Arty Girlz - Rainbow Colours

I very nearly sat this one out.

I had a bad day yesterday a full on migraine. I think as I am so heavily congested with this virus my face was pounding & it caused the migraine.

I laid down, took the special medication I have for it & waited.

The pain soon went but my head has been like cotton wool ever since. I can't keep ideas or thoughts in my head. I can't remember what Im told which was quite funny at work this morning on reception!!! I honestly think cold & flu capsules make me worse.

I managed the DCM LE yesterday but it took 5 attempts. Today I resorted to my bits box.

I needed to do this to prove I could & my friend Cynthia is Guest Designer.

Its not one of my best efforts but I used orange, green & blue. I often stamp designs & put them in my bits box for occasions such as this today!! The orange ric rak goes well with the paper & the stamps are a small clear set. All stamped in my fav colour of the moment, which will have you laughing as it is pumpkin!!! I swear if I see anything else connected with halloween I will hide in a corner! I am in the middle of a scrap layout which is coming together extremely well & I am excited about it. It just needs the finishing touches but right now I can't do it. I just wanted to do more housework yesterday, couldn't settle to craft as I was so bunged up it hurts to sit still & try to breathe. I have been awake since just before 3am, & it was a very long day at work. I hope to feel better tomorrow as I am covering reception all morning! Now all I have to do is come up with something for the Wednesday Stamper. Its all about the Wild West, not a pumpkin in sight!!!

DCM LE Recipe

The LE this week is a recipe. 4 brads/eyelets, 3 circles, 2 rectangles & ribbon.

I fancied something bold & " in your face" after all the halloween colours.

I have been on holiday again today, I will be every Monday & Tuesday until New Year. I have thrown myself into tons of housework this last two days with the hope of creating more storage space for my craft stash. I started a layout for the All About Eve challenge

first thing this morning but so far haven't had chance to complete it or start the Arty Girlz latest. No more crafting for me today! Instead, I'm going to lay on the sofa & enjoy a great movie. I can rest in the knowledge that I have done a great job "spring cleaning" the place. Isn't it funny how you get the urge to do things you usually run a mile from!!

AJ WK 43 Scary & TMTA - Halloween.

Art Journal prompt this week is Scary. Well I am terrified of heights, they scare me stupid. This is a picture I found of men eating lunch in the sky!! This is my 3rd attempt to upload these pictures today I was just about getting fed up. I have spent most of my day off clearing out junk as I couldn't settle to any crafting. I feel restless. Am tired out hope this cold clears up soon. I have no vitamin or any other deficiency I am just tired out & sick to the back teeth of breathing in other people's germs at work. Air condition has a lot to answer for. I never get chance to recover before I get something else. I ought to sue!

The TMTA challenge this week is Halloween. Im not fond of it & these are sort of cheating a bit. I made them for an ATC swoop with Anne a while ago & forgot to take a photo. She very kindly took some for me & this is the first time I have showed them to anyone else.

Top one is based on a poem

This one is a sticker frame I found & I placed it around the edge of my ATC.

Saturday Stamper - Halloween

I find Halloween a tricky subject as it's not something I was ever really interested in, not even as a child. I made these two ATC's using some stickers I found. The background is embossed & normal stamped script. I used stazon Pumpkin as it is gorgeous.
I have been very busy this weekend working on a CJ so although it is finished now I can't share until Feb 2008. I have completed 5 including my own & have 4 more to come.

Crafting Questions. From Andrea.
1.If you could have £100.00 worth of scrapbook paper or assorted embellishments, which would you choose?
It would have to be the paper because 9 times out of 10, I struggle with what limit supply I have.
2. If you had to choose between using only stamps or rub-ons, which would you choose?
I think rub ons are great & they certainly have their place, but stamps are re-usable & so I would & do spend my money on those.
3. If you knew how to do both awesome cards and layouts but could only do one for a whole year...which would you do?
It would have to be cards as I have limit photos to scrap. But I am a minibook fanatic & would miss those a lot!!!
4. Would you rather own a scrapbooking store or have your own scrapping room at home...(can't have both he he he)
To have a custom built room would be a dream full of Ikea shelving & storage jars. A shop would mean having to share the yummy things...lol!!
5. And last but not least, what is your CURRENT cardmaking or scrapping style....Now this can be tough to nail down!
My cardmaking does seem to veer towards vintage a lot these days with lots of torn paper, stamped images & mixed media backgrounds. I don’t want a "style" for my scrapping. I want my work to be free & just evolve. Once your pigeon holed into a style you can’t shift it.
Now I send to 5 others.
Marjolein, Pearl, Micayla, Ros, Janine.

