Silly moo!

Hi
Well this is my last post before I return to work tomorrow having had a lovely crafty week off, thanks mainly to the disastrous weather we have had this week here in the north west of England, but I have made the most of it lol.

I am entering my card into this weeks challenge over at Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog where this weeks challenge is Ribbons & Bows. I also (a few posts back) set myself the challenge NOT to use vintage photo distress ink and on this card I have succeeded. I am also going to make my 2nd entry into the fortnightly challenge over at the Fashionable Stamping Challenge where the theme is nature.



Sheena Douglass Silly Moo Rubber Stamp

Main image has been stamped using "Silly Moo" stamp by Sheena Douglas. I have coloured it with 3 tint colours of Pan Pastels, mostly pink. The cow in the foreground I have further coloured with the pink to intensify the colour slightly (photo doesn't really show the colour that well). I have then removed some of the main image to reveal the white card underneath, the great thing about pan pastels is that you can just rub it away with a normal cheap rubber/eraser. The crown I have coloured with promarkers to make it stand out. It has been matted and layered with black cardstock and pink silk art card. The ribbon is East of India pink gingham which I have double bowed (on a bow maker as I can't make bows without it) and finally finished off with pink candi.

thanks for looking
Happy crafting
Love Amanda X

Any Die Will Do

Hi
Well thankfully the rain has stopped here in the north west of England, it has been torrential for hours. Whilst my garden was mostly under water, that is nothing compared to those around Lancashire and Yorkshire who have had their homes flooded. You really feel for those people and the aftermath that they are all dealing with today.

This is my garden whilst it was still light, things got progressively worse as the night went on as the rain just kept on coming!!!!

Well onto to todays crafty posting, and I am entering into this week challenge at Allsorts Challenge Blog where this weeks challenging is using dies on your project. This is a 21st card I made for my very good friends son Tom.

Tim Holtz Umbrella Man die



Tim Holtz Umbrella Man Die

I have made my card using Tim Holtz Umbrella Man Alterations Die, I have cut the die 4 times and layered it up to add dimension to the card, the final layer has been sprayed with perfect pearl mist in pearl. I have then recut the umbrella part with Inky Antics Honeycomb paper pad using a technique as demonstrated by Tim, video from Tim can be seen HERE. So now the card really does have dimension. I have stamped the background using tim holtz "bitty grunge" stamps using a pastel kaleidacolor rainbow inkpad and then cut into 4 squares, lightly dusted with vintage photo distress ink and mounted onto black card. The card is embellished with a Tim Holtz word band, text on it has been highlighted with snowcap paint dabber and tied with bakers twine. Sentiment is T.H. alpha parts and a dymo gun. Final touch is some black candi.

Have a great weekend and lets hope the rains have gone.
Love
Amanda x

Simples.......

Hi
Well as I have already mentioned this week, in my previous posts, I am off work this week and have set myself the personal challenge of posting everyday (mon-fri). Well this is thursdays post and is my entry into the challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge where this fortnight the challenge is Nature. I have chosen animals for my take on nature and in particular meerkats. I have had this stamp for ages, and I mean ages, and it has never seen as ink pad, until now.

Stamp is joanna Sheen Meerkats

coloured with Prismacolor pencils

distress with tonic distress tool and loads of vintage photo DI

Map of africa I found and downloaded from the internet.

Papers from my stash

Embellishments from stash - I think wooden button is Prima.

Sentiment Whimsey stamp

"Simples" statement will only mean something to those of us in the UK 

 Right that's Thursday sorted, I have no idea what I can post tomorrow so I might fail in my quest. I have however set myself another personal quest and that is NOT to use vintage photo on my next few post. That is like being taken into a sweet shop and being told that you can't eat anything lol. So lets see how weak willed I am. What this space!

Thanks for looking and crafting now the rain has come (again).

