Stampotique Guest Designer - Final Week "Spring has sprung"

This is my final week as Guest Designer for Stampotique. It's been fun and I'm so grateful for the opportunity. And of course this week is challenge week so you can join in too. The theme is Spring has sprung and I created this little ATC book.

Once you open it, it has 4 little spring ATC's all attached to each other.

Come and join in over at the Stampotique blog!

Stampotique Guest Designer - Week 3

It's week 3 of my Guest Designer month at Stampotique and I have some cards to share with you. The backgrounds were created using watercolour paper and just getting messy with paints, inks, stencils etc. Go crazy, the messier the better. Pick out some bits you like as backgrounds for cards, ATC's, art journaling etc.

Stampotique Designer Challenge - Wearable Art

This is my 2nd week as Guest Artist for Stampotique and this week it's challenge time over on the Designer's Challenge Blog. The theme is Wearable Art, so if you fancy joining in pop over!

I created a tshirt for my nephew using printable cotton and the alphabitties stamps. Sewing is not really one of my strong points but thats ok, there is other options like iron on adhesive backing. Easy and you can create your very own wardrobe.

Stampotique Guest Designer - Collage Mirror

So I am Guest Designer at Stampotique this month - a real honour. I admire the work the DT put together week after week and of course there are the amazing Stanpotique stamps I love working with.
This piece is a random collage of loads of Stampotique images. One of my very first projects was a similar mirror using all sorts of stamped images and to date it still is a favourite of mine. So This is an ode to said project.
I hope you like it!

Check out the Stampotique blog for more inspiration!

I'm back from my creative coma.....

Sometimes life just doesn't go as planned. Sometimes you can be surrounded by the nicest of stamps, crafty things and inks and just not feel the love or inspiration. And that's exactly how I've been feeling for the past 2 months. Creativity can't be forced so I didn't. Although it can be frustrating when you so desperately want to create and the energies don't flow that way! But I feel a little more creative again and although blog posts will still only be an odd occasion at the moment, I would like to share this canvas with you today.
It was inspired by some pieces Dina Wakley did in a recent Stampington publication, it's very messy and inky and painty, using photos of my family.

I'm also delighted to say that I'm Guest Designer on the Stampotique blog this month so watch this space for some lovely Stampotique creations and check out their blog!

2011 - 2012

So we say goodbye to another year that had been filled with crafty inkyness and hello to a new year which once my Mojo returns should hopefully be even more colourful.
Looking back at the year it has certainly been an interesting one. I managed to get my crafty creations published in both Craft Stamper and Stampers Sampler and started as a permanent team member for Just Stamps magazine.
I also went to my first ever workshops starting off with the Tim Holtz Artsy Crafts one in February, followed by another 2 Artsy Crafts where I met some lovely people and learned new techniques, esp off the lovely Lynne Perrella.
I took part in my first craft fair, a fun day and great confidence boost as people really enjoyed my makes.
I lost my mojo a bit in June which was scary but I soon turned it around by taking up art journaling or at least the techniques used in art journaling. I am not much of a journal writer but I gave it my own twist and created home decor objects in a painty, inky art journal style. Some of my favourite creations were my mirrors last year hence I am entering this one into The Stamp Man Awards for favourite project of 2011.

I also discovered my love for Stampotique stamp.


These are two of my favourite projects. The card I sent to my sister's boyfriend for his birthday, I think he wasn't too impressed with Uncle Buck on the front. Ah well, I think he's such an adorable character.

I also started painting canvases last year, mainly using collage sheet images as the main focus. I esp like working with the kids pics from Lisa's Altered Art, and also my own family photos.

These are just a few things I really enjoyed making last year, of course there were many cards and challenges I entered, let's hope 2012 will be just as fun filled. I have set myself a few goals for the year and once my mojo returns I will get making. I am currently updating and redesigning my whole website so I am concentrating on that for now. There will be some candy coming soon too. I had promised this a while ago but never got round to taking a picture of the goodies and writing the post so I will make that a priority!

Happy 2012 everyone!!!

Shabby Chic House.... and winding down for Christmas

This little house of goodies was made with the Simon says Stamp and Show Challenge in mind, where the theme is "Projects with depth".
I used some leftover configurations boxes and put a roof on top using foamboard. The insides are cut from card and inked with distress inks, then stamped with background stamps. Some tissue tape around the edges to make it neat and you have a shell of a house to fill with goodies.
I used all sorts of things, little miniature bottles with real (evaporated) alcohol inside, game pieces, ideaology, springs, tape measure, an old earring etc etc.

This will be the last larger projects I'm showing on my blog for the year as I'm winding down for Christmas. I have a busy 2 weeks ahead with work, as I only get 2 days off over Christmas and have people over to cook for I have an awful lot of cooking, baking, planning, shopping to do. So I will concentrate on that and wind down my blog until the new year. I will be back with the odd card or post though I'm sure.