Try Something New ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

 Hope you're all having a fab weekend, feels like the middle of April here at the moment with all the showers yesterday.  It's time for another Fashionable Stamping Challenge and this fortnight we are asking you to 'Show us Something New' we are very lucky to be sponsored by Leo at Flonzcraft who is offering the winner of the prize draw $20 to spend in his store. Please be aware we are a stamping Challenge and do require some stamping on your project and definitely no digis please. For oodles of loveliness do pop over to the FSC blog to see what the other Stampettes have been up to.

My project is a Wicca Shrine seeing as it will soon be the time for the summer solstice. It's a mixture of old and new stamps. The new being the goddess Diana and the standing stones both cherry pie art stamps.

It was really fun to make and I did go rather overboard with all the stamping. It would lovely if you could share one of your crafty creations with us at FSC this fortnight.

Take care & Happy Crafting xx

Birds ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Birds is the latest Fashionable Stamping Challenge, chosen by my lovely teamie Yvonne. Please do head over to FSC HQ for lots of lovely inspirational projects from those Stampettes. Please do remember we are a stamping challenge and so do need to see some form of stamping on your work and definitely no digis please. The winner of our random draw will win a prize from our sponsors Cottage Crafts so please have ago and join our challenge.

I decided to alter that MDF box I was talking about in an earlier post. It's a large box and and I got decidedly messy  painting it LOL! It started off a dark cream, then I changed my mind as it looked too yellow, so it was painted white. Then I used fresco finish paints in blues and a coffee matt emulsion and sponged randomly.

 I used some craftersworkshop masks and mainly La Blanche stamps and inktense pencils. The swirls on the sides of the box are made using a crafty individuals stencil and viva ferro paint.

I am entering this for

Vintage Stamping Challenge ~ Blues browns and beige
Stampin for the weekend ~ Something Metal

Have a great Sunday and Happy Crafting xx

Show Some Love~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

'Show some Love' is the latest FSC challenge, chosen by Brenda and Joanna. I decided to show some shabby chic love and decided to make a little hanging for my design piece. To see all the fantastic projects made by my fellow Stampettes please head over to our FSC HQ. As we are a stamping challenge we do need to see some form of stamping on your project and definitely no digis please. We would love you to join our challenge this fortnight and the lucky winner of the random draw will win a prize courtesy of Marina at Cottage Crafts.

I up cycled some thick grey card which I painted with fresco finish paints and used inktense pencils to give a light wash of colour. The main stamp is Crafters Companion cling set rose clock, the others used are script stamps by PaperArtsy and Magnolia. I've kept it simple as I thought the stamp was rather pretty without any adornment.

I diecut my stamped card and attached with some chain, and used a gold leafing pen around the edges.

Yippee the snow has gone, which is good news, but I know there is a risk of flooding so I hope none of you are affected!

I've entered this for a few challenges

Crafters Companion ~ Anything but a card

Charisma Cardz ~ Flowers and hearts

Lady Anne's Challenges ~ Anything goes

Take care and stay safe and of course Happy Crafting xxx

French Fancies~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

To Die for is the theme for our latest challenge down at FSC, chosen by teamie Joanna. I do own a big shot, but I rarely use it these days so had to dust off a few cobwebs for this challenge. Please pop over to FSC to get oodles of inspiration from the beautiful projects designed by the team. Our sponsor is marina from Cottage Crafts offering a generous prize to the lucky winner. As we are a stamping challenge we do need to stamping in your project.

I used quite a few dies for this project, spellbinders for the perfume labels and fancy circular die, sizzix bigz for the dangly hearts and the cabinet die and memory box for the pastry label.

Lots of stamps too. Justrite stamps for the perfume label, hearts and the stamping on the cabinet card frame and and the french script is by stamping up. The little angel is by stempelglade.

Apologises for the picture it is a bit ropey, the light was abysmal when I took the photo and as you know photography is not my strong point!

