This Moment - Card

Set out to create a card to fit with a couple of challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Powder Power
• Addicted to CAS - Code Word 'Stitched'

I started with watercolour paper and applied a layer of sewing pattern paper. I decided to try stamping with the end of a cotton reel as I thought this would fit nicely with the theme of my card. It worked quite well with the paint (very subtle in pale green) but not quite at defined with the clear embossing stamp. I think the stamp pad is a bit squishy and the reel wasn't completely covered - still OK though. I dripped Liquitex ink and sewed around the edge as well as sewing on the sentiment. Maybe not as CAS as it is supposed to be - my first time at this challenge. It is tricky sometimes to keep is simple, especially as I'm trying to get better at layering!

Snowman Shaker Card

It does feel a bit early for Christmas cards for me but this image caught my eye and even though I'm not really a fantastic drawer I gave it a go copying. Also it doesn't even snow here for Christmas - it's Summer - but we still manage to keep hold of many of the Norther Hemisphere traditions. I think really it was the cute puppy that did it for me.
This is for Cas-ual Fridays - CFC157 - Shaker Cards.

Painted Autumn Leaves

Actual leaves this time. Another activity I completed with my class of 10 year olds. They looked fantastic hanging in our window - sadly down now as Autumn was in April and it was tricky photographing without getting a reflection. I did end up having to glue my two examples together after someone had fiddled with them and made a hole! :(

We PVAed the leaves first to make them stronger and stop them crumbling. Then painted designs and finished with gel pens and metallic Sharpies.

This is an entry in the Paper Artsy Challenge - Autumn Leaves.

Autumn Print

I was worried about the fact that we are going into Spring here in NZ but then realised how much Autumn inspired art I did back in March/April.
This one was one of the first things I cut with my Brother Scan n Cut and then Gelli Printed. It was hanging on my wall - how did I nearly miss it!?
This i an entry in Paper Artsy Challenge - autumn Leaves. I love those skeleton leaves on their blog. The look like sculpted metal and could be a idea for next Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

The stencil was cut in card and once it had been used to create the prints, I then used it as a frame with another mono print behind it.

Ella Says, Sing!

Again for Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Inspired by Music.

Who could resist this saying by Ella Fitzgerald! They say that singing is one of the best things for making you 'feel good' - singing, and more singing.

Warning - Ukulele!

Music is a big part of my life and while I'm not the most accomplished musician, I do enjoy playing and singing for pleasure.
My main instrument is the ukulele, which I play and teach as part of my job as a primary school teacher, hence this page.
I didn't really have the rainbow effect in my head when I started but love the way it developed and turned out.
This is entry in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Inspired by Music

Mixed Media Morsels Update

This is the second of my Mixed Media Morsel posts.
Been following this series by Cat Hand on YouTube.

Wavy Lettering

Silhouettes

Tissue Paper

Doodles

Outlined Lettering

Handmade Painted Tape

Pretty Posies

Ransom Note Letters

Using Stencils

Crackle Background

E tu Kahikatea

The kahikatea is a native New Zealand tree which is commonly used to symbolise standing tall and strong together. If you search for it you will often find images of one tree standing alone, but look for the one of the trees in groups. In truth, the kahikatea grows best with other trees around them as the roots intertwine create strength - just like people!

E tu Kahikatea - Stand like the kahikatea - tall and strong.

I have used stamps from Crafty Individuals and entering this in their challenge, Clean & Simple.

Autumn Leaves

Now some of these challenges really are a challenge - I'm in the wrong season down here for and Autumn challenge!

I have posted some similar work I did with my class as part of my Birch Trees post as I had used the technique and adjusted the images used. However I have not posted this image before. It was my original trial of the journal page, to make sure it worked when I went through the process with the kids. The one I posted before was the one I did in class.

This page I think has more vibrant colours and is my favourite.

I am posting her for Paper Artsy's Autumn Leaves Challenge.

Tag it Tuesday - Blue

I sometimes grab a couple of paint swatches when I'm in the hardware store and thought that this Tag It Tuesday challenge, to create using monochrome, was the ideal time to use them.

I had been cutting tags from scrap cardboard and had these small ones (8 cm x 5 cm) so decided to make a set.
One has a sprayed background, one a Gelli print and the other started with a napkin.
Then came stamps, embossing, Golden High Flow Acrylics, washi tape, a painted split pin in one and doodling with Sakura gelly roll pens. The paint swatches were die cut using an arrow die and finished off with inked edges.

Tag It Tuesday - Neutrals

Well now I think I'm in trouble!! I seem to quite like these little pieces of art - have been missing them since I did the ICAD challenge. That was for 2 months and I completed the whole 100 cards in the packet well before that!
The Tag it Tuesday challenge goes on and on - I better find a good use for tags!

I have used the small bug stamps from Crafty Individuals, so will enter this in their Clean and Simple challenge as well as Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge - Gift It.

For this tag I focused on the neutrals, with paper in the background, antique white and gold acrylic, some stamping with squid ink Gelato, the word 'neutrals' die cut from paint swatches, a little sepia stamping, some fabric feather tape and gold Sharpie around the edge. The ribbons are from my stash cut off clothing.

Tag It Tuesday - Green

This is my first contribution to the Tag It Tuesday group on Facebook. September's theme is monochromatic.
I started with some Deco Arts spray, then added images of herbs from napkin. Then came drips of Liquitex Ink and stamped pale green acrylic paint. I used two colours of green ink and embossed the fern stamps with clear embossing powder. Some scraps of fabric were glued along the bottom and the edges inked with archival olive green. Finally the words and a tassel to finish.

Mail Art

This has been created for the Stampotique Designers Challenge #256 - Mail Art.

Among my pile of Gelli prints was this one made using a frame I had cut and never used. I thought it made a great stencil and had used it twice on the print using two different colours. The centre of the frame made it ideal for this mail art project and with a bit of fiddling around I was able to use the whole sheet and assemble and envelope. I was pretty happy with how it looked so just added some Sakura glitter pens and Mod Podge Glitter Dimensional Magic. The glitter tends to sink to the bottom, which is a problem as you're not supposed to shake it, so I sprinkled on some extra purple glitter.

007

This journal page is for Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - At the Movies and even though they are technically zeros, we do say double oh! - so also for The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge 'O'.

The back ground had been waiting for a while - made with my own arrow stencil and silhouettes, both done with left over paint. I found used old poster images and thought the black figures looked like Bond Girls. I used some gesso and pink paint to blend these in. I was thinking of movie reels when I made the black circles, but then once the pink lines where added, they really looked like the cross-hare of a gun sight - so still fitted with the 007 theme.

Sorry - want to make sure I follow the rules ("...either the dictionary definition or one made up by you.") for The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge 'O', so have made a addition.

Beyond Beautiful

Now I'm not much of a gardener, but over the last few months I have had someone in to clear the mess and get things sorted. I have had a few vegetables growing and it is exciting to be able to go and cut fresh from the garden and straight to the plate.
With this weeks challenge from Paper Artsy being Making Marks, I thought, why not go for the good old vegetable prints.
This also fits for The Craft Barn - Around the House Challenge.
So here's my broccoli, and the marks I made with it. Tasted goo too!

And the finished page - with more backgrounds left to work with.