And The Birds Will Sing Once More

For my Divas D’Este DT artwork this week I am using an image from their Free As A Bird CS.
It was a tough choice selecting one image as the CS is packed with birds, some very exotic.  This image has a gentleness about it which appealed to me.
I worked with acrylic paints, using a dry brush technique to paint the canvas before stamping directly onto the canvas with a French text stamp. I was looking to achieve a distressed appearance to the stamping so at times I only partly inked the stamp. Then it was time build up the collage. The CS was printed onto canvas paper which suited this project better than glossy photo paper.I fired up my melt pot and dipped the French text and text scrapbook paper into the melted beeswax and used the beeswax as an adhesive. Beeswax was also brushed randomly onto the canvas.A punched tag was painted with the same cream and blue paints and a scrap of Tissue Tape applied before I dipped the tag into the wax. The printed image was dipped into the beeswax but the edges only as I didn’t want to cover the image.
Once complete I gently buffed the wax with a soft cloth.
I certainly enjoyed my little foray into nature and might not be so hesitant to venture there again. Lynne x

They Say The Stitches Represent Her Life

I cannot begin to tell you how delighted I am to announce that I am a DT member for Fashionable  Stamping Challenge. Shirley is passionate about stamping as are all the DT members, talking of which, they are an incredibly talented group of stampers with a wide range of styles.
Challenge #3  is Ribbons or  Lace, a theme which I am sure will be very popular. If you click the link you will find all the rules for entry to the challenge but please note that no digis are allowed, this is all about stamping, doesn’t matter what your style of stamping just make sure it is stamped  artwork, please.
Now for my DT sample. All of the stamps are from Oxford Impressions’ Sewing Notions, a set that is a relatively new release.
As I love both ribbon and lace I opted to have both on my Journal. I actually made this gift for someone, it is a Thank You gift. This person deserved more than a Thank You card and Journals/notebooks are always so useful.
The base is a purchased notebook which I covered with artist sheet canvas painted in a favourite colour Camisole Pink (emulsion paint) stamped with a selection of images.
To co-ordinate with the painted canvas I painted cardstock with the same emulsion paint which I stamped the beautiful woman sewing onto.I still had in my stash some ribbon flowers I made for a previous project, layering them on top of lace which I dyed. The wider band of lace was dyed in a bath of coffee, the other piece of lace was dyed with a rose pink walnut ink.Some of the stamped images were re-stamped onto scrap painted canvas to decorate the Journal.Little bits ‘n’ pieces of lace, MOP heart shape button, this stamped element reminds me a clothing label.Some  more coffee dyed lace.Why not head on over to Fashionable Stamping Challenge and enter your Ribbon or  Lace artwork. It could be an accent of ribbon/ lace, a very feminine project or something masculine, anything goes.
Lynne x

We’re On The Road To Nowhere

I should probably say “Do not adjust your sets” – you are at Adorn even though the following pieces might cause confusion as I am sharing something a bit different for me ….. masculine. I rarely tackle masculine projects but I wanted to work with the new Crafty Individuals stamp CI -325   in a different way from how I used it on the Molly and Daisy’s Daytrip altered canvas.Rooting through my Crafty Individuals supplies I gathered as many suitable stamps to create a collage on an outsize tag. On the tag I also used a CI die-cut frame. I cut an outsize tag which I painted with copper acrylic paint.  I could easily have stamped directly onto the tag but decided I would stamp onto tissue paper, it also adds a wee bit of texture to the tag. The car advertisement was stamped all over tissue paper which was cut slightly larger than the tag. You can use Gel Medium or Mod Podge to adhere the tissue paper but I used Johnson & Johnson Klear Floor Polish. The downside to using tissue paper, the tag takes longer to complete due to drying time.
I decided to not fully blend the piece of tissue on the frame to add some contrast. This  image from the People & Places book fits the bill of the motor theme, mica pieces were layered onto this. On the bottom corner you might see that I created an accent from old leather which I dry brushed with copper paint, the leather is from an old sunglasses case.Tucked behind the frame, ledger and ticket and you will see much better in this photograph the stamp from CI-308 “Embark Upon This New Adventure And Enjoy”.
Corrugated packaging was given the rusty treatment and stapled to the tag.Our traveller obviously has made stops in London, Berlin and Roma.
Another piece of the leather accents the corner of the tag. Calico was torn into a strip to form a hanging.
I always hold onto the teeniest pieces of mica. I dotted various pieces on this tag.
The other project I made with this stamp is a small altered canvas. This canvas uses only the car advertisement stamp. The base of the canvas was treated in the same way as the tag, painted and  stamped tissue paper.A key sticker was laid over the “W”. Mica, rusted corrugated packaging and script paper are additional accents.
To decorate the top of the canvas I cut wood trim to size, painted and then created a little stamped embellishment using a stamp from CI-308 and re-stamping the “W” from the car advertisement.
Normal service will be re-summed in a day or two when I will return to my favoured feminine style but in the meantime it was fun to get grungy! Lynne x

