Colour me beautiful

Over at Try it on Tuesday our new challenge for the next two weeks is Lovely Ladies.

We are asking that your page is not just feminine but also features a female image too. I used stamps to add the female images to the background of my page and fussy cut some old magazine images for the two lovely ladies – don’t you just love that hat!

For the background, I applied Antique Linen Distress Ink and Angel Pink Memento Ink to the page by applying the ink pads directly to the paper and pulling them vertically down the page to create stripes. Then I used a wet paintbrush to soften and blend the inks a little. Once dry, I stamped the cameos, perfume bottles and filigree over the background with a Kaisercraft stamp set using black Archival Ink. Next I applied some white gesso using my finger over some of the stamped images to push them back and add some depth to the design. My two lovely ladies and wording were fussy cut from some old magazines and stuck in place using a glue stick. I edged the wording with some black Glitterations border stickers and then stuck some striped black and white ribbon under the images. To finish, I added two large clear gemstones to the ends of the ribbon and three pretty pink acrylic daisy flowers.

I hope that you are inspired to join us too, for more inspiration my Design Teamies have created some Lovely Ladies creations for you over at Try it on Tuesday, so please pop over and take a look (grin!).

I’m also pleased to join the lovely Mia from Craftartista over at Art Journal Journey and her Flowers challenge this month with pink flowers on this page.

As T Stands for Tuesday, I think the glamorous ladies on my page might enjoy a Poinsettia which is a cocktail made from Cranberry Juice, Orange Liqueur and Prosecco. Here we are serving them in a posh champagne glass – cheers and Happy T Day!

Hoping that you all stay safe and well! x

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Antique Linen)
• Tsukineko Memento Ink (Angel Pink)
• Kaisercraft Clear Stamps (75 Cents CS864)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Old Magazines
• Pritt Stick
• Docrafts Papermania Glitterations (Black Borders ANT8181015)
• Craft Sensations (Self-Adhesive Deco Ribbons CRO244/16R)
• Poundworld DecoTime Scrapbook Accessories (Gems Art#54745)
• Stix2 Glue Dots
• Home Bargains Crafty Things (Acrylic Daisy Stickers 50650)

Unbirthday Tea Party

I thought I’d have some fun creating an Alice in Wonderland page to celebrate our three hundred and sixty four unbirthdays – a very merry unbirthday to you!

I started by ripping an Alice in Wonderland Paper Tissue into pieces and then sticking the different characters and flowers onto the page using a glue stick and some Liquitex matte gel medium. When dry, I added the club, spade, heart and diamond playing card images using a stamp set from Studio G and black Archival Ink. Next I added the wording which reads “A very merry unbirthday … with another cup of tea” and is taken from the song in the Disney animation of “Alice in Wonderland”. The letters are from Docrafts and once arranged I covered them with some Liquitex matte gel medium to hold them securely in place. To finish, I added some gold glitter enamel dots.

This song always makes me smile, here are some of the lyrics too:

A very merry unbirthday To me … To who? … To me … Oh you! A very merry unbirthday to you Who me? … Yes, you! … Oh, me! Let’s all congratulate us with another cup of tea A very merry unbirthday to you!

As we are having an unbirthday tea party today, I baked a Victoria Sponge and filled it with homemade Bramble Jelly and lightly whipped cream to celebrate – yum (grin!).

As T Stands for Tuesday, I’m also sharing my post with the T Gang (did you notice the Mad Hatter on my page is holding a teacup) and wishing you all a Very Merry Unbirthday T Day; don’t forget to help yourself to a slice of cake (double grin!).

Hoping that you all stay safe and well! x

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Challenges

I’m pleased to join the lovely Mia from Craftartista over at Art Journal Journey and her Flowers challenge this month with the flowers on my page.

I’m pleased to join in the Tea Party challenge over at Country View Challenges with Unbirthday Tea Party page.

I’m also happy to be able to join the Anything Goes challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my unbirthday page.

I’m also pleased to join in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Anything Goes challenge too.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Caspari Paper Pocket Tissues (Alice in wonderland in a winter garden)
• Pritt Stick
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Studio G Clear Stamps (VS4911 Series 11)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Docrafts A4 Ultimate Die-Cut & paper Pack (Folk Christmas PMA160933)
• Dovecraft Premium (Festive Wonder Glitter Enamel Dots DCDOT036X18)

Throw kindness around like confetti

Our new challenge over at Try it on Tuesday is Black and White plus One Extra Colour.

