Wednesday 31 August 2011

Simply Less Is More - Recipe

Hi there,
Just wanted to share with you a card I've made for the Simply Less Is More Challenge - Take 3 Challenges. As I'm new to this blog I haven't taken part in any of the previous challenges other than the last one, so rather than choose my favourite weeks I just kind of closed my eyes and wherever my finger landed on the list was the challenge I chose.
The challenges I chose were:
Week 4 - Three Squares
Week 16 - Butterfly
Week 22 - Shades of Blue

I used a scalloped square punch to create my masks and inked with Distress Inks. I overstamped using the same colour with a swirl and stamped and embossed the butterfly in white directly onto the card and again in Cosmic Shimmer Blue Lagoon onto vellum. I used a Sakura Glaze pen to colour the little leaves and to add the accents to the corners of the squares.

Well bye for now.

Rachel x

Monday 29 August 2011

WOW Powders

Hello again

I wanted to show you a couple of things I've made using WOW embossing powders. I've enjoyed using these - the quality is great, and as I usually use Cosmic Shimmer that's praise indeed.
I used Violet Pearl E/P on this lovely Stempleglede image and the Mauve Embossing Glitter for the flourish. I really like this purple, black and cream colour scheme.
This is my first attempt at paper beads. I used a black patterned scapbook paper and dipped them into violet pearl and silver E/P melted in a foil container. I've made them into a bracelet and am quite pleased with the result - what do you think?

Anyhow that's all for now.

Rachel x

Sunday 28 August 2011

New Venture!

Hi Folks
This post is just to fill you in on my exciting news.
Debbie at Stampeezee in Coventry has taken the sad decision to close her shop - she is ready to move on to pastures new and I would like to wish her all the very best in whatever she decides to do.
Stampeezee also has a web shop and Debbie has offered me the opportunity to purchase it. I take over the web shop on 12th September and hope to develop it over the coming year.
The web address is http://www.stampeezee.co.uk/ and email is sales@stampeezee.co.uk.
These addresses are live and still being administered by Debbie until the change over date on the 12th.
As you can appreciate I feel both excited and nervous about my new venture but feel that the time is right for me to move forward with my crafting ambitions.
I hope you will take the time to visit my shop, have a browse and maybe make a purchase or two.

Thanks for stopping by.

Rachel x

Thursday 25 August 2011

Tag Your It/Anything Goes

Just a quick post to show a tag I've made using an Elisabeth Bell image - Musing Melinda - from Whiff of Joy. The base tag was one of the Shabby Chic tags from Crafty Individuals but I re-inked the edges using Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and smeared with a little gold paint from the Eco Paints range . The doily was inked with Victorian Velvet D/Ink and again smeared with gold paint, as were the edges of the image topper. I stamped Melinda with distress ink and used a damp paintbrush to pull out some of the colour. To add some definition back I went over the clothing lines and her facial features with a fine liner. I heated circles of tuille to make the base of the flowers - it melts and shrivels - and added small Prima flowers with brads to the centres. A bit of lace and a sentiment to finish.

So that's my shabby chic style tag I'd like to enter into the Whiff Of Joy and the Belles & Whistles challenges.
Thanks for looking.

Rachel x

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Things That Move!

I have to say I'm quite getting into this challenge lark. Here is a card I would like to enter into the Simply Less Is More challenge. 
This card was quite a challenging for me as I tend to over embellish everything. I stamped the Paper Artsy stamp directly onto the card blank and embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Copper embossing powder. The strips were left overs of glossy card coloured with alcohol inks from a previous project - the darker ones had been over stamped with a crackle stamp.
This is the first time I've entered a card on this challenge blog and I hope I've followed the rules correctly?
Thanks for looking.

Rachel x 

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Magnolia Challenges

Hi there, just got back from our holiday in 'sunny' Cornwall - not the best weather but a break at least and the boys didn't seem to be too bored!
Anyhow here is a card I'd like to enter in 3 challenges: Just Magnolia - Funny Sentiment; Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Flowers; Magnolia Down Under  - Butterflies.

I coloured Tilda with Promarkers and used a pink/lilac theme - not the colours I usually reach for but I fancied a change. Card blank is from Craftwork Cards and mats cut using 'Nesties' and Marianne Design dies. Butterflies and leaves from a Martha Stewart punch and flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. I stamped the edges of the card with an old background stamp I've just re-discovered. ( I un-mounted all my wood mounted stamps a couple of weeks ago so hopefully I'll use them more now rather than them sitting in a box I can't get to). The charm came off a bracelet one of my boys won from the 2p push machine at one of the Arcades on holiday. He was quite disgusted - I gained a few charms and beads :)  Well thanks for looking.

Rachel x

Thursday 11 August 2011

Honey Bees

Back again, I'm getting better at this blogging lark me thinks!
Well today I am entering the Whiff of Joy Challenge - Buttons & Bows:


I've used 'Sweet Cake' from Whiff of Joy coloured with Promarkers for my main image and the sentiment stamps are from Basic Grey. The papers are from Wild Rose Studio's Milton & Co range - I love oranges and browns.  Well thanks for stopping by and looking.

Rachel x

Monday 8 August 2011

Challenge Card

Monday again, it soon rolls round. Here is a card I've put together and would like to enter into the Just Magnolia Challenge this week.
I stamped Tilda, masked her and then overstamped the stone path. I've coloured Tilda with Promarkers and given her blonde hair - first time I've tried this and I don't think it looks too bad! Seam binding was used for the bow. I only had cream so I coloured with a Promarker to match my card. A little glitter was added to the flowers and I used glitter card for the butterflies and flower. The sentiment and mint background paper is from Craftwork Cards and the fence is a Doo-Hickey die.
Thanks for looking.

Rachel x

Monday 1 August 2011

Magnolia Card

Hi there,
Just a quick post to add a card I've made using one of my Magnolia stamps. I coloured Tilda with Distress Inks - maybe a little too much blush? Anyhow I want to enter this card in into the Just Magnolia and the Simon Says Stamp Challenges:
Back soon,

Rachel x