Ribbons and Bows - Vintage Stamping DT

This month over at Vintage Stamping our challenge is 'Ribbons and Bows'.

We would love for you to join us and you may make anything you like as long as there is some form of stamping on your project! 

I am continuing in my quest to use up paper pads so once again I steeled myself and used one of my all time faves - Ella Blue.

The stamp is from our sponsor - I used Versamark Sepia and clear embossed. Coloured it with Promarkers then (carefully!) cut round it. I added three really tiny pearls to the lady's neckline - how fiddly was that!!

The bow is made from two different types of ribbon - a brown organza type and a lovely chocolatey 'silky crush' piece.
Popped in a couple of pearl pins.

Made some paper rolled roses, stamped a sentiment and then decorated the inside to match.

Hope you can create something to share with us this month - we love visiting!
Challenges -
Craft Room Challenge - Roses and Romance
Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sundays - Shabby Chic
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
Ribbon Girls - Flowers
Dream Valley - Anything Goes
Fantasy Stampers - Distress it 

Tag

Having a rummage about in the lace baskets I found lots of odd bits which I haven't been able to bear to throw away - (I was obviously a squirrel in a former life) - I dragged out a few scraps and left them out on the desk  as I have had this idea rattling round in my head and wanted it all to 'come together' before I made a mess of making something -
- and the reason why I didn't want to spoil anything is the centrepiece - it was made by the lovely Caz and it came with fab candy stash which I was fortunate enough to win!

Originally I didn't want to use either of the two gorgeous hand made brooches from the candy pile - they're just too beautiful but it seemed a shame not to - at least this way the tag can sit out on display in my craft room and be seen!
So thank you Caz - and I hope I've done your creation justice!

I inked the tag with Old paper, Vintage Photo and Worn Lipstick DI, then randomly stamped some script over it. (Can't see this very well on the pic but trust me it's there!)

I covered the whole of the tag then with some old lace which had a fancy edge and stitched it, then just added more and more odd scraps, stitching them all as I went along.

The brooch was then pinned to the centre and I cut out a vintage pic and popped it into a metal frame, covered it with Glossy Accents and stitched to the base of the tag.

The 'believe' was another scrap found in the lace basket and I raised it up slightly by arching it before stitching the ends. Used some seam binding ribbon and more odd lace looped through the top.

Am putting this into Pixies Snippets Playground this week to earn some brownie points for using up odds and ends!

Thanks for taking the time to call in today - have a great day whatever you're doing.x

Other Challenges -
Creative Moments - Girly
Clear it Out - Anything Goes with Stitching
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes
All Crafts - Anything But a Card
Glitter n Sparkle - Pearls and Lace
Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything But a Card
Crafty Hands - Shabby Chic
Fairies Challenge - Vintage
Pile It On - Feminine

Wild!

In the last hour it has turned absolutely wild here weather wise. The sleet/snow/rain is blowing sideways and the wind is howling. So having been out earlier (when it was much calmer although cold)I have now taken myself upstairs to the craft space!

I bought this stamp over a year ago from a crafting buddy as she no longer wanted it. Anyone would think that I didn't really want it either as this is the first time I've used it!
And to be honest although I love the stamp, I cannot feel the same way about the finished card.

But at least I can say I DID use the stamp even if it goes back into the drawer for another year!

I considered colouring all the image but in the end just highlighted in bits, using Squeezed Lemonade and Mustard Seed DI to continue the acid yellow theme of the papers.
The papers came from the stash pile (where else??!!), stitched and distressed lightly with the edges inked in 'Sacttered Straw'.

I made a crumpled shabby bow from more papers which were a similar colour.

Finished with a few pearls and an organza bow with a metal handbag charm.

Carried the papers on through to the inside and have at the mo left it blank sentiment wise - might add one at a later time!

Challenges -
Crafty Hands - Shades of the Same Colour
Simply Create Too - Female
Crafting 4 all seasons - Girly
Sister Act - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Sunny colours
Alphabet Challenge - Z for Zesty

I welcome your comments as always and I hope wherever you are you are safe and warm away from any bad weather. x

A new DT post!

Some news to share with you all - I have been asked to be a Design Team member for 'Vintage Stamping'! 
The challenge is monthly and although it says 'vintage' in the title the things you make don't have to be vintage themed - you can enter any sort of project as long as you follow the theme for that particular challenge and you have to STAMP!!

This month's new theme starts today and it's 'Female Beauty' - I've done a bit of a tongue in cheek effort using one of our sponsors retro themed stamps - and I hope now that they're not regretting asking me to join the team!
I confess that this WAS made in a bit of a hurry too.... hope it doesn't look like it!

The papers are from Summer Driggs - the pack is all in shades of lemon, grey and black.

I lightly coloured the stamp with  promarkers and made a scrunchy flower from the same papers.

