making use of a Gelli plate clean up

Hi everyone

Hope you are all having a good week. I been having a play with some gelli print backgrounds. The one I have used is a print that I made just to clean up the residue of paint left over on my gelli plate. It's very patchy as there wasn't much paint left on the plate but I like the randomness of it.

The birds were created using Tim Holtz alterations strip die 'Birds in Flight' that I cut out to use as a stencil.

I have then added stamping using Carabelle and Art journey stamps

I nearly threw this print away and now I'm glad I didn't, Thank goodness we crafters are hoarders!!

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Going Large with Dina's "Lonely Girl"

Hi Everyone

It was recently the birthday of my lovely crafty friend Donna of Inky & Quirky fame. We both share a love of all things "Dina Wakely" so I have made a 12" x 12" canvas as a birthday present for her. I have used Dina's "lonely Girl" stamp which you can't see to get hold of over here in the UK anymore and Donna just loves this stamp. 

I first created my background on the canvas randomly painting Dina's acrylic paints on.

I made some gelli prints using tissue paper of which I have added the circles and some torn strips, I used tissue paper to get a translucent effect.

I then had to enlarge the image. I first stamped my image, photographed it and then once in my PC I enlarged it and fliped the image as I was going to apply it to my canvas using the image transfer technique. I then printed it out on my newly purchased laser printer, I can see plenty of fun ahead to be had with that!!! The image was then transferred using Decoart image transfer medium. 

Once my image was in place I added further Dina text stamping, stamping with Dylusions black paint. I added paint around my gelli printed circles and then sanded the black back and then finally some stenciling through sequin waste and black paint and a credit card for the black lines. 

If by any chance anyone knows where you can get this stamp in the UK or has one they don't want anymore please let me know.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Be the Best Version of You! - For That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

As much as I have got used to my Monday posts for That's Crafty DT blog all good things must come to an end as this is my last post as Guest DT. I've had a fabulous 2 months working with such a fabulously talented team. I am however not saying Goodbye just Au Revoir as That's Crafty have some exciting news coming up which I am so excited to be part of so keep a look out for that one in the very near future. 

I leave you, for now, with this my final piece. For all the details please pop over HERE 

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

La Vie Parisienne

Hi Everyone

A quick post from me this morning to say I'm over at  Katzelkraft Blog with a Clean & Simple card today, I wanted this fabulous Katzelkraft stamp to take centre stage. Click Here for more details.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Keep it simple at That's Crafty Challenge Blog

Hi Everyone

Hope those of you in the UK are soaking up all this lovely sunshine we are having at the moment. 

Today see's the start of our new challenge over at that's Crafty Challenge blog

and our theme for this coming fortnight is

KEEP IT SIMPLE

I have used the adorable "Jack" from Carabelle Studio which I have coloured using Spectrum Noir pencils, firstly with a pink and then making him a little grubby with some brown and greys. Isn't he adorable.I have added a tiny button to add dimension to his stitched eye.

you can also see the background that I have partially added by inking up a button mask with an assortment of distress inks and then using the mask as a stamp, to do this I masked off Jack prior to colouring him in. Finally I added my text which is from Tim Holtz #Hashtag set.

sorry about the quality of the photo's but I had a terrible problem with the light.

We would love it you came over Here and joined in with us.

One lucky winner will win £20 to spend in the store online and there is loads of fab stuff to choose from.

Hopefully we'll see you over there.

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda x

Just having a Play

Hi Everyone

Just been playing this afternoon having finished a large project using lots of paint and making lots of mess, so as it took me ages to clean up I have made something relatively simple.

As you can see just mostly stamping with black archival and a little water colour. Her dress i have paper pierced from a map of the London Underground from an old diary and then coloured it with a red spectrum noir pencil.

Stamps used are 

Tim Holtz - City Scapes,Runway& Life Quotes

Road Signs - Paperartsy

Sentiment - Artistic Outpost

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Gone Digital

Hi everyone

This is my second post of the day, and I've gone Digital.

 I fell across an App for my phone that looked fun so downloaded it and had a play, hoping this will reignite my failing inspiration at the moment. I had previously stamped out a new image from Carabelle Studio "La Femme aux oiseaux" using Dylusions black paint, having discovered this is a fabulous medium to stamp with. (see previous post Here)

here is the original stamped image photo

 I took a picture of the stamped image using my iphone and played with it in the App. I then printed them from my phone onto ink jet card. Stamped on my sentiments with black achival and mounted onto 8x8 card blanks.

This won't mean I abandon my paints and inks but good fun and great for a quick card.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Born to Stand Out

Hi Everyone

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend. I'm here this Monday morning to share a little sneak peak of my latest project over on That's Crafty Blog

The entire piece, along with how I made it and what I used including some of the latest stamps from Carabelle Studio, can be found HERE.

