Unwinding...................

Hi everyone, hope you have all had a lovely bank holiday weekend, mine has been spent working, oh the joys of retail!!! After a busy weekend I am now home with my aching feet up, bliss.

I have managed to keep up to date with blogland through my iphone and it looks like many of you have enjoyed a crafty weekend, (jealousy has kicked in). I might get to potter a bit in my craftroom tonight but more likely I'll fall asleep infront of the TV lol.

Just thought I would post a quick card I made last week as I wanted to play with my new Marilyn Monroe stamp from Deep Red Stamps.

The background was simply 3 distress ink pads peacock,raspberry & lemonade directly dabbed randomly onto card and then sprayed with water so they merged together slightly.

The card was then cut up for the background and the remainder stamped 3 times with the Marilyn stamp, mat and layered onto black cardstock. The sentiment is from Indigoblu stamp set "Brideshead" then a few diamond gems to finish it off.

This is probably my last post before I jet off  for a bit of R&R in the South of France, can't wait. So I will see you all in a couple of weeks.

Love

Amanda X

Enjoy the Ride!

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all looking forward to the Bank Holiday this weekend in the UK, sadly I am working 

and the weather is meant to be lovely,  just my luck.......

With only a week to go until I am away for my well earned holiday in the South of France my time has been a bit in short supply this week, but as it is Friday I have found the time to make my DT piece for this weeks challenge at

Crafts4eternity

where out theme this week is 

"TIME TO GO" and the challenge is to make something with a Travel Theme.

Why is it that when you don't have much time things don't work out as you intend them to? I am not sure about my piece this week but have to go with it as I haven't time to make anything else, so here goes

Background is some gesso painted map page ripped up and stuck to white card, then smeared with distress paints using a baby wipe edged with matching distress ink. Motorbike and compass are stamps from Deep Red stamp company. Arrow has been stamped onto map paper and left white and a touch of 7Gypsies pointing finger washi tape. I have used several Tim Holtz remnant rubs and my dymo gun. This has all been matt and layered onto 7gypsies 8x8 from the journey paper pad (love this paper).

 If you are thinking of making something that fits our theme this week why not pop over and show it to us HERE .

 Hopefully see you there and you hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Love

Amanda X 

2nd Guest Designer Post for Ryn

Hi, hope you all have had a lovely weekend.

Just a quick post to say that I have had my 2nd guest designer piece published by Ryn of 

"Designs By Ryn"

Ryn designs and manufactures her own unique range of rubber stamps which are deeply etched and beautiful to stamp with.  For this, my 2nd guest designer post I have used the wonderful "Candra" moth stamp.

Here is a sneak peak of what I created, which is in stark contrast to my first guest designer make.

To view in full just click HERE. 

Ryn's blog features some fantastic work from her design team who all, in their own unique way, demonstrate what fabulous works of art her stamps can create. They all offer wonderful inspiration using many different mediums across a range of styles of interpretation.

Well worth a look.

See you all soon 

and thanks for visiting

Love

Amanda X

I do like to be beside the seaside..........

Hi and a big welcome to you all, thanks for visiting today. 

Fridays seem to come round far too quickly at the moment and as it is Friday again it means another new challenge over at Crafts4eternity. Our theme for this coming week is 

"SUMMER SUN"

which means you can join us with any summer themed project that you make.

I have made a vintage style card using Kraft card and distress inks as watercolours78.

all stamped images from Crafty Individuals CI-278 plate and sun is Indigoblu's "Square peg in a round hole" stamped with 3 distress inks.

Kraft card has been embossed using Tim Holtz Alterations Postcard folder, I have had to piece it up but I have covered the join using some cheesecloth dyed with distress stain.

The final touch was a few shells collected from the beach a couple of weeks ago.

So why not join in with us with your bit of Summer Sun.

This challenge is sponsored by Crafts4eternity and one randomly chosen winner will have a choice of 3 digital images.

Hope to see you play along with us this week.

