Autumn is Here

Hi
Well it's a dreadful friday evening tonight, nothing new there then! So away to my craft room I went. I have recently bought the new Tim Holts"mini blue print" stamps so set about removing them from the packet and having a play. The set includes 4 Xmas, 4 Halloween and 4 autumn so with a couple of challenges currently set around leaves I thought I would have a play with the latter 4. The 2 challenges concerned, if you fancy making something with a leafy look are crafts 4 eternity where the theme is "lots of leaves" and simon says stamp and show where the theme is Leaf-spiration. I am entering this card into both challenges,



I firstly cut my jigsaw using the cuttlebug puzzle die, then holding it together with masking tape, stamped the 4 seperate mini blue print stamps with versamark and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I then embossed the word autumn through the middle with a stamp from my collection. I then coloured over the top with a selection of distress inks using the resist technique so the stamped inage just popped out.All the jigsaw pieces were then seperated and I inked the edge of each individual puzzle piece with walnut stain to make each puzzle piece stand out, then matted it onto scrunched up Tim Holtz Glassine paper (it is suposed to replicate a drying leaf) then matted again on white card edged in walnutstain distress ink. I then mounted it all on a kraft card base and added a bit of garden twine, hey presto card done.

I am probably going to be busy with other things this weekend as last weekend I listed many items on Ebay, including some old crafty stash I have never used, and it all ends tomorrow and sunday, so I think my weekend will consist of parcel after parcel and sadly sending not recieving (the worst part of Ebaying).

Anyway hope that you all have a lovely, rain free, weekend.

See you soon

Amanda X

Standing in the Shadows of Love

Hi and I bet you are singing along already. Standing in the Shadows of Love...... a classic soul song from the wonderful Four Tops and my inspiration for this card that I am entering into this weeks challenge over at Allsorts Challenge Blog where the challenge is "inspired by a song". This is quite a simple card for me with white space!!

The story within my card is about someone (as the image could be male or female) who is in love with someone, yet that someone doesn't know and is totally unaware. They are on a journey of self discovery in order to find the courage to declare their love. Oooohh that's a bit deep.....................

Main image stamp is from Paperartsy.Heart stamp, film ribbon, tissue tap and chit chat sticker all from Tim Holtz. I have also added machine stitching to add some texture. I even impressed myself that I could thread my sewing machine up without referring to the instruction booklet. Now I'm sure that doesn't sound like much of an achievement, but believe me it is to me........................

Thanks for looking

Amanda X

I've taken the plunge...........

Hi
I have for quite a while now considered starting my own art journal, having been inspired by the many wonderful pages out there. So today I took the plunge and I have completed my first ever art journal page. I don't know if it is good, bad or indifferent but I do know know that I have really enjoyed completing it. I am an avid doodler leaving my great works of art in meeting rooms all over the place. I think this might just end up being outlet for my doodling ramblings. I am sure, like many other things I have done or do, evolve in a journey all of its own, but I quess that is the whole point of it. Anyway, so here it is, my first ever art journal page.

I have used Dylusion sprays, stencil dotted flower and stamps word love & Inbetweenies A lot of additional black pen and white pen, dictionary pages and cut outs from magazine.
Thanks for looking and I would really appreciate your comments.
thanks
Amanda X

WOYWW 172

Hi
and welcome to my craft room courtesy of Julie's masterpiece blog Stamping Ground where we all get together every wednesday to show each other what we are upto, in a crafty way.
This week I am continuing my playing with Dylusions sprays and have used the backgrounds I made to make a card.

All this mess to make just one card, I even spread out onto my other desks which aren't in the photo. I totally bow down to any crafter that can make something without making a mess. I do tidy up though before I start something else (well usually).
And here is the card that came from that carnage....

