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Sunday 23 November 2014

Live Life on the edge.................

Hi everyone
Hope you are all having a lovely weekend, sadly not much of it left now.  I thought I would get a quick post in whilst I'm cooking a sunday roast, roast chicken to be exact, there are wonderful aroma's drifting into where I am.
Anyway, you know when you meet someone and you just bond straight away? I have made one such connection with the lovely & talented Donna. We have met through blogland and I only wish we lived closer because I just know that we would get onlike a house on fire in real life as much as in blog life, so much so I am sure we will meet one day. Well Donna, and if you want to check out her fabulous work you can Here, makes her own stamps and fabulous they are. For my birthday, along with a fabulous stampotique card, Donna sent me some stamped little houses using one of her own hand carved stamps and has challenged me to use them on one of my projects.
Well Donna mission accomplished having prodded and poked my mojo into life. I do hope that Donna likes how I have used her stamped images.
 
 
 
Background has been made by blowing Dylusions sprays around on mixed media cardstock.
Then I have partially stamped the XXL stamp by Carabelle Studio - Texture Chevron & Quadrillage.
I have then added Donna's little houses leaning over the edge of the main chevron of this stamp.
 
 
I then typed "Live life on the edge" on my newly acquired old type writer, which I love now I've managed to sort the ribbon out for it.
 
Right I am away now to peel some veg
Thanks for visiting and see you soon
Love
Amanda X


Saturday 22 November 2014

Stripes at Stampotique

Hi Everyone
This week I have been totally lacking in inspiration, my creative juices have definately not been flowing, so in attempt to jump start them and try and understand my sewing machine a bit more, well a lot more, I set off into my craftroom to try and get both of thoses processes up and running.
What better reason to get crafty can I have than to join in with Corries's challenge over at
Corrie has chosen the theme "STRIPES" using anything but designer paper, in other words make your own.
I thought I'd have a go at making some fabric stripes. The first thing I did prior to sewing any of these to my kraft card was to read my sewing machine manual, moment of enlightenment!!! So with a little more confidence, and it was a little, I began my card.
I started by cutting strips of blue and naturals fabric, then I frayed them all, and then stitched them to my kraft card.
 
The Stampotique image I have used is "Global Warming" which I have stamped onto fabric with midnight blue Stazon, then cit out and frayed that slightly as well. It was then stuck to the card using heat and bond.
 
I painted the heart with Decoart Sosoft fabric paint.
I have added some stenciling with gesso through sequin waste and toned it down with stormy sky and vintage photo distress ink.
I then matted it onto red to match his heart.
Right I am away now to clear all the mess up that making this card has created, you wouldn't believe how trashed my craftroom is!!
Thanks for visiting
Love
Amanda X
 
 


Thursday 20 November 2014

Speed Craft Challenge - another Anything Goes Fortnight

Hi Everyone
It's time for another Speed Craft Challenge, all we ask is that you complete a
crafty project  in 15 mins that follows our current theme and for this coming fortnight we are keeping it as
 
"ANYTHING GOES"
 
I have made a festive tag but believe me my original idea was quite different from my final result, I had a 15 minute meltdown!!!!!
 

I decided for my 15 minute make I would make a fabric tag  with some applique and free motion stitching.  I wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination call myself a sewer but as I own 2 sewing machines, and at this point you might ask "why does someone who doesn't sew have 2 sewing machines" you can blame my mother for that one as she is trying to lure me into her hobby. So I thought this simple make can't be too difficult and I had seen some lovely ones on Pinterest.
So I cut all my pieces before I started the clock, you are allowed to prep a little, and started the clock.
 
 
I stitched all my Christmas Tress to the fabric and then constructed the tag to stitch all the layers together and at this point realised that my needlework skills were desperately lacking. At this point my stress levels were sky high and the realisation that I had no hope of completing this to a state that I would be happy to photograph it let alone post on my blog!
So I salvaged what I could and stitched that onto a Ranger kraft tag and added as my sentiment a Tim Holtz festive remnant rub.
I have to admit that I went over my 15 mins by several minutes but if I had made it from the start as it finally ended up I would have completed it within the time frame.
I will have another go at making another, as I intended this one to be, but not until I have consulted the oracle, my mother lol.
There are some fabulous 15 minute makes from the DT Here for your inspiration which really demonstrate what you can do in such a short time frame.
So why not spare us 15 minutes and show us what you can create, if any of you are sewers you can show me how it's done lol
Thanks for stopping by you know how much I appreciate it
Love
Amanda X
 
 
 
 


Sunday 16 November 2014

A Christmas Tag at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi
Today is the start of our new challenge fortnight over at
and our theme for the next 2 weeks is
"Christmas Tag"
 
 
I have cut my tag using Tims Alterations Tag die, I used some card I had embossed but ended covering most of that up. Some Christmas carol sheet music and washi tape have also been added to the tag along with frayed burlap distress ink,I have also cut Tim's Elegant flurishes from black linen card and coloured with gold guilding wax. Gold and black lace trim both top and bottom of the tag finished with a gold mesh ribbin bow (I hate making bows) and some wooden stars coloured gold.
 