I'm entering this in the following challenges

Ooh La-La ~ The craft room Challenge

Simon Says Stamp & show ~ A project with Heart

Simon Says Stamp Challenge ~ Anything goes

Have a lovely Sunday and wrap up warm!! xx

Home Sweet Home ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

The lovely Yvonne suggested 'Home Sweet Home' for our latest  challenge at FSC. We would love to see your Home Sweet Home projects as long as we can see some stamping on your project and you follow the theme, literally anything goes. Marina from Cottage Crafts is our generous sponsor. Please do head over to Fashionable Stamping Challenges HQ to see some fantastic projects created by the Stampettes.

As you know I am slightly obsessed with fabric still, so I decided to make a little coin purse. There are loads of free sewing tutorials out there for all sorts of projects and the purse was simple to make. But I had to un-pick the zip and re-sew it, I don't think I ever put a zip in first time LOL!! I was lucky enough to win a set of  these beautiful house stamps from the Artistic Stamper a while ago and thought they would be perfect for this challenge. They stamped beautifully on linen using black archival ink. I then heat set the ink and used fresco finish paints by paperartsy to paint the houses.

It would be lovely if you would join us this fortnight and share your stamping projects. 

Touch wood computer seems to be ok, perhaps the defrag helped, so off to do a spot of commenting now.

I'm entering this for the following challenges

The artistic stamper ~ Anything goes

Take care and Happy Crafting. xxx

Musical ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges & Blog Candy Winner

Firstly thank you to everyone for leaving comments on my bag candy. Hubby duly pulled a number out of the hat (well actually I put the bits of paper in a saucepan LOL!) and it was 26 which is Astrid. If you let me know your address, I will pop it in the post next week :-D

Now it's time for another Fashionable Stamping Challenge. The musical theme was set by the lovely Esther. The Stampettes have excelled themselves for this challenges, please do head over to the FSC blog for some gorgeous musical treats. Our lovely sponsor is Marina from Cottage crafts with a fabulous prize for the winning entry.

I decided to use the mozart stamp from La Blanche as my main focal image, along with another favourite set of mine from stampers anonymous, and the crackle effect stamp from Crafty Individuals. The wooden box was sanded down and painted matt emulsion paint in a cream shade. Then stamped in archival ink. Painted as usual with my inktense pencils, very economical as they last so much longer than ink pads.

On one of my visits to Lidls I spotted some aluminium foil tape on a roll, think it was only a couple of pounds and it's a huge roll. I placed some of the tape in an embossing folder, then coated the embossed tape with black gesso and finally rubbing over with some gilding wax and stuck to the sides of my box.

I'm entering this for the following challenge

The artistic stamper ~ Anything goes

A lovely Sunday to you all & Happy Crafting XX

The Autumn of her Years ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Shades of Autumn is the new challenge theme down at FSC head quarters. I struggled a bit with this one as I don't possess any leaf/fruit/flower/autumn style stamps. Oranges, browns and yellows are not  my colours either. Would you believe it it was me that chose this theme, what am I like LOL!!

I really need to widen my stamp range as I my favourite stamps are faces, people and vintage style typography and backgrounds of which I have far too many. I used to paint portraits so faces always interest me, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it, anyhow enough of my waffle onto the challenge.

As we are a stamping challenge we do need to see stamping in your project, but other than that the challenge theme can be interpreted how you like (obviously we need to see autumnal/fall colours too.) The Stampettes have excelled themselves and produced some amazing projects for you to feast your eyes on. Please do pop over to FSC to have a look. We would love you to share your artwork with us this fortnight. Our lovely sponsor Marina at Cottage Crafts is offering a great prize for the winning entry.

I've had this lovely La Blanche stamp for a while and thought it was about time it was inked up. I ended up making a fabric collage as I'd run out of those foam inky things and didn't have anything to blend  with, they always seem to go mysteriously missing. The stamps were all stamped onto TAP and coloured with inktense pencils and a watercolour brush, then ironed onto white cotton and then stitched onto some left over bag making fabric. Then I used the tattered florals die to make a fabric flower, and finished with a tasselled trim. 