Also a close up so you can see the effect that these inks create

I have used a brayer to stamp a mirror image so I get to make a full face and in particular a left and right eye. The stamp is 'Diffusion' by Hampton Art, one of the first stamps that I ever bought and don't know why I haven't used it much before? I think the text stamp is from Crafty Individuals.
I struggled to comment on many of your wonderful creations last week, even though I did look at as much as I could. I will try harder this week.......
thanks for looking
Amanda X

WOYWW 171

Hi

It's been several weeks since I last joined in the fun over at Julia's wonderful Blog "Stamping Ground" where the crafting world shares its craft spaces with each other and what they are currently upto. I am currently upto making an inky mess, I actually cleaned up my desk before I took the photo's this week as even I couldn't stand it lol. Last week I visit my local craft shop "The Stampers Gallery" in Tarleton, owned by the lovely Sue, who happened to have just taken stock of Dylusions Sprays, stencils and Stamps. I had been looking at this wonderful range by Dyan Reaveley on the internet so in my continued effort to support my local craft shop decided to put my money in the till and purchased the full set of 12 sprays, a couple of stamp sets and a stencil. (I have since bought more stamps). So I set about creating my inky mess.

So I set about making some inky backgrounds using Dylusions ink sprays squeezed orange, Fresh Lime and crushed grape. They are for the backgrounds for some Halloween themed projects I will be making soon. They are really me having a good play including playing with stencils and seeing how water reacts with them. Water creates a fantastic effect as these are water colour sprays no pigment. You do however go through loads and loads of kitchen rolls. I also made a couple of tags, one with dylusions stamps. The great thing about them being water colour is that you can stamp with Archival ink and then using a waterbrush remove the colour from within the image (more kitchen roll) and then colour using the  dylusions sprays as paint. I have made a couple of tags just to practise some techniques and I can honestly say I am hooked on dylusion sprays.

Anyway I look forward to seeing what you all have been upto

Love Amanda

Fabulous.....

Morning and I am glad to say I am having a day off today after what has been a very long week at work, phew! and relax.......  I have to nip out this morning but other than that my plan is to lose myself in my craftroom later on and have a play, alternatively known as making a right inky mess lol. This week I have had to make 2 cards for blokey birthdays, why is it male cards are so much more challenging? The first of those cards is in my previous post and I am now posting the second which is a 40th birthday card. It will be delivered a little late as his wife has whisked him away to Italy for a surprise weekend at the Grand Prix, what a great surprise gift, I wish I could have seen his face when he found out. Happy 40th Birthday Chris.
Anyway my card
 

Stampotique Smile

Background  made with Ranger spray inks and Distress inks and plenty of swooshing about. I have ripped and stuck dictionary paper inked with vintage photo to the bottom.
Random stamping with text splats stamp which I dont know where its from. tim Holtz numbers stamp. snow cap dabber ink splats with Stampotique stamp. Mat and layered several times with black and Kraft card.
Stampotique Smile image stamped and cut out coloured with DI's, addedthe grungeboard crown which was covered with dictionary paper and coloured with vintage photo DI and a bit of crown bling. Tim Holtz wooden bingo number. Self adhesive gloss letter tiles which I found in my stash. "Fabulous" sentiment has been cut with my silhouette cameo from kraft card and inked with vintage photo and black soot DI.
I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
allsorts challenge Blog. where the challenge is "anything but square" (and I always make square cards) So this is rectangle
and
simon says stamp and show. where the challenge is "Read all about it" using text on your project.

thanks for looking and see you soon
Amanda X

Silence is Golden

Hi
This is a quick post as it is nearly midnight and I am in bed with my laptop when really I should have set my alarm and flicked my light off as I have an early start tomorrow. I also notice that my Blogger interface will be changing in a few days, I have put off the inevitable as it took me ages to understand this version which I am still learning!!!! so am not looking forward to those changes. So, if I disappear off the face of the blogging world for a while you will understand why!!

Anyway onto my card, the dreaded Card for a male.......... and I have a few more that I need to inspire myself for coming up. The card I have made takes you back to the golden age of silent movies and made me think of the song "Silence is Golden" which fits in perfectly with this weeks challenge over at sweet stampin challenge blog where the challenge is to be inspired by a song or a film.

