DCM Double Dare and Faux Postage

A technique and a dare! I haven't played with the Faux Postage Technique for a while but when I read the Daring Card Makers double dare this week - Monograms, the technique came to mind. I am very limited with letters - no fabulous alphabet dies and my printer is not co-operating at the moment. I do have a largish set of alphabet stamps from Aspects of Design however so I have improvised with that. My word is Style and I have stamped a set of four fashion postal stamps. Ecoline inks have been used to colour the postal images and the paisley ones. Fashion stamps are unknown unmounted stamps, paisley stamp is from Tanda Stamps and the Postage 'stamps' and Style word are Rubbadubbadoo.

The faux postage technique itself is easy. You can download templates from the web. I print one onto card and one onto acetate. With the acetate template I use a craft knife and metal edged ruler to cut the squares inside the one of the stamps away, cutting in a bit from the dotted line to create a border. Place your template over the top of the printed card faux postage and using a sponge I have added ink to each stamp square, moving the acetate mask around the for faux postage images. Using the same template I have stamped my different fashion images onto the faux postage stamps. Once dry I have coloured with Ecoline inks. I have also coloured some card with the same Ecoline inks to stamp the Paisley out three times using a black Stazon ink pad. I have positioned everything on the background paper and I have inked the Style word with Black Stazon but masked off the 'S' so that 'tyle' is stamped on the paper in the position required. My monogram 'S' will form the beginning of the word. Postal stamps have been stamped down one side of the faux stamps and everything assembled.

Thanks for looking!!

Happy Stamping.
Wendy-x-

Playing with Glitter

Today' s card is made using a paper ribbler and fine glitter. Once you have stamped and coloured your images pop your artwork through a paper ribbler, then using a glue pen add a line of glue along the ridges the ribbler has made in the card and add irredescent glitter to the glue lines. Leave the images until the glue has dried out and then finish your card as desired. So simple but once again adding a bit of texture. It is very hard to get the glittered ridge image to show on a scan but I think you can just make it out in the flowers on the card above.

Enjoy your day!
Wendy-x-

Bazzill Chip Brooch

I haven't had much time today - I have been out to meet up with a fellow crafting friend I met on a Forum last year. Every time she is in the area we try to meet up for a coffee and a chat about what we have been playing with and time flies!! I had a wonderful time this morning and will look forward to the next one.

I had a go at making these Bazzill Chip Brooches for the first time at the weekend when Stamp galaxy had a few classes to celebrate their Forum Birthday. I really enjoyed this but didn't have a crop-a-dile to put a hole in the bazzil chip so that I could add some dangly beads. I now have one on order!! It was good fun and I plan to make some more.

CPS 3 - Paper Ribbling Technique

My interpretation of the Card Positioning Services Template Challenge 3. Very simple stamping using a technique that gives the impression of a paper lantern or Venetian blind. This technique looks great with oriental cards and with other stamps too!

Basically you stamp your image and colour if desired. Then you pop your stamped piece through a paper ribbler to get the corrugated effect. Finally you very gently drag a black ink pad along the corrugated lines to highlight the lantern effect. This stage must be done very lightly or you will obliterate your image! Finishing the card as desired. I have used the Oriental Sun stamp in the corner to represent the arrow on the template. All stamps are from Tanda Stamp Far East Set 3.

Below is a card made using a Rubbadubbadoo Flower Pot image - this makes me think of a Venetian blind and indeed if you make hole up the side and insert ribbon or thread would do so even more.


Thanks for dropping by - happy stamping!
Wendy -x-

Wednesday Stamper - Butterflies

The Wednesday Stamper challenge this week is 'Butterflies'. The card is made using simple stamping techniques. The centre piece is a butterfly background stamp form Tanda Stamps, stamped in resist ink with a light green, turquoise and dark blue dye ink rubbed over with sponges to bring the resist image through. The outer piece of card is a mixture of the same three dye inks applied direct to paper and overstamped with the Stampin Up daisy stamp in the dark blue dye ink. A number of daisies have been stamped coloured and cut out to be mounted around the edge of the centre piece. Three butterflies have also been stamped and coloured with the same inks. Their wings have been rolled for dimension, they have been sprayed with a mixture of hairspray and gold mica powder and mounted on the card using 3D foam pads. There are some fabulous cards again this week - check out the links on the comments left on the Wednesday Stamper link above!

