INK IT UP...

Ooooh, two posts in one day. A rarity for me, lol.

I was in the mood for some inking and rubber stamping so I got out my distress ink pads and some of my gorgeous stamps from Onyx Impressions and sat down to see what I came up with. Onyx Impression stamps are just so beautiful. They have some super designs, cut in black rubber and really well made.

I stamped my tiger onto some orange paper from my Fancy Pants 'All Fall' pad but the black background didn't come out as dark as I'd like, so I stamped the tiger again, cut him out and used it as a mask. Then I used my Memento Black and some foam and really deepened the background. Some Marmalade was used to give some patches to the Tiger. That's Spiced Marmalade ink, not the stuff in a jar, lol and I used my black Promarker to draw my own stripes.

The frame is one of the newer Nestabilities...beaded oval.



Then I made a tunnel card. I'm quite fond of these at the moment, but this one didn't come out as well as I'd hoped. I'd actually binned 3 before deciding I'd had enough and going with this one. The black inking around the edges is a bit untidy, but I used a chalk ink pad, which I'd not done before, so I'll not be using one again.

I inked a piece of plain card with my distress inks and then stamped the scene on to it, making sure I had a yellow patch where the sun was. I then inked another the same and stamped the image again. This was cut along the tree and horizon line to make the middle 3D layer. The concertina folds were stamped with an orange swirl on the outside and inked black on the inside. More marmalade ink was added to the panels and then they were stamped with some Basic Grey swirl stamps.







They're really easy to make but just takes a little care (a bit more than I gave this one, lol).

MYTH AND MAGIC

Well, I've got a couple of cards for you today and very different they are. The first one is my DT card for I ♥ PROMARKERS. The theme this week for challenge #30, as chosen by me, is Myth and Magic. Lots of scope here...dragons, fairies, mermaids...etc. We are sponsored this week by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN who is offering a £10 gift voucher to the winner to spend in her online store.




I have had my dragon image for a long time now so I'm sorry, I can't tell you where I got it from as I can't remember. The papers are Papermania 'Hampstead'. This is the first time I've actually found them suitable for a card, lol. I used walnut stain distress ink to ink all the edges (after giving them a good distressing with a sanding block) and did the same to the Sizzix 'Tim Holtz' hinge dies to try and make them look a little rusty. The swirl at the bottom is a nestability shape and the trellis is a Martha Stewart punch. I am also very fond of this fold and use it quite a lot now.

I'm also entering this at:
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Just One.
CHRISTMAS STAMPING - Anything but Christmas.
CORROSIVE CHALLENGE - For the Boys.
GINGERSNAP CREATIONS - Ancient Ages (I think this card has a distinct medieval look to it).
CRAFTY EMMA'S - Anything Goes.
STAMPIN' FOR THE WEEKEND - Anything Goes.
BELLI CHALLENGE - Old Stamps.


So, do you ever go back to basics? I am finding at the moment that crafting seems to have gone full circle and things that were popular at the beginning of the craze are now popular again. I am seeing more heat embossing, dry embossing, die cuts and other things. I am currently involved in a ZENTANGLE swap. Google it to find out what it's all about, but let me tell you that I, and I suspect many of you, were doing it as a child and possibly still do it without knowing that it's now got a fancy new name. Basically, it's doodling, lol but doodling with rules. Go search and you'll find some fabulous examples.

My second card resurrects another basic which also seems to be all the rage again now and it's paper piecing. Now, this is the first time I have ever done it as I didn't like it before, but using DP's for clothes and things seems to make such a difference and so I've used it on this card and I must admit, I quite like it, lol.

I think you'll agree...two VERY different cards from me this week.


My image is 'Charley' stamp from Cuddly Buddly and the papers are MME which was a freebie pad in a mag a few weeks ago. Her dress and hat are pieced and the rest of Charley and her flowers are coloured with my Promarkers. Labels eight nestability, Martha Stewart heart punch, Prima flowers and a bit of lace finish it off.

I'm going to enter this at:
FAB 'N FUNKY - Material World.

The lovely DAWN has given me this super blog award.


Thanks so much, hun. It's much appreciated.
Now, I have to nominate 7 people to pass this to, so I'll be back soon with their names and blogs. :o)

Well, I've written a bit of a tome this week, pmsl so I'll shut up now.

I ♥ PROMARKERS # 24

Buttons, buttons and more buttons. This week over at I ♥ PROMARKERS the challenge is to use buttons on your card. Our sponsor this week is SIMON SAYS STAMP and he is offering a $15 spend in the online store and he'll even pay your postage for you.

For my card, I used an image by BECCY MUIR. I fell in love with this fella when I saw him, lol. My papers are from my favourite pad of the moment - FancyPants' 'All Fall' - they're yummy. The sentiment is a Rivercity Rubberworks stamp and the buttons are from a set of stamps by Hero Arts.



I'm also going to enter this card into the following challenges:

MY TIME TO CRAFT who want 'checks'. I hope my pattern qualifies for this.
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY who want cute and I reckon this fella is as cute as a button (no pun intended, lol).
DIGITAL TUESDAY who want'Happy Birthday'.
CRAFTALICIOUS who also want 'birthday'.

ON CLOUD NINE

18 of my crafty friends and I are going to Coventry this weekend for a get together and do a bit of crafting. We've got challenges and a couple of other things set up although it's far from a formal 'retreat'. We're all just going so we can meet up, have a good old natter and maybe a or two too, lol.

Anyway, I popped into my local craft shop today ~ CLOUD NINE CRAFTS ~ in Horncastle, Lincs and asked the lovely CLAIRE (Distressed Miss) if she would donate a prize for us and she did so some lovely papers and a rubber stamp will be finding a new home very soon. Thank you, so much, Claire. I'm very grateful for your generosity.

Claire's craft shop, Cloud Nine Crafts will be going online soon, so don't forget to pay her a visit but meanwhile, click on her name and visit her blog. She makes the most stunning cards.

ART IS THE PARADISE.....

This weeks challenge over at I LOVE PROMARKERS was a sketch and it had to have spots and dots on. I chose to do something a little different and used my fave stamp of the moment, Ribbon Hat Lady by Zettiology. The phrase is also a Zettiology stamp (well, half of it, lol) Papers are Basic Grey 'Indian Summer' and the flowers were die cut with Marianne Florals 1 and 2. I also flipped the sketch.