Clean and Simple

Are you one of those people that have boxes of stamps in your craft room? One of my boxes is filled with Crafty Individuals stamps! This was one of the first companies that I began to stamp with way back when.

The September challenge is Clean and Simple, so I decided to join in the challenge with this card.

I used the ......stamp to create the base image before stamping it again onto red card and paper piecing the hearts. I then added the sentiment with a set of alphabet stamps from my stash.

Clean and Simple!

Love is in the Air

Its a stormy day here in the South of England today even though the sun is shining.

This week is the lead up to Valentine's Day - is it romantic for you? I have made some quirky Valentine's this year which have been popular. I have used my Cricut Explore machine for these :

But my favourite is this one.....

I am entering the following challenges:

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge - Valentine's Day

Crafts And Me - Use red or Valentines

Die Cut Divas - Love, Marriage or Anniversaries 

CAS on Sunday - Valentine

Dies R Us - Love

Adore

I hope you are all ready for the weekend and have some exciting plans. Today I am sharing with you a canvas I made. I loved making the tag inspired by Tim Holtz so much that I decided to make a similar canvas.

Ingredients List :
Canvas
Tim Holtz Vintage Images and Stickers
Embossing Folder - Bingo
Wooden Key
Twine
Acrylic Paint - White
Lace
Crackle Paint
Tissue Paper
Various stamps
Tissue Tape

I created a collage on the canvas with various images from Tim Holtz's pads and papers. The canvas has been edged with tissue tape. I then painted a layer of white acrylic paint over the top to distress them further. The tag was created with a Ranger Embossing Bingo Folder which I sanded back and then rubbed over with gold ink to enhance the embossing. I added the 14 sticker and an altered wooden key to it.  The musical notes and image of the lady were stamped onto tissue paper, adhered with gel medium and then I added some Distress Ink to age them. To complete the canvas I added the little red heart - embossed and painted with crackle paint and the lace.

Challenges I am entering :

That's Crafty - Be My Valentine

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes 

Rhedds Creative Spirit - Anything Mixed Media

Love is still around!

I know Valentine's Day has now passed us by, but I couldn't resist creating this card. You know when you think about crafting in your sleep? Well this is one such creation.

To create this card I used the materials below.

First I painted the thick card with acrylic paint and used the ink spray to add the red colour.  The purple spots were created with a stencil. Using various WOW! Embossing stamps I ramdomly stamped over the background in black ink. I used a white pencil to highlight the string of hearts. Finally I stamoed the flower image onto the card and then again onto plain card so I could decoupage the image.

I think all good ideas come to you when you are sleeping!!

Challenges I am entering:

Artistic Stamper - Love

Rhedds Creative Challenge - Anything (Mixed Media)

Mixed Media Card Challenge - Love

Unruly Art Quest - Heartfelt

Opus Gluei - Be My Valentine

Key to My Heart

Its been ages since I joined in with any of Tim Holtz's tag challenges, but I was so inspired by February's tag I started to make my own.  Its also been a long time since I played with mixed media and I've really missed it!

To make mine I used the same background technique as Tim, using various images to create a collage. These were all pulled together by dry brushing with white acrylic paint.

I then added a few brighter images and the ticket. The red heart on Tim's tag gave me the idea to use felt for mine, add some lace and the keyplate.

To finish I coloured some twine with Frayed Burlap ink and used it to tie on the key.

I am so pleased with the end result and am now working on a little canvas to match - pictures to come soon!!

I am entering the following challenges:

Tim's 12 Tags of 2015 - February

A Vintage Journey - Love is in the Air

Frilly and Funky - Be My Valen - twine

Handmade With Love

Last week I posted a picture of the magazine article I was featured in, so I thought you might like to see the cards close up. Firstly I am sharing this one below.

The digi images and papers are from a collection by Wendy Massey at Handmade Harbour. To create the card I coloured the image with Promarkers before adding a die cut fence and mounting the picture onto card and the corresponding papers. I really love this image (excuse the pun) and think it would make a perfect valentines card.

Later this week I will be sharing the second card in the article -so do pop back!

I am entering the following challenges

That Craft Place - Love / Valentines

Handmade Monday - Handmade Harbour

My Time to Craft - Love is All Around

In Print!

I was so excited to pick up my copy of Cardmaking Using Your PC today as my projects for the Handmade Harbour Design Team are in it!!

These wonderful images can be found on the free cd with the magazine or from the Handmade Harbour Digi site.

I will be posting close ups of my projects later!

Love and Marriage

So its my turn to share my DT card for The Crafting Cafe - this month the theme is Love and Marriage and we are sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps. The lucky winner of this month's challenge will receive 7 digital stamps!

For my card I chose to use the Love Owls digital stamp. As it has such strong outlines I decided to do something a bit different and use gilding flakes.