Daring Cardmakers - A Pocket Full of Posies!

Today's card is my interpretation of the Daring Card Maker's weekly dare - 20/20 Vision. I thought I would do something a little more girly after the boys cards last week so I have made the card using some Making Memories Papers, a stamped pocket, twenty stamped flowers and twenty sparkling gems!

The pocket and flower stamps are from 'Stampin Up'. The flowers have been stamped in saddle brown Stazon onto low gloss paper and coloured with various colours of Ecoline inks. The inks are a new purchase that arrived on Monday that I am still experimenting with but so far I am very impressed with them. The edge of the paper has been shabbied and inked up.

Cheers!
Wendy -x-

Acrylic Paint Fun

I am glad to report that my day did improve yesterday and I have had a much more productive morning.

I have read a few posts recently about acrylic dabbers and acrylic paint and I had bookmarked this technique to try once I had bought my canvas paper. The original instructions called for the Adirondack dabbers, I don't have any of these and didn't want to go to great expense if it was not going to be easy. I do have quite a few acrylic paints though so I bought one dabber in black and used paints that I already had. I felt it would be easier to add the black paint to the stamp with the dabber.

To finish the card I have stamped onto marbled paper and mulberry paper using Stampin Up background stamps and added some creased up photo corners.

Another version is pictured below - this time I have used an unmounted Parthenon stamp.


I need to experiment with this technique some more - I can think of some wonderful Paperartsy images that would go well with this look.

Have an creative day!
Wendy -x-

Card for a Fishy Friend!

Oh boy, have I had one of those mornings. I got out of bed all bright and bushy tailed. I knew that I needed to make a card for a work mate today with a 'Pisces' theme to it. I was also going to combine it with the CBC chalk challenge. For starters I could not find my large fish stamp and don't own any astrology stamps. Then I had the idea of printing the main image from a CD. The printer would not work and my Son is not at home (he sorts all my technical problems out for me)!! I did contemplate going out to the shops to buy one then I managed to find one small fish stamp from a Stampin Up set, a netting stamp, some grasses and a starfish - anything else seemed to have gone into hiding. I also managed to look out a fish charm which I have managed to include on the card.

The background went well - Drunken Chalk Technique. A combination of blues and a green chalk ink applied directly onto glossy card, silver pigment ink applied over the top of the chalk inks and then spritzed and dabbed with surgical spirit. The grasses and little fish are stamped directly onto the background piece using teal blue Stazon. Pisces is stamped onto a vellum strip in the same Stazon ink, mounted over a torn strip of orange card and attached with brads. This is layered onto orange card and narrow ribbon has been tied at the bottom with the fish charm threaded onto the ribbon. The starfish and netting stamp have been stamped directly onto the base card and the Pisces piece mounted over the top. Three little fish have been stamped, coloured with chalks and cut out. I have then glazed the fish, added iridescent glitter and attached with 3D foam pads.

Not one of my triumphs in fact I would be inclined to scrap this one if I didn't need it this afternoon! Oh well we all have them!

Below are a couple of cards made previously with the Drunken Chalks as background technique. Stamps used are Rubbadubbadoo.













If you have dropped by - then thanks for taking the time to look.
Enjoy your day!
Wendy -x-

Boys Zone!

I got on with it today and made the Birthday cards I needed. As they were both cards for the lads I have also cracked the mid week dare with the Daring Cardmakers!! The card above for my little Grandson was first on the list. The H20's were brought out again for this to create a soft silky, misty background, I have used on the Blog before. The technique is basically smooshing some H20's around on a piece of acetate or craft sheet and dunking your card stock in it. Beautiful soft, silky, twinkly backgrounds! This time I have over stamped the Twinkler background piece with the train image from Rubbadubbadoo in Stazon. The main image has been coloured using Marvy Wet looks and clear embossed. You can repeat to get depth of colour by repeating the process.