2nd post today! 4x4 Friday, Halloween/Pumpkin

So unlike me to post twice in one day but I am on a crafting roll!
The AAE/ Team scraplift has given me confidence so I needed to get this 4x4 Friday challenge done as my next team CJ is two small layouts!! I have to select two of my favourite photos & scrap them. I have the pics but done nothing for a week. Today, I think I can tackle it!!
This background was first stamped with my wording stamp, CI. Then I inked it with sponge dipped into various ink pads in dark green, orange & brown shades. The pumpkin scene was a B&W drawing that I printed out onto watercolour paper & coloured in with permanent brush markers by sugarloaf. I then over-inked it with brown to age it a bit.
The sign is made from a wooden cocktail stick inked with timber brown stazon. The stick is glued to the page & the scne mounted on stick fixers over the top.

All About Eve - CH#9, Secret

This is the very first scrap layout I have done in almost two months!!!! I lost the ability & therefore the will to do it. I woke very early this morning bunged up & unable to sleep. So I got up & made this. It is a layout chosen by one of my Teamies for our scraplift challenge. The layout appears in CK magazine, p.95 by April Massad. I so desperately wanted to do this Eve challenge & time is running out! Pinecone bazzill. Patterned paper, Oven Mitts SEI,Granny's Kitchen. Flowers are from my Arty Girlz rak buttons & brads papermania. Alphabet is American crafts, cream soda thickers.

DCM - Wrapped Up In Ribbon

What a fabulous challenge this week over on the DCM blog. I didn't find out the dare until lunchtime as I was on the reception desk all morning at work. Hardly the best place to be full of cold & barking better than the average dog! But, I'm home now & am not going back until Wednesday. I'm hoping the cold will not prevent me playing this long weekend as I have brand new toys from Crafty Individuals. This paper & stamp are from them, this Angels stamp is one of the site's new additions. The ribbon has lived in my craft box for 4 years. It is gorgeous gold starred with wired sides. Perfect for bending into any shape you choose. I got it in a pack of 3 different ones from Lakeland Ltd. The silver vellum was also from Lakeland in a floral kit full of pressed flowers.

Now on to something completely different. You British ladies all know about the fantastic Red Arrows. They are a sight over most UK skies. Well apparently they are featuring on a petition which I & all my work colleagues have signed, to be sent to Downing Street. It seems they are told they can't do a display at the 2012 Olympics because they are "too" British & might offend other countries! Well, I say tough. They are the very essence of Britain & something we are proud of. Its like saying we can't fly our flag. When will this nonsense end. In the race to appeal to all, it is becoming racial against our own country & beliefs. If you agree they should fly, then please sign the petition. It takes literally seconds.

Here is the link.

Wednesday Stamper -Growing Old

As far as stamps go, I only have these word stamps that are suitable for this week's theme, Growing Old. This ATC, is a picture I took of my friend, Colette preparing for her Son's Wedding. Alongside her is her daughter, Margaret & Grandson, Peter. 3 generations of family so close nothing could get between them. She tells me it is wonderful to grow older having the small child she once held grow into a beautiful woman & hold a child of her own. Who is now a strapping lad of 21! Honestly she just doesn't look 70! Its the Seychelles blood, the mediteranean diet.

I love this photo. Background is inked with blues & an over ink of gold. Edged purple.

DCM LE Sketch & Arty Girlz - Circles, Spots, Dots

No, I'm not being lazy only making one card for two challenges. Both time & patience are in VERY short supply today. I had the embarrassment of having my Barclaycard declined twice at the till despite having in excess of £3,000 credit! I needed footwear, I have only foam sandals to wear & it is getting damn cold. I had to come home & call Barclaycard who assure me nothing is wrong with my card, in fact they say I was never declined & never tried to purchase anything with my card today. Well hallucinating was I? I may be a pixie but there were no magic mushrooms in my lunch today!! Am I not the one without warm footwear this evening.

