Just for Fun " Favourite Stamp " And I Won Again !!!!

Yes yes I won again !!!!! The lovely Fliss at Stampers Chef had a blog give away for reaching double figures !! Not just any ordinary candy but three sets of stamps that she designed herself and they look fabulous ! So firstly congratulations on reaching the 200 mark and secondly thank you ! thank you ! thank you !

Right moving along the bus after what seems like an eternity I am taking part in one of Just for Fun challenges their theme this week is " use your favourite stamp " well it only seems fitting that I should take part using my favourite stamp on one of my favourite sites challenges. Neet has chosen the theme for us this week. Although I have lots of favourite stamps I have chosen the one I " go too " more often than all of the others and looking back on my cards it has turned up on quite a few of them !  It may not be the most beautiful or unusual but it is the most used so therefore my favourite. Infact if you look at my new blog header the stamp has been used on two of the projects !

I have made three projects using it and here they are

Ok this is the before shot not my favourite stamp a wooden dish that I use for window displays in my shop .

So my favourite stamp is this Stampin Up text  script which I also have as an embossing folder. Here I have made my own tissue tape stamping the script all over with Stazon ink and then adhered it to the plate with Gloss and Seal. I then added Ranger crackle glaze and left it to dry I did also use a base coat of Gesso before I started the background. When it was dry I added distress ink over the crackle and then removed it in various places with my sanding block. I cut out four circles of card and followed the same procedure just using my sanding block on the edges.

The script stamp has this time been embossed with Hero Arts Gold embossing powder  a silk leaf added and using a S U beveled  windowpane placed an embossed butterfly underneath onto a piece of card that I have also stamped the script onto with distress ink.  Ribbon and a button for a little extra something somethin !

 

Here I have made a pocket sewing two pieces of DP together and making some leaves from grungeboard using my tattered florals die ,  coloured them with DI inks embossed them and then coated them with glossy accents and put them in the little pocket on the front of the envelope. Used my script stamp again and stamped onto velum with Stazon opaque white ink and then embossed it in a random fashion with DI embossing powder.  This fits inside the envelope  and a message can be written on to the back of the tag. Made a flower again with the aid of my big shot  and blah blah blah same technique as above and attached it to the leaves.

Do pop over to Just for Fun to see the fabulous inspirational pieces by the lovely ladies , Zoe, Neet and Von.

Thank you for popping by and for all of your lovely comments that you leave me I really do appreciate each and everyone !

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Marie

Extra ! Extra !

No cards today !!! Just a few announcements!

Over at Get Creative where I am a DT member,  during the month of october we were and still are having a card bonanza with each member of the design team posting their own challenge and offering a prize in their category. There are 13 challenges running all with a different themes !!!. Well in order to give everyone a fair chance of taking part as some of the challenges were posted close to the end of the month, the deadline has now been extended until the 5th November . Why not pop over to Get Creative with thirteen challenges running i am sure there is something to suit everyone's taste !!

Did you notice my new banner and blog button !! It was created by the multi talented Cindy Adkins of Whimsical Musings . I have to say I think they are gorgeous even if it is based on my own work lol. Cindy was given free reign to choose and design them both and  think she did a fabulous job and so reasonable too ! She has chosen pieces that I  believe reflect my style and I  couldn't be happier. For those of you that don't know Cindy do pop over and visit as not only is she a fabulous artist, writer, designer but she also showcases many wonderful and talented designers on her blogs.

Last but least a little while ago I was lucky enough to win some blog candy from the fabulously talented Gerri Herbst of Its all Treasure. Well when I say some candy I mean loads and loads of candy !! The photo just doesn't do it justice there are so many wonderful and interesting little treasure here I don't know where to start ! but I know I will enjoy creating with them. Thank you so much Gerri for your kindness and generosity.

 If anyone would like to grab my gorgeous blog button please feel free !

