Mixed Media Monthly - Put a Stencil on it..

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY VISITORS!!

May 2017 bring you all that you wish for. 

It being the first of the month, means a new challenge starting over at Mixed Media Monthly

Our theme this month is "Put a Stencil on it", and our wonderful sponsor is......

Here is our monthly graphic which you need to include in your post if you decide to play in our challenge.

Ok, onto my project, - a while back I made a so called Transitions Journal, you can find the original post here. I have done several pages for it, and today's project is another spread for it.

Here are the stencils I received to play with, I also added another stencil from my stash, designed by Seth Apter for Stencil Girl

Below you can see my first step:

I started with a pre-cut piece of paper using the Eileen Hull minibook die, then added some crackle glaze through one of the Stencil Girl stencils and then highlighted the raised bits with Treasure Gold in the colour Pewter.

Here you can hopefully see the effect a bit better.

Next I used one of the other stencils, this time using a white Distress Crayon.

I turned the stencil so the diamond shapes fitted exactly in between the first layer and like that created a star.

I made it pop a bit more by adding a little center with a pearl pen and also some shadows to bring it out a little more against the background.

The finishing touches were all done with the help of the Seth Apter stencil that includes some cool words and grungy patterns. I stenciled the other elements with Distress Crayons from the Neutrals set.

Below a few close ups still:

Our guest designer this month is no other than Mary Beth Shaw, - if you want to check out her amazing projects and those from my talented teamies, please hop over to Mixed Media Monthly and if you love stencils and would like a chance to win some, do come and play along!!!

Before you go I would like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful new year. 

May your hopes, dreams and  passions, give you new enthusiasm, new confidence and new understanding in the coming year and may we all strive to guard, protect and keep the world from harm so that everyone can live their lives without the fear of violence, abuse and harm! That is my dream!

xxxxx

Tag Friday at a Vintage Journey

Hello everyone, hope you all had an amazing time over the festive period in whatever way you celebrate.
Today it is Tag Friday over at A Vintage Journey, here is my tag:

Whenever there are 5 Fridays in a month, the DT share a tag on the Vintage Journey blog, so if you are looking for some inspiration from my talented teamies, make sure to hop over.

Here is a quick overview of how I put mine together, mostly using bits and pieces leftover from previous projects.

I cut two tags with the largest of the Tim Holtz thinlits tag die from two bits of leftover paper, adhered them partially together and rolled the left top corner of the top one down, to show the one below.

This is easier if you carefully dampen the corner before you roll. I also added a little die cut to the bottom.

Next I gathered some embellishments, leftover from my Christmas card making. The little clock is a Prima IOC mold made with paperclay.

Now all that was left to do was put it all together, moving things around until I was happy with the result.

The greenery, berries and little roses, all dabbed with a bit of gesso for a wintry look, were tucked in at the top.

The little clock was antiqued with the help of some paints and dry brushed with gesso.

A couple of Tim's word stickers added because it felt as if it needed something still.

And that was pretty much it.... Shabby chick with a touch of grunge..... If you would like to see some more amazing tags do hop over to A Vintage Journey

Wishing you all the best for the rest of this month and of course for the New Year too!!!

Wishing you all......

Dear blog friends and followers, this will be my last post until after the holidays and I would like to use this opportunity to wish you all the most wonderful and above all light filled and peaceful holiday season in whatever way you celebrate!!

I want to thank you for all your support this year and all the numerous kind comments! I have not been a very good blogger these last few months, but hope to do better next year.

This is obviously a digi creation and you are welcome to download and print it if you want.

Happy Holidays!!

xxxxx

Wintry canvas for Shimmerz

Hello all and happy Sunday! One week to go until the big day.....
Today I am sharing a wintry canvas over on the Shimmerz blog. So only a sneak peek here I'm afraid to say....

If you want to see how I put it together, just click HERE. I am keeping my fingers crossed the link will actually take you to the Shimmerz blog, rather than some other site as seems to happen sometimes I am told.. Anyway, happy 4th of Advent and thanks for your visit like always.

xxxxx

Mailart

Hello lovely visitors! Some of you may have seen that Paperartsy are having a mail art challenge right now. Well I love mail art, and really needed a break from all the Christmas projects. I hardly ever play in challenges, but this one I could not resist... So here goes, my mail art envelope:

I made my envelope using a really old piece of scrapbook paper, no idea from whom, but it was dark brown with rulers printed on. I covered it with gesso, and as it dried it turned this rather cool (I think) grey blue colour. I gave it a spritz of Ground Espresso Distress Ink Spray, dabbed it with kitchen roll and then played around with a number of different Tim Holtz stamps, using Snowflake Fresco paint, and a dark brown Big Brush pen to ink up my stamps.