I printed the image onto acetate and then backed it with double sided adhesive sheet before adding the gilding flakes. I think I might be trying this again with some of my other digital images!

Please do come and join us at The Crafting Cafe

Challenges I am entering with this card:

Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Fussy and Fancy - Things With Wings

That's Crafty - Birds

Love is in the air

The most romantic day of the year? Not here in the South it is wet, windy and storm force gales predicted! So I will be enjoying a much needed day of crafting.

As it is Valentine's Day I thought I would share a card I made for my ETSY store using a bargain stamp I purchased in the sale after Christmas.

I stamped the image onto watercolour paper before colouring it with Distress Markers. The sentiment reads "Life is a breeze when love is in the Air"

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Crafters Cafe Challenge - Hearts
Make My Monday - Love
Rhedd and Rosie Challenge - love is in the air

Where does the Time go??

Firstly a belated Happy New Year to you all!

I realised that it's been nearly a whole month since I've blogged! With Christmas and our new addition to the family  - a little puppy - life is hectic!

So I just had time to make a quick and simple card for Less Is More this week. The theme there is one layer hearts. I've had this stamp set from HunkyDory since June and its the first time out the packet!!

Back Soon!

I am also entering this card into the following challenges :

Creative Craft Challenges2 - Anything New

Inky Chicks - Anything Goes

Wired Heart Card

Its that time of year for hearts and flowers! This card I have made for a couple of years and is proving to be one of my best sellers in my online craft stores. So I thought I'd finally get round to sharing it with you!

I cut the heart with my Sizzix machine and then wrapped it with wire threaded with beads. The background is cut with decorative scissors and inked with Distress Ink. Finally I used alphabet rubons for the greeting.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Craft Calendar Challenge - Love and Marriage.
Happy Daze - Love is All Around
Totally Papercrafts - Make Your Own Embellishments
LadyBug Crafts - Love

Small Heart Canvas

This is a small canvas I have made as a sample of WOW Embossing Powder for the NEC Show. I painted the grunge paper heart with acrylic paint and then embossed with Ultra High Apple powder. Whilst still hot I press the leaf from the WOW Embossing Stamp Set  ???? I also dropped gold embossing powder onto the heart and melted that too. Once cool I rubbed Black Soot Distress Ink over the stamping. The canvas was painted with gold acrylic paint and then the edges embossed with Gold Ultra High Embossing powder.

Challenges I am entering with this :

Stamp Man Challenge - Texture

Happy Daze - A Technique you love

Sunday Stamper - Love

Love is in the air

I'm slowly catching up on my blog posts, I have been snowed under with card orders this week! At Its Crafting Time, the theme for this week has been pink, white and red. Love is in the air at the moment, so I made this card with that in mind. First I die cut the birdcage and bird from the Tim Holtz Sizzix die from pink card which is embossed with dots. I lightly distressed the card with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink. I fixed these to the card with foam pads. The heart I diecut from a Sizzlits Sizzix die "Hearts". For the sentiment I used the saying from the Creative Expressions Birds stamp set. I stamped it onto a die cut heart using Versamark ink and embossed it with WOW Apple Red super fine powder. Finally I added pink spotty ribbon and paper roses to decorate. Visit the online shop to buy the items you need to make this card.


Other challenges I am entering:
Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - Love is in the air
Fussy and Fancy Friday - With All My Heart
Crafting When We Can - Valentine / Love

Grungy Monday - ATC Inspired by Tim

I haven't entered Grungy Monday challenge for a while, but just found the time to squeeze in this one. The challenge is to make an ATC using at least one Tim Holtz product or technique. For mine I embossed a piece of card using the Bingo embossing folder. Then using foam and Distress Ink I tinted the card and the ticket. I added a piece of tissue tape around the bottom before adding the ticket. The heart was a grunge element dipped in Gold UTEE into which I added Bedazzle beads.

Other challenges I am entering with this piece are :

Rainbow Lady Challenge - Have a Heart

Shameless Plugging!

I find self publicity a bit awkward, but if you don't ask you don't get! I entered the above card into the More than Mummies Valentine's Card competition and it has been shortlisted. I can win the opportunity to have my Sparkly Fairy Cards promoted, an interview and more. I would really appreciate it if you would follow this link and vote! Thank you.

New Challenge on The Block

Do you like embossing? Do you like a challenge? Then your luck is in! WOW! Embossing Powders a re running a monthly competition. This month you need to create a project either based on the theme LOVE or using this image as colour inspiration.


Remember ALL Projects must have either heat embossing or use WOW! Products to Qualify.


Post projects either here or on our Facebook page or in our Flickr gallery!  

Contest ends January 31st, and the winner will be announced on 2nd of February! The winner will receive 6 WOW! Embossing Powders of their choice and a handy carry case!


Good Luck!