Wot More Christmas

For this weeks Creative Studio's creation :-)
Hope you like it x

Christmas is Coming....

It's Nellie's turn to choose the theme at Stampotique this week and she's gone with an early Christmas. I'm always full of good intentions to start my Christmas cards early, but not so surprisingly this never seems to happen.

I always intent to start early making my Christmas cards. But real life often gets in the way and before I know it it’s the middle of December and my Christmas cards end up being either very simple and quick or bought in a shop. So I thought why not set a Stampotique challenge to make Christmas cards in November and force myself to really make and early start. So here is what I came up with. And of course I love to see your Christmas cards or other Christmas projects!

Nellie, you're a girl after my own heart lol, here's my early Christmas cards.

 I've recently been on a workshop to learn how to use my Prismacolour pencils correctly. This is still very much a work in progress, but as long as I enjoy it (which I do) then I'm happy. I still colour like a child, I pick the colours I like (whether they go together or not) stick out my tongue and try to keep within the lines :-) Here's my cards in a little more detail .

 Here's my favourite snowman Global Warming? together with Jo's star that came with Craft Stamper here in the UK.

How often can I use the word 'favourite', but what's not to love about Under The Paraplouie, again used with Jo's star in the background. These are Christmas cards therefore all birds are Robin's lol. (and no birds get eaten in Stampotique land)

Maria's lovely bunny Zara  is great for any celebration. A bunny isn't just for Christmas.... I used some Portfolio white pastel to add a bit of snow.

And last but definitely not least everyone needs a Christmas hug from a Hug Monster.
Please don't judge my colouring too harshly, I know I need lots of practise but that's ok with me lol.
Please join in with our challenge, after all you can never have too many Christmas cards, and you have the chance of winning a $30 gift certificate. Please remember no digi images - give that rubber an inking!
Thanks for trying to get me organised Nellie, and thanks very much for looking x

Anyone Who Had A Heart -Der Dum...

The very talented Liz Borer has been wowing us this week at PapteArtsy and I've been trying all week to have a go at her day 2 project. So after work yesterday I cleared the dining table and transformed the living room into an art studio daaarling (it's nose drippingly cold in the conservatory now so that's me out till Spring lol). This is what I ended up with.

 Like football this was a game of 2 halves, the good and the bad/ugly.

Stage 1 liking very much after using Grunge Paste, London Bus, Blood Orange, Claret and Moonlight.

Yep still liking after the Treasure Gold.

I stamped some of Darcy's hearts around the top and coloured with Portfolios. I really didn't like it though.

So back over the top with the London Bus, Blood Orange and Claret, and a bit more stencilling.

Used the heart from Darcy's EDY01 plate to make a flower (I'm liking again now)

Follow Your Heart from the same plate has been stamped straight on to the heart and accented with a cabochon. I've also stamped the hearts and key from Darcy's EDY02 plate, and finished off with a bit of hardware.

I know I've said it before, but I do love how you can go over your mistakes with Fresco's and it just makes another layer.
Just about enough light now to photograph, and last push Charlie again to link up!
Hope you have a great Sunday, and thanks very much for looking x

SPLAT!

It's time to get down and dirty this week at Stampotique as the challenge is for paint splats! I love paint so I made some space and started splattering :-)

Lots of brush tapping for the background by Arty then as we had wet paint I needed a warning sign, so who better than Whisker Monster With Sign.

I had lots of fun making this and I know you will too, so please join in. You can use any stamps you like, but please no digis.

Thanks very much for looking and have a great weekend x

Season Of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness - Brrrr

It's time for my sneaky peek at today's Creative Studio piece, and it see's the return of Hooty McTooty. Hope you like it, and thanks very much for looking x

PaperArtsy Christmas Day 2

This is my version of Joanne's day 2 card, over at PaperArtsy, using 3 coloured pencils and glitter glue.

The stamps are by Sam Poole and I really love this way of colouring them. I must admit I know nothing about colouring so it was great to learn this technique - thanks very much Jo! x

I hope you like it, and thanks very much for looking x 

It's A PaperArtsy Christmas

The lovely Joanne is back at PaperArtsy this week, and she's been wowing us with some simple but fun Christmas cards that are similar enough to batch make, but different enough to keep it interesting. This is my version of her day one card.

