Wednesday 29 June 2016

Canine Greetings

Hello.  Welcome.  I want to share the Card Chain Challenge card I sent to Jo this month.  Hi Jo!  If you haven't heard about this WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?  Basically you make a card and send it to a total stranger somewhere on the planet and a total stranger somewhere else on the planet sends you a card.  OK, they might not be total strangers, but I think that adds to the fun.  If you are interested in getting some happy mail you can sign up for July HERE

The June reveal will be posted 1st July but I thought I'd let this little guy out a few days early cos he real wants to say hello.......

   
This is Rex.  He's from Our Daily Bread Designs.  Ain't he cute!!  I stamped him on Prima patterned paper three times, selectively fussy cut and popped the layers up on foam pads.  I used bright summer colours for my layers and the hello is a Stamplorations stamp.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
ODBDSLC 275 - Pop it up or Add Dimension
De-Egel Juni Challenge 18
Stamping Sensations Challenge - Feature a Creature

Tuesday 28 June 2016

Black Eye Eyed Susan

Hello.  Welcome.  Having a bit of a CAS tag fest here at the moment.  Loving the new Textured Flower stamps from Rubber Dance.   Also, since the googly eyes were out......


It's a many eyed daisy!  I was going to give it a face but it just wasn't working and then I got to these tiny tiny googly eyes and decided to make a flower center.  Cute?  Or scary?


I cut my tag using Taylored Expressions dies.  The flower is from Rubber Dance Textured Flowers, coloured with distress ink and I added iridescent glitter glue to the flower petals.  The sentiment is from the Rubber Dance African Animals set.  I folded the polka dot ribbon over and glued the two sides with double sided tape to make it stiff so they would stand up.  Done.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
AAA Cards Game #67 - Googly Eyes
Penny Black and More Challenge - Flower Power
Dare 2 B Artzy - All About the Bling 
Hjerteboden Juni Utfordring - Sommer 
Allsorts Challenge Week 369 - Photo Inspiration flowers

Monday 27 June 2016

Poor Man Goes High Tech

Hello.  Welcome.  So I'm tidying a few things away and found some scraps from the last big stamp session.  Couldn't resist making this



I started with a chipboard thingy sent to me by the wonderful Bibi.  Thanks Bibi



I covered it with pink paper, inked the edges and used a border stencil at the bottom using VersaMark Plumeria ink.  



The congratulations is a Stamplorations stamp.  The giraffe and flower are by Rubber Dance.  The flower was coloured with sharpies and the giraffe is painted.  I added googly eyes and used a brad to join the giraffe to the tag.  He rocks!
 




Still time to join the Rubber Dance Challenge.  



Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
CASology - Congratulations
AAA Cards Game 67 - Googley Eyes
De-Egel Challenge 18 - Use a Creature 
Penny Black and More June Challenge - Flower Power 
Allsorts Challenge Week 369 - Photo Inspiration  pink and flowers


Sunday 26 June 2016

Gorillas in the Mist

Hello.  Welcome.  A bit of a grey day here in Norway so time to craft.  No complaints there.  I have been meaning to join the Memory Box challenge for ages and the months just seem to slip by.  So I decided to concentrate on that and see what happened.   They want to see watercolour and I had seen THIS cool technique for a background the other day and thought I'd give it a go.  


I used a fancy aperture card, backed the circle with Basic Grey patterned paper and cut and embossed Memory Box Frosted Christmas Tree from gold mirror card.  Behind the tree is my pattern/smooched background


Here's what it looks like.  I don't have the mini pads so there's not so much pattern.  Quick fun technique and effect so I will be trying this again.  


The sentiment is from Stamplorations Yuletide Cheer.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Memory Box Challenge 13 - Watercolor
June Rudolph Days Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use Patterned Papers 
Stamplorations CASEplorations June
CHNC Challenge 287 - Use a Sentiment
Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge


 

Friday 24 June 2016

Dreams of Coffee

Hello.  Welcome.  The Coffee Lovers Summer Blog Hop is in full swing and this is the first chance I've had to join the fun.  I've used Unity's Dream of Being and kept it CAS



Love this image and the sentiment 'Become the Woman you dream of being'.  I dream of being next door drinking coffee so I'm hitting post and I'm off..........

