Say It With Flowers

It's the fabulous Suzz's turn to inspire us this week at PaperArtsy and she certainly did with her shaving foam background. I've seen this technique before, thought it looked fun then went and did the ironing or something. But not this time oh no - it was the pound shop in my lunch break and I'm now the proud owner of a tin of shaving foam! - and a creme egg (those ladies at the tills can be very persuasive)

Huge fun making these, I didn't realise how far a little went. I knew I wanted to stamp flowers 'cos I don't have the masculine stamps that Suzz used, so I added pink, yellow and blue paints. The black card looks much better IRL a bit like a dusty blackboard (chalkboard for the under 30's lol)

I used stamps from the JOFY 9 plate. I had a spare one so punched a heart out and layered on top. 

I really like how the black turned out.
So really nothing like Suzz's card, but very much inspired by her.
Thanks for looking, and have a very happy Easter x

There Be Dragons....

It's my turn this fortnight to pick the recipe for the Dragons Dream Tag It On challenge. I thought I would keep things nice and simple, so I've gone with blue, stencils and the sea.
The background has been made with distress inks, then stencilled through  a 'Special Touch' mask.
My main image is a clear stamp (I'm afraid I don't know who by), and the lettering is done with my £1.00 alphabet.
Please play along with us, the only rules are that you must make a tag and use at least one real stamp. There's lots of inspiration from my teamies on the TIO blog so check it out then go and play.
Thanks very much for looking x

Stencil It... SDC 93

It's the amazing Jane's  turn to host the challenge this week at Stampotique and she has chosen stencils.
Hello!  Happy to be hosting this weeks' challenge at the Stampotique Dt challenge blog!  I have an incredible love for stencils like a lot of creative bloggers do these days!  I also think the images from Stampotique look awesome stamped over a stenciled back ground.  So, for this weeks' challenge I am asking you to pull out one of your favorite stencils and use it on your creation with a Stampotique image.
I can not wait to see what you create!
Jane 
I love stencils, so I had great fun playing along with this one. As you can see it's nestling in yet more snow :-)

First of all I made my tag. When I first saw Jo's amazing Flamingo stamp I knew I wanted it on a metal background, and now was my chance. The Ten Second Studio metals have been stuck to the tag then embossed and sanded.
Flamingo has been paper pieced, and Stella has been coloured with Prisma pencils. This is a huge stamp, it covers the Timmy sized tag, and it's really easy to cut out - no flamingo's were harmed in the making of this tag :-)

My background is a paper mache hanger, and it's been painted in Fresco paints. The stencil has been 'bumped' in the corners. I've overstamped with my trusty Vintage Script, and added Row of Numbers to the edges. One day when I'm a grown up I'll be able to stamp straight - how boring will that be!
I really enjoyed this, so please join in, dig out your stencils and get messy. Remember you don't need to use Stampotiqe stamps, but we love it when you do - there's also the chance to win a $30 gift certificate.
Thanks very much for looking xx

If It Takes Two People Half An Hour To Clear The Drive.... (And a Tag)

.... how long would it take to dig your way to Harrogate??? was the question posed to me at 6.10 this morning. I know, ten past six on a non working Saturday!! but I should have been going to Art From The Heart to take a taster session with the wonderful Michelle Webb. We dug my little car out (yeah he really is that small but he's brilliant in snow) but there's no way I'm setting out in this. I'm really disappointed 'cos I was so looking forward to going,but never mind I can iron instead (that is soooo not going to happen)
Anyhow here's the tag that I made last night after drooling over Linda's over at PaperArtsy. I had to improvise a bit with the house, and I've used stamps from I&TD Pierrot plates 1&2 and Backgrounds 3. I don't know if I've ever mentioned how much I love the translucent Fresco paints :-)
I'm also entering this into the Country View Craft's challenge which is pick and mix (and one of my favourite places to shop)
Thanks very much for looking, enjoy the snow, and Jenson to win the Grand Prix! xx

A PaperArtsy Journal Page

The fabulous Linda Cain is hosting the PaperArtsy challenges again this week, and WOW what she doesn't do with colour isn't worth doing! She's had us using Portfolio pastels - (it seems I'd accidentally ordered them so it would be rude not to use them :-)  paints, inks, stamps, stencils, pens, and my most favourite bit tissue tape. If I only take one thing away from this (and believe me I won't) it will be a new found love of tissue tape.
I've used stamps from Ink and The Dog and Lynne Perrella.
Thanks so much Linda for your fabulous step by step, and thanks for looking ....enjoy the snow - again xx.

It's Spring - Yeah Really...

It's my turn to choose the theme at Stampotique Designer's Challenge, and as today is the first day of Spring (oh yeah??) I thought I would go with Spring themes and colours - so anything with rain or snow with a bit of mud thrown in... :-).
What I was really thinking was nice bright colours, and flowers and bunnies - you get the idea.
I started out by spraying my card with Dylusion inks in yellows and greens. I wanted to use my flower stencil, but in the actual flower shape so I sprayed the mask in Dylusion Pink with a piece of card underneath. I used the mask as a stamp to get the lovely pink flowers, then the card underneath to stamp my quote and bunny onto.
It started off as a tag, but I matted it up and made a card - that's two so far this year, result!
I know I say this all the time, but the latest stamp release is one of my favourites. I've used everyone's favourite bunny,  and these stacked suitcases are wonderful.
I've used
Stacked Suitcases
Upward Bound
Enjoy Today
Spiraling Out of Control
Please join in with our challenge for a chance to win a $30 gift certificate and to spread a ray of sunshine (it's snowing again here lol)
Thanks very much for looking xx

I'm Blue da ba dee da ba die

Ok, now I've got that song running through your heads... :-) it's  all for the new IndigoBlu challenge blog, and the first challenge is er blue.
I've used stamps from the Poppy Meadow plate and the crackle stamp from the Alice 1 plate.
Everything has been stamped and coloured with Distress Inks, with a bit of Frantage glass glitter and embossing enamel for good measure.
I really enjoyed making this and it's been quite a while since I made a card.
Today we've had sunshine, snow, then rain, so Spring must be on it's way :-)
Thanks very much for looking x

Spoooooky

Can you believe it's half way through March already, I'm so late with my entry into The Craft Barn's dictionary challenge. This time around it's a word between ma and me, and I've gone for macabre.
I've done my usual PanPastel backgound 'cos this is such a nice background to stamp on and it doesn't warp the thin pages.
The stamps are mostly Cherry Pie, and I should use these much more often.
Thanks very much for looking and have a fab weekend x