Next photos- Domino Jewelry

This was for yet another swap- it's rare at the moment that I do anything which isn't for a swap! I really enjoyed making these, and think I will make some more at some point.

Colour: Domino 1- Sharpies, Stazon, Clear UTEE, Moonglow ep, Stickles (on heart charm) Domino 2- Stazon, Gold and copper ep
Stamp: Rubbadubado
Other: Plastic dominoes, ribbon (on back, not shown), florist's wire (to make loops for necklace), waxed linen thread (for dangle on brooch), jewelry findings, Glossy Accents

UK Stampers Sunday Challenge no. 7- Pirates!

Gail likes to do interesting themes for her challenges, and this week's was no exception!

Sunday challenge no7

Did you know that the 19th of September is International Talk Like A Pirate Day?.............
Well it is!This weeks challenge is to create something with a Pirate theme...It could be an eye patch, a hat (which you could wear on said day!) or something simple like a card or an ATC..Upload here on the blog or post a link
Happy stamping!

It took me all week to think of what to do for this, but in the end it was a shop window display that inspired me!

Colour: Glimmer Mist, Stazon, Distress Inks, Paint Dabber, Versafine
Stamps: Rubadubbado (map), PSX (alphabet)
Other: Thin leather thong, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Lucky Squirrel sanding block, Grungeboard mini, Redicut gems, 3D Jean corner embellishments.

I was originally going to do the Bandanna technique for the background, but I was inspired by a recent post on Glenda Waterworth's blog. She had been playing with white core card, embossing folders and Glimmer Mists, and so I cut out the white-core card stage and just used plain ol' white card! The red colour is Glimmer Mist, then I sanded, then inked the pattern with Stazon, and sanded again. There you have it, textured Bandanna!

Two Tags

I may moan about making cards, but I can't say the same about tags- I love making them so much! Maybe I should make some tag-like cards LOL! These are for two kind cyber-friends, who both sent me something and saved me from spending money unnecessarily- thanks, Sid and Sarah. I hope you enjoy the little packages I sent back!

Colour: Glimmer Mists, Distress Inks, Versafine, Cosmic Shimmer mica powders, clear and aurora ep, Ranger white pen
Stamps: Cherry Pie, Paperartsy, Rubadubbado, Elusive Images
Other: Manila luggage tags, old book page, acetate, eyelets staples, ribbon and fibres, all from my stash, Cuttlebug embossing folder.

The dragonfly is part of the stamp sheet I bought last weekend, after swearing I would not buy any stamps! But after spending half an hour with Paperartsy's Leandra Frainch, I couldn't resist any longer! Now I just need a melt pot... :D

Slide Mailer Swap

I have started to host an altered art swap each month on UKStampers forum, and this is my entry for the first one. I have found myself drawn much more to altered work recently, to the extent that I can barely convince myself to make a card! I love to get inky, and to stamp on unusual surfaces, and altering just seems so much more 'from the heart' for me. I am trying to find a way to incorporate this sort of work into cardmaking, but it will take some experimentation before I feel I have found my style for cards. So here is a lovely altered slide mailer as my first piece.

Colour: H2Os on body of mailer, Caught in crystal behind acetate tag and slide
Stamps: Tanda (Peacock), Rubadubadoo (Peacock feathers)
Other: Sizzix tag, Siver detail embossing powder, Cosmic Shimmer arctic pearl embossing powder, Silk dupion fabric, acetate, Papermania jewel brad, beads and ribbon from my stash.
Techniques: 'Peacock' word printed from computer onto acetate, then heat embossed, Peacock design heat embossed onto silk fabric, back of mailer embossed with arctic pearl powder.

This swap took place in May (slide show is here), and June's swap was an altered Pringles tube. July's swap is about to be posted, so if you are interested, head on over to UKStampers, and sign up!

New header.

As you can see, I have finally got around to making a few little changes on here, just little tweaks to make it a bit nicer. This is partly thanks to Godelieve, as she has a blog devoted to helping us novices with improving on the original template.
I've been planning this header for ages, I have just been so busy with other projects that I kept putting off making it. I wanted to use all of my favourite stamps and techniques, to reflect the general content here. So, stamp-wise, you will see my Cherry Pie and Aud Design swirls, Hero Arts script, PSX alphabet, Cherry Pie face and a butterfly stamp (Rubbadubadoo). The background was made using the craft mat/water technique and Distress Ink in Dusty Concord plus Nick Bantock Dye Ink in Damson Plum. All of the black stamping was done using Versafine, and the golds were either Perfect Pearls on Versamark or Gold heat embossing on acetate. The chipboard letters are from Making Memories and were coloured with Brilliance Inks, the gold swirl is 7Gypsies, and the flower is Prima.
Oh, and if anyone is interested, the name of this blog is from an ATC I did for one of Isa's challenges, which said "I like it...but is it Art?" It refers to the interesting question for stampers, that since we are using someone else's images, is it art? Or maybe it should be "Whose art is it anyway?"

