HAPPY LITTLE STAMPERS - ANYTHING GOES WITH OPTION OF EMBOSSING

Welcome back to another month's challenge for Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge.

I started off by adding some ink to  my gel press then adding a Creative Expressions Stencil to lift the inks before adding the paper.  It gives that subtle background.  Once the inks were dry I added the Christmas words stencil from Visible Image stamps and white embossed it.  The remainder of the stamps are from Tracy Evans - this little robin is one of my favourites.  I cut out and added the numbers 25 behind the robin which had been cut out three times and layered.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide to colour the bird.

I added some Tim Holtz velvet ribbon to the bottom and added some red ink around the white card as a mat.  There is some sparkle on the baubles and around the edges.  

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wed - Emboss 

Critter Crazy - AG 

Christmas Cards All Year Round - When the red red robin.....

Merry Little Christmas - AG 

The Holly & The Ivy - AG 

Use Your Stuff - AG 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - IC426

A wonderful autumnal/harvest mood board for you at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week.  I focused on the pinecones and knew exactly what stamp set I wanted to use.

The stamp set Pinecone is by Tracy Evans for Aallandcreate.  I started by inking my background with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks and I added some Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powder to give the blue shine parts. I used a stencil by Tracy called Undergrowth which you can just see as the pale parts which are leaves.  Some extra Tracy stamps Ticketed Snippets, Seasons and Bulb Gazette were stamped in the background.  

The little bird is from Ticketed Snippets and I added it to a metal embellishment from Creative Expressions.  It fit just perfectly. I added some water droplet embellishments and a metal tag from Tim Holtz.  I added some Spectrum Noir sparkle to give it extra shine.

STAG

I spotted this challenge blog on my travels today Just Us Girls and it intrigued me so I thought I would try and join in.  I've recently just created my own template/stencil for circles which was on my desk so that was my first thought.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink Saltwater Taffy to fill in the circle which isn't a colour I normally use.  I then used a Visible Image stencil to stencil in some stars in the same colour.

My gorgeous stag is from Lavinia Stamps and I kept him simply stamped with Versafine Chianti and added just a few water droplets to his antlers.  The sentiment is a die from Creative Expressions and I found a scrap piece of paper in my stash which I had covered with Distress Mica Stain in Tart Cranberry and it was just perfect.  CAS cards are always tricky for me so I hope I've kept this CAS enough.

SNOWFLAKE TAG

 I love making Christmas Tags - they get used on family presents but I always make sure I get them back - I couldn't bear for them just to be torn up or put out with the wrapping paper!

My tag today was inspired by the challenge at Inkspirational which asked for Cold.  I used the lovely Tim Holtz Distress Mica Stain in Winterfrost for my background.  Adding in a touch of Salvaged Patina and Cracked Pistachio for some background stamping with foliage stamps by Tim Holtz.  The Snowflake is also by Tim and I added some of his foliage dies behind it.  I added some water droplets.  The sentiment is another Tim Holtz one and I embossed it in white embossing powder.  I added a lovely white satin ribbon.

I'm adding this into the following challenges

Inkspirational - Cold 

Peace on Earth - cold moodboard 

We love 2 Create - AG 

Allsorts - Embossing 

The Outlawz Challenge - not a card 

CHRISTMAS CRAFT CREATIONS - MONOCHROMATIC

Our theme this month at Christmas Craft Creations is monochromatic. I've chosen to use the newly released Christmas Tree Dies by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.  These are called the Snowflake Tree-O.  I used some Tim Holtz Distress Mica Stain in Winter Frost to cover my paper then cut out the trees and the matching stars.  The dies come in three sizes so I layered the different sizes using some layering dots to add extra depth. 

There are some fabulous prizes to be won so don't forget to add our logo to be in with a chance of winning a prize.  Good luck.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Daring Cardmakers -  A Bit of Bling 

Rudolph October Days - Christmas AG 

Never Before Used Stuff - New dies 

AUTUMN

I'm lucky enough to be on the Design Team for Creative Expressions and get lots of lovely crafting goodies to play with.  A few months ago we received the lovely set by Jane's Doodles called Apple Pumpkin Spice.  It has a great range of autumn stamps and I loved playing with them.   Here are a few of my makes.

I'm adding these into the following challenges:

Just Us Girls - Pumpkin

Make My Monday - Autumn colours 

Outlawz - Fall Add a pumpkin

Inspiration Station - pumpkins galore

Use Your Stuff - Autumn 

ROBIN

The robin is one of my favourite birds, right up there with the cardinal but sadly we don't have those in the UK - but robins I have a plenty in my garden.  They always fly down at this time of year to my conservatory waiting for me to put out some dried oats!

The challenge over at We Love Stamping is a mood board and I saw nothing other than the robin.  I've created a wintry scene for my little robin - he's standing on the watering can which has frozen in the cold.  All stamps are by Tracy Evans for Aallandcreate.  

