Road Trip

I've been splatting again.  I couldn't help it - it's my current go-to embellishment and I like the little bit of interest it adds to the white space (and the unpredictability!!).

I'm playing along with this month's One Layer Simplicity Challenge - Road Trip.

And at Simon Says Monday Challenge where the theme is Journey.

And at The Paper Players where the theme is Three of Anything.

I've used three stamps.  I inked the two bottom stamps up with Distress Inks - Dusty Concord, Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers and Peeled Paint - then spritzed them lightly before stamping.  The sunglasses are stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

The swoosh stamp at the bottom is from Hero Arts Brush Strokes, the text stamp and the sunglasses stamp are unbranded clear stamps that I picked up after I'd been to the Port Sunlight show from a rival company that had set up across the road.  I only paid £1 for three stamp sets.  The sunglasses image isn't very good quality, but it's nothing that a black pen can't fix.

Orange Butterflies

I wasn't expecting to be back again today but I've just seen the deadline for Colour Me which is fast running out.  Yesterday I made a card for a challenge and missed the deadline, and I didn't want to repeat that today.  So you've got me twice.

I'm also entering it into CAS(E) This Sketch:

And Time Out Challenges where the inspiration is Home Sweet Home:

ETA: the stamps are from STAMPlorations:
Butterflies from Vignette: Artful Flutters 

Banner from Vignette: Retro Mod Shapes 

Sentiment from Patchwork Frenzy: Graphic Squares

STAMPlorations Sketch #9

We have a new sketch at STAMPlorations for the next two weeks and our Guest designer is Kathy.

I just saw a window.  So I cut down an aperture card so that I had the four squares.  I made a weatherboard panel and cut out the centre and mounted the window frame onto the panel, then adhered a layer of DP on the card stock and added a piece of lace to the back of the window.  I stamped the flowers from Vignette: Eclectic Florals and added shading with coloured pencils.

Here's what's on offer:

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PRIZE

The sketch challenges are sponsored by our sister shop, All About Scrapping. The winner gets to pick 3 DIGITAL products from the shop -- any combination of printable sheets, Photoshop templates, and digital paper packs. The winner will also be invited as a Guest Designer in next month's sketch challenge.

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Click on over to the blog to see what the rest of the Design Team have created for your inspiration.  Don't forget, if you enter the monthly challenge and the two sketch challenges, you'll be in the running for a random prize.

STAMPlorations April Challenge - Stamps and Your Favourite Technique

It's time for a new challenge at STAMPlorations, and this month it's all about stamping and your favourite technique.  Our guest designer for the challenge is Sian.

My current favourite technique is water colouring - and splatting.  What, you hadn't noticed?!?  For this card, I made a pale yellow background then while it was still wet, stamped the images which then bled into the wet areas.  Once dry, I then overstamped the images and added highlights with coloured pencils.  Oh, and some splatter.  Love splatter.

I used Vignette: Eclectic Florals and Vignette: Artful Flutters

Here are the deets:

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PRIZE

The winner will receive 2 clear stamp sets of her choice from the Vignette, Patchwork Frenzy, and Subway Art series. (Visit the shop to see the available stamp sets.) Also, the winner will be invited to be a Guest Designer.

A TWIST IN OUR CHALLENGES

Participate in all 3 challenges we host this month and you'll be in the running to win this prize package courtesy of our sister shop, All About Scrapping.

This month's random prize draw winner will receive 1 package of Tsukineko BRILLIANCE Dew Drop PLANETARIUM ink pads: Galaxy Gold, Platinum Planet, Starlite Silver, and Cosmic Copper

The challenge is open until 30 April - come and join us!

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I got to meet my STAMPlorations teamie Monika at Port Sunlight on Saturday - we met up at the little cafe and oohed and aahed over each other's purchases :)  Monika's bag is strategically placed to hide the rubbish from the stall at the back of us!

Craft Stamper Make It,Take It Challenge - Bottles

This month's challenge at Craft Stamper Make It, Take It is all about bottles.  Altered bottles, wine bottle tags, cards with bottle image stamps, bottle wraps, whatever you can think of, as long as your project relates to bottles and includes stamping.

Several years ago there was a little craze for altering small bottles (these ones are about 2 inches high) and I have some left over, but they are in a safe place.  Very safe.  I've no idea where.  So I borrowed some from my friend Elsa until I find my stash.  You need to prep your bottle by washing it in washing up liquid and removing all trace of any sticky labels, then rinse and dry it thoroughly.

I sponged on Jaquard Lumiere metallic paints, starting with Olive at the bottom then Pearl Blue, then Opal White around the top.  It dries really quickly.  Then I smeared some Indigo Blu Flitter Glu around the bottom of the bottle then stuck some Stampendous Shabby White Embossing Enamel and heated it to set.

The butterfly stamps and dies are Clearly Besotted Butterfly Wishes and the butterfly word is from STAMPlorations MOM Subway Art Builders - Unconditional Love.  I wrapped some blue wire around the neck to finish off.

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog challenge and take a look at what the rest of the Design Team have made, and join in to win!

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I had the pleasure of meeting up with some of my Make It, Take It teamies at Port Sunlight on Saturday:

Linda, me, Nikki, Elizabeth

I was very restrained.  I didn't get anything on my list, but didn't go home empty-handed either :)

I'll be back next Friday with a card featuring bottle images.

Birthday Ovals

I seem to be stitching, scuffing and splatting everything in sight lately, and I've learned one useful lesson about paintbrushes.  The longer the bristles, the further the splat range and the less control you have over where it lands.  I tried splatting with a shorter-bristled brush on this one and it was much easier and neater (as neat as splatting can be, anyway).  And all the splats landed on the card instead of the desk and the walls :)

So this card is for a few challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays - use ovals.  I've used the CAS-ual Fri-Dies Oval Tag, both as a die and a mask.

The design has come from the inspiration at Runway Inspired Challenge:

At CAS on Sunday it's Stitched - Faux or Real

And at Simon Says Wednesday it's Happy Birthday.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Vignette: Live Love Laugh, Vignette Chevron and Arrows

Circle Flowers

I've got some improvised flowers for you today.  I'm entering the challenge at Uniko Studio,  where the theme is Hello Spring and this is the colour board:

I do have some Uniko Studio flower stamps but I wanted to use the circle stamps from the Background Builders: Round in Circles set because the challenge at Less is More is Round and Round:

The challenge at City Crafter is Easter or Spring

I'm playing stretch-a-sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch again:

And the challenge at Simon Says Monday Challenge is No Rules - Anything Goes.

I stamped the large circle stamp three times with Versamark, then stamped the stems using the row of circles stamp.  I cut a length of it off to use as leaves.  Then I embossed the images with clear embossing powder and added colour using Distress Inks and a paintbrush.  Faded Denim for the flowers, stems and leaves, and Bundled Sage, Evergreen Bough and Tumbled Glass for the background, which I just splodged on with the brush.  Then I thought I'd add some stitching to the stems for a bit of detail.

Stamps: Uniko Studio All Occasions Sentiments #2, Background Builders: Round in Circles