Robin waits for a Kiss!

One of the challenges I wanted to enter calls for use of tags, so I decided to do a Christmas-y tag, using one of Tim's Crazy Birds.

I die cut some tags out of white card stock, then used one to make a Christmas-y background. First I blended Stormy Sky; Weathered Wood; Pine Distress Ink onto the tag, and then used a Tim Holtz Holly Stencil, and used the round blender to apply Pine DI through the stencil. I used Red Stickles to represent Holly berries.

I stamped Mistletoe from a Hobby Art set, in Versafine green ink, which I coloured in with Fabrico green brush pen, and added Ivory colour Liquid Pearls to be Mistletoe berries.

I stamped one of Tim's Crazy Birds in brown Versafine, and coloured it as a robin using Fabrico brush pens, and then die cut the bird.

I punched out 3 sprigs of holly, and die cut, and stamped a sprig/branch of pine, using Distress Ink to stamp and colour. I glued these in place for Robin to stand under the Mistletoe, and added holly berries with red Stickles.

I added a red ribbon, to the tag, and tied it in a bow, sticking the tag in place onto an ivory pearlescent card.

I should like this card to be entered into Simon Says Stamp Monday Blog Challenge, Holly Jolly Stamping, and also
I should like this to be entered into Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Blog Challenge, Tag, it!

Anemones!

I had a weird play-day, following on from being poorly ... and created this very odd card!

I sprayed colours at my usual white stamping card, with various stencils in place. (I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know which colours, or which stencils ... 😕) and when dry, used gold texture paste, which I pushed through a 'Star' stencil.

When this too was dry I used Tim Holtz flowers (Anemones) then used Distressed markers in Picked Raspberry, and Hickory Smoke to stamp, with Versafine green ink for the stems. I also stamped a JOFY 'plant' in Versafine green. I then used Stickles to highlight these flowers.

I fussy-cut a Picked Raspberry flower to extend the picture out of the frame.

I matted and layered onto Centura Pearl mauve coloured card.

I should like to enter this into SSS Wednesday Challenge, entitled Anything Goes.

Gratitude (Thanks for the Flowers)

Luckily, 'cos of Thanksgiving in the US, this weeks Monday challenge for Simon Says Stamp Blog Challenge has been extended for another week ... so I have made a card, with the title Gratitude (Thanks for the Flowers.)

I bought some Simon Says Stamp flower stamps, and when I went to open the packet to use them, I discovered that there were dies in the packet too!! (so a mightily chuffed Cj thought she'd give these a whirl!)

Using my normal stamping (white) card, I used a Clarity stencil, of a vase, with Texture Paste, mixed with Barndoor coloured Distress acrylic paint, and I pushed this through the stencil to give a vase. I didn't think it was quite exciting enough, so when dry, I used a Tim Holtz swirly Damask design stencil, and pushed gold coloured Texture Paste through the the vase stencil, which when dry looked quite exciting!

I played around with my new Simon Says Stamp flower stamp set, using Distress Markers, applied to the various parts of the stamp, then 'spritzed' onto the stamp. I used oranges, pink, yellows, and greens for the foliage. When dry, I used the matching dies to cut out the flowers and leaves.

I arranged these as though they were a floral display in a vase, and glued them in place with a quick setting glue.

I used die cut words 'Thank' and 'You', and stamped 'For the Flowers' in Versafine Black, which I arranged on the front.

I should like this to be entered into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Blog Challenge.

Clarity Ducks!

I tried to rise to the Clarity Challenge: Clean And Simple

So here is a CAS Card using 3 Clarity stamps, and a Clarity stamp with a clump of grasses and weeds, and a Clarity stencil.

First three Distress Inks, and the Clarity stencil with a torn paper rectangle look, and I blended a blue, to symbolise sky, a brighter green to symbolise grass, and an Olivey-green to resemble pond water.