 
Finally my stamped main image, which is one of my favourite Christmas stamps and is from Paperartsy Lynne Perrella Collection LPC018.
The image has been stamped with black versafine ink and I have added touches of gold glitter using a quickie glue pen to add some fine detail.
I have finally added my sentiment using tim Holtz "Chit Chat" stickers.
For more inspiration for this fortnights challenge the rest of the DT have made some wonderful and varied tags so pop over HERE to check their fabulous work out.
We'd love you to come and play along with us and show us your christmas tag. Remember though we are a stamping challenge so rubber stamping must be your main focal point.
One lucky winner will win a $20 voucher to spend online at Flonzcraft our generous sponsor.
Thanks for visiting and see you soon
Love
Amanda X
 


Saturday 15 November 2014

When Life Throws you a Curve Ball............

Hi Everyone
and a big hello and welcome to my latest follows it's good to have you along.
This week I received my long awaited order of Stampotique stamps so have, in the middle of not the best week I've ever had, just had to make a quick something.
Using one of my shaving foam backgrounds I already had I have used the fabulous "Romek" by Stampotique.
 
 
The sentiment just about sums things up for me at the moment and is from the "Tell it how it is" set by Inkadinkadoo.
A little bit of torn washi tape just finishes this off.
These are the stamps I have just received so loads more to play with, so watch this space!!!
 
 
Thanks for stopping by I really appreciate it
Love
Amanda X


Saturday 8 November 2014

"You Radiate Beauty" Mixed Media Card

Hi
Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. Thought I would have another sort through my pile of backgrounds that I seem to have piling up. I selected a gelli print background which looked a bit bland and added some stamping using Dina Wakley paints and stamps.
 
 
I have added the stamp "Spritual Journey" - Stampotique which has been stamped using Memento Luxe which I find the most succesful over a gelli print.
The Ballerina I have cut on my silhouette Camea using a similar gelli print and stamped Dina Wakley scribbly text on half of it.
 
 
I then stuck it to my card and outlined it with a black fube pen and shaded around it with a black charcoal pencil to make it stand out from the background.
The Sentiment is also from a Dina Wakley stamp set.
I have made this card purely for my own entertainment, sometimes its just nice to make something because you can!!
thanks for stopping by, hopefully you know how much I appreciate your visit.
Love
Amanda X
 
 


Thursday 6 November 2014

Speedcraft Challenge Anything Goes

Hi
I am here with my first DT piece for the fabulously different
I hope you can come and join in with us this fortnight.
The rules are simple, create something crafty in no more than 15 mins following our theme.
This fortnights theme is
"Anything Goes"
and here's what I came up with
 
and this is how I went about my 15 mins make.
I had an idea of what I wanted to make and gathered together all the things that I needed to create my piece
 
I decided I wanted to use my 3"x5" gelli plate and a new Donna Downey stencil"Crescent moon 2.
 
Set my timer to 15 mins on my Ipad because it's easier to see.
 
 
Then I crafted as fast as I could, I don't actually think I breathed whilst making this!!
I stopped the clock when finished.
 
and with over 2 mins to spare
 
 
PHEW!! but that was so much fun!!
So why not challenge yourself to make something in 15mins and come and join in the fun?
The DT has come up with some fabulous inspiration which you can see Here
Hopefully see you over there
Thanks for stopping by
Love
Amanda X
 
 


Tuesday 4 November 2014

Exciting News

Hi Everyone
I have some exciting news, there's a relatively new and slightly different challenge blog on the block and I am delighted to have been invited to join the Design Team,
 and that challenge blog is

 
Speedcraft Challenge Blog

This is a challenge blog with a difference as I think the name suggests, but the whole ethos around this challenge blog is to
"HAVE FUN"
For more details and to meet the rest of the DT team pop along HERE to check it out and come and have some fun with us!!!!
New challenge theme starts this thursday 6th November
and it would be lovely to see you there.
Love
Amanda X



Sunday 2 November 2014

animals at FSC this Fortnight

Hi Everyone
Hope that your weekend hasn't been that scary?
This sunday is the start of our new challenge fortnight at
and our theme is
Animals - Domestic or wild.
 
I have gone for a clean and simple look this time, leaving plenty of white space.
The centre panel of colour is torn dictionary paper coloured with pan pastels. I have then stamped images from "A little bit magical - From the Ashes" by Sheena Douglass.
The sentiment is from the same set.
I have coloured the Phoenix and flames with Spectrum Noir pencils.
 
Hopefully you can find time to come and play along with us we'd love to see what you,ve come up with. The DT have produced some fabulous inspiration for you so well worth a look HERE.
One randomly chosed winner will win $20 to spend online at Flonzcraft, our wonderful sposor. Our only rules are that stamping must be the focal point of your project and that can be absolutely anything you like.
So hopefully see you over there.
Thanks, as always, stopping by I really appreciate you popping by.
Love
Amanda X