Springtime In The Secret Garden (Somerset Studio)

Hello
Somerset Studio set Challenge Calls, always with wonderful themes.  Last year, one of the themes was In The Garden, with the results published in the Mar/April issue. On receiving my complimentary issue, for articles published, as I flicked through the magazine, I was delighted to see that two assemblage panels submitted in answer to that challenge call, were published.
Redlead, in my mind, have some of the most beautiful bird themed stamps available. The birds that feature on each assemblage are from the Perching Birds set.

Even though I stamped onto watercolour paper, the beautiful detail of the stamp was still captured.

Redlead’s sentiments/labels are amongst my most inked up.  I never tire of them. This label is from the Little Labels: A Little Bird Told Me (as is the Secret Garden label).

This stencil is a Dinky Stencil (That’s Crafty), Abstract Stone., one of my great favourites.

Nothing compares, in my mind, to aged papers, this was from my dear friend Dorthe, I simply stamped the Red Lead label onto it and layered it to a tattered elements.

The second panel

which is really a partner to the first.

Forming little tattered gatherings, such as this, is my place of contentment.

I liked the crafted texture of the Dinky Stencil Brick alongside the natural texture from the tree bark.

Thank you so much for your visits and loyalty.
Wishes
Lynne

Remember Life Lessons

Hello
Today, over at the That’s Crafty blog, I am sharing a lengthy post (!) featuring a journal I made as a sample for when That’s Crafty appeared on HOCHANDA.
That’s Crafty stock a variety of journals, including the one I worked with, the A6 white/greyboard journal with acrylic cover.
A peek at one of the double page spreads within the journal.

With this being a peek at the acrylic cover of the journal.
Thank you so much for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Rooted To The Earth

Hello
Although I am no longer on the Crafty Individuals team, I still have samples made for one of their appearances on HOCHANDA.  At the time, we were asked to work with specific stamps, those that would be available via HOCHANDA.  Some of the stamps selected were tree designs.
Crafty Individuals have some of the most beautiful tree stamps available. If you do a search for trees, you will also see greeting cards, images and of course stamps or click HERE.
This is a #10 tag

Most often, when I am working with Infusions, I will stain a whole bundle of items and then store them.  Now, I’d like to present the image that they are stored in colour ways and textiles are separate from papers but please, erase that image from your brain, it is a hotpotch of Infusions goodness all packed into one bag!

Infusions appear on so many elements on this tag, it would easier to eliminate that which hasn’t been stained, if there is anything.

This tag is smaller than the first sample, a regular shipping tag.  It was only ever regular shipping tags I would use, buying in bulk but I do like the variation of working on a larger surface which Ranger tags provide.  I don’t know why, it seems impossible for me to source outsize shipping tags in the U.K., other than those from a craft company.

Stamped onto vintage dressmaking tissue paper and layered over a piece of torn book text.

The “scribbles” are journaling, of sorts.  I am enjoying, now and then, picking up a pen, allowing words to free flow.  I first tried this many moons ago when reading, for the first time, Julia Cameron.
It might seem strange but I read her books, it probably was in the 90s, when I was not leading a creative life, I did dabble in various hobbies, dipping in and out of some with cross-stitching and tapestry as the constants but it didn’t resemble the creative life I have now.
I was always very precise with my penmanship and I found that not only was it freeing, getting thoughts onto paper without filtering or editing and also, it was freeing in the sense that I was not being deliberate with my handwriting.  Little did I know at the time, the value of this for me in the here and now and although I do struggle with visible journaling, I realise that writing that has the appearance of a chicken having scratched its way across the project, is of benefit, as no one can read my thoughts.

Thank you for your visit and if you are in the U.K., have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend.
Wishes
Lynne

New Stamps @ Red Lead

Hello
Sharing news of Red Lead, latest stamp additions.  Each of the stamps sets is on special introductory offer, for a limited time only

Dear You $14.80

She Is My Best Friend $10

Santa Bunny $8.40

Fragile, Handle With Care Postage $10

Victorian Chair $6.80

Vintage Watches $8.40

All details can be viewed HERE.
Thank you for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Make Your Mark (Greencraft)

Hello
I thought I would share some notebooks which appear in Stampington & Co’s Greencraft, (Spring 2017).
As you can see, they are very humble notebooks from even humbler beginnings.  You can probably guess they were constructed from re-cycled mailing box and brown packing paper, I also re-cycled items to form mark making tools.  However, each of the Affirmations, is a stencil – Red Lead Paperworks – Celebrate Your Creativity

I consciously kept the designs simple.  I wanted to show how simple it is to create notebooks with very few supplies, no specialist tools and the bulk of the supplies being re-cycled items.


By stenciling onto calico scraps, it was in keeping with the Green approach.

I also deliberately kept the paint selection to a minimum.

Other than the stenciled words, all other marks are from mark making tools.


Old buttons appear on most of the notebooks, an absolute favourite of mine.

Those wee scraps of lace that always seem to be kicking around me (!), are perfect for such projects.


A re-cycled mailing box and brown packing paper,  paint, one stencil, buttons and scraps = a stack of notebooks and a dent in my stash of re-cycled boxes and packing paper!

