TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY TSOT508

Optional theme - Flowers

Welcome to another challenge at Try Stampin on Tuesday with our sketch above with the optional theme of flowers.  I started off by using a stencil from American Crafts for my panel on the right using Tim Holtz Distress Ink. I then used the stamps from Tim Holtz Wild Flowers for my flowers on the left using Distress Inks to watercolour the flowers.  The sentiment in the corner is from a Clearly Besotted set.  

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

One of my new sets is Visible Image's Follow Your Heart.  I don't have many heart stamps and this one really called out to me.

I used some of the Lavinia smooth card stock for my base.  I stamped the heart in Versafine Clair Nocturne and then restamped it to make a mask.  I used an old SU stencil with the dots for the background and used Tim Holtz Distress ink in Squeezed Lemonade and Ripe Persimmon for the dots.  

I repeated these colours for the actual heart using an aqua brush.  I added some drops of Liquid Pearls in White Opal and added a sentiment from Anita Jeram stamps.

I made this card with the AAA Cards challenge in mind as they celebrate their 7th Birthday and thought this sentiment went so well - that's a great achievement in blog land to be going that long.

I'm also adding this into the following challenges:

AAA Birthday - their sister site is 2 years old 

Creative Fingers Challenge - AG

STARSTRUCK

My recent purchases of stamping goodies included some items from the new Stampin Up catalogue including the lovely set called To The Moon which I can see I can use for lots of crafting projects.  I also got some of the new masks as they are great for mixed media projects too.

My card today uses one of those masks which look like triangles.  I used Tim Holtz Dusty Concord for the first layer then offset them mask a little and added some Hickory Smoke.  I stamped the star in Dusty Concord Archival and added some ink to the edges and covered it all in Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen to make it shine.  I had an extra piece of the decorated background and cut it out with an old SU die cut and added the sentiment in my new favourite black ink VersaFine Clair in Nocturne.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Inkspirational - Triangles 

Addicted to stamps - Dies/Stencils - I've used both

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Dies

Cardz 4 Guyz - create your own background

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - 364

We have a lovely mood board for you this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments   My apple trees were full of gorgeously scented blossom last week but this week in the UK we have had wind and rain and it has blown all the blossom away.  I only hope the bees managed to get to them in time.

I'm using a new stamp I received for my birthday from Aall & Create - called Birdsong.  They are collage stamps and I just love the bird on this one.  I kept it simple as it is such a busy stamp by colouring the background with Tim Holtz Spun Sugar Distress Ink.  I added some touches of Peeled Paint and Twisted Citron to some parts.  I coloured the bird in with Peacock Feathers and Gathered Twigs.  I stamped him twice and then cut him out and added him with dimensionals to give an extra layer to the card.

I'm adding this into the following challenges

The House That Stamps Built -  Repeat Impressions Theme Challenge M1921 ~ Birds or Bees

The Paper Funday Challenge - AG

Get Creative - AG 

Allsorts - AG 

SPRING FLOWERS

What a wet and miserable May we are having in the UK at the moment - heavy showers have knocked all the blossom off the apple trees and the spring flowers are looking sad.  One of my favourites is the crocus - such strong little flowers pushing their way up through snow and hard ground just to cheer us all up.

For my card today I've taken one of the lovely stamps from Simon Says Stamp Thoughtful Flowers.  I have already cut out a mask for this crocus so used it for this stamp. I started by using a stencil from Clearly Besotted with the umbrellas which is perfect for our weather at the moment.  I then coloured in the crocus with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Crushed Olive for the leaves and a mix of Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick for the flower.  The sentiment is from the same set.  I sponged the edges and layered it onto a piece of card stock from Stampin Up.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

As You See It - favourite first flower of spring

We Love Chocolate Baroque - Bright sunny colours

Dare 2B Artzy - Flowers

Stamping Sensations - Flowers

ANITA JERAM BIRTHDAY WISHING

I do love these Anita Jeram stamps - I received a few for my birthday too  which I can't wait to start using.

My card today has taken the sketch at Sunday Stamps as its inspiration.

I used a Tim Holtz Tag die for my image and stamped the bunny on it with Versafine Clair in Acorn - the brown gives a softer edge than the black but it still great for watercolours.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks for my water colouring in Seedless Preserves, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs and Salty Ocean.  I added some dots around the edge of the tag with a Docrafts Metallic marker in a purple shade.  The sentiment is from the same set inked in TH Dusty Concord Archival.

For the background I used a Stampin Up Mask and some TH Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserves Distress Ink.  The background paper is from SU and I covered it with a light touch of the Dusty Concord.  I added some twine to finish off the card.

I'm adding this into the following challenges - 

Sunday Stamps - Sketch 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - stencil

Use Your Stuff - Stencil

NURSERY RHYMES

What a great idea for a challenge over at International Art and Soul - Nursery Rhymes.  I really had to put my thinking cap to come up with something.  It was recently my birthday and hubby got me lots of lovely new stamp sets - how did he know? lol!  One was from Aall & Create who I've not used before.  I chose the set called Birdsong for the lovely birds on it.  This led me to an old Welsh nursery rhyme I used to sing with my daughter when she was younger.  It's called Me Welais Jac Y Do - all about a Jackdaw.  Here's a video to cheer your day lol! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhk0_ceCfqI

He looks like a very proud Jackdaw.  I stamped him in Versa Fine Clair ink in Acorn and then used Liquitex inks for the background in Deep Violet and Turqoise Deep.  I added a touch of black to the bird and some gold for his hat.  The sentiment Bird Song was stamped from one of the other stamps in this set and cut with a deckle scissors and added with dimensionals.

