Altered Book Pages

This is a double sided altered book page for Nicole. I've used old books and transfers for these.

Daring Card Makers / Birthday Card for a Friend

I have put this card over on the Daring Card Makers blog for this week's challenge which is :
Embossing.
Dry embossing with a light box or with a die cutting machine.
Using embossing powders or triple embossing.
Using pre-embossed papers.
Embossing with found items.
Just have fun playing!
There is some fabulous work on this blog so go on over and have a look - the link in on my challenge links.

The postie came today with a couple of parcels and one included a melting pot which I have been after for quite some time and two cuttlebug embossing folders - hmm... Anyway - I had to give them a go so I have made this card for very non crafty friend. The card has a Tim Holtz stamp in ancient page brown ink. For the main piece I used the script embossing folder from Cuttlebug and a gold rub-on over it, I then tore a coffee cup from a napkin and used my melting pot and some bees wax to stick it down. Over this I stamped two inkadinkadoo stamps onto acetate and attached them with brown organza ribbon. TFL.

Wednesday Stamper - Polka Dots

This week's challenge is Polka Dots. I have used sticky metal brads for the dots along with a BG paper strip at the bottom. Stella Ruby paper for the background stamped with Hero Arts Swirls and stars. Spin art with alcohol inks on acetate layered onto text paper and a Cherry pie art stamp as the juggler. The text at the bottom reads 'Juggling was only one of her talents'. Hope you like it. I like all the colours on this one.

Scrapwest Challenge - Celtic Inspired

This week's challenge - set by myself - is Celtic Inspired. I recently bought a plate of celtic stamps and thought I had better use them so this is the result. Its a 9x7 canvas and was painted black over gesso and rice paper. I then used silk outliners to draw the gold designs, some gold leafing onto laminate adn stamps. The finished result was originally just a black background but it just wasn't right. I have now added various gold and purple metallic glazes, metallic rub-ons and pearl-ex poweder to add a bit of interest.

Wednesday Stamper - Flowers

These challenges are great for pushing me out of my comfort zone. Flowers would not be something I thought would be easy for me to do. I have made the background with acrylic paints, vaseline for a resist and a lovely copper glaze over the finished piece. I then layered, yes, you guessed it, another transfer, I cant seem to get enough of these and this poor lady looks so miserable. Have a nice day everyone - the sun is shining here and it is beautiful.

Scrapwest Challenge - Tags

This week's challenge was a bit of a rush, I havn't had a lot of free time so this is my contribution. I was in Dublin yesterday and visited the Green Gallery and saw some fabulous paintings - some that stood out were very vibrant pinks and yellow's and not something I would normally be drawn to, however, I've obviously been inspired in some way by them as this is my new Klimt stamp, embossed on colorbox inks - very bright colours for me!!. I got some new Cherry Pie Art Stamps this week and this image works well with the colours. TFL

4x4 Quilt

This was my first 4x4 quilt and the first ever completed quilt again for a Talk Crafts swap. I must admit, I didn't want to give this away so I hope it's liked. I transferred the oriental image onto fabric. I layered this onto batting and then red fabric. I ironed on the dragon image (note to self to get more of these!). I then stitched the seed beads around the image and added a coin. To complete the piece I quilted various small stitches throughout and added some cord to the edge (to hide the stitching on the outside). I then added a holder to the top and a chinese trinket to the bottom to finish it off. It is not very well finished off I'm afraid, a bit rough around the edges, I promise to make a more refined one for myself soon :o)



I am very pleased to say that the lovely lady who received this has sent me a picture of it hanging up in her home on a lovely dark red wall. Thank You so much Mary for not just putting it in a box or drawer somewhere. It made my day.

Canvas

I made this canvas for the Talk Crafts canvas swap - it is around 7 x 4". I used a baby wipe to apply and blend acrylic paints, applied the butterfly transfer first and then the little girl image over it. I stamped a quote at the bottom and applied Mod Podge all over to seal it. I used a scrap piece of metal and embossed it and inked with stazon and glued it(I hope) to the top corner of the canvas. I hope the receiver liked it.

