Beloved (TSC#42)

Hello Everyone
The first of a new month means a new challenge theme at The Stampsmith Challenge. For the month of May the theme is this…..
a Tic Tac Toe board.  We are asking that you select one straight line from the board and incorporate those elements into your entry.
To enter TSC you must include at least one Stampsmith stamp on your artwork. It is well worth entering as the prize available is $21 to spend on stamps of your choice at The Stampsmith on-line store. All rules and samples by the other DT members can be viewed at TSC Blog.
The line I selected was the diagonal one with:- metal, stitches and pink.
Metal – the metal hanger
Stitches – the panel is stitched around the edges
Pink – The cotton fabric (of course you know where I sourced it from!) was painted delicate tones of pink before stamping. There is also pink in some of the lace I used and lastly I used pink watersoluble crayons to tint the transferred image.
The fabric has a pretty shimmer as I used Twikling H20s to paint the cotton.  Lots of lace added to the bottom edge of the panel.The image was transferred onto cotton using TAP.  In the past I’ve used inexpensive t-shirt transfers but TAP most definitely transfers to a far superior level, especially when using photo real stamps.  As you can see in this photograph, the weave of the cotton is visible (this was macro setting) but the detail of the stamp is still remarkable.
Tea stained vintage lace was gathered with a marcasite brooch embellishing it.We hope you will join us this month with the Tic Tac Toe board, have fun with this.
Wishes
Lynne

Her Special Friend (FSC – Sentimental)

Hello Everyone
Today sees the announcement of a new challenge theme at Fashionable Stamping Challenge. For the next fortnight we are asking you to be Sentimental. We encourage all styles of artwork to be entered whether it be cards, tags, altered art, etc but as a stamping challenge we do ask that when you share your art with us please remember that you must include stamping on your entry and of course, no digi’s allowed.
Our sponsor is Flonzcraft. The winner of the Sentimental challenge will win a voucher to spend at the Flonzcraft store. To read details of the prize and rules, visit the FSC site and also there you will see on display the stunning array of inspirational art from my DT sisters.
I knew immediately the stamp set I would be reaching for …. Oxford Impressions’ China Dolls.  Strangely enough I was never a child who clung to a doll, for me it was always a teddy bear, in particular a very special teddy bear which I still have to this day although he is rather threadbare to say the least. However, for many a child a doll was their friend in life and I am sure many grown-ups can become sentimental at the memory of their special doll.
With this project, from the outset, aside from the stamp choice, I knew it would be a fabric piece where I would use a photo real stamp with TAP and also make my own stamped fabric panel.
This is the photo real stamp transferred to cotton fabric using TAP. Excluding lace, on this wall hanging I sourced all the fabric from a re-cycled old curtain.This wall hanging is very tactile with the soft cotton, the fabric image transfer, vintage doily and lace and to add to the tactile quality this wall hanging is padded.As you can see, I continue have issues with photograph size.
Anyway, this is the same dress this time stamped and cut out to form a fabric embellishment layered onto the vintage doily.  The photo real stamp was inked with Archival Sepia but for all other stamping on fabric I used Staz-on Timber Brown.  The ink looks slightly grey in the photograph which is why I wanted to point that out.
Creamy lace embellishes the panel with a gathered peachy tone lace trimming the TAP image.  At the bottom of the hanging I pleated the panel of lace at either side to create a fluted design to add interest to the bottom edge.From the same stamp set, this lovely text stamp. We hope you will join us at FSC for this  sentimental  fortnight.
Wishes and Thank you for visiting this post.
Lynne

The Reader

Hello Everyone
This being Sunday it is time for a sneaky peek at my DT post for That’s Crafty.If you would like to see it in full then you can visit HERE.
This is the first of two scheduled posts for this Sunday.
Have a lovely Sunday.
Wishes
Lynne

Sleep, Sweet Miranda

Hello Everyone
I return today with what is an unusually short post.
This is a DT post for The Stampsmith although I will admit that this is another from the vaults as the item was created as far back in December when I made it as one of the gifts sent to a friend, a lavender sachet.
It is interesting that I selected Miranda from the Julia and Friends stamp plate for the focal on the lavender sachet, after all, lavender is renowned for its properties to help induce sleep.Miranda was stamped onto TAP before transferring to canvas and then of course the fun started adding creamy white lace to the sachet and a shabby seam binding bow.
Thank You for your visit to this post, the last post for the month of February.  I wonder what March will have in store for all of us.
Wishes
Lynne

