Who Would Live In a House Like This - Stampotique Triptych Challenge

Those girl's (and guy) over at Stampotique are not making thing easy this week, the challenge is to make a triptych using only Stampotique stamps. This is the first time I've made a triptych (except for the one that's in the bin), and it took me hours but it was great fun.
I inked a couple of sheets of card with Dylusions and Glimmer mists, then left these to dry overnight. I stuck these together, then cut out to make the triptych shape. The Welcome Door and border have been stamped on some Basic Gray and stuck on. Kitty has been stamped on my Killer Bees paper.

The Stampotique tree has been stamped in the same BG paper and the bat has been added from the Halloween cube. The bla bla bla and daisy's were stamped directly onto the card. This was a very scary bit for me lol.

I was reminded of that old Lloyd Grossman programme Through the Keyhole, where he looked round famous peoples houses, so I added the words. Next came the fiddly bit, I made the closure with a couple of spacers, jump rings and a piece of silver chain. The door opens by opening the chain clasp.
I really enjoyed making this, so thanks for the challenge and thanks for looking x

Just For Fun - Falling in Love Again - Attack of the Killer Bees 2

The Just for Fun challenge this week is to fall in love with your stamps all over again and try a different technique with them. I've got a couple of lovely bee stamps, and I wanted a honeycomby type stamp to go with them. Now having raided the kids piggy banks for Harrogate last week,  (just kidding - or am I.....) :o) I decided to make my own. So out came the hexagon stencil and the funky foam and hey presto my own stamps stuck onto some old packaging. Now I'm thinking Stampers Anonymous, Paper Bag Studios.. Maybe not lol.

Meanwhile back at the challenge... what I do not do with my stamps is stamp directly onto the project. When I first started cardmaking the done thing was to stamp, colour, cut it out and stick it on (sound familiar) and this is what I still do. So armed with my new stamps I decided to make my own backing paper. I used my giant hexagon first in Mustard Seed and Scattered Straw distress ink, then overstamped the small hexagons with the honey coloured one. I threw some clear embossing powder on and hoped for the best. Then I brayered a pale yellow over the top (doesn't show up too well on the photo) THEN I got really brave and overstamped my killer bees (The Stampman and Stampotique) and clear embossed again.

This is how it ended up, just cut up an wrapped arround a candle jar. I'm really chuffed with this 'cos it started life a piece of white card and ended up as something else, and I like that.               So thanks again to Just for Fun - your challenges are really challenging and I love it!                                           Thanks very much for looking x

Feeling Blue (and brown) and blue (and brown) The Stampsmith Challenge

Here's my entry to the latest Stampsmith Challenge which is Blue and Brown. I got myself into a right tizz with this, I started by cutting out a card blank with the die, but it seemed to be too much of the same shape. I  was surrounded by die cut Basic Gray in various shades of  blues and browns, and I could not get it to look right.
I finally settled on these and Marilyn (she makes any card look good).
I added a bit of lace and some flowers. The stamping says Celebrate in Style - something that Marilyn always did.
Thanks very much for looking and have a fab Sunday x

Simon Says Show Us A Word

Simon Says Stamp And Show has been making his demands again, and this time he wants a word. Now everybody knows that the bird is the word BUT I've chosed smile! This is the woman I want to be, just look at her not a care in the world. She's not got a pile of ironing the size of the National Debt in the corner. And I bet she doesn't get her hair colour from the Boots counter!

Anyway, Im not bitter lol. My tags been cut out with Sir Tim's die, and the papers are Basic Gray. My lovely lady is from Paperbag Studios, and even though I'm a stamp tart she's still one of my favourites.

The 'smile' is a hugh Heidi Swapp stamp that's been done on shrink plastic. The butterfly is from Wendy Vecchi (love her stamps, so easy to cut out).

My latest favourite is the seam binding ribbons, and I've made a dangly bird charm. Ooo the air was blue as I tried to attach these to the tiny jump rings I can tell you....

I really enjoyed making this, and thanks for looking x

Life's Too Short To Stuff A Mushroom (or alter a matchbox)

I love Thursdays, it's my day off work, and it's the new Just For Fun Challenge. This week it's time to try a new format. I've made cards and ATC's but never inchies or twinchies. To be honest I just don't get them (no offence you inchie/twinchie folk out there - I didn't get ATC's or acrylic paint for years either :o)  )
Sooo I decided that my new format would be a matchbox, and not just any old matchbox, this one has extra long matches which are fab for lighting Yankee Candles when they've burned down a bit.
The papers are Basic Gray Scarlets Letter (though this one is black and white) I would hate to attempt to alter a smaller matchbox, the combination of being ham fisted and blind as a bat unless in full sunlight would make it impossible lol.
I'm also entering this into the Theme Thursday challenge which is Black and White.
I think it's customary to put bits and bobs into the matchboxes - I'm going to put the matches back into mine!
Thanks very much for looking x

Art Journey Challenge You Used WHAT??

Here's my entry to this month Art Journey Challenge which has been set by Jo Capper-Sandon and is called 'You Used What? The what in question on my piece is a self adhesive cork floor tile. Because it's self adhesive it stuck easily to my chipboard covered book. It's very flexible too so it went around the corner without too much bother.

The stamps are all by Art Journey from various plates. I stamped onto the cork itself with black versafine and it took ages to dry so I eventually blotted it with a tissue and hopefully it's dry now. I love versafine but it's THE messiest ink lol.

The ribbons down the spine is seam binding, and 'cos it's cork I used cut down push pins to attach the images. I had to venture into my OH's tool box to find the pliers to do this - I think it's at least a flogging offence to do this, a mans tool box is his castle in our house :o)

Thanks very much for looking x

The Stampsmith Challenge - Something Different

Here's my entry to the latest Stampsmith challenge which is 'try something different'  This is the first time these stamps have seen ink but I shall certainly use them loads.
(The smaller picture show the colours better, but the bigger picture is clearer - I blame the camera lol)
I've inked up some glossy card with alcohol inks in blues and red/pinks, then stamped over in black archival.
I've threaded some seam binding in Sea Moss and a pinky colour (it took me ages to tie the bow - I had to use the 'bunny ears' method lol ).
The backing paper is from the Prima Botanical range, and it's all put together onto an 8x8 card.
When I decide who I'm giving this to I will sort out the sentiment.
I enjoyed making this card, it's not like me to faff with ribbons, so it made a nice change.
Thanks very much for looking x

The Future Comes One Day At A Time

When I saw that this weeks Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge was to use metal I crossed it off my to do list. I've only used metal a couple of times and I wasn't too thrilled with the results. But when the Just for Fun challenge was to use a new technique, it seemed the right time to get the old metal sheet out again.
The roses have been coloured in alcohol inks in shades of blues, greens, and reds.
The leaves and butterfly are Paper Artsy dies, and have also been coloured with DI's. The sentiment is from the same Paper Artsy set and I thought that it finished it off nicely.
The background is a cork kitchen floor tile. I couldn't believe that the Tim Holtz die would cut through it, but it went straight through!
I'm also entering this into The Sunday Stampers challenge, as this week it's brown.
Thanks very much for looking and have a great Sunday x