Take care

Marie

Daring Card Makers " Use Felt " Fairy Fun Fridays " Heat Embossing "

Why oh why is it every time I upload some of my cards than the next day there appears a couple of great challenges with the same theme  ! I always feel one step behind ! This usually happens when I feel I have done my best work. Well as you can guess it has happened again..


Two new challenge blogs to me the first is Daring Card Makers whose theme is " Use Felt " well my previous post was filled with the stuff !!! Luckily enough I had some pieces that I didn't post so I would like to share them with you.

Wont bore you all with the details the three panels are velum card and felt which I have embossed you can just make out the sentiment if you squint !!

For those of us with bloggers blindness have added a couple of close ups !

On this one I have made a tag card cut some leaves with the tattered floral die by TH and embossed them. Made a little felt flower and added a pearl.

As my regular followers will know am in a bit of a felt embossing frenzy at the moment !

 

This is a broach I made using black felt card and a button covered in stickles .

This next card  I want to share is for Fairy Fun Fridays who have asked us to use heat embossing on our cards . Once again my previous post was full of  the marvelous stuff ! It also has some felt on it so maybe it can be entered in both challenges !

I have double embossed here onto design paper so the paper actually shows through the embossing.  I used my brayer to add Versamark embossing ink onto the inside of my embossing folder and then ran it through the big shot, I then sprinkled the image with SU black embossing powder and heat set it. This gives the background a lovely shiny effect........honest.  Die cuts are by Hero Arts added a little glitter glue and there you are !

Why not head over to Daring Card Makers and Fairy Fun Fridays and see the wonderful DT pieces am sure you will be as inspired as I was.

Take care

Marie

Get Creative Challenge no 10 Wet or Dry Embossing.

Over at Get Creative this month each member of the DT has been given the opportunity by our lovely leader Irene to set our own challenge and offer a prize to the winner of each category .

Today is the tenth challenge and it is my turn to choose the theme which is wet or dry ( heat )  embossing

Embossing can create fabulous texture on your projects and there are so many possibilities . Here are a few cards I made using both wet ( heat ) and dry embossing using a variety of materials, felt, vellum and card or whatever your imaginations allows and of course your embossing machine !

Here I  made a simple card using one of my Spellbinders nested die sets to cut the base card and the two layers of felt. The base and the larger felt layer I embossed with SU script embossing folder.The top layer of felt I double embossed. Using one of my favorite embossing Sizzix embossing folders and using my Brayer rolled ink onto the inside of one half of the folder placed the felt carefully inside and then passed it through the big shot. As you can see the ink has adhered only to the raised part of the design. One tip here if using felt ensure that you choose a light color and a dark ink for best results.

Wont bore you with all of the details here just wanted to show the effect after inking the indented side of the same embossing folder this time the background is colored and the raised image remains untouched.

This next card has to be one of my favorites . Using one of my Tim Holtz on the edge dies I cut my card base , I then used Spellbinders nested dies to cut out the three corresponding shapes , the black border is cut out of foam rubber although you would never know looking at the photo !  The aperture window is cut from vellum and the black central piece from very heavy card and both embossed with the same folder. I  heat embossed the centre using Hero Arts gold embossing powder and set with my heat gun. It was covered with glossy accents which gave it that lovely shiny effect and as it was drying added the black and gold button which matched perfectly.

This next one although a little on the kitsch side I have to say looks fabulous ( yes thats me saying I like something I have created ). I used gold mirror card for the top which I embossed and then double embossed  a piece of cream card stock for the bottom using the brayer technique inside the embossing folder. I used Versamark clear embossing ink passed the card through the big shot and then sprinkled the card with Hero Arts Gold embossing powder and set it with my heat gun. Depending on which side of the embossing folder you ink you will get a different effect in this case I wanted the background to be golden. the little round circle is also heat embossed using a crackle stamp , hero Arts embossing powder and glossy accents.

For this card I created a simple background with my brayer and various distress inks until I had reached the desired effect i.e. mess. Embossed the base card and some cut offs from my brayered background. The sentiment is Hero arts stamped with DI embossing ink and heat set. Distress embossing powders are non shiny and this  think suited this particular card.

