Opportunity Knocks!

Today has been a mixture of things for me, but at least one of those things has been a bit of crafty time and with that the chance to finish off a canvas that I started weeks and weeks ago. I didn't intend  it to be a finished project it was just a practice piece using various products and techniques that were relatively new to me. However I quite liked how it all came together so continued to make it into a finished article.

I used a 5"x5" deep canvas the first stage of this project was to cover the whole canvas with kroma Crackle and then left to dry (48hrs) Then I sealed the crackle with matt multi medium and then coloured with an assortment of distress stains. Once that was all dried I added modelling paste mixed with gold acrylic paint through the stencil for dimension and texture including all 4 deep sides.

Once dry it was all a bit too gold so I roughly painted on tarnished brass distress paint to calm it all done a bit. Then I overstamped the stenciling with Kaiser Craft "Believe" stamp  then rubbed over creative expressions Patina gilding wax.

I stamped the Door onto tissue paper with black archival and then stuck it to the canvas with matt multi medium, I love how the colours come through the door. The stamp is from Crafty Individuals C1-249.

The words I came across on the internet quite by chance but I loved it
"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."

Printed on PC and grunged up a little to blend in to the background.






I thought it was still missing something so I added some flowers that would be growing around the door.

My flowers were inspired by a technique I saw Sheena Douglass do this week on Create & Craft. She had bits of old tat that she painted with black gesso and then added gilding wax and that is what my flowers are. They were some plastic, shockingly dreadful roses that came as decoration on a candle, and I gave them the black gesso treatment then gilded them with golden light wax. The leaves were die cut from card and given the same treatment.


Sorry this post has gone on a bit but hope you like my experimental piece.
I am entering this into the following challenges:-
Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes
The Artistic Stamper - Monthly theme is "Words"

Thanks for visiting
love
Amanda x

Tic, tac, Toe

It's Tic,Tac,Toe

 this week at Crafts4eternity 

 from the possible combinations I have chosen:-

Inking,Use up some scraps and 3 of something.

My inking up is my stamping all using black archival

Use up some scraps - centre image has been stamped on a scrap of gelli print background left over from a project months ago, I have replaced the butterflies aswell so they are in colour on the black and white image and black and white on the colour image.

My 3 of something is the image, I have no idea where it is from but it is one of the first stamps that I bought.

Sentiment in Tim Holtz.

Pick your line of 3 squares,straight, diagonal you choose

One randomly chosen winner will receive a $6 gift certificate from this weeks sponsor

Floppy Latte

Hope you come along and play

Love

Amanda X

Jump starting my Mojo!

Hi
Following yesterdays post regarding my mojo-less-ness I had to resort to some tactics of recovery. As all else had failed, despite spending hours poking around my craftroom, there was nothing else for it than to get the Gelli Plate out and get myself stuck into a painty mess, so I got down and dirty with it, and I have to say it's worked!!! I also tried out the shaving foam technique (purchased a couple of weeks ago but couldn't be bothered). I have had a fruitful afternoon and now have many backgrounds ready to play with and I am itching to get started..........
Normal service has now been resumed lol.
Here are my backgrounds from this afternoon:-
Gelli Plate ones, trimmed and ready to go

and my first attempts with the shaving foam technique,some on white cardand some on manilla (my manilla cards is old clocking in cards that we no longer use at work, they are fabulous quality and I have 100's of them to use up,they make fab tags)

 

Right ready to play now! See you all soon and thanks for visiting

love

Amanda X

 

In my own little world??

I have been inflicted with severe "mojo-less-ness", and am struggling to shake myself out of it. I finished a card today,  bits of it have been hanging around on my desk for days. I don't know what's the matter with me but I hope I snap out of it soon as I have several, near completion, pieces that I just need to get on with.
  I recently bought a couple of the new spring 2013 Stampotique stamps and the one that I have inked up here is "Mothloved". The sentiment is from Linda Masons Doo Lally Pip stamp set "Don't be afraid" The sentiment I have used just about sums me up at the moment!!

