Follow your Heart for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying playing with all your crafty gifts. I haven't got back into my crafty step yet as I've been working through most of it. I have managed to grab a few moments to make a little something for my usual Tuesday post at That's Crafty

I hope you'll pop over HERE for all the details

Have a fabulous week and thanks for stopping by

love

Amanda X

Can't be bothered Christmas Shopping!

Hi everyone

This is my 2nd post today as I really wasn't in the mood to finish off my Christmas shopping so after a couple of hours (that was enough) thought I'd come home and have a little crafty play. I have just received the fabulous new dog stamps by Katzelkraft so have used one of them to make one of my final Christmas cards.

A very clean & simple one from me using this cute fella, all colouring has been done with Prismacolour pencils and the sentiment is from Stampotique.

I have stamped his accessories from the accessories set. I cut round his paws with a very sharp knife so he could hold the bone.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Happy Christmas using Katzelkraft

Hi Everyone 

Just to let you know that I am over at Katzelkraft team blog with a card to wish you a Happy Christmas

For all the details please pop across HERE

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Anything Goes at That's Crafty Challenges

Hi Everyone

Today see's the start of our last challenge of the year over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog

and as it's the last one of the year we've made it an

ANYTHING GOES challenge, so you can make whatever you want!

I've chosen to make a piece using the That's Crafty 10" x 8" grey/white board (rounded corners), That's Crafty do some fabulous surfaces to decorate and you will find them all  HERE.

The background has been created using Paperartsy Fresco finish paints.I have used Carabelle Studio stamps and stamped them using black Archival ink. For the building in the distance I have coloured my stamps with Lyra crayons and misted with water then stamped (Gelatos would work in a similar way) The sentiment is from Tim Holtz.

I have lightly coloured the building with the crayons and a waterbrush and edged with prismacolour pencils. Finally I have added highlight with a white gel pen.

We have created a variety of pieces as a design team and you can see them all HERE.

Also if you enter this challenge you could be the lucky winner of a £20 to spend in That's Crafty online store.

This Challenge will run for the next 3 weeks so you have a week longer than normal to join in with us.

Love

Amanda X

Batch Making

Hi everyone

Managed to get a few hours to batch make some Christmas cards, I have made several copies of each one.

I have again resorted to using up some of my many gelli prints and Paperartsy Ink & the Dog Xmas 1 set. All cut out with a square punch.

to add a little extra detail I have added adhesive stones as the holly berries and Tim Holtz acrylic stars

Gelli prints with a traditional twist.

Sentiments are from Tim Holtz Mini Handwritten Holidays.

At least I feel like i'm on the home straight now with my Christmas cards.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Rain for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

It's my last post for That's Crafty before Christmas as we've all got the week off next week. 

Here's just a sneak peek (and it's not a Christmas card)

I hope you'll pop over HERE to see it all

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

There's a colour challenge this month at Mixed Media World

Hi everyone

I'm here today as we have the start of another monthly challenge theme at Mixed Media World. The colour palette that we would love you to use for your mixed media creations are

BLUE, GREY,WHITE & BURNT UMBER

as chosen by my Team Mate Debs.

I have chosen to use the colours to create a piece that I have called Winter.

This piece has been done on a 6" x 12" deep canvas.

The piece includes a lot of texture that I have created by firstly applying bandages and die cut circles to the blank canvas prior to adding gesso over. I then have applied various layers of acrylic paint using acrylic paint flow improver at times to thin down the paint to create the drippage.The burnt umber touches have ben applied with a palette knife. I then stamped my image onto tissue paper (symmetry Sheet 6 by Stampscapes), cut out, and applied to the canvas using gel medium. To blend the image in I softened the edges with a blue Prismacolour pencil and blending solution. Her icy breath swirls across the canvas in the form of pearl self adhesive gems. The addition ice has been added using Wendy Vecchi cracked texture paste and when dry the cracks filled with white acrylic paint which have been lightly coloured with blended pencil.