You all still with me !!!! OK one more left to go !!

This card is only embossed on the inside I embossed the sentiment with my big shot and made a little pocket which i sewed into the card. Made a little tag which I only half embossed  leaving the rest blank for a handwritten message and used a little DI ink to lightly highlight the text.

the winner of my challenge will win a set of Sizzix embossing folders some Ranger Distress embossing Powder in Antique Photo and some Prima retro buttons.

For those of you that stayed with me thank you for your patience !


Why not pop over to GET CREATIVE and maybe take part in one of the ten challenges that are currently running all of which have some wonderful prizes on offer. There are also a few more to come right up until the end of the month.


So what are you waiting for .........come on and GET CREATIVE !!


Take care


Marie

P.S Blogger is being a so and so and has decided it wants to change the size of my font so for those of you who like myself who are visually challenged please forgive me for the tiny weeny letters !

Paperplay Challenge " Use Something Black "

As my regular followers will know I have been missing of late ( well I hope they know ! ) Have just returned once again from London where I am trying you support my friend Dolly and her family through a very difficult time.  Once again my mews has , to put it bluntly  " Done a Runner " Although I have been back a few days am having great difficulty in the creative and blogging department !, so I thought I would ease myself gently back into the swing of things by making a few cards for myself when I saw the challenge by Paperplay which fitted my frame of mind perfectly. Their theme this week is " Use Something Black " Can I use my mood ??? No ? Well OK then I hope this  card fits the bill !

 

Actually its a card and envelope together . My TH on the edge dies are getting a real work out lately if I'm not too careful they will become blunt !! Is it possible to sharpen them !?  Using various DPs from my stash I made a pocket and sewed around the edges and made another  little pocket for the front which could hold a little tag  . I used one of my Hero Art flower engraving stamps on the front and cut out the frame with my Silhouette.

 

This is the little card that sits inside the envelope which I have  embossed and added a little pearl .

 

This is the inside of the card and the envelope together  ( well that's obvious now isn't it ! ) The back of the envelope is a different coloured paper but forgot to take a picture !! 

Variations on the above , a little extra bling well not exactly bling , can pearls be classified as bling ? I should know I own a jewllery shop !!! Oh dear please excuse the rambling . 

Why not pop over to Paperplay and feast your eyes on the wonderful inspirational pieces by the DT definitely something for everyone's taste there .

I myself am off to pay you all a visit and catch up as best  I can before I disapear once again to london. I have missed you all so much in the last ten days and am looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful art. Who knows  I may even recapture my mews......better get my running shoes on then I suppose !http://paperplaychallenges.blogspot.com/

Take care

Marie

P. S Do pop by on Monday when It is my turn to set the challenge at Get Creative there are some super prizes to be won !

Craft Room Challenge " Felines " and Just Add Ink " Just Add ......a Die Cut "

Although I am in the middle of packing for my trip to London I couldn't help but have a peep at what was going on with all you crafters this weekend.  As usual I popped by The Craft Room  to see what the next fortnights theme was. The  lovely Zoe has chosen the theme  which is  " Felines " now any one who knows Zoe knows that she has a passion for these furry little creatures, she owns three  " imps " as she calls them and her blog always has a feline of the day at the end of her posts ! How could I not take part !

The front of the card only has feline related words but if you open it.........................

my little cat is sitting all proud ( as they do ) right on top of the sentiment ! Don't  know if you can see what with my terrible photography but when the card is closed the rats tail can be seen protruding from the side . Hope this is feline enough for you Zoe !

Why not pop over to the The Craft Room to see the fabulous inspirational pieces by the DT whom I have to say are a rather nice bunch of ladies and all  of whom are very talented indeed !

While I was having a little nose around blog land I came across a fabulous and new to me challenge site,  Just Add Ink , I have to say I was very impressed by the DT who's work was both beautiful and inspiring  and as soon as I have posted this I will be going back to take a closer look. Their  theme this week is " Just add ........a Die Cut " I do love my inks but I equally love my die cuts too so I thought I would have a go here as well !

