INSPIRATION STATION #66

Look at this gorgeous image to inspire you this month from Inspiration Station .  Autumn is my favourite time of the year - which is just as well as we seemed to have missed summer this year here in the UK and a lot of the days have felt autumnal.  But once the leaves start turning colour, and the winter stews are on and the fire is lit is when I'm at my happiest.  Sadly my own sunflowers were not very good this year - their main ingredient for life - sun - was sadly lacking so I've had to make do with a stamp instead! 

I started off my card with my gel press and adding inks and a stencil to create the leafy background.  I then stamped the lovely sunflower from Tracy Evans set and cut out an extra flower to add on top to create interest and layers with a touch of twine behind the flower. 

I've added some extra stamping around the sides from a lovely set I won from Brenda which has great elements in it including a crackle stamp which I love. Its called Botanical Blass by Highlight Crafts - not a company I'm familiar with. 

I'm adding this into the following:

My Time to Craft 

Inspire Create - Autumn 

Daisy Chain - Autumn

Colourful Options 

Allsorts - falling leaves - my stencil 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA - JULY

Welcome back to another challenge at Creative Artiste Mixed Media.  Please remember we are a Mixed Media challenge and as such want to see at least 3 different mediums on your projects - not just paper and ink.

I'm sharing a canvas I have recently completed for a competition.  Our area WI (Women's Institute) holds a competition for all the WI's in the area and their theme this year is Beatrix Potter.  My entry is going in as part of our group entry which includes someone else baking and decorating a cake, some knitted items, some embroidery, some jam and my canvas.  Fingers crossed - I'll let you know how we get on!

My canvas size is 8# x 10#.  I covered it first in various paints from Tim Holtz.  I then added some texture paste through a stencil and added extra colour.  The stamping is from various stamps from Tracy Evans.  The Peter Rabbit has been cut from an image and some extra coloured added to him.  

The little pot is from moulded clay and then stamped with a stamp by Tracy Evans. This is the first time I've played with modelling clay and I loved it.  I followed instructions from a Tracy Evans workshop.  Stamping into the clay was inspired. I dried it around a jar to give it that dimension then added dried litchen from the garden. I've also added a dried twig for it to sit on.  I then used Tim Holtz Distress Crayons to gently colour the images on the pot as it was still quite delicate. 

DELIGHTED TO SAY MY LITTLE PETER RABBIT WON FIRST PRIZE

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Let's Craft and Crate - AG 

The Sisterhood of Crafters - In the Garden

Creative Inspirations - AG 

Ellie's Corner - Wednesday AG 

Ellies I Spy - something blooming lovely 

Paper Funday - Critter Crazy 

NBUS - Modelling Clay 

We love to create - Mixed Media 

The Outlawz Challenge - not a card 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS SC431

I loved playing with our sketch this month from Hand Stamped Sentiments.  So many possibilities!  

I started out by using a Creative Expressions Stencil for my background with Old Paper Distress Oxide Ink.  I then used three strips of washi tape in spring colours.  I wanted to use the flowers from Tracy Evans set Elegant Spring Florals for my shapes.  I fussy cut them out and coloured them in with Tim Holtz Watercolour Pencils in spring colours. 

I added some string behind them and used some pinflair glue to attach them to the card.   I then used the word Spring from the Seasons stamp set by Tracy Evans.  I added a few water droplet embellishments to finish off the card.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Stencils 

Try it on Tuesday - flowers 

Stencil Fun - AG 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA - AG

Welcome back to another month's challenge at Creative Artiste Mixed Media.  We hope you've had a nice break and are now raring to go with a Mixed Media project. 

I run a Facebook craft group called The Joy of Sets and I have set the ladies a challenge on there that will last us all year.  We are going to make our own 2025 calendars adding a page a month.  This is my January page.  The background paper was taken from a Somerset Studio magazine as my base.  I used various stamps from Creative Expressions.  I also added some pieces from Taperlogy.  The feather was from my stash and was inked in Tim Holtz Black Soot.  I stamped some of the sentiments onto some calico.  The January and date stamps are from Tracy Evans. Strips of washi tape have also been added.  I've added some Tim Holtz embellishments.  The calendar part was printed from my computer.

I'm making my calendar in a watercolour pad by Winsor and Newton which luckily has 12 pages.

If you would like to join us at my Facebook group you will find us here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1287196548026205

I'm adding this into the following:

Outlawz Challenge - not a card 

CRAFT challenge -winter 

The Four Seasons - Winter 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS IC429

Happy New Year and welcome back to another year's challenges here at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  We love having you with us on this creative journey.  We start the year with an Inspiration Mood Board for you.