I'm adding this into the following challenges

We Love Stamping - Mood Board - robin 

Simon Says Stamp Monday - add words 

A place to start - AG 

Peace on Earth Christmas - moodboard - inspired by the white scene with the red truck

Allsorts - AG 

Most Magical Time of the Year - Christmas 

Krafty Chicks - Christmas 

Delighted that my Robin was chosen in the Top Picks at Krafty Chicks 

How exciting - my robin also won Simon Says Stamp Challenge gift voucher 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS sc425

Another Sketch Challenge for you this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments and I look forward to seeing what you do with this one.  

I started my card by using some of the new Cosmic Shimmer Botanical Stains by Sam Poole in Carrot Top Green and Tea Leaves and I also added a bit of Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet Spray Stain.  I then used one of the new Francoise Read stamps from Creative Expressions  called Worn Notebook Page which is a great background stamp.  The thistle in the circle is from another of the new releases called Discovery.  

I added some Tim Holtz linen fabric ribbon behind and added some lace to the bottom and some thread behind the circle. 

Christmas Kickstart Challenge

I'm joining in with the Christmas Kickstart Challenge which is celebrating the life of Janis Woolbright who used to run the Cat Lovers Challenge.  I joined in with one of her blog hops a few years ago when I found her and as an ardent cat lover I loved the idea of celebrating cats.

My card started off with a Tim Holtz Christmas Tree stencil inked in Bundled Sage Distress Oxide.  I then stamped one of the Trees from TH Watercolor Trees. The large branch is from Sunny Studios Holiday Style.  The cat is a TH snarky cat with that great sentiment - I wanted it to look as though he had broken the decorations from the tree - we've all had cats that have been interested in Christmas trees! I added some google eyes just to make him look more amusing.

My two rescue cats - Jet now aged about 10 we've had him since he was 2.

Amber now aged 14 - we got her when she was 9!

I'm also adding this into the Crazy for Cats Challenge 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA

A rare sharing of my journal for our project this month at Creative Artiste Mixed Media.  It's not something I always show as I think journals are personal things but my page is just celebrating autumn which is my favourite time of the year.  My journal book is a gorgeous leather bound handmade paper book which hubby bought me years ago and sat unloved in a cupboard.  So I decided to use it as a journal.  The leather has got a bit gessoed but it gives it character oops! 

I always gesso the pages just to give them more strength and as it is hand made paper it helps to protect the paper from all the media stuff I'm going to throw at it.

I started off with my gell press and added some Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink in Fossilised Amber and Frayed Burlap.  I spritzed it with water and then just added the press direct to the page.  Once dry I added some Cosmic Shimmer Antique Sand Paste by Sam Poole in Moss Blanket. I love this paste and this gorgeous vintage colour. I used a stencil from my stash and just added it to some opposite corners.  I used the Nibs and Mushrooms stamp set from Tracy Evans direct to paper and cut some extra ones out for the picture frame.  The frame and the butterfly elements were from Taperlogy.  The extra words are also from Tracy Evans at Aallandcreate. 

In the margins I have added some journaling as to what Autumn means to me.  I love the colours of this page and how it all turned out.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Try it on Tuesday - Autumn

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Texture 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Stencil 

Alphabet Challenge - N for Nature 

Creative Fingers - AG 

Creative Inspiration - AG 

Shopping Our Stash - favourite colouring method - distress water colouring 

THE MALE ROOM CHALLENGE - #179 - GET WELL SOON

Welcome back to another challenge at the Male Room and this month we want to see your Get Well cards.  

I started off my background by rubbing some Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks direct to the paper just using the edge of the ink pad.  I've used Iced Spruce, Antique Linen and Bundled Sage.  Once dry I used some white embossing powder for the musical notes which are from Alison Bomber's stamp set for Paper Artsy. 

The feathers I've used are from Tracy Evans Aallandcreate - I stamped one first then fussy cut out another and layed it on top.  The sentiment is from an old Kaisercraft set and I've white embossed it and added a Tim Holtz Idealogy clip.  

I hand drew the lines around the outside of the card and added strips of white paint to the background of the card. 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - CC424

Welcome back to another colour challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  As you know I find these a bit trickier even as a DT member as I am not with Stampin Up so I try to use as close as I can.  For this card I did have Blackberry Bliss, and I used Cameo Coral, Bermuda Bay and Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap for my other colours.

I started by using a very old dotty stamp for the background using all the colours to create it.  The leaf is a Visible Image stencil called Autumn Leaves and I stencilled it in the Frayed Burlap and then cut it out.  The acorns are also from Visible Image stamps called Nuts About Squirrels and I stamped them in the Blackberry Bliss.

The sentiment is from a Tracy Evans set called Fallen Leaves and I stamped it in Blackberry Bliss and then added it to some coral type card stock I found in my bits drawer.