Think Monday, Think ATC- Holiday

I finally managed to finish my ATC for this week's Think Monday, Think ATC challenge. Boy, did I struggle with this one! I hope it's just because of this cold I have, but I really wasn't inspired, and this isn't my best work. However, I have decided to use it, even though I don't like it, as I am not ashamed to show I have off days! The important thing is to recognise when something isn't quite right. It would be far worse if I thought this was amazing!
Anyway, the faux postcard in the background was made with my Hero Arts script stamp, a Rubbadubadoo butterfly stamp, and Distress Ink in Vintage photo. Then there is a layer of torn Mulberry paper, then a photo of a French beach printed onto a transparency. Finally, a swirl stamp from Aud Design was stamped in black Stazon and highlighted with white pen, and I wrote "Wish you were here" to finish. Hmmm, not sure where I was going with this!

UK Stamper's Jacob's Ladder swap.

Good old blogger! I knew it would put these photos on one above the other so I didn't need to mess around in Paint Shop Pro, stitching them together! This is my finished Jacob's Ladder for the UK Stampers swap. For those of you who don't know what a Jacobs Ladder is, it is a child's toy made of squares held together with ribbon. When you turn over the top square, all the other squares flop downwards in turn. And, thanks to Craft TV Weekly, this one does work! I will make a little matching box to store it in, but I wanted to show the photos now, as this is also going to be my entry for Wednesday Stamper, for this weeks open theme.
The stamping on the front is all done in various colours of Brilliance Ink, using stamps from Paperartsy, Crafty Individuals, Rubadubadoo, Anita's, Limited Edition, and PSX. The back is heat embossed in white and the stamps are Judikins (flower) and Rubadubadoo (butterfly). And just in case you can't read the phrase, it says "Live life free like a butterfly".
PS. The patterned paper for the base is from Fancy Pants, but the bit with the name is stuck down!

Think Monday, Think ATC- Asia

I've been pondering this theme since Monday, trying to decide how to use my oriental stamps, as I don't have a lot to choose from. It's strange, as I love Japanese culture and I have some nice items around the house. Maybe that's why I don't have many stamps of that theme, I would want them to be beautiful and not at all cartoonish. I have my eye on some from Stonehouse Stamps, but have yet to take the plunge and order them.
The penny finally dropped that Asia also incorporates India, and suddenly I was inspired! The peacock is India's national bird, and I have used some text from a Hindu folk tale. And I love pink!
I stamped the main images (both from Tanda Stamps) in Versamark on cream card, and used matt clear embossing powder before creating my background with H2os and other metallic watercolors. Then I masked off the image and stamped the background with the feathers image (Rubbadubadoo) using Cats Eye Fluid Chalk in Dark Peony. The text was tinted with Distress Inks in Tattered Rose and Antique Linen, then the Paisley (Tanda Stamps) stamped and embossed in gold.
I feel the need to find some detail embossing powder in various colours, as the paisleys look a bit 'rough', but good old Google will surely help me!

First of four...

I have four Father's day cards to make this year, 2 Fathers-in-law, my Dad, and my Husband! It is my husband's first father's day, although last year I made him a card and got him a pressie as I was half way through my pregnancy. This time it's for real, and I need to make him something really fab.
This card is for my Husband's Dad, and I can safely show the photo as he is on a lovely holiday at Lake Garda in Italy. The other cards will have to be posted after Sunday, as the recipients do try to keep up with the blog. Hi family!
For the background I patted Distress Inks in Scattered Straw, Antique Linen, and Vintage photo onto a plastic mat, spritzed it with water, and rubbed my white cardstock into it. The images are from Hero Arts and Rubbadubado, stamped in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The dark cardstock is stamped using Versamark with the Hero Arts stamp. All of the metal embellishments are 7Gypsies, the 'Family' tag is Pebbles inc.
It was nice to be stamping and get messy after the much cleaner scrapbooking!