Layers Challenge

The theme this week over on the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge blog is "Lots of Layers". I tackled the challenge from two separate angles - multilayered stamping and by having the squares of the main image at different heights within the shadow-box frame.

Strips of Lost and Found cardstock were used to face the front of the frame. The main piece inside the frame was stamped and coloured, then cut into 9 squares, each of which was distressed. The image was then re-combined, with the pieces at different heights and angles.

I hope you like it, it was a lot of fun to make! :) Click on the picture for a larger view!

Why not head over to the challenge blog to see what the other designers have created for this weeks challenge, they're a talented bunch! (While you're there, why not enter the challenge yourself? There's another FANTASTIC prize up for grabs, a $25 spending spree, courtesy of sponsor Simon Says Stamp!).

How lucky was I?!

As those of you who read my blog regularly may know, I have good friends in California who live very close to the location of the regular Carson stamp shows, where Tim Holtz's new stamp collections often first go on sale. I have been to the show a number of times myself, but if I can't make it my friends VERY kindly go and pick up any new stamps that I want (I did say they were GOOD friends, right?).

When Tim's most recent collections were launched a few weeks back, that's what happened - I picked out the sets I wanted and a friend went to the show on the Saturday morning to pick them up for me. It turns out that one of the sets was Tim's 100th Collection for Stampers Anonymous, and to celebrate, he signed (in gold) the first 100 sets to be sold. Imagine how surprised I was when I got my package from the US and opened it up to find that I GOT ONE OF THOSE SETS!! A certain chum of mine has already suggested that I should give them to her (I'm not saying who, but she's been newly added to Tim's blog roll!). Sorry to say, that ain't gonna happen! :)

Tim Style!

The theme over on Simon Says Stamp & Show this week is "Tim Holtz Style", and those of you who are familiar with my blog will know that this was right up my street! :)

I decided to use some of Tim's newest stamp designs along with some of his older ones that were particular favourites of mine (especially the numbers stamp on the left and right sides of the frame, and the David stamp, which you can't really see cos it's stamped in Antique Linen on the backing paper in the frame). I'm particularly pleased with the frame, which was glossy black to start with. I sanded it a little to give a key for acrylic paint to stick to, then painted it with two coats of a deep red. Finally I gave it a coat of gold, and after it dried I sanded it in places to let the red show through. It provided a perfect base to stamp in Ranger Archival Jet Black on the sides of the frame. I thought the sprinkling of idea-ology cogs and game spinners just finished off the photo nicely! :) Click on the image for a larger view.

There are some AWESOME projects by other members of the design team, why not go over to Simon Says Stamp & Show to check them out? :)

Oops, nearly forgot.... thanks to Simon Says Stamp there's another great prize for this weeks challenge! An autographed copy of Tim Holtz's book "A Compendium of Curiousities", a signed tote bag, a set of his stamps, an ink blending tool with foam pads and some Distress inks - what a fantastic prize! As ever, one of the entrants will be chosen at randome to win the prize - it could be YOU! :)

Go 3d!

The theme over on Gingersnap Creations this week is "Go 3d". For my entry to the challenge, I decided to make this trio of beach huts (goodness knows, we haven't had much of a summer here in the UK, so anything summery by way of home decor items can only help to brighten things up!). I wanted to acheive that washed-out , sun-bleached feel, so I used Weathered Wood, Antique Linen and Milled Lavender Distress ink pads. The stamps were from Tim Holtz's Tiny Textures and Floral Tattoo sets.

The huts were cut from white cardstock on the Cricut, and then stamped and assembled. Not quite my normal style here, I was trying to go a little outside of my comfort zone and aimed for something fresh and spare in style. Thanks for taking a look, why not check out the other entries on the Gingersnap Creations blog?

Studio 490 Style

Well, what a fantastic start to the new Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge we had last week! Over 200 entries - thanks so much to everyone who took part!! The theme for this week's challenge is "Studio 490 Style", which means in the style of amazing artist and designer Wendy Vecchi. Unfortunately I don't own any of Wendy's stamp designs, but that doesn't mean that I can't try to make something in her style! I've always admired her blog header, so I thought I'd make something inspired by it. (Check out Wendy's blog here to see what I'm talking about).
As ever, I designed the blank pieces on my computer, then cut them with the Cricut. After that, I used Distress Inks and a range of stamps, including some Tim Holtz, to complete my project.

Thanks to Simon Says Stamp there's another great prize this week, to be given at random to one of the entrants to the challenge - take a look at the prize pic below, it's really worth winning! Why not head over to the challenge blog for some inspiration and see how the other Design Team members have interpreted the theme? While you're there, why not think about entering the challenge? Go on, you know you'll have fun! :)

Things with Wings...

... is the theme of the first ever Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge. Sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, there's also a fantastic prize on offer to one lucky entrant this week, which includes one of Tim Holtz's new stamp sets, some Distress Ink pads, a Tiny Attacher and other wonderful goodies! The whole prize is pictured below:


All you have to do for a chance to win is enter this week's challenge - make something that fits with the theme "Things with Wings"! Why not go over to the challenge blog for some inspiration and see the different ways in which the design team have interpreted the theme? Here is my entry (click on the image for a larger view):
This clown's head is one of my favourite Tim Holtz stamps, and I've had the idea for this piece kicking around in my head for some time now. Thankfully the theme of "Things with Wings" has allowed me to get it out of my system! :)

The outlines of all the body parts and wings were drawn on the computer and then cut out on the Cricut using the Sure Cuts a Lot program. Barn Door, Peeled Paint, Dusty Concord and Old Paper Distress Ink pads were used for colouring, either direct to paper or with a water brush. All stamping used a Momento Tuxedo Black ink pad, and most of the stamps were by Tim Holtz at Stampers Anonymous, particularly these sets: Tiny Textures, The Big Top and Spills and Splatters.

Comments welcomed, as ever, and don't forget to enter the challenge yourself! :)

The Return of the Sneaky Peeky!!

I've just finished my first project for the Simon Says Stamp and Show DT, but everything is under wraps until the challenge goes live at 12.01am Monday (Ohio time!). What I can show you though, is a sneak peek at the prize that's up for grabs for one of the lucky entrants to the challenge! Magnifying glasses at the ready, here it comes....

A fantastic prize, huh? Isn't that one of those thingies in the middle? Aren't those some of those other thingies down the left hand side? In fact, that pic is chock full of fabulous thingies just waiting to be won, perhaps even by YOU!! Check out the challenge here (once it goes live of course, at midnight Sunday!). Why not have a rehearsal and check it out right now? You can meet the members of the new design team, and when the challenge goes live you'll be an old hand at visiting the blog and will know where to go :)

New home, new challenge!

As announced over on the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog, I have accepted a place on their new design team! I'm looking forward to some exciting challenges with them - I've already seen the first few and I'm feeling inspired already! :) Why not check out their blog - there's an AWESOME prize up for grabs, all you have to do is enter the first challenge, which goes live in a couple of days! (I can't tell you exactly what the prize is, cos I've only seen a small pic of it, but I recognised several of the items and they are really worth winning!). Good luck!!

I'm back!! Well, almost....

I'm *finally* in my new house, and am busy getting my new craft studio ready for the weekend! Hopefully you'll see the fruits of all this labour in the next few days! Thanks so much for your continued support....the long limbo is nearly over! :)