The next card I needed was for a friend at work - he loves his motorbikes. This is really just very simple stamping using some stamps from Aspects of Design and an unknown unmounted on the tag. I have stamped on some grey paper with an argyle stamp - it sort of gives the impression of a tyre pattern.



Now two older cards for the younger element!!



I make a lot of cards for the lads - I usually try to centre them around something they are interested in as I think they are a lot harder to please!!! The stamps for the above two cards are Rubbadubbadoo - I have dragged ink around a piece of card with an old credit card on the first and splattered ink and used webbing spray on the second.

New Photo Stamps!

Another 'Crafty' parcel arrived today with some gorgeous new photo stamps from Oxford Impression 'Soul of the Rose'. These images are so beautiful and the best photo stamps I have ever worked with. I made this card to the second Card Positioning Services Template Challenge.

I have also continued with experimenting with the use of vellum by stamping with versamark and embossing in white detail embossing powder. The photo image has been lightly coloured with inks.

I have also received some more Twinkling H20's to add to my collection, making a total of nine sets collected now. I am getting there!!

I managed to get an early pass out from work yesterday so got an earlier night and after the lack of sleep the night before it was just the ticket!

Happy Stamping
Wendy -x-

Dreamy Vellum

Woke at the crack of dawn today - just as well as Postie arrived nice and early with a crafty parcel which has arrived quicker than I expected (only ordered it on Friday)!! No time to play with these items today as I have some 'must do' jobs on this morning before work. So all will be revealed at a later date!!

When I saw this technique I got very excited and just had to have a go. I got everything out this morning, Vellum, a couple of re-inkers in complimentary colours and some rubbing alcohol. The finished result is so dreamy. I have over stamped the vellum with stamps from a set called 'Lovely as a Tree' by Stampin Up in olive green Stazon. Stamped three of the pine trees in the same olive green stazon onto ordinary card and roughly cut around the tree shapes. These have all been mounted over the vellum using silicone glue to give depth. I have embellished the piece with dark green organza ribbon at the bottom of the card, stamped the word 'friendship' in the same stazon shade at the top of the vellum and matted and layered onto dark green card stock.

I think that with a bit of glitter this may do for a few of next years Christmas Cards with an appropriate greeting on them!

Ok what I have forgotten to tell you is that in the midst of all this I knocked the bottle of rubbing alcohol over and wasted most of what I had left. With only a dribble left the inks have not mingled as much as I would have perhaps liked and I was left with a mess to clear up. Luckily the table and carpet escaped - but it has left the room with a slight odour!!!

Just as well that I have had to put things away and get on with my jobs as I think today could be one of those days!

Thank you for dropping in.
Wendy -x-

Wednesday Stamper - Footwear

The Wednesday Stamper Challenge for this week is 'Footwear. I enjoyed this one using some old stamps I hadn't played with for a while and a new one too!

For my Vintage Footwear card I have used smooth card and coloured with Ranger Distress Dye Inks in Antique Linen, Vintage Photo along with a Stampin Up purple dye ink. I have stamped over this with a black dye ink using a Stampin Up Filigree background stamp.

The centre piece has been coloured with the same inks and the my new lace Border stamp from the Tanda Stamp background set 1 was stamped down the left hand side. A Stamping Up lace corner stamp has been used on the top right hand corner. This has then been layered onto black card.

The boot has been stamped onto a spare piece of card that was left over from the coloured background piece and I have cut the image out.

The flower images from Stampin Up have been stamped and coloured with dye inks to match the card. Both the boot and the flowers have been attached with 3D Foam pads for depth.