These were really easy to make once I'd got the hang of stamping the card before I cut it out 'cos I'm a really wonky stamper :-)

I used Mermaid, Sherbet, and Orchid together, and London Bus and Hyde Park.
The stamp sets are Xmas Plate 4, and Nut & Meg 3.
I've never been able to batch make before due to the boredom factor, but these were great fun.
As the evening is still young and Neil's doing the cooking I'm going to give day two a whirl now!
Thanks very much for looking and enjoy your weekend x

A Sneaky Peak For Creative Studios

Well it's Thursday again, at the speed the weeks are going it really will soon be Christmas lol. This week I've made another folded card for gift vouchers or just good old fashioned cash. 

The rest of it can be found here
Hope you like it, and thanks very much for looking xx

Wot No Layers

The lovely Sam is boss lady this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge and just to spite me (paranoid moi :-) she has chosen 'one layer' "Hi Stampotiquers! I'm so excited to be your host this week and I'm inviting you to make a creation using just one layer. It doesn't necessarily have to be clean and simple, that's the challenge! I love lots and lots of layers but to achieve a sense of depth to a creation using no embellishments etc can really get you scratching your head and rubbing your chin! 

Most importantly have fun ;)"

I love to use layers, not least because I'm so messy, and I CAN NOT stamp straight. Not even with a stamp possitioner, but if Sam want's one layer then that's what she's gonna get :-)

I trimmed my card to fit an embossing folder then masked off the middle section then covered with Versamark. This was then embossed using a diffuser that has sat unopened since the day it was bought. I then stippled and sponged Pan Pastels over the top in pink and purple, and outligned the Happy Birthday.

My favourite stamp of the week Kitten Sitting was stamped VERY carefully in black, then just coloured with Prisma pencils.

I did actually enjoy making this, and I love how the white card pops, so you're forgiven Sam lol.

I hope you can join in with our challenge and make a one layer creation, you can use any stamps but please no digi images.

I'm also linking this to the pan pastel challenge which is anything goes, and Country View Crafts which is Letters.

I hope you like my card, and thanks very much for looking x

Miguel's Gift

The fabulous Sarinda is our hostess with the mostest this week and she has chosen to use gesso. Here's what she says.

"Hello Creatives. Sarinda here and I am asking you to rethink Gesso in this challenge. I find that I use Gesso a lot in my work and feel is an amazing tool to utilize. Yes, tool. Not only does is serve as a basic prep to your sub-straight, It picks up texture of a stencil, use it with a pallet knife, layer it. And if you are using it with inks, sprays, stains it will create unique depth to your backgrounds. Even try it on top of lace, fabric, tulle. Play and be free. I have a gesso tutorial on my blog if you need some extra inspiration. 

www.AggregateMemories.blogspot.com

I also wanted to take the time to Thank all of you for your wonderful, creative support over the years. This will be my last challenge I will be hosting with Stampotique. As my glass art business is demanding more of my time... This is good as I have been working for this moment over 13 years. I will not be a stranger to Stampotique as most of you know... I LOVE STAMPOTIQUE. 

Face the Brilliance of your most wonderful creations and Dwell on you Dreams.

Warmly-

Sarinda"

I'm going to really miss Sarinda on the DT, but wish her lots of luck (not that she will need it :-)

Ok, the tag was stamped in white and black gesso and then dried with a heat gun and coloured with Distress Inks.

I like to keep the stamping varied by using the stamp upside down too (this is such I lie, I just didn't look lol)

My black gesso is nice and smooth like an acrylic paint while my white is about 10 years old and is thick and lumpy and has the consistency of plaster, and yes this is my favourite lol as it really resists the ink.

The baubles have been stamped onto acetate and coloured on the back with Silkies.

Don't you just love Miguel, he's as good as I am at wrapping presents, so poor old Ted has been stuffed into the box.

My favourite angel has been stamped onto card and also shrink plastic. In the words of 10cc 'it hides a nasty stain that's lying there' I don't know why I have this compulsion to confess to all my mistakes, I'd be no good at all as a secret agent :-)

I've used Roc's gorgeous border to finish off. It took me ages to make this 'cos I was just sat drinking coffee, doing a little stamping, colouring it in, stamping a bit more... - could life get any better!

I really enjoyed this Sarinda, thanks so much.

I'm also entering this into the Pan Pastel challenge which is Anything Goes.

Lots of lovely stamps used this week, they are:

Journey Collage

Oh Tree

Miguel Has A Gift

Mini Christmas Ornament Cube

Teddy

Daniel's Large Tree Topper

Scalloped Lace Border

Hope you like it, and thanks very much for looking x

Believe In The Magic Of The Season

Well better late than never as they say!
Here's this weeks sneaky peak at my Creative Studio's  piece. Yup it's Christmas time again. Hope you like it, and thanks very much for looking x