Here are some more pictures so I can share with you some of these scrummy textures.

Hopefully you like my interpretation of Winter using this months challenge colours.

I, along with the rest of the MMW team, would love to see your interpretations of this month colours challenge. The team, as always, have come up with some fabulous inspiration for you which you will find HERE

On lucky winner will receive, from our generous sponsor this month The Old Vintage Shop, 3 images from their Etsy online store.

I know we are all busy with Christmas but don't forget our challenges runs for a month.

I would also like to enter this into this months challenge at Craft Stamper Challenge where the theme for the month is "Sharing the Season"

Thank you for visiting 

Love

Amanda X

A bit of Pre-Bedtime colouring

Hi everyone

You know when you've just had one of those days? Well today was one of those days.........

What better way to unwind than to get out your colouring pencils and start colouring. This card is the result of my confinement with my Polychromos pencils.

I have used "Cracked Party Cat" by Lost Coast Designs now available from That's Crafty HERE, I have coloured him with Polychromos pencils and have added the hand drawn heart to the envelope.

He has been stamped onto a scrap that I used to clean a stencil that I had used distress inks through which I slightly misted with water before laying on my card.
Sentiment is from the "Smooch" set by Ali Edwards.
Right, now I am suitably chilled out I am away to my bed.
Thanks for stopping by
Love
Amanda X

Blueprint Christmas for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

I'm over at That's Crafty with a couple of quick make Christmas cards.

You can read all the details HERE

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X 

Seasons Greetings for That's crafty Challenges

Hi everyone

With this week being the first week of December our latest challenge, starting today, over at That's Crafty Challenges 

is 

SEASONS GREETING

So it's time to share with us your festive makes and remember one lucky winner will win a £20 voucher to spend in the online store.

He's my piece of inspiration for you

I have started by picking one of my many gelli prints that I am working my way through to use up. I then die cut the 2 trees using the Tim Holtz Woodlands Thinlits from white card and laid this over the gelli print. I then added the die cut trees on top adding a 3 die cut tree because I have to work in odd numbers.

I tore some strips of the gelli print to act as snowy covered hills.

Finally I have sprinkled on white ultra thick embossing powder and heat embossed to look like snow.

I have layered up the trees and the hills using 3D gell so it has a 3D effect which hopefully you can see better in this photo.

My team mates have made some fabulous festive pieces and you can pop along HERE to check them out.

We all hope you will join in with us this fortnight as there is one thing most of us will be doing at the moment and that is creating festive makes!

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

It's beginning to look like Christmas for That's Crafty

Hi

As it's the start of December I thought I should get a little bit festive so I am sharing one of my first festive makes over at That's Crafty Team Blog

I hope you'll pop over for all the details  HERE

Love

Amanda X

Quick & Easy Christmas Cards at Stampotique

Hi Everyone

I'm back from my fabulous mini break cruise and goodness knows where my mojo has gone! So hopefully to kick start it and secondly make some attempt to have some Christmas cards to send this year (I am always soooooo last minute with these) I have joined in with this weeks challenge over at Stampotique Designers Challenge where the theme is 

"Quick & Easy Christmas Cards"

Using Altered Alpha for my text blending 2 colours of Ranger dye ink pads and then hanging from it some of the Christmas ornaments cubes. I've just then doodled round the edges and mounted onto a card blank. 

See you soon

Love

Amanda X

Finger Painted Canvas for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

If you have wondered why I've not been around for the last few days it's because I am currently on a cruise and I am sure having a fab time. 

Therefore I have scheduled this sneak peek to let you know that, as it's Tuesday, I'm over at That's Crafty Team Blog with my latest make, a canvas.

For all the details click HERE

Thanks

and be back soon

Love

Amanda X

Black & White with a Hint over at That's Crafty Challenges

Hi Everyone

It's the start of another new challenge fortnight over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog 

and our theme for the coming fortnight is

BLACK & WHITE WITH A HINT

We are looking to see your black & white projects with just a hint of colour

Here's my piece as part of the design team inspiration for you

My hint of colour has been stencilled through the dot stencil onto the background using distress inks I then stencilled the Marilyn Monroe image using black distress ink.