The background I completed before my mojo went missing. Using manilla cardstock I just kept mopping up ink left over on my craft mat. I then used modelling paste through a chevron stencil having added light green paint to colour it. Once this was dry I added some stamping on the chevrons and added some stamped arrows, washi tape and paint rings using a bottle cap to finish things off. These were then all added to a card blank which I had added similar matching bits and some machine stitching.

Over at Simon Says stamp and Show this week the challenge is "inspired by" and I have to say I get great inspiration using stampotique stamps from both Carol fox and France Papillon (click the links for their blogs). They both have inspired me to take a much more mixed media approach when working with these stamps.

Hopefully I will be back soon with my much missed Mojo in its rightful place.
Love
AmandaX

Friday Challenge at Crafts4eternity

Hi All, 

I hope that you have all had a super week, and for those in the UK have enjoyed some lovely sunshine, hopefully it will last for the bank holiday. Another friday though means another weekly challenge at Crafts4eternity. This weeks challenge is a colour recipe and here is my DT piece for the challenge:-

Background paper has been created using Distress Paints victorian velvet,vintage photo and weathered wood all which closely match our colour challenge. I have then stamped an assortment of images in black archival ink (Tim Holtz,Sheena Douglass and unknown) I have them mounted them on a tag coloured with a watered down version of the colours (I did this to use up what was left on my craft mat) I have coloured seam binding with distress paints to add to my tag. It has been a quick card this week, as I have had a bit of a hectic week at work which has kept me away from my craftroom.

Here is our inspiration for you to play along

 Our challenge is to create a project using all, or a combination, of these colours. One randomly chosen winner will have the opportunity to choose 3 downloads from this weeks generous sponsor "Stamping All Day"

So why not come along and join in with us.

Catch up with you all soon

Love

Amanda X

Perfect Papers

Hi
Another Friday and another weekly challenge over at Crafts4eternity. This weeks challenge is:-

"PERFECT PAPERS"

You have to use 3 different papers on your project.

It's been absolutely ages since I have used papers from my stash, they have been gathering dust. It's probably been even longer since I coloured up a stamped image. I recently purchased a couple of the new "Girlfriend" stamps from Art Impressions. The one I have used for this project is "Flick Chicks"

The 3 papers I have used are from "Curtain Call" collection by Graphic 45.
I stamped the image onto watercolour paper and coloured with distress Inks. Sentiment has been stamped into Tim Holtz strip die (a lot of masking to get that to fit in) All have been inked with Vintage photo and Walnut stain distress ink.

The frame has been cut from kraft card on my silhouette. I have also added a Tim Holtz rub on.

 

The film camera has also been cut from Kraft card again using my silhouette.

Other items include tim Holtz film ribbon, film strip washi tape.

 I have to say colouring this image in was great therapy, I think it just takes me back to my childhood when I use to sit with a colouring book and crayons for hours.

Anyway why not come and join us with your 3 papers project. One randomly chosen winner will be able to pick 4 images from Sassy Studio Designs.

I am also entering this card into Art Impressions Stamps Wk 108 layer it up 

and

Simon Says Stamps - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting and see you soon

Love

Amanda X

3 out of 3 and ending on a bit of Steampunk

Hi
Wednesday couldn't have come quick enough this week and am I so glad it's here, Why? it's my day off and I was so ready for it. There is loads of things that needed doing but "what the hell" I have spent it in my craftroom. I have managed to finish my last Kroma crackled heart that I prepared some weeks ago. For this one I gave the large Indigoblu folk heart a covering of deep red acrylic paint and then again added tan studio paint to the Kroma cracke and laid thickly on and left to dry. For those of you who follow my blog you will have seen that the first 2 I made included flowers for my lastone (for the moment) I wanted to do something different so I have gone all steampunk with this one.

Again everything has been stamped onto tissue paper and applied to the heart with multi matt medium. I painted the outside of the large clock with distress paint on the reverse as I wanted this to stand out.

The crackle effect on this heart I think came out the best I must have put on a thicker coat of the Kroma crackle. You can also see how the large clock stands out.
Large clock - Andy Skinner stamps
Cogs - Paperartsy stamps
Sentiment - Tim Holtz stamps

Thedepth of the heart with Tim Holtz ideaology clockface and spinner.
All the edges of the heart are highlighted with Creative Expressions Deep Red Gilding Wax.


