ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE - MAKE YOUR MARK #501

Welcome back to our Make Your Mark challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More.

I created the background on my tag by smooshing some Tim Holtz Distress inks on to the tag and adding extra stamping from stamps by Alison Bomber.  The butterfly is from Sara Neumann from Paper Artsy and I coloured it in with Prismacolour Pencils.  They give a lovely vibrant colour.

I added a metal pen nib to the butterfly and some words from Tim Holtz idealogy.

THE HOLLY AND IVY CHALLENGE - #191

Welcome back to another Anything Goes challenge at Holly & Ivy.  My card today uses stamps by Alison Bomber.  I love the few little Christmas stamps she brought out last year one of which is the Winter's Tale.  It always has me singing that song by David Essex!  I kept the background simple so as not to take away from the lovely image of the Star Anise - mulled wine is one of my favourite drinks once the winter sets in.

I did some simple stamping of Alison's grasses from another of her sets and the background was created from one of my gel press play times using Distress Inks.

The sentiment is from one of Tracy Evan's Boutique Designs sets. 

I'm adding this into the following:

Simon Says Stamp - Music - the song Winter's Tale - bet you can't stop humming it now!

Girlz Creative Christmas - AG

The paper players - Food 

Inspire Create - Christmas 

Stamping Sensations  - AG 

JingleBells - no papers used 

Outlawz Festive - Christmas 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Stamps only 

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA #119

Welcome back to another month's challenge at Creative Artiste Mixed Media where we ask that you use at least 3 different mediums on your projects and let us know what they are.  Today I'm sharing a piece I did for a local competition. It was a huge leap of courage for me to enter this as it was for the art section and a lot of local artists had entered.  I don't consider myself an artist - I'm a crafter but I do love to dabble in this sort of mixed media so I thought I'd give it a go.  I was beyond thrilled to win 2nd prize for my piece.  It helps your confidence and keeps you motivated.

My piece was inspired by Shawn Petite and uses one of her stencils which is the little window frame.  

I started off with a piece of Canvas Sheet 10' x 12' which is made by Crawford & Black.  It had already been gesso primed so my first thing to do was fill it with a load of old book pages.  I added some scribbles of paint from Tim Holtz Distress Crayons then covered it in white gesso.  You can see a few of the pictures below as the painting was coming to life. 

After adding the gesso I added some extra texture and interest with a stencil and some Texture Paste.  I always use Daler Rowney.  I then went over this with some Distress Inks to create a washed out colour.  I used the window stencil by Shawn Petite and the door was cut from one of her papers and I drew in some steps.  I wanted to give my house a Mediterranean feel so I added background stamping with the flowers in the pot to create more interest. I also added a butterfly.  I kept playing around with the colours until I was happy with what I had.  

I'm entering this into the following:

Dream Valley - 2 or more layers - lots of layers here 

Make My Monday - fun with stencils - background stencil and stencilled window 

Let's craft and create - layers 

DD Triple B - butterfly 

We love 2 Create - AG 

The Outlawz - AG card free 

Polkadoodle - AG 

Creative Fingers - AG 

PEARLY SPARKLES - PINK, PEARLS OR SPARKLES

Welcome back to another challenge at Pearly Sparkles.  September is always our dedication to Traci - pink, pearls and/or glitter or sparkle.

I'm not really a brights pink kind of girl but Tim Holtz Spun Sugur pink I can cope with.  My background uses my favourite Tim Holtz stencil which is the mosaic and I've used Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet and Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide Inks. 

The flower is a new one from Tracy Evans Boutique Designs called Dog Rose and Butterfly. I stamped it first then cut out some extra flowers to give is some more dimension and added a few pearls to the inside of the flowers.  I added the butterfly from TE50 set On the Wild Side.  The sentiment is from an older Tracy set. 

THE MALE ROOM #202 - CREATE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND.

Our challenge this month at The Male Room  is just perfect for me as I always create my own backgrounds.  I can't even remember the last time I just used a designer series paper!  I had fun making this one.

I used Antique Linen, Forest Moss and Black Soot Distress Inks for the inky background using watercolour paper as I added a lot of water to get the ink to move.  The extra stamping in the background tied in with the main image and were old Tim Holtz stamps.  

 The hand image from Ringmaster Blueprint CMS151 was stamped onto an extra sheet of watercolour paper and tore the edges.  I coloured it in with Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  The extra ephemera are cut from the ticket stamp from the same set. The sentiment is a die cut from my stash.

SIMON SAYS STAMP STAMPTEMBER 2025 - YAY I WAS CHOSEN

I was beyond excited when a package popped through the door this morning as I knew I hadn't ordered anything - especially from the US.  Imagine my surprise when I realised I had been chosen as one of the 100 designers to have a play with the new Stamptember sets from Simon Says Stamp.

The set I received is Wild Birthday with some really cute animal images that will come in handy for birthday cards for the grandkids or kids at heart!

Here are two of my first plays with the set.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Crayons to colour them in and a touch of Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to add a touch of glitter.

