Bloom by Alison Hall

I decided to carry on the current Monthly Challenge theme of 'Monochrome plus one colour', and to make an inky ATC to show you.

For the background, I used worn lipstick, victorian velvet, & spun sugar distress inks. I stamped some floral images from the Botanical plate 2, using worn lipstick DI, to add some depth.

I dried the background thoroughly, then stamped the daisy image from Botanical plate 1 a couple of times, using versamark ink, & embossed it with white embossing powder.

The large butterfly & the bee (Insects & Butterflies plate 1) were stamped with black Archival ink onto the ATC. Then the butterflies & bee, & the word 'Bloom' (Botanical plate 2) were stamped onto white card, then cut out & attached to the background, placing the large butterfly & the bee over the previously stamped images.

Hopefully this all makes sense! I have a horrid summer cold & my brain's all fuzzy!

Thanks for looking!

Alison x

*NEW* Mabel Lucie Attwell by Tina Barnett

I have a new favourite lol!!! I love love love love this new stamp by Mabel Lucie Attwell.

I have used Distress Inks to blend in to the card stock and to colour the wonderful image.
I have then added some ribbon made from felt and some dew drop bling.
I think the colours work well with this image. I made this card for my father in law and he thought the image had been printed because it is just perfect!
I have also used an Artistic Stamper background stamp for one of the layers.
This stamp can be used for so many occasions and for young and recycled teenagers too!

Thank you for looking.

Tina xxxx

No.1 Dad by Nicky Cresswell

Good Morning Stampers, 

Sorry I missed you for the start of the month, I was a tad poorly but I'm here now and ready to share with you something perfect for fathers day

If your Dad is hard to buy for, then why not get him a giftcard and make this snazzy Matchbook Gift Card Holder to present it in.

I started by cutting a strip of black soot distress core'dinations card, I then folded it to the shape of a matchbook. I used one of my artful muse texture fades to emboss the old jalopy on both the back and front at the same time {mainly as there was no other way to do it with the way the folding is} I also embossed some lines to frame the whole piece and then lightly sanded with my sanding grip, and added words typed with my dymo to the bottom section.

I punched a circle in the top corner and then placed a stamped image behind to show through, I used the gentleman from the 'Men's plate' and shaded around his head with a grey copic once in place.

Next I created the wallet that houses the gift card from white card, and I stamped it all over with the journey scene from the 'Men's plate' I used my grey copic again to add a little detail to the center image and stapled in place using my tiny attacher.

 I made the little card that holds the giftcard itself, adding a bit of ribbon for easy withdrawal.

 Just a quick message stamped using the mini scrabble tile alphabet from the 'scrabble & tags plate'

And a couple of slits to hold the card in place and jobs a good'en!

A light sanding of the back was all that was needed to finish it off.

Sorry I didn't manage step by step instructions, I ran out of time, however if you need dimensions I got all my instructions by following a video on You Tube, just do a search for matchbooks.

Thanks for stopping by, Until next time...

Stay Inky

Travelling to Menton by Sioux Jenneys

I'm sharing a card today on this the 4th day of June :)

Where the heck did the last five months go! LOL

1. There are only a couple of masks used to create this so not tricky really, although it would help to have a stamp positioner for placing the crown on the top.

2. I decided to mix and match my inks today and started with Adirondack dye colours and stamped the Hotel label from the fabby new label set in salmon and then masked it.

3. Stamped the little travel trio squares from the men's plate 001 set in Distress Ink weathered wood and then masked that.

4. Stamped the larger wings from the lovely new set called crowning glory in Adirondack latte.

5. Got out my stamp positioner and used it to line up the crown from the same new set, stamping it in Archival black.

Tip: If you don't have a stamp positioner just stamp the crown further up the card...it looks equally good ;)

6. The sentiment is from the new travelling words set and was stamped in Archival crimson.

7. I've left off any additions of pearls and such 'cos at a later date I can make it fit either for a male or female recipient. Perhaps ink the edges for a more grungy look as well!

