Design team sale, blog candy, and Jen!

The Inka Design Team has a new member, and to celebrate Inka is having a fabulous design team sale for the month of November.

To celebrate our newest member Jen Crossley joining our team anyone who puts "Jen" in the message to seller box will receive a 40% rebate on their order. This does exclude items already on sale, grab bags and items on the found items page.

and on top of that Inka is also providing blog candy for each member of the design team to offer on their blog.
These are the stamps I have up for grabs for one lucky winner





The marble and marble flecks stamps make the most fantastic marble effect background, and you just can't go wrong with them.
I have used all of the stamps on this piece, as well as an Inka collage image.



To be in with a chance of winning, just leave a comment on this post and I will announce the winner (chosen by random number generator) on Friday 7th November at 9pm GMT.
also check out the rest of the design team (see list on right hand side of my blog) to see what blog candy they have on offer.

One powerful hour

the theme at one powerful hour is spooky. I made this Hallowe'en banner quite some time ago, but for one reason and another haven't blogged it. All of the (many) stamps I have used are by Inka, but the important thing to note is that none of the stamps were Hallowe'en stamps.

I know it looks like a lot of work, but I actually think I did do this in about an hour .

I am also entering this for TGiF's hallowe'en theme! but I only just made it!

vintage, by accident!

I recently got a set of decoration stamps from Inka, they are 6 christmas images and their mirror images. I chose to use the mirrored ginderbread boy to make a "dangly thing" (a phrase that caused much hilarity in my 10 year old son!) to go on a card, but that could be removed to use as a decoration. this was going to be a quick clean card for easy replication, but somehow once I sat down it didn't happen like that. I also managed to get ink all over the inside of the card, so I had to line it as well, especially when I realised I would have to photograph it from the inside as well to show the reversed gingerbread boy.

as well as the gingerbread boy, I have used a happy holidays stamp and a crackle background from Inka

As this came out quite vintagy, I am entering it for theme thursday's vintage challenge

very quick baby card

I've made this for my next door neighbours who have just had a baby boy. It's a really simple card, but the kind of card that I find "real life" people like, lol.
It may be quick but it satisfies three of this week's challenges: buttons (crazy amigos); Fabric, the gingham is fabric (artygirlz) and ribbon (created by hand).

The stamp is from craft stamper magazine (the one I cut the wheel off) and the baby boy stamp is by onefourzero. I made the scalloped edge just by attaching punched circles. I was going to add some stitching too, but I ran out of time.

DOn't forget to enter the draw for blog candy in my last post, and watch out for more blog candy coming this weekend.

blog candy, and a TMTA

I received my Design Team package today from Inka and found that she had sent me the beautiful flake set of stamps.




I already had this set so I am giving away my new set as blog candy!

The stamps can be seen in use on this ATC I have made for TMTA, where the theme is staples. I decided to use the staples to attach this gorgeous Acetate image, and the poem that I stamped onto acetate.
The backgound is a thick layer of gesso, which I stamped into with a crackle stamp for texture.
I have stamped and embossed the snowflakes onto the image.

To be in with a chance of winning this set of snowflake stamps, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post and I will do a draw (using a random number generator) monday 3rd November at 9pm GMT. I will also include this ATC as part of the prize, but don't let that put you off!!

wee witch

I guess there will be quite a few Hallowe'en challenges around this week but I didn't think I was going to bother until I came across Gothic Arches "wee witches" theme. I couldn't resist.

I also fancied having another go at the background I accidentally created on my heart piece, but this time I decided to incorporate the bandana technique to tie in with Saturday workout's theme.

As I have used the word Magic on this piece I will also enter it for Rainbow Lady's Magic and mystery theme

All of the stamps and the collage image are by Inka

a bit of cute never hurt anyone

I like to try my hand at everything, and if that means indulging in a bit of cute every know and again, then so be it.
I had to have one of these new forever friends stamps as the forever friends reminds me of the days when my husband used to buy me cards, "just because" ahhh those days are long gone.....It's strictly cards for occasions now!
He even bought me a forever friends teddy bear which I still treasure.