Octopode Factory Charlie Chaplin

the main image is Charlie Chaplin from the Octopode Factory which I have coloured with black soot distress ink and the paper has been aged with vintage photo distress ink.
Papers are Graphic 45 Curtain Call using both 12x12 and 8x8. I have die cut sentiment "Lights,Camera, Action", film camera and film frame for my image using my Silhouette Cameo. I have punched out the stars. There is also a little Tim Holtz film ribbon and a stamped Whimsey ticket (attached to camera). I have also decorated the inside of this card. The inside film strip is a sizzix die. Cardbase is kraft cardwith plain black card for matting.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:-
no matter which challenges where this months theme is diecuts and/or punches, this card includes both
and crafts and me challenges where the challenge ends shortly for their theme of birthdays.
Anyway I'll say goodnight and see you soon
Amanda X

A smile is a curve that.....................................

Hi
It's my sisters birthday today and this is the card I have made for her. All the family are going out for a meal tonight at my favourite restaurant so I am really looking forward to it and it gives me an excuse to dress up a bit. It will be nice to get out of my scruffs for a while as I have spent the last few days sorting the garage and the garden out, with several visits to the tip inbetween. How cleansing is it to get rid off all the rubbish that we hold on to?
Anyway back to my card.

I have made the card using Stampotique rubber stamp Karin and they have been colured using distress inks - Squeezed Lemonade, worn lipstick, peacock feathers and vintage photo.


Canvas Corp cardstock pad


This is how the background paper started off, I then coloured it with
distress inks squeezed lemonade,worn lipstick & peacock feathers. I then added further dimension by adding newsprint candi coloured with the same coloured distress inks into some of the swirls.
Behind this I have embossed cordinations pink cardstock with a cuttlebug swirly embossing folder.
I stamped the sentiments  with versamark and heat embossed with Ruby Blush Blaze Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder (loving that pink). I stamped stampotique ink splat stamp onto book paper and punched out hearts to form a border. The whole card has been matted and layered using black cardstock and more of the pink cordinations which have had the edges sanded.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
anything goes challenge where the challenge is make your own background
chocolate coffee cards  where the challenge is embossing
craft your days away     this is their final challenge which is anything goes
fashionable stamping challenges where the challenge is Ice Cream Colours
no matter which challenges   Where this is their very first challenge with the theme anything Goes
and finally
simon says stamp and show where the challenge is No Rules.

Thanks for visiting my blog I really appreciate it.
Love
Amanda X

Chick Production Line............

Hi
For those of you that follow my blog you will probably be aware that other than crafting my other passion is Jetskiing. Most of my summer is usually spent on the water with some great friends, I say usually as the weather has really put paid to my time out this summer. As you can imagine this is quite a male dominated sport but there is a group of us that "do it for the girls" lol. We get called "the jetski chicks" so I thought I would celebrate our title with a matching Tshirt for us all. Call in my Silhouette Cameo........ I treated myself recently and all I can say is that I love this machine. I have had a cricut expression for a couple of years now but never really bonded with it, I cannot say the same about the silhouette, I just can't stop playing with it. I have plans to vinyl decor, rhinestone & Tshirt transfer to within an inch of my life, given half the chance, watch this space!!! For me it is just so much more flexible than my cricut expression.
Anyway the tshirts

 These Tshirts have be made using silhouette Tshirt transfer paper (light fabric), my first attempt. The great thing about tshirt transfer on the Silhouette is that it cuts just the image out so you get a really neat finish of just the image, no blank space.The image is from the silhoutte store and I have added the text on, the fact that you can use any text you have on your PC is for me a huge plus in the silhouette V's cricut war. The girls don't know that I have made these so I will hopefully get chance to give them out over the weekend. I'll have to post a picture of us all wearing them!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend
Amanda X

Making use of a Freebie!

