Always and Forever

Hi

Just a very short post this evening.  Unfortunately I have been absent for a couple of weeks due to a family bereavement, but I hope to be back shortly.

As you know, I was thrilled to be asked to be a Guest Designer at The Stampsmith Challenge & Blog, and this is the second project I created, inspired by the song "Always & Forever" (do you remember the song?):

A small mdf wedding keepsake which has been covered in a mixture of Kraft cardstock and co-ordinating dps by Melissa Frances.

The main image on the front cover is from the plate "Thank Heavens For Little Girls" - it has been trimmed to fit inside the bronze frame, then covered with Ice Resin.

The inside of the third page features another Stampsmith image from the "Wedding Bells" plate, which sits behind a painted and crackled chipboard frame:

There are two pockets in the album for special mementos and a Kraft frame, which I've left open at the top, for a special personal photograph to be slipped into.

Various charms and embellishments have been added to the front page - all the pages can be seen in the photo collage below:

There is still plenty of time to join in the challenge - just create a project (using at least one Stampsmith stamp) which has been Inspired By A Song.

I'd to say a big "hello" to my new followers, and also a huge thank you to all my regular visitors for your continued patience - it really seems to be one thing after another this year.

Maria xxxxx

"Bingo" Wall Plaque/Hanging - Craft-Room Challenge DT

Hi, wherever has the sun gone?  Sadly, the rain has returned over the last few days here.  Another fortnight has gone by, and it's time for a new theme at the Craft-Room Challenge.  This fortnight, it's Mervi's turn to host the challenge and she would like to see us playing:

Bingo

As tempted as I was to use brown, lace and pearls, I decided to go with blue, rubber stamping and butterflies - I don't use either blue or butterflies very often so I though it would be a bit of a change for me.  Having very recently acquired some left over mdf from the builders in work, who very kindly cut it into very neat, useable pieces for me :-), I decided to make a wall plaque/hanging:

An undercoat of white gesso, blue and cream chalk emulsion and a good few pieces of sandpaper created the shabby base.  I'm really pleased how this turned out.

I used stamps from TH/Stampers Anonymous (the smaller size Papillon - the butterflies were masked for the background stamp) and Stampin' Up for the sentiment and foliage on the corners.  All stamping was done in black archival ink and the sentiment was embossed in white.  I've used a TH word stick, a paper flower and some chain to embellish, and used a dark metallic rub on wax just along the edge.

The butterflies were very lightly coloured with Stampin' Up watercolour crayons in colours from the Regals collection (I love these crayons).

Our very kind sponsor this week is

who is offering the winner a Hollyhock stencil, a pot of Stencil Dimensions Glossy White Paste, and a paste spreader.

Please drop by the challenge as the rest of the Design Team have made stunning creations for your inspiration, including our Guest Designer this month, the lovely Von of Messy Me - if you would like to join us as a Guest Designer, please add GDT after your name and our lovely Mervi will be in touch with you soon.

I'd like to share my wall hanging with Stamping Sensations in their August challenge, as their theme is Winged Things And A Touch Of Vintage, and also Tok Bobok challenge, whose theme is Vintage.

Thank you for your visit, as always, and enjoy your week.

Maria xxxxx

Heat Embossing - Craft Room Challenge DT

Hi, I hope you're all coping well with the heat here in the UK - I daren't moan, as I really don't like winter one little bit!  At the Craft-Room Challenge, we launch a new theme for the next fortnight, which has been chosen by our lovely and very talented hostess Suzanne, who would like to see:

Heat Embossing

Suzanne says:

I selected my theme based on the past couple of summers we have had here in the UK - which have been far from good.  I thought we may do with a bit of "heat" although if we are at present experiencing a heatwave then the theme may prove a little unpopular as the last thing we will all want is to get those heat guns out ...whoops!  However I would love to see your heat embossing on your crafty projects......

Now, I will admit to getting my challenges mixed up this fortnight, and actually made the next one instead (so you will now see that in 2 weeks!), so I had to get my skates on.  This is what I made/altered:

I used a shabby chic style mdf heart which I picked up as part of a set of two from Dunelm Mill for  just £1.  I decided that the patterned side would be the back, and I altered the plain white side.

On the actual heart I used Versamark ink to stamp parts of the La Blanche rose around the edge, then embossed with clear ep.  Colour was added with alcohol ink mixed with blending solution on my craft mat and stippled on with a stencil brush.  I ironed the clear embossing back off to reveal the roses in white.  It has a gorgeous, and very shabby, appearance around the edges which happened without me even trying!  I'm going back to stock up on these, lol!