I've demanded a new card & now have to wait up to 10 days. The shop is holding my boots & trainers for me, which is very good of them. Wyndsors World of Shoes are an excellent store & not in the habit of telling me my card is declined for fun. I even have the receipt. Very reassuring to know the bank say I haven't used it.

A year ago today, I was drinking very expensive champagne, poncing around a gorgeous castle as wedding photographer for my sister. Far cry from today. Im off to drink my horlicks & moan because I WANT MY BOOTS!!!

Oh, yeah, the card! I got sick of trying to get a photo that shows the silver lines as a frame around the edges. The circles are all inked, stamps were free with PI. Right Im off now!!! You know what, I'd laugh if my feet weren't so cold!

AJ WK 42 - Grateful & TMTA - Friends

Art Journal challenge, crikey only 10 weeks left on this one but talks are on for another in the New Year!! The prompt is Grateful. Be it for things in a whole week or pick out one thing. I'm grateful for my friend Louise. Really I could have made the one card to fit both challenges today as TMTA is friends, but as I love to create so much, I made two seperate cards.

I am grateful for something Louise did last week & this. Last week, she turned up at my flat with a carrier bag full of DVD's. Movies galore to watch as I wasn't well & she felt that at least if I couldn't craft I would be occupied. I have watched almost all of them now, just two left.

Today, was my first day back at work & she took me out to lunch to ease me back into it. Everyone should have a friend like Lou. She is 13 years my junior, yet we like the same music, comedy, drinks, men... in fact her & her fiance, Pete are my partners in crime!!!

TMTA, prompt for this week, as I already said, is friends. This is part of an image I obtained from Rein, as one of her Monday morning shares. Many Thanks Rein, they are so pretty. They are sisters I think & life friends.

Both cards are made using my distressed gesso backgrounds. The top one is just inks on patterned paper & the lower card was an old page inked & gesso'd then stamped over with heart images.

Saturday Stamper - Winter

Not one of my best efforts. I struggled to come up with something for this challenge. Well that's not strictly true. I couldn't think of anything original & spent most of the day watching movies & letting thoughts whizz thru' my head! I had made this alcohol inked background a few days ago as I treated myself to the mixatives, Silver & Gold & wanted to play with them. I used denim, stream & something else but I can't remember, possibly slate!. It hasn't come out very glossy, my card is not the proper stuff for AI's. I stamped the tree, santa & his sleigh & the words in Rangers Jet black Archival pad. I drew the fence with a permanent brushmarker. I liked the idea of a starry night as most of the things I do are "daytime" themes.

Several people have nominated me for the smile award. I feel honoured but again, so many people have this. The people I would award it to already have it!

Everyone crazy enough to be crafty deserves it.

4x4 Friday - Dream, Create, Inspire.

I stamped these butterflies for the card in the post below, but felt they were too dark on the Artists' Watercolour paper for all the soft lilacs I picked. So these were put to one side in the hope of using them. They fit perfectly for this week's theme. All 3 words suit my mood when I made this 4 x4 ins piece. I was very inspired by the techniques of sponging inks onto images for vintage colour. Making something so pretty has always been a dream. Create is what I do, though usually a mess. I added Anita's 3D gloss to each butterfly for some dimension & although it isn't too clear, I heat embossed a sprinkling of holographic powder to give a slight shimmer.

These stamps can be bought from Crafty Individuals, a direct link to the actual stamps is in the post below. Dymo tape words finish it.

While Im at it, a quick toot for myself... I've had a rough 6 months & deserve a bit of good news. The card below is going to appear in the C.I gallery on there website soon. I am thrilled & honoured to have it there. I can't stress just how much fun I have had with these stamps & the other bits I bought. My slidemailer is almost complete & will be shown just as soon as I can.

Happy Birthday, DCM - Circle of Friends

Yes, we have come full circle & it is the first birthday of the Daring Cardmakers. I have been following them from the very beginning & have enjoyed the pleasure of being one of the guest Designers'. I was very thrilled with the subject as I have fabulous friend stamps & also I got my brand new butterfly stamps yesterday & wanted to play.

Front of card

Inside the Card.
This was so much fun to make. I made the card by stamping text down one side & applying torn paper to the other. I stamped the friends quote in the bottom corner & the flourish in the top. Then I set aside my card & made all the elements. The large circle is half clear embossed & half stamped & then purple ink sponged over it.

