HAPPY LITTLE STAMPERS - WATERCOLOUR CHALLENGE PLUS OPTIONAL DIES

Welcome back to another Water Colour challenge from Happy Little Stampers.  We are looking for your water coloured projects with the additional option of adding die cuts.  

I chose to use a lovely stamp from Woodware Craft Collection called Magnolia Spray.  I decided to try the ink spritz watercolour technique - I'm not even sure if that's it's name but it sounds about right.  I used Tim Holtz distress inks in Dusty Concord, Picked Raspberry and Peeled Paint adding them from the inks from the small ink cubes.  I then spritzed with water and added it to some Water Colour cardstock from Creative Expressions.  I love the effect it gave and decided it really didn't need anything else. 

I layered it on to some old purple SU cardstock I had and layered the sentiment with the same colour purple. I added a few green sequins and some Nuovo Drops in Raspberry Pink to the flowers. 

TIC TAC TOE GUEST DESIGNER #tttc202

I'm delighted to have been asked to be Guest Designer over at Tic Tac Toe this month.  Here's the grid we are working from.

I chose to do the middle vertical line - Flora/Foliage - Free - Pastel Colours.  I started my card by using a piece of the new Worn and Weathered patterned paper by Sam Poole for Creative Expressions. I teamed this with a new stamp set called Flower Seed.  I stamped the flowers in Versafine Black and water coloured them  with Distress Oxide in Victorian Velvet - one of my favourite colours at the moment.  I used Peeled Paint for the leaves.  These were my pastel colours.

My Free was another new craze I'm enjoying which is rub ons from Taperlogy. I love using them on strips of fabric and I chose the rose and added it to some calico.  I added some more stamping for the sentiment and also stamped and layered a butterfly.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT CREATIONS - ONE LAYER

Our challenge this month at Christmas Craft Creations is one layer.  Wow this was a real challenge for me as I am loving all my collage and mixed media at the moment.  I really wanted to use the Tim Holtz Christmas Tree stamp set called Watercolour Trees.  

I've been looking for a nice O Christmas Tree stamp sentiment and found it on this set so decided to use it here.  I stamped one of the trees first then masked it off and added the sentiment over it -first generation stamping at the top and bottom and then stamped off for over the actual tree.

I added two Distress Inks to stamp the tree and added some Nuovo Drops to look like fairy lights.  I really had to walk away from this to stop adding anything else and keep it one layer.  

Fiona 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #CC410

Welcome to our Colour Challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week. I've done a centre fold card for a change using some old Stampin Up DSP I found in my stash which I thought was a great match for the colours.

The image for the front is a cute little mouse from Creative Expressions set called Missy Mouse which was coloured in with a watercolour brush and the colours of our challenge. 

I'm adding this into the following Challenges:

Try it on Tuesday - Oh So Sweet

Make My Monday - spring colours 

Use Your Stuff - Animals 

Stamping Sensations - with a tail 

Secret Stamper - fun fold 

SPRING GREENS

I'm still in the process of decorating and sorting out my craft room.  It is a room hubby and I both use for our respective hobbies - his is fly tying and his desk is even messier than mine!  So we've bought some Ikea units to try and sort out and make things look a bit tidy and given the whole room a makeover.  I therefore have limited space and supplies out at the moment but am missing the crafting!

I love these stamps from Tracy Evans with the wellington boots called The Great Outdoors. I found in my stash a background I had made with a Tim Holtz stencil using Distress Oxide Ink Iced Spruce.  I added the stamps of the boots and then cut them out to layer onto themselves.  The hares are from other Tracy Evans sets Miniatures for the small hares and the ants and Long Eared Mammal for the larger hare.  I used Tim Holtz Distress inks in Crushed Olive and Rustic Wilderness for the additional greens.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Try it on Tuesday - Green 

Allsorts - AG - trio of three - my three hares 

As You See It - Spring clean - actually re-arranging my craft room and finding old backgrounds I've made 

AIChallenge - Green 

FREE YOUR IMAGINATION

It was one of those mornings - up early - couldn't sleep - the wind is howling up our Welsh mountain - my craft room is still being re-organised and decorated but I managed to find a spot to do a bit of creating.  I was inspired by the challenge at Inkspirational to have a play along.  Their challenge this week is numbers.  I remembered a lovely Visible Image set that has a great little stamp with numbers on which is just perfect for backgrounds - I found a background I had previously made in my stash and my card grew from there.

