It's Art Dahling

It's postcard time over at Artful Times, and the challenge is to make a piece measuring 6x4, and incorporating letters and/or script.
I was in the mood for a little play, and getting messy, so out came the paints. I cut my 6x4 from corrugated card, and gave it a good coat of gesso. I then painted the mountains with acrylic daubers in yellow, orange and plum. The valleys were painted in Verday paints in bronze and copper, then sprayed with the patina spray, and stamped with a Stampotique script stamp.
I had great fun with the chipboard, after gessoing I scooped UTEE over the letters. The flowers were embossed with Moon Glow embossing powders, then inked into while they were still molten.
My Lonely Girl was stamped onto kraft card, and coloured with prisma pencils.
I really enjoyed this, so thank you very much ladies for the fab challenge x

Warning Bling Alert SDC 67 Squares

This week Valerie challenges us to feature squares in our creations! Little squares, big squares, dark squares, light squares, textured squares, distressed squares or dimensional squares - any square you can think of works for this challenge! Check out how the designers incorporated squares into their projects for some inspiration and then get cutting and join the fun! :)

Please remember you can use any stamps now for our challenge, but only one entry per person.  We will draw 2 random winners on the first week of our challenge in October from all those who played in the September challenges.

Please link DIRECTLY to your creation, not to your blog.  We ask that if you have comment verification turned on, that you would consider turning this on and doing comment moderation instead.  Please use Inlinkz below to link up your challenge using SQUARES.  You will have until noon EST on 10/2/12 to join us.

I'm still deeply in love with Oh Tree,(yes I know it's not time for Christmas yet but I love it and it was calling to me lol) so I had to use it again.  The background was made using Tim's 'ink, spritz and flick' technique. It's my new favourite, 'cos it's the one Tim Holtz technique that I can do without ending up with mud! Daniel's tree was then stamped in Flitter Glue then covered with Indigo Blu gilding flakes.

The Stringed Lights were stamped and embossed with silver tinsel EP, and the Mini Chrismas Ornaments were embossed with black tinsel then given a coat of Glossy Accents. (Can you see the bling overload yet)

The base of the tree has had a dose of Frantage glass glitter and embossing enamel.

I though I would try something different on the branches so I added eyelets, then popped gems inside the holes.

Daniel's Tree Topper (small) has been embossed in black and silver EP's and she looks very beautiful lol.

The backing started life as black card and I've sprayed with Radiant Rain's in greens and blues, then sprinkled with glass glitter. It doesn't show up too well here, but as we've had rain for 3 days I had to photograph indoors.

So that is this year's Christmas (yes I said that word again) tree ornament made, and yes it does look like I let a 3 year old loose with the glitter - though in real life it's not quite as glaring :-)

Please pop over to the SDC blog then cut out those squares and join us.

Thanks very much for looking x

Stamps used

6152 Oh Tree

6150 Stringed Lights 

6153 Mini Christmas Ornaments Cube

Daniel's Tree Topper Small

These are all available directly from Stampotique Originals and if you live in the very rainy UK, also from Art From The Heart

I'm also linking this to Simon Says Stamp and Show as the challenge this week is For The Love of Sparkle - think mine just about sneaks in lol.

All Night Long

It's Wednesday, which means that it's time for another Stampotique Designers challenge. This time around Maria is our host, and she has challenged us to show her some favours.

''We all like to party! A sweet treat for your friends, family or co workers is always welcome! But the message is the most important. I challenge you to create a party/lunch favour. Could be any theme: halloween, christmas, birthday theme or just because. ''

Please remember you can use any stamps now for our challenge, but only one entry per person.  We will draw 2 random winners on the first week of our challenge in October from all those who played in the September challenges.

As everyone in the whole world knows( even my husband knows), Stampotique have just released some brilliant new stamps, and one of my favourites (yes I know they are all my favourites) is Fiesta the donkey by Kira Nichols. Now for some reason I seem to think in song lyrics - don't know if this is a medical condition or just me :o), and as I'm a very old person some of the songs go back quite a way.

Anyway Fiesta got me humming the old Lionel Richie tune All Night Long. I had to Google the exact words cos in my head it's always been 'Were gonna party, da da dum, Fiesta, Forever.... 

So... if anyone knows what Karamu is, please let me know :o).

My box has been made following the tutorial at Passionately Artistic . This is so simple that yes, even I could do it!

I used plain black card and stencilled on the silver and gold stars in Posca pen. Fiesta and Lionel (the bird) have been coloured in Prismas. This was such fun to do and I wouldn't hesitate to make more, which is unusual for me as I don't often make the same thing twice. 

Fiesta 4026 can come and live with you if you contact Stampotique Originals 

Please check out the wonderful design team samples, then join us and make a favour.