The butterflies are my new toy & I am so thrilled with them. I have to plug this company as they have gorgeous products & are really amazing people. The link to the site is Crafty Indivduals to see the stamps as they were before I cut & circle punched them click on this word Butterflies. I do urge you to have a good look at the online shop. The stamps are all their own designs & I have many more shopping lists planned!!

As for my recent order, more items will be made very soon using bits & pieces bought from them. (They are in the drying stages before moving on..)

I stamped the butterflies as the full square & then punched out 1in circles from each square leaving the frames. I sponged the two pieces (6 in total) seperately, but they could be all done before the punching. I mounted the waste as mini frames to repeat the circle feel on the card & mounted two butterflys on sticky pads in the main circle. I sponged a square in the inside of the card & mounted the third butterfly & added another scroll up the top. I have found sponging designs from my mini ink cubes is a far more subtle way of colouring vintage type projects.

Happy Birthday Ladies & I hope you adore this card half as much as I do!!

Wednesday Stamper - Children

Wednesday Stamper challenge, Children. I removed the glass & painted a wooden photo frame a pale pink. Then while it was drying I stamped a flourish on one corner of the glass. Printed my photo to the desired size (I'm the baby, on Mum's knee, Tracy my big sister sits beside us.), cut my paper to size & attached my pic & vellum quote. Once the frame was dry, I stamped flowers onto it in pigment ink & as they wouldn't dry on wood I heat embossed them with my favourite powder, Silver Pearl as it allows the colour to shine through. The baby glued to the frame was an image I found in a magazine, glued first to strong card. I added soft pink buttons to finish it off.

Then, I has so much trouble trying to upload to my blog yesterday it was a nightmare & despite trying twice & blogger saying no can't do, I have managed to use 3MB of my free space so clearly they have a problem & need to sort it out.

I am on holiday this week & so far nothing has gone to plan. I am a bit sick to the back teeth now!! The time I had designated for crafting has flown out the window, my head is empty most of the time, although I spent half of yesterday worrying sick about my appointment with the nurse. Thankfully it was good (ish) news. I have only one cyst now, half the worry!

DCM -SLE & Arty Girlz

Santa's Little Extra this week is O' Christmas Tree! So I made two. I spent an hour playing with Distressed Gesso Backgrounds. Taking old book pages & covering with gesso, then inking & blending & re applying the gesso & ink until the colour etc is achieved. I made 3 different ones & picked the green for my two tree cards. Large tree stamp, Inkadinkado. Small tree, Hampton Art/Dovecraft. Swirls are Design Objectives. Other stamps are from these 3 companies.

The Arty girlz challenge this week is Stitches! Well my machine is still broken & I can' afford to fix it so I had to draw some faux ones. Papers are leftovers from a paper kit, Papermania. Chipboard flower is sponged with yelow acrylic paint & then over inked with blue pigment ink. Flower stamped onto it using Brilliance Moonlight White. Centre filled with white glass beads & 3D gloss. Each small stamped flower also has a bead centre. Floral stamps, See D's. Scroll stamp, Design Objectives also stamped in Moonlight White.

TMTA & AJ WK41

The TMTA challenge this week is Moon & Stars. I love celestial items & pictures so I went with that this week. The background is distressed gesso. I used a page from an old book, applied gesso & then used blue & dark purple inks swirled over it using kitchen towel. I added a touch of black in places. The ink was a bit too thick & the text isn't very visible but I am very thrilled with the finished piece. I stamped large stars in dark purple before applying the two images. Then I used a stencil & silver pen to add stars.

This week's AJ challenge is Magic Carpet, where would you ask it to go? I have chosen the land of fairytales. The text isn't meant to be too legible as i didn't want it detracting from the overall image. It reads, Magic carpet take me to the land of fairytales & childhood dreams. Where no one is ever hungry hurt or at war. Everyone is loved & happy & free. What made me do this piece is all the hunger & war in the world. The poor people of Zimbabwe are often on my mind. Those poor kids don't have a fairyland. Paper is an offcut from a CJ I recently did, DCWV, Once Upon a Time.