The SU sentiment was also stamped in Versamark onto a piece of painted chipboard, then embossed with gold ep.  Metallic paste has been used on the edges of both the sentiment panel and the heart itself. 

A SU brad was added to embellish, along with a seam binding bow at the top of the heart.

This fortnight we are very kindly sponsored by one of our regular sponsors:

We are also joined by our Guest Designer for July, Helene aka 2am Scrapper - please visit her blog if you haven't already done so, as her creations are fabulous.

For a little more inspiration, please pop over to the challenge to see what the other ladies have created for you - they really are beautiful makes.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week and the beautiful weather were having, if you're in the UK.  

Thank you for your visit :-)

Maria xxxxx

Vintage Stamping - Craft-Room Challenge DT

Hello, I hope you are all well.   Oh my, the weather is HOT (here in UK)!!!  It's also forecast to last the week.  It's great if you're lucky enough to get out in the garden and just relax.  We had some amazing entries into Zoe's "Blue & Yellow Make Green" theme over at the Craft-Room Challenge, but unfortunately, a few didn't meet the challenge criteria.  I found it really inspiring to see the very different creations using just the same three colours.

This fortnight, it is my lovely friend Julia's turn to be our hostess, and she has chosen the theme of:

Vintage Stamping

(No Cute Creations Are Allowed This Fortnight)

I do love vintage, and decided to use an mdf frame for my creation:

After an undercoat of Gesso, I painted my frame with two different shades of chalk paint, did a bit of stamping here and there with some shabby dots and script, and applied another light coat of paint.  I got a bit carried away, lol, and did a bit of sponging over the top to get a mottled effect, but this has more or less covered the background stamping.  The border has a bit of dry brushing with light over darker, then a bit of Walnut Stain DI blended through with a wipe.  Edged with Walnut Stain and Metallic rub-on, it gave it a lovely worn look.

The gorgeous dress was stamped onto cream card, then again onto fabric and pieced over the one stamped on the card.  This stamp, by Stamps Happen, was one of the first I ever bought and I absolutely love it.  There is another similar one called "Vogue" that I would really love, so I must keep an eye out for it, as they'd look great together.  The other stamps are by Stampin' Up (corners, title, & shabby dots), Oxford Impressions (remaining 3 stamped panels), and Stampers Anonymous (almost invisible background script!).  The edges of the main stamped panels have been smeared with Walnut Stain DI, then Colonial Metallic Rub On.

This was finished off with a couple of pieces of lace, some tissue tape, and a vintage metal flower trinket (Prima) with an Eiffel Tower charm hanging from it which was mounted onto some script-stamped muslin, and a piece of the same fabric used for the dress (Laura Ashley).

Our very kind sponsor for this fortnight is:

(click to view)

who manufacture chipboard in all sorts of shapes, sizes and themes.

Our Design Team have created the most gorgeous projects to inspire you for this fortnight's challenge, along with our Guest Designer for July, Helene aka 2amscrapper from Lotsa Scrap - please visit her blog as she is a very talented lady.

Thank you, as always, for dropping by and enjoy the rest of your (sunny) week.

Maria xxxxx

Some Vintage Glass Glitter........Friday Ice Linky Party

Hi, I hope you are all ok.  You may remember that a little while ago I shared a bag charm with you (here), the main feature of it made using gilding flakes with Ice Resin.  I'd like to show you another one I made at the same time, as a gift for a friend, but this one has been made using some Vintage Glass Glitter from SU:

The heart bronze heart shaped bezel was part filled with glass glitter which was then encased with 3 layers of Ice resin.  I added a SU vintage style brad in the centre, which was also encased underneath the resin.  The heart was then used as the main feature of a bag charm, which was made as a gift for Vicky over at Crafting Clare, who runs the Stampers 6 club - she is such a lovely person, who VERY patiently waited for my order month after month!  Thank you Vicky :-).

Here is a picture of the full bag charm:

I'd like to link this up to the Friday Ice Linky Party over at the Vintiquities Workshop.  Please pop over and take a look at the stunning cuff bracelet Thespa has created, using antique lace and, of course, Ice Resin.

Click on the logo to take you there!

I do have another, slightly different, one of these to share with you in the future - it was also made as a gift a few weeks ago, but as it was only posted today, I am unable to share it with you just yet.