Thanks for looking today :) See you again soon!

xoxo Sioux

Winner of the May Challenge!

Hi! it's the Boss here! I love the beginning of every month, because hopefully I get to make someone's day! I loved all of the entries into Mays challenge which was Lovely Ladies and Gorgeous Girls! I have to apologise if I didn't comment, as Blogger would not let me comment on some posts!! grrr
 I always use Mr Random.org to choose the winner, and this month the winner of the £15.00 worth of stamps of your own choice is

Janny

Congratulations to you, and please email me so we can sort out your prize!
Don't forget this month's challenge is Monochrome Plus One. We would love to see your entries :))
Have a very Creative month
Jennie

Luminaire By Neil Walker

Hi there everyone; top o' the mornin to you all! Today is my first post for you as this months guest designer (Thanks Jennie and Hels for the privilege) So I thought I'd begin with a little "light" project...... ok, lousy pun, sorry!

I made this little holder using the Architecture 3 058 stamp plate. I stamped the stained glass window 4 times onto an A4 card. I cut out the windows and then coloured using distress inks in brushed corduroy, vintage photo and walnut stain. I over stamped with the Calligraphic mat 1 for interest. I tried to cut the tops as if they were a ruined wall with missing bricks etc.

I stamped the window again onto acetate and when dry, trimmed to shape and inked with some vivid

alcohol inks These were attached to the card with glossy accents, lining up with the apertures.

I inked and stamped the inside too. I used tissue tape to join the pieces together (using a touch of glue too)

On the outside I added the two statues, stamped onto grey card and cut out, inked with a touch of forest moss distress ink and mounted with 3d foam pads.

This is designed to be used with a battery operated tea light, not a real one! It looks pretty when lit but I could not get a decent photo!

So there it is, my first project for this month. Hope you like it.
Thanks for looking - Neil

June Challenge - Monochrome Plus One Colour

Goodly Morning Stampers and welcome to a brand new challenge for June. Many thanks for all your wonderful entries for May, the winner of this challenge will be announced on Friday June 3rd. The new challenge this month is Monochrome plus One Colour. To join in with the challenge is simple; make a piece of artwork, include the theme and some rubberstamping, pop back here to link up using the Froggy at the bottom of this post and leave us a comment to let us know you have joined in. As ever there will be candy for one randomly picked entrant - £15 worth of The Artistic Stamper stamps of your choice plus the Kling On to mount them onto. Moving on, last month we were very lucky to have the lovely and talented Kat Fullman as our Guest Designer, she pulled out all the stops and made some phenomenal pieces for the team. This month our Guest Designer is Neil Walker and we are all really excited to see the marvellous creations that he will bring to this blog.

The team has been busy making samples for the challenge for you to see:

ALISON
Alison used blue as her additional colour, Blue Smoke Perfect Pearls Mist spritzed through the left-overs of a die-cut. She blended Weathered Wood Distress Ink around the edges and finished with some one-layer stamping, using the new Around the World Balloon and adding a sentiment from the the new Travelling Words set

SIOUX

Sioux used her new Dance Designs set, bringing red into her card design and using various background stamps to create her own custom made paper. She used Fired Brick and Barn Door Distress Ink for the colouring and stamped using Black Archival Ink. She added a little Rosette made using the new Mini Rosette Alterations Die and decorated this with Dance, a word from the Dance Set.

HELS

I used my very favourite Butterflies and Insects plate to make a fluttery card, bringing blue in as my additional colour. I used Black Soot, Pumice Stone and Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks, stamping with black Archival ink and masking the butterflies as they flew up the card. The sentiment is from Travelling Words set. The bow is made from Idea-ology Trimmings, dyed with the same Distress Inks and crumpled for the more shabby look. Finally, I added a smidge of Rock Candy Stickles to the wings of the moth and edged the card with more Distress Inks.



Thanks for looking... have a wonderfully inky and stampy month!

Just add your challenge artwork with a direct link to your post and follow the instructions. Pleaseleave us a comment too so we know you have entered.