HAPPY LITTLE STAMPERS - AUGUST - OPTIONAL HAPPY

Welcome to another challenge at Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge. I chose to go with the option of Happy for my card.  

I used watercolour for my card stock as I knew I was going to be putting a lot of water down for the background.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide stains to give a loose watercolour background.  Once dry I added some background stamping with Versafine Clair Morning Mist which is a soft grey - not as harsh as a black for the stamping.  

The bird is from Tracy Evans set Bird Song  and the sentiment is from Visible Image.    I added a loose border with a Micron pen and added some pink edging.  

CHRISTMAS CRAFT CREATIONS - ANYTHING GOES PLUS DESIGN TEAM CALL

Our challenge this month over at Christmas Craft Creations is Anything Goes.  We are also offering a Design Team call so if you love making Christmas cards I would encourage you to apply.  It's a great way to have lots of your Christmas cards done already by the time the season is fully underway.  I've loved being on the team this year and am looking forward to another year of Christmas every month.

As we are Anything Goes this month I've used a Tim Holtz  star for my card.  The background was made with a gel press and I added lots of white embossing powder for the snow and the star. This makes it a quick and easy card to make if you need to make lots.  The sentiment is from Anita Jeram stamp set.

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS SC419

Welcome back to another Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge and our sketch challenge for you this time.  I hope you are inspired by the sketch and the Design Team's entries.  Here's mine.  

For the stripes on the right hand side I used various washi tape from Aallandcreate.  The left hand side is a background I made with the gel press.  I added the lovely bird from one of Tracy Evan's stamp sets called Birdsong which actually matches some of that lovely washi tape.  

SCRAPBOOK PAGE

It's been a while since I've done any scrapbooking and shared any pages.  However on Saturday a new friend and I started up a Crop in our local village hall.  We had 5 ladies turn up - 3 of whom had never scrapped before.  Safe to say they caught the bug.  I have so many pages I need to do as my granddaughter is now 4 and my grandson is now 6 months.  

However I lost my darling dog in January and really need to start doing some more pages of her.  This page was inspired by Allsorts Challenge blog and the dog and the gorgeous peach colour of that flower.

Allsorts Challenge - dog picture 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #CC418

A great choice of colours for your inspiration this week from us here at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I started my card off using my favourite embossing folder from Stampin Up called Painted Texture.  I realise I don't use embossing folders nearly enough.  I think they need a dusting.

I used an old SU set for the flowers and butterflies on the right of the card called Natures Perfection.  The flower in the middle is from Tracy Evans set Worded Petals and the Butterfly is SU from the same set.  I added some sparkle to the main butterfly with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. I added some red splatters and some sequins.  The sentiment is from Tracy Evans.  I put it on a white background to keep the focus colours bright. 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA CHALLENGE JULY 2023 - TIME CANVAS

Welcome back to our challenge Mixed Media lovers - as always we are an Anything Goes challenge at Creative Artiste Mixed Media.  I've chosen to do another 7" x 5" canvas.  I love the size of these canvases but I'm going to have to challenge myself to do some bigger ones soon.

I'm curious - do you plan your projects?  Do you always have an idea in your head exactly what you are going to do before you start because I know I certainly don't.  Does it show? lol! I start and then it just kind of evolves - that's if I'm lucky.  There have been times when I've just had to rip it off and start again.  But this one worked just as I'd hoped.

It didn't really set out to be a time piece as such but that's how it evolved. I added all my base layers with inks and stamps and used Liquitex Acrylic ink in Muted Grey over some Distress Spray Stain in Antique Linen.  The clock images are from a Creative Expressions stamp set which I haven't used in a while and the pen nibs are from Tracy Evants.  I found the little circle fob watch in my stash - I think it's an old Tim Holtz Ideaology one. I stamped a clock face on the inside and then covered it in gold wax and added a little chain.  The sentiments and numbers are from Tracy Evans and the paper doll is Tim Holtz. I added some extra Pebeo wax around the edges. 

Butterfly Tag

On my own Facebook Group The Joy of Sets we run monthly swaps.  Last month's swap was a butterfly tag.  This is mine which will be winging its way over the pond to the US.  I hope my recipient likes it.

I started off with one of Tim Holtz large tag dies which is the perfect size for tags.  I added some Distress Oxide Spray in Antique Linen, Speckled Egg and Victorian Velvet.  VV is one of my most favourite TH colours and I use it quite a lot - I have it in all his mediums lol!  

I then added some stamping from Woodware Expressions set by Francoise Read called Three Butterflies.  It's one whole stamp but I just used parts of it - not using a block just my fingers to get the parts I wanted. I also used some of the stamps from Alison Bomber's set for Eclectica by Paper Artsy called Rosemary Edition.