Thanks for stopping by.
Wendy -x-

CPS 1 - Friends Never Go Out of Style

I was told about a new Blog site called Card Positioning Systems - they have just launched their very first Card Template Challenge. I made the card above to this template using a Stampin Up stamp set called 'I Like Your Style'. Just simple stamping, pretty papers and a button die cut! I had fun doing it so thanks for the challenge CPS!!!

Now to think about the challenge set by Wednesday Stamper which was 'Footwear'.

Daring Cardmakers - Safari Pockets

This week's dare from the Daring Card Makers is entitled 'In The Fold'. The card has to have a different fold to it or the piece on the card has to have folds in it. I have folded a piece of card in a concertina fashion to make pockets and popped Safari animal images into those pockets. A very basic card - the images from the Tanda Stamp Safari Set 1 are just stamped in saddle brown Stazon onto cream card. I have decorated a couple of the folds with Paper Pizzaz animal print paper and embellished with gold brads and string.

I am now off to have a go at a template challenge on a new Blog Site!

Back in Time

I am a bit behind with my challenges this week but today I managed to think about the mid week dare from the Daring Cardmakers which was 'Back in Time' to the 70's.

I was a teenager in the 70's and I remember fabrics and clothing very well. In particular I remember being the very proud owner of a bright pink pair of Paisley Trousers. I think Tescos had just opened in the Town and they had these trousers in a variety of colours - yellow paisley, blue paisley, green paisley and the pink. I was in love with the blue but my size had sold out so my Mum brought home this lovely bright pink pair. I was over the moon and I think she had to prize them off me and wash them overnight so that they were ready the very next day!! Anyway the memory of this wonderful pair of trousers is the inspiration for the above card using a Geometric background over stamped with the Tanda Stamp paisley stamp from their new Background Set 1. The centre topper is the paisley stamp stamped onto a piece of card I have coloured with the lightest pink used in the background piece. The word 'Fabulous' is from one of the new Tanda Stamp word sets. The only embellishments used are a couple of eyelets at the bottom of the card and some funky fibres under the card topper.

Geometric backgrounds are easy - you just need some solid shape stamps and 3 or 4 coloured ink pads of your choice. I have used some unknown unmounted circle and square solid stamps. These are also examples of using different inks and different card. The card above has dye inks stamped onto glossy card stock and the one below has chalk inks stamped onto ordinary card stock. You can also achieve some cool backgrounds using paints instead of ink.

Other memories of clothing from the seventies - platform and wedged shoes, flared trousers, very wide ties for men have all come back into fashion at some point and what I like about today's trends is the fact that nothing seems to go out any more!!

That was a very nice trip down memory lane - so thank you ladies for the Dare!

Warm Wishes
Wendy -x-

A Vintage Wedding

Todays crafting was of a vintage nature. I don't usually do this style very well so I was pleased to get the instructions for this technique which gives the impression of an old photograph with aged or burnt edges. I have used a stamp from the Tanda Stamp Set Vintage Wedding Set 1 along with the music stamp from their new background set. To embellish I used a bow, a real piece of vintage lace and a vintage button from an Ephemera Pack bought a while ago from a fellow Forum member of CBC (thanks Puss)!

The technique is a simple one using Ranger Distress Inks in Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Black Soot. I have distressed the edges of the card with a paper distresser. The images have been stamped in Black Stazon and the card assembled with embellishments.

I am going to have to play with this one again - I know I have a few other stamps that would look good using this technique.

Have a pleasant day!
Wendy -x-

Spring Tulips and H20's

Not entirely happy with yesterdays card for the weekly challenge I had another go at it this morning. As there has been a lot of talk about using H20's on one of the Forums I frequent I fetched them out and did some stamping using the direct to stamp and a stippling technique. One of my favourtie flowers is the tulip and I love this stamp from Stampin Up. I just painted the H20is directly onto the stamp and spritzed with water before stamping. The small background piece is made by stippling the same colours I used for the tulips onto white card using one of those bags you put into the washing machine with the wash tablet in. This gives a stippled effect and you get the pattern of the bag coming out in places too. The whole thing has that lovely shimmer that Twinkling H20's give you which unfortunately my scanner does not pick up. You also loose some depth of colour with the scans - I really must invest in a decent digital camera.

