STAMPlorations Release Week - Day 2

Why did the chickens cross the road?  To get to the recording studio.

Sorry.  But I just couldn't resist an Abbey Road-style tableau.  I couldn't keep them exactly in line, otherwise they would have been biting each other's bums - as it was, I've cut off John's nose and George's tail.  If you're familiar with the album cover, you'll realise that they're going in the opposite direction (on their way back to the studio).

Seeing as it's my turn to be showcased today in the STAMPlorations Release Week with my new set, Fowl Play, I thought I'd treat you to a couple more cards.

Mummy chick is feeding a worm to baby chick while daddy watches.  Blue daddy + red mummy = purple baby ;)  I accidentally smudged the mummy chick's beak, so I just drew in a worm to disguise it and added a hole in the ground.

This panel was left over from making my phone cover.  I just stamped the images then bleached the colour out with water, and scribbled in a bit of ground to er, ground the images.

Fowl Play

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team. It wouldn't be a release week without prizes, so here's what we've got for you:

• 2 winners of $25 gift certificates randomly drawn from comments left the STAMP blog and designer blogs
• 1 winner of her choice of 1 stamp set from the new release randomly drawn from our Facebook page
• 1 winner of her choice of CUTplorations die from the new release randomly drawn from our Instagram page

All the stamps and die plates in the new release are 5% off until 10 February, and if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY at any time on stamps, stencils and dies, you'll get 20% off, even sale prices.

STAMPlorations Inspiration #117

It's Inspiration Tuesday at STAMPlorations, and I've got a little sneak peek of what's coming in an hour from now - my newest stamp set, Fowl Play!  I've paired my chickie with balloons from Becca's A Snarky Birthday To You.

I'm adding this to Darnell's NBUS #10.  Not only are the stamps NBUS, but the grass is too - it's a Sharpie Paint Pen which I've had for ages and never used.  No optional bubblewrap for me today, but I'm sure I'll be back to play again with bubblewrap.

And to Less Is More (I haven't played there in ages!) where the theme is one or more balloons.

While we're on the subject of balloons and bubblewrap, there's some popping to do.  Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and leave a comment for a chance to win gift certificate.  Then pop back in an hour for more of my Fowl Play stamps.

Speaking of which, if you are thinking of buying any stamps, stencils or dies from STAMPlorations, you can get 20% off, even on sale prices, if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY at the checkout.

STAMPlorations Release Week - Day 1

It's STAMPlorations release week, and we've got some fabulous goodies for you to drool over.  First up is Shery's latest stamp set, Noteworthy 2, packed with encouragement quotes.  I chose the 'jump' quote because I couldn't resist pairing it with this little guy, who you'll see again tomorrow.

Noteworthy 2

I scribbled the side of a house for him to jump off.  Hmm, might design a large house stamp, whaddaya think?  I'm trying a different approach with my photography this week.  I've always admired those people who can stage gorgeous photos without taking anything away from the card, so I thought I'd study them and see if I could attempt something similar.  Whaddaya think?

Anyway, there are prizes to be won at STAMPlorations this week.  Here's what we've got for you:

• 2 winners of $25 gift certificates randomly drawn from comments left the STAMP blog and designer blogs
• 1 winner of her choice of 1 stamp set from the new release randomly drawn from our Facebook page
• 1 winner of her choice of CUTplorations die from the new release randomly drawn from our Instagram page

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team, and get commenting for more chances to win!

Until 10 February, all the new release stamps and die plates are 5% off.  And if you want to use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY, you'll get another 20% off :)

STAMPlorations Inspiration #116 - Shery Russ Designs

It's Inspiration Tuesday at STAMPlorations, and this week we're featuring Shery Russ Designs, the stamps made by Shery, the creator of STAMPlorations.  There's 10% off all her range this week, with 20% off Oh So Grateful stamps and coordinating die set - no coupon needed.

I've used the frame and a flower from Floral Bliss, and a sentiment from Blossom Overture.  I found a panel in my stash that just had gold paint on it.  I'm pretty sure it's Tarnished Brass Distress Paint, and I can't remember if I used a mini brayer or credit card, but either way, it was smeared onto the card.  I dipped and smooshed the card in Distress Inks (Aged Mahogany, Pickled Raspberry, Fossilised Amber, Frayed Burlap).  The gold paint resists the ink.  I coloured the flower with Distress Ink, and again the paint resisted the ink, giving a nice mottled appearance to the flower.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team, and don't forget to leave a comment there for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate.