I also added some collage elements, fussy cut and stamped, just to add a bit more interest.

This is what the back looks like:

Done in a very similar way, again, mostly using stamps from Tim Holtz Correspondence set.

I really enjoyed making this and plan to do a few more. If anyone would be interested in a swap, - leave me a comment. Mailart envelopes are sent just as they are, closed with nothing inside, like ATCs they are just an art exchange. If you are new to mail art, there are some super examples and a lot about the whole concept HERE. I am adding this to the Paperartsy Mailart Challenge

Well that's it from me for today. I'll be back tomorrow with just a little sneak peek for Shimmerz.

Happy weekend and thanks so much for your visit!

And Finally... Funkie Junkie tag 12

Welcome friends and thanks for dropping in. Regulars will know that I have been playing along with Linda Mc Coughlin's 12 Tags of Christmas challenge. This challenge started way back at the end of September and every week Linda has been posting one of her tags, to inspire us for our own festive holiday creations. Well, we have finally reached week 12 !!! Here is my version

I adored Linda's original, you can see it HERE I made my background in pretty much the same way, just using a different text background stamp. I also couldn't resist giving my branches some red berries (using some paint)

I also adored the idea of a pocket with ephemera tucked in. Mine is a bit different in colour, I added a stamp and another ephemera piece to the front, but used the same branches sticking out ☺

Finally, I used the same die as the main sentiment.

And that was pretty much it.

Here is a quick review of all of my tags or in my case cards:

1, 2 and 3

4, 5 and 6

7, 8 and 9

10 and 11
And finally....

12

Well, there you have it, - all 12 complete. I would like to thank Linda for all the inspiration  she has given and for the amazing prizes she is offering for this challenge. Just in case you would like to check the details of this challenge, they can all be found HERE.

It's probably a bit late to start with the challenge now, but I bet, seeing this is now the 5th year, Linda will do another one in 2017. It's such a good way to start your own Christmas crafting and I have enjoyed every minute. Thank you so much Linda!!

Well, I am happy to say my cards are all done now and most have gone in the post.... Thanks for your visit and enjoy this very special time of year!

xxxxx

Eileen Hull Christmas Lantern

Hello all, hope you are hanging in there during this busy time of year!
I was delighted to have been invited by the wonderful Eileen Hull to be a guest designer this month, and today I have a project featured on her blog.

If you want to see how I put this together, do hop over to take a look, - all you need to do is CLICK HERE.

Make sure to take some time for yourself, and enjoy the festive season!!

Funkie Junkie 10 & 11

Well I think most of you lovely visitors will by now know all about Linda from the Funkie Junkie Boutique and her lovely 12 tags of Christmas challenge. But just in case you missed it all, here are the details:
Well, we are now reaching the final stages, and here are my next 2 cards, inspired by Linda's tags:

Like usual, they are inspired by Linda's originals, but giving them my own interpretations, so here goes:

Number 10

I was inspired by Linda's colour scheme, her use of corrugated card, the snowflakes and of course the use of the Tim's Mini Doodles Greetings set.. I don't have the background stamp Linda used, so I used a bit of Polka dot paper from my stash. You can see Linda's original HERE

I was not able to really do a chalkboard effect as I don't have white pigment ink that will really show up to give the chalkboard effect, so I just white embossed mine on black card.

Number 11

Linda's original was one of my favourites from this year! Again, Linda's colour scheme really inspired me, as well as her use of a doily die, the snowflakes and the sentiment from the same set of stamps. Not having the papers that Linda used, I used Maya design papers for my card. Below a few close ups:

Using the same sentiment, but stamped on a brown piece of Maja Design paper. My die cut in the background is from Sue Wilson.

Using Linda's snowflake idea, but using the mini snow flakes Sizzlits rather than the stacked or stamped snowflakes she used.

Several of the little snowflakes stacked together

Some strips of washi tape, because I felt it needed something to finish it all off and I felt I did not have enough space to use some of the words Linda used from the main sentiment stamp again, though I really like the idea of that. You can find Linda's original HERE

Well, there you go, almost done, can't wait for the final one now.....

Have a great week everyone and thanks for your visit at this busy time!

xxxxx