Going off the subject of H20's below is a card I made for a friend using the same stamp. This time it is chalks that I have used for colouring the image that has just been stamped in black dye ink. This has to be one of my favourite stamps as it can look very dramatic or very soft and can be used for a very quick card.


Today I have been spoilt with flowers, chocs and a lovely soft teddy! I have had a couple of deliveries of crafty goodies for my stash and some samples of free stamps to play with. I can't wait for the weekend when I have three days off! Woohoo!! In the meantime reality is calling and I am soon off to work.

If you have stopped by thanks for looking at my blog.
Warm wishes
Wendy -x-

Beautiful Batik

I have made this very simple card in the Batik style with a Technique that uses colour wash sprays with images embossed in clear embossing powder. There are a few ranges of colour wash sprays available, the sprays used on the card above are the Colour Wash Jewels from Stamp Zia and Ranger do a range of beautifully rich colours. I made the card with thoughts of this weeks challenge on the Ink-Stains Forum - a card with a Spring or Summer feeling. I used the Blossom stamp from Tanda Stamps Flower Set along with Emerald, Ruby and Amethyst Color Wash Jewels. Apart from the dramatic colour of the ribbon embellishment I didn't think that the card needed anything else added. I liked the simpleness of the technique.

The batik effect is fab using any other kind of watercolour paint. It can look good in soft colours or very vibrant it just depends on the look the individual is wanting to achieve. Below is a card I made some time ago using the watercolour crayons to make this butterfly batik tag.


Colour wash sprays are great for other techniques as well and I will get around to using them again at a later date, probably more than once, to show the versatility and the depth of colour you can achieve with these little beauties!

Happy Stamping!!
Wendy -x-

It's Gesso Time!

I have made this card this morning for a Template challenge on CBC. I love using gesso - especially like this - Gesso in a resist. The set of stamps I have used for this card are a set of Stampin Up stamps called Delicate Dandelions.

Another example of the Gesso this way is below. I made this card for a friend who is of a similar age to me! Once again Stampin Up stamps have been used.

Another couple of ATC's using Gesso - one I made at the weekend for a challenge to make an ATC with a ring-pull, the other I made a while ago. These were made using Tanda Stamps - the Flower Set and the Cat Set 2.















Bye for now - have a good stamping day!

Daring Cardmakers - Media Inspired!

The Daring Cardmakers have done it again! What a fab challenge - so spoilt for choice. Holidays, Houses For Sale, Shopping etc etc. I went for a Congralulations You've Passed card as I was itching to use this set of unknown unmounted stamps I purchased from the US a while ago. I have also used part of the road map from an Aspects of Design set and a queue of cars from a Stampin Up set. I do enjoy these challenges so much, thanks girls and of course a special thanks to Gillian Hamilton who set the challenge this week. Keep the challenges coming. If you haven't dared yet- you should have a go, check the link above.

That's all folks!! I am cooking dinner and looking forward to a visit from my step-son, who we haven't seen for about 4 months. Then off to work.

Have a wonderful day!

Mother's Day card

This card I have made for my Mum-in-Law and for a challenge on Crafts By Carolyn to make a Mother's Day Card using one colour.. I have used a Brayer Technique. I have used Stampin Up dye in Orchid Opulence all over my glossy card stock and after masking have brayered the whole piece using Stampin Up dye ink Lovely Lilac and peeled off the tape. The flower is a two step set from Stampin Up which I stamped using the same inks and cut out. The card is embellished with a white organza ribbon, a white decorative photo corner and a Mother's Day greeting. A very simple card to make and my Mum-in-Law's favourite colour!

I am going to have a go at an ATC later tonight. If I am successful I will upload it.

I have also managed to do the shop and give my bedroom a very thorough clean - I feel that I have achieved what I needed to today and if I manage to get the ATC cracked - all the better!