I stamped the numbers from You're A Classic in Versafine Morning Mist - a gentle grey to some of the background.  I then took another Visible Image stamp set Free Your Imagination.  I stamped and cut out some extra numbers to add to the pages of the book and added a touch of Tim Holtz Old Paper to the pages. I had some extra numbers falling from the eagle's claws as if he'd dropped them on the page.  I added some Aallandcreate Washi tape which was just perfect as it had the right colour of blue and black in it and those fabulous numbers.

I'm also adding this into the following:

Inkspirational - Numbers 

Allys Angels - AG 

Stamping Sensations - AG option of wings 

Snarky Stampers - I is for ink 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS SC409

We have another sketch for you today at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I started my card by making a background with some Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink and using a Tim Holtz stencil to go over it.    The little bird is from Aallandcreate stamps - I just love the way it is perched on the pot.  I coloured it in with Distress Oxide ink.  The strip below has been made with a Tim Holtz Emboss and Cut embosser.  Very clever as it cuts as it embosses.  I added a few Nuovo drops to add some interest and as this was for a friend's birthday I added the sentiment. 

CREATIVE ARTISTE - NEW DESIGN TEAM MEMBER

I am delighted to have been asked by Andree Crowe of Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge Blog to be one of their new Design Team members.  I love the mixed media element to their challenges and so jumped at the chance.  Here's my first entry as DT member.

I run a Facebook group called Joy of Sets and we have swaps every month. This month's swap was to make a double sided door hanger with the theme of Spring.  I used a heavy back board from a used paper pack for my hanger as it gives it more strength.  I cut out the circle with a scalpel and covered up the rough edges with some circles of paper.

I then added a first layer of white Gesso  to the substrate so that I could add all those layers of papers and paint.  I started off by using a Tim Holtz stencil which is a mosaic style with some Texture Paste and then added some layers of paint with a brayer tool.  I've used a lot of Tracy Evans stamps for the backgrounds as well as the main images as well as some Tim Holtz collage papers, especially the pretty birds.  Lots of layers and textures give the piece more interest - and I've also clear embossed some  of the flowers and butterflies to make them shine a bit.  I added torn off pieces of washi tape here and there also and added some Nuovo drops and embellishments from my stash.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Mix It Up - AG 

CRAFT - Not a card

The Outlawz Challenge - my two items over 2 years old are the bee embellishment and the blue clip (20 years old eek) on the first image 

Four Seasons Challenge - Spring 

Tuesday Taggers - let's get messy - lots of gesso, texture paste, papers, ink 

We love 2 Create = AG 

THE MALE ROOM CHALLENGE #172 - MARCH 2023 - SKETCH

We have a sketch challenge for you this month at The Male Room Challenge.  I started out by covering my cardstock with a layer of Tim Holtz Oxide ink in Brushed Corduroy.  I stamped over the background then with some stamps from Aallandcreate by Bipash BK called Background Voices. I then added a stencil over the top and used Walnut Stain for the image.  The stencil and cat is from a stamp and stencil set combination from Tim Holtz.  I cut the cat out and layered his balloon.  Some splatters of white paint and the sentiment at the bottom finished off the card.

ONCE UPON A TIME - MARCH 2023

How fun is this book cover for our challenge this month at Once Upon A Time.  I loved all those squiggles and they reminded me of a Tim Holtz Embossing folder I  had in my stash.  Once it was embossed I went over it with a Stampin Up pastel chalk to bring up the purple.  The stamp set is from Anita Jeram called Paint Town and I added the word Purple to the end of the stamp with some Tim Holtz letter dies. 

HAPPY LITTLE STAMPERS - MARCH 2023 - WATERCOLOUR WITH OPTIONAL WINGS

Welcome back to Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge.  We are all feeling refreshed after our break and ready to break out the ink and water!  

I went with a tag for my option today and included the Wings brief.  I started by making a background with Tim Holtz Distress Oxides in Twisted Citron and Peacock Feathers.  I added water to some watercolour paper with a paintbrush and then added very diluted ink from both colours and let it dry naturally.  Once dry I added a touch of a Tim Holtz stencil over the top with a light dusting of the Peacock Feathers. I added some background stamps from Tracy Evans called Flutter.  I used the same ink but added a lot of water to it to give a very watercolour effect to the stamping.  I also added some stamps from Aida Domisiewicz #47 from Aallandcreate and cut out the words 'Fly Away' and added them on tope.  The other sentiment is also from this set and I stamped it on tissue paper then used Dina Wakley Gel Medium to adhere it.

