Last month's ATCs- Wings and Crowns

I know a lot of stampers love wings and crown images, but this is my first time playing with them. I found it really challenging, just because there are so many great examples out there. I feel that I haven't tried to be really 'individual' with these, but it was quite relaxing to know where I expected to go with this theme.
All three ATCs use free collage images, and it had to be children for me, as they are little angels (awww!) The first uses printed vellum over a stamped background (that Anna Griffin stamp again), and Anna Griffin butterfly wings. The second is on a sparkly card, and uses the new Paperartsy Christmas stamps (don't you love that swirl!) heat embossed in white. The last one uses an Inkadinkado flower stamp on the background (in Brilliance ink) and for the wings, heat embossed in gold. Thanks for looking!

It's a stamp!

This is just a quick sign in as I think there is a little confusion as to the background on the ATC. Here it is in all of it's glory, it's a gorgeous Anna Griffin stamp! I actually bought it half price at Newbury in the summer. Doesn't it ink up great!

TMTA- Slide Mounts

I actually made this on Monday night, but I wanted to upload Isa's challenge first, so here is my entry for this week's Think Monday, Think ATC. This week's challenge is to use a slide mount somewhere on your work, and I have these lovely card ones which are great for stamping on.
I was thinking of Isa's Alpha challenge when I made this, although it has nothing to do with the letter 'K', but I am inspired by the idea of black and white plus one other colour. I had also watched a demo with Glenda Waterworth from Elusive Images on TV where she did layers of 'spotlight stamping', with the colour on the second and, in her case, third layer.
The main stamp is Anna Griffin, stamped in Versafine on white cardstock. The spotlighted area is the same stamp used with Brilliance Orchid Pink. The slide mount is stamped (Hero Arts) and distressed using Stazon, as it has a glossy finish. The black butterfly is stamped in Versafine, the pink in Brilliance with added Stickles glitter glue. Thanks for looking!

More Backgrounds, but this time that's all that's required!

I realise that I keep on showing backgrounds at the moment, but this time there is a good reason! I'm taking part in a 3 stage ATC jam at UK Stampers, where three people each do part of an ATC, then send it to the next person etc. (A bit like a circle journal). We've only just started, and so these are my two background, to be sent on to the next person on the list. The next time you see these, they will be unrecognisable!
For these, I used the craft mat/water technique with Nick Bantock Dye Inks in Prussian Blue and Chartreuse Green. Then I stamped in Versamark and brushed with Perfect Pearls. The Blue background is an Anna Griffin stamp with Gold Perfect Pearls, and the green background is a two Non Sequitur stamps with Copper Perfect Pearls. I know these are techniques I use a lot, but I thought it best not to be too experimental when someone else needs to be able to work on these!
I have just received some backgrounds to work on, and they are fab. I need to get my thinking cap on, as I want to do these right! We have three weeks to work on each stage but are ahead of ourselves already. I will work on them this weekend, if I get some time. This stage is quite difficult, as I have to leave room for the last person to contribute.
I have got more photos to show, but tomorrow, as they are for a birthday! I am still out and about making the most of this lovely weather, so the photos are building up a bit, waiting for a big hit!

More backgrounds, or How I can't Move Forward!

I have 3 projects underway at the moment: Wednesday Stamper, the theme for which is 'Eggs', UK Stampers' June 'Buttons and Bows' ATCs, and a mini-book swap on UK Stampers. All of these projects are stuck at the background stage! I have an idea of where I want to end up with each, but I don't seem able to put stamp to paper. I think it's because DH is away. Although he doesn't stamp, I often talk through my ideas with him. Sometimes just the act of verbalising my thoughts makes up my mind, otherwise it's nice to have an opinion, even when I disagree with it! So Sunday is going to have to be an active stamping day, to make the most of him before he goes off again.
The first background here is for the June ATCs. I pasted down some images printed from the computer, painted gesso over them, then scraped most of it off with a credit card. Its a nice way to 'grunge' up your stamping surface. The second background is an ATC for Wednesday Stamper, and I used part of the Nick Bantock Ink background I made a couple of days ago. I stamped in Versamark with an Anna Griffin clear damask stamp, then dusted Perfect Pearls over. It is quite shimmery in real life.
I won't be posting again until Sunday, as I am going to my Brother's wedding tomorrow. But Sunday morning I will have photos of a little project I made as a gift for the happy couple!
Don't forget Worldwide Stamping Weekend over on 2 Peas this weekend. The schedule is out, so clear the decks and get ready to play!

Isa's weekly challenge-'D'

I always thought that as a mother, I would be scrapping endless photos of my baby, charting every stage of his life. In reality, I'm way too busy doing to stop and scrap! That's why I thought a layout would be a good interpretation of the sketch which was part of Isa's challenge.
The first evening of work on this was just assembling the elements, and I did doubt that I could get the visual balance correct from using the sketch. I'm normally instinctive, and just move things about until it looks 'right'. But last night it all just came together so quickly, I had finished in an hour! I could have played a bit more with the typeface and journalling, but I was so pleased that I was moving forward so rapidly that I didn't want to stop and go back! I may try some more sketches, (it will get the backlog of baby photos under control!)
Isa's challenge was to use the letter D as the subject, use a butterfly on the piece, and use the sketch she provided. My subject is Daniel, my son, and the butterfly is in the lower right corner.
The background paper is Basic Grey 'Perhaps', chipboard letter is Making Memories, the second background paper is a photo printed onto transparency, and I used a butterfly stamp from Anna Griffin. The journalling and title paper was altered with Distress ink in Antique Linen, the butterfly was embossed in white on vellum. Thanks for another fun challenge, Isa!