I am off to take my little dog Chloe for a walk and get some fresh air!

Wax Paper Resist

I finally managed to get hold of a roll of wax paper and played with one of the wax paper techniques today . Very effective and not too difficult. To get the spiral effect I have folded the wax paper so that the creases are coming out from a centre point and then scrunched the paper up. The central image has been stamped previously and masked off before the wax has been applied. Stamps used are Tanda Stamps India set and Stampin Up dye inks in Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange and Real Red have been used.

I played a little more and made the card below using the same technique but this time I didn't mask the image off and had the wax effect going through the image too. Stamps used for this card were also Tanda Stamps from the Dragons and Fantasy Set 4. Inks used were Stampin up Dye inks in Tempting Turquoise, Brilliant Blue and Lovely Lilac.


There is still room to play with this wax paper when I have the time!!

Today I have spent some time with my dear husband who took me out for a lovely Chinese meal at dinner. Some good quality time together - bliss!

Tropical Fun

I have not had much time to craft today - too busy sorting out ATC and Card swaps. Loads and loads of scanning and cropping to do.

However I did set aside an hour this evening to make this card for the weekly Ink Stain challenge - Forest Friends, only I thought I would put a tropical Forest spin on the challenge. New stamps and to tell the truth I was itching to have a play with them. I bought these stamps for the US - as unknown unmounted.

I have a couple of other challenges to sort out and I really must sit down and make a pile of Fat Book pages. Where does the time go to??

At least I used the time off work well - I couldn't get the car off the drive today. We are on a slight slope and the drive is very narrow, she started slipping and sliding all over the place. I think I would have had even more trouble on the Estate roads. I watched a couple coming side ways on!

I think I will retire early tonight and hopefully get a good start on things in the morning.

Knight in Shining Armour!

Today my little bit of crafting is for the Wednesday Stamper Challenge. A medieval window shaped card with my husband appearing yet again on my blog. Three times now - once on a Cowboy themed wanted poster, once on my valentine scrapbook card and now my bright and shiny Knight! I have used various papers and Ranger Distress ink in Fired Brick. Stamps are from a couple of Rubbadubbadoo sets.

This has to be a very quick entry - I have much I need to achieve today and very little time to achieve it in!

Enjoy your crafting day!

Crazy Daisy ATC's

Today I concentrated on finishing my Crazy Daisy ATC swaps for the Crafts By Carolyn Forum. I have used Lumiere metallic acrylic paints. The first ATC is made using the Pearl Turquoise. It is painted onto card in a couple of layers and once dry a final layer is dabbed on with a sponge for a bit of texture. Webbing spray and a little gold embossing have also been added. The Daisy was coloured using Marvy Wet Look pens and clear embossed.

The second was made the same way using using the Lumiere Halo Violet Gold acrylic paint. Daisy stamps are from Rubbadubbadoo. Below is a Valentine card I made for someone previously using webbing spray and embossing powder just to show what effect you can get on a larger scale!


This is especially good for Oriental Cards using various colours on black card. I have made some but unfortunately I have lost a number of images when we were experiencing problems with an old computer!

It's Black and White

There is a Black and White stamping challenge on Crafts By Carolyn this week. I particularly like animals in black and white along with the a Mosaic Technique so I have combined the two in the card above. I have used various unknown unmounted stamps for the background mosaics. For the focal point I have used a Tanda Stamp image from the Cats Set 2. Very simple stamping onto glossy card, cutting up into squares and arranging for a mosaic tile effect.






The second card is another animal card. I made this one a while ago and it has remained one of my favourites. The image is a Zebra image from Rubbadubbadoo. The background is just black card cut into uneven strips to resemble the stripes of the zebra along with an uneven shaped greeting.





Finally the instructions for the challenge said why not add a splash of colour to the Black and White so I have included another Mosaic made previously. using Rubbadubbadoo images but throwing in a bit of red. If you want to check out the other cards there are links to CBC on this page and on my Craft Link List, you will find pictures in the Gallery in the Rubber Stamp Challenge category.