I have added wings using Layered wings Alterations die. I covered mount board in Ranger Foil tape sheet, die cut, then embossed with alterations mechanical embossing folder. All was then covered in black gesso and rubbed off lightly, adding a final rubbing of Creative Expressions deep red gilding wax.


This is to be another giveaway for a friend of mine, I might have to make another as I would have hung this one on my wall.

I would also like to enter this into the following challenges:-
Try it on a Tuesday - Theme is "Inventors,Inventions and Steampunk
also
Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Theme is "Sentimental"

Thanks for popping by, if you leave a comment I can pop over and visit you.

Love
Amanda X

Dream in Colour

Hi and a big hello to my latest followers I am delighted that you have decided to follow my blog. This Friday, as on other Fridays, is the start of a new challenge over at Crafts4eternity. I have bought myself this week Creative Expression stamps Art Flowers and Zentangled flower both designed by the very talented Sam Poole. Well you know what its like you just have to use them. Fortunately they fit in with this weeks challenge "April Showers brings Spring flowers" any project including flowers. My other inspiration this week, having been blog visiting seems to be using up your scraps, and we all have loads of those. So combining the 2 things here is my design team piece for this weeks challenge.

I created the background by sticking, on black card,  loads of random painted/stenciled strips that have been trimmed off previous projects. I stamped the zentangle flower with Archival ink and heat embossed with WOW matt clear embossing powder. The flower has then been hoghlight with a white Posca pen. The Sentiment and stamped tape strips are from art flowers set.

Here you can see the closeups.
The final addition to this project was adding the numerical remnants rubs from Tim Holtz.







So why not pop along to crafts4eternity and join us with your floral inspired piece. We would all love to have you join in with us. One randomly selected entry will receive a choice of 3 digi images from the Crafts4eternity store.

Thanks for visiting and see you all soon, not this weekend though as I am working :-(
Love
Amanda X

2 out 0f 3

Hi
Hope that you have all had a good Monday, especially those of us in the UK where we have at last got some nice weather, for the moment at least. This is just a quick post tonight as I have finished another of my Kroma Crackle hearts. For those of you following my blog you might remember several weeks ago I was showing signs, infact bordering on addition, of Kroma crackle and prepared 3 MDF folk hearts from Indigoblu. The first I have completed and posted previously, this is now the 2nd one at last finished. This heart is the largest of the 3 available folk hearts.

A quick "How I made it" is, heart was painted with purple paint then mixed the Kroma crackle with Studio traditional tan paint (you only need a little paint to colour it.) then applied a thick coverage and left to dry. Once dried it was sealed with Slap IT On matte from Indigoblu.I then stamped, onto tissue paper, Clematis Flourish (Indigoblu)and then again in order to just pick some flowers. It was then carefully coloured with Prismacolor pencils,ripped around my image and adhered to my heart using Slap it on. The sentiment again from Indigobu this time Discover your Passion set, was heat embossed onto tissue paper using cosmic shimmer denim lilac aurora embossing powder, this gives a colour changing effect when moved in the light. To finish some lace, ribbon and charms.
The colour scheme was given to me by a friend who said "can you make me a heart with purple in it"? I hope she likes it now it's finished.

I am entering this also into the current challenge being hosted by Indigoblu their theme is
Words & Phrases

Thanks for visiting and see you soon
Love Amanda X

Wonderful Wings

Hi

Well another week has come and gone and my crafting has only consisted of a few stolen hours this week. I haven't had any real quality time to spare this week and still have several half finished projects dotted around my room. I have managed to find enough stolen minutes to complete my design team piece for this weeks challenge at Crafts4eternity. Our theme for this week is:-

Wonderful Wings

My design piece is made using my long awaited purchase of Tim Holtz Pocket Watch frame.

I cut one layer of the die and then 6 more adding the coordinating circle movers and shapers die to give the watch depth. The background and final layer of the watch has been made using Papersrtsy metal card and embossed using Tim Holtz gears texture fade, both were then painted with black soot distress paint and then wiped off to age the metal. I then swooshed spiced marmalade and brolen china distress paint onto a tag, dried and then stamped my betterfly headed gentleman (Paperartsy) twice, cut out and added to my background with silicone to give dimension, the background has also been splattered with those colours and seedless preserves.

