Wednesday Stamper - Open Theme

I have been trying to motivate myself to be creative but its so hard after eating so much and lazing about for the few days. I hope everyone had a lovely Chirstmas.

The Wednesday Stamper theme this week is an Open Theme so I thought I would play with some of my new stamps. The frame is the reverse soot technique which is great fun and I will do plenty more of these. TFL.

Merry Christmas

I would like to wish all my fellow bloggers and visitors to my site a Very Merry Christmas. Thanks to you all for dropping by and leaving some wonderful comments which I find very encouraging.

This is my Wednesday Stamper 'Light' and My Scrapwest 'Christmas' card as well as my christmas card to YOU.

Thanks for dropping by. xx

Paper Whimsey Banner Swap

My swap for the Paper Whimsey Swap was A for Art in Earth Tones. These are finally complete and ready for posting.

Wednesday Stamper - Umbrella

Wednesday Stamper's challenge this week is Umbrella. This is my view on it =0). TFL.

Scrapwest Challenge - My World

Well, what have we got here - a Layout LOL. This week's challenge WAS a challenge for me and as its coming up to my first wedding anniversary, I thought I might do another LO using one of my wedding piccies. Hope you like it. I'll never be a scrapper that's for sure.

The Stampers Sampler

Didn't I tell you my exciting news?? I was very pleased to get a note to say that I had made the latest Stamper's Sampler. It was my first time submitting cards and I am delighted that they were chosen to feature in the magazine. I sent 3 cards, 2 were featured on page 54.

This is the card that didn't make it, I love this one but its probably the image I used that I love most.

Saturday Stamper - oh so late

I have had a very busy few weeks and I'm still not getting much done but I did manage to get last weeks Saturday Stamper challenge done during the week but didn't get a chance to post it. So, here it is, very late. The challenge was to make something christmassy without using anything that is Christmas specific.

Wednesday Stamper / Saturday Stamper

Wednesday Stamper's challenge is to use diamonds in your work, Saturday Stamper have a combined challenge using the themes of various challenges, I loved trying to combine all of them. I have used various stamps and background papers, most of which have diamonds in some shape or form but they dont come out too clearly on the picce. TFL.

Booklace

The challenge for Scrapwest this week was Books. I didn't get to send mine in last week as I was away over the weekend, however, I made a Booklace. I would like to try some more of these, they are great fun and can be any shape or size you like. This one has the title of Journey and could do with some more work to it too. The covers are made with metal foil and coloured with alcohol ink, the inner pages are made up of mica, chipboard, fabric and other bits of paper decorated and embossed.

Felt & ribbon flower

This is a little flower brooch which I made at a class at this year's Knit & Stitch show. I keep meaning to finish it,maybe soon. =0)

Scrapwest Challenge - Just the Two of us

This piece is unfinished but I took the piccie as there is good light at the moment. The poem reads : A MOTHER is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take. I have mounted this onto an oatmeal coloured canvas, the background is Abaca paper adn handmade felt with some lovely linen, an image transfer decorated with beads and some metal mesh and buttons. TFL.

ps. I think a tripod will be on my Santa list - I have such a shaky hand and I took several piccies of this - it was the best LOL

Saturday Stamper - Tone on Tone

This week the challenge is Tone on Tone at Saturday Stamper. This is my contribution - not sure where I am going with this but I may add to it later =0)

Scrapwest Challenge - Changing Colours

My contribution to the Scrapwest Challenge of Changing Colours was this little house card made with blues and greens - colours I feel I dont use enough off and will use more in the future. I love how this turned out. The back of the card is metal foil which was placed in a cuttlebug embossing plate and it was then coloured with alcohol inks.

Saturday Stamper - Tags

The Saturday Stamper challenge this week is to use a tag in your work. I was delighted to be asked to have my ATC featured and sorry to hear that Kaz in unwell. I hope you're feeling much better soon. xx

I hope you will also join in and have fun making this week's challenge. Here is the ATC which was used.

Saturday Stamper - Collage

This was the brief:

A collage (From the French: coller, to stick) is a work of art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. Use of this technique made its dramatic appearance among oil paintings in the early 20th century as an art form of groundbreaking novelty.
An artistic collage work may include newspaper clippings, ribbons, bits of colored or hand-made papers, portions of other artwork, photographs, and such, glued to a piece of paper or canvas.

This is a celtic themed piece, and probably the largest image transfer I have ever done as its almost A4. Lots of celtic stamps in the backgrounds and a little celtic warrior stamped and embossed on vellum in the centre. The metal foil was stamped from behind and embossed, I distressed it with black ink. TFL.