4x4 Friday & Saturday Stamper

4x4 Friday Challenge, Numbers. I went with the guy Fibonacci & game pieces, a clock & some cards all collaged onto 7Gypsies number paper. The script text was stamped & gold embossed.

The corner scroll stamps are from Design Objectives. Umberella & Clock, collage sheet from Crafty Computer. I was really disappointed that my search of the web didn't find the Fibonacci sequence but as I wasn't too well I didn't look very long!

Saturday Stampers challenge, Pink Ribbon. Well this actually looks far from pink in the photo but it is. I based this on an Anne Griffin card I once saw. The pocket is made up & the card is merely a tag inside. This picture shows the completed item. Stamp, Modern Love, Anita's, used on front & the heart cut out as an aperture. Butterfly from a collection of stamps I purchased some time ago from Lakeland Ltd.

This picture shows the decorated card inside. It is just like a tag. You could make it more elaborate I guess with two layers. The back is blank for writing the message on. The stamp was free on the cover of Craft Stamper magazine. I used pink & lilac inks from my pigment ink collection, Pretty Color.

DCM - Animal

Well I am still quite fuzzy today & have spent most of it laying down reading magazines & watching DVD's. It has taken me all day to think up an idea for this latest DCM dare, Animal.

Papers are DCWV, Old World stack. I inked up a word stamp & gold embossed it down each side of the red paper. I then cut the elephant from brown paper & edged it with brown ink for definition. The red "cloth" saddle on her back, (I decided she was a female elephant, Clarrie!) was also embossed with the gold word stamp. I have no energy to embellish this further but Im quite happy with it how it is.

Behind with a few things!

Thank You to everyone who has asked after my health. It is touching to receive so many emails.

On Thursday I was quite poorly & ended up coming home from work at lunchtime. I have spent all of today in bed & am beginning to feel less dizzy. I have some time off work & just know I am going to be ill most of it!!! Sods' Law I think they call it.

Anyway, as the title says, I am quite behind on a few challenges I really wanted to do. The one below is Arty girls, Glueless. I got this completed Wednesday evening but couldn't get a photo as it was dark. I haven't given it another thought until this afternoon when I got up to lay on the sofa. One of my team mates has loaned me the 1st Tim Holtz DVD & I fancied watching it again. To me seeing crafty things is the next best thing to making them!

I made the ATC below with melted wax. I had no beeswax & used some of the Llbs of parrafin wax I have from a candle kit. It went disasterously wrong to begin but discovered that if the wax is too thick, then you can melt it off using a heat gun. Then I stood it up & cracked the wax & had to reheat again!! Paper is DCWV, Art Deco Stamp, Design Objectives, F;ora; Stamp, See D's, real pressed flowers, Lakeland Ltd. The plan was to drop beads in the flower centres but it dried too quick.... not to worry I did have fun while I did it & practice does make, well better!

Now Im off back to bed.

Wednesday Stamper - Inchies

Well I kind of knew after the moo cards that it wouldn't be long before the Wednesday Stamper challenge would feature these tiny guys!! Well I am amazed how hard they are! My very first two were done simply gold embossing leaves onto script paper. Then I got bolder & tried cutting sections from my stamp & colouring with brushmarkers.I think they could be very addictive & fancy making a few more. Hopefully when I have sorted myself some new stamps small & suitable for the job. My printer is low on ink so I couldn't even print off some vintage images to add to them.

I'm late home having had to rush around between Nurse & chemist & re booking another appointment for the nurse next week. These damn cysts continue to ruin my life. Then, flying to the post office with a recorded delivery parcel in the hope it gets there before the next round of strikes. Honestly, I have no patience, some people never know when they are well off! They could always come & work where I do. Crap wages while you slog your guts out. Precious little thanks & a queue to take your holiday entitlement...yes ladies, sorry I am very pi**ed off today!!!!!

Meanwhile I am struggling on with my cold & trying to come up with something for the Arty Girlz challenge, Glueless.

I have been tagged about 5 times now by various really lovely people, (thank you for thinking of me guys!) with a tag about 7 facts about me. I have actually done this tag twice already but here goes, what the hell!!

1) I'm not half as scared of spiders as I used to be.

2) As a kid I was desperate to be on Jim 'll fix it!

3) I no longer have A favourite colour, I love them all.