Thank you for your lovely comments and best wishes - my bumps and bruises are starting to heal, although I still have a lovely one on the back of my head, and a very sore foot and hip.

Enjoy the sun this weekend, and thank you for dropping by, your visit is really appreciated.

Maria xxxxx

Use Your Scraps - Craft-Room Challenge DT

Hi, unfortunately I'm a little late with this post, due to a fall on Monday.  I am ok, just a bit bruised and very sore - I'm really not having much luck lately, lol.

For the last theme, we saw your beautiful stamped backgrounds (I can tell you, it was very difficult choosing a top 3) - the new theme over at the Craft-Room Challenge has been chosen by our lovely Esther, who would like to see you:

Use Your Scraps

All the papers used in my wall hanging are left over scraps from a GCD paper stack called Paris Nights, along with some scraps of lace and trim, and a bit of leftover chain.  The only things that weren't left over pieces were the scissors and the metal corner:

I patched pieces of the paper onto a rectangle of left over chipboard from ages ago, and gave it a wash of diluted chalky paint.  I then did a bit of stamping using stamps from the OI Dress Forms & Corsetry Plate and a flourish from SU.  The TH dress form was die cut from flocked paper and a piece of beaded trim attached to the waist, and a piece of left over chain hung around the neck.  The flowers were cut from the same scraps of paper using one of the smaller flowers from the TH Tattered Florals die, and then edged in Treasure Gold gilding wax in White Gold.  The pieces of lace were attached, the one down the right side was also given a little White Gold treatment, as was the metal corner (top left).  The scissors were then attached with hot glue, and some seam binding was used to hang.

Our sponsor for this theme is:

who are very kindly offering a £10 voucher to spend in their store

(please click on the logo to visit the shop)

If you would like to be a guest designer with us, please add GDT after your name and our wonderful Mervi will be in touch with you.

If you haven't already been over to the Craft-Room Challenge, please pop over and have a look at what wonderful creations the rest of the team have created to inspire you, including this week's fabulous guest designer, Piia.

I'd also like to enter my wall hanging into the following couple of challenges:-

Eclectic Ellapu - Self Made (Anhydrous) Flowers

Anything But A Card Challenges - Dust Off Your Old Supplies

Enjoy the rest of your week, and thanks for dropping by, I really appreciate it.

Maria xxxxx

Stamp your own background/background paper - Craft-Room Challenge DT

Hi, I hope you're all well.  It's time for a new theme over at the Craft-Room this fortnight.  Your entries for our Postcard challenge were beautiful, by the way.  This theme was chosen by our former DT member, Nikki, before she had to leave us, and she had chosen a great theme:

Stamp Your Own 

Background/Background Paper

No, you are not on the wrong blog, I have made a card this fortnight!!!  I'm very short of cards, as I don't really make any, so I have decided to try and build up a little stash of fairly flat ones which can be posted easily, for when I need them, and this is the first:

The background paper was first coloured with Antique Linen DI, taking the ink pad directly to the paper.  I then used a SU script background stamp with Coffee Archival Ink and attached to the card blank.  I stamped the corner stamp from Stampers Anonymous Floral Tattoo in opposite corners, and "Amour" (SU) in the bottom right, with Versamark and embossed with gold ep, and edged the card with Aged Mahogony DI.

Using another piece of card coloured with Antique Linen, the Eiffel Tower image from Stampendous was stamped in Coffee Archival ink, and the flowers and petals were coloured with Aged Mahogony DI, mixed with a little water.  I distressed the edges with a tool, and a little more Aged Mahogony, and then finished with some Treasure Gold.

We are kindly sponsored this fortnight by:

click on the banner to visit the shop where you will find some fantastic crafty supplies

Please pop over to the Craft-Room Challenge to take a look at what the rest of the Design Team have created to inspire you, along with Pia, aka Pihi, who is our Guest Designer for this challenge.  If you fancy joining us as a Guest Designer, please add GDT after your name, or get in touch with Mervi (DT), whose details are on the challenge site.

I haven't been very active in blogland lately due to a some health problems, so I sincerely apologise for not visiting you.  I am hoping to get back into the swing of things very shortly.  

Thank you for dropping in, and for your comments, they're much appreciated.

Enjoy your week!