I used black, white and red to create this feminine vintage page featuring love and peace as well as a beautiful saying – “Throw kindness around like confetti”.

I started this page with by using up ink (that was leftover from my previous card making tutorial) on an Interlocking Circles stencil from Creative Expressions; using the stencil like a stamp which already had some Black Soot Distress Ink left on it. I spritzed the stencil with water and then pressed it onto the page firmly using a brayer. Then I used a baby wipe to clean the remaining ink off the stencil which added more layers of the ink to the page. The words “Peace” and “Love”, the ticket, ornate frames, postage mark, bees, text and flowers are stamped onto white tissue paper using black Archival Ink; these were all leftover from previous projects as I often stamp images onto tissue paper before using it on a page to see if they suit the design and also to decide where to place them. I then used the Interlocking Circles stencil again to add more Black Soot Distress Ink using a blending tool. Then I die cut some hearts from some recycled red foil cardstock using Falling Hearts Thinlets from Tim Holtz and arranged them on the page like confetti to depict the “Throw kindness around like confetti” wording which is a Small talk sticker from Tim Holtz.

As it was Easter this month we have been enjoying Hot Cross Buns so as T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing my cuppa with a Hot Cross Bun filled with Lancashire cheese which is a white crumbly cheese produced locally – yum! Happy T Day everyone!

Stay safe and keep well! x

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Challenges

I’m happy to join the lovely Valerie from Bastelmania over at Art Journal Journey and her Geometric Shapes challenge this month with the Interlocking Circles on this page.

I’m also joining the Mother’s Love challenge being hosted by the lovely Sara Emily over at the Frilly & Funkie Challenge Blog with the feminine vintage style, hearts and “Love” wording.

I’m pleased to join in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Flower Power challenge too with the flowers on my page.

I’m also joining in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their Not A Card challenge with my art journal page.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Creative Expressions Mini Stencil (Interlocking Circles)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot)
• White Tissue Paper stamped: Hampton Art 7 Gypsies (Birdsong ICO151); Crafter’s Companion Vintage Floral Collection (Floral Sentiments VF-ST-FSENT);  Eco Green Crafts Recycled Rubber Art Stamps (Petal Party #40309); Docrafts Papermania Urban Stamps (All Aboard – Tags PMA907178); Docrafts A5 Clear Stamps (Alpha Trad DCE907116)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Pritt Stick
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlets (Falling Hearts 664415)
• Recycled Foil Cardstock (Red)
• Zig Memory System 2-way Glue (Dual Action Glue Pen)
• Tim Holtz idea-ology Stickers (Small Talk #TH93193)

Makes your soul sing

I was so pleased to see the robin in our garden this month that I created this art journal page to celebrate (grin!).

I started by painting the page with some white acrylic paint and when it was dry added some Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush marker by scribbling the ink onto a blending mat and then applying it to the page with a baby wipe. Next I tore some green heart designed paper and an old calendar page into strips, edged them with Cold Grey Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and stuck them to the page using a UHU Stic. I die cut some foliage from recycled tissue paper using Tim Holtz Wildflower Stems thinlets, they are stuck in place using Liquitex matte gel medium. The robin is fussy cut from an old calendar and the wording is stamped using a Paperbabes Stamp Set and the music notes using a Docrafts Stamp Set using black Archival Ink. I coloured the wording using a silver Derwent Rowney Paint Pen and a Cold Grey Faber-Castell marker; it reads “Create what makes your heart dance and your soul sing”. Then I splattered the whole page using black DecoArt acrylic paint and added some wooden flowers using glue dots, which finished the page.

We haven’t seen our robin much this winter, so I was excited to see him sitting in the tree at the back of our garden; this is a European Robin not to be confused with an American Robin (grin!).

He also made his way to our bird feeder too (grin!)

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Challenges

I’m pleased to join the lovely Eileen from The Artful Crafter and her Green challenge over at Art Journal Journey this month with the paper and flowers that I used.

I’m joining in the Bit O’Green challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with the green that I added to my art journal page.

I’m happy to be able to join the Use Some Green challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my page too.

I’m also pleased join the Anything Goes challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my page.

I’m also happy to join in the The Eyes Have It challenge over at Country View Challenges with my robin on my art journal page.

