Tim Holtz and some of his collage tissue. 

Each page has a motivational word which co-ordinates with the tag so that journaling can be added. The ribbons on the tags were stamped with a butterfly collage stamp and then torn.

I've also been enjoying making my own paper beads so I've added some of these to the book binding ring together with some charms.  

I'm popping this one into my Etsy shop so it can find its way to a new home. All the 12 sides of this project can be seen there.

We look forward to seeing your mixed media pieces this month - don't forget to use at least 3 mediums on your project. 

I'm adding this into the following

The Outlawz - Anything but a card 

Triple B - Birds and Blossoms 

CRAFT - AG 

Creative Inspiration - AG 

Ellibelle Garden - something from the garden 

Paper Rock Scissors - everything but a rock! 

ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE - #512 - CHRISTMAS

Time for another Christmas Challenge at ATSM.  I created my scene with a stencil mask by Lavinia Stamps - I love these sticky stencils and thought I'd try an arch for a change.  I added a moon just with a paper mask and created my snow hills with a piece of torn paper.  The stamps are by Tracy Evans Boutique Designs. 

I'm adding this into the following:

Simon Says Stamp Monday - make your own background using Tracy Evans 

Little Red Wagon - include an animal 

Paper Funday - Fur or Feather 

We love Stamping - Wildlife, Christmas 

THE MALE ROOM CHALLENGE #208 BLUE AND BROWN

Welcome back to the Male Room Challenge. I'm sad to say this will be my final entry as Design Team member for this challenge.  I've been with Helen and the team for a good few years now but I find I am moving away from card making as they are taking over my craft room with nowhere to send them!  The Male Room doesn't always ask for cards but I find the books and mixed media pieces I'm turning to are not quite always male orientated.  It's fitting therefore that it's my turn to choose the theme for this month and I chose blue and brown.  I've gone full grunge with my card for this one.

I started off using a piece of Kraft Glassine paper by Tim Holtz.  This is something I've had in my stash for years and rarely use it.  I was trying to go for an old leather type look.  I stamped it first with a very old Tim Holtz post card stamp in black and then scrunched it all up.  I added some Speckled Egg Embossing powder but that didn't work on the paper so I just used some Speckled Egg Distress Crayon. I added a few strips of Tim Holtz Washi tape to the side.

I then created the tag with the same stamp and here the Embossing Powder did work.  I added one of Tim;' paper dolls and some gears underneath.  As the clock embellishment had such a large back to it I layered the tag on some dimensions.  The extra stamping is from Creative Expressions - yet another find in my stash I didn't know I had. I wanted a sentiment with a time connotation and finally found this one from Aallandcreate on a stamp set.  Another great find.

This project turned out to be using what I had and it was great to find some new treasures.  I would urge you all to dig through and see what you've got. I layered the card onto some card stock with Ground Espresso Distress Ink edging the border.  Full on grunge! 

I'm adding this into the following:

Cardz4Guyz - Monochrome 

Paper Rock Scissors - lots of papers and lots of cutting

SSS Monday - make your own background 

Make My Monday - card for a guy 

WE love2 Create - AG