......anyway enough reminiscing.

I have to admit, the stamp stamps beautifully, and I think it's a useful image for "real cards"
I have coloured the image with derwent colour soft pencils and blended with sansodor.

I echoed the daisies by adding some punched daisies and for that reason I am entering it for the "repetition" theme at One Powerful Hour

Magic happens, when you read a book

That's what this is supposed to represent. I made it for the favourite author theme at Pretty Paper hearts. My favourite childhood author was Enid Blyton, and I have used a page from the enchanted wood (a copy I keep just for this purpose). The background of this has been through so many changes. I first edged it with vintage photo distress ink and stamped some skeleton leaves on it. but it was too brown, so I sponged some orange and green on, but then I didn't like it,so I sprayed water on it, which improved it, but still wasn't right, so I sprayed it with walnut ink, and then I finally liked it. As I used walnut ink, I am entering it for the Created by Hand challenge. I then did some random embossing, sponged some stars through star waste. stuck it to chipboard, edged in gold, etc etc
The collage image and stamps are all by Inka.

this one is for me!

I'm really into using fabric and stamping on fabric at the moment, so when I saw big art adventure's challenge theme of "fabric arches" I knew this is something I would like to try, and when I saw TGIF's theme of "favourite stamp" I knew I would be making something for myself. There are no prizes for guessing my favourite stamp. Erica, of course!
I have used various scraps of fabric to make a sort of random patchwork (I know nothing about patchwork)The images are stamped onto fabric and then sewn on. so it is all fabric (except the button of course)
I am going to use this as a book mark, so I had to keep the dimension to a minimum, but the button at the top will peek out of the top of the book.
The stamps are by Inka

paper patchwork

The theme at Gothic Arches is paper patchwork.
I have made this with scraps of blonde moments christmas paper. which I positioned randomly. I painted the joins and the edge with white paint. The Santa collage image didn't really stand out against the background enough, so I masked it and edged it with black ink using a cotton wool ball.
The snowflakes are stamped with acrylic paint.
The collage image, greeting, snowflakes and pine cone stamp are all from Inka.
I have made my arch from a A6 card so that I can use it as a christmas card.

bagelope

The papergirls blog recently held an "altered envelope" competition, I didn't win, which is no surprise when you see the amazing entries. I decided to alter mine completely and turn the envelope into a gift bag (or a bagelope) and then, to be different, decorate the sealed side, so you can tell it's an envelope. The other rule was to use a picture from a magazine or newspaper, I used this picture of a hand holding an egg from an Audi advert. The egg and torn stamp (across the top) are by Inka and the letters are a studio g set.

mixed media monday

The theme at Mixed Media monday this week is blue/purple. I had some ATCs to do for a swap with the theme New Stamps, so I decided to tie it in with the MMM theme. I used the new stamps I recently bought at the harrogate show (I bought a lot so I had plenty to choose from) The fairy is by Lavinia stamps and the stamps I have used for the background resist and the embossing are a clear set from Inkadinkadoo. Even the embossing powder is new, it's from Judikins, and the colour is chameleon and is a beautiful mixture of colours.

moon clock

The theme at one powerful hour this week is "the Moon" I knew straightaway what image I was going to use, but I slept on the ideas of what I was going to do with it. I think sleeping became my inspiration. I then made this this morning, well within the hour.
I decided to alter a CD, mostly because there was one sitting on my desk, but also because, it echoed the moon idea with being round. I then decided to turn it into a clock, as it had a real "time for bed" feel about it, and I have had this clock mechanism sitting around for ages.
I am also entering this for Theme thursday's pink theme, and This thursday it's all about's Art from your heart theme, as I have used a page from my absolute favourite childhood book, The Enchanted Wood.