Love In Their Eyes (FSC#40 Show Some Love)

Hello Everyone
Thank You for joining me this Sunday where it is time to announce a new challenge theme at Fashionable Stamping Challenge.  For the next fortnight we are asking if you will Show Some Love.   We always ask that you include stamping on your entry and that no digi’s are allowed, other than that just have fun with this theme.  The winning entry will receive a prize from our wonderful sponsor so well worth your while entering. All details on the FSC site as well as the inspirational artwork from my DT sisters.
I decided to go for a very romantic take on the theme selecting the stunning Soul Of The Rose plate from Oxford Impressions.  This was the first stamp plate I bought from Oxford Impressions and  I still love it as much as I did on day one.A heart shaped box.
I wanted a tactile feel to the box so the stamp was stamped onto TAP before transferring to canvas. As you can see in the first photograph, absolutely none of the fine detail was lost in transferring to TAP.After painting the box I stamped the damask design from French Script. I wanted the design to be subtle so I opted to stamp with Distress Ink which increased the shabby appearance before applying molding paste. Leaving the molding paste to harden I had plans to lightly add some highlights to the relief design but when I came back to the project I decided to leave it plain as I liked the contrast against the painted and stamped background.Thank You for visiting this post and enjoy your Sunday.
Wishes
Lynne

When Cupid Strikes

Hello
Love is definitely in the air at Gecko Galz with their 30 days of Valentine’s underway.
Each day there will be a Valentine card from a DT member with supplies and instructions and if you happen to have missed any of the days then they are all on display for you to view. Today is my turn to share my Valentine with you.
As with all Gecko Galz DT projects I will share supplies and brief instructions
Supplies
Gecko Galz Digital Paper Pack Star Crossed
Gecko Galz Little Angels Image Sheet
Oxford Impressions BonBon (Valentine stamp)
Resin Corner Embellishment (Melissa Frances)
Canvas printer paper, vellum, iron-on transfer paper, vintage book text, cotton, lace and seam binding (my stash)
Instructions
Print Star Crossed paper onto canvas printer paper and vellum. Layer the canvas printer paper panel onto cardbase. Tear vellum into a strip and stamp Valentine. Layer to cardbase with lace.  Print Little Angel image sheet onto iron-on transfer paper and transfer to cotton. Embellish image with lace and corner embellishment then layer to cardbase with French book text.  Finally embellish card with seam binding (stained) tied into a shabby bow.
There are always special offers and fun taking place at Gecko Galz so well worth taking a visit.
One last thing before I leave for today – thank you for the wonderful messages of Congratulations you left for Butterfly (Alison) on her win of my Giveaway.
Everyone take care and if the snow is proving to be a hurdle for you then maybe you are managing to use it to your advantage and staying tucked up inside and having some creative time!
Wishes
Lynne

Light Of My Life

Hello Everyone
Thank you for taking the time to visit.
January meant for me the start of my DT term for Gecko Galz.  Being their Guest Artist in December whetted my appetite for working with their images and also gave me the opportunity to work with digi stamps (see Steampunking Seamstress).  For the first of my January DT samples I wanted to play with another digi and this time print onto a different surface (previous it was cardstock I printed onto).
Whenever it is a DT post for Gecko Galz you will notice that I will provide a supply list and brief instructions.
Supplies
Gecko Galz Heart and Soul Digi Stamp set (used image HS07)
Candle, Flower Embellishments (Crafty Individuals), Guipure Trim, Pearls and tissue paper (my stash)
Instructions
Select image and re-size (I worked with three different sizes) and print onto tissue paper. Transfer the images to a candle. Trim the candle with the lace and embellish the hearts with flower embellishments and randomly adhere flat back pearls to the candle.The immediate advantage to using a digi stamp for such a project is you can re-size to suit the dimensions of your project whereas obviously with a traditional rubber stamp you are restricted in that sense and I was able to re-size to three different dimensions. Although I kept to black it would be simple to either alter the colour of the digi prior to stamping or to colour the image once printed onto the tissue.
Wishes
Lynne

