Sunday Stampers:216 Fields of Gold.

I have found my banner pieces! At last I can get back to it. The rate I was going it wasn't going to get finished by Christmas! I am up to the A in Craftroom, so here is my effort:

I'm afraid that it hasn't seemed to photograph well, and looks much better in real life. I used Dylusion inks in orange, yellow and pink over the blank banner and then stamped the scroll corners from Studio 490 stamps in the corners in acrylic Gold, and lush they look but seemed to have faded in this photo. Then I used a flower stamp from the same set and used coffee archival ink and gold dabber again and then glued them slightly asquiff. A die cut rosette in the centre and then I cut out a circle of honeycombe paper so it is very dimensional, then I added two lots of Regal Crest die cut leaves out of gold card. Used  a gold A at the bottom with a tassel to match and I had stamped the sentiment from the same 490 set, but it didn't show up enough so I went over it in Gold pen.  Distressed the edges with Walnut Stain and there we are.

Still no sign of the baby, my dear Jenni Wren is being marvelous, so patient. At least she has the last little bit of time of having the baby all to herself! I am on pins I am so excited! Have a good week one and all. xx 

We are ready!

Beautiful daughter no 2 is about to make me a first time Grandmother. In fact 'Rocket Booster' which is the name of her bump was due yesterday so you can understand we are all in a state of heightened excitement! We don't know if it is a girl or a boy but one thing is certain, he/she will be a bike rider! My lovely son in law and my Jenni are avid cyclists and very fit and good at it  too. We all got into the Tour de France this year and were delighted with Bradley and Chris and team Sky - yahoo for Britain!

If you are cycling fans then you will have seen the support cars for the men, and so here is ours - we are all ready and waiting if we are needed!

You can see my Molly cat by the camper in the back of the photo, she isn't sure what is going on! So what can I say, the support team are all ready and waiting, I will let you know as soon as baby Purcell arrives! x

Sunday Stamper 215: More than words.

Goodness me, when we summer it we really do it! I am melting but luckily am not working until this evening. So feeling in a bright hot mood I made this tag for Hel's challenge. The background is layered distress inks, Squeezed Lemonade, Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge. I stencilled and flicked to give some interest. Then I used a face stamp that was a freebie in Craft Stamper yoiks ago, a diecut butterfly for her wings, then I drew the body and added one of my favourite sayings from my Paperartsy stamps. I used a piece of a Studio 490 background stamp that I layered onto a toning strip of paper on the bottom. The flower was a 490 stamp on Clearly for Art then another CS freebie on paper on top with stickles for the centre. Then I added two stamped butterflies to finish it off.

Hope you think she looks hot enough! Hope you are all able to enjoy as much of the sun as you want. See you all later........x

Sunday Stamper 214: Bits and Pieces

When I saw Hels challenge for this week I decided I would try and make something I have been meaning to have a go at for ages. I have a book called 'The Crafter's Devotional' by Barbara R Call which is a splendid resource to dip into when the muse has gone on holiday. On page 148 there is a discussion about symbols and as I meditate regularly I decided to try and make a small hanging. She says that 'using symbols in your artwork is a powerful tool for expressing your thoughts, feelings and emotions'.

This is what I came up with using 'bits and pieces' from my stash.

It was the very devil to photograph as it has been raining and I couldn't get the light right. To give a clearer idea here is each piece individually.

This is made of layers of papers on recycled painted card and distressed with walnut stain. The metal wings come from the Snazzy  shop and the stamped Fly is from Paper artsy.

Transition is also on painted recycled card with a gateway from Paperbag Studios stamped onto lace paper and then a large rusty key, the symbol of wisdom (don't I wish!) adhered with glossy accents.

For the sea I embellished with my machine  bits and pieces of chiffon and lace onto blue felt and then hand sewed and embroidered. I chose the sea to represent Renewal.

This one is a base of card painted with Fresco paints this time, layers with distressed pieces of paper with a small handbag mirror to symbolise self-reflection.

The last one is torn ovals of vellum and paper on a sprayed piece of card then a grungeboard heart which I painted red and then used crackle paint on. A heart symbolises love and compassion and is a very moving symbol to meditate upon.
I may well do a series of these as the mood takes me. I have hung it on my board in the room I work from at home, (not the craftroom) and hope it gives some inspiration to any who see it.
Hope you are all enjoying your week. I hear rumours that the jet thingy is on the move and we may have summer after all! Now that is something to meditate upon! x

Tim's Tags of 2012 July

Hi peeps. Here is my entry for Tim's July tag and would you ever have laughed if you could have seen me try this one! I don't have an air machine thingy and thought, no probs just blow. Well blow I did and it doesn't work like that air can I promise you. Several tries in the bin and this old girls face getting redder and redder, till in the end I thought I'd better stay with this one!


I wanted to make the 4th July tag because I visited New York for the first time last Christmas and was bowled over, so here is my tag in memory of a wonderful time. I had some of the stash Tim used and improvised with the stamp and the trinkets hanging from the ribbon, which I replaced with a  'I love NY' stamp on an apple and three stars on a scrap of grungboard that I dyed red and blue with alcohol ink. Wish I could have made the ink splatter the same but to see the masters blueprint if you have been visiting planet Mars go here! Have a good week everyone - x

Sunday Stamper:213 Dreamer.

Well I am watching the tennis and trying to keep the dream alive, go it Murray! By the time anyone reads this the result will be known. I am trying not to bite my nails and have sat finishing off my entry for the Sunday Stamper instead, so far nails still intact!

I have been playing with my Dylusion inks again and making a stencilled background and then lifting some off with water spray, great fun. I have gone against all rules of composition here and placed the flower in the lower middle, but I quite like the quirkiness of it, so here is my dream, start a new trend perhaps? (chuckle).

After I had stamped the background with distress inks on Studio 490 art stamps I then made a Dylusion background and stencilled and layered. The lady on the side is a paperartsy hot pick and I coloured and stamped a small wooden heart. Also to make the whole thing pop I used black archival on another Studio 490 foliage art stamp. The flower is made from paper from my stash onto first white art then moulded and then a Studio 490 flower on clearly for art on top. Then the centre was covered in Bedazzles, I love the way it is so shiny and firm using clearly for art. The photo corners I have had for years so I distressed them with matching ink and then added a Tim idea-ology tag - Dream as if you'll live forever - on top with some burnt orange glitter yarn.

I think using Dylusion inks and stencils gives depth to the background and looks dreamy -- as if you could lose yourself inside? I hope you think so anyway.

Back to the tennis, an awesome game! Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday. Hugs to all x