TIO #19 - Up, Up and Away...

This was my inspiration piece for the TIO #19 tag challenge this week... up, up and away. I decided to do dragonflies, but the theme is very open to different interpretations... I began with shiny cardstock and the usual distress inks in blues and yellows. I printed a whispy bamboo from Stamp Addicts by Judikins, in weathered wood and shabby shutters, then various plants from Lavinia Stamps in the other distress blues. The agapanthus and flower swirl from Stampendous and UMount, respectively, were stamped in onyx black then all inks were embossed in clear ep. The dragonflies are from a clear stamp but don't know where from and the ep around the border is a fascinating one from Stamp Addicts called Blonde Moments in festive fern. It is gorgeous and thick and yummy, shot through with green, blue and gold.
Thanks so much for looking again this week...

Rainbow Lady's challenge - Hats - Klimpt Lady

This is my answer to Rainbow Lady's challenge this week, which is - hats... I don't have many stamps of people and so I got out the Klimpt ladies and chose this one, which looks like she is wearing a close cap/hat... well, that's MY interpretation!!!

I have used my new MicaGloss inks for my background this time, so it shimmers beautifully, but does not show up on the scan, as usual... The colours are green, blue and aquamarine. I shall definitely have more of these - from Stamp Addicts, by Judikins - but not until later in the year, as I have just been having a major, expensive project done in the garden... photos when finished!!! I stamped bits of all the cube around her, to soften the image, and embossed with clear ep as usual. I also used some stamps from an early Elusive images plate and long agapanthus, from Stampendous. I think it works, and hope Cynthia likes it!! - she might think it does not qualify!!!
Thanks for looking ...

Bubble Challenge Chez Lilibulle - Inchies

Front
Back

I enjoyed this different format. It is a piece made for the challenge by Lilibulle, Bulle d'artiste Ateiler. They do a bubble challenge and this week it is to use inchies. Those eagle-eyed amongst you will recognise some of the ones I made for the InchyByInchy challenge, when I was the guest hostess.

I stamped the leaves and such, and embossed with clear ep. Then I over-printed with some shimmers and glimmers on to the circle, using a piece of bubble wrap. I had masked off the honesty with some dimensional glue, to keep it the right colour. On the back, I used distress inks in peeled paint and shabby shutters in the direct to paper technique, then over stamped with the various images, such as agapanthus by Stampendous, and some pieces from an Elusive Images plate. I thoroughly enjoyed the different shape, and it's contraints. Lilibulle invited me to have a go, so I hope she likes it!! Thanks for looking.

Booklet Front Cover and Frames for RL

I have created this piece for a friend, who is about to open a new shop. She will be selling things such as crystals, incense, my cards, postcards and tags!! and providing complementary services such as Reiki and Indian head massage... Her open day is next Saturday, and this piece is for the cover of her booklet. I hope she likes it!!

I want to enter it into Rainbow Lady's challenge, too, which is frames, this week. I discovered the way to make the narrow frames (could be broader if I wanted) on my printer, this evening, that was a great find... I began by stamping the Butterfly Kisses stamp, then adding the cloudy moon image, from A Stamp in the hand. My fav swirl corner from UMount, was next, the butterfly from Elusive Images and then the agapanthus from Stampendous.

Most of the inks were versafine in onyx, smokey grey and vintage sepia, and the black ones were embossed with clear ep. I masked the head image and the moon, swirled distress inks mustard seed, worn lipstick, dried marigold and old paper on my heat mat and spritzed with water. I dibbled the shiny card about to get the colours where I wanted them, just blending a little with my fingers etc. My hands are FILTHY now, but I LOVE the piece. It will be a shame to give it away. Thanks for looking.

TIO #2 "Fairies at the bottom of the Garden"

Here is my entry for the TIO challenge this week - fairies at the bottom of the garden. I had great fun stamping away - got carried away, actually, and had to tell myself enough was enough.!! I have used such a conglomeration of stamps including agapanthus from Stampendous, mushrooms from an Elusive Images plate, a large swirl from Dimension Fourth and a large swirl from UMount. I used a mixture of Adirondak and distress pads, as well as versafine. The butterfly and fairy, herself, are from a kit from IW. I don't normally "do" fairies, but this one felt just right!!! Thanks for looking.

A Circular Tour of My Arch.

Lots of stamping again for this piece, which was made for 2 challenges. The first inspiration was the colour scheme at Gothic Arches, pink and brown. The form was decided by the circles challenge at Daring Cardmakers. The 3 different agapanthus stamps are from Stampendous and the 2 circular stamps are from Hero Arts.

I stamped the images using versacolour brown, blending blox in shades of brown, worn lipstick distress ink and the pinky end of the happy birthday Big n Juicy. I used a favourite ep all through which is Moonglow 2 tone - Kaiser Rudolf russet, which comes out as a pink/gold, and changes over the brown versacolour pigment ink. The background was filled in by spraying latte and bubblegum pink Glimmer mists, which made it more sparkly and gorgeous... I think I will make a card from this, adding a couple of flowers, perhaps, placed strategically - however, I don't have any at the moment, so it might be a time!!!

Time on my Hands

This 7"x7" piece is presented for 2 challenges - TGIF, hands, and ABC Challenge, B for blue and brown. Early ideas for the "hands" challenge were already used by a couple of other people (note to self - get going more quickly or change your time zone!!! LOL), so I had to think again. Hands on clocks seemed to fit the bill, so here they are....

Most of the stamped images are from the UMount plate, time, plus a dandelion-lookalike-agapanthus by Stampendous, and a couple from the set Avante Garde, by Stamp in the Hand. I did something for the background that I have never managed before - I used My Craft Studio to import some images from Google, then manipulated them until I was happy. I ran the card through the printer, and printed directly on to it. The stamping was mostly done straight on top, and embossed with clear ep. The whole clock was given new hands + hands and the little clock was perched on to the new minute hand... Daft but "cute" - well, as cute as I ever do!!!!