Scrapwest Cyber Crop

If you havn't already had a look - why not take a look over on Scrapwest for the Cyber Crop taking place today. There are some gorgeous Layouts already posted and lots more to come. My Circle of Friends book is up and running at the minute. Here is the link to my page : Carrie's Circle of Friends Book . If you have any questions - why not leave me a comment and I will try to get back to you. I have shown a picture of both a stamped and a collage version.

Have fun!

Saturday Stamper - Winter

Another lovely challenge on Saturday Stamper this week and many thanks for showing my entry from last week. This is an arch for a swap I have already made and it fits in nicely with this week's theme.

ScrapWest Cyber Crop - 21st October 2007!!!!!

The ScrapWest girlies are having a Cyber Crop next Sunday if you would like to come along and have a play. Here are the class details. I am doing the Circle of Friends Circular Book which is adorable no matter what your interests are.

You will need 5 sheets of A4 card, ribbon, buttons, embellies, vintage images (or photos). I have used the gorgeous Cosmo Cricket Paper for mine from http://www.thescrapbookstore.ie/ and it works wonderfully with the vintage images. I will also be posting up some Friendship Quotes if you need some. If vintage isn't your thing, why not use some inks and stamps and decorate your backgrounds that way. This should suit everybody and I hope you will join in and have a play.

Class Times

8am-9am: Best Freinds Forever by Kate - 6"x4" B&W photo Landscape
9am-10am: Beautiful Bride by Noelle - 5"x7" B&W or Sepia photo Portrait
10am-11am: Lucky Me by Annamarie - 3 photos 3"x2"
11am-12pm: You Are My Sunshine by Lainey - 5"x7" B&W photo Landscape
12pm-1pm: Permission by Crafteire - 6"x4" B&W photo Portrait
1pm-2pm: If Friends Were Flowers by Ruth - 5"x7" B&W photo Landscape
2pm-3pm: Play by Eva - 6"x4" photo Landscape
3pm-4pm: Circle Of Friends by Carrie - No photos
4pm-5pm: Jackie's Cards
5pm-6pm: Flag Book by Caroline
6pm-7pm: Fancy Framing by Audrey - 7"x5" photo Portrait

Pink

This month is breast cancer awareness month and over on Saturday Stampers the challenge is to use a pink ribbon somewhere on your work. I made this tag for a Pink Lady swap with Gillian and had the pink ribbon on it so it covers two challenges. The quote reads 'Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful'

I've been tagged - Twice

Thanks to http://blushes-emma.blogspot.com Emma and http://magickdiva.blogspot.com Magickdiva for tagging me =0)
Here are the rules :::

''Here are the rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.''

1. I always wanted to be a Fashion Designer 'when I grow up' LOL
2. I did Irish Dancing for many many years but can barely remember any of it.
3. I celebrated my 40th birthday last weekend :(
4. I love style but am happiest in my combats and walking boots.
5. I had a bad fall off a horse some years back and will probably never ride again.
6. I own 2 lovely dogs.
7. I always visit my craft room before I go to bed each night!!

As for tagging 7 others - I will have to have a think before I capture you - be warned. =0)

Wednesday Stamper - Inchies

The challenge this week on Wednesday Stampers is 'inchies'. What a coincidence. I have just completed this piece for a forum Circle of Friends for an inchie fan. I stuck the inchies on a card and the piece on the top right is on stampbord and a brooch. So, what do you do with your inchies?. I'm not a big fan of them and dont make many of them at all as I struggle with the size.

Scrapwest Challenge - Sisters

A lovely challenge this week over on ScrapWest - 'sisters'. This is a little 'corner' sneak preview of something I will be doing for the Cyber crop in two weeks time. More details to follow soon.

ps. You might spot a picce of me with my sisters on my wedding day by Audrey if you have a look over on ScrapWest!!

Halloween Fairy

I dont usually decorate my home for Halloween except for carved pumpkins but I wanted to make these lovely little lanterns and I got distracted on the way. These are so simple to make. I cut 12 x 1"x8" strips. Punch a whole in the top and bottom of each (altogether is easiest). Thread some ribbon/fibres from the top through the bottom adding beads if you wish. Tie a knot at the bottom when you have the nice lantern shape. Fan out the strips and you have a lovely lantern. I pulled mine back a bit to make it open for my little Paper Whimsey fairy. Her wings are a butterfly stamped on acetate and coloured with alcohol inks. I glued some fibres and embellies to the inside of the lantern. =0)

Art Doll

I made this doll as part of a forum challenge/swap. I had a lot of fun making her and I even made some sisters for her but they are not yet complete. My hubby thought she was a bit scarey and didn't want to look at her for very long. I kinda like her. She was sent on to Anjie who welcomed her to her new family (and, who's husband feels the same way as mine does LOL!!)

Scrapwest Challenge - Shopping

This week's challenge was 'Shopping' everyone's favourite hobby I bet, unfortuntely, I dont get enough of it.