I then added my stamped images.

Stamps used are :-

Tim Holtz - Rockstar set

Carabelle Studio - Life is Good (Strip stamp)

Kaiserkraft - Film edges

7gypsies - Sentiment.

There is more fabulous inspiration from my talented team mates HERE

We would love it if you joined in with us this fortnight, and as always, one lucky winner will win £20 to spend in the That's Crafty online store.

Thanks for stopping by

Love 

Amanda X

At The Movies at Stampotique

Hi Everyone

Today is my entry into this weeks challenge over at Stampotique Designers challenge. This weeks theme has been chosen by the lovely Corrie and Corrie has chosen 

"At the Movies"

I've used the iconic quote from Frankenstein "It's Alive, It's Alive"

For my monster I've used "Newton" as he looks like he's walking like a monster and as you can see he is being powered by a circuit board.

He has been coloured with Prismacolour pencils and mounted onto a stencilled circuit board background using Dylusions sprays.

Great Challenge Corrie!

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

The Heart Has Its Reasons for That's Crafty

Hi everyone

Time for my usual Tuesday post over at That's Crafty

It's a little bit of steampunk and you'll find all the details HERE

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Clearing my Head for Katzelkraft

Hi Everyone

Today I'm over at Katzelkraft Team Blog 

You can find all the details for this card HERE

Thanks

Love

Amanda X

Make Things Happen!!

Hi Everyone

I'm sharing a card with you today that I made some time ago and have just come across the photo on my laptop as I am searching through it prior to changing over to a new laptop. My current laptop has served me well but it's old and slow (I know the feeling!!). So this is probably my last post on this machine, subject to me moving over successfully and understanding windows 10?? I'm a bit nervous as I hate resetting everything up it's just hours of your life that you never get back and undoubted stress!!!! Anyway I'll let you know how it goes in a future post, if you never hear from me again you know what happened, lol.

I can't remember exactly how I made it but I made a background of circles, didn't like it so cut it up into squares and put it back together in a random fashion. There is lots of sewing machine stitching around the circles and then I have stenciled texture paste over the top and lightly coloured with distress inks. The stamped image is one of the Iconic Dina Wakley silhouette women.

Sentiment is from Tim Holtz small talk book.

Wish me luck!!

thanks for visiting

Love

Amanda X

Playing with Brusho's for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

For my Tuesday spot at That'sCrafty Team Blog I decided to get the Brusho's out. This piece has been inspired by the work of Birgit Koopsen who also designs a range of stamps for Carabelle Studio. This is my interpretation of a technique that Birgit recently posted.

For all the details please click HERE

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Anything Goes at Mixed Media World

Hi Everyone

As is with the 2nd Sunday of the month I have 2 DT posts go live, this being the 2nd of the day for the start of our new challenge month at

  Mixed Media World. 

It's my turn to choose our theme for the coming month so I thought I would make it easier for everyone especially as we are all beginning to get busy with Christmas, just 47 sleeps to go!!

So the theme for this month is

"ANYTHING GOES"

My piece this month was a commission piece and I don't usually take on commissions I worry too much that I will make something that they don't like and that makes it far to stressful for me! Anyway I agreed and they wanted a birthday card that included this old photograph (original not used in the making).

As it was an old school photo I centred my background theme around numbers,letters and stars, didn't we all love receiving stars on our work especially gold ones!!. 

I made it all on kraft card and kept a monotone feel to it.

I started by randomly brushing gesso across the kraft card. Onto that I then built up my layers stamping with black archival ink, versamark and white embossing powder and gesso through stencils. There is also the addition of washi tapes roughly torn.

The stamped stars and photo have been added with 3D glue gel to add a little dimension.

Finally added Tim Holtz thinlits die happy birthday.