I’m also joining the Aquamarine challenge over at the Frilly & Funkie Challenge Blog with the blue/green coloured paper on my page.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Art Discount Acrylic Paint (White)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Dark Sepia 175 B, Cold Grey IV 233)
• Studio Light Paper Pad (PPSL84)
• Old Calendar
• UHU Stic
• Recycled tissue paper
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlets (Wildflower Stems #2 664164)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Paperbabe Stamps (Fun Alphabet Outline Stamp Set)
• Docrafts Creativity Essentials A5 clear stamp set (Musicality DCE907112)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Daler Rowney Acrylic Paint Marker (Silver)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Melinera (Scatter Decorations – Wooden Flowers)

Something New at AJJ – Thank you!

As it’s the end of the month January, I’m sharing my last page for the Something New challenge over at Art Journal Journey which I’ve been hosting this month, thank you so much to everyone who joined in the fun! 

I created this page to remember you all and to say thank you, I really appreciate all your kind comments and support throughout the month and have thoroughly enjoyed visiting your blogs and seeing all your wonderful artwork (grin!).

I started by printing the listing of your names from Art Journal Journey and sticking them onto the page in blocks using a glue stick. Then I selected three papers from a new Docrafts paper pack and tore small pieces of the papers to collage them onto the page around the names using Liquitex matte gel medium. Once dry, I doodled along the edges using a black marker pen. Next I cut a circle from the grey paper using a die cut and my Big Shot machine and stamped the wording onto it using black Archival Ink, for the “something new” wording I used a Concord & 9^th stamp set and for the “Art Journal Journey” I used a Dovecraft stamp set. To finish, I stuck some pretty little flowers, the green “so very grateful” banner and some black word stickers onto the page, all of which are from Kaisercraft; the black stickers read “you”, “amazing”, “good life”, “so pretty”, “smile”, “love” and “imagine”.

I had fun creating my pages for this challenge and tried out 5 new techniques which included transforming new paper to old, a background using watercolour paints and sea salt, a rusty grunge background using texture paste, painting through a mask and a 3D hot glue effect. I also used lots of new products along the way …

… as well as celebrating the New Year, a visit to a new café and new beginnings.

I had so much fun creating all my pages for the Something New challenge and I hope you did too. Thank you all for your participation and lovely comments, you made it such a pleasure to host this challenge!

I’d also like to say a special thanks to Bleubeard & Elizabeth and Yvonne for asking me to be a guest host, they provided such valuable support and encouragement, thanks so much!  

Tomorrow is a new month and brings a new challenge at Art Journal Journey and I can’t wait to see what the new theme is and say hello to our new host – I hope to see you there! 

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Docrafts Papermania 12×12 Paper Pack (The Enchanted Swan PMA160332)
• Pritt Stick
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Concord & 9^th Stamp Set (Sophisticated Script 10056)
• Dovecraft Alphabet Stamp Set (WDN ALPHA STMP DCV0050)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheets (Fiesta! SS284, Say Aloha SS281,Wildflower SS335)

Happy New Year 2020

We are so pleased to launch our first challenge of 2020 over at Try it on Tuesday:

Such a cutie/ Make someone smile

So I couldn’t resist using my favourite Merry Moose Tim Holtz thinlet set as the moose is such a cutie and always makes me smile especially with his antlers decorated with New Years bunting – wishing you all a Happy New Year!

To start, I coloured the background using Cracked Pistachio Distress Stain and when dry I stencilled the stars using the same Distress Stain too. I fussy cut a star constellation design in a semi-circle shape from an American Crafts paper pad and stuck it to the bottom of the page using a glue stick.

Next I die cut the moose using the Tim Holtz thinlet set and my Big Shot machine from some linen textured paper. I coloured the moose Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress Ink and his antlers using Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I edged the moose with a Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and stuck him in place using a Zig Memory System glue pen. For the bunting, I stamped a bunting image onto some coloured design paper using black Archival Ink and fussy cut them out. Then I arranged some black wax cotton around the moose antlers and stuck the bunting triangles onto it.

I also stamped the bunting onto the top of the page and onto some more of the coloured design paper; again I cut the bunting triangles out of the paper and stuck them on top of the stamped bunting images. I added the gold glittery letters to create the wording “Happy New Year” and “2020” and also three clusters of stickers from Tim Holtz which I thought were appropriate for the New Year; they read “Artist – Life is full of beauty”, “Exploring – The first step in the journey” and “Wishing – peace, happiness and love”. Then to finish, I added lots of glittery flowers and dots which are Glitterations stickers.

For more inspiration please pop over to see the amazing cutie creations from my Design Teamies over at Try it on Tuesday, they are sure to make you smile!