Kitty Was Known To Say “It’s A Dog’s Life”

Recently I received word that I am to be staying on The Stampsmith DT. I’ve been with them since Feb/March 2010 yet  I still get a buzz working with their images,  never tiring of using them so I am thrilled at the news.
For the cards I am sharing today both stamps are their first outing from me. One is The Kitty, an individual stamp and the other is a stamp from It’s A Dog’s Life plate.Both cards are birthday cards. The first card has a little tag made from the pattern papers used for the cardbase (K&co), stamping Friendship from Say It With Flair plate. How many times do I reach for this set, lots of times as it is very useful to have with its wide range of words and sentiments. A little piece of ribbon forms the hanging which is tucked under the layered lace.Lace and flowers embellish the card. Of course, you guessed it, more scraps!The second card takes a stamp from It’s A Dog’s Life. This plate obviously focuses on Man’s Best Friend, there are Flappers with their dogs, a really adorable puppy with kittens. a boy and girl with a dog and also a few non-photo real stamps of dogs.It might be because there is a definite touch of Autumn in the air but I am enjoying working with those colours at the moment.Joy, again from Say It With Flair stamped and then punched to form a mini tag. Scrap lace and flowers embellish the tag.
Whether you are a cat lover or a dog lover (I fall into the category of being a dog lover) it cannot be denied that they are beautiful stamps.
One last thing, I’d like to gently remind you that The Stampsmith Challenge Sketch Challenge is well underway. There are some wonderful interpretations of the sketch. All details are on the challenge blog for the rules of entry.
Lynne x

Ladies Awaiting Correspondence From Afar

When I received Crafty Individuals Nostalgia 2 and Tags A4 image sheets I was keen to make cards incorporating both along with some stamping. If you are in need of new images Crafty Individuals recently announced some new additions.
Alongside the A4 sheets I incorporated stamps from  CI Elements sets 239 and  307 and Paris postal cancellation mark from CI-122Any stamper will say that there are usually stamps they always reach for. CI-307 is a set I always have to hand as it is  such a useful set for stamping little collage elements or to stamp directly onto pattern paper.The tags would work well by themselves but I enjoyed marrying them up with the Nostalgia 2 images.The Autumnal colours in this image are really beautiful. I kept embellishments to a minimum merely adding a scrap of coffee stained lace.
For this card I picked out the peach tones from the image and tag  adding peach lace and flower.Stamping carte postale and postcard directly onto the pattern paper with Bundled Sage and Sepia.On all cards I stamped directly onto the pattern paper. For this card I stamped one of the larger postcard stamps.A fabric flower painted gold and stamped with a text stamp.The final card.The tag was layered with a stamped element. Torn piece of pattern paper adorns the right side and coffee stained lace on the left side of the card. French book text added here and there to some of the cards.This style of card appeals to me as I can use up any scraps I have leftover from other projects, pieces of paper, stamped elements and scrap lace. It is lovely to take those pieces and before you know it a card is complete. Lynne x

Whisk Me Off To Paris, You Dashing Creature

Dipping into Divas D’Este’s vault once again to use the stunning, J’Adore CS. This is brimming with gorgeous images which made it difficult deciding which one to use for this journal.I started with a blank journal (purchased) and had fun painting it. The paints are from the D.I.Y. store, a place well worth a visit for craft supplies. The heritage colour emulsion (latex) paints are something I’ve used for quite a while, I like their chalky appearance. All the paints were dry brushed to create a soft, romantic background.Next I focused on papers. The Anna Griffin paper was a perfect colour match and I also used sheet music stained with tea and coffee and some paint dry brushed onto it. A stamped letter peeks out with its edges dipped into beeswax.
Once I’d selected the Divas image I layered it onto French book text, the eagle-eyed amongst you will spot which book it is!Stamping Paris onto the book page allows it to be viewed through the transparency. There is such beauty in working with transparencies.Scraps of lace and velvet  ribbon, a punched flower with pearl and a fabric flower all embellish the cover.I wonder if he did eventually  “whisk her off to Paris”. I am sure he did, she looks very persuasive!
Lynne x

The Delicate Nature of Being a Woman

For this week’s The Stampsmith DT art I decided to stamp onto Stampbord once again (see post “Amidst The Flowers of Summer”). This time I have used a 1″ square piece to create a Stampbord and lace brooch.
Many of The Stampsmith stamps are very generous in size. To make sure the stamp was suitable I stamped onto scrap paper before stamping onto the Stampbord. Ophelia worked beautifully. If you own the smallest sized Ophelia available then of course more of the image will fit the square.
Archival Sepia is the ink I used, heat setting it before sponging Tattered Rose ink with Sepia Glossy Accents coating the Stampbord. I chose not to use the scratch tools on this piece.Three  pieces of lace back the Stampbord with cream and pink beads stitched on.
With photo real stamps I know how easy it can be to get into a routine of stamping onto glossy cardstock. With a project such as this I wanted to show that there are lots of possibilities with these stamps and as with any stamping sometimes it can be a failure and other times a success, it is about experimenting and having fun along the way.
The latest The Stampsmith Challenge is underway, a sketch challenge. The sketch is available on my post dated 15th August or over at TSC blog (see sidebar).
Lynne x