Hi
Well what a let down today is following the end of the Olympics, I have got quite emotional throughout the last few weeks, we couldn't have wished for them to go any better. Well done Team GB roll on Rio!!
Anyway it does allow me to get back to a bit of crafting, and I have made a card using a Teddy Bo & Co rubber stamp set that came free with Simply Cards & Papercraft some months ago.

Image has been coloured with Copics

Base card and matting Kraft card

Papers V&A Hanoverian linen paper pack, distressed on the edges with a little vintage photo DI.

Sewing machine

Nesties - Circle, scallop circle. decorative edge circle

Cosmic shimmer pearl glue to add the pearls

Stars - Studio Calico wooden embellishments

pink bakers twine finished with pink button.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

allsorts challenge week-167-going-around-in-circles

and

crafty anns challenge blog challenge-71 Circles on your project.

Thanks and be back soon

Amanda X

July nearly gone..........

Hi
Well another summer (lol) month has nearly gone by here in the UK and July has been a poor month in terms of posts for me. I can usually put that down to the fact that I have spent all my spare time out in the sunshine, on the water, jet skiing, but sadly that (due to our dreadful weather) is not the case. I just haven't had any crafting mojo this month, simple as that. I am not working this weekend and still can't get myself motivated, some of that I think can be put down to getting up yesterday at 5.30am for work and staying up till 1am Saturday morning watching the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, which I thought was absolutely fantastic. Well done Danny Boyle, what a year we have had for showing off, lol.

Whilst I am just lounging on the sofa, and to show that I haven't fallen off the planet, I thought I would post a couple of cards I made for my two nieces birthdays recently. Both are quite removed from my usual style, but they are for a 5 and 8 year old.

A dabble into decoupage CD crafting courtesy of Linda Ravenscroft. I have to admit that I found the whole cutting out process very therapeutic. I have highlighted the water in her hands and on the petals with glossy accents. I have also added diamond stickles tot he wings and around the edges of the card and fairy topper.
The 8 has been cut several times on my cricut and decoupaged for depth with a touch of bling added.
Tag has been die cut. Happy Birthday sentiment came free with a magazine.

and the second card using craft artist professional, again cutting the number, this time a 5, several times with my cricut to again add dimension finished with some bling. I have matted and layered my craft artist project several times and happy birthday sentiment is with cork scrabble tiles,

sometimes I really enjoy creating something different from what I normally do, it's good to try new things.
Hopefully see you all soon with a fully workable Mojo.
Love Amanda x

A Day Out!

Hi
It's been a few weeks since I last posted as I just haven't had any spare time. Don't ask me what I have been doing because I don't know, time has just gone. But with a day off work today, and the usual British summer weather, rain....... it had to be a crafty day as I was getting withdrawl symptons.
I have made a birthday card for a friend of mine using one of the new "Girlfriend Stamps" - Picture perfect, I just love this range of stamps and nearly have them all now in my collection (a few more to go).

I am entering this card into simon says stamp and show where the theme this week is "No Rules"
and
Try it on a Tuesday where the theme is "So very British"


Art Impressions Girlfriends - Picture Perfect



Close Up of the Girlfriends

I have also decorated the inside of the card



Made with

Art Impressions Girlfriend Stamp Set - Picture Perfect coloured with Distress Markers

Sentiment "Were still Hot" part of girlfriend stamp set

card blank 8"x8" Papermania cream

Papers - Portabella Road papermania

Kraft card and Red card from my stash

London scene postcard - Kanban Steampunk collection

London Underground printed from internet onto 160gsm cream card

Day out ticket stamp Crafty Individuals

Postcard Stamp - Portabella Road Papermania

Birthday Wishes sentiment Whimsey Stamps

Tim Holtz film strip ribbon

Tim Holtz alterations film strip die

Tim Holtz Alterations vintage camera die

Wooden camera embellishments Studio Calico

Sizzix Bigz film strip (inside card) 

Finished with a little vintage photo distress ink

Thanks and see you all soon

Amanda X