Wednesday Stamper - Moo Card

This week we challenge you to create a MOO CARD (or more). A moo (mini)card measures 2,8 x 7 cm (ca. 1,1″ x 2,8″) and you can read more about it here:
http://www.moo.com/products/minicards.php

This is my effort. TFL.

Saturday Stamper - Trees

I made this in a bit of a rush but wanted to do something for Saturday Stamper - check out this week's challenge which is Trees. This is an ATC size stampbord which I had inked up with alcohol inks a long time ago and didn't like the results. I sanded most of the ink off and stamped the trees on it and added some images.

Wednesday Stamper - Tryptich

This week's challenge is to creat a Tryptich. This is mine. TFL.

Tag Swap

I made this tag for a monthly tag swap - I love the colours of this one.

Scrapwest Challenge - Seven Deadly Sins

This week's challenge was Seven Deadly Sins - I chose Pride for my piece this week which is a 7x5 canvas with various layers of gesso, paints and images and text.

Wednesday Stamper - Mulberry

This is also my piece for this week's Back to School Challenge on Scrapwest. I have a lovely image transferred onto linen backed onto blue mulberry paper. Stamps used are Cherry Pie, Stampington and Crafty Individuals.

A little Something

I havn't had much time this week to make anything so I thought I would show you this which I made some time back for a forum swap. TFL.

And the Winner is...........................................

Wow - firstly a huge thank you to everyone who dropped by over the past week and left comments for me. I am really delighted. I added all the names to a box this morning and had a colleague from work choose a name for me - I was excited to see if would be somebody I would know (from cyberworld LOL). So the winner chosen is :


Karva


Well, I have met Karen before in real life at scrapbooking crops so I hope she will like this.

Thanks again to everyone who left comments and do visit again. Its very encouraging to read the lovely things people say.

Scrapwest Blog Celebration

Over on the Scrap West Challenge Blog this week, our challenge was a Blog Celebration. For this we have to demonstrate a technique. I love image transfers and this is my demo of how I do it.
Equipment needed is a brayer (rolling pin or the back of a spoon will do). Gel medium of your choice, I have used Daler Rowney Matt Impasto Gel, a photocopy or printout of your chosen image and paper to transfer it onto – I have used a music sheet.



Step 1
Squeeze gel onto your finger tip and spread like butter completely over your image.


Step 2
Place image face down onto your paper and burnish with brayer for about 2-3 minutes, ensuring the paper is completely stuck down. Leave for 3-4 mins.


Step 3
Lift a corner of the paper up with your nail and check image is transferred. You should then be able to remove the backing paper off the image.


Step 4
You may have to dampen the image with a baby wipe and gently roll the remaining pulp off with your finger tips.


Step 5
When all the backing paper is removed I rub a second coat of gel very lightly over the image to seal it.
Eazy peazy!!!


If you wish to leave a comment on my blog I will raffle this piece off next Friday. Thanks for playing.

A Gift for a Lady

I recently came across a lovely blog by a lady called Carol, her blog is on my fav links. She makes beautiful pieces with felt and clay and some other gorgeous pieces of work you should have a look at. I was inspired to try my hand at making some felt and this was my first effort. Ok, so I have a lot to learn, I have since made lots of scraps and have an idea where I'm going wrong but that I also need to buy lots more wool LOL. The wire and beaded heart is one of which I taught at a class at Crafteire this year, they are addictive.
I made this brooch for a lovely lady who came to my rescue last week in Dublin. The hotel I was booked into with my sister and some friends gave our room away and we were literally stranded. This is my gift for her and I hope she will like it =0)TFL.

DCM Photo

Photo Finish
This weeks Dare is set by Tracie (Bondgirl) and is titled Photo Finish....


This week I want you to make a card for any occasion but it must include a photograph somewhere! The photo subject can be people, items, locations, flowers, absolutely anything so get snapping. Dont forget to check copyright if you are using someone elses photographs in your art work.

This is a picture of my sister and I am going to give this to her as a birthday card next week. I dont think she has seen this photo of her in more than 20years.

TMTA - Tags

This week's challenge is to use a tag on your ATC - mine is titled 'Hope'



For Momiji
The background was made using a resist technique. The image was stamped with versamark and clear embossing powder was added. I then brayered the ATC with Bignjuicy ink. When this was dry I placed a piece of copier paper over the image and ironed off the embossing powder, you will see it lift off onto the copier paper. It gives a lovely resist effect.

Birthday Card

This was Anjie's birthday card. I used a Paper Whimsy image and transferred onto linen. This was layered onto black card embossed with a cuttlebug plate and coloured with gold shimmering mist, then layered onto Basic Grey papers stamped with stampington swirls.