Marvellous Mums!

Hi
I hope today finds you all well. Friday has come around again, and the Challenge over at Crafts4eternity this week is "Marvellous Mums" as we, here in the UK, celebrate Mothers Day this Sunday. So I am sure many of us have awayed to our craft rooms to make our mums a special card. If you have, why not show us what you have made by joining in our challenge this week. One randomly chosen winner can choose 3 digital images from Crafts4eternity online store.
Here is mine:-

 

I have another flower theme going on this week. The Stamps used are another set of Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Sketchy series, this one is "Always Floral" 

I stamped the leafy branches onto white card in black versafine and covered with WOW super fine clear embossing powder. They were then painted with Dylusion sprays used as watercolour. I randomly sprayed a piece of card again with a selection of dylusion sprays, once dried, stamped and embossed as previously, then cut them out and added them to the branches with silicone glue for dimension.

The Main image has been stamped using one of the stamps from "Soul Creations" set from Creative Expressions, again this has been heat embossed and painted with Dylusions. I then stamped the flowers twice, cut out, and added to give dimension.
Sentiment has been created using Clarity Stamps Tiled Alphabet Stamps. Final touches are bit of bling to the shoe, black bling in the centre of flowers, bright pink ribbon and a black dazzler (creative expressions)

I would also like to enter this into the following challenges:-
Allsorts Challenge Blog - For a lady and that lady is my Mum.
Make My Monday - Inspired by Nature, mine being the beautiful colours of flowers.

Thanks for visiting my blog and hopefully we will see you over at Crafts4eternity this week.
Love
Amanda X

 

 

Gone a bit mad with Pink!

Hi
Happy Sunday to everyone, hope you have all got a lovely day ahead of you. I have used one of my gelli plate backgrounds I made recently, this was meant to have been a blog challenge entry but I never made it in time, the challenge included using black and pink and I think I have just gone a bit too mad with the pink! lol. I am not really that happy with it and have tried to make my Stampotique mermaid characters stand out more from the background by first outlining with posca white pen and a little charcoal pencil to add a bit of depth, not sure it has worked though?

I have also used some Dylusions stamps,stamped onto dictionary paper and coloured, yes you've guessed it, pink! The sentiment is from Tim Holtz and have replaced a couple of the stamped words with dymo tape.

Today is a big day for me, huge gulp!!!, it's the day I try to give up smoking!!!!! For those of you that have achieved this you have my full admiration! I am hoping that I become one of you. I have at last come to the conclusion that it is just a waste of money especially when there is much better things to spend your money on.............

Hope you all have a lovely day
thanks for stopping by and an even bigger thanks for leaving your comments.
love
Amanda X

What A Week!!

Hi
Well what a week this one has been........ I still haven't got over Tuesdays early start of getting up at 3.30am for a meeting at 8.30am in Warwickshire, thanks goodness I am off this weekend. Anyway in my state of total exhaustion I have managed to get myself going and make my design piece for this weeks challenge over at Crafts4eternity and here it is:-

fortunately I made all the flowers at the weekend I stamped 3 designs of stamps from Sheena Douglass wonderful "A little bit sketchy flower power" stamp set and coloured them with Dylusions Pure sunshine and Lemon Zest, then painstakingly cut them all out and edged them with a black fine liner (I just don't like a white edge). All I had to do with them tonight was to highlight parts of them with a white Posca Pen.

 

the background is a combination of mustard seed distress ink through sequin waste, chicken wire stamp from Creative Expressions and some paint splodges of mustard seed distress paint.

 

The sentiment also comes from Sheena Douglass and is from the set "Only Words - Through the Rain" I have also stamped a bee onto the sentiment (it was just in my stash)

Our challenge at Crafts4eternity this week is a Tic,Tac,Toe one And I have chosen Layers,Spots and Yellow, for a full look at the grid visit HERE and choose your line to join in with us this week. The challenge is being sponsored by Stamping all Day and one randomly chosen winner will be able to choose 3 downloads. 

