To die for at FSC

How has another two weeks passed so quickly? Here we are again with another fabulous challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and the Stampettes have some serious inspiration for you this week, showing lots of ways to use dies in projects.

I have used the Sizzix pillow box die and Tim's tattered poinsettia die for my sweet little Christmas packaging. My sister very kindly sent them down for me.

I covered the pillow box in PanPastels then stamped with a text stamp, sealing it with clear fixative spray.

I cut some Christmas text paper and distressed it with DIs and the poinsettia was cut in red and green art paper but I blended DIs over the top and spritzed with water to get a much more tattered and vintage look to it.

The sentiment is another of my computer generated ones.

This challenge is anything goes along as you use some stamping and die-cuts on your project. 

So why not join in the fun?

I will have another post later this morning with my PanPastels DT piece.

Have a great day.

hugs {brenda} xox

Crafty Individuals - Christmas Cards

I would like to share some Christmas cards I have made using the new
Crafty Individuals Christmas Reindeer stamp - CI-358.
Jean shared them on the CI blog some time ago.

This first one used DP from the CI Background Papers Book 2 Christmas pad.

The image was stamped with coffee archival onto a dusky pink card then I used some distress markers and a water pen to colour the trees and flourishes then I used the picket fence DM and water brush for the deer. Tissue paper was covered (on the back) with broken china distress stain and some of the distressed edges of the mounts were inked with walnut stain and stickles.

This second card is very simple. Again I painted the deer and antlers with DMs and a water brush and added picket fence over the top to give that cool glow.

More distress marker painting, then layered up with collage pieces to complete. The writing was added by stamping onto tissue paper and adhering to the DP. I used a CI stamp for the clock and added real watch hands to it.

I hope your week is going well and you are getting some creative time for yourself.

Take care.

hugs {brenda} xox

Frosty and Bright - PanPastels

A different style from me today for my PanPastel UK DT piece and guess what? Another Christmas card - actually another four Christmas cards cos I made three more to go with this one.

The main part of the card is made from Tim's snowflake embossing folder with beige, brown and cream pans used over the background and blues and browns sponged lightly over the snowflakes themselves. 

After that I covered them with glue and glamour dust and when dry I sponged more blue PP over the top and I loved how it clung to the glitter.

I made my own sparkly snowflake vellum with sparkly ep and covered the seam binding with a light dusting of blue PP; I made the computer generated sentiment and punched some small snowflakes to finish off.

So are you up for making something frosty and bright this week? Remember you don't need to use PanPastels and you could be in with a chance of winning a pans starter set from our regular sponsor 'Your Creativity Store'.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

 hugs {brenda} xox

Silent Night for Crafty Individuals

I thought I would make a card for the Festive Sparkle challenge at Crafty Individuals, where I chose the theme this month.

Have you entered yet and got your 25% off code? That's 25% of everything on the web site. Well worth a look if you haven't seen all the products Jean and Malcolm stock.

I stamped plate 154 and water-coloured it using distress markers.

The snowflake is a chipboard piece which I painted using eco-friendly aged silver, then covered it with glitter. To add extra sparkle I have gone round the edges of everything with cosmic shimmer aqua twinkles.

A metal corner, some lace and a little bow finish it off.

To participate in the challenge use one crafty individuals product and there will be five winners who can choose a stamp of their choice.

Have fun.

hugs {brenda} xox

Tag #9 for the Funkie Junkie

TAG 9? Oh my gosh only three more left and I am away for 2 weeks. I will have to get my skates on when I get back.

I have taken quite a bit of my inspiration from Linda's #9 tag – a brown tag run through the woodgrain embossing folder, but I dry brushed mine with gesso. I also added dangly stars and red striped stars with buttons on and instead of a large bow I used some red burlap that Linda kindly sent me with an order and some shabby ribbon dyed with walnut stain, I love the richness of the colour. 

The red striped stars reflect the little tag at the top and the poinsettia shape is a wooden piece painted and covered in red stickles.

Linda has another 10% off of her already discounted prices at the moment so it is well worth taking a look before she has to close the shop for a few weeks while she moves house.