The butterfly stamp is from Tracy Evans called Glide.  I stamped it first to get the background images then re-stamped the butterfly and cut it out.  It was coloured with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in Peacock Feathers - using the one ink to get the various dimensions of colour.  Once dry I added a clear embossing powder from Creative Expressions which really brought out those lovely colours and made them more vibrant.

I added some black thread behind the butterfly and added some thick foam to adhere it. I also added some black ribbons from my stash and some black pearls. I added Peacock Feathers to some white ribbon to colour it for the top ribbon.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT CREATIONS - IN THE PINK

Our challenge this month at Christmas Craft Creations is Pink.  I must admit this isn't a colour I think of when doing Christmas cards so it was a great challenge for me also.  I am sponsoring our challenge this month with a new stamp set from Bipasha BK for Aallandcreate of this lovely bird stamp called The Old Vase.

I started off my card by masking the shape in the middle using some masking tape.  I used Distress Oxide ink in Spun Sugar for my pink middle.  I added some white dots with a posca pen and some touches of glitter from a Spectrum Noir pen in Sparkle.  I added a piece of card stock across in pink which was stamped with snowflakes and cut out and added the word Believe.  Some sprinkles and some glitter snowflakes finished off my card all layered on to some pink cardstock from Stampin Up.

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS CC#408

We have a lovely choice of spring colours for you for our Colour Challenge this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I have all of these Stampin Up Colours with the Flirty Flamingo being a marker pen.

I decided to use three retired SU sets for this card - Choose Happiness which gave the sentiment and that lovely leaf, Bliss which gave the lovely bird and the little flower and Lots of Lavender which gave the background petals.  

Fiona

Hand Stamped Sentiments

Welcome to another challenge for Hand Stamped Sentiments.

Here's our sketch challenge for you this week.

I started my card by using some Distress Oxide ink and a stencil for the middle panel. I used just inked panels for the side and stamped a Tracy Evans flower stamp. I used the same stamp in the middle panel and for the jar of flowers. 

 

MIXED MEDIA CANVAS ART

January was a month of two emotions - Happiness and Sadness.  The sadness was losing my darling Welsh Springer Spaniel Tegan at the age of 13.  She had been poorly and we had tried treatment that sadly didn't work and we had to say goodbye.  I'm not sleeping brilliantly as there is a hole in our lives and I'm up early crafting away.

My Happiness was and still is bursting out - our first Grandson Rowan Luke was born on 18th January.  My daughter was told, like me, she would never have children so to have two - a granddaughter Hazel age 3 and now Rowan has indeed been a blessing.  Mum and baby both doing well and we are over the  moon.

Both of these events have had me crafting early in the morning and at the  moment I am really loving making Mixed Media canvases.  I can lose myself in them, especially listening to the videos of Tracy Evans as I love her style of teaching.

I'm sharing a piece I made yesterday and I just adore all the layers on this piece. My favourite colours are Vintage and this has is full of them with just a touch of my other favourite colour green.

I have some canvas boards I actually bought a few years ago from TK Maxx and they were gathering dust.  I took my time making this allowing the layers to dry inbetween rather than rushing it.  I started with a layer of Gesso to allow all the layers to stay in place.  I then added some Daler-Rowney Texture paste with a Tim Holtz stencil. Once that was all dry I added colour to the background and the texture pste.  I used some Distress Oxides and also some Deco Art Mixed Media Antiquing cream something else I'd not used before.  This is how it looked before the layers.

I started adding some layers.  I have an old book that I use for mixed media and I took some pages as a base layer.  I then added some of the gorgeous Ideaology Collage paper in Aviary - another thing that had been lying in my room not having been used.

I used some of Tracy Evans stamps for the flowers, the pots, the wellington boot, the birds and some of the sentiments.  The flowers were watercoloured with Distress Oxides and layered and then clear embossed.  I added some Tim Holtz embellishments to the flowers.  I added lace and washi tape and string.  Aaround the edges I added some Tim Holtz Distress Crayon in Tarnished Brass metallics.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Paper Funday - AG - lots of layers

A perfect time to craft - AG 

Use Your Stuff - Mixed Media

Delighted to have been chosen as the winner for Use Your Stuff 

ONCE UPON A TIME - FEBRUARY 2023

Welcome back to another challenge from Once  Upon a Time - I'm excited to see how our image above inspires you this month.