Then I stamped the three ducks, then a symbolic clump of grass near the edge of the pond/lake. All the stamping was done in Versafine Black ink. The card used was watercolour card.

I should like this to be entered into the Clarity Challenge November CAS, with the title of mine being Clarity Ducks!

I should also like this to be entered into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes, and into the "That's Crafty Challenge - Black and White with a Hint" challenge.

We Three Crazy Kings

I really like Tim Holtz' Crazy Birds, and when I saw that Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Blog Challenge subject is Christmas .... I just had to get my set of Crazy Birds out!

I wanted the background to have one big star for a bird to point at, together with smaller stars, so I used some stencils, and pushed gold texture paste through onto my regular stamping white card. (Sorry, not sure whose stencils they are ...)

Meanwhile, I stamped three of the birds onto watercolour card, as I wanted to use water-based paint on the birds. I wanted the 'pointing' bird; (my husband can't see that the bird with feathers on the left, is 'pointing'!) and two other birds talking to one another. I stamped these in Versafine Brown ink. I painted these in H2Os shimmering (mica) paints, with one bird in mostly gold; one in greens with a brown tum; one in purpley-red and a bright yellow.

I also remembered I had some ready punched Tim Holtz Grunge card, and thought there might be some crowns .... I used three different ones, which I painted in Ranger gold acrylic paint. When dry I used Stickles in Green. Red, and Purple to suggest gems on the crowns.

When the birds were dry, I die-cut each of the birds out, and trimmed two topknots off (as would not fit under crowns!)

I blended Frayed Burlap Distress Ink, and Weathered Wood DI on the background of the piece with the dry raised gold stars, and then stamped the Words with Music (Clarity stamp) We Three Kings, on the top right, in Versafine brown, then used fine WOW gold embossing powder, and heat embossed this.

I shaped each bird, and used large blobs of Pinflair glue in the body of each bird, to keep the shape, with Crafters Companion mouse-tape glue in the feet, and tails. Carefully holding each bird in place, until the glue had 'set', then used Pinflair glue to fasten a crown on each bird.

I fastened this onto a square white card.

I should like to enter this card into Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Blog Challenge, Subject: Christmas!

Clarity Stencil(s)

I was 'on a roll' on Friday, and made several cards, (following one disaster!) so the next one I made was for the Clarity Stamp Blog Challenge, with the requirement for Stencil(s).

I used the lovely Bubble stencil, (which makes me think of Aero chocolate bars) and blended on Distress Inks in 3 colours: mermaid lagoon; twisted citron; cracked pistachio. I then moved the stencil, and overlapped some circles, re-taped with low-tac tape to keep card and stencil aligned, and blended with Distress Ink: fossilised amber, and twisted citron.

I used the 'dial-able' stencils, and selected the man with child, which I blended ground espresso D.I. into.

I added the word D R E A M from another dial-able stencil, with capital letters, which I blended ground espresso D.I. into.

I matted and layered into a coffee-coloured Centura Pearl card piece, then onto a square white card.

I should like to enter this into the October Clarity Stamp Blog Challenge.

Watercolour - Iris

One technique I absolutely love, was taught to me by the wonderful Tim Holtz (I think it was on one of the Creative Chemistry On-line classes) and I was taken with being able to use water-based markers, spritzed with water, stamp ... and it looks as though I have painted the design ... so wonderful!

So, when Simon Says Stamp Blog Monday challenge said the next challenge would be Watercolo(u)r I couldn't resist this challenge:

This lovely huge Penny Black Iris stamp leapt out of the box, so, using Ranger Watercolor card, I used Distress Markers, and using the brush part of the marker, started with the centre of the open flower in rusty hinge, then dusty concord in parts of the stamp where the flower would be darker or an under bit, wilted violet as the main part of the flowers, with peeled paint for the foliage. I spritzed lightly with water, and stamped! (then spritzed, and stamped three more times! all lovely versions of the Iris.)

The 1st impression was stamped onto Watercolor card then when dry was matted and layered, onto coordinating Centura Pearl then onto a square card.