I'm adding these into the following challenges:

Crafty Animals 

Critter Crazy - AG

Stamping Sensations - AG 

We love stamping - AG 

The paper players - Celebration, animal, bright colours 

Allsorts - Birthdays

Send a smile for kids - AG 

Simonsaysstamp Monday - Stamptember 

INSPIRATION STATION - #77

Welcome back to another challenge at Inspiration Station.  I adore Autumn as it's my favourite season and I just got so excited when I saw our image as inspiration this month.  Am I allowed to say I absolutely loved how my card turned out?

I created the background with Distress Inks in Rusty Hinge, Evergreen Bough and Scattered Straw on watercolour paper.  I created an horizon line with a felt marker and stamped the trees from Tracy Evans new set On the Wild Side.  I created a type of water image underneath them using a touch of black soot over the orange colours.  I stamped a faint image of the trees as a reflection.  The large Autumn sentiment is an old one of Tracy's and the words are from Alison Bomber. 

I'm adding this into the following:

Four Seasons Challenge - Fall/Autumn 

Just Add Ink - one layer stamping 

Creative Fingers - AG 

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES CHALLENGE BLOG DESIGN TEAM MEMBER

I'm delighted to be on another Challenge Blog as Design Team Member under the brilliant supervision of Helen Nile - welcome to Moving Along with the Times which Helen has recently taken charge of.  Our theme for this month of September is Butterflies and/or Dragonflies.  

My Tag started off on the gel press with a print taken from a fern taken from my garden.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Paint on the press to get a faint impression. I then added extra stamping in the background.  The butterflies are all from Tim Holtz Scribbly Butterflies dies which were cut from another gel press playtime using Tim Holtz inks.

I added various stamping and ephemera and added some to some linen which was affixed with some brass brads - remember those?  I finished off the tag by scribbling around the edge as I can't sew.

I'm adding this into the following:

Tag Along - things with wings 

Dragonfly Dreams - Lots of Layers 

LOVE TO CRAFT - ANYTHING GOES

Welcome back to another Love to Craft - and we look forward to seeing all your wonderful creations. 

It's another tag from me - I was lucky to win a set of Tag Dies from Brenda's new Tag Challenge so I just have to put them to good use.

It's another play with the gel press for me for this tag and the background was created with an Aallandcreate Stencil - this was the residue of ink left on the stencil after the press on the gel press and just stamped off onto to some extra paper so as not to lose the ink.  You can just see the faint blue marks.  I then added some background stamping and the star of the show - the poppy stamps - are from Tracy Evans - one of her old sets.  Alison Bomber of W0rdsandp1ctures has inspired me to use real flowers on my work so these poppy seeds are from the Welsh poppies in my garden.  

As well as gluing them on I fixed them with some twine and a touch of linen which has been stapled.  I then added the word Nature to hide the staples.  I added a butterfly which had been created out of a mood board - a play time of adding stamping and colours and then cutting out shapes - great fun. The sentiment came from Tim Holtz Ideaology snippets book.

ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE #500 - DIE CUTS/STENCILS

Welcome back to another challenge from Addicted to Stamps and More and we are back with our diecuts and/or stencils challenge.  Those regulars to my blog know I love my grungy colours but I am trying very hard to use some softer summery colours which is how this card came about.  

I started off by using the vase stencil by Tracy Evans SS4 using Tim Holtz Bundled Sage Distress Oxide ink.  I then used a stamp by Alison Bomber from one of her sets to create the mottled effect on the vase using some Versafine ink. 

The flower stamps and the sentiments and butterfly are all from a set by Indigo Blu and were gifted to me by a friend.   I really like that quote and thought it went well with the soft colours.  I added extra inks and background stamping with some Oxides after I had done all the stamping.  

I'm adding this into the folllowing:

Just us Girls - Stencil 

Time Out - Support 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - AG 

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Card of Encouragement 

THE HOLLY AND IVY #190

I've gone for a CAS Clean and Simple feel to my card this week for Holly & Ivy.  I used an old holly stamp by Tim Holtz for the border and used the watercolour technique to create this soft look.  I used Perfect Paint Distress Ink direct to the stamp then added Festive Berries with a Tim Holtz marker pen to the berries then spritzed with water.  It gives this lovely watercolour effect.

The sentiment is a new one I was gifted and I loved it's bold sentiment. Some touches of Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen and green Stickles gave the card a Festive shine. 

GUEST DESIGNER I SPY CHALLENGE

I'm delighted to be a Guest Designer for Ellie and one of her challenge blogs which is I Spy.  This challenge is I Spy ....Warm and Sunny Colours. I look through my projects and realise I do an awful lot of grunge and not much brights or pastels.  So this was a challenge for me.  

I started off my background my smooshing some Picked Raspberry Distress Ink from a mini cube onto my Tim Holtz platform.  I then dipped my card into the ink and let it dry.  I used two stamp sets here both from a lovely set by Sara Naumann for Paper Artsy ESN62 which has lovely butterflies and sentiments on it.  