I loved the grey colours with that touch of yellow and it reminded me of a set I have which I haven't used in a long time from Clearly Besotted with the little mole.  The sentiment is just perfect too for the book.  The card would make an alternative style for a Valentine's card.

Fiona 

THE MALE ROOM CHALLENGE - NATURE

Welcome to another monthly challenge at the Male Room - this month we would like to see your nature cards.

My card uses some more stamps from Tracy Evans at Aallandcreate.  They are such fabulous stamps if you love to make collage projects and they are my favourite type of projects to make.  I started by using my gel press and some Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in Salty Ocean for my background.

I stamped the background stamp called Feathered Bloom in Versafine Nocturn.  I added the bird from a separate set called Wire Birds. I also used and cut out some of the extra words from the Wire Bird set.  I layered the bird and added a real feather behind his tail.  Some strips of Washi tape and some embellishments from Tim Holtz finished off the card.  This is a Double Length slimline card.

Fiona 

CHRISTMAS CRAFT CREATIONS - SNIPPETS

Welcome to our January challenge over at Christmas Craft Creations.  I am on the Reminder Team which pops up half way through the monthly challenge to give you all a little bit of extra inspiration.  

I started my card by using the wonderful stamp set from Sunny Studio called Holiday Style.  It has the most wonderful realistic bell with the set which I've used before in projects.  This card uses the bough stamp and the ornament hangers.  I used Distress Inks for my boughs adding a touch of brown for the stems.  For my snippets I collaged a variety of old papers and then used a stitched circle to cut them out.  I love that tree paper in the middle.  I added a touch of silver thread to give the impression of hanging the ornament and used one of the sentiments from the same set.

This would be a great card to batch make with different papers for the ornament.

I'm also adding this into the following challenges:

Scraps of Life Rudolph Days 

Snippets Playground - the snippets are the papers on my bauble

ABC Christmas Challenge - both A anything Christmas goes and B for Bauble 

12  months of Christmas - AG 

Fiona 

TRY IT ON TUESDAY - GUEST DESIGNER

I was delighted to be asked to be a Guest Designer at Try It On Tuesday for this week's challenge of Winter Blues.  Personally I'm not feeling the January blues as I've just become a grandma for the second time - my darling daughter had a bouncing baby boy on Wednesday amidst all the snow we had in the UK.  His name is Rowan Luke and completes her family now with her daughter Hazel.  Considering my daughter, like me, was told she would not have any children she has done marvellously.  

Anyway on to my card.  I masked off a space on some cardstock and used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink in Salty Ocean.  I spritzed it with some water to allow some of the white to show through.  I used the Poppy Seedheads stamp from Tracy Evans stamping it in Versafine Clair Medieval Blue.  I edged the card with some blue and layered it on to a white background.  The sentiments are from a Creative Expressions set Missy Mouse - I love that Oh Hi sentiment - I can see a lot of use for that.  I added some silver thread behind the Happy Birthday and popped it up on dimensionals.  A touch of sequins from my stash finished off the card.

Fiona 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS # IC406

We are all about the hearts at Hand Stamped Sentiments for this challenge.  My eye was drawn to that wonderful black cat  - being a bit of a cat lady.  I rummaged among my supplies as I knew I had a wonderful cat stamp I hadn't used in years made by Cherry Pie Art Stamps.  Yep there it was - keep a thing for 20 years and it comes in useful!  

I started by stamping the cat stamp and added the border around it.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink in Spun Sugar and then added some hearts and a stencil in Picked Raspberry.  I added a touch of script with some stamped off black ink.  The love hearts are from a very old Stampin Up set called Sweet Talk from 2004!  Very nearly 20 years old.  I stamped them and used a heart die to cut them out.  I added a touch of Nuovo Drops at the top and bottom.  The little added sentiment is from Tim Holtz Ideaology - hubby will be getting this Valentine's.

I'm adding this into the following:

Crazy for Cats - AG 

Crafty Animals - AG Animals 

SUYPG - AG 

Colour Hues - pink and red 

Papercraft Challenges - AG 

Fiona