All stamps used are from Carabelle Studio and are available from That's Crafty who also happen to be our sponsor for this months challenge. The lovely Laura, owner of That's Crafty, has very kindly donated a £20 voucher to the lucky winner of this months challenge.

If you need any further persuading to join in there is, as always, some fabulous inspiration from my talented team mates Here

Hopefully see you over there

Love

Amanda X

It's Winter in Paris at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi everyone

It's time for another monthly challenge over at 

Fashionable Stamping Challenges

and our theme for the coming month is

"Winter in Paris"

I have gone for quite a simple look.

White card was first lightly sprayed with Goosebumbs clear texture spray as when dry it resists the distress inks. I then stamped the Paris cityscape which is from Tim Holtz. I then built up my background with distress inks. I then added a little colour to the buildings using coloured pencils, To add some additional snow in the foreground I added individual grains of ultra thick embossing power and heat embossed from underneath so they didn't blow off. Finally I added the sentiment from Darkroom Door.

There are some fabulous pieces from my teamies so well worth popping over HERE for some fabulous inspiration.

We'd love it if you played along with us this month and one randomly chosen entry will win $20 to spend in the online store of our sponsor Flonzcraft.

Our rules our simple, you must include rubber stamping as your main focal point on whatever you decide to enter.

Thanks For stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Friendship

Hi Everyone

Just a quick post to share a tag card that I made recently for a very special friend who is currently going through a difficult time. Unfortunately it's a long distance friendship, but never the less an important and special friendship. I just wanted to send my love to her, but in an envelope.

Background on the tag created with distress inks

Stamps Carabelle Studio

and Inkylicious.

Thanks

Amanda X

Tag You're It! New Challenge fortnight at That's Crafty Challenges

Hi Everyone

We have a new challenge theme starting today over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog

and our theme for the coming fortnight is

Tag You're It!!

So we are looking for you share your tag makes of which your theme could be anything you like.

My tag is using one of the new stamps designed by Birgit Koopsen for Carabelle studio.

I started with a tag that I added several pastel colours of Spectrum Noir aquatints. 

Using the "Brilliant" stencil by memory box I then stenciled through using hickory smoke distress ink.

I stamped my Stamp "There are always flowers" - Carabelle sudio onto book paper that I had roughly painted over and then cut out the flowers. I then stamped my image again onto my tag and paper pierced the cut out flowers onto it. The leaves I coloured with Prismacolour pencils.

I then stenciled the eyes only from the Stencil girl stencil "Eve" and repeated them onto my tag, again stenciled with Hickory smoke.

I stamped the top and bottom of the tag with one of the edge stamps from "Open your mind" set again from Carabelle Studio.

Sentiment comes with the flowers set.

I hope that you will pop over HERE to not only see what my amazing team mates have created but to also play along with us all.

As is with the challenge, one randomly chosen entry will win a £20 voucher to spend in the online store.

Hope fully see you over there 

Love

Amanda X

Strut your Stuff for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

Just to let you know that I'm over at That's Crafty team blog with my usual weekly make,

hope you'll pop over HERE for all the details

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Happy Halloween

A Spooky good morning to you all

Just a quick post from me before I go to work to wish everyone a fabulously spooky Halloween today.

Background stamp I have pieced together the Carabelle Studio skulls background just to extend the skulls. My main image is "Angel Catrina" from Invoke Arts.

All has been coloured using Prismacolor pencils.

sentiment is part typed on my vintage typewriter and part Chit Chat stickers.

Happy Trick & Treating

Love

Amanda X

I have a Dream.............

Hi Everyone

Just a quick post today, I am day off from work today and my day seems to have turned into a marathon soup making crusade. In my pursuit of my ideal weight, I have been there and put 1/2 stone back on, I'm trying to get back in the zone before I go on holiday in a few weeks. So there is now a battle between me and that 1/2 stone. First round has gone to me as I have a wonderful pan full of homemade pea & ham soup. I'm now chasing a round 2 win as I am about to tackle a butternut squash!!! However before I do that I thought I'd just share a quick and simple card I made, again using up a background scrap. The background this time was just the leftovers on my craft mat after i'd used distress inks on something.