If anyone is kind enough to read this, I hope you feel it is worth it (and are not put off by the cats!)

I should like this to be entered into the Simon Says Stamp Blog Monday Challenge.

The Helpfulness of Cats!

I believe I have mentioned before that when I am well enough, I craft! However, I also have 4 cats! Should this make any difference I hear you ask? Well, if our cats were normal, go-out-and-play cats then they probably wouldn't care that Cj is in her craft room .... and about to create. As it is, they tend to go where I go, and get over-excited when I sit down to craft ... so I frequently have two or more cats sprawled across my crafting table, and they interfere as I try to use tools!

In desperation we put a small cat tree next to the table, filled in the tunnel in one of the spaces, so we now have two cat sleep areas next to the table ..... and it appears to be a success!

Stamptember Blog-Hop!

The requirement is to Stamp (which I love) and then do a Blog-hop ... so as I love Tim's Crazy Birds, I thought I'd stamp a Crazy Bird jumping over the book, which is a 'blog'.
I made the backgrounds on each page of the stamped book (Darkroom Door) by stencilling, then did some stamping. I made sure to stamp a computer into my book/blog, and I finished off with a coil of fine wire, fastened in place with a stamped, coloured, and fussy-cut flower ... * note the cat walking off with the wire (I have four cats who like to be helpful, and their idea of helpful doesn't always agree with mine!)

The Canvas has a background painted in acrylic colours, which is then stencilled to give texture, using Clarity, or Time Holtz's stencils. I used Gold texture paste to help give even more texture...

I stamped birds around the Crazy Bird, and one sits on the fence. The Crazy Bird is stamped as though jumping, or Hopping above the book/blog, which is painted with Distress paints. The words stamped onto a thought bubble, thought by Crazy Bird, are saying " Oo what a Hop" as it was a big jump or hop!

The stamps used in this Canvas are Tim's Crazy Bird, Clarity stamp, and Cardio collection stamps, and Darkroom Door book stamp.

This was fun to do, so I hope the people who see it like the zany-ness of it!

I should like this to be entered into "Simon Says Stamp's Monday Blog Challenge"  and "We Love 2 Create Challenge 20 Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes"

The real I.T. Man! (One cat is to the right of the computer-screen, plus the two visible ..)

Challenge submission - I.T. Man

Most people, normal people, would scream for an Ice Cream! Well, as a somewhat disabled person, with Lupus, I am frequently heard to scream for the I. T. Man! Poor Richard!! When he is not being my Carer, he is an I. T. Man...

So, I stamped this design of an I.T. man, with hunched shoulders, working away at his computer. I added in a cat, using a mask I cut, and stamped another cat onto card, that I fussy-cut, as I didn't know where I needed the Furry Hooligan. (I also needed to have this cat complain that he had been chased away, with the rebuke: "Not on the keyboard"! I die-cut a thought-bubble to hold this thought.)

I used the cutout from a Clarity stencil to act as a mask (the area of calm around the IT guy) then stamped using Versamark, and white embossing powder, a swirly design, to represent busy thoughts... Then using a spiral stencil (Clarity) over the left, and then right, using Distress Inks in yellows. Following that with the lovely Clarity bubble stencil, for bubbles of thought, in yellows, and an orange. I stamped the word ideas in tiny letters, using Versafine, Sepia, In between the tumult. I used Weathered Wood DI towards the base of the design, applied with a round blending tool.

I die-cut the letters 'I Scream for I.T. Man., and fastened these around the design, using the mask to guide placement. I used sequins for punctuation, so that I.T. man was not confused with It man. I moved the fluffy cat around until I liked his placement (remembering that he was to be grumpy, after being chased off the keyboard) and then add the thought-bubble.

Matted onto a softly pearlescent card, then onto a large white pearlescent card.

