Magnolia

A scheduled post - regular visitors to my blog will know I am on the DT for CAS Mix Up and normally we have a new challenge on the 1st of every month.
If you have visited the CAS Mix Up blog in the last few days you will have seen the little note from Loll announcing that our challenges are temporarily on hold  - never fear we will be back as soon as we can!

Here's a make using a stamp which was a present from a friend - I took the pic before I added the sentiment!

Some light ink blending for the background in Spun Sugar and Tumbled Glass.

I stamped the image direct on the background, then stamped again onto some card and heat embossed before watercolouring and fussy cutting it out.

This is a really big stamp so there's a little bit of it cut off at the bottom.

Matted onto black card before mounting on the base card.
The stark white base card didn't look right so I blended a little of the same background colours onto it which gave a much softer effect.

Was a quick and relatively simple make too!

Thanks for looking - hope everyone is safe and well in blogland and I'll be back soon! x

Renaissance

I have been able to have a bit of a play for an hour or so over the weekend.
Felt a lot better then yesterday back to sneezing and spluttering - am getting on my own nerves never mind anyone else's! I appear to be unable to shake off this 'whatever it is' that has now been with me for almost 2 weeks.
Consequently I am unsure about this make. Whether that's down to my fuzzy brain or it really is just a naff effort I don't know!

I used some old papers from my stash (which may have been from a HOTP pad?), distressed the edges then matted and layered onto Kraft then black card.
The main stamp is one of the very first I ever bought when I started my 'mixed media' journey (!) as at the time I was hooked on all things medieval and historic.
I found it (along with 3 others!) all dusty and unloved - so inked it up and stamped it onto dark cream card, clear embossed and then matted and layered it. Resisted using any colour on the image at all although maybe I should have coloured her dress?
Stamped the large script onto a scrap piece of kraft paper and just randomly ripped the edges.
The pen and ink bottle also stamped onto scrap pieces of kraft and mounted using 3d pads. (more old stamps!)
Finished it off with some die cut corners and a sanded 'hinge' secured with brads.
Challenges -
Make My Monday - A non cute grown up card
MIM - Anything Goes
Dream Valley - Vintage
Fashionable Stamping - Anything Goes
Allsorts - Ladies Day
Card Making Mama's - Stack it Up
Daring Cardmakers - Old but not Forgotten (my stamps!)

Thanks for taking the time to have a look and if you've left a comment I really appreciate it.
As I'm confined to the house in an attempt to get rid of this bug I will be trawling round blogland all day! Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Dreams of Italy

It's been a while since I played with collage stamps and I had some pieces of linen card laying about which were cut off leftovers from other cards so decided to find stamps to fit onto the paper scraps.

I had intended to make another 'man' card when I set out as this terracotta tiled background paper I thought was great for a bloke............
don't know what happened cos THIS is definitely NOT a man card!!
It just took on a life of it's own and kind of evolved - maybe if I hadn't used up the last bit of card and stamped the face image it could have been  termed 'a man card' - but then I'd have had to leave off the ribbon and the pearls as well wouldn't I?

Hopefully though I have told a 'story' with this card - with the lady thinking about how much she loved her Italian adventure, the postcards she sent and the places she visited and how she is dreaming of a return some day soon.

Stamps all done with Versafine Sepia.
All the stamps are from different companies - a real  mixture!
I wiped some Antique Linen DI across all the images and then distressed the edges adding some Tea Dye DI.
The heart is made from wood, crackled and distressed and the card was finished off with a couple of bronze pearls and some shoestring ribbon.

Rest of the papers used on the inside.
Challenges -
OLLCB - Use a Heart
Craft Your Passion - Love
OSAAT - Anything Goes
Scribble & Scrap - Anything Goes
Ribbon Girls - Heart
Crafts & me - Use a Heart
Creative Romance - Show some Love
Fussy & Fancy - Vintage

Thanks for finding the time to look at my project for today - have a great day whatever you're doing! x

Post Cards

It has been such another beautiful day and I am beginning to feel very spoilt with all this lovely sunshine. Long may it continue - although I have heard lots of people complaining about how hot it is - there's no pleasing us Brits is there - moan when it rains, moan when its cold and now moaning because it's hot and sunny!!
No moaning from me............. well not about the weather anyway!
I did though take a rest from the searing heat and spent a few hours indoors - this card is the result.
The papers are all torn from the Prima Botanicals pad, distressed and stitched.
The post cards seemed very apt for the sunny weather!
The heavy dark cream lace was in my stash and I used Kraft cardstock for the card base.
The chipboard birdcage is from Maya Road and I did consider embossing it but changed my mind as I thought the cardboardy colour blended in well with the overall appearance.
Added some flowers and lots of swirly pearl bits and the scrummy ribbon was a present from Maureen. I used a vintage button in the centre of the bow and stuck in a couple of pearl pins.
The little metal bird and letter charm was from my stash and the sentiment was stamped using Versafine Smokey Grey ink.