Anyway hopefully see you over the weekend and lets hope that this lovely weather, that we are currently enjoying, lasts through the weekend.

Thanks for visiting

Love 

Amanda X

Vintage Tag

Hi
following my vintage make last friday here whilst I had the right stuff out and at my fingertips I made a tag. As you can see, like fridays piece, it is Tim Holtz inspired.

 

Anyway time for bed now as I have to be up at 4am as I have to be in Warwickshire for 8.30am tomorrow, Sigh!!!
See you soon
Love
Amanda X

The Road to a Friends House............................

Hi
Well for must of us it's back to work tomorrow, including me. I have had a lovely restful weekend off and have managed a few crafty hours. I haven't however accomplished must in terms of completing any makes but I have had a jolly good sort out, which as we all know can be very cleansing for the soul!! I did also manage to finish a couple of things off that have been hanging around for a while and start a few things playing with my distress paints that have been sitting around on my desk for a couple of weeks.
One of the things I finished off was a very late birthday present for a friend of mine. Which is for a bit of a joke really.

Background has been made using Paperartsy Fresco finish paints with a bit of stenciling. Houses are Claudine Hellmuth Dwelling foam and clear stamp set. Stampotique Frog on a bicycle coloured with Dylusion sprays. Torn book paper for the road and some punched flowers also from book paper and again coloured with Dylusions.The sentiment has been stamped using a small alphabet stamp set. It is meant as a bit of fun, the sentiment reads "The road to a friends house is never a long one -  unfortunately". This is then framed using  a Dylusion stamp from around The Edge and the mount (which was cream) I have painted with black distress paint then stamped the design on using peeled paint distress paint.

The whole thing is then to be displayed in a black frame in order to go on a wall. I didn't photograph it in it's frame as there is just too much glare from the glass, but it does finish it off nicely.

I am entering this into this weeks challenge over at Allsorts Challenge Blog where the theme for their current challenge is Animals.
Thanks for popping by
Love
Amanda X

SEW Cherished

Hi

It's friday and time for our new challenge over at Crafts4eternity and out theme for this week is VINTAGE,and anything goes as long as it has a vintage theme. Unlike last week this weeks challenge finds me a little more in my comfort zone, thankfully.

This week I have made a heart shaped wall hanging with a VINTAGE sewing theme called "Sew Cherished". 

I started with a paper mache plain heart and did this to it

most of this I then ended covering up.

Then using Tim Holtz alterations  "Sewing Room" die, I made my main pieces

Then as you can see added loads of other bits and pieces, many from Tim Holtz and the remainder odd bit from my stash. I have used loads of vintage photo and walnut distress ink to age my project. I have finished it off with a lovely charm of vintage scissors, I have held onto these for ages.

This weeks challenge is being sponsored by Michelle at Crafts4eternity and one lucky randomly chosen winner will be able to pick 3 digital images from the online store.

So please join us this week and show us your vintage creations.

I am also entering this into the following challenges:-

frilly and funkie - Theme layer it on & share a word, (many layers and my word is SEW)

crafts and me challenges - Theme Charmed I'm Sure, Add a charm (my scissor charm)

Make My Monday - Theme Ribbon & Buttons (lace ribbon & ruler ribbon, buttons)

Simon Says Stamp & Show - Theme metal-ology use metal (scissor charm and T.H. Snaps,hanger & hat pins)

Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Vintage/Shabby Chic

thanks for visiting really nice to see you

love Amanda X

Art Houses

Hi
Well what a lovely day it has been today, and how lucky that it was my day off. I set about having a crafty day, I had to complete my design piece for friday and the postman had popped a set of new stamps through the letter box, the new Art Houses and ruler background stamp designed by Sam Poole for creative expressions, well they would certainly need playing with. So as I set about making a mess, I mean completing my design piece, the sun shone through my craft room windows and guilt started getting the better of me. My guilt got the better of me and I abandoned my room for a couple of hours and took my 2 dogs Molly and Bruce for a good run about in the sun, which we all enjoyed. That didn't leave a lot of time to have a long play with my new stamps but I did managed to create something. I also finished my design piece (pop back friday for that one).