Sew Wild!!

I have made this card for a challenge set on the Ink Stains Forum. We had to make a card with some sewing on it and were not allowed to use stitch stamps!! Well I am not much of a seamstress but had a crack at it anyway. It is always more enjoyable when taken out of your comfort zone!

The background animal print is made using a technique that uses napkins. I have fused a napkin layer onto freezer paper with an iron and I have then stitched this piece onto card using a zig zag stitch. Then onto some straight stitching to make a ribbon like embellishment. I didn't think about until afterwards but perhaps it is a little strange to have a masculine theme where sewing is involved! Ooops! The rubber stamp image is from a Judikins cube stamp.

This technique can be great fun. I find now that whenever I go out somewhere to eat, or to a party, if there are serviettes with patterns on I have to lift one for my handbag! The card below is an older card I made using a napkin that I think I bought in Wilko's and a Rubbadubbadoo stamp.

I am being treated to dinner being cooked for me today as I have to work. Pork chops mmmm!! I can smell them cooking. If it was left to me it would have been bacon and eggs. Food always tastes better when somebody else has cooked it!

Daring Cardmakers - Scrapbook Card

This morning has been all about having fun as I tackled the new dare from the Daring Cardmakers to make a scrapbook style card. Well after a long look through photos I found what I was looking for and started to think about the words I wanted to use. Once this was clear in my head I moved on to thinking about backgrounds and paper. My husband has brightened my world so I wanted to convey this with colour. I have opted for a striking background piece. This is a something I haven't done since my school days! It basically involves blowing drops of re-inker around on a piece of glossy card stock with a little sprinkled glitter for good measure. It is very dramatic and in your face, but then, my feelings for him are dramatic! So this is my entry - a bit different probably due to the background but it says what I want it to!

I am going out now for some retail therapy and I need to pick up the Craft Stamper March Issue. Once home again I can curl up with a cuppa and read the mag from cover to cover! I only have today off and will unfortunately but I am sure I will find time to craft later this afternoon/tomorrow morning!!

Take time to smell the Roses!

This is a lovely stamp set from Elusive Images. I have used it today with some Ranger Distress ink pads. Applied to smooth card stock and flicked and spritzed with water. I went for a heavily flicked piece as I wanted to achieve the look of raindrops on petals. The Rose script stamp has been stamped onto vellum and coloured from the back with pencils. I have also selectively stamped parts of the script onto the background card using the same colour ink as I am stamping onto.

Below is a sympathy card made previously where I wanted a peaceful water like image. Water and inks are so versatile. The spritzing was not so heavy for this one as I wanted a much softer finish. It is embellished with a laced blue ribbon down the side of the card.
I think I will have to put my watery bits away and move onto something else tomorrow. I am off now to see if the Daring Cardmakers have popped the new Dare onto the Blog. Have a wonderful day!

Double Dared - Football Crazy!

I was in need of a football card and I had been thinking about the layout challenge from the Daring Cardmakers mid week dare. I had recently acquired some new Football Stamps from Tanda Stamps. One of the best sets I have seen where you are able to do the Football shirts with players number on the back as well as this fab image of a boy walking away in full kit. I have recently been following instructions for a distressed water colour background technique which was perfect for this card.

Below is a card using Ranger Distress inks and water - that gives what is known in the Artist's circles as Pollack Style - where you dip a part of the image in water and let it bleed into the water colour paper but leave the other part of the image crisp.

This image was created using a flower pot image from Rubbadubbadoo. The technique would not be everyone's cup of tea but I like anything different!!

Once again I have to clear up ready to go to work. At least I'm not having such a spaced out day today. Someone asked me yesterday what make car I drove. I couldn't for the life of me remember, my head was completely blank. I told the person that I couldn't remember but it began with an 'M'. He proceeded to try and guess giving a couple of car names. Suddenly the light went on and I said "No its a Rover but it is an 'M' reg". There is no hope for me, the guys face was a picture!!