Merry Kissmas

Hello, from hopefully sunny Spain (though as I type this it's cold, dark, and I really should be in bed 'cos I'm up again in 3 hours lol)

It's our last Stampotique challenge of the year, and it's to use your alphabet stamps or images to make a letter of the alphabet. I've kept it simple and gone for the letter O.

Everything was stamped directly onto card and then watercoloured. This was really scary and something that I normally avoid at all costs lol.

I'm even a convert to sequins after last weeks challenge!

You gotta love this guy, he must be everyone's favourite angel.

I've used

Towering Gifts

Merry Kiss-mas

Daniel's Tree Topper Large

Christmas Ornaments Cube

Altered Alpha

There's still a while to go before the big day, so I hope that you can find time to join in with our challenge.

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

Winter Wonderland

Hi, here's my second piece for this months Country Views Crafts challenge 'Make A Scene'

This was great fun as I got to play with all my favourite Stampotique stamps to make the scene.
I used watercolour paper as my base card 'cos I knew I wanted to use pastel and water colour pencils.

There's quite a bit of depth to the card so no way is it going in an envelope!

I added lots of Stickles to the windows and icicles for a bit of bling.

More stickles on Chilly

The 'Wonderland' has been cut from the Tim Holtz Holiday Words thinlits set and stuck down with Stick It. This stuff is amazing, really good for the intricate die cuts.
There's loads of time left for you to join in with our challenge, so come on and make a scene! Hope you like mine, and thanks very much for looking x

Puttin' On The Ritz

It's new challenge day at Stampotique, and today Valerie has chosen sequins. I must admit this did throw me a little as they're not something that I use much (ever) and as I couldn't find mine I had to buy some more lol. So in homage to Strictly here's The Tweedles Puttin On The Ritz.

I used foam board so I could pin the sequins in to place. Here are my two Dapper Dan's The Tweedles and they've borrowed top hats from Mad Hatter.
I hope that you can 
a) find your sequins and 
b) join in with our challenge. There are only 2 this month as rumour has it December is quite busy, but there are still gift certificates for 2 lucky winners.
Have a fun week, and thanks very much for looking x

Making A Scene For Country View Crafts

Hi, there's a new challenge this month at Country View Crafts, and it's to 'make a scene'. I must admit I do find this challenging, I quite often make scenes without thinking about it, but when it's what I 'have' to do, my mind goes blank. Anyhow, here it is.

This was a game of 2 halves, altering my beautiful (not) plastic frame, and

stamping the picture for the centre.

I did the frame first 'cos it's so cold in my craft room (and it wasn't the warmest of weeks) so I knew it would take a while for all the painty layers to dry.
I'm afraid there are a ridiculous number of photographs but I was pleased with how it turned out.

All the paints and mediums used are by DecoArt. I used
black gesso, then texture sand paste - I love this stuff, it makes such a difference, subtle but you know it's there.

Time for the paint now, I used Media fluid acrylic in Carbon Black and Quinacridone Gold.
After all this I had a nice rusty looking frame, but it looked a bit dull for a Christmas scene, so I added some Metallic Lustre in Champage Ice.

I've been practising my mega crackle, and I used my red piece to stamp the postcard onto.

I made a background with Distress Inks in Picked Raspberry and Scattered Straw, then toned it  down with some cheesecloth. I stitched it all together and that was the image done.

I glued some glitter to the frame to give it a frosted look, and that's my scene finished.

I promise, no more photographs lol.
I hope you find time to join in with our challenge - rumour has it Christmas is coming so it's a quiet month right :-).
I hope you like my scene, and thanks very much for looking x