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Red, Blue and Yellow 
Stamplorations CAS Challenge June 
Twofers Challenge 22 - Tea, Coffee or Me



Fun With Textured Flowers

Hello.  Welcome.  I have a fun and colourful project over at the Rubber Dance blogs today.  Choice of languages.  Pictures for everyone.  Pop over and leave me a little love.  Want a little peek?..........






I was inspired by the Rubber Dance challenge colours which for June are:
Come and join the fun. 
If you are shopping at Rubber Dance Stamps you can get 
15% off with my code gail2016

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Thursday 23 June 2016

Cute Fox

Hello.  Welcome.  I made a tag with this cute little fox from Unity Stamps



I cut my tag using Taylored Expresssions Tag Stacklets 1.  I stamped My Person (fox) on the tag and also on a scrap of painty background.  I fussy cut the fox and added some white gel pen to his eyes, tail, feet and ears.  The sentiment and hearts are from Unity Swagger set.  I inked the tag edge with Worn Lipstick distress ink and added some pink wool.  The little metal heart is from Korthobby, attached with a brad.  


Thanks for dropping by.  The Card Chain Challenge signup for July is HERE.  Come join the fun.  Hugz


My fox is playing along at
De-Egel Challenge 18 - Use a Creature
Share The Joy Challenge 41 
Korthobby Utfordring - Feiring Eller Begivenheter  

Monday 20 June 2016

TOP SECRET - Submarine

Hello.  Welcome.  Couldn't resist the header so if you are dropping by from the CIA don't forget to leave a comment so we know you care.  Alternative reality continues and the challenge at The Craft Barn, which the lovely Jane is saying was all my doing, innocent look, strongly influenced this project.  

Did you know 95% of the sea is unexplored?  Well, Dog, with his faithful crewmember Frog, is going to change all that............



Yes, it's another 'wots dat den?' project.  I had an image of a dog in a submarine and made this window into the submarine before considering what shape my submarine should be.  But at least I had fun..........

I used Sizzix Ornate Frame dies to cut gold metal and acetate for the window.  The negative cuts from Cheery Lynn Tiny Bubbles die make great rivets.  All the stamps are from VLVS.  



OK, get the laughter over with!!!   Frog definitely isn't sure about the safety of the design.....  That's supposed to be a propeller, cut using Sizzix Vintage Fan die, but looks a bit like a tap.........  The background is a piece of patterned vellum.  I used Bo Bunny patterned paper for the submarine and DCWV zig zag paper to back the window. 



Dog (and frog) under the sea.   This one is all mine to remind me that it's OK to have fun and it doesn't always have to make sense.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Dog and Frog are off to explore the challenges at
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - A Dog Under The Sea 
VLVS June Challenge 
Lost Coast Portal to Creativity Challenge 25 - Use Something See Through
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Animal Magic 
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use Patterned Papers

Saturday 18 June 2016

Fun Guys

Hello.  Welcome.  Rubber Dance have got together with Helen Allen and are offering the Mushroom stamps and a set of 10 fantastic video classes so you can stamp up a storm with these fun and versatile stamps.  This card was inspired by one of Helen's tutorials, minus the sun glasses LOL



When you order the Mushroom Classes you'll receive the mushroom stamp set and access to 10 amazing video tutorials by Helen Allen.  If you are new to stamping then these tutorials will be an fantastic kickstart to allow you to make stunning projects.  For the experienced stamper there are so many tips and fun techniques to give you inspiration and spark up your projects.   

You can order the Mushroom classes from Rubber Dance or direct from Helen 

If you would like to know a bit more check out this video. 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz 

For 15% off at Rubber Dance use my code gail2016

My shroom is joining the fun at
CASology - Masculine
One Crazy Stamper June Challenge - AG 
Hobbygarasjen Utfordring 38 

Thursday 16 June 2016

K is for Knight

Hello.  Welcome.  Bit of a grey day.  Crafting on the agenda.  Ideas in my head turning into a whole series of hilarious disasters.  Soldier on and out the other side.  Just keep chucking the paint around and it all works out in the end.  If in doubt, grab the gesso........