Linda's 12 Tags of Christmas is an inspiration challenge and there will be a winner drawn at the end of the 12 weeks for those who have entered each one. There is plenty of time to take part as each tag challenge will remain open until the 17th December, so no excuses if you miss any. The sponsor is The Funkie Junkie Boutique, which is Linda's fantastic on-line store where she stocks lots of fabulous products to produce vintage, shabby chic projects.

Hope your week is going well.

Take care.

hugs {brenda} xox

Challenges to have fun with -
Crafty-Emblies - Vintage/Shabby Chic
Crazy 4 Challenges - Create a tag

Red and Green at PanPastel UK

Yeah, another Christmas card (well two actually) and my DT contribution to the PanPastel UK challenge for this week.

The background is just two red PPs blended together then sealed. Twigs stamped with dazzle EP and gently patted with various greens and yellow PPs and sealed again.

Tim Holtz Holly die-cut using brown, green and red card, covered with PPs in appropriate colours, sealed then covered with Rock Candy crackle paint.

The vintage image is from Gecko Galz Old Fashioned Christmas collage sheet.

Red and greens are the colours of the season and if you enter the challenge you are in with a chance of winning a starter set of PanPastels from our regular sponsor 'Your Creativity Store'.

Have a great Sunday whatever you have planned.
See my last post to see what I am doing today ....... so exciting.

hugs {brenda} xox

PS News of Becca - she was finally allowed home Friday afternoon, ....... so wonderful.
The whole family came round last night and we had a great meal and catch-up together. Considering all the trauma she has had to deal with she was bright and chirpy and wanted to talk about her experiences, which is healthy.
Thanks for all your comments and support, you have really helped me over the past couple of months and I so appreciate it.  B xx

Home Sweet Home at FSC

I am not here today,  I am off out to have an inky, painty, grungy time with the fabulous Andy Skinner. Can't wait to have a whole day learning new techniques and I am going to meet the fabulous Laura Liddell - As Happy As ....  We both have booked 5 days with Andy, one Sunday every month till March 13 at The Stamp Attic - 

I wonder who else will be there??????

My second post for today is for Fashionable Stamping Challenges and a theme of 'Home, Sweet, Home'. 

This got me thinking and the rest of the DT too and we brainstormed lots of ideas, so it would be great if you go take a look at their fabulous work.

I have made a hanging with lots of stamping and embellishing.

The background is done with layers of stamps, inks and Goosebumps, which was great fun to do. Colours used are coffee, rose madder, spun sugar, victorian velvet and walnut stain.

Each piece has been tied together with wire, embellished with lots of metal pieces painted with aged bronze patina paints and I added some vintage images.

I hope to pop round and catch up with everyone after dinner tonight and then I have got to get myself packing as we are off for a holiday on Thursday to Lanzarote. Just hope we will get some sun.

Take care.

hugs {brenda} xox

Tag 8 for Funkie Junkie and Tim's November tag.

This is tag No: 8 for Linda’s 12 tags of Christmas and I have combined this with Tim’s November tag as well. I am still making my extended tags and love the extra length they give me.

My inspiration has come from both Linda and Tim. I have used the techniques Tim has shown and used Mario Junior’s fabulous toy soldier blueprint stamp. From Linda my inspiration has come from the fact that she also used part of Tim’s tag herself for inspiration, but I also loved the use of the red hessian and flower.

These photos were taken at different times of the day which is why they look different colours. You can see the tag before and after embellishing.

The layers of ink for this technique are fabulous and I love the emboss resist.

I hung little gold bells onto a swivel clasp, attached an eyelet and tied it with some ribbon.

The Poinsettia is a Crealies die, cut with distressed coredinations card.

Linda's 12 Tags of Christmas is an inspiration challenge and there will be a winner drawn at the end of the 12 weeks for those who have entered each one. There is plenty of time to take part as each tag challenge will remain open until the 17th December, so no excuses if you miss any. The sponsor is The Funkie Junkie Boutique, which is Linda's fantastic on-line store where she stocks lots of fabulous products to produce vintage, shabby chic projects.

I am catching up again with the tags for the challenge and loving making them. Thanks for looking and all your lovely comments on my work.

Take care.

hugs {brenda} xox

Challenges to have fun with -
Out of the Hat Creations - Use some of your stash
Crafty Bloggers - Christmas Anything Goes

PS I don't know if I dare say this but, 
all being well with blood tests etc, 

BECCA IS COMING HOME TOMORROW - yay.