I used a Tim Holtz music stencil for the background.

International Art & Soul - Nursery Rhymes 

Through the Craft Room Door - AG

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Things with Wings

Get Creative - AG 

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - TSOT506

Optional challenge - rainbows

Here's our sketch for you this week from Try Stampin on Tuesday and it's certainly a challenge.  I wanted to use the added extra of the rainbow challenge as well as my own twist on the sketch and this is what I came up with.

I started with an old piece of SU DSP which I coloured in the flowers in the colours of the rainbow.  I then used one of the flowers from Wendy Vecchi called Country Flowers.  I used Tim Holtz Distress inks to ink the flower up in all the various rainbow colours.  I added some leaves and a mixture of colours for the butterfly and popped them up on dimensionals.

For the panel at the front I used a script stamp from Wendy Vecchi together with a word stamp from the set called Live and Make Art.  I used Ranger Archival Ink in Seafarer to stamp both.

I'm adding this into the following challenges also:

The Flower Challenge - favourite flower

SWEET STAMPIN - THINGS WITH WINGS

Our challenge for you this month at Sweet Stampin is Things with Wings.  I had to have a play with my Tim Holtz crazy birds stamps and dies again.  I started off by using a stencil from Visible Image called Words of Support with some Distress Ink.  The birds were all coloured in Distress Inks .  I used the matching dies to cut them all out.  Glad I don't have to try and fussy cut them - it's not one of my strengths!

 I added some googly eyes from Stampin Up.  The banner was cut with an old SU die and I added some Nuovo Dots in pink to the edges and to the card.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

International Art and Soul - cards for men

Let's craft and create -171  no patterned paper

More mixed media - AG 

happy little stampers - use dies

WHAT DEFINES A MASCULINE CARD?

I recently watched a You Tube video by Gina K Designs - she poses this question What defines a masculine card?  And isn't it interesting - as she said men like flowers too yet flowers are normally thought of as feminine cards.  Butterflies are feminine - are moths masculine?  Most men cards are to do with hunting, fishing, boats, beer - and isn't it an interesting phenomena in this day and age of equality?  It made me think.

I was inspired by Gina's video to produce a card with a more masculine feel to it shall we say.

I have an old dictionary that I use for background papers and I found the page with the word masculine on it.  I added some Tim Holtz distress ink in vintage photo and then crinkled the paper - I then spread some Ground Espresso over the top.  I used my old deckle scissors to cut out the paper and added it to some SU green card stock.  The image of the lion is an old Tim Holtz one I have and fits perfectly with Try it On Tuesday's challenge of songs.  One of my favourite of Kate Bush is Oh England My Lionheart - strange as I'm Welsh but it's such a good song. I edged the card in Crushed Olive and some Vintage Photo Distress Crayon.

I added it to some black card stock and added a piece of silvery washi tape just to lift the colours a little.  The sentiment is from Tim Holtz Crazy Birds.  Interesting that Gina also mentioned masculine fonts and this seems such a thing to me.

Close up of the masculine word 

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Through the craft room door - AG 

Cardz4Guys -  monochromatic - I think this may just fit 

International Art and Soul - Cards for a man

Try it on Tuesday - A song - Oh England My Lionheart - Kate Bush

Addicted to Stamps - AG

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS CC363

Here's our latest Colour Challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments - as always if you don't have the exact colours use a close alternative.

I started off with some Pool Party card stock and used an old SU embossing folder to create the background.  My choice of stamps were the lovely Country Home set coloured in with Stampin Markers in Flirty Flamingo and an aqua brush for the pool party.  I added some washi tape in yellow and some yellow pearls to complete the colour combination.

613 Avenue Create -

We have a lovely Mood board for you at 613 Avenue Create this month.  I can't wait to see how these gorgeous colours will inspire you.

I love stamps that have wellington boots with flowers in and I have this lovely cute set from Simon Says Stamp called Choose Joy.  One of the great stamps in this set is a plaid stamp that allows you to make your own gingham. I used Tim Holtz Spun Sugar for the background and added some of the leaves in Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive.

The Boots were coloured in with an SU Blender Pen in basic grey and the flowers coloured in with the same Tim Holtz colours and cut out with a stitched die.  I used another die to cut out the rose paper from my stash and added some nuovo drops for an extra bit of colour.

I'm adding this into the following challenges - 

A bit more time to craft - AG 

A perfect time to craft - AG 

Lets craft and create - flowers

Make My Monday - April showers - wellington boots

Addicted to stamps - any occasion

Delighted to have my card picked:

SPARKLES CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE

Welcome to another monthly Christmas challenge at Sparkles - this month it's my choice of theme and I chose Tags.  I'd love to see either Christmas Tags on their own or on your cards.

My card uses a wonderful stencil from Shawn Petite with the word Joyful.  The background snowflake stencil is Tim Holtz and the words on the tag are from Visible Image.  I kept my piece monochrome also using Stampin Up Bermuda Bay cardstock and ink.  I've added SU Glittering Diamonds for the snowflake and some of the words on the tag.

I'm adding this into the following challenges - 

Christmas Crafts All Year Round - the letter J ~(monthly)

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Goes

The Holly and the Ivy - AG

FabnFunky- Christmas 

Christmas 24 Challenge - add some glitter