The first stamp was inked in stamped off Versafine Clair Morning Mist to give a soft gentle background.  I then added a die cut in white on top to give the other two butterflies something to sit on.  these butterflies are also from the same set and I cut them out and layered their wings a little to give them motion.  These were coloured in using Prismacolor pencils from their Botanical Garden Set.  I added some fine thread behind the butterflies and some glass droplets.

The sentiment has been stamped in Versafine Warm Breeze.  I edged the piece in Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy and mounted it on to a soft brown card stock. 

I'm adding this into the following:

Stamping Sensations - Butterflies 

Allsorts - B for Butterflies 

As you like it - my favourite colouring medium at the moment are my new Prismacolours as I love the intense colours they give 

Double D - Butterflies 

ATC'S SUN, MOON, STARS

Over at my own little Facebook Group The Joy of Friends we organise swaps each month and this month we decided to do ATC's with the theme of Sun, Moon, Stars. 

My sun one used a piece of old designer paper to which I added a stencil and some texture paste.  The paste was coloured with some yellow acrylic ink to keep the yellow theme.  I then used an old Tim Holtz Impresslit called Radiant which I found in the cupboard not used for years and cut it out of some more paper.  The words at the top came from a dictionary - the others from Tim Holtz Ideaology.

The moon one - I masked off a circle for the moon and used Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot Distress Oxides for the sky.  The owl stamp is from Lavinia Stamps.  I added a touch of yellow to the moon and his eyes.  The sentiment is from Tim Holtz Ideaology.

The stars - I created a universe background using various Tim Holtz Distress Oxides and black soot.  The star from an old Stampin Up set was silver embossed. The words are from Anita Jeram set.

I'm adding this into the following:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - not a card 

Creative Inspirations - AG 

Ellibelle Wednesday - AG 

Neglected Stuff - Impresslit by Tim Holtz 

Outlawz - Not a card 

TAg along plus ATC's travel to the moon and back lol! 

ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE - #499

Welcome back to another challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More and our Any Occasion challenge.  I thought this card might help cheer up someone who needed a pick me up.  

I love this little set from Anita Jeram for Colorado Craft Company called Paint Town.  I stamped the little guinea pig first and then masked them completely to create the background.  The city scape is a stencil from Sizzix called Cosmopolitan #2.  I added a night sky with Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide ink and some ink splatters for stars.  I used all Tim Holtz Distress inks for the other colours.  

I'm adding this into the following:

Creative Inspirations - AG 

Ellibelle - Wednesday - AG 

The sisterhood of crafters - card of encouragement 

Shopping your stash - hot hot hot red 

Allsorts - Animals 

Sweet Stampin - use a stencil 

Cards4galz - create a scene 

Craft Rocket - animals 

STencilfun - AG 

THE HOLLY & IVY #189

 Welcome back to another challenge at Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - I love looking through all your inspirational Christmas projects.  Joining in with challenges is a great way to use your stash - especially Christmas goodies which can linger unloved for nearly 11 months of the year!  

For my background I used a stamp by Creative Expressions which is a delightful dear Santa letter.  I used two colour Versafine inks - Avocado and Verdant to stamp it as a background.  I used the stamp set Vintage Holidays by Tim Holtz for my images.  Stamping them and then cutting them out and adding a mini collage.  Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Festive Berries and Brushed Corduroy for the colours.

I'm adding this into the following:

Make My Monday  Christmas 

Peace on Earth - Christmas 

Outlawz - Christmas 

As you like it - Favourite Season for me is winter - I quite enjoy early dark nights, lighting the fire and candles and snuggling up. It's a great time to craft as I don't feel guilty about not doing the garden! 

Creative Inspiration AG 

THE MALE ROOM -#201 THE UNIVERSE

I must admit I found this challenge a challenge for The Male Room this month lol! I kept looking at it and not finding anything I fancied doing and then I remembered years ago I had created a similar background using Distress Oxide Inks.  It hadn't really worked back then as at the time I didn't have Black Soot Oxide but now I do so I had another go and I was really pleased with how it turned out.  The only problem was knowing when to stop with it.  It was such fun to make I think I'll be making some more.

The Distress Oxide colours I used were Dusty Concord, Wild Honey, Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers and  Lumberjack Plaid but you can really use any bright colours you have.  The Oxides just help it all to blend perfectly.  I used watercolour paper too although I think it could have been a bit heavier.  Once I had added my colours, I spritzed with water and I then dried it with the heat tool.  I then added a top layer of Black Soot and dried it again.  I kept adding Black Soot and drying until I got the effect I wanted.  I also added some Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powder in Emerald Green and Aubergine Dream to add a bit of sparkle and some droplets of Distress Spritz in Broken China.  Once it was all dry I used a white paint maker I use for splatters to add extra stars and some shooting stars.

The sentiment is from an Anita Jeram set called Treat Yourself and I thought it worked perfectly.  I used a circle die cut to cut it out and added some marks in black soot to make it look like the moon. I embossed the sentiment in silver embossing powder. 

I'm adding this into the following:

Alphabet Challenge - I is for ink blending - plenty of that in this background 

Creative Moments - Embossing 

Creative Inspiration - AG 

Word Power 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Quirky 

Girlz Make Guy Cards - AG