Altered playing card for the Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary challenge.  Reading the dictionary gives me 'knight' and this gorgeous VLVS Steampunk Warrior sprang to mind.  So that decided the colours.  In line with the VLVS challenge.  



I stuck a piece of lined paper on my card and painted with Paperartsy fresco finish Limelight.  Then it all went wrong I painted it again with limelight, added some Twisted Citrus distress ink and some small VLVS stamps with evergreen bough distress.  I used a piece of chevron paper to cover up the stencil disaster.  It's the same as the paper I have photographed on but I hit it with the Twisted Citron.  Looks totally different......  Must remember that trick. 


My knight is stamped and embossed on DCWV dotty paper.  The be true is another VLVS stamp.  I did some smudging with Versamark and black embossing powder on the chevron paper.  Then I added some blobs of Art Anthology dimensional paint and used a cocktail stick to draw them out to make Fairy green stars (LHS).  Wrote out the OED definition cos I still haven't sorted out the printer.........  Not in a 'tackle technological things' mood........

Thanks for dropping by.   Wishing you days filled with sunshine and mojo.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
VLVS June Challenge
The Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge - K
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Stars
Lost Coast Portal to Creativity - Men and Boys
Our Creative Corner - A Beautiful Mess

Monday 13 June 2016

Soaking Up The Sun

Hello.  Welcome.  A hot and sunny day here in Norway and a couple of CAS cards to share before I nip out and catch some rays.  

Over at CASology they want to see Sunshine.  Well, we got that and here's my take.......



I used Simon Says Stamp stitched rectangle die to cut a piece of gold foil and embossed with Sizzix Rays folder.  Rubber Dance is sponsoring CASology this week and I used the beautiful beach babe from Rubber Dance Take The Plunge set.  She's sitting on a sunny knoll.  

Joining the fun at
CASology - Sunshine
Addicted to CAS Challenge 90 - Aloha

Another CAS card, inspired by the Less is More challenge of Splats and the Rubber Dance challenge yummy colours



Well the giraffe escaped to the water hole but this guy was just lion around so I couldn't resist going a bit crazy with the distress inks and giving him a very jazzy look.  The lion and the sentiment are from Rubber Dance African Animals set and the splat is from the Funny Birthday set. I used the stictched rectangle die again to give some interest to the card edge. 

Joining the fun at
Less is More Week 280 - OLC and Splatts 
AAA Cards Game 66 - Watercolours

Don't forget if you want to buy stamps from Rubber Dance you can get 15% off with my code gail2016.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Off to catch some rays myself now.  Hugz

Sunday 12 June 2016

Alternative Dimension Mojo

Hello.  Welcome.  It seems my craft room has passed through Chaos and emerged into an Alternative Dimension where random pieces fall together and become ideas!!  I picked my way through the piles last night and it seemed everywhere the eye fell mojo was waiting.  Some stamp masks had fallen in a pile.  Stamp us they screamed, we want to be CAS.   I was putting away a few MDF pieces and they just went together so perfectly they never made it back in the box.   There's a little dog saying those PL papers that arrived Friday are just perfect and I really am trying to ignore the monkey!   And it's not even midnight!!!!  If you are experiencing mojo envy then I'm sorry, there just isn't room for all of us, but if you give me 24 hours notice then I can lock up the monkey. 

So I exercised some discipline and picked one idea to concentrate on.  It won cos it's a bit of a quirky thing.  Just perfect for crafting outside the space time continuum.  



Wot dat den??  I am calling it a plant label.  You heard of weed killer?  Well this one is for them Killer Weedz that you just can't seem to get rid of........



I used MDF elements from Things to Alter, a lolly stick, some large barbed wire and a concave diamond shape.  The skull is Kadoodles Skull and Swords stamp.  I stamped the skull on acetate with StazOn and then painted from the backside with acrylic paint.  I didn't have any cross bones so I wrote the sign and covered it with glossy accents.  Quite liking that font style.  Another gift from the other dimension.........