I added some butterfly ribbon I had in my stash and used a Tim Holtz die for the large butterfly.  This was cut out of some gel press collage paper I had done and fitted the colour scheme.  It was made with Distress Mica Stain in Tart Cranberry.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Krafty Chicks Challenge - AG Stamping 

Creative Inspiration - AG 

Triple B - Butterfly 

THE MALE ROOM - TRAVEL #176

Welcome back to another great challenge here at The Male Room.  We have chosen Travel for this month's challenge.  It's something I haven't really done since pre-Covid - especially not out of country - apart from nipping into England from Wales to visit my son but I'm not sure that really counts.  I still don't feel comfortable with air travel and all the hassle of the airports and planes so a trip to Greece is still going to have to wait a few years!  In the meantime I went off on my travels by creating this postcard.

My background was made with  my gel press with some Tim Holtz paints to give a vintage feel.  The stamps are all various Tim Holtz as is some of the ephemera.  I found a lovely picture of this old vintage bi-plante and added it to give more of a vintage feel. I distressed all the edges of the ephemera.  The stamps at the bottom are also old Tim Holtz ones I didn't even know I had!  So, let's be honest, this is sort of a Tim Holtz collage lol!  

HAPPY LITTLE STAMPERS - WATERCOLOUR CHRISTMAS

Happy Early Christmas!  We are celebrating Christmas as an option this month at Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge.  Well, I am always up for a bit of Christmas crafting.

I decided to go with a tag as I use so many of them at Christmas time on gifts for the family that I need to have a lot ready by the big day.  Some I save and re-use them the following year but shh don't tell the family they never notice.  They are too nice just to throw away.

I love this vintage image of Santa by Tim Holtz and he is now my go-to Santa for Christmas projects.  He came as a small set with some matching stencils called Vintage Holidays.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks to create the background and did some background stamping.  

I coloured in the Santa with Distress Ink re-inkers and a water brush to give a bit more of a stronger look to the colour.  I used a white Posca pen for the white bits on his coat. All the extra details came from Tim Holtz Idealogy Christmas pack from a few years ago.  The gorgeous ribbons are also Tim Holta Idealogy - I just kept adding little details and really had to stop myself and say enough it's done lol! A few white splatters just to lift the colour a little bit and I decided that was it.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Tag Tuesday - Hot Colours 

The Holly & Ivy AG Christmas 

Double Trouble - Christmas in July 

ABC Christmas Challenge - Lots of Layers 

ONCE UPON A TIME - BEAUTIFUL OOPS

Welcome back to another challenge here at Once  Upon a Time.  We have this great book cover to inspire you this month.  

My card uses one of the great sets by Anita Jeram called Paint Town.  I thought that little guinea pig was just perfect for my card. I used Tim Holtz Wild Honey Distress Oxide for my background leaving a white edge around the stamped image.

 I added lots of water colours to show the ink oozing out of the paint pot.  The oops words were Tim Holtz word die cuts and the sentiments came from Colorado Craft Company stamp set.  Now all I need to do to use this card is forget someone's special day lol! 

Christmas Craft Creations Heat Embossing

A great theme this month at Christmas Craft Creations with Heat Embossing.  I chose to use a lovely stamp from Visible Images for the background words.

 My choice of red hot colours was inspired by the challenge over at Inspiration Station.  I used Tim Holtz Crackling Campfire to emboss it.  Before I embossed I used a stencil for the background with the same coloured ink by Tim Holtz.

  I then added one of Tim Holtz's snowflake dies and used the same colour embossing powder and added some glitter.  I used white embossing powder from the sentiment from Tim Holtz.

I'm adding this into the following

Shopping our Stash - Sentiments 

Stencil Fun - Tim Holtz stencil 

Inspiration Station - my inspiration for the colours of my card.

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #417

Welcome back to another challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments and this great mood board for your inspiration.  I took mine from the bottom photo of that lovely jug.  I used the old Stampin Up set Country Home for my jug and the flowers.

I used a stencil for my background.  I added a doily lace I made and coloured to stand behind the jug and the flowers which were fussy cut. I added some ribbon from my stash and the sentiment.  

BUTTERFLY CANVAS

This project didn't start off anything like it is now.  It was going in a completely different direction with papers, tissue stamped images, texture paste but I just wasn't feeling it so I ended up ripping everything off and starting again.  You can just see a few darker images still there where it didn't all come away but I wasn't going to waste my little canvas.  So a few deep breaths, a step away from the craft table and I started again!

I started off by using Distress Oxide in Uncharted Mariner, Salty Ocean and Peacock feathers to add the blues to start me off.  Once dry I added some Fossilised Amber to add a touch of brightness.  I then added some texture paste through an old SU stencil.  It should have been white but it looked like there was a touch of pink paint still on the stencil - which is unusual as I'm usually very good at cleaning them, so the paste came out a bit pink but I left it light that.  I added some Liquitex Acrylic Ink in Muted Grey and spritzed it with water to let it add some extra darker parts to the colours and some extra splatters. 