Main image is "Joy" - Carabelle Studio

and film strip is "Collage Texte et Negatif" also Carabelle Studio.

Only additional colouring has been a little watercolour on the ballonon. A little torn film strip washi tape and some punched out stars finish it off.

Right back to the kitchen and thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Christmas Tags for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

I'm over at That's Crafty Team Blog with some Christmas tags using the fabulous, newly released, Christmas themed Dinky stencils.

If you would like all the details of how I made them just click HERE 

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Why is it?

Hi Everyone

Why is it when you say to yourself that "I'll just go and tidy my craftroom" you ending making more mess? This is one such moment.

I thought I'll just go and tidy up for half an hour so it's ready for when I have time to get back in there (my craft room has to be tidy) and whilst tidying up some scraps and things, this background being one of those scraps, I ended up playing. So I have made a card that I had no intention of making using one of the very things I should have been tidying up. I suppose it's one scrap less!

Stamped using Carabelle Studio "Electrique"

Die cut is Penny Black "In a row"

Sentiment Tim Holtz "Handwritten Thoughts"

Background was a Brusho scrap that I had splashed bleach on and then sprayed with Carved Pumpkin distress spray. 

I now have no time to tidy my craftroom now! 

Have a great weekend whatever you are doing and I'll see you soon

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

It's Time for Halloween at That's Crafty Challenge Blog

Hi everyone

Halloween is nearly here!!

 So we have chosen "HALLOWEEN as our theme over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog for our latest challenge fortnight.

I have made a tag using one of the fabulous Crazy Birds in his best Halloween hat using the matching accessories stamp. 

I've also used some of the newly released Halloween Own Brand Dinky stencils from That's Crafty's, namely the cat and the spiders web and have stencilled through with Wendy Vecchi black embossing paste. Full range of stencils HERE

Background has been die cut with one of Tim Holtz mixed media dies after being swooshed with distress inks. 

We'd love to see your Halloween makes so would love it if you popped over HERE and joined in with us. 

Just to remind you that if you play along you could be the lucky winner of our challenge and win £20 to spend online at That's Crafty. With all the recent new stuff that has arrived I think you'll be stuck for choice as what to spend it on!!

The design team have done a Fab job with their Halloween makes so well worth popping over to check them out.

Have a great day

Love

Amanda X

Getting Spooky at That's Craft

Hi everyone

I thought I would get a bit spooky this Tuesday, so I am over at That's Crafty Team Blog with a couple of spooky makes using 2 of the newly released stamps from Carabelle Studio.

Here's just a sneak peek

If you don't feel too scared click HERE to see a full view of them along with how I made them.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Birds and the Bees at Stampotique

Hi Everyone

This is a quick post before I go to bed to join in with this weeks challenge over at Stampotique Designers Challenge where the theme this week is "Birds and the Bees. I have taken a slightly different approach to this theme.

I used a kraft tag that I had previously cleaned my brayer of paint onto. I stamped "Queen of Life" onto a  separate piece of paper and coloured her with Polychromos pencils, cut her out and stuck her to the tag. I then stamped the book part again masking off the actual words on it so I could then add my own, in this case "Birds and the Bees. I think after reading it she has now figured out how she has now 2 children. A little bit of stenciling, washi tape, punched out circles highlighted with a white gel pen and then finally I typed out the words,

Hope you like it and I am away to my bed now

Love

Amanda X

Dreams for That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

As it's Tuesday you can find me over at That's Crafty Team Blog and

I have been playing with some of the recently released Carabelle Studio stamps, I just loveeeeee these stamps.

Inked background with the Bokeh technique added with white ink.
Lots of stamping layered up and my main image coloured and added tot he background.

I would also like to enter this into this months challenge at
Craft Stamper Challenge.
The Theme this month is

'Take A Technique' 
Use one or more of the following processes in your art: 
Ink Stitch Paint Collage Print Paper
(and include stamping somewhere!)