I am entering this for the following challenges

Simon Says Stamp and show ~ leaf-spiration

Simply Create Too ~ Autumn/Fall

Sugar Creek Hollow ~ Gives thanks for Autumn

Crafty Creations Challenge ~ colors of fall

Have a great Sunday & Happy Crafting xx

Alter Something ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Time for another challenge at FSC. This time we would like to see your altered items, but remember we are a stamping challenge so we do need to see stamping in your work. The Stampettes have pulled out all the stops and created some really inspirational pieces so do please check out the FSC blog. Our sponsor is Marina at Cottage Crafts and has a fab prize for the winning entry.

I've neglected stamping of late, as sewing seems to have taken over so my FSC piece for this challenge  is all about the stamping. I've altered a wooden triptych. It is painted with matt emulsion and fresco finish paints and then stamped with archival ink and inktense pencils. The stamps used are by judikins and stampers anonymous.

I haven't entered many challenges recently so here goes thought I'd enter a few this week :-D

Anything But a Card

Frilly & Funky ~ Fall into Fall

Simply Create too ~ Anything goes

Try it on Tuesday ~ Anything Goes

Stamp and Create ~ Anything Goes

Have a great weekend everyone & Happy Crafting XX

Good things come in small packages

Hope you're all having a great weekend and enjoying the Indian summer. At FSC we ready for another challenge, this time it is Good things come in small packages. Please do visit The Fashionable Challenge Blog for some delicious projects beautifully created by the Stampettes.  Our generous sponsor is Marina from Cottage Crafts who is offering a prize for the challenge winner. As we are a stamping challenge we do need to see some form of stamping in your entry.

Also you can see the wonderful creation our Shirley has featured in the current issue of Craftstamper, she was shortlisted in the second round for The Stamper of the year. Biggest congratulations, it's fabulous and so well deserved.

Though my cosmetic pouch is not small my stamped cameo of Ophelia by the Stampsmith is. It is the largest of the stamps and is stamped onto shrink plastic. Then coloured using prismacolor pencils. Then baked in the oven. The pouch was one I've had for a while and is perfect for non sewists, as the buttons are the only sewing I've done. The lace and doily are attached using bondaweb, and the cameo, flowers and pearls are attached using fabric glue,

My small tag is is sewn this time. It is stamped with the medium version of ophelia using sepia ink onto natural calico fabric, then it was stitched onto some stamped fabric and cut into a tag shape and machine sewn and finished with some lace and buttons.

I'm entering this for

The Stampsmith challenge Bags & Tags.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend and Happy Crafting  XXX

Steampunk Love ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Steampunk is new challenge at FSC this fortnight. Its a theme I struggle with, so I decided to add a feminine slant to my project, anything masculine brings me out in a cold sweat LOL!! I know, another fabric hanging, I'm just enjoying using my sewing machine ATM.  Please head over to FSC headquarters for some stunning steampunk creations. Our lovely sponsor is Marina from Cottage Crafts and is offering a fab prize for the winner.

The background panel is stamped on cotton fabric with sepia archival ink then painted with diluted inktense washes. I die cut a couple of hearts from the a piece of cotton I'd put through my bigshot with an inked up gears and cogs embossing folder. The central image is a combination of two stamps, La Blanche clock and steampunk lady by Graphic 45. These were stamped on gessoed fabric and painted with Inktense pencils. Then all stitched together.

Looking forward to seeing all your gorgeous entries. But remember no digis as we are a stamping challenge and we do need to see some form of stamping in your project. Thanks for looking and have a lovely Sunday.