Art Houses Stamps designed by Sam Poole for Creative Expressions

Card was sprayed with Dylusions, of the new 6 colours I think Funky Fuchsia is my current favourite.
Clouds, again Dylusions stamped with Ruler background, cut out using memory box die Fluffy Clouds and edged with black pen. Finished with a few touches from Posca white pen. Sentiment is also from the Art Houses stamp set. All sit upon an old wooden vintage ruler which I have cut down to size and aged with black paint.

Thanks for visiting my blog and thank you to those of you that have recently become my latest followers.
Love
Amanda X

Home Alone

Hi
Friday evening, the gateway to the weekend  (unfortunately I am working this weekend) and I find myself "home alone". I have taken the opportunity to get down and dirty with my Gelli plate, really the first time I have had a good play. I have been reading how addictive everyone has been saying that it is, and they are right. If I didnt have to get up at 5.30am tomorrow I would be still playing. The only bit I don't like is the cleaning up........ it's not the sort of thing that you can leave for another day or else I don't think I could have faced my craft room again, lol. The biggest task was cleaning my stencils, I think I might have to resort to leaving them covered in paint as I notice a lot of people don't clean them. Anyway here are my first attempts, some I like more than others, and sometimes I think less is more, but I did keep telling myself just one more colour. I would be interested to know what you think as I really appreciate your comments.

I have just to know decide what to do with them. It might even kick start me in to starting my art journal properly, I have had my Dyan Reaveley Creative Journal for a couple of months now but been a bit nervous about starting it. I think it is like when you get a new exercise book at school and always want the first page to be fantastic. Stay tuned to find out what I use them for.

thanks for visiting and have a lovely weekend
love Amanda :) X

Time for a Hug!

Hi

Hope you have all had a good week and are looking forward to the weekend.What better way to start the weekend than to come and join in with us for this weeks challenge over at Crafts4eternity, our theme this week is "Teddy Bear Picnic". Now this one gave me a bit of head scratching as I don't really do bears, but never one to back away from a challenge here is my design team piece for this week.

 

 For my main image I have used 2 stamps The bear is from Indigoblu, which I stamped with vintage sepia versafine, I then masked it off and stamped the time stamp from Crafty Individuals so it sat behind. I then cut out using a Spellbinders die (which got jammed in my ebosser and resulted in having to buy a rubber mallet to release it, but that's another story!)

I stamped the sentiment with mini alpha stamps onto a tiny tag and mat and layered several papers from my stash, distressed and inked with vintage photo distress ink. I have highlighted his eyes and nose with glossy accents to make them stand out which you cant really see in the photo.

The clock faces are a recent purchase from Ebay, a big bag full, which I love.

So why not come and join us this week at Crafts4eternity and show us your bear themed project.This weeks challenge is being sponsored by floppy Latte Designs where one lucky randomly chosen entry will win a $10 gift certificate to spend in their online digital image store.

Hope to see you over there and thanks for visiting my blog.

Love

Amanda X

I'm Dylusional!

Hi
Well what a fabulous day I have had, I have spent all day in my craft room getting down and inky with lots of Dylusions goodies. I have made a couple of cards. I did have a task in hand though, I had to make an 18th male birthday card, which I did.
Here are the 2 cards I came up with, one that I had to and one because I could, lol.