Thanks very much for looking x

Misty Autumn Glaze

There's a new round of recipe's going on at Dragons Dream, Tag It On and Elizabeth has chosen the theme of Misty Autumn Glaze, which means mists (either mica or dye etc), Autumn colours and a glaze. 
I started off with Dylusion mists in orange, yellow and a touch of old leather. The text stamp was then stamped in Archival plum, and clear embossed.
Next came quite a thick layer of Rock Candy Crackle glaze, so while this was drying I got on with the mice - so not like me to plan ahead lol.

When the crackle was dry I went over the top with Pumpkin Stayzon.
The mice have been stamped on vellum, and coloured with yellow and brown Pan Pastels, and cut out.
The smaller tag was coloured with Starburst Stains stamped in black, then oversprayed through  sequin waste with Perfect Pearls mist in Pearl. The usual VerDay treatment for the butterfly and job done.
It feels like ages since I made a tag for TIO as those that were posted while I was away were made before I went.  Phew try thinking that three times quickly!
So please join in with us this fortnight, you just need to use at least one real stamp, follow the recipe and have lots of fun.
I'm also entering this into the Pan Pastel challenge which is to use Autumn/Fall colours. 
All of the stamps used are by Dimension Fourth.
Thanks very much for looking x

Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree

The challenge this fortnight over at Artful Times is to use a tree as the main focus. Well what better reason do I need to break out my new Stampotique stamps! The background has been inked in Pickled Raspberry, Salty Ocean and Spiced Marmalade.
The tree and topper has had a teensy weeny (fair old sprinkling) of glass glitter applied, and the lights have got tiny dots of glass paint.
The baubles have been coloured with Prisma pencils and then Glossy Accented. I did the thumb test, and yep it's dry lol.
These stamps will definitely get lots of use this Christmas.
 Did I just say Christmas Aaaaghhhh......
Thanks very much for looking x

Stampotique Designers Colour Challenge - Use Mustard, Navy and Orange

This time around Jane has chosen a colour challenge of mustard, navy and orange. I'm really enjoying these as I'm learning some fab new colour combinations.
I've used some mustard Kandi Kore that's gone through a Tim Holtz sun-ray embossing folder, then sanded back. The middle layer is Prima Washables inked in Distress Stains then overstamped with 8100 Vintage Script.
I've used one of my favourite Stampotique images 9127 Beauties and they've been coloured with Prisma pencils and had some TH film strip attached.
The quotation is 8619 Footprints
A huge thank you to Jane 'cos I really enjoyed this challenge, and I'm sure you will too, so please come and join us, and remember there's a chance to win one of two $30 gift certificates.
Thanks very much for looking x

Call Me Maybe!

Hi honey I'm home! I've just returned from a fabulous holiday, lots of sun, sand, and very little internet access. I never thought this would bother me, but it's amazing how much I missed my computer! Another thought to ponder is how have the contents of four suitcases managed to fill an entire house!! The washing machine and iron are both on meltdown, and it's back to work tomorrow - could life get any better lol.
Anyhow here's my tag for this weeks Stampotique Designers Challenge  which is combining stamps. This song has been in my head for months and I thought it summed up the thoughts of the combined Bow Tie/Mad Hatter and Karin/Queen of Hearts. Can you see that little look she's giving him, it's lurve...
The background is Pan Pastels in yellows orange and magenta, and I've coloured my loved up couple with Prisma pencils.
So please head on over to the Designers Challenge blog, where you can have a look at the wonderful new stamps (I can't wait to have a play with these) then combine some stamps and join in!
Unfortunately my iron is back up to temperature again, so back to work for me. Thanks very much for looking x
I've used
6059 Bowtie
6108 Karin
3014 Splatter Long
9233 Mad Hatter
9231 Queen Of Hearts
8100 Vintage Script

Be Still My Beating Heart

I hope this posts ok, 'cos I'm still on my jolly holidays so please do your thing Mr Blogger! This time around Tracey has chosen the theme of 'In A Heartbeat', so we need a beating heart (yikes) a weathered timepiece, and a bit of grunge.
Well, I'm right out of beating hearts, but I do have a bit of grungeboard in a heart shape. I've coloured it in red acrylic paint,  painted in Verday metallic, then sprayed with the magic spray for the rusty look.  The drippy blood is glass paint
or is it....
The base tag is Core-dinations that's gone through the TH embossing folder. I've then sanded over and rubbed a red ink pad over the top.
My weathered timepiece has had the verday treatment, and it now looks like something the cat has dug up in the garden lol.
Only two real stamps this time - how bad is that!! They are from Bomshell stamps and they don't get out nearly often enough.
Please check out my teamies tags, then get out your stamps and come and join in.
Thanks very much for looking x