I'm entering this for the following challenges

The Craft room Challenge ~ Add Fabric

Simon Says Stamp And Show ~ Anything goes

Happy Crafting xx

Cities of The World ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

I would like to welcome my new followers, and a big thank you for everyone who regularly takes the time and trouble to visit my blog and leaves comments. I've had a great crafting week, firstly my win at the Stampsmith (still haven't managed to choose which set I want though, I am such a ditherer LOL.) Then I came top three in Simon Says stamp and show and finally Jean  asked me if I'd like to join the fabulously talented Crafty Individuals design team and of course I said YES! Thank you Jean it will be a real pleasure.

I hope you are all enjoying the bank holiday weekend. It is so cold here at the moment, I'm longing for some warmer weather. I'm imagining it is a tad warmer in Florence, the city I chose for my Fashionable Stamping Challenge project. I went to Florence in my early twenties, whilst inter railing and stayed in the most amazing youth hostel there, we only managed a short visit so I would love to return again, as it is the most gorgeous city. The new challenge at FSC is Cities of The World. The other Stampetes have created the most fabulous projects so please do head over to FSC for some beautiful and inspiring art work. As we are a stamping challenge we do need to see some form of stamping in your project and no digi stamping please. Our generous sponsor is the lovely Marina from Cottage Crafts.

You can probably tell I have re-discovered my sewing machine recently. There are some gorgeous fabrics around and I picked up some lovely linen fat quarters from ebay, which I have used in this hanging. I don't like tacking and couldn't find any pins so I held the fabric together with a tape pen before sewing, ooops, probably why it's turned out a bit wonky, plus I didn't measure anything! 

The stamps set is Bella Vita and is from Oxford Impressions. The words are stamped with sepia archival ink and stamped onto linen. Venus is stamped onto cotton which I painted with gesso first then coloured with Inktense pencils and a gold krylon pen. Then sealed with matte medium. I added a lace butterfly and some loops for hanging. 

I'm entering this for 

Pan Pastels UK ~ Anything goes

Enjoy the bank holiday weekend, whatever your doing and I hope you manage to squeeze in some crafting. xxx

Rosie Loved Paris ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

At FSC we are asking you to show either heat or dry embossing in your work for this fortnights challenge. As we are a stamping challenge we do ask to see some form of stamping in your project and definitely no digis please, so do head over to Fashionable Stamping Challenges to see oodles of gorgeous projects from the other Stampettes to inspire. Our generous sponsor Marina is offering the winning entry a fab prize from Cottage crafts

I chose to do dry embossing, well actually it was wet embossing really. I used the soggy loo roll method (technical term LOL!!) for making some background papers. 

Take about four sheets of toilet tissue, fold and place in inked embossing folders, spritz with water until soggy, then run through an embossing/die cutting machine and leave to dry. Then you can ink or spray with various inks, to achieve your desired effects. I used versamagic chalk inks and pan pastels on mine. As they looked rather like fabric squares I decided to dig out my sewing machine and stitch them together to make my background paper.

The main image is a combination of two stamps from the stampsmith, Rosie ( one which my sister bought over from the States) and stampendous cling, Paris stamp. It is stamped onto my favourite stamping card elegance satin from Joanna sheen and coloured with prisma pencils. The colouring doesn't really show up, as I still struggle trying to get the exact colours with my camera. As the background is quite busy I decide just to add a sentiment and some organza rose trim to finish and a little more stitching.

I hope you all have a lovely Sunday and big apologises for not visiting your blogs much this week and thank you to everyone who has visited and left such kind and appreciated comments. 

Feeling a tad sorry for myself as I tripped yesterday whilst out shopping and sprained my ankle. We were supposed to be going out to a National Trust property as its their free weekend but will have to stay home and whinge instead LOL.

Happy Crafting XX.

I am entering this for the following challenges

The Stampsmith ~ The colors of Spring

The Stampman ~ Shabby Chic or Distressed

The Craftroom ~ Ink It
Crafts and me ~ Vintage
Sunday Stampers ~ Summer in the City
Pan Pastels UK Challenge ~ Add a flower

Ship Ahoy ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hope you are all enjoying your Easter Break and and indulging in some well deserved chocolates, crafting is hungry work don't you think!