Courage

This is my contribution for Isa's Scrap and Stamp challenge this week which is the letter C and a tag and no Brown!! I have written a quote saying 'It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are' The background is made with blended oil pastels, distress inks, bondaweb, metallic paints and stamped over with a Hero Arts script stamp. The girl is a Crafty Individuals stamp and the letter C is from Tanda stamps. I added some embellies and fibres and my old reliable gold pen to the edges.

ps. I promise there is no brown on this, the scan shows the gold fibres on the bondaweb to be brown :( and the're not........ :)

Scrapwest Challenge - Birds of a Feather

Another week another challenge - I will have to start paying somebody to feed me at this rate :0) This was a nice challenge and I could have done lots of different things for it but I love the Robin, the morning of my wedding I woke up to find one at the end of the bed, the little thing stayed in the lodge with us for 3 full days and only flew away when we left so I had to use a robin somewhere. This is a circle folded in half and then quartered. The bottom half has 2 extra folds in it. I have used BG papers, Sabrina's now famous vintage book with a little bird poem, some distress inks, fibres and feathers and a decoupaged robin.

Wednesday Stamper - Doors

This week's theme over on Wednesday Stamper is 'Doors'. My piece is 'Follow your Heart'. The background is made with twinkling H2Os, Stampendous marble stamp, Anna Griffin scroll stamp and Crafty Individual Love text and woman image. The door is from a photograph of a Cathedral door I took in Barcelona and a heart drawn on it which is edged with gold pen and die cuts. TFL.

Isa's Challenge

I have been searching for a book recommended on the UK STampers Forum by Isabelle Norris and happened to come across her Blog. Isa is running a weekly alphabet challenge and I thought I might challenge myself and try this one. I'm trying to broaden my use of colours you see and this week's challenge is B for Blue. Have a look at her blog for some lovely inspiration. This is my contribution and I'm hoping its Blue enough. The peakcock is a beautiful stamp from Tanda Stamps and coloured with Big and Juicy. This is then layered onto a background made with oil pastels blended and covered with Weathered Wood distress inks(and a babywipe). I have used a clear peacock stamp and coloured it with a watercolour brush and distress inks also, and added a Hero Arts saying stamp. This is layered again onto a background coloured with Twinkling H2Os.TFL

Scrapwest Challenge - Here Comes Summer

Another week's challenge - this time it's Here Comes Summer. I did a canvas for this one, smeared gesso fairly thickly and painted with acrylic paints and then some color box inks. Added an image of a butterfly and some papers. The sunflowers were stamped, coloured and covered with Diamond Glaze which makes them look fairly shiny in the picture. I then added some dragonfly brads. It didn't turn out as I had pictured in my mind but they never do :=)

Wednesday Stamper - Games

I found this a challenge even though I have stamps that would suit, creating the right background was difficult for me tonight. I have used Marvey Metallic markers and water for the foreground and crumpled paper and distress inks for the background. Paper Artsy stamps, collage paper adn ribbons finish it off. TFL

I dream of Love

This is another card using copper leaf foil on a laminate sheet. I have used the Judikins stamp and Rhona Farrer swirls embossed with copper powder. I added some copper tape, copper wire heart and swirl to decorate. The colours dont show up as true as they are in real life here.

Copper Leaf Foil

Many thanks to Mary for my little bag of goodies last week which included some copper leaf. If you havn't used this before - a word of warning - it is very static and you definitely need to ensure your image is dry before using the foil. (Mine was still a bit wet and the foil stuck to the image - hopefully you wont notice too much). I enjoyed using this and have another card almost done - will post soon. This is an unmounted stamp so I cant remember where I got it - I do like it though and its stamped onto a laminate sheet, copper foil added from behind and buffed, then I layered onto various papers with some eyelets added. TFL.

Scrapwest Challenge - Filigree/Swirls

I finally got my piece together and this is it. I have used Basic Grey as the main background stamped with Stampers Anonymous, Hero Arts swirls and Stampington Venetial Flourish. The foreground is alcohol inks and another stampington heart and hero arts Precious. The front image of 'Lorraine' (isn't she beautiful) is courtesy of Linda and another Stampers Anonymous stamp. These are definitely my favourite colours to work with.