Made a change to make something vintagey and adult after all the kid's cards recently!

Challenges -
All About the Vintage - Summer Sparkle
Emma's Cards - Lace/Pearls
Shabby Tea Room - Pearls/Lace/Flowers with Romantic theme (hope my little love letter carrying birdie counts!)and a fab Inspiration Photo
Created with Love - Anything Goes
Frilly and Funkie - Summertime
The Hobby House - Vintage
Craft Room Challenge - Vintage Stamping

Thanks for visiting and leaving comments - I really DO appreciate it! x

Another toe dip into the fabric pool!

A couple of weeks ago I was partnered with Jan in a domino book swap. Inside the envelope she sent me (apart from the beautiful domino book!) was an assortment of lace and buttons, a picture printed onto cotton and an instruction to 'make another pretty fabric collage'.

So I have done as I'm told! (Jan can be really fierce if you cross her...LOL)

Here is my second venture into the world of fabric collage. I would like to think I am improving but I know there is still a long way to go before I get even close to my other talented friends!

The fabric back is a piece of Chinese silk given to me by my mother in law. She had a whole array of small pieces in different colours - these are now all at home with me! Inside the pack of material were bills dating back to 1975 from the Kowloon store where they were bought (this proves doesn't it, that if you keep something long enough it eventually comes in useful!!!)

The applique rose corner I cut from a sweater a long time ago and found in the bottom of the lace box - I stitched some tiny beads on it for a bit of sparkle.

All I need to do now is to make several more pieces and get them into a book...............................!!

Rainbow in Paris!

I recently received some Paris themes ATC's as a result of a 'lottery' on the NI group. I have lots of themes that I like and Paris is included in the list! Consequently I have had some Paris themed ATC's from one to one trades in my album too.

It seems such a pity to own these little works of art and not have them on display so I decided to start putting them on 'Themed' canvases with the idea being that I put them on the walls in the 'den' and display them in rotation.

So here is the first of the themed canvas project which is entitled 'Parisienne Rainbow'! The background is chalked and stamped, with some beads and other embellishments added and the finished piece measures 15" x 12".

Stone

Lots to Do this week has set a challenge of Stone. This is a paper collage with a 'stone' head. The head was one of a large matchbox full of similar heads sent to me by Maureen.

I used a stone 'gothic arch' background, coloured the windows with watercolour paint and a stone headless winged angel whose wings were accented with fine glitter. The words are a quote attributed to Pablo Picasso.

I have to go out today but am hoping I can check all the other challenge sites and get on with doing some tonight! I was out all day yesterday so am getting withdrawal symptoms again!

Vintage Tags

Maggies challenge this week was the theme of Vintage Tags. Time has been at a bit of a premium so although I love vintage, I had to make these in a hurry. Suppose it's a bit early for a remembrance one, but then really rememberance should be done all year round not just on one day. The ATC sized tag is a vintage paper collage , with a skeleton leaf, a photo of a soldier and a made vellum envelope. The poem 'Flanders Fields' always brings tears to my eyes, and after making the vellum envelope I popped in a copy of it. The paper poppy is secured with a black brad.

The other tag is again a paper collage, added a few bits of lace,ribbon and a little crocheted flower secured with a pearl brad. Isn't her hat very grand?!!!

Nature and Nakedness!

Maggies Challenge this week was 'phone books'. I remembered seeing a dress shop called Fine Feathers in the local yellow pages so this image seemed to fit! I have bought a lot of stamps on line recently, some have arrived and some not. The other ATC is one of a pile that arrived yesterday! I love this image, her face is so serene. I inked the background and after stamping the image sponged over it lightly with white ink. The skeleton leaves and lace I added afterwards and does anyone else have trouble with 'rub ons'? I never seem to manage to get ALL the transfer off onto the project!

Final Amount

After all the excitement of last weekend, I have finally calmed down! Today was the final Breast Cancer fundraiser. Once again the weather was kind and our total on the day was £334. The final total is now a huge £1,762! Have been completely overwhelmed by everyone's generosity and although it's been hard work, it's been worth every penny! I shall be sendingoff the cheque at the weekend and this will be one cheque I won't mind writing!

So, my season is almost over, just Club Finals Day left on 21st September then the bowls are being put away for the winter!

Maybe then I will be able to get some time to craft!

This ATC I made last night. Am really getting into collage, so hopefully over the winter months I can get back into creating.

Although the season has been a good one, I have missed sitting here crafting.