I hope you like it and I really appreciate you stopping by

Love

Amanda X

It's all gone "Lovey Dovey" at Fashionable Stamping Challenge

Hi Everyone

and it's the start of another challenge fortnight at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and our theme for the coming fortnight is 

"Lovers" 

so we are looking for anything "Lovey Dovey" which could include first love,bridal pairs, animal pairs or anything else that you feel fits our Lovers theme.

Here's my take on our theme

I started with a painted and stenciled background which I created using Paperartsy Fresco paints.

I stamped my image, Crafty Individuals "2 Penquins" onto a gesso'd book page and then lightly coloured with water colour. I then added further stamping to the background using Neil Walkers - "Alphabet Soup" stamp from The Artistic Stamper. The sentiment is from Tim Holtz Small Talk stickers.

We would love it if you would join in with us this fortnight and our rules are simple, we are a stamping challenge so stamping must be the main focal point of your project and you must follow our theme. One lucky winner will receive a generous $20 voucher to spend in the online store of our sponsor Flonzcraft.

For more inspiration from my fabulous teamies click HERE

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

A Happy Accident

Hi Everyone

Today sees the start of a few days off work for my, Yippee!!! So what better thing to start my break off with than a bit of painty playing. My final make isn't at all what I had started off making, but I did it wrong so had to turn it into something else. I will be having another go at what it should have been lol. So quite unexpectedly I have an 8" x 8" canvas board for you, which I mounted my piece on.

I have used another of the fabulous new stencils from Stencil Girl this one is Talaya, Goddess of Rain. I have stenciled her over my background using Dylusions black paint (Love those paints).

My background was created firstly with Brushos and then once dry I moved the colour around with clear gesso, which also seals the Brushos. I have also done this to several Brusho backgrounds I had that I didn't like for future projects.

I then randomly stamped over it all with various Carabelle Studio Stamps.

Finally I stenciled on the words with Dylusions paints using another Stencil Girl Stencil - Dube.

You can see the stamping on the background better here.

I am also entering this into this months challenge at Stamps and Stencils who have an Anything Goes month.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Good Friends are Like Stars for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Today, as Mondays are at the moment, I'm over at 

That's Crafty Team Blog

with this card

For all the details on how I made it just pop over HERE

Thanks

Love

Amanda X

"Bright Colours" at Mixed Media World

Hi Everyone

It's time for the start of a new challenge month over at Mixed Media World and following our first challenge last month we were all totally bowled over by not only the response to our new challenge blog but the quality of your work was absolutely stunning, so thank you for joining in with us. 

This month I got the pleasure to choose our theme and I have chosen

"BRIGHT COLORS"

So we would love to see your brightly coloured mixed media projects.

I have made a 16" x 6" mixed media canvas

My background has been created using Daler Rowney system 3 acrylic paints with some acrylic red paint through sequin waste. 

I then added the sun rays using Tim Holtz Sun Ray stencil and texture paste, when dry I painted a graduated colour effect using paperartsy fresco chalk paints.

I then set about making my houses

They have all been cut using Tims Artful Dwelling alterations Die and the apertures cut out using the coordinating movers and shapers die "mini openings" I cut different amounts of each so there was a variety of depths to my finished houses. The top layer were all cut out of fabric which had heat and bond applied to strengthen the fabric. As you can see they were all painted in a colour that matched the fabric and book page applied that would show through the apertures. 

Each house was then machine stitched prior to them all being glued together,

Hopefully you can see the dimension here.

I then added all my embellishments to my house which includes a lot of Tim Holtz idea-ology pieces and bits of painted wire mesh .

My final and most frustrating part of this was added the rusty wire for the wooden book covered birds to sit on.

You can also see my words which read "Life can be so sweet on the sunny side of the street" sorry if you can't get that song out of your head now. They have been computer generated and edged with a black fine liner pen.

The sides and the top are painted as the front but along the bottom underside I wanted it to be a bit funky and so I have stamped the circles, The circle stamp was hand carved by my talented team mate Donna, isn't it fabulous!!

For more colourful inspiration my teamies have created some wonderful pieces pop over HERE

to check out their stunning makes.

Our challenge this month is being sponsored by

The Old Vintage Shop
and one lucky winner can win 3 downloads of their choice.
hope you'll come and play along with us
Love
Amanda X

Strength Doesn't Come from..............................

Hi Everyone

A quick play this morning as it's one layer card card week over at Less is More and the theme is "Splatters" 

For my card base to create my one layer card with I have used Strathmore mixed media card as I need to apply a lot of water.

I first stamped the gothic window from Chocolate Baroque "Gothic Fragments" set with versamark ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I then sprinkled grey and lilac brusho crystals onto my craft mat and lightly sprayed with water. I then picked up the paint splatters this created with my embossed card. When happy with the result and the colour was dry I then removed the embossing powder with a piece of newspaper and hot iron.

I then stamped the birds using smokey grey versafine ink (Tim holtz stamp)

and my sentiment - Empowered words Unity Stamps.

Here you can see the details of the window.