This card was a bit of an experiment in more ways than one.  I took an image from Designer Digitals and printed it onto parchment paper. I used my sewing machine to adhere the image to the card a first for me and it shows ! I then die cut some leaves with the tattered florals die by Tim Holtz , I embossed one and then dabbed  it with a little green distress ink to give it a little emphasis . I then placed  it inside the little pocket that I had created on the  front of the card  you can just about see the leaf  showing through. I used an eyelet and ribbon to close up the edge so that the leaf wouldn't fall out ! I quite like the effect and have to say it looks a lot better in real life !

Have decided to throw caution to the wind and enter this card as well even though the photo is not perfect ! Here I once again used one of my Tim Holtz on the edge dies to create the borders and some DPs from my stash ( don't know who's they are the cover has come off ! ) I inked the edges with Ranger distress inks , a bit of embossing and another eyelet and some ribbon ( looks like I am going through an eyelet phase )  I took and old button and used some silver stickles on it and added it to the top of one of my trees , and there you have it. I hope the lovely ladies at Just Add Ink will like it too !  Please pop over and visit them I think you will be pleasantly surprised as I was by their amazing work.

Anyway that's enough gabbing from me I do have a suitcase to pack you know !!

Take care

Marie

Get Creative Card Bonanza .Sassy Lil Sketches Send Off Sketch 4 and an Altered Duck !

Get Creative Card Bonanza !


Over at Get Creative where I am a DT member our illustrious leader Irini Had one of her fabulous brainwaves in honour of National card making day on the 1st of October. Yes I know I am very late ! For the whole month  of October all the members of the Design team will be setting their own individual card challenges and also offering a prize for the winner in their group. You can enter as many times as you like and there will also be an overall winner at the end of the month. My fellow DT members have set some fantastic challenges and we have had a terrific response. My theme will be announced on the 24th of the month so you will just have to wait and see what it is !


Until then why not pop over to Get Creative to see if there is something that takes your fancy who knows you may even win a prize or two or three !


It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that Sassy Lil Sketches challenge blog and forum as of the end of October will be no more ! I have had only a few short months with the team and was just begining to feel my way around when it was announced that it was closing. I would like to thank Cherie and Katie for giving me the opportunity to work with them and for being able to meet so many lovely and talented ladies.

As a send off for the blog Sassy Lil Sketches will be posting a new sketch every day from the 2nd to the 9th of October. The deadline for participants will be October 23 and the prize winners will be announced on the 24th. Further details can be found on the  Sassy Lil Sketches blog.

This is my DT take on the sketch. Simple embossing and die cutting with a stamped setiment and silver ribbon.  Hope you will join in and give Sassy Lil Sketches a lovely send off !

Just for Fun Anything but a Card !

One of my favourite challenge blogs has to be Just for Fun ! I used to be one of their very regular contributors even if I do say so myself, but of late I have really fallen by the way side ! Life has really gotten in the way and as any one who reads my blog will notice my posts are few and far between. I literally am only filling the requirements of my DT posts as I am literally back and forth to the UK.

This weeks challenge was for anything but a card a very interesting theme indeed  with lots of possibilities. The challenge ends tomorrow so I  am really cutting it fine , anyway I did it so I'm showing it !

This is my altered duck ! He is solid wood and I use him for window displays in my shop. I took the little blighter and gessoed him and painted him with green and blue Stazon inks , then added pink crackle paint which didn't crackle AGAIN  ! Then I rubbed him all over with my little sander to give a worn effect. I added different DPs to the wings and tail which I also sanded and two black pearls for the eyes.

A couple of different angles none of which give a good reflection of the colours but there you have it. Do hope it is not too cute for you ladies at JFF . Do pop over and visit albeit at this late hour to see the fabulous DT inspirational pieces and the wonderful entries.

Am off to London on Monday  so hopefully I can catch up with you all  ( I do keep saying that ! )

Take care

Marie