Love Amanda X

WOYWW 159

Hi
Well it's Wednesday and that can only mean one thing, a good look round at what all of you are up to in craft land, thanks to Julie's wonderful blog Stamping Ground  (that I don't join as often as I would like).
I am off work this week, a well earned break and a bit of me time, but with my washing machine woes (see previous post) that hasn't happened. In between the havoc that has been the past few days I have been colouring away in snatched moments, I am sure that many of you, like myself, find colouring in very therapeutic. I remember as a child sitting for hours with a colouring book and a packet of crayons, if I was taken to a toy shop and told I could pick anything I want, I am told that I would always go for the colouring books. I am sure that my enjoyment stems back to my childhood.
Anyway onto my desk

As you can see I have been colouring with different mediums. Whilst I have been having a play with all of them I cant seem to get to grips with colouring using distress markers I ended up using them as watercolour by scribbling the colour on a tile, which I could use my ink pads for the same effect. As far as distress markers for colouring in goes the jury is still out. (I have still to try direct to stamp technique)

Images using distress markers

Art Impressions girlfriends - picture perfect &

Mabel Lucie Attwell - Friends

Kenny K stamp in cool grey copics (first attempt at mono tone)

and finally

Joanna Sheen Jayne Netley Mayhew collection - Meerkats

coloured in prisma pensils

thanks for looking. I hope to get round many desks today and see what you are all upto. Have a lovely wednesday

Amanda X

Friends......

Hi
Hope you are all having a lovely tuesday. I am currently stranded at home due to my incompetence at purchasing a new washing machine, I really thought I had measured correctly! but we had it delivered sunday, unpacked it, slotted it into the space where a washing machine goes and shut the doors that hide the machine, well I say shut, there lies the problem, the doors don't actually shut! So I am currently making copous cups of tea for for the lovely Paul who is currently moving electrics and plumbing to enable the washer to fit in. Note to self "dont buy a washer with a large knob on the front again" lol if I did at least it would now fit.

Anyway onto the card I made yesterday to enter into the secret crafter saturday challenge where the challenge this week is RED, WHITE & BLUE following the Jubilee celebrations, oh we do do Pomp and Ceremony well here in the UK.

I have just recieved 3 of the Mabel Lucie Attwell stamp sets, I had to get them as they remind me so much of my childhood when her books were my favourites. The stamp I have chosen to use first is the "Friends" stamp set.

I have made the card using a Kraft card blank to add that vintage feel.

Papers are Portabello Road

Image has been coloured with Copics then totally covered with vintage photo D.I. with an ink duster to again give that vintage look (love those ink dusters for more subtle effect) 

Doo Hickey bunting die

Whimsey circular sentiment

buttons from my stash

As I am off work this week I hope to get plenty of crafting in but usually my plans go haywire so we will see.
thanks for looking
Amanda X

Fathers Day

Hi
Well Fathers day has been and gone but it has left behind some sunny weather here in the north west of England, it probably wont last though as I am off work for a week!! But I will make the most of it whilst it lasts. Here I can now show the Fathers Day card that I made (couldn't blog it earlier as my dad sometimes reads my blog). I was running late with it and didn't have time to take it to the post office to be weighed, so in order to get it there in time I just put 4 1st class stamps on the envelope, thinking "that should do it".
anyway I rang my dad to wish him Happy Fathers Day and he had received my card which he thought was very nice!! However he seemed more thrilled that the 4 stamps I had put on the envelope had not been franked so he could steam them off and use them again!!

So that is my Fathers Day Card which I am also entering into this weeks challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity where the challenge is dashing dads. My Dad is a huge model railway enthusiast, hence the train theme.

7 Gypsies Papers

loads of vintage photo Distress ink and Stain

Tim Holtz type charms

charm lettering Graphic 45

Stamp? had it ages with my Dad in mind.

see you soon

Amanda X

Anything goes at Try it on a tuesday

Hi,
It's been weeks since I have posted, time has just run away from me. I wish I could tell you some of the fantastic things that have kept me from blogging, but sadly there aren't any, it's just been a catalogue of family problems and tough work schedule. I just wanted to take this quick opportunity to post a card a recently made that I am going to enter  into Try it on a tuesday  challenge where this fortnights challenge is "Anything goes, and also let people that I am still alive.

It is using the "Brianna Blaster" from the Kenny K rubber stamp collection and coloured with copics.
Making it also gave me the chance to use Tim Holtz washer die which is fast becoming a favourite, other Tim Holtz dies used included ticket strip and hardware findings.

I am unfortunately working all this weekend, so normal crafting service wont probably be resumed yet, but another week at work and then I am am taking a "me" week off work. I have no plans (made for me) at the moment so hopefully can have an indulgent crafty week.
Hopw everyone is well and see you soon
Amanda X

I made Top 3 @ F.S.C.