The sentiment is PC generated, ribbon, pearls and the little black flower embellie from my stash.

Challenges -
Craftitude - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Stampin with the Dragon - Yellow
Totally Papercrafts - Humour
MAWTT - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting - have a great day whatever you're doing! x

Mermaid Secrets

Spent yesterday holed up in the craftie space - the rain was lashing against the windows!
So quite fitting that I made something on a watery theme..... LOL

This image is a simply gorgeous offering from A Day For Daisies - and the best thing about it was that it was a freebie!

I coloured her with a mix of pastel chalks and promarkers in varying shades of aqua, adding a wee bit of sparkly stuff randomly round the 'sea' and of course on the wee fishes!
I used three different papers from the Raspberry Road 'Seaside Chic' collection, distressed them all and then inked the edges with distress ink before layering up.

Added some lace and some slubby fabric suitably ripped before placing the image inside a frame die cut from the same papers.
The corner on the top right was a piece of the off cut from the frame and I just liked it!
A few shells, also blinged and some mosaic sparkly bits also used to give a 'reflective' effect.

The sentiment is also from the same paper collection and I love it.
I put some rope and fibres behind and a seahorse button before placing on the card.
Inside as usual done in the same papers to carry on the theme.

Challenges -
Country View Crafts - Layers
Card Crafters Circle - Portrait of a Woman
Sweet Pea - Fantasy
A&TEF - Magical Creatures
Southern Girls - Make Believe
Digitally Sweet - Anything Goes
4Krafty Girlz - Anything Goes
C2CU - Texture and Your Style (Am not sure I have a particular style as I feel equally happy with both CAS and fussy!)

Its quite a cool day and I haven't made my mind up what I'm going to do! Might pop out but then again might not! have a lovely day whatever you're doing and thanks for stopping by. x

A new Friend

I have been promising to set the cards to one side and do something else for a while now but somehow time has just slipped by and I have had nothing very much to show for it. I was forced into action by the fact that over at my Flickr group Art N Soul, the last challenge had finished and everyone was waiting for me to set a new one!

I have been meaning to have a go at creating one of these lovely strange ladies since Sue Roddis did some examples in the March issue of Craft Stamper.... so here I am four months later finally getting round to it!

Meet REELA COTTON!!!!

Reela was made from card and her body was done by tearing a lengthways strip from an A4 sheet of paper and folding in half, then tearing several strips about 1-2cm from another sheet of card, folding in half, positioning centrally round the 'spine' and glueing. To give the body some strength, I then applied a layer of gesso. Once dry I used Red, Sienna and Sap Green acrylic paints over the body and wiped with a baby wipe. I stamped a bit of text using grey Stazon and random dots using Crushed Olive distress ink and then cut out the body shape.

I packed OH off to the local Coffee Shop to get me a wooden coffee stirrer and he duly arrived back, cappucinno encrusted mouth but clutching the precious stirrer!

I painted it with sienna acrylic paint and stamped a bit more text onto it.

Reela's face was done by stamping onto some cotton fabric, sponging with the previously used baby wipe and sticking onto mountboard. The coffee stirrer was glued into place and then I found some fabric wings in my stash. The same text stamp was used on the wings and the stained baby wipe still damp was wiped over them randomly before I stuck the wings onto the doll.

Some pins for her 'hair', a few buttons and a wooden heart shape finished the project .... oh and a very old Silko wooden cotton reel!

Mixed Media Monday's theme this week was 'Past Loves' - not old boyfriends but things that you used to like doing and haven't done for a while...... and me making messy with gesso, paint and inks is definitely something I haven't done for a long time................ and I'd almost forgotten how much I enjoyed it!

The Writing Desk

It's been such a long time since I've made anything using a vintage theme - so this week with some spare time I made this card. I think this much under used Inkadinkadoo stamp was one of the very first I bought - it's quite big so if you want to use the whole stamp the card or project has to be large too - which probably explains why I haven't used it much! But to me, it conjures up the elegance of a bygone era, when ladies sat at the writing desk and scribbled in their diaries about everyday things like love and life!

Image stamped onto cream card and then distressed used Antique Line, Tea Dye and Tattered Rose inks. French script stamp used on other bot of cream card, then both torn and edges distressed using Antique Linen. Those who know me are aware my sewing skills are not the best but practice makes perfect (or so they tell me!) so I attempted to stitch! I matted the main image onto dark red card and stitched it into place, then stitched the K and Co background paper (albeit not very straight!) onto the card before adding the main image and script paper. I'm hoping that the less than perfect stitching adds to the cards overall 'shabby' look? The vintage lace, ribbon, flowers and buttons are all from my stash.

