Purple Passion At That's Crafty Challenge Blog

Hi everyone

and an extra special hello and welcome to my latest followers, thank you for joining me on my arty journey.

Today sees the start of another new challenge fortnight over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog and our theme for the next 2 weeks is

PURPLE PASSION

So we are hoping you will join in with us and share your purple creations. The DT have created some fabulous inspiration for you and to get things started here's mine.

For those of you that regularly follow my blog you will have noticed that I have developed a bit of an addiction for paint spinning, having purchased a kids paint spinning machine. The machine creates the most fabulous effects with paint. I have used one such creation for this card using a combination of purple and white paint. 

The background it has been mounted on has been made using Adirondack Eggplant spray. I sprayed a pool of it on my card and then blew the ink around with spritzer tool, you could use a straw for the same effect.

My flower is from the Prima set "Floral and I have drawn the stem to add to it. The flower has then been coloured with Prismacolor pencils.

"Inspire" sentiment in from a Clarity Stamps Word Strip.

To finish I added dots of Ranger white enamel accents.

So we all hope that you'll pop over and play along with us all HERE

and just to remind you that one randomly chosen winner will receive a £20 voucher to spend in That's Crafty fabulous store.

Thanks for stopping by I really appreciate your visit.

Love

Amanda X

Snippets at Less is More Challenge

Hi Everyone

Hope that you are all having a good week. I have a clean & Simple make for you today as I have made my entry for this weeks challenge over at Less is More challenge blog.

The theme this week is a recipe challenge and the recipe is to include a 'Snippet" I have punched a square out of a strip of a gelli print that I had left over from cutting an A4 piece of printed card down.

On my punched out gelli print square I have stamped part of the Marilyn stamp from Red Rubber stamp company and coloured her with Spectrum Noir pencils.

I have also stamped the Halftone strip from Waltzing Mouse Stamps and the sentiment is from Indigoblu.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Sometimes Fate........... For That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

Well where has summer gone? At least it's good crafting weather......

As it's Tuesday I am over at That's Crafty Blog with my weekly make. You will find all the details  HERE

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

A Happy Birthday Card

Hi Everyone

I just got home from a busy Sunday at work and before I sit down and have a lovely roast lamb dinner I thought I would just make a quick post to share a birthday card I made recently for my niece who turned 11.

I have used a Unity Stamp set for my main image and sentiment which was stamped directly onto my background and coloured with Spectrum Noir pencils which virtually blocks out the background colours.

My background has been created by die cutting numbers from various colours of Bleeding Tissue and then allowing then to bleed onto my card. This leaves a lovely blended finish.

Right off to tuck into my delicious lamb.

Love

Amanda X

Life's A Beach at Less is More this week

Hi Everyone

Didn't get in from work tonight until 9pm so a little late night crafting to unwind. I have made a card for this weeks challenge over at Less is More where the theme for the week is 

"Life's a Beach" - summer days and holidays.

I have used a photo stamp by Inkadinkado which I have placed in the Sizzix film strip die. Filmstrip washi tape and stamped and cut out the camera from creative expressions "Vintage Photo" set, Sentiments are from the photo stamp itself and Tim Holtz  #Hashtag set.

Right as I am now totally chilled out it's time for bed.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

"Live Free" for That's Crafty Blog

Hi everyone

Just a post to say I'm over at That's Crafty Blog today with a Carabelle Studio Stamping Fest. I have been playing with some of the recently released stamps including the unique edge stamps.

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

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Banksy in a Spin

Hi Everyone

A quick post and another paint spinning card from me, can't you tell how addictive this is? This time I have used the spinning paint toy I recently purchased with just 2 colours of paint. The toy only makes 4" square prints which this is, but with a bit of modifying I have managed to print up to 6" square. I have a couple of prints that size that I have still to turn into cards. 

Main image is from the Banksy collection from BeeCrafty and sentiment is a kids quote stamp from Inkadinkado both stamped with black archival.

Hope you're having a lovely sunday

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

T

Dina Wakley Meets a Salad Spinner

Hi everyone

This post involves a salad spinner, that can't live without gadget that we all bought and if you are like me has probably been relegated to the back of your kitchen cupboard.  Well I am starting the campaign to dig them out and get crafty with them.

Here are a couple of cards I have made using my salad spinner, giving it a new lease of life. 

All stamps used are from Dina Wakley and stamped using black archival..

Got the look I wanted 2nd time around

Didn't quite get the technique right on this first attempt but still liked the effect.