Hi
what a lovely surprise to get home, sign onto my blog to find out that I have made the Top 3 at Fashionable Stamping challenge with the birthday card that I made for my dad. The challenge was embossing and I am so chuffed to have had my card picked I will have to ring my dad to let him know.
You can see the card I made on this post. 
Well this is just a quick post as I have to now feed the dogs and the chickens and get dinner on the go. I was up this morning at 5am as I had to attend a meeting at 8am so am feeling a bit tired so probably no crafting tonight but a slouch infront of the TV nodding off to Britian's Got Talent (cant think of anything better to nod off too!)
see you all soon
Amanda X

WOYWW 153

Hi Everyone
Well I am trying to get organised so that I get my Whats on your workdesk wednesday post up on my blog in time so that it is still wednesday when I do it. So it's tuesday evening and I will write my post and save it, to hopefully post it on my blog before I leave for work at 7am, I am not filled with confidence as I am usually running late, but at least it is a plan, just might not be a good one..... time will tell.
Anyway yesterday I did a bit of crafty shopping, even though I didn't intend to buy stamps I purchased 2 of Andy Skinners stamp sets "Slideshow" & "Circus" I actually went to get some pan pastels to see what all the fuss is about, I bought a selection of 4 colours to try so will let you know on that one once I have given them a good play with. They are just stacked up on my desk at the moment.

I haven't made a tag for awhile so decided to use the Circus stamps and throw a quick tag together.

I used distress stains to make the background, the rest have all been stamped from the stamp set using distress inks, the elephants with black archival ink and coloured with distress ink. I then punched out the stars and added a touch of bling.

Thanks for looking and I will hopefully get around to visiting many of your desks as I love to see what everybody is upto.
love
Amanda x



Crafts and Me Challenge 82 Fav colour combo

Hi
Hope you are all enjoying this bank holiday weekend so far, here in the north west of England it hasn't rained!! Yet..... but there is time yet lol. Having had a busy day at work today I am going to settle down for a chill out evening in front of the TV, a bit of "Britains got Talent" that mostly shows that Britain hasn't.... Anyway before I settle down for the evening thought I would post my entry into this week
 challenge over at crafts and Me Challenge Blog where the challenge is your favorite colour combo. My favorite colour combo at the moment is black and cream with a splash of any other colour, but at the moment I seem to be drawn to orange, so my latest card created for a birthday uses that colour combo.

My card features wild Tilda, it's been ages since I have coloured up a Tilda stamp. I have recently bought myself, as a little treat, both 72 boxes of copics following from making a bit of money selling stuff on ebay. I am still getting used to using these pens but I love them and I am quite pleased with my colouring on these, everyone has to start somewhere...

Papers are DCWV I think (I have had them ages).

Thanks for looking

Have a good weekend

Amanda X

Being a bit "EMBossy"

Well what's this weather all about? Me and my umbrella lost our battle today, need to buy new umbrella which I am really annoyed about as I have managed to keep this one for over a year as I usually lose them as soon as I have bought them, I also have the same problem with sunglasses but at the moment I know exactly where they are as I have had little need for them so far......
Anyway I recently made a birthday card for my dad which features Couture Creations World Map embossing folder

I have embossed the World map onto Kraftcore card and inked with Distress Ink Vintage Photo

The compass has been embossed from the same folder and cut out.

The map paper is from my stash.

All papers have had the edges distressed

Hot Air balloon stamp is from indigo blu

Embellishments include creative expressions screw brads

Bakers twine

Tim Holtz spinner and cog charms

Card base is Kraft Card

I am entering this card into the following 2 challenges both who feature Embossing as their challenge.

Crafts and Me Challenges

and

fashionable stamping challenges

Thanks for looking

Amanda

Art Impressions "Girlfriends"

Hi
Well it has been several weeks since I have posted on my blog, and I have a feeble excuse..... Work! It is a busy time of year for me at work and that has impacted on my time spent in my craft room (why wont my lottery numbers come up?) and that time has been nil. I have had several parcels delivered which I haven't even had time to play with and are still sitting in the boxes they were delivered in.

I recently made a gift of 7 cards using the fabulous Girlfriend stamps by Art Impressions. I have since ordered the 4 new ones and they are currently probably mid Atlantic winging themselves over from the US. I have previousley posted 4 of them and these are the remaining 3.



Art Impressions "Girlfriends - Workout"



Art Impressions "Girlfriends - In the Tub"

 




Art Impressions "Girlfriends - Comfy on Couch

In order to see the full set that I made I have included links from previous posts:-
Girlfriends The Weigh in
Girlfriends Under My Umbrella
Girlfriends Dancers
Girlfriends In The Tub

Hopefully this post gets me back on track and I look forward to seeing you all soon

Amanda X