Catching Up & New Stamps

Hello Everyone
I am sorry I’ve left it so long before leaving a little message to say that ill health is preventing me from keeping my Blog more active and also visiting your own lovely Blogs. Although there is a scheduled post for Sunday, at the moment I’m not sure when I will be visiting your Blogs and also managing to organise my own artwork into drafted/scheduled posts.
I thought I would bring your attention to some beautiful new Oxford Impressions stamps. One set is based around the stunning Lily Elsie and the other is called Tattooed Lady. The link to view these is at Austen Gallery.
It does mean an awful lot to me that you take the time to visit and comment when I haven’t been reciprocating and I will understand if you choose to stop the visits until I return to Blogland.
I hope you are all managing to find plenty of creative time in your own lives and possibly making the most of this Bank Holiday weekend in the U.K.
I very much miss all of you, missing viewing your art, being inspired by you all and being part of such a warm and sharing community.
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

Sweet Springtime Blooms

Hello Everyone
When a lovely friend of mine was celebrating her birthday back in January, along with her gifts I wanted to make something as an alternative to a birthday card as it was a special birthday she was celebrating.
I set upon creating a flag/banner for her but as I wanted to include a means for a message I made it into a pocket, allowing me to tuck a tag inside where I would write my birthday message.
My friend loves Oxford Impressions stamps as much as I do and as she always looks forward to springtime I decided to use the most lovely The Fairest Flower stamp plate.
The flags were painted and inked before stamping and then the fun began of adding the stamped elements and lace, etc.
This is possibly one of my all time favourite label stamps, I seem to be forever using it. The child perches atop another label.This is the tag I inked, painted and stamped in preparation for the birthday message I would write. Once again I used the main decorative label to create a subtle background with the tulips being more prominent. I’m aware that something is afoot with the sizing of my photographs recently, either too large or what I find to be too small. Hopefully I will be able to remedy this at some point, I am wondering if it is annoying when looking at the photographs.
Thank You for your visit to this scheduled post as your visits are always appreciated by me.
Wishes
Lynne

Happiness Is Homemade (Published in The Stampers’ Sampler)

Hello Everyone
Some weeks ago I shared various projects that were published in The Stampers’ Sampler (Jan/Feb/Mar) as a feature, Dressform Details, where all of my projects used Oxford Impressions Dressform & Corsetry and Sewing Notions stamp plates. There were two final projects to share but, funnily enough, I happened to share one as a DT sample for Fashionable Stamping Challenge HERE as at that time I had no idea the wall hanging would actually end up in print, so no need for me to share it again.
If you are interested in the stamps I used they are available direct from Oxford Impressions’ Etsy store and in the U.K. you can purchase Sewing Notions set from That’s Crafty.
The notion (sorry, no pun was actually intended!) was to create a small art gift with the ever popular sewing theme.  Torn fabric was stamped and wrapped around a tag which I presented in an envelope, which was the perfect size for tucking the tag inside. The envelope was painted, stamped and a simple stamped label to decorate.
Ready at hand whenever a little bit of ribbon/fabric is required for a sewing themed project. Happiness Is Homemade alongside other sewing related stamps such as a press stud and sew.Thank You for visiting this scheduled post.  Hopefully by the time this post is out there I will have managed to dip in and out of Blogland a little bit more often.
Have a lovely week.
Wishes
Lynne

Welcome Home

Hello Everyone
This is a card I made many weeks ago, when I first received Oxford Impressions’ With Love stamp plate.As with previous DT projects using this stamp plate, once again I selected some stamps from With Love and combined them with other plates.
Oxford Impressions Stamps:-
With Love (from Oxford Impressions’ Etsy store and also from That’s Crafty)
Jane Austen
French Script
Maison and the lovely little house were stamped onto a painted background, the tag received the same treatment. To create more depth and pattern I also used the damask stamp from French Script. Here is a little close-up peek at the background. A Crafty Individuals Shabby Tag, I know, what would I do without them, is the base for the house from the Jane Austen plate. Like so many of you I utilise every little scrap. Maison was stamped onto the piece torn from the bottom of the Shabby Tag with the addition of a little scrap of tea stained lace. This wonderful sentiment from the Jane Austen plate, so perfect for the theme, was stamped onto Stampbord, the background is once again the damask stamp. A piece from a vintage doily along with fragments and a key.Thank You for visiting this post, your visits are always so welcome.
Wishes
Lynne

