ATC challenge at stampotique

It's not too late to enter the Artist Trading Card Challenge at Stampotique. I made mine using some of the new Alic in wonderland stamps

gild your doodles: a tutorial for gingersnap

on the gingersnap creations blog today I have a tutorial for using gilding flakes on your doodling using a quickie glue pen.
I hope you enjoy it.
stamps are by scrolls work, also available at Happy Daze.

TMTA : Top Hats

The theme at TMTA is top hats, so I decided to use this image from Scrolls Work stamps with the men in top hats to make this ATC.
The stamps used are Tim and Tom Travel, Sprocket, Measure up, Thingamajig and Sequence waste all from Scrolls Work

they are also available from Happy Daze in the UK

TMTA Ravens

The theme at think monday think ATC is ravens
so here's my raven ATC.
Simple as.

All stamps are by Scrolls Work

TMTA and a new craft

This week's theme at TMTA is weeds and herbs so I used these wonderful hotpicks stamps from PaperArtsy again, The quote "May all your weeds be wildflowers" was done on the computer.

I have also been having a play with Lucetting, I didn't use a real lucet, so I used this pom pom maker I have had for ages, it's basically the same thing.

(I do have a little lucet somewhere that was a gift, but I can't remember where I put it.)
I used the instructions from this youtube video
I started with simple cord,

then I tried it triple thickness


then I tried two different textures

and two different colours

and gold thread

and finally ribbon yarn.

it's a really addictive craft and the cords are so quick to make, however other than friendship bracelets I don't really have any ideas what to do with them. I need to try incorporating beads next.

let's dance!!

my first parcel for the frantic stamper design team arrived today and in it was this fabulous dancer stamp, which I just had to use for this week's TMTA theme which is Let's Dance.
The flowers and brads were also in the same parcel (as well as lots of other lovely things).....lucky me!!!!

so cold we are turning inuit!

We have had so much snow over the last few weeks that we have decided to put it to good use and build an igloo. We had so much fun doing this as a family.
I have also managed a little bit of crafting I have made this ATC/card for Wednesday Stamper's "when I grow up" theme using an image from the stampsmith

created by hand : remembrance

for the Created by Hand Challenge

groovy baby!

I have made this ATC for TMTA's Flower Power theme, Wednesday stamper's Paisley theme and for the stampsmith blog.
The paisley stamps are from a stamps away set, that I have had for ages

Saturday's workout

The theme at Saturday's workout is textured paint. I made this ATC using some of the new PaperArtsy Ink and the dog minis (49, 56 and 57), combined with some older paperartsy stamps. I textured the paint by stamping into slightly wet paint, which lifted some of the paint away.

TMTA friendship

I made this for the TMTA theme using an image from the Stampsmith

saturday's workout and secret crafter

The Saturday's Workout challenge is peeled paint backgrounds. Which I have done using two shades of green acrylic paint. I have made this ATC using the sketch from The secret Crafter challenge. The main image is from the stampsmith's "Isn't she Lovely" plate. so I am featuring it on the stampsmith blog.

less is only more when more is no good

I made this ATC for the Kings and Queens theme at TMTA. I often like to make quite simple pieces but I got a bit carried away on this one, so I felt I had to fit the quote on somewhere, so I used some shrink plastic to squeeze it in. As I was so determined to use this quote I am also entering this for TGiF's word theme, and theme thursday's ATC theme
All the stamps are from PaperArtsy

catching up with challenges!

I've had a couple of days off stamping, and look how far behind I've fallen with all the challenges, so I decided today to catch up with as many as possible in one piece!
The background of this ATC is created with Alcohol ink dripped onto glossy card. All the stamps are by PaperArtsy
created by hand blobs and splatters.
Wednesday stamper orange
Theme Thursday hats or crowns
Lots to do Lets Face it
Saturday's Workout Make a collage
Secret Crafter Flowers

theme thursday: labels

The theme at theme thursday is Labels. There are some links on the site to download some lovely free Labels from Inka, so I decided to celebrate getting a new printer by using some of these on this ATC I made for the challenge. I have also used an Inka collage image and there is also a little bit of a gothic flourish stamp on there as well.

mixed media monday : Fruit

As soon as I saw the theme at mixed media monday I knew the image I was going to use. I absolutely adore this image from Inka, it's almost too good to use! But I've done it as it was just so perfect for the theme. The background of this ATC is whispers ink brayered onto glossy card and in real life looks just like a green and red apple. Other stamps are floral spray, sequence waste and large collage words all by Inka.
I have used a white pen to accent the leaves.
The collection of "junk" on the left hand side covers up a rather unattractive bubble caused by using a heat gun on glossy card.

happy new year, and two challenges

The theme at Crazy amigios is "leaving the year with a splash" and at TMTA is "countdown", so I have made this ATC for both themes. I have used the spritz and flick technique with a distress ink background, I have also flicked some black paint on the corner.Tthose are the "splash" bits of the challenge.
The stamps are mostly by Paperartsy, although I'm not sure who the watch is by.

TMTA christmas

This is another ATC I sent into the craft stamper christmas swap. this one didn't get published, so I thought I'd use it for TMTA this week.

wednesday stamper telephone

First of all, credit where credit is due. I have completely stolen the idea for this ATC from Jo. When I saw that the theme at wednesday stamper was telephones. I thought "nah! not for me this week, I have nothing telephone themed" Then I saw Jo's piece where she had used part of a telephone directory in her background. This reminded me that I had once been sent some pages from a foreign directory. But what inspired me most of all were her birds, straight away I thought "birds on a telephone wire" and that's how this piece came about. I used the 3 crows stamp from Inka, and real wire.
I am also entering this for Saturday workout, as I have antiqued the directory page with distress inks, water and walnut ink, then heated it with a heat gun to make it feel old; and Theme thursday, where the theme is birds

EDIT ooo I've just realised I can call it blog inspiration, rather than copycatting and enter it for the artygirlz challenge!! BONUS!

My ATC in craft stamper magazine.

How excited am I today? The answer is VERY!! I sent a couple of ATCs in for Craft Stamper Magazine's christmas themed ATC swap, with the vague hope that maybe I could get one published.
Well I did that!!! And won this months ATC competition with it. AND not only is there a HUGE picture of it on the winner page (a page all to myself!!) but it also appears on the contents page too.

I have used loads of stamps on this image. The main girl stamp is by Inka. I have also used an Anita's stamp for the stripy background, the hat is from studio G as is the flourish and the quote, which originally said "believe in yourself", is by Invoke arts.

I love that the Editor described it as Quirky! I like quirky!

In case you haven't seen Craft stamper magazine has a new blog here