As T Stands for Tuesday, I’m toasting in the New Year with a cocktail of pineapple gin and cream soda – Happy T Day! The pineapple gin was homemade by soaking pineapple fruit pieces in gin with some sugar for 4 weeks – so yummy!

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Challenges

I’m pleased to join the Something New challenge over at Art Journal Journey that I’m hosting this month with my New Year page.

I’m joining the Triangles challenge over at Moo Mania & More with the triangular bunting on my page – so sorry that this is your last challenge at Moo Mania, I will miss you very much!

I’m also happy to join in the Love challenge over at Country View Challenges as I love the Merry Moose thinlet set that I used on this page and as my page says I’m wishing that 2020 is filled with peace, happiness and love.

I’m also pleased to join in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their Something New challenge with my New Year page too.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Cracked Pistachio)
• Creative Stencils Craft Essentials (Stars MAOB0004)
• American Crafts Paper Pad (DIY Shop 366665)
• Pritt Stick
• Craft Sensations (Luxury Cardstock with Linen Texture CRO240/GE)
• Wilko Metallic Glitter Tape (Gold)
• Sizzix Thinlets Tim Holtz (Merry Moose 663103)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Brushed Corduroy, Ground Espresso, Antique Linen)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Dark Sepia 175 B)
• Zig Memory System 2-Way Glue (Dual Action Glue Pen)
• Black wax cotton thread
• Paperstash from local craft shop
• Hobbycraft Clear Stamp (Bunting SO300HC)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Trimcraft Alphabet & Number Stickers (Gold Glitter SCSTK013)
• Docrafts Papermania Glitterations (Gold Flowers ANT8181020)
• Tim Holtz idea-ology (Clippings Stickers #TH93583)

Something New at Art Journal Journey

I am so delighted to be hosting Art Journal Journey this month and the challenge that I have chosen is:

Something New

It’s a new year, so we would like you to create an art journal page with something “new” in mind. This could include a new product or technique, or be inspired by a new job, home or hobby, new beginnings, adventure or outlook, or even a Happy New Year!

I created a page with a fresh colour palette to depict something new. I started by covering the page with stamped images from a Steampunk background stamp by Docrafts and a new stamp set from Creative Sensations using black Archival Ink; I used this ink for all the stamping on this page. Then I applied Acqua Dolce, Guava and Kiwi Faber-Castell Gelatos by scribbling them onto the paper and then smudging the colour with my finger which I wet using a baby wipe.

To add some depth to the page, I applied some white gesso with my finger and also through a star stencil, and when dry I stamped some images from a Provincial and a Stargazer stamp set, both from Kaisercraft. I also splattered the page with Titanium White and Carbon Black Liquitex Ink using a paintbrush.

Next I chose five art journal cards from Kaisercraft and stamped them with the “Something New” challenge title using a Concord & 9^th stamp set and also listed some ways that you could interpret the challenge using a Dovecraft stamp set. They are stuck in place using double-sided tape and to finish I added some gold glittery stars, which were also new to my craft stash.

I chose this challenge with it being a new year and also because I normally have new crafting goodies as part of my Christmas gifts. This year didn’t disappoint as I have received some great additions to my craft stash and I plan to use some of them to join our Something New challenge.

Maybe you could use some new products as well on your pages, it could be a present or be something sitting in its packaging still waiting to be used – yes this happens to me too (grin!).

I’m looking forward to trying out a couple of new techniques on my pages for this challenge too, so watch this space.

I also thought that some of you might be setting new goals, choosing a new word for the year or even starting a new hobby so these would be perfect for this challenge too.

There are so many options, I hope that you are inspired by this month’s Something New challenge too and will join in the fun here at Art Journal Journey – I can’t wait to visit you and see your creations (grin!).  

Wishing you all the best for 2020!

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Docrafts Creativity Essentials A5 Clear Background Stamp (Steampunk Background DCE907128)
• Craft Sensations Clear Stamps (CRO274/19A)
• Ranger Arcival Ink (Jet Black)
• Faber-Castell Gelato (Acqua Dolce, Guava, Kiwi)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Star Stencil
• Kaisercraft clear stamp (Provincial CS243, Stargazer CS327)
• Liquitex Inks! (Titanium White, Carbon Black)
• Kaisercraft Captured Moments 3×4” Journal Cards (Life’s Treasures CM108)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199)
• Concord & 9^th Stamp Set (Sophisticated Script 10056)
• Dovecraft Alphabet Stamp Set (WDN ALPHA STMP DCV0050)
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• The Works Make & Create (Christmas Glitter Stickers – Gold Stars)