STAMPlorations Inspiration #55 - Expect Great Things

It's time for some inspiration at STAMPlorations, and we're in the middle of a new stamp release, so it's a great excuse to use some of the new images and sentiments from the release.

The butterfly is from my new set, The Bee's Knees Winged Things, and the sentiment is from Deepti's new set, New Beginning.

The background panel has been in my stash for a while.  At a guess, I'd say it involves a smooshing of modelling paste and some Distress Inks ;)   Once I'd stamped and coloured my butterfly on mixed media paper, I added a touch of pink and yellow onto the background to tie everything together.  Stamped a sentiment onto the scrap of mixed media paper, stapled it to the panel then mounted the panel to the card, added the fussy-cut butterfly and it's done.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Something New.  The sentiment says it all, but it's also a new stamp set ;)

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Time Flies (time or flying)

Just Us Girls - Metal or Metallic (I've used staples, does that count?)

and Fusion, where I've picked a couple of the colours (magenta/yellow) and sort-of followed the sketch ;)

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Don't forget about the Mixed Media Card Challenge, which is all about beginnings, with an option of sequins.  Click here for all the details.

From Birthday To Wedding

This card started off in my head as a birthday card, but then I had the bright idea of putting ribbon on the car to turn it into a bridal car, and it became a wedding card for a reception that we were attending.  The image is from Stampington, with light watercolouring to mimic a hand-coloured photo.

The background is patterned paper with a wash of gesso to knock the colour back, then stencilled circles using modelling paste, topped with a blue gelato wash.  Vellum die-cut leaves, fibre, gauze, a ribbon flower and stamens finish it off.

I'm entering this into Virginia's View - All About Textures

and Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Texture

Birdhouse Makeover

I bought this blank wooden birdhouse on a whim months ago, thinking I would alter it one day.  It's finally got its day.

I stamped a large text stamp (Tim Holtz) in white Distress Paint onto the base, then sponged Distress Inks over the whole birdhouse.  The paint acts as a bit of a resist - you'll be able to see better in the next photo.  I stencilled some modelling paste over the top, added some bead texture gel to the bottom and to the roofline, and stuck buttons into the roof section.  Added a diecut foiled kraft bird, tucked a flower behind its ear and added a few more flowers at the base.

I'm entering this into the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Birds of a Feather,

Simon Says Monday Challenge: B is For - Bird.  And Birdhouse.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Things That Fly.

Glass Bead Heart

I'm playing along at the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge, where the theme is 'Think Pink'.

I painted a chipboard heart pink, then covered it in glass bead gel medium.  I used some patterned paper! (Hasn't really dented the stash, but every little helps, as Tesco keep telling us.)

I wanted the background to be quite faded, so I knocked the colour back with a layer of white acrylic paint, then added in some pink Pan Pastel down the right-hand side, and stencilled some hearts using the ARTplorations Hearts All Over stencil and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink.  Tied some tape around the heart and added a button (minus the shank) to the centre of the heart, and stamped the love lozenge in the bottom right corner.

Here's a close-up of the glass-bead heart.  The button has tiny bead-like dots on it too.

I'm also playing along at Fusion.  Look at all those lovely textured hearts!

And at Simon Says Monday Challenge, H is For...

Don't forget, the Mixed Media Card Challenge is all about Love with the optional twist of Buttons and it's open until 25 February

Seize The Birthday - No Topping

We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday.  This time there's no topping, so you can join in with whatever style of birthday project you like.  (You may have spotted my deliberate mistake - no "happy birthday" anywhere in sight, but I assure you it is a birthday card!)

I picked up these key and keyhole brads at the Port Sunlight show on Saturday, along with the tag stamp.  I stamped the tag image onto kraft card and glammed the image up a bit with some pink lipstick and blue eyeshadow.  The blue lace panel is from my stash of completed Gelli Plate prints which I sponged with Walnut Stain around the edges.  I partially stamped some text on the card base with Espresso Truffle, then stamped a postmark with Antique Linen.

I added twine, ribbon and fibre to the tag, so I'm entering it into The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge, Ribbon, Twine and Fibre.

Don't forget, the Mixed Media Card Challenge is open for Vintage with the optional element of 'key'.

Turning Leaves

It's that time of year in my part of the world.  Although we're getting lovely weather, the leaves are starting to turn.  I love autumn colours and rustling through dry leaves :)

I'm playing along with a few challenges with this card.  First off is Curtain Call - Lovely Leaves,

Next, a new challenge to me, Inspiration Emporium - Fall Is In The Air,

Then there's Just Us Girls - Word Week - Leaves,

And Mixed Media Mojo - Fall theme and paste,

And finally Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Photo Inspiration.

Use any or all of the colours in the photo

I used red, orange, yellow, green from the left-hand side of the photo.  I sponged Distress Inks onto a piece of card then stamped the leaves from Paper Artsy (the text is already on the stamp).  Flicked water over the images, cut them out and wrapped copper thread around them.  On a separate panel I used clear stencilling paste on the circles stencil, and when it was dry, sponged it with Crushed Olive.  I added the sentiment from Paper Smooches and drew squiggly lines with a black Sharpie.

Don't forget, there's also the Mixed Media Card Challenge where the theme is also autumn colours with optional metal/leaves.

Birthday Topknot

Quick post from me:  I've been playing with Distress Inks and stencils and paste to make a mixed media card.  The image is my own design, and the text is from STAMPlorations.  The texture is Polyfilla (spackle).  I'm entering it into the following challenges:

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #3 Stencils and Modelling Paste

And a new one to me (don't know how I've missed this one, as it's very popular judging by the number of entries it's got this week): Papertake Weekly Anything Goes.

Vellum Butterfly

Today I've been playing with vellum.  It popped up at Paper Artsy with this gorgeous card by Keren,

Keren's card for Paper Artsy

and also the Runway Inspired Challenge inspiration lends itself to vellum:

I used Polyfilla (spackle) and a Tim Holtz stencil to create the base and left it to dry.  Then I stamped the images in Versamark and heat-embossed them in white, then coloured the reverse of the vellum with markers and cut them out.  Then I went to the hairdressers.  When I came back the butterfly had curled up on itself like those free gifts you used to get in comics where you laid a thin plastic cut-out image on your hand and the heat from your hand made it curl up.  Remember them?  Oh, yes you do.  So some extra-strong double-sided sticky was required to pin the butterfly down on the card.

I added some Brushed Pewter Distress Paint on the Polyfilla to reflect the silver on her shoes, sponged the edges of the card with Antique Linen, and partially stamped the numbers (Tim Holtz) and stain (STAMPlorations) in Versafine Smoky Grey and added a few grey credit card makes.  Added a few self-adhesive pearls and a part-sentiment (Hero Arts).

The challenge at CAS on Sunday is Butterfly,

and the challenge at Mixed Media Monthly is Stencils and Paste.

Parisian Birthday

Here's a snapshot of me on my last trip to Paris.  Come to think of it, last time I was in Paris I had curly hair like that (a looong time ago, in the days before GHDs).

I've used this juicy colour scheme from ColourQ:

I'm also entering it into Simon Says Monday Challenge, brought to you by the letter 'J'.  My J is journey.  Or junk - see below.

I'm also playing along at Mixed Media Monthly Challenge  - Around The House.  Rachel is challenging us to use items around the house to create texture.  I used an old iTunes gift card to create the black lines.  Originally I just made vertical lines, but it made it look like it was raining, so I added horizontal lines, which give it more texture.