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Anything Goes on Wood at Mixed Media World

Hi everyone

It's time for another new monthly challenge theme over at Mixed MediaWorld and our theme for this month has been chosen by my lovely team mate Mo and is..........

"ANYTHING GOES ON WOOD"

I didn't think I would make this months challenge as life has just been too darn hectic round here at the moment, but with the weekend off and the fact that I spent most of the day yesterday entrenched in my craftroom I have got there by the skin of my teeth!!! 

Mmmmm wood? what did I have? I had brought a wooden pallet home from work some weeks ago as I wanted the slats from it, that wasn't art related it was too sort out chicken housing issues. However it left me the 4 blocks from the corners, mmmmmmmm now they might give me an arty outlet?????

and they did!

I loved how they were so irregularly square, and stacked in such a rickety way. I started by slightly sanding all the rough edges off, but not too much as I wanted them to still be quite rustic.

I then stamped the houses which are one of the fabulous new stamps from Carabelle - A La Fenetre onto tissue paper, I did this twice. I then turned the stamped tissue paper over and coloured the window frames using paperartsy fresco paints. Once that was all dry I then had to add the stamped tissue to my blocks. this was a bit fiddly as trying to line it up when everything wasn't straight was a bit of a kerfuffle to say the least. So armed with Decoart matt medium I applied them on. I actually don't think it matters that they are not perfectly aligned as it adds to the irregularity of the piece.

Here's the other side. I have left the back unfinished (who see's the back?)

and from the front

To finish I added the die cut birds on a wire cut from old book paper after the exposed wood had had a wash of acrylic paint on it. Then added my sentiment that had been stamped onto old book paper.

We all hope you'll pop over HERE and play along with us, my team mates have some stunning makes to inspire you and are well worth a look. 

Our sponsor this month is The Artist Trading Post who have generously donated a £20 voucher to spend in their online store for our challenge winner, it could be YOU!

Thanks for stopping by and hopefully we'll see you playing along with us.

Love

Amanda X

Smile

Hi Everyone

This is my 2nd post today, it's all go here today considering my

crafty time has been very limited these last few weeks due to work commitments. However I just had to find time to make a quick card using the fabulous new cats stamps from Katzelkraft.

You can find all the details Here, I have just used one of the cats from the choice of 6 that this fabulous new plate offers.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Stampotique Challenge Make a Tag

Hi Everyone

Today is a play day for me after what has been a very busy last few weeks. Part of my playing is to join in with this weeks challenge over at Stampotique Designers Challenge and the theme for this week is 

"A TAG"

Stampotique stamps used are:-

Bunny Boy

and the head from Frankie.

I've embossed a black tag (I can't remember the last time I used an embossing folder) and added cast bronze gilding wax to highlight the embossing

Background stamp is from Lost Coast Designs and has been heat embossed with black embossing powder and then cut down to fit my tag.

Chit Chat stickers and Remnant rubs finish it off.

Right I'm off for more playing now

Hope you have a fab weekend

Love

Amanda X

Boys Will Be Boys at That's Crafty Challenge Blog

Hi Everyone

It's time for another new challenge fortnight at That's Crafty Challenges

and our new theme for the next 2 weeks is

"Boys will be Boys" so it's a male themed fortnight, you can make any type of project but it must be for the Boys.

Here's my piece of inspiration for you

I have used the "Music Man" set by Brett Weldele and lots of distress inks. The main colours of distress inks are ground expresso and blueprint sketch. I have also used vintage photo, hickory smoke and black soot.  This has been made using just one layer so having stamped my images first they have then been masked off with masking fluid before swooshing the card through distress ink from my craft mat. I have then water coloured the image with the distress inks.

We would love it if you played along with us HERE and if you do you could be the lucky winner and recieve a £20 online voucher to spend in the online store.

If you need more inspiration my team makes have created some fabulous pieces that are well worth a look to further inspire you.

Thanks for stopping by 

Love

Amanda X