Then pop over to the STAMPlorations store to browse Shery's stamps.  If you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you'll get 20% off any stamps, dies or stencils in the store, even on sale prices!

Oh, Dear, What Can The Matter Be?

...
This old lady was locked in the lavatory
I was there for two hours actually
Nobody knew I was there.

But before I tell you about that, a card.  I'm playing along with Darnell's 5th blogaversary NBUS party, where the prompt is twofold: use some NBUS, and coloured pencils on kraft.

My NBUS stamps are The Bee's Knees Winter Mug and Shery's Coffee For All Seasons.  These were released in November, but because I was away I didn't get to play with them until now.

*****

So.  Back to the bog.  DH was going out to do a bit of shopping and take the dog for a walk.  I'd gone into the bathroom, and as I turned the door handle to come out, the spring broke, and the handle was turning nothing.  I climbed on the bath to shout out of the window only to hear the car driving off.  B*gger!  So I emptied the bathroom cupboard looking for anything that I could improvise with, but surprisingly there were no screwdrivers, lock picks or hammers in there.  DH could be gone for a couple of hours, so I cleaned out the now empty cupboard and sorted the contents.  Did some exercises.  Cleaned a bit more.  More exercises.  Only half an hour had passed....  Fortunately for me, Florence isn't too good on her pins right now, so DH was back fairly soon.

Me (shouting through door):  Can you come up here?
DH: What, now?
Me: NOW!!!
...
Me:  Can you open the door please?
DH:  It won't open ...

B*gger again!  I'd just thought it would open from the other side.  Cue tool box, shoving screwdrivers under door, sliding credit cards down door frame, resorting to big hammer.  During all this:

DH:  Well, I had my mobile on me, you should have rung.

Bless.

Currently there is no handle on the door, but there is a screwdriver in the cupboard.

I wouldn't care, but this is the second time it's happened to me.  A few years ago we were in Thailand, we'd checked out of the hotel earlier, but used the shower facilities before our journey to the airport.  DH went first while I sat with the hand luggage, then I went.  There was a changing room and separate shower room, so I got undressed, showered, went back to the changing room, and it had locked me out.  There was an English lady drying her husband's underpants under the hand dryer (I kid you not) and she offered to get the receptionist to sort it out, but there was obviously a language problem (or she'd run off laughing, not sure which) and nobody came.  So out I go into the hotel lobby, draped in two towels, trying to attract DH's attention.  I certainly attracted attention, but it took a while to get DH to look at me ;)  Eventually one of the hotel porters was sent around the back with a ladder to climb through the changing room window and unlock it from the inside.  Meanwhile, another porter had loaded our bags onto the wrong minibus, and our suitcases were already on their way to the airport... fortunately I had my change of clothes in the hand luggage.  Then, when I got to the airport, I went to the loo and realised I had my knickers on inside out.  But there was no way I was jinxing things and changing them!!!

Too much information??

Seize The Birthday - Dashes and Doodling

Welcome to Seize The Birthday, where our theme for this challenge is Dashes and Doodling.

This is another card for my great-nephew's stash of birthday cards for his classmates.  The little monster is from a PaperArtsy set by Elina Zinski.  I watercoloured him with Distress Inks and fussy cut him, added a pre-printed sentiment circle that already has dashes on it, then adhered it to a base that I had in my stash.  I stamped the brushstroke then added some doodling above it to make it look like the monster is jumping or bouncing.  Some glossy accents on the eyes and a die-cut 5 complete the card.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team, and join in with us.  If you don't want to use dashes or doodling, you can still play along with any birthday project.

It's Not A Card!

Just a quickie.  I treated myself to a new phone, and thought it deserved a pretty, artsy, colourful cover (so that I've got half a chance of finding it in the bottom of my bag!).  The cover is clear, so I can just change out the artwork whenever I want :)

If you want to see how I made it, pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for a picture tutorial.

I'm entering this into Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything But A Card.  (I can't display the new graphic for the challenge because it links to the winner's badge instead of the challenge badge.)