Can you tell I like image transfers. I have used my vintage book again, dyed with instant coffee and distress inks. I then added my image transfer but she seems to have lost her mouth in the process - hence the word 'lost'. The butterfly is just stuck with uhu stick and various stamps added. I was going to used this for this week's Scrapwest Challenge but my mojo is on a bumpy journey at present and I decided to travel on another while to see where she would take me :)

Wednesday Stamper - Fleur De Lys

Well, today I am feeling brave as this is the first time I am trying the Wednesday Stamper Challenge. I look forward to each Wednesday and being inspired by the wonderful work produced for these challenges and I have always wanted to try it. This week's challenge is 'Fleur de Lys' and here is my effort. The main image is watercolour paper coloured with various drawing inks (found in an old box almost dried up). My gold pilot pen leaked on the paper which shows the gold effect through it. I used the Hero Arts French script stamp, the Stampington Fleur stamp and another which I dont know who produced. I did an image transfer of the lovely little girl and I'm glad she shows up, I didn't think it would work.
Hope its up to the standard now =0)

New Blog Links

I have added some new blog links to my site and I urge you to check them out. There is some beautiful inspiration on them and thank you to those who have added me to your sites too.

Basic Grey Birthday Card

I love these Basic Grey papers almost as much as I love this inkadinkadoo stamp - it is one of my most used stamps, especially for 21st birthdays. I used black detail embossing powder, pleated pink angel hair behind the dress and added a little gem and a hanger and layered to the BG papers with some buttons and ribbons added. A quick and simple card.

UK Stampers Challenge

On the UK Stampers Forum there is a challenge to 'define your space' by making something for your craft room or space. I made this little door plate from 2 pieces of circular chip board and an ice lolly stick. My favourite saying stamp is on it Life is short - do what you love. I would like to have used more stamps on it but the papers didn't really need them.

Scrapwest Challenge - Bling

This week the challenge was 'Bling' I struggled for a while thinking of diamonds,bling bling chains and pink but eventually came up with this which is ok. I made the background paper with marvey metallic inks which were brayered and added some gold webbing spray. I added stickles to the image to give the 'bling' effect and some sparkly wrapping paper and buttons. (you need to click on the image to see it more clearly)

For DymphieM - the circle is a bangle covered in stickles and glued to the image.

Talk Crafts Swaps

Yesterday was such lovely day for me. The postie arrived with 2 swaps and both are beautiful. I received the lovely jewellery swap from Glynis - had to take it off to photo it and its beautiful. I also received this lovely canvas, an image transfer from Adrienne and its fabulous. Cant believe the left side is all an image transfer. These are so much nicer in real life and I'm delighted with them.

Where do you belong??

You Belong in 1998

With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

leftovers

I have still lots of these bits of alcohol inked papers from Crafteire, they come in so useful for quick cards. I've used this as a male birthday card, simple and handy!!

Painting

I went to visit my brother over the weekend and was delighted to see this painting on his wall which I painted over 2 years ago for him as an xmas pressie. I still love looking at it.

Crafteire ATC SWap

To all of you very kind ladies who gave me ATCs at Crafteire - I finally have mine complete. I will give them to you at the next crop :), I'll post to those who wont be there.

Scrapwest Challenge - Happy Day Memories

Yes, I am very late but sometimes everyday life interferes with my playtime. I had a lovely weekend shopping for wedding dresses with my sister so it kinda took priority over any crafty work. This week's challenge was Happy Day Memories. The background is a page from an old book I received from Sabrina which I dry brushed with gesso, tore the edges and added some stamps and embellies. The lovely little angel on the flower is my gorgeous daughter on the day of her Christening, the way she lay on her blanket always reminds me of a little angel. It is one of my most treasured memories of her as a baby.

Talk Crafts Image Transfer Challenge

Havn't been here in a while as I have had a hectic week or two. Last weekend I spent Saturday and Sunday at a lovely crafty retreat at Magpie Crafts in Coleraine. It was a lovely weekend with lots of lovely like minded people all there for the craic. I made some mini books, ATCs, Art Girlz and sampled (and purchased) the newly launched Vivienne Hancox stamps which are beautiful. While I was there I finished off this swap for JP on the Talk Crafts Challenge. Unfortunately, it hasn't arrived with her yet but fingers crossed. I love this image of the little girl.

I am adding my replacement card in the event that this doesn't arrive in the post tomorrow - very similar but different image.

Scrapwest Challenge - My Craft / My Stuff

Another week another challenge. This week's challenge was My Craft so I am hoping to use this as my banner when I figure out how to do it. I have used some pages from an old book, bits of scrap paper and images, Hero Arts stamps and Inca stamps. I then covered the whole lot with colorbox pigment inks and addes some mica and embellies. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else has done.

Alcohol Splash

Was there ever a time when you had lots of work to do and you would do anything but that work? Well, tonight is like that for me. I have so many card orders to complete before the weekend I dont know how I will get them done. I'm distracted. Over on the Talk Crafts Forum today there was some talk about the spin and splash toy with alcohol inks. I went on a mission and found a very basic manual one to try out. These are my efforts. I love alcohol inks and their vibrant colours but this technique is magical. Lots more practice needed - but not tonight.....