As I have written within Greencraft articles, there is something so fulfilling about making use of items which would otherwise be destined for the re-cycle bin. It really is about creating something from nothing.
Wishes
Lynne

Make A Wish

Hello
This is a peek at the project I am sharing over at the That’s Crafty blog today.
It was lovely to pair up this Character Constructions stamp with one of my Affirmations stamps.
If you would like to see the complete project, please visit HERE.
Thank you always for your support and for your interest in Character Constructions stamps and my own Affirmations stamps.
Wishes
Lynne

New Stamps @ Crafty Individuals

Hello Everyone
I sadly made the decision to step down from being a team member for Crafty Individuals but that does not mean, that whenever there are new stamp releases or other news to share, or if I have been inking up Crafty Individuals stamps, that I won’t pop a quick post on here.  Crafty Individuals were the first rubber stamp company to form a relationship with me, long before I became a team member and they will always have a special place in my creative heart and I am thankful to Jean and Malcolm,  for so much over the years.
Anyway, onto the news that Crafty Individuals have released new stamps.  I won’t be sharing any samples but wanted to share news of the stamps.  All are available directly from Crafty Individuals and available as a very special introductory offer, for a limited time only. 
CI-470 Rambling Rose

CI-471 Make A Wish

CI-472 Tempting Teasels

CI-473 Pretty Flamingos

CI-474 Build A Scene The Village Inn and Church

Thank you for your visit to this post.  I will be catching up soon with the lovely comments left for me on previous posts.
Wishes
Lynne

Enchant Your Life – Wooden Feather Affirmations (Somerset Studio)

Hello
I often mention Redlead Paperworks in my blog posts.  Amongst the wonderful products that Chris and Sharon create are their wooden embellishments.  When I first received some of their wooden products, I was saving them, a bad habit of mine where I want to keep items instead of enjoying the process of using them!  It was last year I challenged myself to begin using items I had been “saving”.  What a revelation it is to not be constantly placing items aside but to dive in and play!
This is what I decided to do when I paired an engraved wooden charm with a wooden is no longer trading).  The trio were published in Somerset Studio (Mar/Apr issue).  It’s difficult to express what it means to be published
This is the link to Redlead’s various engraved wood charms but if you are interested, they have many other wood products: frames, shapes such as cupcakes, mermaids, Halloween and Christmas themed, there is something for every taste.

I write, in the introduction of the article, of when I asked myself, “what are they?” We often label our projects: assemblage, wearable art, art journaling but

sometimes, a project is not as clearly defined.

Although the feathers with sentiment are suspended from beautiful silk sari ribbon,

they are not pendants, they are something which I see as being a thoughtful gift idea for someone who needs a positive word or two, possibly displaying this somewhere that

will catch their eye on a daily basis, possibly wrapped around a beautiful journal.

To ensure the feathers did not become a tangled mess as they made their way from Scotland to California, I decided to create some simple individual packaging for them.  As with most ideas, it became “more” than I intended as I made little tags for each wrapped bundle.

Each of the stamped words are from Redlead.  I cannot tell you how much I love the set which those words come from, this is the link.   I also used some of the stamps on the paper prayer flag I shared in this post HERE.

Stamped onto calico, it makes for a tactile, shabby label

with the calico layered onto various scraps of mop-ups/leftovers which had been stained with Infusions.

I am so grateful for the relationship I have with Red Lead, especially as they are a U.S. company.  It has been some time since I made my first Guest Designer project for them.
Have a wonderful week.
Wishes
Lynne

Sing In The Rain

Hello
Apologies for being late with what should have been my scheduled post for That’s Crafty.
Here is a wee peek at my project.

If you are interested, all details can be see HERE.
Wishes
Lynne

Laundry Day

Hello
I have a very quick post to share, a little something I made as a “paper fancy” gift.
The main stamps used are from the recent release from Character Constructions, Blue Daisy collection with the wonderful French Laundry stamp from one of the older collections, a French Laundry set.

This is actually a paper lavender sachet or should that be a lavender, paper sachet?

The image was stamped onto lovely paper from a vintage French Agenda, some of the pages containing beautiful writing.  By stamping onto this paper, I liked the whimsy of the day of the week appearing on the image , as though Mercredi is laundry day (I really should have scheduled this post for yesterday!)

With the sachet being simple in approach, I wanted the tag to be in keeping with this simplicity.   Old denim jeans formed the base, although I did layer it to kraft cardstock for stability and  a place to jot a message.  A sweet vintage button is all that embellishes the stamped and fussy cut Blue Daisy dress, oh, I also stamped buttons.  This smock dress is a cleverly designed stamp because the open design allows for so many possibilities whether under-stated or adding wild, doodled patterns. A great stamp to use with Gelli prints.

That’s Crafty are U.K. stockists for selected Character Constructions stamps, including the recent addition of two sets from the Blue Daisy collection.  If you have any queries regarding availability of Character Constructions stamps, either contact Laura Holland at That’s Crafty or contact me and I will pass your query to Laura.
Thank you for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne