Ooh Look, It's That Book Again

 Good morning and a very happy Wednesday. Today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with - yes you've guessed it, a couple of pages in my Art By Marlene Concertina Album.

You may remember that a couple of months ago I completed one side of the album. I walked away for a little while, but now it's time to tackle the other side!

Last time I did the whole background in one go, but this time I'm doing the pages as I use them. For my first two I just used some Distress Inks to make some sand, sea, grass, and sky.

I added a bit of stenciling, then stamped directly into the book for placement.

Then I stamped the images again, coloured them with my Prisma pencils and cut them all out.

And here we are, all done! I really enjoyed colouring with my pencils, I find them much easier than alcohol markers (though of course I have a huge box full of those too lol)

These are the Art By Marlene and Lavinia stencils that I've used, and of course Dot has a huge stock of both here in the store.

I hope you like it, who knows maybe I'll get this side done in under a year lol.

Thanks so much for looking, take care, and a very happy November x

All Good Things Take Time

 Good morning and a very happy Wednesday! Today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with my Art By Marlene accordion journal. "Oh no" I hear you say, "not that journal again" BUT... this time I've actually finished it! (ok half-finished it, but let me enjoy my moment)

I've used some of my favourite stamps on this one too. I love this elephant, and the mandala is one of my favourites of the clear stamp sets.

I was on the final four pages of my journal, so I decided to do them all. I started by stamping and colouring the mandala on the already prepared pages.

Then I stamped and coloured my elephant 3 times. I used my Zig Clean Colour pens as they are such bright colours.

I worked out where the elephant would go across the crease in the pages, and put a score line in the elephant. That way I could glue it on both sides, but not where the page needs to open and close.

Now there's a tiny bit of wriggle room so the elephant (hopefully) won't crack over time. And now for my 'Ta Da' moment....

Here it is, all done! 

Ok, it's only half done, there's still the other side to do, but I have an idea for that already.

All of the stamps used are by Art By Marlene, and Dot has a fab range of everything Marlene here in the store  https://www.inkartdesigns.com/shop/ 

Have a lovely day whatever you are doing, and thanks so much for looking x

Monochromatic For Country View Crafts

Good morning and a very happy Sunday! Can you believe it's August already. After last year which lasted a decade, this one is really flying! 

As always on the 1st of the month it's time for a new challenge over at Country View Crafts, and this month the very lovely Debs has chosen Monochromatic.

I started by stenciling my background with a Sheena Douglass stencil and shades of purple, then added some Art By Marlene washi tape. I also stamped some Stampotique stamps in purples.

Then I added the Stampotique banner and some texture stamps. at this point I decided that a little bit of white would be nice, so I added some paint spatters.

Here's the lovely Moth Fab, again in her best purple attire!

And everyone's favourite, Smile.

I hope you like our fun challenge, and that you join in with the team. Have a very happy month, and thanks so much for looking x

You've Got A Friend

 Good morning and a very happy Wednesday. Today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with my second project for this month, and this time I've done a couple more pages in my Art By Marlene concertina album.

I started this last year, so all the background has been done already, I just needed to add the main images.

The lovely fox and toucan have been stamped on gelli plate backgrounds.

Then I added more colour with Prismacolour pencils.

This is how the open book is looking now.

These are the lovely red rubber stamps, and also the book of die cuts where the sentiment came from. Dot has a wonderful selection of Art By Marlene goodies here in the store.

You still have a week to join in with this month's challenge, so please, ink up your stamps and play along.

Have a very happy week, and thanks so much for looking x

My Lovely Kitty Cat

 Hello, it's me again, and this time I'm sharing my project over on the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground.

You may remember that before Christmas I started to work in my Art By Marlene accordion journal, and I've done another couple of pages in there.

I'm working on another double-page, on the background that I'd made last time. I started by working out where everything was going to go, and then I added the circles in the background. Then I added my sentiments.

I was using my stamping platform, and for some reason, it wobbled on the second stamping. Mmm, not good!

So I stamped it again on some patterned paper - aaargh, not good either!

So I stamped them yet again on some plain white card - much better!

Next, it was just a case of stamping, colouring, and adding my main images, along with a bit of white pen.

And this is what the pages look like all together.

These are the stamps that I used, and both sets can be found here in Dot's store.

I hope you like my pages, enjoy your day whatever you are doing, and have a very happy February x

I'm Just Big Boned!

 Good morning and a very happy Monday. If you're back at work today have a great day, and if like me you're retired - it's the best thing in the world isn't it! Today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with a birthday card that I made for my sister.

 In 2019 she took her camper van and dog, and Neil took our caravan and me up to the Lake District. I have to say it nearly killed me! We walked uphill all day for 7 days.  Cooper was a very enthusiastic 18-month-old Labradoodle with energy to spare, but even he was blowing his paws at the end of each day. It was a standing joke that when I got to 17,000 steps I could have a butter mint to boost my energy. Some days I had 2 mints (34,000) steps. We all enjoyed it (???) so much that we booked again for 2020, but we all know what happened there. Still, fingers crossed we'll get there this year.

I started by trying to create a scenic background. Some people are so good at this - I'm not one of them, I'm really bad at scenes. I try to have a light touch but I'm just ham-fisted. I like the stones though, it's one of the new Lavinia stencils. Still, the worst parts will be covered up by my images (whether they should go there or not!)

One part that I do like though is the clouds. No, I haven't found my form at last, it's a stamp! It's the Katzelkraft cloud stamp which I've had my eye on for ages. I did wonder how you would stamp a white cloud in the sky, but you actually stamp it in blue and it becomes the sky, and what's left is the clouds.

Next, I stamped and cut out my elements. The campervan is by Art By Marlene, and Cooper (Bonzy) is by Katzelkraft. The caravan and sigh post are ABM die cuts and I thought they went with the stamps perfectly. 

Poor old Cooper had to go on a diet when he got home, it was Fat Dog Slim for a month when he got home, though as Marlene says, "I am not chubby, I am just big boned".

I hope you like my card, and that you join in with our challenge this month. It's really easy, just feature a stamp from any of the ranges that Dot stocks in the store.

Take care, and thanks so much for looking x

Made To Stand Out

 Good morning and a very happy Wednesday. Today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with my first project for this month.

A little while ago I got the Art By Marlene accordion journal and promptly put it away unopened, so now was the time to get it out again!

This is it opened out, it's sooooo long! Each section is about 6x4.

So it was out with my Oxides....

and oxide sprays.... (yep mostly unused 'till now lol)

and my Art By Marlene stencils (definitely very well used)

and this is what I ended up with.

It was far too big to tackle all in one go, so I decided to just work on the first two pages.

If I only get one stamp set out I always end up getting more, so I got a few out to start with (and only used 1 of course!!)

Lots of stamping and some cut-outs from the ABM collage papers. I've gone over the fold to connect the pages with my cartwheeling girl, but have as little as possible on the fold so it still folds and closes nicely.

There's a huge range of Art By Marlene goodies here in Dot's store, so pop on over to take a look.

Have a fab week, take care, and thanks so much for looking xx

 

Surf's Up Dude!

Good morning and happy Wednesday! It's time for my second pieces for our Beside The Sea challenge at Country View Crafts, and this time I've gone for one of my newest, and one of my oldest stamps. 

 I made a very simple beach background with my PaperArtsy Frescos and a brayer.

And these are my old stamps! They must be at least 15 years old but I just love the surfer guy.

 This is my newer stamp set. It's by Art By Marlene, and the sentiment is by Visible Image.

And here's my Dude, what's not to love lol.

I hope that you like them, and that you join in with our fun challenge. Take care and have a great month x