All this salad spinning does get a bit messy and you'll never wash lettuce in it again but great fun to play with.
What you have to do is cut a piece of card square or circle that fits snugly into your salad spinner, I found that a few blobs of bluetack helps hold the paper in place. Then just add paint, thin paint works better so just use your cheaper stash. First picture shows the effect by adding circles of paint, 2nd shows what happens when you just add blobs of paint. Add some paint, put the lid on your salad spinner and then spin as quickly as you can then take the lid off and check the effect you've created, you can now add another colour and spin again, don't worry if the first colour hasn't dried. Keep on going until you are happy with the effect that your spinning has created.

Hope you like it and will join in in my one woman campaign to give a salad spinner a second chance!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Love

Amanda X

Use your Stencils at That's Crafty Challenges

Hi everyone

and it's time for a new challenge fortnight over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog

Our theme for the next 2 weeks is

STENCILS

We'd love to see your stenciled projects whether stencils are your main feature or used to make a fabulous background, anything goes as long as you use stencils.

For my little piece of Design Team inspiration I have made an ATB - Artist Trading Block.

I love making these boxes using the Sizzix Block/cube die. I have cut the box from Greyboard that is new in at That'sCrafty, it really makes a lovely chunky ATB. 

I first painted the card, prior to assembling with yellow and lime acrylic paints and then stenciled my background using some of the newly launched Dinky stencils, made and designed by Laura & Graham at That's Crafty. They really are fabulous to use and you can see them all HERE. I have doodled around the circle stenciling with a fineliner pen in black. I then splattered paint over the stenciling. I then added my stenciled faces using the Andy Skinner stencil "Strike the Pose"these have been stenciled using Wendy Vecchi black embossing paste. To finish I added some Tim Holtz remnant rubs. I have added some wooden beads which I have painted as feet.

Here you can see each side and the top

We'd love it if you joined in with us all as we'd love to see your stenciled projects,

Also one randomly selected winner will win a £20 That's Crafty voucher to spend online in the store.

So why not just pop over HERE and join in with us.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

R.I.P. Lily Chilvers

Hi everyone

As many of will of heard, the talented Lily Chilvers of Octopode Factory fame has sadly passed away, so young, so sad. In honor of her and her fabulous quirky images I have made a card using one of her fabulous rubber stamps.

I have used from Octopode Factory "Long Legged Boot Bird" coloured with Spectrum Noir Pencils.

Background was one I had already made in my stash and I have added the Words from Tim Holtz set 

"Way With Words"

If you own any Octopode stamps or Digi images I hope you'll join me in making something with them to recognise the talent of Lily.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

That's Crafty Launch Own Brand Stencils

Hi everyone

My project today features some of the fabulous new Dinky stencils and masks that were launched yesterday by Laura and Graham at That's Crafty, you can see the complete range HERE.

These are fabulous ATC sized stencils that are so versatile in their uses, not just for ATC's. Along side this launch is the launch of pre cut ATC's and A4 sheets in a variety of alterable surfaces.

To support this fabulous product launch I have made 3 ATC's using a selection of the stencils on the greyboard ATC's.

Here's a sneek peak of the 3 of them

to see them all and how I made them you just need to go HERE. All this week the DT will be showcasing their makes with these fabulous Dinky stencils.

Here is just a few of them to wet your appetite

for the full range just click HERE to see all 26 fabulous designs and only £2.99 each.

I hope you will follow the That's Crafty Blog to see what my team mates make using these stencils  with a new project from them each day this week.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Use a Stencil at Mixed Media World Challenge Blog

Hi everyone

and an extra special hello to my newest followers it's great to have you along sharing my arty journey with me.

Today, and one day late with good reason, which I will explain later in this post, is the start of another monthly challenge at Mixed Media World Challenge Blog

this months challenge has been chosen by my Teamie Georgie and is

STENCILS

you can use as many as you want but stencilling must be the star of your project. 

For those of you that follow my blog you will know how much I love to use stencils and they are a regular feature of my work, so I just love this months theme.

So I have made a canvas board using many stencils but my main stencil is "Silhouette Trio" by Donna Downey.

I first made a background piece using lots of different stencils and paints and sprays. Once I was happy with it I then, using a fine liner pen drew around the silhouette images. I then painted out the space around with black Dylusions paint to soften this I added some white Dylusions paint before the black had dried to blend it in and stop it looking too harsh.

I then added further stencilling inside the silhouette Trio and a little bit of script stamping. I have punched out the hearts to add to them and added the words using Tim Holtz Small Talk stickers.

This has then be glued onto a canvas board that I have coloured to match using Gelatos.

