Leafy Swirl in Green

I love these Leafy Swirl stamps by Clarity - they are just gorgeous!

The backgrounds are Pine Needles and Evergreen Bough Distress Inks.. I put some ink on my craft mat, sprayed the ink and card with water and dragged the card through.  Sprayed with water, dried then dabbed in the leftover ink.  I edged with the Pine Needles to create a dark frame.  The main image is stamped with Emerald Archival and embossed with clear powder from behind so it is like glass.  The smaller Leafy Swirl has been stamped twice on the background card with the same ink but not embossed.  I layered it all on some white and dark green card, added some pale green pearls and it was finished.

I would like to enter this into the April Challenge over at The Clarity Stamp Challenge which is Monochrome - using varying shades of one colour.  Please pop over to see the fabulous DT makes and the other cool entries!  Its really lovely to know you have visited and I love to read your comments - thank you!  Take care. Christine xx

Live, Laugh, Love.

Hello, I hope you are having a lovely day and I hope the weather is better for you than it is here, its raining and cloudy.  Not that it worries me, I will be up in my craft room later, playing, so I will be quite happy!

The tag is made using Sizzix die Super Scallop Crescent.  I stamped round the edge using a free stamp that came with Craft Stamper which was designed by Visible Image - the words are from the same stamp set. I embossed the tag with Creative Expressions Brick embossing folder.  The words are stamped with black Versafine and embossed with clear powder.  The flourish is Mini Flourish Movers and Shapers die by Sissix and the little red heart is made using a punch.  Cosmic Shimmer Texture Paste has been used for the background through a Special Touch mask and bakers twine to finish.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Visible Image - Tags - I hope this qualifies as I used free stamps designed by Visible Image.  I do have other wonderful Visiible Image Stamps but wanted to use this set.

That's Crafty - Black and white with a splash.

Scrapology  -  Freebies.

These are all fabulous challenges so if you could, please visit the blogs and see the fabulous Design Team projects and wonderful entries.

Thank you so much for visiting me - I really appreciate it - your visits and comments really give me a boost and your blogs really inspire me!  Take care.  Christine xx

Quote and Lyrics Challenge Change and Truth

I can't believe I haven't managed to post since my last Q & L entry, time goes by so quickly!  We had to choose between Change and Truth for the Craft Barn challenge - I chose 'Change'.  I used lyrics from Changes by David Bowie.  The song was originally released on the Hunkydory album in 1971 and then as a single in 1972.  Changes didn't do too well in the charts but is an iconic David Bowie song and seems to signify the ever changing person he is.  His music, appearance and personality have changed so much throughout his career.  I think he is awesome!

The background is brayered with Salty Ocean, Picked Raspberry and Mown Lawn Distress Inks (I decided it needed to be bright for Mr B!). I added drops of water and some pearl Glimmer Mist and when dry ran it through my Cuttlebug using the clock embossing folder which I think is Creative Expressions.  I highlighted the embossed areas with Distress Inks.  The pictures are downloaded and printed from the internet and are all album covers ranging from late sixties to mid nineties. I covered each image with versamark and embossed with clear powder so they look like record sleeves.  You can't see the shine in the photo unfortunately.  The ribbon looks more delicate in the picture than it is in real life.  Its white sheer ribbon coloured with Distress Inks.  I deliberately left the heat gun on the ribbon too long so it would curl up as I didn't want it drooping over the pictures.

If you can, please hop over to the Craft Barn and see the other amazing entries and DT projects and maybe join in - its a really fun challenge!

Thank you so much for visiting me, I really do appreciate it!  I will be popping round for a catch up a bit later today.  Have a lovely day - I hope the weather is as nice for you as it is here in Bournemouth.  Take care. Christine xx

Quote and Lyric Challenge: Flower & Travel

The Q & L Challenge at The Craft Barn this time is Flower and Travel - I went for Flower.  I always choose lyrics but although this time I have chosen a song title, Forest Flower, there are no actual lyrics. Its by Charles Lloyd who is a jazz saxophonist and was recorded in 1966 by the Charles Lloyd Quartet at the Monterey Jazz Festival.  Its in two parts - Sunrise and Sunset.  Its quite progressive jazz and I am listening to it while I am typing and its cool!  My husband thought of it - he really knows his music!

I love any excuse to use this tree stamp, its from a Lavinia Stamp set I bought from QVC and comes with the bare tree and then flowers, leaves and snowflakes all separate so very useful indeed! I did the background first using Chipped Sapphire and Dusty Concord Distress Inks with water drops and Abominable Snowman Glimmer Mist.  The sun is Squeezed Lemonade and Spiced Marmalade Distress Inks.  The stamping is with Black Archival - some of the flowers are solid and some are open so I coloured the open ones with black archival pen so it was all in silhouette.  The stones on all the flowers are Anita's and I glued them on with Cosmic Shimmer PVA.  The ribbon is from my stash and the wooden heart at the top was free with a magazine and I coloured it with a Promarker and added the stone.

If you can, please pop over to The Craft Barn for a peek at the DT makes and other fab entries. Thank you so much for visiting, it means so much!  Have a lovely weekend and take care. Christine xx

Rose Blush Stamp

I absolutely love the new Rose Blush Stamp by IndigoBlu and I knew straight away it was perfect for my Mum-in-Law's Mother's Day card.

The background is Picked Raspberry and Shaded Lilac Distress Inks, water and a touch of Glimmer Mist.  Its very delicate as I wanted the main image to really stand out.  The image and the letters are coloured with the same inks using a paintbrush and water then I went over them with clear Wink of Stella..  The stamping is done with Versafine and clear powder.  The alphabet I used is by IndigoBlu and is from the Circus Alphabet and the butterfly is punched card covered with the Wink of Stella.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
IndigoBlu - Spring Blossom's
That's Crafty - Inky Antics (I have already entered this one twice but you can enter upto three times so I couldn't resist!)

If you have time, please pop over and have a look at these fab challenge blogs.  Thank you so much for visiting me, I really appreciate it.  I will try and get round when I can.  Sorry its not often enough, my Hubby and I both have ongoing health problems which are making things a bit difficult!  Take care.  Christine xx