Hope you like it

Love

Amanda X

"Colour" Inspirational Piece for Craft Stamper Take it Make it Challenge

Hi Everyone

I was lucky enough to win the February Challenge for "Stencil it!"

and you can see that piece HERE. 

As a winner I have been invited to design an inspirational piece to support this months challenge 

"Take a Technique: COLOUR 

I hope you like it and that is does inspire you to come over and play along, you can join in with this colour challenge HERE

I have made an 8" x 8" canvas board. 

Onto a piece of printed paper I gelli printed the black squares using a stencil I cut on my silhouette cameo. I then roughly coloured in some of the squares using a mixture of Dina Wakley paints and Dylusions paints. Background has been stamped with the alphabet stamp from Dylusions "Basic Backgrounds" set

Onto a seperate piece of card I painted stripes of colours using Dylusions paint and when dried stamped the fabulous Dylusions Image from the "Survivor" stamp set and highlighted with a white gel pen. with the painted card that was left I stamped the circles from Dylusions "Around the Edge" stamp set and punched them out using circle punches. I then appled these pieces the main image is flat but the circles are applied with 3D silicone gel for a 3D effect.

The main image has been edged with a soft black Stabilo pencil to add some depth.

final sentiment is from Dylusions "Laugh till you Leak" stamp set.

Hope you like it and that it has inspired you to come along and play with this months Colour Challange
This is my 2nd post today, my first post is HERE to launch the new challenge over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog where are theme is "Grunge,Grunge,Grunge

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

"GRUNGE,GRUNGE,GRUNGE" at That's Crafty Challenges

Hi Everyone

Today see's the start of another fortnightly challenge at That's Crafty Challenges and our theme is

"GRUNGE"

So time to get all down and dirty and grunge up your makes.

I searched for the definition of Grunge and among other things it said "Grubby and dirty"

For my Grunge inspiration piece I have made a 5" square box canvas and called it:-

 "Fallen Angel".

I first applied modelling paste through Tim's Bricked stencil, blending out the paste where I knew my image was going. Once dry I then applied suitable colours of paint. I used paperartsy Fresco chalk paints in, base layer Concrete and then in this order Tikka and Chutney. Finally and using a large dry brush Little Black Dress. I then watered down slightly some Decoart Traditions transparent Red Iron Oxide. Then splashed with white Indian Ink. 

I then stamped my image "Christmas Angel" by Ocopode onto gesso covered book page and then coloured lightly with gelatos. I have added a little bit of torn sequined netting to her dress and rust embossed her halo (unfortunately photo doesn't really show these well) and then adhered to my canvas using ranger glue & seal.

Finally my sentiment "Fallen Angel" was typed out on my vintage typewriter and again applied with glue & seal.

so if you fancy getting all "Down & Dirty" pop over over HERE and join in with us all.

There is some fabulous inspiration from the team and remember one lucky winner will receive a £20 voucher to spend online at the fabulous store That's Crafty

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

"Loved"

Hi Everyone

A quick post from me of a card I made last month that I never got around to posting. 

For my background I have Aquatints from Spectrum Noir, a piece of torn book paper from an old nature flower book. The flower is from Paper Artsy Stamp set Hot Picks HP1205 which has been stamped onto a gesso covered book page and cut out.

"Loved" is from Unity stamp company.

I finished off with some flat backed glass domes that I stuck to selected words from the nature flower book namely leaves,spring & petal.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Using Stencil & Stamps at That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all enjoying the Easter break, today I am over at That's Crafty with my Monday make 

For all the details of what I used and how I made it pop over Here
I would also like to enter this into the challenge over at
Stamps and Stencils where the theme is "anything Goes"

Love

Amanda X

"SEW WHAT" - at Fashionable Stamping Challenge

Hi everyone

and a happy Easter Sunday to you all. Today see the start of another fortnightly challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and our theme is "Sew What" we are looking for your sewing themed projects.

I have gone vintage with my DT piece

Lots of stamping and masking on this one using the following stamps:-

Tim Holtz - Haberdashery

Tim Holtz - Pattern Pieces

Creative Expression - Vintage Sewing (for my sentiment)

For my background I have used Brusho Colours using light brown & crimson. 

I first stamped all my images, masking with Pebeo masking gum as I went. Once everything I needed to be masked off was dry I sprinkled the brusho colours on my craft mat, lightly sprayed with water then picked the colour up from my craft mat onto my stamped page. Once the colour was dried I removed the masking gum and coloured my main image with Spectrum Noir pencils.

For all stamping I have used various colours of Archival ink pads.

Finally I edged it all with vintage photo distress ink.

We would love it if you popped over Here and joined in with us with your sewing themed project.

Remember we are a stamping challenge and stamping must be the main focal point of your project.

One randomly chosen winner will receive  $20 to spend in the online store of our fabulous sponsor

Flonzcraft.

Hope you can join in with us this fortnight

Love

Amanda X