I had a background I had created using a gel press and some Tim Holtz Distress Pain in Iced Spruce and Evergreen Bough.  I felt it worked perfectly for the background I wanted to create for my bird.  All the stamps used are by Tracy Evans - including the text stamps in the background.  I added some Glossy Accents to the little circle and how fortuitous were the numbers on this bird.  They already said 24 so all I needed to do was add a January tag and it is just perfect for my first card of 2024.

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 

THE MALE ROOM - LEAVES

September has arrived and with it summer in the UK - we last had hot weather in June but this week we are back in 30 degree heat.  Just as we were all thinking of autumn!  

Our challenge this week at The Male Room is Leaves.  One of my favourite things to add to creative projects and here I've used a lovely set by Tracy Evans.  Tracy doesn't retire her stamps and doesn't date them but this one came out in 2021. 

I stamped and cut out some of the leaves and even found a very old leaf brad I had in my stash!

I'm adding this into the following:

 Retro Rubber

Double Trouble 

The Outlawz Challenge 

Stamping Sensations 

We Love Stamping

 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #IC400

Welcome back to another challenge here at Hand Stamped Sentiments and we are continuing the theme of Autumn/Fall and its gorgeous colours, textures and hopefully inspiration.  It really does seem to be such a great season for us crafters and it is my favourite time of year.

I started off my card by using some Tim Holtz Distress inks over a leaf stencil from my stash. I blended three colours of Fossilized Amber, Crackling Campfire and Aged Mahogany to get the colours I was happy with.  My tree is from a Visible Image stamp set called Tree of Life and I used the same inks for the leaves.

I cut out the Hello die sentiment three times and layered it - the Autumn is from Tracy Evans set Seasons and I used the word Oct (October) as a background stamp inked in Versafine Acorn ink.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments - Fall/Autumn plus Sentiment 

Tic Tac Toe - Die Cut - Layers, Autumn Colours

Creative Inspirations - Autumn

Cardz 4 Guyz - Autumn Colours

COLOR MY HEART DARE #514

What gorgeous rich colours in our inspiration photo this week at Color My Heart.  I hope they inspire you.  

I started my card off with some Tim Holtz Unchartered Mariner Distress Oxide Ink - adding some ink to my Tim Holtz mat and then adding water and swooshing the card stock to get pools of blue ink.  The leaf is a stencil from Lavinia Stamps and I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Crushed  Olive, Spiced Marmalade, Gathered Twigs.  

The sentiment is from Tracy Evans.  The leaf dies are some from my stash - they could be old Stampin Up.  I added some thread just to finish off the card and some background stamping from an old script stamp.

I'm also adding this into the following challenges:

Just us Girls - colour challenge 

Alphabet Challenge - L is for Leaves 

Creative Artiste - Mixed Media AG 

Simply Create Too - Colour Challenge 

Create a Smile - Autumn mood board 

Creative Moments - Autumn

Birthday Flowers

Playing with some more Tracy Evan's stamp sets today - it's not often I do blue flowers but that was the colour I went for this time.  

The background was created with a touch of Antique Linen in Distress Oxide and I used a few of Tracy's Stamps here for the background.  The flower was inked in Salty Ocean and cut out.  The little container was stamped in Frayed Burlap and also cut out. I added a touch of thread behind and cut out the bird to add to the pot.

I'm adding this into the following challenge - 

Addicted to stamps - Birthday 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - #CC393

Welcome to another colour challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  As usual our colours are guide lines in case you don't have the Stampin Up colours - just use the closes colours you have.

I've just purchased this lovely new set from Tracy Evans stamps and wanted to do a simple watercolour card with this lovely image.  I used Versafine Black for the outline and had to use my Tim Holtz stamping platform as it is quite a large stamp.

I used Highland Heather for my purples and varied the colour by adding less or more water.  I actually only had Coastal Cabana in an SU Soft Pastel but I think it worked really well.  The vase was inked in Tim Holtz Faded Jeans Distress Ink and I added some of his Distress Crayon in the same colour to add definition.  I added a few sparkles and the sentiment from the same set. 

I've kept it simple as the image is so lovely.

I'm adding this into the following challenge:

Tic Tac Toe - using the middle horizontal line - birthday, flowers, sequins 

Addicted to Stamps - Birthday 

Stamping Sensations - flowers 

NUTHATCH

We have a lot of birds visit our bird feeders and one beauty is the little Nuthatch.  I was delighted to find Tracy Evans had done a stamp with this gorgeous little bird.  I used some Distress Oxide Inks for my background and when dry stamped some background images from another set by Tracy called Pinecone.

I cut out a stitched circle framelit and inked the bird on this and added it with some dimensionals.  The various sentiments and numbers were stamped and then fussy cut.  

I'm adding this into the following challenge:

Allsorts Challenge - Allsorts of Animals 

Creative Fingers - AG 

Creative Artiste Mixed Media - AG