StampMan Challenge #1 - Anything Goes (DT card)

Here is my DT offering for the first StampMan challenge starting today, 16th July

I made the background paper using shiny cardsock, smooching it on a craft sheet with distress inks from Tim Holtz. I used pinks and greens. Love that combo. Then I took some of the single flowers from the Aspects of Design plate56 Funky flowers, by Kay Carley!! Love them. Stamped them in the same distress inks and embossed using melt dust - this has been a firm fav of mine for a while now as it is SO fine and really does justice to the fine-line stamps that Kay tends to produce.

The topper was stamped with a large stamp from the same plate, in black archival and smooched in pinks distress inks. I tore the edges and used some cut and dry to colour them. What else? Some of the flowers are from Jill and I coloured them to match the mounting cardstock. The crease card is from a Tim Holtz pad called Shabby Chic which to is just to stoke!!!!

I gave the card to my student physio, as thanks for her help to get me going in the first 3 weeks of my knee rehab. She will make a great physio and is headed back now to uni to do her final year. She was very touched to get the card, so I was pleased to give it.

So, the challenge is live today, and you should go along and have a go. You have a fortnight to think and make and there are great prizes to win... ENJOY

Thanks for looking

Frankie

xx

StampMan ATC Challenge #1 - Wings

This is my first DT ATC make for the new StampMan ATC challenge. It started on 1st July, so I hope lots of you will join in and make something. It is created so you can swap your ATCs if you want... There is to be a new challenge blog too, with prizes and everything, so keep up with the exciting new stuff at Jill's place.

I used a very favourite Aspect of Design stamp for this one, made just post honeymoon, awwww!!! Hence the  loved-up look!! I also used it on my wedding invites so you can tell I love it... The background is simple distress inks, smooched and then "helped" a little with cut n dry foam. I stamped it in ghost to add a little emphasis at the swirly end!!

Thanks for looking

Frankie

xx

Heart and Soul Tag for TIO #44

Heart and Soul

I made this tag as part of my "honeymoon" week...It was inspired by  our visit to Bolsover Castle today, where Freddie pushed me around in a wheelchair cos I can't walk far at the moment, and we wanted to see the beautiful ruins.... heart and soul in this relationship then!!??

I started with a piece of the paper I made for our invitations and tore it to add to a distress-inked postcard piece. The original paper was made with alcohol inks then scanned and printed in A4. I used one of Tracey's stamps from The StampMan plate. I also used it on our invitations - 2 hearts theme. Then just did my usual collage thing with several different stamps and cubes from Judikins, UMount etc. The hearts were covered in glossy accents and are actually quite red, but one is on the paper and the other on the glossy finish so the end result was different and scanned oddly!! Really enjoyed this one.

Thanks for looking

Frankie

xx

(Freddie sends his regards xx)

That Knee Operation!!!!

Well here are my photos of my poor old knee!!! Thought you might like (opps perhaps not then!!!) to see where I am with it at the mo!!! Swollen and VERY bruised... oh well, things can only get better as they say!!
Thanks for your good wishes so far and thanks for looking!!!
Hugs
Frankie
xx

In For My OPeration!!!! YEY!!!

I am going in on Saturday morning at 7.45 and will have the op probably in the morning... I should be out again Monday or Tuesday... so sorry if I don't see your postings until then... still post to me and I will ublish when I come home... Thanks for all your support!!!
Huge Hugs
Frankie
xx

TIO #41 - Steampunk Influences!!

Here is my piece for the TIO challenge this week.

I have gone all industrial and cogs this week, inspired by the stamps I won a couple of weeks ago from Home Impressions!!! I NEVER win anything, but I DID get these and they are fab... it's a great site to visit, so why not have a look??!!

So, I used these 4 cogs and some metal embellies from TH... I also stamped a piece of collage from UMount and a couple of images from A Stamp in the Hand Avante Guarde#2. There are stamps from Hero Arts and Judikins. The distress inks are my usual dark colours, soot and sapphire, embossed with clear melt dust... The whole edge was embossed in TH vintage photo distress powder. As a "tag" it is large at about 15cms square.

Also, please wish me luck for my knee operation on Saturday next, 5thJune!!!

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Frankie

xx

"Openings" - Guest Hostess @ GOTHIC ARCHES

What an honour!!

This piece was made as a guest hostess challenge for Gothic Arches, no less!!! I never expected to get the opportunity to do this, so I am thrilled. PLUS, I am on my second night of very little sleep because of this dratted knee. I think the injection is wearing off, so I just can't get comfortable!! Seeing my work over on the GA site cheered me up no end and the date of the operation has been brought forward to Saturday next  - 5th June, so the end is in site I hope...

Well, what did I use?? Many yumminess stamps like Darkroom door and Crafty Individuals as well as Tim Holtz and a Judikins cube from Stamp Addicts, for the large lock at the top. I used Archival black and distress inks, worked on with the TH tool and colour duster brushes. I LOVE the quote as I loved the group, and I thoroughly enjoyed making the piece with lots of layers and subtleties... Thanks everso for looking and please do go and join in to support me this week at Gothic Arches, it's always a great challenge. I have also entered the piece for a super challenge over at Collage Obsessions...

Frankie

xx

Up at the Farm

This is my latest watercolour, as yet not framed, hence the white at the top and bottom. I did this over about 5 weekends. I am having it framed for Claire, the owner of the horse, Coco, that Freddie rides, as a thanks for all those cups of tea!!

This is the back of the stable block, and you can see the gateway into Coco's part of the building. The gables behind are in the middle of the block, with a fabulous tall doorway in the centre. I must do that soon, as it is very drawable!!! I also want to have a go at the cottage - Fred says I would paint more quickly if I had a 5inch brush and a large tin of paint!!!  Lots of great views around the farm. I really loved doing it, and am so glad I took painting up, as it is so different from crafting, but just as rewarding.
Thanks for looking
Frankie
xx

TIO #40 - Surprise Me - What's on Your desk?

Hi. Another limited week for me, with problems with my back caused by my knee!!! Still, the operation is 4 weeks on Friday, so I just have to get on with it!!! Managing bits of gardening, planting out pretty flowers, so that's nice!! Fred has done most work there though, shifting pots and cleaning up, so the garden looks good for the handfasting. That is now only 3 weeks away on Saturday!!! OOOwww scary!!

This is my piece for TIO #40!! Can you believe it is the 40th?? It is also the last chance to enter for the blogaversary candy shown above. Hope you will be able to dream with me... The task was to dream up a creation using what was on the desk!! Well, I have far too much junk on mine, but not all of it suited to making a presentable tag!!! Tee hee ... So I chose a scrap of shiny card I had printed on with a large image of a carte postale, and stamped a foamy stamp swirl from top and bottom, in victorian velvet (a beautiful dusky pink) distress ink. The flower is also a foamy, stamped twice in black and embossed with clear melt dust - I am totally addicted to this stuff now, it is so fine for the type of layering work I like to do... The butterfly is stamped on a piece of pinky coloured, figured paper and the ribbon is a scrap of white, coloured with the victorian velvet ink.

Thanks for looking

Frankie

xx

Journey with a Ticket to Ride - TIO #39

This week's challenge at TIO, is all about journeys and tickets and different countries etc. I used a lot of stamps again - nothing new there then!! The main image is by Curious by Design. The tickets are by Invoke Arts, and are brand new to me... there are ones from UMount and a great foam swirl from QVC. There are a couple from Tim Holtz too. The whole is coloured by distress inks. The tag is quite large at 8"x4", being cut from a piece of shiny card from Clarity.

Thanks for looking

Frankie

xx