Down at Fashionable Stamping HQ the theme is Nautical. We would love to see you nautical creations. It can be any sort of project that follows the theme be it ships, lighthouses or a beach/seaside scene. All we ask is that you include some stamping on your project and definitely no digis please. Our lovely sponsor is Marina at Cottages crafts. So please head over to the FSC blog for some nautical inspiration from the other Stampetes.

For my project I used a wooden sketching box that I bought from Lidl a while ago. I had in my mind the idea of an old ships box. Containing a few nautical items, a small compass, some string, and a few ships papers. Maybe belonging to a Naval Officer on a long sea faring voyage. The watch a memento of his late wife.

 The watch is about the only antique item that I own. It was my Great Grandmothers and the date engraved on it is 1897. It still works and it is much treasured.

The whole box was painted in black gesso, then brown and blue matt emulsion and sanded down to show some of the paint. The stamps used are Crafty Individuals, La Blanche, and Curious By Design. The ship is painted with Inktense pencils and the box buffed with distress inks and Antique gold patina rubbed along the edges.

I am entering this for the following Challenges

Anything goes ~ At Anything Goes Challenge

Craft Us Crazy ~ Altered Item/Anything But A Card

 Crafty Friends Challenges ~ Vintage

Divas By Design ~ Anything Goes

Lets Ink It Up ~ Distressing

Have a lovely Easter Sunday and please head over to the FSC blog and join our Nautical challenge.

Thanks for all your lovely comments & Happy Crafting xx

Spring Is In The Air ~ FSC ~

Hope you're all enjoying the glorious weather we're having, at the moment, it certainly feels like spring is well and truly here and at Fashionable Stamping Challenges we're looking for your fabulous Spring creations. The Stampettes have designed some Spring Show Stoppers for your inspiration so please do head over to FSC to have a look. Our lovely sponsor Marina will be offering the winning entry a prize from Cottages Crafts.

I decided on a Spring collage using one of the MDF plaques available from Joanna Sheen. It was painted with matt emulsion. The grunge paper flowers, die cut letters and the MDF bird house were given the weathered wood treatment using fresco finish paints & crackle medium.

The rabbits, bird nest and script stamps used are all by La blanche and are stamped with archival ink and painted with Inktense pencils. I really enjoy using La Blanche stamps they give such a detailed impression.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and please do head over to FSC and join our challenge.

I'm also entering this for the following challenges

Pan Pastels UK ~ Bright colours
Lets Ink it up ~ Show us your flowers
Our Craft Lounge ~ Spring Things

Have a Great Sunday & Happy Crafting xx

Bingo Card ~ Fashionable Stamping Challenges ~

Well another two weeks has flown by and it's the time for latest Fashionable Stamping Challenge and this time the theme is a Bingo Card. If you want to know more about this challenge and would like to see lots of lovely inspirational projects from the Stampettes please head over to FSC and join in with us. The winner of the challenge will be able to choose a prize from our lovely sponsor Marina at Cottage crafts.

I chose the diagonal line which is Show some Metal, Distressing and Vintage, for my bingo line. FSC is a stamping challenge so we do need to see some stamping in your project.

I made the background paper myself with distress inks in spiced marmalade, mahogany & brushed corduroy  and picket fence stain. The focal stamp is by La Blanche and is painted with watercolours. Dies used are Tim Holtz weathered clock, and cuttlebug corner. Other materials used were Gilders paste in antique gold, copper & patina, Gold Krylon leafing pen and a vintage butterfly charm. The card is mounted onto kraft card, which I seem to be using an awful lot ATM LOL!

I'm entering this for the following challenges

Papertake ~ Anything goes
Craft your passion ~ Anything goes
The ABC Challenge ~ K is for Kraft
The Stampman ~ Vintage
Craft-room challenge ~ Vintage

Have a lovely Sunday & Happy Crafting XX