Maria xxxxx

Wish You Were Here (Postcard) - Craft-Room Challenge DT

Hi, another fortnight has flown by yet again, which means another challenge is launched over at the Craft-Room.  Your "So Sentimental" entries were fabulous, as always.  This time it is the lovely Hazel's turn to choose our theme, and she chose:

Wish You Were Here

(postcards)

This is what Hazel would like us to do:

I'd like you to make a postcard from a holiday destination, it can be from anywhere in the world or perhaps you've been visiting the beach or a historical place. The size of the postcard has to be 6 inches by 4 inches landscape or portrait. You can use any medium to make your postcard - digital postcards are allowed as well. Please no cards, layouts etc. with a postcard on, I just want you to make a postcard.  Any work that doesn't fit the theme will not be entered in the draw.

For my postcard (from Bournemouth!), I used a Crafty Individuals Elements stamp plate (CI-278),  stamped with Archival Ink in Black:

I masked off the puddle around the woman's feet and stamped her directly onto the card.  I then masked her completely and stamped the beach huts behind her, which I also completely masked.  The background sand and sea were coloured with distress inks, then the masks were removed. Leaving the woman and her parasol without colour,  I coloured the beach huts and the woman's hat with SU Watercolour Crayons (Regals) - this is the first time I've used these and I loved them.  I got a nice soft colour when very diluted, but this could be built up really easily to make it a lot stronger.  A white gel pen, smudged while still wet, created the waves, and once the birds were stamped I removed some colour with a wet paintbrush to make the stand out a bit more.

 

We are also looking for Guest Designers over at the Craft-Room, so if this is something which interests you, please add GDT after your name and our lovely Mervi will be in touch with you soon.

 

We are sponsored this fortnight by

 



Click on the banner to visit the online store where you will find

lots of gorgeous stamps, dies, and other lovely items that you can't do without

 

I hope you will be able to find time to join in with us, but if you'd like some inspiration, please pop over and see what the rest of the Design Team, and our Guest Designer, Esther, have created.

 

Have fun, have a great week, and thank you so much for taking the time to drop by, it's much appreciated.

 

Maria xxxxx

 

 

 

 



In The Garden (Anything But A Card) for Craft-Room Challenge

Hello, I hope you are all well and keeping warm.  It's still chilly, but I'm ever hopeful that Spring will bring some warmth soon.  It's time for a new challenge over at the Craft-Room, and our hostess this fortnight is the very lovely Suzanne who has picked a theme of:

In The Garden (Anything But A Card)

We also have our very first Guest Designer this fortnight - the very talented Helene from 2amscrapper - she makes the most stunning creations so please do pop over to her blog, and take a look at her work.

As I've recently received some new stamps featuring birds, this was a perfect opportunity to get them out so I made a simple 4 x 4 notebook - I love this size as it's so handy.

Both sides of the back cover, and the inside of the front cover have been covered in dp (not shown) and the front covered with a piece of canvas, which has been lightly spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Wheatfields.  The eggs stamp and the rose in the top right corner are from Stampin' Up and have been tinted with Intktense pencils.  The rest of the stamps are from Oxford impressions.  The main image was also stamped directly onto canvas, but then cut out and matted with some Kraft cardstock, and a little lace added.  I then edged the covered with a little ink and added a seam binding bow to finish.  An antique bronze dragonfly was hung from a piece of chain and attached to the top of the binding wire. 

In addition to our new Guest Designer, we also have a new sponsor this fortnight

  (we have fantastic sponsors lined up for this year for you):

They do some amazing alterables, please click on the logo to visit the online shop.

I do hope you can find the time to join in with our challenge this fortnight, we'd love to see you, and if you pop over to the Craft-Room Challenge, you will find amazing inspiration from the rest of the Design Team.

I'd like to enter my little notebook into these challenges:

The Shabby Tea Room - Anything Goes
Crafty-Emblies - Anything Goes

Thank you for your lovely comments on my recent posts, I'm a little behind with visiting blogs at the moment but will most definitely catch up this week.  

Take care and have a lovely week.

Bye for now

Maria xxxxx

Make A Tag - Craft-Room Challenge

Hi, hope you are all warm and well - you can tell it's getting cold now, I couldn't get my key in the car door this morning!  Over at The Craft-Room Challenge, the "Le Chic Francais" creations from the last fortnight were beautiful, and Debi has her work cut out choosing just three!.  Anyway, It's time for a new theme, which will be open for a month this time, to take us over the Christmas period, and it's the very talented Hazel's turn to host (please check out her very gorgeous creations on her blog!).  Hazel would like to see us:

MAKE A TAG

Tags are something I don't make very often, but when I do, I really enjoy myself.  This one is quite large and was die cut on the Cricut from some Kraft cardstock:

The background of this tag is coloured with Distress Stains in Antique Brass and Aged Mahogany, and I think this will fast become one of my favourite combinations!  I love how the metallic brass and mahogany merged together when spritzed with some water, but unfortunately the camera doesn't show the full effect of this. Take my word for it, it looks really nice!!!