Dance To Your Own Tune

Hello Everyone
Today I am sharing the fifth and final December Guest Artist project for Gecko Galz.  I had such a fun time playing with Gecko Galz images and having my first try with a digi stamp so thank you LeeAnne.
My final piece is a mixed media wall hanging with an image from the Tiny Dancer collection taking centre stage. As with the previous projects I will share the supplies and brief instructions.
Supplies
Gecko Galz Tiny Dancer Collection
Oxford Impressions – Season of Giving (sheet music stamp)
Iron-on image transfer paper
Archival Sepia ink (Ranger)
Various pieces of lace, artist sheet canvas, cream acrylic paint, fabric flower, ribbon, vintage sheet music, cotton fabric scrap, faux crystal drops (my stash)
Instructions
Cut artist sheet canvas to size and paint with cream acrylic then stamp the sheet music stamp onto the panel. Layer lace (also used lace style net for dressing windows). Print Tiny Dancer onto iron-on image transfer paper, transfer to cotton. In word document create sentiment and again print onto image transfer paper and transfer to cotton. Layer both to piece of vintage sheet music. Embellish with more lace, etc.I am thrilled to say that my fun with Gecko Galz will continue as LeeAnne invited me to be part of her amazing DT for 2013. It is such a great honour to know I will be working with Gecko Galz images and her team in the New Year, many of who I know and whose artwork I admire.
With time rapidly running out it appears I might not be able to write a separate post with an end of year message so let me say here and now, Thank You for all the visits and comments on my Blog. Even at times when I was not able to visit your blogs as much as I’d have liked you continued to support my scheduled posts and that meant a lot to me as did all the comments left for me to read whether you were encouraging me with my artwork or being supportive on a more personal level.
I hope you will join me here in 2013 when I hope to share more of the same.  Also, in December Adorn turned 3 years old and as with previous years I wanted to have a little Giveaway as a way of saying Thank You but I decided at that time to put it on hold, what with December being the busiest of times so if you join me here in January I will be sharing the Giveaway news with you.
So here’s to the approaching New Year which I hope will bring all of you the healthiest and happiest of times and if you happen to have a creative dream (or two!) then may 2013 be the year to see those dreams being fulfilled.
Wishes
Lynne

Little Angel Watches Over

Hello Everyone
This is a scheduled post where I am sharing another of my projects as the December Featured Artist for Gecko Galz.
I selected Little Angels collage image sheet to work with although it was a difficult job only selecting one image as both of the image sheets are full of sweet images. I have provided a supply list and brief instructions as to how I created this tussie mussie.
Supplies
Gecko Galz Little Angels collage sheet.
TAP or similar
Vintage damask linen napkin, seam binding, trims, tassel beads, button and pearl embellishment (my stash)
Instructions
Form napkin into tussie  mussie, but do not stitch at this stage. Prepare image transfer onto the napkin prior to stitching. Also at this stage stitch any embellishments, add the tassel and stitch seam binding to form a handle. Once completed stitch the napkin to form a tussie mussie.  Finally add a shabby bow.
I have two Featured Artist projects remaining which will be shared before the end of this month.
As I say, this is a scheduled post but I plan on spending time over the weekend to see what you have been busy creating.
Many Thanks, as always, for taking time to visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Hello Everyone
Welcome to another scheduled post. This post is for Gecko Galz where LeeAnne invited me to be part of their 24 days of Tags
There is so much taking place over at Gecko Galz, special offers, etc, well worth a visit and you can also view the amazing festive tags created by the Gecko Galz DT.
For my tag I will start with the supplies used.
Supplies
Gecko Galz Winter Wonderland collage sheet
Iron-on image transfer paper
Oxford Impressions – Season of Giving stamp plate
Shabby Tag (Crafty Individuals)
Cotton fabric, white velour ribbon, fabric flower and other embellishments, new and vintage lace, white gimp, snowflake charm, seam binding (all my own stash)
Instructions
Stamp holly from Oxford Impressions’ Season of Giving plate onto the Shabby tag. Print Winter Wonderland image sheet onto iron-on image transfer paper following the instructions to transfer the required image(s) onto cotton fabric. Fray edges and layer to tag with a mix of new and vintage lace.  Stamp Joyeux Noel onto velour ribbon and add to the tag along with trims, fabric flower, faux feather, charm, etc. Final addition is seam binding threaded through hole of the tag.WinterWonderland comes as two image sheets, this image is from the sheet numbered 1. I wanted to give a detail photograph so you can see the expression on her face, isn’t it so beautiful.  Torn lace, gimp and guipure lace all frame the image. I hope all of you are nearing the completion of your creative Christmas preparations.
Thank You for taking the time out of your busy day to visit.
Wishes
Lynne