Use a New Technique - Happy Daze January Challenge

I made this card for the Happy Daze January Challenge which is to use a technique new to you. I have never actually done Faux Batik before, probably as it is a big deal for me to get the iron out! I embossed the background with a lovely chicken wire stamp from Rogue Redhead's new Just Sayin' plate, and then blended it with DIs before removing the embossing powder with an iron. I cut the edge of the card blank with a Tim Holtz On the Edge die, which is something new to me, and I am loving how you can make decorative edged cards with it. The stamps are by Artistic Outpost from Happy Daze from a set called Lovely Day, and I added flower soft to the flowers on both images.

Gingersnap Creations Challenge - Favourite Paper

Gingersnap Creations is challenging you to use your favourite paper! I thought this would be a good opportunity to use the gorgeous Kaisercraft Bonjour paper and matching items that Pauline gave me for Christmas.I used a Kraft stepper card, and I picked the plainest of the papers so that I could stamp on it, using a script stamp all over in Bundled Sage Distress Ink, which I also sponged around the edge of the pieces. I used Sepia archival ink to stamp the blossom from the stamp set and added some text rub ons. I stamped the butterfly and then cut matching butterflies from one of the foiled 12 x 12 papers and cut them out and laid them over the top, but with the wings lifted on foam pads. I used a hydragea rub on, on the blossom. I finished off with one of the little birds.

The Stamp Man - Your Favourite Project of 2011

The Stamp Man is having another wonderful challenge, and this time they are asking you to choose your favourite project from 2011. I thought this was a lovely idea as it is a chance to reflect on the past year and what you have achieved, at a time when the mojo is a bit low for making anything new!

For me, definitely my favourite project was The Tin Man in February last year, made with watch parts. I liked it as it was a bit different to my usual type of project, but also because I was away from home when I had the ideas, and I had to wait til I got home to see if it would work out. I think spending more time planning it was good for me, although it was frustrating as I normally like to rush in. My friend, Nancy, who runs Nancyz Crafts, has it in her shop, despite the fact that she has moved twice to a larger outlet, she has lovingly carried him with her each time and given him a good home.

However, I didn't want the Tin Man to be my entry as I had entered him to the challenge on the Stamp Man which was running at the time, and was lucky enough to be a runner-up, and also it wasn't a 'stampy' project. So I have chosen another favourite:-

I made this for Hallowe'en, which is something I haven't really made projects for before, and I was amazed at the dark and creepy side to my imagination! Who knew? I tried to achieve some depth with layers of stamping, and also used stamped shrink plastic for the bottles of poison. I added some extra creepyness with some fake cobwebs. I used the Apothecary stamps by Artistic Outpost which I got from Happy Daze (I shop there a lot). I had great fun weaving a ridiculous murderous tale in my blog posting!

What was your favourite project that you made in 2011? Let me know and I would love to come and visit it!

Gingersnap Creations Challenge - Use a Set

Happy New Year! Sorry for being a little quiet, a combination of the bug which dragged on and then going up to stay with Colin's family for Christmas.

I was lucky enough to get some gorgeous crafting goodies from my play-date buddies, Pauline, Petra, and Jack, and I will be blogging what I make with them over the next few weeks. Pauline bought me some Hunkydory steam punk card and vellum, and a set by Kaisercraft called Bonjour, consisting of rub ons, papers, stamps, and die cuts, featuring Eiffel Towers, birds, and butterflies in ice cream colours - absolutely divine! Gingersnaps challenge is to Use a Set, so I thought this matching set would be ideal. I decided to make a trinket box as a thank you gift for Pauline:-

The wooden box itself was one of my presents from Colin, and he also gave me some of the new Fresco Finish paint colours. This lovely duck egg blue is called Beach Hut. I used the stamp set behind the apertures. The Eiffel Tower is a rub on, but I applied it to a piece of clear packaging material and then cut round it, so that I could overlap it.

I edged the box with gold pen, and decorated the sides with some of the co-ordinating die cuts.