TIO #13 - Spots and Swirls in Pink

This is my tag for the TIO #13 challenge this week - can't believe it is 13 already!!! The theme is spots and swirls in pink, so I began by swirling distress inks in dusty concord, worn lipstick and twilight brilliance, on to my shiny card (note to self, begin in a different way next week!!!). It has been the anniversary of the lunar landing, and last night saw the longest eclipse of the sun to be seen in this century, so I used my cloudy moon stamp and Leda, from Stamp Addicts, by Judikins. The dots/spots are also by them. The swirls are from a UMount plate and I also used a Kodomo stamp - woodcut iv.

I began in the top left and bottom right, stamping the small spots and Hero Art small solid circle, then building several other textures by using clear ep. as I stamped. This pulls out the colour in some places and not others and adds to the intensity. I always start with the palest colours of ink and get darker towards the top. That way the piece acquires more depth - perhaps this would help those of you who say you can't collage and layer your stamps without it looking muddled!!?? I finished off with some narrow ribbon and strands of wool from my bit bag. I hope you enjoy the challenge this week, if you are joining in.
Thanks for looking!!

InchyByInch Challenge - Text

Here is my entry for the InchyByInch challenge this week - text. Right up my street again , this one as I love using calligraphy and text in my art - but curiously, I never use it on the front of cards!! Odd lady...

The backbrounds are swirled distress inks on shiny card (yet again!!!) in mustard seed and tattered rose, and I printed using a variety of stamps from UMount plates and Butterfly Kisses. The spots of colour are from Sakura pens... really enjoyed myself here...
Thanks for looking!!

Bubble Challenge by Lilibulle - Image + 4 words

Here is my entry for the bubble challenge by Lilibulle - to use her given image and 4 words. The image is really so pink and purple, so I decided to get out my waxes and encaustic iron!! I made the bubble texture by using my sequin waste and the iron. The words are done on the computer and the flowers are from my stash. Hope she likes it!!
Thanks for looking...

TIO # 12 Carte Postale (Oriental Lady)

The theme on my DragonsDream TIO challenge this week is to make a postcard tag. I bought the images I have used here at the Stamp Addicts retreat, and thought they would be just right, when I thought up the idea of a postcard. This is actually A5, bigger than postcard size, but the only rules are to use the postcard theme.

I began with a piece of coated card, and printed the postcard image, one I had from The Graphics Fairy. Then I began swirling colour in distress inks mustard seed and tattered rose. I had seen the tag as "yellow" and basically it is, with some old paper, spiced marmalade, faded jeans and broken china thrown in!! The images are by Curious by Design - Cherry Blossom set. However, the blossom itself is from a set from QVC, which came wooden mounted and I peeled it off, the better to stamp!!

And that's it really. I built up layers of stamps and hightlighted some areas with a little more neat colour, using cut n' dry, and cut the edge with my decal scissors, after adding a little scrap of yellow ribbon. There are a few splashes of glimmer mists and starburst stains, and the blossom is coloured using 703Sakura stardust, so much of it has a sheen and shimmer - in fact it looks like a piece of delicate silk. Thanks for looking!!

Rainbow Lady's challenge - Script

I have thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon, doing Cynthia's challenge over at her Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog - Script. She wanted to see some calligraphy and I was in my element with this collage. I used an A5 piece of cream coloured card and distressed it with old paper, tattered rose (new and I LOVE it!!!) and brushed corduroy, using a piece of cut n' dry. I used field of sky and cloudy moon, from Stamp Addicts, to add dots and watermarks etc. I then stamped with my new set, Paris Voyage from Curious by Design, in versafine black onyx and old paper, for some calligraphy. I just kept layering stamps and also used a wash of my new blues distress inks. Then I put some clear ep over it and it took in damp places, causing the pitting you can see... UMount plates completed the piece... Hope she likes it!! Thanks for looking.

TIO #11 Passion - The Heart Song

This is my tag for DragonsDream TIO #11 Passion - The Heart Song, this week. It is inspired by my continuing love affair with Fred, a wonderful man, who loves and cares for me... We have not known each other long, as many of you who know my story will already understand. But it seems like we have always known each other, perhaps in some other life. I wrote a poem about this and you can read it here, if you are interested.

My tag is full of Passion, colour, texture and depth, and was not easy to scan. I might try a photo later... I used shiny card and distress inks, plus Adirondak red pepper and swirled red, gold and bronze pearly doodles on to my heat sheet. This created the different tones and the texture. I overstamped with red hearts, and clear ep, as well as field of sky and stars, from Stamp Addicts by Judikins, in black stazon and clear ep. The flower was a piece of board and I smothered it in various purple eps, then stamped into the hot mixture to get the texture. The middle has a piece of sparkly ribbon, rouched into it. The whole heart is stamped from a sheet by Elusive Images, on to a piece of 3"x3" acrylic and embossed in clear and purple eps, on the reverse side. The finishing touch was the little back beads, which outline the heart. I really enjoyed this one!! Thanks for looking...

TIO #10 Say it with Flowers

This is my tag for week #10 at DragonsDream - say it with flowers. I was inspired by a bunch that Fred brought me in the week. I am so lucky to be getting flowers again, and I just wanted to share the feeling around!!

I used the new stamps from Kay Carley by The StampMan, flowers and swirls. I just added the net from a much older Aspect of Design sheet, because I love using it in my stamp collages. The background is a mixture of distress inks, Adirondaks and Starburst stains. The flowers are from my stash. Thanks for looking....

Eternal Goddess card for a friend

I have made the goddess tag into a card for my friend. I added a backing sheet in the same colours and mounted the pieces on to bronze mirri board and used a lovely bronze coloured card stock. Above is the front, obviously, but below is the back of the card. I used a srap of paper left from the tag and stamped 2 more of the Klimpt ladies, so they faced each other. I stippled colour where I wanted to echo the front. I do hope she likes it...

TIO #9 Eternal Goddess

This is my tag for this week's challenge over on DragonsDream TIO #9. It was inspired by my new cube from the Stamp Addict's retreat weekend, Klimt Ladies, by Judikins. I also used some parts of stamps from UMount, travel and time. The shiny postcard was swooshed into a mixture of broken china, weathered wood, faded jeans and tattered rose (all also new) distress inks, then enhanced by the use of cut and dry. The main images were stamped in versafine black onyx and smokey grey, then embossed with clear ep as ever! And that's about it. The ribbon was coloured using the inks and the metal embellishment was from my stash. As always, thanks so much for looking.

An Award from Sally... a fellow Dragon!!

I have received a lovely award this morning from Sally, at One Dragon's Dream. I am honoured that she should choose my blog from so many others she visits. Her blog is a MUST, as she has been featured on Inspirational!!! Woo!!