Once dry (and ironed!) I overstamped a Distressed Dots background in Antique Brass and a swirl around the edge (both SU) in Aged Mahogany.  The very gorgeous deep vintage pink trim was a gift from Gio (thank you Gio), and I thought it complemented this tag perfectly.  I added some deep burgundy ric rac across the top of it.  The Gibson Girl stamp is by Flonz and she has been stamped in Archival Ink and matted onto Kraft then onto some dp and some flowers were cut out of a piece of lace, with pearls to embellish.  "Adore" stamp is by Making Memories.  I've ran the distressing tool around the edge of the tag, then a little Walnut Stain DI.  Some cream and burgundy ribbon have been threaded through the top to finish.

Our challenge this month is sponsored by:

 

who are a stamp manufacturer based in New Zealand

and are very kindly offering a gift voucher to the winner of the random draw.

Please pop over the the Craft-Room Challenge to see the gorgeous tags made by the rest of the Design Team to inspire you!

There are a few challenges that this fits into, that I'd like to enter:

Fashionable Stamping Challenge - To Die For (my tag is die cut)

Come and Get It Challenges - Tag You're It

Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - Dies and/or Punches

Crafty Ribbons Challenge - Label/Tag, Big or Small

Enjoy your week, and have a lovely, safe and very merry Christmas, from the CRC!

Maria xxxxx

Blaze Of Glory - Craft-Room Challenge DT Creation

Hiya, the weeks are flying by and already it's time for another challenge over at Craft-Room Challenge.  Your sparkly creations were beautiful - it's always so difficult to choose a top 3.  This time it's Hazel's turn to choose the theme and she has chosen Music - please pop over and have a look through her blog as her creations are stunning.   

I love music, especially live concerts, so I really enjoyed making this not so little creation.  Last year, I managed to get my hands on tickets for Bon Jovi at Lancashire Cricket Ground - I've been a big fan since my teens but never got round to seeing them live, and oh my, they were FANTASTIC and far exceeded my expectations!!!  I had planned to use the programme from the concert to create my own sort of memorabilia souvenir, and this was an ideal opportunity.

I used two chipboard ATCs, a twinchie, and a large scalloped frame - all from Tando - these were white lined so I coloured them quite heavily with Black Soot Distress Ink, and edged them with a Krylon pen, attaching my pictures and sentiment on top.

 

The large picture was set underneath the scalloped frame, and a little metallic rub-on added very lightly around the outside of the frame.

The heart I pinched off a piece I made a couple of months ago!  It is made of plywood and covered in Viva Decor Ferro metal effect colour.  I mounted it onto an inchie so I could slide the Tim Holtz metal wings underneath (also with a little Ferro colour over the top) then fastened a mini heart with wings on the top with a long fastener.  The emblem heart should really have a dagger going into it with the wings attached, but I could not find anything suitable for a dagger, (and boy I tried!) so I compromised with this.

The 10"x10" frame was an old Ikea one picked up in a charity shop which I turned back to front.  I painted it with black acrylic and lightly sanded the edges.  The dp, from Stamping Up, is attached to the removable mdf picture back to the frame and lightly edged in Black Soot.  I've stamped a few records and a microphone here and there, and added a large swirl through a large TH mask, all in Pumice Stone DI.

It's quite a simple piece, but I like the contrast of the colour picture with the b/w ones. 

The sponsor for this challenge is...

 ...and there is a fabulous prize of a mask and some chipboard for one random winner:

By the way, we have a new addition to our Design Team: Suzanne B from Suzanne's Papercrafting has joined us, I'm sure you will love her fantastic creations.

Please check out the inspiration by the rest of the DT, as it is fabulous.  I hope you can join in with us for this challenge, and I'm looking forward to seeing your music-themed creations!

I'd like to enter this into a few challenges:


Anything Goes Challenge - Anything Goes
There She Goes - Metal Embellishments
Sentimental Sundays - My Hero
Frosted Designs - Recycle/Upcycle (I've recycled an old picture frame)

Have a great week.

Maria x