Easter Flowers

Hello Everyone
Are you still looking out on a snowy landscape or are there signs of Spring emerging? Today as I type this post there is a lovely blue sky and dare I say, the sun is shining!
I didn’t have plans to share Easter cards made for family but as the stamps are Oxford Impressions I have pushed aside the scheduled post (I will possibly re-schedule that post for tomorrow) to share  a few of the cards made.
Oxford Impressions stamps:-
French Script
Easter Bunny Collection
The Fairest Flower
Le Jardin (also available from That’s Crafty in the U.K.)
As I needed the cards to be speedy makes they all follow the same layout with the beautiful damask stamp from French Script creating a background and for all tags it was a matter of layering various paints and text stamps. If you visited my Guest Post at That’s Crafty on Sunday then you might recognise the flower stamp above,  a lovely bold stamp which I don’t seem to use often enough.
Another card with a flower as the focal. This flower is from The Fairest Flower plate. Although not my usual style, when I looked closely I realised they were nearer to my style than I first thought:- tags on a card (a favourite of mine), paint and pink! I do miss my little bits of this and that!
If you are unable to visit my posts over the next few days then let me wish you a happy Easter Bank Holiday weekend (U.K.).  Elsewhere, is this a holiday weekend? If so, have fun.
Wishes
Lynne
P.S. If you are a fan of Oxford Impressions stamps then you might be interested to know that at the Etsy store there are now some single stamps available for purchase.

Sweet Friendship

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
Khalil Gibran

Hello Everyone
I hope you are having a good week and finding plenty creative time.
I have quite a few projects that I need to organise into posts, items made some weeks ago, such as  today’s post where I am sharing something made when I first received Oxford Impressions’ With Love stamp plate. Friends of my Blog will have already seen a few cards using various stamps from this plate (with many more to come) but for today it is a small canvas with easel altered for what could be a simple gift to a special friend.
(With Love can be purchased directly from Oxford Impressions’ Etsy where you will also notice that there is now a selected few images sold as singles, one of them, the beautiful (and favourite of mine) Soul of the Rose image.  If you are U.K. based you can find With Love at That’s Crafty.)The canvas flipped over, painted and the simple sentiment as the focal. Propped onto a shabbily painted easel it becomes a reminder to a friend how special their friendship is.Before I say Goodbye for this post I need to say Thank You for the amazing feedback left over at That’s Crafty’s Blog for the Cavalieri Brothers hanging. I had so much fun making that piece and every now and then I feel the need to work on something grungy and masculine, as much as I like pretty sometimes I want to mix it up a little.
Thank You for visiting this post and I hope to catch-up with all of you very soon.
Wishes
Lynne

Fit For A Queen

Hello Everyone
I know, it is unusual for me to return with a new post quite so quickly but I want to make sure that for the month of March I keep my Blog as active as possible.
It is to the Oxford Impressions’ With Love stamp plate that I return.  As I shared in the past I have used this stamp set in conjunction with other Oxford Impressions stamp plates to work to themes so saw the Queen and crown stamps I had to use them along with the Court of Versailles stamp set.
Below is a list of Oxford Impressions stamp plates used on this card
With Love
French Script
Court of Versailles
All are available from Oxford Impressions’ Etsy store and With Love and Court of Versailles are available from That’s Crafty.
After painting the background I stamped in a random fashion the damask stamp from the French Script plate, a stamp I reach for time and time again. It was also stamped onto a Crafty Individuals Shabby Tag after I had randomly applied paint. From Court of Versaille I stamped the Queen herself and from With Love I selected the crown, wreath and Queen.
Embellishments were kept to a minimum on this card, a faux pearl drop and seam binding with a bow were all that were added. At the bottom of the card I stamped this decorative scroll (from With Love). Of course, it is for you to decide whether it is Fit For A Queen?!!!
I still have a few more themed style cards that have incorporated the With Love stamp plate and some notecard sets I will also be sharing in the very near future but in the meantime I will say Thank You for taking the time to visit this post.
Wishes
Lynne