Dylusions -Monster Mash

 

 

I would also like to enter my Monster Mash card into this week challenge over at Try it on Tuesday where the challenge is "It's all about the eyes"
and
Simon says stamp and show where the theme is "Something Messy" and trust me I made a mess!

and now my 2nd card

Dylusions - Under The Sea

These stamps are so much fun and so is colouring them. all have been coloured using dylusions sprays as water colours. I have used the following Dylusion stamps:-
Monster Mash
under The Sea
Around the edge
further around the edge
Doodle parts
Say it how it is (both sentiments)

Moster Mash card background has been made using dylusion sprays and snowflake fresco paint by Paperartsy and a selection of crafters workshop and dylusion stencils.
Under the sea background was a leftover piece of card I had from using my gelli plate.
Now all is left to do is a huge tidying up session, or maybe not!
Thanks for popping by I really do appreciate you visiting.
Love
Amanda X

"Be My Valentine"

Hi

Well I can tell I have been back to work this week as my available crafty time has been limited if not non existent. I have managed to start a few things but haven't managed to finish anything other than this weeks design team piece for our weekly challenge over at Crafts4eternity. The theme this week is "Be my Valentine" there must be loads of luvvvvvvvve cards out there with Valentines Day only a few days away, so why not pop over and show us your Valentine projects, it can be absolutely anything you make with a Valentines theme. Here is mine

I have gone with a clockwork theme hence the sentiment that I have added "you make my heart work"
My main stamped image is from the recent Tim Holtz CHA 2013 release of new stamps and is from his "Industrial" Blueprint stamps, I have stamped onto Kraft card twice, cutting the gears out of one and layering on top to add depth.The background has been made by using The Crafters Workshop 6x6 mini gears stencil sprayed with Dylusions black marble and cherry pie onto watercolour card.

The heart is my first attempt at Tim Holtz technique of riveted patchwork. I cut the heart out of grungeboard using Heart wings alterations die, then covered it in pieces of ranger foil tape. It has then been distressed with red and black paint. I am actually quite pleased how it has turned out. I have then embellished it with Tim Holtz clock gears and hands with a bit of bling in the gear.

I have then stamped onto shrink plastic with the heart from Paperartsy stamp set HP1105 and added 3 of them in order to add I love you with Tims Chit Chat stickers.

And my main sentiment that links the theme again using Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers












Final touches include a few more metal gears with bling, a little burlap and bakers twine.
So why not pop over and join us and show us your Valentine project. This weeks challenge is being sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs who have generously offered, our randomly chosen winner, their choice of 4 digital designs from their fabulous range of images.

Thanks for looking and hopefully see you for this weeks challenge.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:-
Simon Says Stamp "Have a heart"
Try it on a Tuesday "Get ready for Valentines day"
Fashionable Stamping Challenge "Show Some Love"

Thanks for visiting my blog I really appreciate your visits and comments.
see you soon
Love
Amanda X

Feeling in the PINK!

Hi
"Pinch,Punch it's the first of the Month" Well this week has absolutely flown by. Why when you are off work do the days go so quickly, yet at other times they simply drag on by? Sadly I haven't done half of the things that I wanted to but at least what I did manage to do wasn't work, and that can't be a bad thing. One of the things that I have managed to do is my design team piece for this weeks challenge at Crafts4eternity our challenge this week is ROMANCE and there is a colour theme to follow (which is posted at the end of this post)
So here is my DT piece

I have this week decided to make a 5" x 7" canvas using some wonderful Stampotique stamps. I have also received my order of Tim Holtz Distress paints I had to have every colour and I have to say I am not disappointed but I do have to play with them some more but I love the fact that they, like the other distress products, react with water.

Here you can see that the stamp goes around the edges, everything was first stamped onto tissue
paper that stuck to the canvas with Claudine Hellmuth matt multi medium, the sentiment from Dylusions was added the same way.

Here are the majority of items that I have used to make this canvas. You will see I have already made a right mess of my distress paints!

You will have probably guessed by now that our ROMANCE challenge is PINK, here is the colour swatch so come and join in at Crafts4eternity this week and lets all share a bit of romance.

I am also entering this piece into the following challenges:-

Simon says stamps challenge theme is "Anything Goes"

Crafty creations challenges theme "Anything but a card"

Try it on a Tuesday theme "Get ready for Valentines day" (use at least one heart)

Fashionable Stamping Challenge theme "Show some love"

stampotique designers challenge theme "what makes you happy" and for me it is getting all painty and messy and you should have seen the state of the place after making this!!!

thanks for looking 

love

Amanda x