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

It's Sketch Time

Woo Hoo I woke up today and it's not snowing! In fact the sun is shining, so I'm feeding the washing machine in between typing this. What a difference a bit of sunshine makes. Maria has chosen a sketch for this weeks Stampotique   challenge. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy a good sketch, and this is a VERY good sketch :-)
Here it is 

and here's mine, can you see the snow in the background from Monday?
I've used Distress dabbers for my splatty background - this was very therapeutic 'cos I was having a bad day lol. The circles have been sprayed with dylusion inks, and the fabulous birds painted with them. I defy anyone to look at these birds and not smile, they are just so cheerful.
I think France's Banner will make it's way into everything I do from now on!
I've used Kira's Stack of Birds and Birdy Bonnets, together with Fax To Wolfgang.
I had great fun making this and it just happens to be my Mum's birthday today so guess what card she's getting :-)
Please join in with our challenge, just follow the sketch ( you can flip it or whatever) then link up and we can come and have a nosey.
Thanks very much for looking x

Don't Eat The Daisies...

The wonderful Michelle is back at PaperArtsy Towers this week, but I must admit my heart sank when I saw that she was journaling. Of course I have a journal, in fact I have several, all with pages torn out 'cos I'm rubbish at journaling. But I did have some new  Jofy stamps  that were begging to be inked soooo time to give it another go.
This was the first time I'd used Fresco paints in a journal and wow what a difference they made. I really am not buying any other paints than these from now on.
I've used stamps from JoFY 12 and HP 1004.
I've coloured bit in with Portfolios and blasted with the heat gun to make the wax run and blend.
I actually enjoyed making this, and the page is staying :-)
Thanks very much for looking, and Happy Mothers Day x

Our House....

In the middle of our street....

Sam has chosen the theme of the Stampotique  challenge this week, and has gone with 'inspiration from a song' Well there sure are a lot of songs to choose from - most of which I can whistle - annoying moi?? :-)
So here's my version of Our House by Madness.
I've use France's fabulous Village and Home Sweet Home from the new releases, and one of my old favourites Crow Line .
This was great fun to make and everyone is loving hearing me whistle the same line over and over and over and over and over and....
Please join in with us with your favourite (or not so favourite) song.

I'm entering this into the new challenge at Country View Crafts which is pick and mix (anything goes). This is a fabulous place to shop and I was really pleased to see they have a blog.

Thanks very much for looking x

Ghost In The Machine

It's time for another challenge over at Dragons Dream Tag It On, and this time around Trace has chosen green, die cuts, and cogs.
I embossed my background and coloured with various Distress Inks, and overstamped with gold paint.
The birdcage lady is by Scrollswork stamps, and she just reminds me of the opening credits from Ghost Whisperer lol.
The bird and cogs have been die cut, painted and embossed, and look far more green IRL, but I ran out of daylight at photographing time.

My huge cog has been stamped in Stazon onto a metalic thingamybob from the pound shop. It's amazing what you can find in the DIY section.
Please join in with our challenge, just follow the recipe and remember to use at least one real stamp.
Thanks very much for looking x

A PaperArtsy Card

The fabulous Suzz is back at PaperArtsy this week, and she has made her own designer paper. It looked wonderful, and I couldn't wait to have a go myself.
I've chosen stamps from the Ink And The Dog Pierrot plates, and stamped in grey and pastel colours. I was really pleased with how this looked IRL, I even left some white space!!

Here's my finished card, I've used the flourish from Squigly Ink  Crowns and Castles.
Thanks very much for the inspiration Suzz, this is something I will definitely be doing again.
Thanks very much for looking, and have a great weekend x

We're Off To See The Blog Hop!!

Today Stampotique and the design team would love to invite you to join us for a Blog Hop to introduce our new release.  Our design team (as well as a few of the stamp designers) have created some fabulous creations to show off these awesome new stamps, you are going to LOVE them.

Hop through the all the links and leave comments along the way for your chance to win some new stamps.  We will choose random commentors and announce on our next challenge the winners who will get some of these new images.

If you want an additional chance to win some Stampotique goodies, join us for at the Stampotique Designer's Challenges.

If you are just happening upon this blog, you will want to start at Stampotique Designer's Challenge where you can find the master list.  From my blog you will want to hop on over to Roc's blog.

Hopefully  you should have landed here from Maria's blog, but if not there's a full list at the bottom so make sure you don't miss any one out!

I just love these Wizard of Oz stamps from Janet Klein

I've used 

Dorothy 9238

Toto 9237

Wicked Witch 9242

Wicked  9244

together with France's designs

Home Sweet Home 10005

and

Banner 10001

I couldn't resist making a tag with Jo's beautiful new stamps 

Dandelion Duo 3068 and

Spidergrass 3063

I've also used

A Heart 9243 from the Wizard of Oz collection.

Here it is in more detail.

Please check out the whole range of new stamps, they are gorgeous!! Please leave a comment to be in with a chance of winning some lovely new rubber.

Thanks for hopping with us today, we can't wait to hear which stamps are your favorites from this release.

The whole March release collection can be viewed on the Stampotique website.

Just in case you get lost :-)

Stampotique Designer's Challenge

Libby Hickson

Jane Wetzel

Valerie Wilson

Sam Read

Nellie van Leeuwen

Gez Butterworth

Polly Bennett

Kira Nichols

France Papillon

Maria Sabina Raita

Susan Davies - you are here

Roc Nicholas

Kim Howard

Jennifer Cochran

Jo Capper-Sandon

Kaz Boughton

Sarinda Jones

Carol Fox

Magda Polakow

Astrid Stulemeijer