Thanks for dropping by.  Off to pull some pesky weeds.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Lost Coast Portal to Creativity - Skellie-Fest
Lost Coast Portal to Creativity Challenge 25 - Use Something See Through acetate and glossy accents
Dream in Darkness - AG
Things to Alter June Challenge - AG
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Summer Garden

Saturday 11 June 2016

Thrice Blessed and I Love Gingerbread Men

Hello.  Welcome.  Mr Weatherman predicted sunshine with clouds.  We got rain!!  Might as well just look out the window myself!  But....... craft time!!!!  Yay!  

It's a technique challenge over at MFP this week.   Thought I'd give it a go.  Oh my, what fun.  This might become a momentary obsession.......


Love it.  I stamped MFP gingerbread man from the Holiday Tag set three times and embossed.  Then I drew my grid and added some faux stitches and some lines.  I also cut a few squares away.  Mounted on a black base card and added a wavy happy birthday banner stamped using the sentiment from MFP's Tigers set.  Have I said I love it?  

Hope you have a happy, happy, happy day.  Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
MFP Stamps Challenge 24 - Grid Technique
Twofers Challenge 21 - In Black and White 
Scrappiness Utfordring 16 - Svart og Hvitt 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - For a Guy 
Repeat Impressions DCC68 - Use Two or More Stamps

Friday 10 June 2016

T is for Totem Pole

Hello.  Welcome.   It's time for another altered playing card for the Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary challenge.  This week we are looking art the letter T.  I decided to use some fun totem pole stamps and combine it Marilynn's technique for faux wood.  



Is this as fun as I think it is?  I used a piece of blue card, stencilled some stars with Blueprint Sketch distress ink and added some white gel pen stitches.  The foreground is a piece of yellow banana paper with Die-versions Southwestern Desert die cut in black.  This is a long thin cut and I have rearranged it quite a bit to make it fit my card and make a scene.  I made my faux wood as per Marilynn's tutorial and stamped and embossed Kadoodle's Totem Pole.  This is actually 4 individual stamps.  I coloured with promarkers.  I stacked up the pieces and popped the final piece on some foam dots.  My printer has died so I had to write my definition, courtesy of the OED.

Thanks for dropping by.  Stay dry and safe.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
The Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge - T
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Stars
Stamping Sensations - Feature a Creature 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - For a Guy
Stamplorations Mixed Media Challenge - June 


 

Thursday 9 June 2016

Vroom, Vroom

Hello.  Welcome.  The car card I made yesterday.   I made two cars, just in case of accidents LOL, and I figured, cos it's metal, if put it in my stamped pile it would probably get destroyed.  So, what to do????  Make another card!  Managed the CAS and purple this time!!!!   



I used Simon Says Stamp Luminary Circle die to cut the pattern and pieced in the purple circles.  Then I added the car, Stamplorations Enjoy the Ride embossed on purple metal.  CAS.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Less Is More Week 279 - Purple
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Fathers Day/For A Guy 
Happy Little Stampers June - AG With Dies
Stamplorations - Anything Goes Challenge
Stamplorations CAS Challenge June


Monday 6 June 2016

Challenge Pile Up

Hello.  Welcome.  So, you know how it is.  You see a great sketch, and someone wants purple, and monochrome, and CAS, and one for the men, and that was a cool card by Deepti with the boat in the frame.   I missed the monochrome (again!!), and the boat became a car, and the purple became unimportant, but other than that..........


I wanted my car to be purple and shiny so I stamped, embossed and fussy cut Stamplorations Enjoy The Ride on a purple metal sheet.  Gold and silver pilot markers for highlights.  I cut a postage stamp frame from purple papers using a Sizzix die.  I used rainbow corrugated card as my card base and used a black stick on line and gratulerer (congratulations in Norwegian).  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Stamplorations June Challenge - Sketch
Stamplorations Spotlight Project Showcase
Stamplorations - Anything Goes Challenge
Stamplorations CAS Challenge June 
Creative With Stamps Challenge 3 - Manly/Masculine