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

Our Creative Corner - Words,Words,Words - mine being the lyrics to this summer song
Anything Goes Challenge  - By The Sea
Make My Monday - Add some dimension  (cheesecloth and shells)
Frilly and funkie - By the Seaside
Country View Challenges - Quotations & Sayings (2nd entry)
Crafty Individuals - August open challenge
thanks for visiting and an extra special thank you to all of you that leave me your comments, they are truly appreciated.

Love
Amanda X

A Corrosive Friday!!

It's time for another weekly challenge over at Crafts4eternity and our theme this week is

"CORROSION" which is a colour swatch challenge

I have used acrylic paints that match the colours of the swatch and played with my gelli plate and stencils to create the smaller background piece. The main stencil is journaling left hand by Stencil Girl and a variety of other stencils. The larger background I have created using the piece of paper that I cleaned my brayer off on and just added a bit more stenciling to fill in the blank bits.

Text is Tim Holtz remnant rubs and finally my stamped image is from Deep Red rubber - Doc Martins.

This is the colour swatch which has inspired this card, and hopefully inspire you to come and play along with us this week.

Our sponsor this week is Floppy Latte who are offering one randomly chosen winner a $6 gift certificate to spend in their online store.

So go on, pop over and get "Corrosive" with us.

see you all soon

love

Amanda X

Windmills of my mind.......

Hi everyone, and an extra hi to my newest followers, hope you enjoy my crafty journey.

I have had a weekend that has just been a social whirl,and it has been lovely catching up with friends that I haven't seen in a while. I have not had that much time to get in my crafty space but what little time I have had I have used to use up some distress inked crafty scraps.

I have a bit of a thing about circles so got out a couple of circle punches and punched out from some scraps. I then starting getting these song lyrics running through my mind.

"Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind"

so I thought that would be a great statement on my card so printed from my PC.

other stamps include from designs by Ryn - Raindrops & Sea Bubbles

also Quantum by Deep Red Stamps. 

The stamped woman's face is from Viva las Vegastamps and her eyes and lips have been coloured with distress ink and then highlighted with Glossy accents I love how it has made her eyes look . 

I am entering this into this months challenge over at Country View Crafts  where August's  challenge is "Quotations & Sayings"

Thanks for visiting and see you soon

Love 

Amanda

 

Here Comes The Bride

Here Comes The Bride

This weeks challenge over at Crafts4eternity

We would love to see your cards that celebrate a wedding or anniversary.

The card I have made is to celebrate a Ruby Wedding Anniversary. The stamped image is "Poppy Heart" from Indigoblu. I have used the stamp to also create the background by first stamping with versamark and then applying the Pan Pastel which then makes the stamped image stand out as it picks up more of the pan pastel.

Sentiment stamp is from LOTV and embellished with a little ruby bling and Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

Quite a simple card for me!!

Our sponsor for this challenge is "StampingAll Day" 

and one randomly chosen entry will be able to choose 3 downloads from them.

So why not come and join us?

Thanks for visiting and see you soon

love

Amanda X

Featured as a Guest Designer!

Hi everyone hope your week has started well. I have to say mine has!! 

I have been featured as a Guest Designer on the wonderful "Designs by Ryn" Blog HERE

If you haven't discovered Ryn's stamps before please go and have a look as they are a brilliant collection and you will find many new favourites, click HERE to visit her online shop.

Ryn is based in Canada and will post world wide.

 Ryn has included a couple of my previously posted cards but I have also completed 2 new projects

Here are a couple of sneak peeks of those new projects

please visit Ryns Blog HERE to see these 2 projects and the fantastic work that her design team produce using her fantastic stamps.

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day

love

Amanda X

Shabby Chic but not intentionally

This week over at Crafts4eternity our challenge for this coming week is  
"Anything Goes"

I ordered and received this week, having seen many wonderful projects out there in Blogland, Karen Burnistons Sizzix accordion Album Die. I had an idea in my head what I wanted to make, however it didn't turn out as I first imagined. It ended up quite shabby chic which wasn't where I was originally going, this I have to say happens quite often, lol,

I cut the die in acetate, probably not the best medium to start with. The frame is cut from corrugated packaging, trimming out the centre as I can't find anyone with the matching frame die in stock. It is then painted roughly with gesso and sprayed with chocolate dylusion spray and then edged with shabby white embossing powder, torn pieces of Tim Holtz tissue tape finish it off.

