International Art and Soul Challenge 132

 This fortnight's challenge was set by my team mate Christine, and she's chosen the theme Things with Wings.

My first thought was Lavinia silhouettes, but then I had a change of direction, and got out my Ching Chou Kuik/Sweet Pea stamps. 

It's a long time since I've used these stamps, and I've done very little colouring of late, so I honestly didn't expect a lot.

I stamped the image with Versafine Clair and coloured mainly with Promarkers. I added the candle glow with coloured pencil to take advantage of their opacity. I was pleasantly surprised by the result, and, of course, those gorgeous blues and greens are among my favourite colours. I softened the background using a peach hued coloured pencil, but that hasn't come out at all in the photo.

I used an 8in card, so I matted and layered as shown, including a couple of layers of holographic silver to go with the tiny bit of Glamour Dust I used on the image.

The background was created with Distress Ink and a Lavinia stencil, and then stamped with Versafine Clair and a couple of Lavinia stamps - both 'orbs'.

To complete the card, I die cut more of the holographic card using a very old Sizzix die - you know the thinner plastic ones? I rarely use these, but this one giving a foot long result was perfect for this bigger card.

And that's it.

I do hope you can join us this time.

I've Been Visiting Sweet Pea Stamps

I recently heard that Sweet Pea Stamps were doing a 30% reduction on everything, including digis, so I went to have a look. I've bought a few of their rubber stamps before (via Crafts and Me) and I love the style of some of their artists. I ended up buying quite a few ... So far, I've only coloured up a couple, and here are the results:

This is one of two images I bought from the range of Conie Fong. Despite its very oriental appearance, I decided to colour her as a blonde. No idea why, it just seemed like a good idea at the time! I teamed her with some Kate Knight paper, and coloured her with Promarkers. I finished with a floral arrangement where the flowers were hand made using die cuts from Sizzix, Memory Box, and Crealies.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Moving Along with the Times where the theme is 'pretty pastels',
C.R.A.F.T where they want us to make our own embellishment (lots of flowers),
Creative Knockouts where the theme is 'flowers galore',
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge where they want pastel colours,
Scrappers Delights where they want pastel colours,
Creative Card Crew where they want 'girly',


The second one is rather different!

This is one of two I bought from Norma J Burnell's range. These are very 'different', and just seemed to me to cry out for bold, bright colours. I've teamed it with a rather bolder Kate Knight paper, and again coloured with Promarkers. This time, I've added a Sizzix die cut in the background. It's actually too big for the 6 by 6 card I made, so I cut a chunk out of the middle of it! It matches up pretty well, but I decided to finish with some pretty ribbon so no one can see the join!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Milk Coffee where they want us to 'use those bright colours',
Sassy Studios where the theme is 'so bright gotta wear shades',
Crafty Ribbons where anything goes (with some ribbon),
Inky Impressions where anything goes,
Inklings and Yarns where anything goes,
Crafting by Designs where anything goes,