Let Me Call You Sweetheart

Hello Everyone
I hope your weekend is going well, possibly having some creative time.
I am ending this week With Love, yes it is another DT sample for Oxford Impressions using the wonderful With Love stamp plate. This plate is available from the  Oxford Impressions’ Etsy store (link below) and also from That’s Crafty.
This is a list of all the stamp plates used on the card.
Oxford Impressions Stamp Plates:-
With Love (heart, With Love and Paris
Paris Poste (couple and amour)
French Script (damask, script and lace)
Card 7″x5″
I had to use the hearts in conjunction with the stunning photo real stamp from the Paris Poste plate. I wonder who is giving the key to their heart, the man or the woman?
A painted background in a delicate colour which was then stamped with script, damask and heart stamps.  Not seen in this photograph but you can see above that I stamped the lace stamp from French Script onto painted cardstock before cutting and layering to the top of the card.I would be lost if I did not have some Crafty Individuals Shabby Tags to hand as they are so lovely to work with.  Lots of layers of paint, ink, book text and stamps were applied to the tag.Two hearts together, layered over coffee stained lace.

I will be sharing more With Love cards over the next few weeks where I have married them up with other Oxford Impressions stamp plates to create certain themed cards and also a set of notecards but for today, thank you for visiting this post. 
Wishes
Lynne

No More Lonely Hearts

Hello Everyone
This is an Oxford Impressions’ DT post where once again I have made use of stamps from the new stamp plate,  With Love.  If this stamp plate has caught your eye and you are a U.K. stamper then you might be interested to know that this plate is available from That’s Crafty.   Not only that, new in are several other Oxford Impressions plates and you can also purchase the gorgeous Soul of the Rose from That’s Crafty.
For this card I used a few  Oxford Impressions stamp plates. Below I’ve listed the plates and the stamps I’ve used from each plate.
Stamps Used on 8″x8″ scallop cardbase
With Love – heart, scroll and love
A Scandalous Beauty – This Is A Story About Love
French Script – damask, lace and script
Paris Poste – amour
This card has love as the theme but it could easily be an Anniversary card.  The hearts go beyond being only useful for Valentine’s Day. It was fun getting messy with paints for this card. I used a mix of chalky emulsion and acrylics on the cardbase and also on the Crafty Individuals Shabby tag.
 The three hearts, on the tag, were stamped onto vintage book text which had been prepared with a wash of Gesso. As I always like to add my little bits of this ‘n’, that I painted a little tag, stamped with a few stamps before only  inking up   love  from the with love sentiment.
At the opposite end of the tag more lace and a scrap of ribbon.This sentiment from A Scandalous Beauty fitted the theme so perfectly. As you can see from the photograph above and the one below, the paints were built up in layers which I also did with the stamping. For some of the stamps, in particular Amour  and the heart, I stamped some of the ink off onto scrap paper before stamping onto the cardbase to enhance the distressed appearance.
We all know it takes a lot more time to work on a background where layers are involved but there is no denying, it is a bundle of fun!

I will be sharing, over the next few weeks, some more cards using the With Love set. This set was made with personal greetings cards in mind and at some point I will be sharing some quick notecards I have made but it shows the versatility of this set when it can be used alongside other stamps for all manner of cards.
Thank you for visiting the first post of this brand new week.  Here’s to a creative week ahead for all of us.
Wishes
Lynne