A Confection of Delights

Just the other day I received a confection of delights in the mail. When you view the photographs you will agree, this friend knows me very well!!Lovely Gisele sent me this for no other reason than to share some beautiful lace with me, she also  shares a love for lace. Tucked amongst the lace, some fabric samplesand I singled out this piece of lace. Isn’t it stunning? This will need to be saved for a special project. Gisele’s Blog is SuperSnooks 13. I don’t want to put labels on Gisele’s art as she has a wide range of styles, creating amazing collages. Her attention to detail is incredible as she not only creates a piece of art, she also makes special pouches for them.  I will let her art speak for itself, the link is above.
I have to tell you that I laughed when Gisele said to me that I must use the lace, I wasn’t to keep it but enjoy using it. As I say, she knows me very well!!!
Lynne x

Let’s Stroll Through Paris On This Autumn Day (TSC#20 – Sketch)

Time for a new challenge theme at The Stampsmith Challenge (TSC). Val is hosting this challenge which is a sketch challenge.This was a challenge for me also as it is only the second time I’ve worked to a sketch.  I decided to flip the sketch on its side and just had some fun, which is what we want you to do. Have some fun with this challenge but please remember to use at least one of The Stampsmith stamps on your artwork. 
I chose the stunning Paris plate, selecting Arc de Triomphe, Paris and the postal cancellation marks.As a change from stamping onto glossy cardstock I prepared card with washes and sprays, walnut ink being the base for all the spray inks I mix up and decant into spray bottles. A vein of copper runs through this. The K&co papers looked beautiful against the stamped image. The weather inspired me as the day I was making this cold and definitely a touch of Autumn in the air.
The dilemma was the circle as I don’t own a die-cutting machine but using back to basics of tracing a circle using a lid I cut out some French text and then inked with Distress Inks. A Basic Grey swirl adds some interest.The postal marks stamped onto lime cardstock for a dash of colour.To add to the French/Parisian theme I added a Fleur de Lys brad with a copper tassel and the Eiffel Tower is made from air dry clay (in a mould) painted with copper acrylics once the clay had dried.
Good Luck with the Prize Draw and look forward to seeing your interpretation of Val’s sketch. Lynne x

Lynne x

Molly and Daisy’s Day Trip To Bournemouth

For any stamper the release of new stamps from a favourite stamp company always creates excitement. Crafty Individuals CI-324 and CI-325 are amongst their up-coming new releases. On receipt I could see so many possibilities for both stamps and liked the idea of combining them into the same project. At this time the Crafty Individuals August Challenge of Bright and Beautiful was announced and this inspired me to create a fun project injected with colour.
Gathering supplies I set out to alter a canvas that had few embellishments as I wanted it to be very much all about the stamps.  Along with the new stamps I also used stamps from the following:- CI-307, 278 and 279. Those stamps include tickets, postal related stamps, seagulls and beach huts.
The car and the Flappers conjured up a day-trip to the seaside, Bournemouth. I see the Flappers as two sisters, the elder sister is the owner of the car, with its customised pink leather interior!The flipped over  canvas gave me the scope to create this little scene.
The beach huts were stamped onto watercolour paper then painted and two seagulls added to the scene with the postcard stamped directly onto the paper. Dimension has to be created on such a piece and for this I used two trusty items, silicone glue and foamcore board. As this is a fun piece I didn’t want to overly concern myself with perspective. However I did want the huts to be seen to be in the distance so they were only slightly raised from the base. When it came to the car I wanted it in the recess but had to keep it a good distance from the beach huts. Using foamcore board I raised the car and once in position I perched it  on top of the scalloped trimmed paper representing sand dunes. I layered two Bournemouth beach chair tickets (the chairs they hire as they eat their ice creams) behind her and at her feet a postal cancellation mark, it may only be a day trip but postcards are written and sent to friends.A motor car toll ticket is the backdrop for the other Flapper.For both I paper pieced the dresses and hats. Each Flapper was stamped twice, once onto watercolour paper and then onto pattern paper. A Sakura white pen and also Stardust pen were used for high-lights.Crafty Individuals stock some wonderful chipboard shapes, here I used the banner.  Cutting the chipboard into individual flags I  painted the pieces and stamped postal images randomly before adding stickers to spell out “Day Trip”.  Tying the small pieces of polka dot ribbon adds a sense of joviality to the banner, topped with a polka dot bow.So that is my Bright and Beautiful altered canvas. Brights might not be my first colour choice but this was such fun to create.
Although I made this canvas for Crafty Individuals a new challenge site caught my eye, Fashionable Stamping Challenge. Their first challenge, Anything Goes, is coming to a close but they have new challenges every fortnight open to anyone who loves stamping, no digis allowed.
Lynne x