I have submitted this card for a few challenges

Allsorts - Card for Mothers Day or someone like a Mum to you

Pollycraft - Distressing

Totally Papercraft - Mothers Day

Stamp Something - Designer paper, Ribbons and Buttons

Stamptacular Sunday - Back In Time

Gingersnap Creations Spicy Supply 42 - Lace and fibres

Secret Crafters - Stitching

My Time to Craft - Something for Mum

Front Cover

You know I've been promising to make a book from my gothic arches for a while? Well don't get excited...it isn't made yet..... BUT I have decided on how I want it to look!

Instead of using the arches and adding a 'spine' to them by joining them together, I chose to mount them onto co-ordinating paper which I could also decorate. I've done 6 so far .

This picture though is of the book's front cover.

I really enjoyed doing this. I used mountboard measuring approx 8" x 8".

The background paper and lady image is from Flickr collage group and I painted her lips and nails before adding some wire mesh to her veil. I think she is stunningly beautiful and has such a peaceful aura about her. I distressed the paper behind her then highlighted the edge of the mountboard with red ink before distressing the arch background. A couple of red gems added to the top of the arch with our winged gothic ladies in front, a crow (HAS to be included on anything gothic doesn't it???!!), a hand holding a red rose, a fabric flower, red ticket and metal tags also added and I glued some black lace along the bottom edge.

I am now looking for something suitable to spray/paint the whole piece with to give it a protective coat.

This is definitely work in progress. Will post again when I have completed the book!

The Tragedie of Macbeth

Fellow blogger June has started a new blog... it's called Art Freebies. She is running a challenge every Wednesday where you have to enter a piece of artwork using that week's image.

So here is my entry!

I thought this image represented Shakespeare's tragedy so well. I am not an expert on Shakespeare (far from it!) but from what I remember Lady Macbeth was a strong willed woman who (along with the 3 witches) goaded her husband into murder and thus achieved her ambition to become the Queen of Scotland. She then suffered terrible guilt, began sleepwalking and eventually committed suicide.

This ATC is a paper collage and I used some red embossing powder for the blood dripping from the dagger!

Why don't you go visit June's blog - there's some great free artwork for you to use - and whilst you're there, have a go at her challenge!

A Girl's Best Friend

Tag You're It this week came up with the theme 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend'.

So here is my tag!

J'adore Haute Couture...........

but can't afford it!!!!

This weeks challenge over on Gothic Arches was 'Haute Couture'.

I really struggled with this theme for some unknown reason...considering I LOVE clothes, especially handbags and shoes as everyone who knows me will testify!

I eventually sponged a background then used black indian ink before adding the image, lace, sequins, feathers and words to make a mixed media collage.

Windows and Squish a Boob!!!!

The Creative Wednesday challenge this week was 'Windows'.

I have done a 4 x 4 piece. The background was done using Mica pigments in Golden Pear and Violet Frost with a blend of a pale pink ink sponged background. The lady image and the words were printed on acetate to allow the shimmer powders to show through, the flower swirls stamped and the sleeping mask and beads are suspended from the top of the window.

As I have used 3d pads to mount the frame the sleeping mask turns round! I added the lace, fibres and gems in an attempt to give the piece even more depth.

For those of you that have followed my blog this year you will know that the Breast Cancer Campaign is close to my heart.

This little 'Squish a Boob, Save a Life' penguin is a real cutie and as October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, please pick him up, pass him on and pop him onto your own blogs!

New stamps!

Haven't done a lot of one to one swapping recently, but made this for a trade.Well I had to play with my new stamps didn't I??? I think this is a really pretty face! I am still trying different methods of using stamp ink for backgrounds and this one was just three different ink pads swirled on with a piece of felt. I love this irridescent vellum which I used to cover the bottom stamped image - trouble is I haven't got very much of it left in this pearl type colour, so will now have to try things with the other colours! Some of the other stamps I bought are too big for ATC's so will have to try 4 x 4's or maybe another wall hanging next!

St Joan and Embossing Powder

Have called this ATC 'Look to the Light'. This stamp is one of my new stash. Once I'd stamped the image the thought of Joan of Arc came into my head... maybe it's because the face is looking upward and I seem to remember an old drawing of the Maid of Orleans at the stake looking toward the heavens. Anyway, I decided to try and follow the theme using the stamp as the base. I added some meshy fabric frayed at the edges to try and give a sense of imprisonment and collaged the shield and sword. I recently bought some 'Enchanted Gold' embossing powder and had been disappointed with it as I felt it didn't give enough depth, I thought though that it might be delicate enough for rays of light. I first used white embossing powder and ran the brush through it before heating to give the 'rays' effect then once heated added the gold one over. I allowed the gold one to scatter a bit onto the face. Finally I added the cross charm.

I am pleased with this project but don't think this pic does it justice. I feel that I am learning new things all the time - just wish my photography skills were improving too!