4) This time of year I have a passion for mash & rich bisto gravy, made with the powder.

5) I used to be mad about Cross Stitch but RSI stopped me doing it often.

6) I would give anything to have grown up in a proper, normal family.That adage You can pick your friends' is oh so true!

7) I hope this time next year I am a lot happier & my main health worries are over.

Im certain this tag has well & truly done the rounds but feel free to consider yourself tagged should you read this.

DCM Santa's Little Extra Helper

Christmas Words.

Not an elaborate card, but I really don't like to dress up this stamp too much. I usually emboss it gold, but felt the silver gave that icy touch & then I added two stylish corner stamps also embossed silver. The tiny tree was a last minute thing I regret. But, as I am full of cold & desperate to make it to the end of the working week,

I have no energy to start again!!

AJ wk40 & TMTA

Art Journal Challenge (Deck of Me)

This week's prompt is "no more.. What is no more in your life..."

Took some pondering, but I decided no more empty dreaming. I am going to search for my dreams in my heart. Some things, I realise I just can't have. Some things are right there & are not being used fully. I think this is very true about my crafting. I used this image of a dandelion & used a technique called Image transfer to create a soft piece for my AJ.

I have no Gel medium, so I use the clear sellotape (packing tape)method of sticking the tape smoothly to the image & soaking in lukewarm water.

Once the backing paper comes off, & this has to be very gently with your fingers, you are left with a soft almost vellum picture which I stuck onto the card using Anitas' 3D gloss.

Flower is from a RAK, button in my stash. Art Deco stamp, Design Objectives corner stamps. Words, my own.

TMTA - Masks.

Masks was the prompt for this ATC challenge. I decided to go with Theatre & Shakespeare.

I stamped the background with my Traditional Love Anita's stamp. I love the script writing with the heart. I printed my chosen words onto pink vellum & then traced round the inside of the heart so that once cut out, it would become the centre. I printed an image of the Comedy & Tragedy masks & also a fine pink feathered one. The finishing touch was the book cover printed from an image on the net.

Saturday Stamper - DPOV

The challenge this week was to take one stamp & use it creatively more than once. I looked at all my stamps & felt no inspiration so what better thing to do than treat yourself to a new one!

Well this pixie has been very good & deserved it so off she trotted to buy this rather gorgeous Hampton Arts stamp, Queen Tag.

I have already stamped with it 3 times so it is already good value for money!! I stamped onto a card using my new Design Objectives corner flourish set to stamp the corners in gold. I didn't want anything to detract from the fabulous image in the centre. I coloured parts of the design using metallic & glitter acrylics.

Beside the card is my very first attempt at a Matchbox Shrine. I took the matchbox apart & used it as a template to cut my own & cover it with papers. I stamped on the box & inside using a portion of my new stamp then coloured them the same way to emphasise bits of the design. As it is my first go, I haven't done an elaborate job. It really needs something decorative to open & close but right now Im just real chuffed it fits together & looks pretty!!!

4x4 Friday - Men

This week's challenge was to create a 4"x4" piece of artwork about Men. My first thoughts were about the Victorian times when there were real Barbers' shops & men had shaves with foam & cut throat razors. So I collaged the piece below. The background is some wrapping paper with birds feathers on.

I was quite pleased with the piece & then I decided it was time to try & get caught up on some of the challenges I missed. I didn't start until number 5, France. So below is no.4, Flourish. I nearly did women but decided going backwards made more sense!!

Paper is papermania, Inspirations warm tones. Flourish is stamped in purple ink using foam stamp. Ephemera is HOTP. Quote is a rub on.

DCM - Postcard

This week's Friday dare was to make a postcard & we have to send it. Well obviously with the postal strike mine won't be going anywhere but from 15th, I will be on holiday from work, so this might just wing itself to the office. It was a fabulous challenge & I am quite shocked I managed to get a photo this late in the day. I left work half an hour late, having got tied up trying to help a colleague sort something out. By the time I had got myself to Tesco & back it was almost 6pm. My card is below, front & back shots. The shape I got from drawing around a postcard my sister sent me a few weeks ago from France. The paper I used is DCWV, Once Upon a Time, stuck to thin card to make it a bit sturdier. All the stamps are from my two travel sets including the fab "postcard" one on the back. Let yourself go, are rub ons put onto another square of the paper & taped on securely, this has after all got to go through RM!!! I don't envy it!

reverse of card
I'm not entirely happy with this. I wanted 3D elements & lets face it, even in an envelope, the poor thing wouldn't stand a chance with out postmen!

