I Dreamed a Dream (Fontine)

Last term, my 14 year old daughter entered a couple of reading Challenges at school. For one of them, she had to read 12 books in different, listed genres (!) She completed the task, so I treated her to a little 'vintage' shopping at the weekend and made her this for her to remember her achievement by. Proud of her? Oh yes!

The lovely lady, sentiment and the print on my torn heart are from Rogue Redhead Designs - and what marvellous stamps they are too! Lush red rubber that stamps beautifully, Yum!

They were part of a lovely gift I got a few weeks back. All of the 'torn' layers come from part of the packaging that the stamps came in (just love recyling stuff - it feels so good!)

The heart has a good splash of Glossy accents and a sprinkle of glitter.

My lady looks like she is day dreaming as well as reading and this reminded me of Fontine's song from Les Miserables. I used to be a Wardrobe Mistress in the Theatre, so adore my Musicals!

I am entering this card into The Blogger's Challenge - Texturise IT!
I am entering this card intoThe Stampman - embellish it - Challenge
I am entering this card intoCraft Your Days Away Distressing Challenge

Love - a clean and simple card - Fiskars Challenge

I 've been having a major sort out of my craft supplies and found bits and pieces I wanted to use up - like peel offs.

I stamped, embossed and cut out 2 hearts and then created 'ribbons' for them to dangle from by using double sided tape which I coated with glitter. That is such a simple but effective technique.

The 2 little tiny pearls on the hearts are the first thing I've used from some gorgeous crafting goodies sent to me by friends across the pond... Anita and Sue, I'm waving! xx

I am entering this card in the UK Fiskarettes Spring Challenge: Fiskars Spring Challenge, All you need is love

Gold, lots of Gold... and then some, with bells on!

A better piccie - the other one is too dark

I'd never made anything using a great deal of gold. Well, I have  now. Tonight I used the lid of my embossing powder, pushed it in the stamp pad and embossed circles on the tag - it was really good fun! I used several different shades of gold embossing powders. The little hearts at the bottom used a variety of effects learnt during the 12 Tags of Christmas and were cut out freehand. I had so much fun making this!

I am entering this card into the 'Gold' challenge at Sunday Stamper - after the goldrushand also the blogger challenge 'Wings and Things:http://www.lisasomerville.com/2012/01/wingsandthings-bloggers-challenge.html
and the Fashionable Stamp Challenge at http://fashionablestampingchallenges.cottagecrafts.ie/?p=2104
and the Anything Goes challenge at anything goes http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/01/challenge-58-anything-goes-at-anything.html

Little Red

Little Red Awaits Her Cake! A quick card

   I embossed and lightly sanded a piece of DCWV card. I stamped an image (my beloved Paperartsy I think) in Black Memento Ink onto a card with a good grain on it in order to achieve a slightly patchy effect. I matted this onto red glitter felt to add depth.. Glitter was added to the debossed DCWV card and I added a collar and bow to the girl, who I coloured in using Fired Brick Distress Ink. I also added a swirl of glitter to mirror the swirls on the arch in thestamped  image. 

    I took a very quick piccie because Sherlock Holmes is on TV tonight and I've lots to do, including hunting for my other No 6 knitting Needle!

I am entering this card into The Stampman Challenge 'use red'
 http://thestampmanchallenges.blogspot.com/2012/01/use-red.html

and the spicy Ribbon challenge over at Gingersnap Creations
http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/2012/01/gc134-spicy-supply-challenge-ribbon.html

Red Letter Day

An Interesting life!

This is the first time I have created a larger project using some of the techniques that I learnt during the 12 Tags of Christmas and I was really pleased with the results though the photo's have not picked up all of the details too well. I used the triple embossing techniques from Day 8 as well as the water splatting technique.

Creating the background -Tempus Fugit!

I cut a tag from a 12x12 sheet and then, stamped and embossed Tim Holtz clocks. onto the paper and stamped 'Tempus Fugit (time flies) too.

My Favourite Hampton Arts Stamp circa 2001

I stamped my wistful lady using Rich Cocoa Momento Ink. and painted  the lips and eyes with Worn Lipstick and Broken China Distress Ink, which were then covered in clear embossing powder and heat set. I covered the whole image in Clear Distress Embossing Ink and  embossing powder and embossed a second time. I repeated this process again,  this time,,, tapping hard to remove the the excess powder into a bin prior to embossing. I used a blending tool  and Vintage Photo distress ink and worked it  in a circular motion (quite hard) over the whole image. The Distress ink seeps into any gaps - Neat  huh? Here is a link to HRH T!m's instructions for this great technique...  12 tags of Christmas  The eyes and lips are more raised than the background image, which looks really cool.

and I shall call him... Bert!

I stamped the Tim Holtz gentleman  (who I shall call Bert) and then triple embossed him as well, this time making lots of cracks in the glaze by gently bending it - great fun! - this could be the new bubble wrap for me! I dropped a few dots of  the  distress inks I had out onto this image between the embossing stages. I repeated the process on the Hot Air Balloon  and also embossed the Portabello Road Postcards and The Tim Holtz Eiffel Tower image.

Red Letter Day - or Letters Wrapped in Blue?
I spent a while arranging the elements until they told the tale of the lady in a way that I think she would have liked! I am entering this into several challenges: including Grungy Monday Challenge 32 and the Red Letter Challenge at Simon Says Stamp and show http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/2012/01/simon-says-stamp-and-show-red-letter.htmland Sunday Stampers and http://theartisticstamper.blogspot.com/2012/01/birthday-bonanza-card-candy.html