 

 I then added on old watch face and ideaology gears and spinner. The buttereflies on the men have been highlighted with glossy accents (not that you can see that). I then die cut 3 butterflies using Tims mini butterfly die, again coloured with matching distress paint and then stamped over with a selection of Paperartsy stamps. I finished them off adding my treasured rusty pen nibs (Ebay bargain). Before putting my final embossed layer on I cut an acetate layer to cover the lot (again photo doesn't show this) The word beads I have then stuck to the acetate so they appear to be floating above ( perhaps seen better in photo below).

This final photo shows you the depth of the finished piece. The edges and back have all been aged using creative expression pewter gilding wax which is fab. I have, to display it on, painted a small easel black and again aged it with the pewter gilding wax and added ideaology bits. 

I have really enjoyed making this piece so expect a few more pocket watch pieces lol.

So why not come and join us at Crafts4eternity and show us your winged projects.This challenge is being sponsored by "Stamping all Day" and one randomly chosen winner will win 3 digital images of their choice. 

I would also like to enter this into the following challenges:-

country view challenges For the month of April the challenge is Butterflies

Anything Goes Challenge The theme is Heavy Metal
Simon Says Stamp and Show The theme is Fly

Finally thanks for stopping by I really appreciate your visit
Love
Amanda X

Sweet Spring

Hi
This is my second writing of this blog entry as I have just deleted everything that I wrote yesterday, and scheduled, how annoying is that? This will be shorter than yesterdays edition as I am dashing off to work. Well it's friday which means another new challenge over at Crafts4eternity   and our theme this week is a Sweet Spring using the colour recipe (which you will find at the end of this post)

Here is my design piece for this week:-

I started with a piece a kraft card which you can see in places poking through, added some ripped patterned papers of coordinating colours, then swooshed distress paints also matching the colour recipe. I then used various stencils and added Paperartsy fresco paints. I added colour matching washi tapes torn up and a little leftover lace that I have also painted. I then got quite manic with my sewing machine just to add more texture to the piece.

The image is "Midge" from Stampotique. I have stamped her onto dictionary paper that I had given a wash off gesso, then cut her out. The sentiment stamp is from a Paperartsy urban collection.

the colour recipe I followed is this one:-

So why not get into the mood for spring and play along with us this week  here. One randomly chosen winner will win 3 digital images of their choice from Crafts4eternity.

I am also entering this into:- Inspiration Emporium monthly challenge for April Marvelous masks and spectacular stencils

Thanks for popping by I really appreciate you visiting
love
Amanda X

Finished Canvas

Hi  everyone and a special hello to my latest followers, I hope you enjoy my journey.
 For those of you that visited my earlier post WOYWW 199 this last week you will have seen a glimpse of some of the projects that I have on the go at the moment. This is now one of those glimpses that I have finished a 7" x 5" canvas.

This project again continues with me playing with Kroma crackle. I covered the canvas with kroma crackle and left to dry for a couple of days. Once dry I added the word beautiful, ripped from a sheet of 7gypsies Lillie paper, then sealed it all with matt multi medium and let the colouring commence. There is a variety of  products applied but it has been firstly washed over with distress stains then a variety of acrylic paints applied in a random fashion.

I cut, from chipboard, Tim Holtz heart and heart wings, again Kroma crackle used for the heart which was then edged in creative expressions deep red gilding wax. The wings were covered in dictionary paper, gesso and then liquitex glass beads gel which adds great light and texture.
Using black archival ink I stamped the text onto tissue paper several times and sealed to the canvas using matt multi medium.

To add yet further texture I applied modelling paste through a stencil to just one side. Once dry this was then coloured with acrylic paints and a little Kroma crackle with red acrylic paint added splashed randomly. The sentiment "Embrace love and cherish the memories" I have created using Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:-
Simon Says Stamp and Show - This week is an Anything Goes week
and
The Artistic Stamper - Where the April Challenge is Texture

Thanks for visiting, I hope you have all had a lovely Easter break.
See you soon
Love
Amanda X