Wednesday Stamper- Autumn Colours

I'm home for lunch break, the office is only 10 minutes away, the light is good so I thought I'd get this card photographed. This is my entry for the challenge, be inspired by Autumn colours.
Well my hair looks a bit like this alcohol inked acetate (minus the green bits...lol) .

The card was first covered with leaves paper from the Papermania Inspirations Earth Tones pack. Then I added my square of inked acetate to the centre. The inks I used were Red Pepper, Butterscotch & Meadow. I made a mistake & tried to heat emboss some glod leaves & catkins to the top right corner. The acetate buckled as it was already glued with Anitas 3D gloss to the card front!! I tore random pieces of handpainted paper torn from an old book (I used to make an Art Journal card last week) & I heat embossed more leaves on them in gold. Finally I added my Art Nouveau image to the centre as she is in autumnal colours. Despite the error, I am extremely happy with this piece of artwork.

Arty Girlz - Tag(s)

Here is my tag for the Arty Girlz challenge. It is a bookmark. I decided that now the nights are drawing in, I need something new & pretty to tuck into my book. I like to read a few pages each night before I go to sleep. Autumn is my favourite season for colour. I mixed two types of fibres to give it a real autumnal feel. I stamped a couple of my fav trees & some leaves at the top. Tag is just a manilla luggage tag I picked up from a stationery shop. Rub on letters to spell out the words are also from the stationery shop.

I have also completed my Wednesday Stamper challenge, which is to be inspired by autumn colours, but it is too dark for a photo so Im a bit miffed!!! I have used inked acetate so using a flash is out of the question. Oh well, there is always tomorrow!

Game of Tag. Sarah has tagged me on the name game. Using a single fact about myself/life for each letter of my middle name.

J just never enough time for the things I want to do, & far too much time wasted doing mundane stuff.

A average student all my life. I never bothered trying because no one was interested if I did well or not.

N not letting anything stop me now, because I do it for me!

E every day is a journey into the unknown. As a crafter, I am learning how to strike out & grasp opportunities. I want to learn new techniques.

DCM LE - Postage Stamps

I couldn't wait to get started on this weeks' little extra from the DCM team! I had spent half the day, bored stiff at work, clicking the refresh button waiting for the challenge so I could sit & design my card.....oops, did I say that, I mean dream about my card design while I sweat over the spreadsheets. lol!

I collect used stamps from various friends & twice a year I send them on to the RSPB, where they sell them & the money goes to various projects. Saving the Albatross has been the current one. I also recycle my ink cartridges from my printer this way.

My friend, Joy, has sent some gorgeous ones & I knew these would look just right with some vintage collage. I really wanted to put a title on this card, but people are strange about it. I put happy birthday on one & a lady said, "Oh I would have bought that if it didn't have birthday on it". I asked what she wanted it for & she replied, "My friend's birthday"!!!

Paper is Papermania Inspirations, Earth Tones. Vintage bits,Picture & Postcards, Ephemera pack.

I think this one has an Edwardian feel to it.

AJ wk39- Someone Special & TMTA Pirates

First up is the AJ WK 39. Someone special. Well Im in danger of offending someone here. But I can't get them all on. I've done my Grandma last week & a full book of my BIL yesterday. Today is the turn of my friends. However, one of my friends, Joy, hasn't got back to me regarding the photo she wouldn't mind the world seeing. So this is Colette. Can you believe she is 70 in this picture!! She is a Seychellois & has lived here in UK 20 years. She has been there for me during dark times of depression, times when my own family weren't. When I went hungry, she fed me, when I was cold she took me in to warm me until bedtime. She is my very best friend & like a mother to me.

I stamped the photo with tropical blooms as these grow wild in The Seychelles. Then I coloured them in with permanent whisper markers.

This is the latest TMTA challenge, Pirates. I found this one a tough subject & only hope Ive done it a bit of justice. The pirate is a picture from the net. The background paper is from my DCWV mat stack Once Upon a Time.

I stamped the ship & treasure chest.