Now as I mentioned earlier in my post the reason our challenge has started one day late, all the stencilling you can see in red has been done using a fantastic new own brand line in stencils and that new line has been launched at midnight today by That's Crafty

These are a fabulous range of ATC sized stencils and there are loads of designs to choose from. As I am also part of the That's Crafty design team I have had these to play with for a couple of weeks and I absolutely love them and each day this week myself and the rest of the design team will be featuring them on our posts, you can see what we make with them all week HERE. They are not just for ATC's due to the size of them they will work on any sized project and will get where larger stencils wont.

But there is more good news.

Laura, owner of That's Crafty online store, has agreed to sponsor this months MMW challenge and our lucky winner this month will win

10, yes 10 of these fabulous stencils.

That's Crafty will also be sponsoring future challenges.

That's Crafty, along side launching this fabulous range of stencils today on their website, are also selling pre cut ATC's in various substrates to create your masterpieces on.

You've got to check all the new stuff out HERE

So you have a month in which to share with us your stencilled creations at Mixed Media World and to be in with the chance to win 10 of these fabulous stencils. Why wouldn't you?

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

All About the Men at FSC

Hi everyone

It's time for another challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges, 

and our theme now runs for a whole month so you have loads more time to link up your projects. This months theme is

"All About The Men"

so we are looking for your masculine makes, we accept any kind of project as long as rubber stamping is the main feature of your project.

Following my Hollywood tag that I made to celebrate our "Glitz & Glamour" 100th post last month, I have kept with the same style for my "All about the Men" challenge. 

This time featuring Charlie Chapman.

Lots of stenciling using Tim's star and Andy Skinner stencils.

Tim's Thinlits shape strips

Washi tape

Film Ribbon, film camera charm.

Main image Charlie Chaplin with sentiment stamped, cut out and added to the tag. This stamp is from Deep Red rubber stamps.

We would love it if you popped over HERE and joined in with our challenge.

One lucky, randomly chosen entry will win $20 to spend in the online store of our regular sponsor 

Flonzcraft

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Woman Tangle for Katzelkraft

Hi Everyone

I'm over at katzelkraft Blog today

For all the details on what I used and how I made this card click HERE

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Take Risks

Hi Everyone

Thought I would just share a card with you that I have made following some great inspiration from 

Hermine Koster you should visit her fabulous blog, you can see her pieces that inspired me Here.

This piece started, following Hermines inspiration, in obtaining a paint spin machine, Argos came to the rescue with a spin art and pottery wheel bundle reduced to £7.99. (Maybe also do a bit of pottery)

Stamps used are both from Visible image.

I have used Spectrum Noir aquatints to colour the card in the spin art machine.

Hope you like it, off to watch Murray now in the semi finals, Murray to win!!!

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Girl on a Swing Banksy Stamp

Hi Everyone

A quick post for you today of a card a made using Girl on a swing from VLVS using the fab images of Banksy. I have kept this one simple.

Background colour is distress inks first applied to an acrylic block, misted and then stamped onto watercolour card. I have then overstamped with my images.

Hope you like it, I am away to work now so hope you all have a fabulous day

Love

Amanda X

Carmens Veranda stamps arrive at That's Crafty

Hi Everyone

Just a heads up, as it's Tuesday, to let you know I'm over at That's Crafty Blog using some of the newly arrived Carmens Veranda stamps that the shop is now stocking.

Here's just a sneak peek and I hope you'll pop over to see the entire piece HERE

You can find the range of Carmens Veranda stamps that the shop stocks HERE, I just love the quirkiness of them.

Thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

For My Dad at Katzelkraft

Hi everyone

Just to let you know that I am over at Katzelkraft blog today with a card I made for Fathers Day using another of the fabulous Katzelkraft collage stamps. This one's just perfect for the men in your life.

All the details can be found HERE on Katzelkrafts blog.

thanks for stopping by

Love

Amanda X

Wish Upon a Star at That's Crafty Challenges

Hi Everyone

I don't know about you but this current weeks soaring temperatures have hampered my crafty outputs. So for this fortnights challenge over at 

That's Crafty Challenges I have created quite a clan & simple card to support our new challenge theme of

"Wish Upon a Star"

We are looking for any type of project that features "STARS" on it.

Using Carabelle studio stamps - Reach for the Stars & Punchanella background

and sentiment Kaisercraft.

Punchanella stamp was stamped using a selection of Ranger dye ink pads and the stars were stamped onto some leftover background I had, and then cut out and applied with 3D gel.

The DT team have come up with some great pieces to inspire you so just pop over HERE to see all their makes.

Remember if you play along with us you could be the randomly selected winner that gets to spend a £20 voucher in the That's Crafty Shop and there is loads of new stuff just arrived in the shop. 

I hope we see you over there

Love

Amanda X