My very big thanks again to all those lovely people who sent her cards, the last batch being Buttons Pushing the Right Buttons, Trisha Easily Amused Hard to Offend, Lucy True Colours, Yvonne Meggy's Way and a second one from Margreet Margreet's Scrapcards.

Tag 7 for Funkie Junkie

No: 7 and I am still playing catch up with Linda's challenge, plus I am away for a couple of weeks soon, so I hope I can get all 12 done. Yep just checked the closing date which is the 17^th December, that means I stand a good chance of finishing them all in time – got to keep motivated.

I used Linda's tag for inspiration and I have tried the 'crumpled kraft suede' technique by the guru, himself, Tim Holtz, and I have to say I shall be doing this one again, but trying different colours. The texture and feel of the finished piece is amazing. I have also used snowflakes, but very different to the way Linda has, but do go across and see hers if you haven't already.

I stamped the snowflakes using picket fence distress stain, (which meets the challenge at SSSS), I die cut the pine tree and used distress embossing powders and deco-art snowtex for the snowy branches.

The lettering is all from the typeset die and I used glittery card and rubbed a little PanPastels into it.

More punched snowflakes and embellishments finished it off. The green ribbon came from Yvonne (Journey into Artistry), thank you so much Yvonne for sending it and some beautiful brads when you sent Becca's card, that is just so thoughtful and kind of you.

Linda's 12 Tags of Christmas is an inspiration challenge and there will be a winner drawn at the end of the 12 weeks for those who have entered each one. There is plenty of time to take part as each tag challenge will remain open until the 17th December, so no excuses if you miss any. The sponsor is The Funkie Junkie Boutique, which is Linda's fantastic on-line store where she stocks lots of fabulous products to produce vintage, shabby chic projects.

Hope you are having fun with Christmas projects. The big day is going to be upon us so quickly now.

There are some challenges I would like to enter -
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Stamp without ink 
Funkie Junkie - Tag 7
Joanna Sheen - Cold and Frosty
Our Creative Corner - Make your own background (my extended tag is DP but the main tag is my hand made one).
Rebel Challenge - Uncard
Alphabet Challenge - Tags
Crafts for Eternity - Terrific Tags

Better news about Becca again - her Mum stayed at the hospital with her over the weekend and took her out shopping on Saturday and Sunday. She was shattered when she got back, but that must have lifted her spirits tremendously. She gets hooked back up to her tunes at night so the freedom during the day must be wonderful for her.

Thankyou for all your support, good wishes and prayers. I am sure they are making a difference.

Take care.

hugs {brenda} xox

PanPastels - make an embellishment

Back to making Christmas cards for this DT piece and I have made 4 of these.

  

Welcome to the PanPastel UK make an embellishment challenge, we hope you will join us this time around and be in with a chance to win your own set of pans from our regular sponsor Your Creativity Store.

My focal image is from the Christmas Chic collage sheet available at Gecko Galz. If you haven't visited their shop or blog I do recommend you take a look, especially if you love vintage images you can print out yourself.

The background for this card was made with PanPastels and the freebie snowflake stamp from the Craft Stamper magazine this month. Two A4 sheets were enough to make my four cards.

The snowflake is my hand made embellishment, die cut from offcuts of the backing paper with a movers and shapers die, heat embossed with sparkly ep and a shrink plastic snowflake for the additional layer. All sparkly bits are diamond Stickles.

A memory box frosty border die-cut, music paper and a computer generated sentiment complete the card.

Another update about my GD, when I visited Friday she was in the hospital classroom, helping a younger boy make a model pirate ship. She was bright and chirpy and is now eating solid foods, a very bland diet though and just small amounts. 

I took lots of cards with me that had arrived over the past week and she was delighted with them and loved looking at the different styles, patterns and colours. I have to say a huge thank you to Sue (Scrumplescrunch), Lynn (Trash to Treasure art), Silvia (BarniesBaustelle), Yvonne (Journey into Artistry), Joyce (Gram's Treasures), Karin (Creativity), Marjie (She who stamps and scraps), Rebekah (Berrylicious), and Trace (Inkypinkycraft). Thank you all for brightening her day and her room.

Happy Sunday.

hugs {brenda} xox