And Some More

Crafteire - Survived

Well, I have recovered - just about. I had a fantastic time last weekend at Crafteire in Tullamore. It's lovely to meet up with such like minded people. I enjoyed meeting all the old faces from crops and some new from the forums. A Big Thank You to all those who came to my classes, it was lovely to have people appreciate my work and want to photograph it. I hope everyone learnt something new from it all. I've posted some of the piccies of the alcohol inks cards and beaded accents and I would like to see some of your creations posted here too.

I'm off this weekend to a Craft Retreat in Coleraine at Magpie Crafts - something different and new and hopefully new crafty friends too. I'll let you know how I get on.....

Scrapwest Challenge - Me, Myself, I

I found this challenge, well, challenging. However, it was time.............. my first LO was born. I had so many ideas of what I could do but I received these lovely Basic Grey papers as a gift and they were crying out to be used. They really are beautiful papers and I hope to use them a lot more, so watch this space. My LO was inspired by a song I heard on the radio - Because of You - and it made me think of how much we take for granted, our happiness for example and all we have achieved in life. My new hubby has helped me to be who I am today - a very different person to what I used to be and most of all HAPPY. So, my title is, Because of You, I am, Me,Myself, I. Thank you Kevin. (I wonder if he will ever read this blog LOL)

Mah Jong Tile Swap

Over on the Talk Crafts Forum there are some great challenges and swaps going on at the minute. For this swap I was sent 3 Mah Jong Tiles to decorate and put on a card. I used alcohol inks to decorate them and added a pear stamp on the top. They are then layered onto black cardstock which was stamped with bleach and then layered again onto some wallpaper. This card went off in the post yesterday to complete the swap.

I made this card for my friend Jackie who had asked me out with some of her friends and family on an Angel Night. For her, when she asked Angels to help in times of need she said the same people always came to help her. I was delighted to be considered one of the 'angels'. We had a lovely meal and great craic and I also met with the other people in her life who were important to her. This is a Thank You card for her.

Swirl stamp is from the Art Girlz collection and the beautiful image is from Crafty Individuals Ephemera Collection.

Tape Transfer

Here is a belated Birthday Card for Laine - sorreee Lainey for being late - I have done an image transfer on packing tape, stamped some images on the paper below and used glossy accents to stick the tape to the paper. They are quite addictive when you start - I've been scouring magazines for images I might use..

Another Booklet

I have no idea what this book is called but it folds into a 4" square. It's amazing how much you can actually fit into this tiny book. Look out for these at 'Crafteire'.

Scrapwest Challenge - Turning Japanese

This week I was setting the challenge for Scrapwest and had a lovely star book started and decided to use it as the challenge 'Turning Japanese' It is a small booklet measuring 4x4 and I loved making it, I think I will try one a little more extravagant the 'next time'.

Easter Craft

Its been great having a few days off from work and being able to get some crafting done. I had a large card order to complete and now that it is done, I have some time to play. I've been preparing my classes for Crafteire too so I'm looking forward to that, less than 2 weeks to go everybody.

While making some 'beaded accents' I thought I'd treat myself to a new necklace, I love the colours in these nuggets.

Tag Books

I have been playing about with some tag books which I was asked to decorate. They have sat for a while and I'm still not sure I know what to do with them. This first one was coloured with colourbox inks using a baby wipe but it turned out very bright yellow and purples, (Not the look that I had planned) I decided to tone it down a bit and coloured the whole piece over with coffee and I'm much happier with the look. The second picture is another tag book but shaped slightly different. I covered the background with some lovely hand painted paper I bought in Venice and had to use it. I also made each tag with a different type of transfer I had been trying and I'm happy with the finished product.

Scrapwest Challenge - Card Lift

This is my version of Lynn's Card. Thanks to Lynn for allowing me to use her card. You can check out her blog at www.stamperosity.blogspot.com

Scrapwest Challenge - Card Lift

It seems such a long time since I last posted, I have been really busy finishing swaps and challenges which I cant post just yet but will do when they are complete. This week's challenge was to card lift or scrap lift from someone else's work. I found this lovely card by Lynn in St. Louis over on Splitcoaststampers and made a birthday card similar to it. I love the design and hope to use it again.