The collage image and all stamps are by Inka

another Fairy wand

the theme at Rainbow Lady's challenge is ribbons, so I thought I would post this ribboned fairy wand that I made for Carrie's birthday

Autumn Inchies

I am taking part in an autumn themed inchie swap. these are my contribution.

pretty paper hearts

I recently found another challenge blog, pretty paper hearts, so I had to give it a try. The challenge is to use a flower stamp, polka dots and the colour red. I was recently given some of these rub on photos by Carol which she got from QVC and I have been wanting to have a play with them, so I decided to make a quick asymmetric heart tag for this theme. I used a circle thing that you put on the bottom of furniture to stamp some circles in distress ink, but I didn't think they stood out enough, so I added some glitter polka dots as well. I made these by punching circles in stix2 sheets (also from QVC donated to me by my mother-in-law)then sprinkling with glitter. I remember now why I don't use loose glitter, it's everywhere!!!

tea towel tote ten!

numbers 8 and 9 didn't get photographed as they got whisked straight off to their new homes, but I have just made this one today for my youngest son to pack his things in for a sleepover.
I think this is my favourite, I couldn't resist these tea towels from morrisons, the cats are so cute.

alcohol inks

The theme at One powerful hour is alcohol inks. I never seem to use mine, and I couldn't remember why. I remember now! I'm covered in them!
I made this piece easily within the hour (about 20mins) but I still have the tidying to do, I'll do it later (yeah right!).
It's on a piece of acrylic. I used a crafty individuals buttefly background stamp, an Inka image, and some black velvet sticky back swirls.
I've took two pictures so you can see the effect of hanging it in the window

brown and blue

I have promised to send a friend "a thoughtful present and a cup of tea". The thoughtful present wasn't hard as I already had something to send to her, but the cup of tea was more of a challenge, until I remembered this stamp by Inka. Hope that's close enough for you, Jo!
The theme at Wednesday stamper is to use brown in a combination with other colours. I love the combintation of blue and brown, so that's what I've used for this very quick tag.

Art Doll ATC

Rosie and Linda's big art adventure is another challenge blog I have come accross recently. The theme this week is Art doll ATCs. Now this is something I have never tried before. Hmmmmmmm a challenge, how could I resist?

so This is what I made, the doll pieces and stamps are all by Inka, The papers are K&Co.

I'd like to thank Paula Whittaker for the inspiration behind this colour scheme. no one can do colour like Paula

Give it some colour

That's the theme at Crazy Amigos this week. I have just made this "cute" card for one of my son's friends, and I decided to go with a bright colour combination of red and purple, so I thought I would enter it for the challenge.
I don't often blog my cute stuff, so please be gentle with me. The girl stamp is from stamps away's Polly and Pip range, they have really affordable stamps that are good for this kind of card (I have found the boy ones particularly useful.)
And yes that's real stitching, well I had my machine out making more bags (yes I got a new needle and yes I managed to find tea towels for another 3 bags!), so I thought I may as well!

'scuse the messy desk, no excuses really, that's how it always looks!

saturday workout

The theme at saturday workout is "take your acetate"
I thought I would enter this VERY simple card that I made with the stamp that came free with craft stamper a couple of months ago. I also made a simple acetate tag to accompany it. I love using acetate as a base as it always looks a bit different to other cards.

Even more Tea Towel Totes

Bags 6 and 7

I made two more bags last night (Ikea tea towels). I was all on for finishing another two when I broke the needle on my sewing machine, so now I have to go looking for a replacement needle, I wonder if I'll find a few more tea towels as well.

EDIT to answer question: Each bag uses 2 tea towels.

Tea Towel Totes

numbers 2,3,4 and 5
Yes I'm officially hooked.
I think this red one (made with ikea tea towels is my favorite) but I love how soft the stripey ones are.



you may notice that bag number 5 looks a little full.
what's that in there? oh yes, it's the materials for bags 6,7,8,9,10 and 11