When it was all dry I added some stamping.  The butterfly is a Tim Holtz Stencil - I kept it white but added some stamping to it and a touch of Spectrum Noir Sparkle. I added some washi tape from Aallandcreate and the words are from Tim Holtz.  The touch of ribbon is some I had from my stash and is the very last piece of it. I don't know where I got it from but am sad it's all gone.

So the moral of the tale is if things go wrong - peel it all off and start again lol!

I'm adding this into the following:

Crafting from the Heart - no cards 

We love to Create - AG 

Allsorts - AG option butterflies 

SnarkyStampers - C is for Critters - not sure whether a butterfly counts?

Just us Girls - blues from the images

Alphabet Challenge - F for Flying 

Creative Fingers - AG 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - sc416

Welcome to our Sketch Challenge here at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I grabbed a new set I purchased recently from Aallandcreate by Bipasha BK.  I thought the images would come in really handy as I send cards through my Facebook Group and I loved all the postage style imagery on the stamps.  

I added an old script stamp I have for the background - I have no idea where this stamp came from and it is starting to wear out which will be real shame.  The middle part is Tim Holtz Idealogy paper called Typeset/Composer.  I kept the colours monochrome to enable the red post box to stand out more.  I coloured it with a Posca pen.  

THE MALE ROOM CHALLENGE - SHAKER CARDS

Welcome back to another month's challenge at The Male Room and this month we are all about shaker cards.  I'm not sure if you are like me but I see the words Shaker Card and normally come out in a cold sweat lol!  I just never seem to have the right foam or use enough of it.  So imagine my delight when I found this tip on youtube ages ago to make a shaker card out of recyling the plastic that stamps come in.  It's a win win.

I started my background with a gel press to create the blues and browns of the background and added some stamping from Tracy Evans stamp set Pen and Ink. I used some of Tim Holtz letter dies for my shaker pieces and added a real feather behind for extra interest. 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA - ANYTHING GOES

Welcome to another month's challenge here at Creative Artiste Mixed Media.  The weather has certainly changed here in the UK and it's almost too hot to craft lol! 

My piece today is a strange one - I am a member of our local WI group (Women's Institute) and each year they have a show with various categories for everyone to compete in.  The theme for this year's show is Treasure Island and one of the categories was create a Treasure Map. So, in true Mixed Media fashion, I decided I was up for the challenge.  And boy did I find it a challenge.

I started out with a piece of soft canvas which I covered in paint and ink for the sea.  I added stencilling for waves and covered it all in crackle paste to give it texture.  The Island was cut out of scrapbook paper and I added all the details on which I thought might be on a Treasure Island map.  I cut out the skull and cross bones and added a skull Island - just because.  I even found a little skull and cross bones charm in my stash.

I have some Creative Expressions turtle dies so decided to use them and give the area a Turtle Sea and again I found a turtle charm.

X marks the spot where the treasure is and if you lift it up there is a treasure die with gold coins.

I tore all the edges to give it some age and added distress wax and then scrunched up the whole map to make it less pristine.  I'll let you know how I get on in July lol! 

ONCE UPON A TIME - ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Welcome back to Once Upon a Time Challenge - the monthly challenge where Deanna gives us a child's book cover to inspire us.  Well, I have to admit I was stumped with this one for a long time.  I don't know the book and couldn't get past trying to use some sort of train!  Deanna suggested using the title for inspiration and that made something click in my head so here's my card and I'll explain my thought process for you.

I started with stencil#7 from Aallandcreate because to me the lines looked like train tracks.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in Vintage Photo to create the tracks.  I then added some Distress Ink in Peeled Paint and Spiced Marmalade for the infill colours to match the book cover.  

My uplifting sentiments came from Visible Image stamp set Just Be Happy and I thought the journey one was perfect for representing the train.  I added some flowers to the side and the butterfly to represent the journey also - both stamps from Creative Expressions.  

I look forward to seeing what you come up with. 

HAPPY LITTLE STAMPERS - WATERCOLOUR BRIGHT

Welcome back to another challenge at Happy Little Stampers Watercolour.  We have the added option of something Bright and this lead me to realise I really don't do bright very often.  Even all my inks are muted and rarely bright.  However I had a go with the Tim Holtz colours I had to try and make a nice bright card.  I think it was brighter in real life lol!

I started with a stencil from Visible Image stamps of the lovely flower burst and used Tim Holtz Spiced Marmalade and Twisted Citron for the background.  The sentiment is also from Visible Image.  The sunflower is by Tracy Evans and I used some of her stamps for the background stamping also.  

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Little Red Wagon - Warm colours 

Double D challenge - Flowers 

The sisterhood of crafters - birds