Flowers and More Flowers

It's a twofer today because I'm away for a few days.  This first card is for Runway Inspired Challenge and this was the inspiration:

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And I wanted to play along with Paper Artsy, where you can be inspired by anything the guest designers have posted that week.  I liked Clare Lloyd's little ATC book using JOFY flowers and was inspired to make this:

I used four pages and stitched pairs together because I was watercoluring so I didn't want any colour to bleed through.  After I'd stitched the pages together and punched the holes, I realised I needed something bigger than jump rings to hold them together, so I used a bit of ring-sized memory wire instead.  Because I've water coloured, I'm entering it into Virginia's View.

I'm also entering it into CAS on Sunday, Colour Me Pretty.

STAMPlorations March Challenge - Stamps and Spring

Ready for a new monthly challenge from STAMPlorations?  This month it's Stamps And Spring and it runs until 31 March.  You don't have to use STAMPlorations stamps to join in, but Shery would love it if you do :))

I've used Vignette Eclectic Florals for the flowers, Vignette Retro Mod Shapes for the leaves and MOM Subway Art Builders.  There are five Subway Art Builders stamps in the series, and they are designed to be used as they are or cut up to be mixed or used individually.  The blackboard stamp is one unadulterated stamp, but the background is a mix of the other stamps, using just the ones I wanted and leaving out those I didn't want.  I made my own little block of four and rotated the direction of the stamping.  The stamps are so versatile.  Check out Shery's personal blog where she's been using individual sentiments from the sets on her cards.

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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.

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Take a look here at what the rest of the design team have made, and join in to win!

Craft Stamper Take It, Make It Challenge Monoprinting With Acrylic Blocks

Welcome to my first post as part of the Craft Stamper Make It, Take It Challenge design team!!

The Make It, Take It Challenge is now on the first Friday of each month, and the theme for March is Monoprinting With Acrylic Blocks.  I've done monoprinting with a Gelli plate, so I was interested to compare the two methods.  The main difference is that there is no "give" with acrylic blocks so it's not easy to use a stencil and get a clean impression, but you can still get some lovely layered paint effects with little effort.

All you need is acrylic paint (cheap is fine), an acrylic block and a brayer.  There are different styles of brayer and I prefer to use the ones that can rest on their frame so that the roller isn't touching anything when you're not using it.

Squirt a few colours of acrylic paint onto your block.  I used blue, green, purple and an enormous blob of white (oops!) so I just grabbed another block, brayered the excess paint onto that and made two monoprint pieces.

Press some card down onto the acrylic block then peel off, and some of the paint will have transferred onto your card.  You can add more layers of colour by repeating the process. I added a bit more green and white for a second print.

Once it's dry, trim your card then it's ready to stamp onto.  Here's another view:

I'll be back next Friday with more on monoprinting with acrylic blocks.  In the meantime, why not have a go and link up to the challenge?

Sentiment: Winnie & Walter The Big, The Bold and The Happy
Grunge Background: Magenta
Embellishments: Tim Holtz Industrious Stickers

Time To Remember

OK, so here's how the thought process went on this one.  City Crafters challenge - use a black and white photo.  I've got photo stamps, would that count?  Nah, I've got plenty of black and white photos that I could scan.  Oooh, I could put a real photo behind the iPhone die cut instead of a stamped image like on this card.  I know, I'll use a photo of DH's grandad in his uniform (we've just been to see The Book Thief so I was in war mode, so to speak.  Different war, but still.)  And Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is all about tags.  I know, I'll do an iPhone tag!

This photo is of DH's grandparents, holding DH's father as a six-month old baby in 1915.  Granddad had just returned to England after six months of fighting in Northern France in World War One.  It was the first time he had seen his son, who was born two weeks after he was mobilised to France.  Imagine going off to war not knowing if you will see your new baby.  Imagine going through childbirth not knowing if your baby will ever see his father return from war (any war, not just that one).

The irony of the old photo and the iPhone got me thinking about the contrast in communications now and then.  We wouldn't be able to cope with what they had to endure!

Anyway, in the 100 year anniversary of the First World War, this tag - and the sentiment - seemed appropriate.  Those are DH's granddad's medals in the background.  DH liked the tag, he even asked me to make one for his brother.

City Crafter Smile

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Tag It

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Tick Tock (going back in time)

iPhone die: Kelly Purkey Phone Set

Sentiment: Hero Arts CL737 LOL

Congrats!

Ultra-quickie!! Sliding in as the door closes on Keep It Simple Things with Wings

Also entering Muse - here's Vicki's inspiration card:

Using Dynamic Duos colours:

And also entering Unscripted Sketches

Bye!

Anniversary Wishes

I made this card from stuff that was just hanging around my desk.  The stencilled panel has been lying around since I did the Stencilled online class, the leaves are spares from a card I made in January, and the birdcage has been in my stash for too long.

I coloured the kraft birdcage and heart with a gold brush pen, sponged Bundled Sage Distress Ink onto the stencilled panel, stamped a sentiment banner, then put it all together with the help of a pearl and some wire.

I'm entering it into the following challenges:

Just Add Ink colour challenge:

Simply Create Too Shopping Your Stash

Paper Smooches SPARKS Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Anything Goes With Pearls

Stamps: Paper Smooches Reflections, Stamping Bella Happy Anniversary

ETA:  At Kimberly's suggestion, I'm also entering it into Unscripted Sketches

OMG!!

Pinch me, someone!  I am on the Design Team for Craft Stamper Make It, Take It Challenge Blog!  Me!

Craft Stamper is THE stamping magazine, so I'm absolutely thrilled to be part of the design team.  Click here to see who my teamies are.  My first post is on Friday with the start of the new monthly challenges.  Can't wait!

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I still managed to make a card in the middle of all the excitement.  I've been drooling over some of the Rubbernecker two-part stamps, particularly some of the poppy stamps, when I remembered I'd bought a poppy set by Kaisercraft the other week.  I need to get into the habit of not putting new stamps away until I've used them, then I may have a chance of remembering I've bought them!

Anyway, I thought I'd improvise on the two-step stamping and use a big paintbrush instead.  I stamped the outline images in Simon Says Midnight Green (part of a goody bag - thanks, Simon!) then pressed my Memento ink pads onto an acrylic block and used a very wet paintbrush to splodge some blocks of colour across the flowers and leaves.  A layer of Dandelion first, then highlights with Cantaloupe, then some Bamboo Leaves on the leaves.  If you don't like staying inside the lines when you're colouring, this is the technique for you!

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Less is More, Yellow and Green

City Crafter, Do You Speak English? where you have to use a language other than English

 

The Paper Players, Thank You

And Virginia's View, a new challenge blog set up by the very talented Virginia Lu of Yes, Virginia, where the first challenge is all about watercolouring.

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I went to Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music last week, and it was an absolute hoot!  You watch the original film, Sound of Music, but it's not just watching, it's full audience participation.  We dressed as nuns - there were people dressed as Maria, as the children in their curtain play clothes, there were even two children dressed as brown paper packages tied up with string!  We had flash cards to hold up, edelweiss to wave, party poppers for when Maria and the Captain kissed.  We had to hiss at the baroness, bark at Rolfe, barf at Gretl, boo at the baddies - it was hilarious!  And of course, we sang along.  I recommend it if ever you get the chance.  I think the next one is Sing-a-Long-a Grease!

ETA:  I forgot to add it to Simon Says Work It Wednesday - use a Simon brand product.