I then punched out, from varies DP'sand edged with walnut stain D.I 3 sizes of butterflies and glued to the acetate, they are meant to look like they are flying towards you. I then added T.H. tickets,chit chat stickers and embellishments. I have edged the card in vintage lace before sticking the front and back paper on.

As this closes flat (well flatish) here is the front

I can't really get a good photo but hopefully you get the idea. I am not really sure that I am happy with it but it has at least been a good chance to practice with my new die. I need to have another play with it.

So why not pop over to Crafts4eternity and show us what you have just made as it's "Anything Goes" week.

Thanks for visiting,

Love

Amanda X

We are not amused!!

This post starts with a Phew!! how hot is it here? Full credit to all of you that have managed to keep on crafting and posting, Respect!!! My craft room is an absolute sauna, thanks to being in the roof of the house (loft conversion), having said that this heat has sapped my enthusiasm as working in it all day just saps my energy. None of the above is a complaint though, long may it last we need a summer. Having said all that I had to brave the heat tonight to make my piece for this weeks challenge over at Crafts4eternity. Our theme this week is:-

"Inky Fingers" 

Projects featuring paint, inks, spray inks, will allow ink pads eg. distress ink on the edges of papers etc.

I have used as my Inky Fingers theme a gelli plate background with acrylic paint.

I have stamped the Mona Lisa onto dictionary paper and coloured her with coloured pencils.

Sentiment is a rub on from Kaisercraft

other embellishments are from Heidi Swapp - Sugar Chic Buzz Words collection

Here is a close up, I love her glasses lol.

So why not brave the heat and join in with us for this weeks inky challenge.

One randomly chosen entry will win 4 digi images of their choice from this weeks sponsor

Sassy Studio Designs.

Hopefully see you there, thanks for stopping by

love

Amanda X

A Little Princesses Bithday

................ and that little Princess is my beautiful niece Danielle who yesterday reached the ripe old age of 9!! What that also means is that another cute creation rolled off my craft desk. I had to confess that I have really enjoyed colouring in the image especially to just be able to sit in the lovely (if not a tad too hot!!) current sunshine and just loose myself amongst my coloured pencils.

My main image is Princess Peanelope rubber stamp by Saturated Canary which I have coloured with Prismacolor pencils blended with sansador. The 2 sentiments are from LOTV (happy birthday) and Whimsey (Cherish stamp and die). I have included many die cut elements to embellish the card. Flowers are from my stash, I was going to make them but just ran out of time.

Main image edged, through the die, with Spun Sugar distress ink

Butterfly die cuts and touches of bling and stickles add a few final sparkly touches

and I also decorated the inside of the card

I am entering this card in to Saturated Canary latest challenge where the theme is "Celebration" my celebration being Birthday.

Thanks for visiting

See you soon

Love 

Amanda X

Lets see the world together...

I can't believe I forgot to schedule my design piece in readiness for tomorrows challenge that starts tomorrow at 8am for Crafts4eternity, so I find myself at past midnight on my laptop frantically getting this blog post together (it might be a short post).
The theme for this weeks challenge is a colour challange

My make this week features Linda's new bag from Stampotique. I stenciled with modelling paste the eye chart onto card that had had the distress paint and stains treatments edge with distress embossing powder in vintage photo. Background is Tim Holtz kraft and I have used Tim's picture wheel die, a 7 gypsies tag and a map of the world cut out from patterned paper. The text has been added with Kaisercraft mini alpha letters.

and the colours for the challenge are RUST

So if these colours inspire you, and you don't have to use all of them, why not pop along and join us for this weeks challenge here. Crafty Sentiments Designs are offering one randomly chosen entry to choose 3 digi images of their choice.
hopefully see you over there
love
Amanda X