Addendum:
The main stamp is by PennyBlack and I think it maybe called "Celebrate your day .. your way!"
The cat on the shelf above the computer is by Hobbyart, the fuffy cat with bad keyboard habits is by Chocolate Baroque.


I should like to submit this for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "I scream for ..." and for the That's Crafty Challenge "Stencils & Masks"

Floral, with masking; stencilling

This floral design was stamped through an oval mask, using Versafine, black, which was then coloured with Promarkers. A cloud of butterflies was stamped in Versafine, sepia, with words curved to suggest butterfly flight, stamped in Versafine, black, links the two elements. All stamps from Hobbyart. Matted and layered onto a card.

I should like this card to be entered into the That's Crafty challenge, Stencils and Masks.

Cj

Challenge July - Anything Goes (Dreams)

I used the Clarity Bubbles stencil, and blended Distress inks in the new colours of blue, green and yellow. I then used the Clarity Umbrella stencil and added some Gelatos colours ...

Stamped and heat-embossed in gold, and silver (some gold/silver) using a Clarity bunch of flowers. Versafine, black, to stamp the Clarity 'Dreams' words.

Matted and layered, and added some fussy-cut flowers and leaves, to break the square.

Cj

I should like to submit this to the Claritystamp "Anything Goes" challenge, to the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge "Anything Goes" and That's Crafty stencils and masks challenge

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge: 'Coffee or Tea'

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge: 'Coffee or Tea'

I love to drink tea, and especially from pretty china teacups, so my Hero Arts stamp (Sizzix) die set fits the bill. I stamped the two cups using Versafine green ink, then touched colour into the flowers and leaves on the cups. I used liquid mask to mask off (note to self, mistake in order of stamping to get the stand full of cupcakes in front of the cup!) I stamped and coloured the cupcakes and stand, then painted with liquid mask.

I then used a Clarity stencil, and blended on some pink ink, for the table cloth, then masked off that area, to blend green ink for wallpaper. Matted and layered onto dark green card, and onto a square card.

Glued pennants, in blue and red, inspired by Union flag, to look like bunting. Glued flowers that were stamped and watercoloured in Distress ink, and a die cut cat just had to be nosey!

Die cut letters for Tea for Two, and glued in place.

To be entered into Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge.

Floral Frenzy - Hobbyart May Challenge

Floral Frenzy

I used a wild-looking Clarity stencil, and Distress inks blended, somewhat wildly, to start the frenzy. I then stamped Hobbyart poppy stamps, mostly where the knotty looking threads from the stencil are, which I coloured with alcohol markers. I stamped Hobbyart sunflowers onto card, and coloured with alcohol markers, fussy-cut them, and glued them on, all random and frenzied!

First blog posting!

I began entering challenges to stretch myself, when card-making, and rapidly realised that I need a proper personal blog in order to submit these entries. This is the first card to be posted in my blog, which is called blingydragon!

The ClarityStamp blog challenge is a monthly challenge, a challenge chosen at random, and for June's challenge the Title is "Boys, boys, boys".  I have therefore made a card using only Clarity stamps, and my Title for it is Maple Leaf Rag.  I stamped a Keyboard, and masked it off, then stamped a dancing man (as this is a mostly black stamp, I used liquid mask on the few bits of the image that should be white.  These were stamped using Verafine, black, I then stamped random maple leaves, in various browns and greens ( Adirondack).  I stamped a black curly music phrase, to indicate that the title is musical.  I used Distress markers on a cat stamp, to try to stamp a Ragdoll cat (NB I need to get better at cats!) I also stamped a black timepiece, (ragtime!) I blended Distress ink onto the card, trying to make it look windy, with Browns and greens, with blue around the dancing man.  I did a bit of a shadow under cat and man, and used a stencil over the shadow, under the man, to show tessellated floor, with perspective, going off into the distance.

Matted and layered, with black, then mottled brown, then fastened onto card.

Entered this one using Flickr ... Hoping that will be allowed. (In future, use blog to enter!)