A little love...

We all get a bit lovey-dovey around Christmas time but any time of the year should be the right time to express those special feelings. This week at Simon Says Stamp & Show we are all heart. Next to the flowers and butterflies I think hearts are definitely many a crafter's best friend. Be they grungy or girly, who hasn't got one in their stamp collection???? So, there's no excuse for not joining in this week. Especially when I tell you we have the totally amazing and  uber-talented Jim, aka, The Gentleman Crafter sharing his wonderful art!!!!

I designed a hanging heart which could be a gift, or in another style, the ideal Christmas tree decoration. I also found another opportunity to dig into the piles of cardboard under my desk. I drew my own template and cut out three hearts from scrap cardboard. I glued them together and bound them together with Tissue Tape.

I wanted a whiter effect so I applied a few coats of gesso and then over-stamped the Tim flourish (which I luuurve) in Ranger Coffee Archival ink. I edged the heart with Distress Ink to give a more aged effect. As the Tissue Tape already has lots of detail I thought it best to stick with a simple design and it wasn't long before rusty metal and fluttery things found my hand.

I stamped the butterflies onto Grunge Paper, coloured them with Distress Ink and cut them out. Then I shaped the wings to make them appear more life like.

I wrapped some rusty wire around the heart, added a few stamped words taken from a larger Mr. Tim sentiment and added a string bound, rusty key which I had coloured with Alcohol Inks. I just had to add a string from which to hang it. Simples! All done with my inky love for this week. What sayeth your inky heart o ye crafty folk??? For oodles more inky inspiration, hop over to the Simon Says Stamp & Show Design Team Blog and feast your eyes on all the loveliness my great teamies created.

It's great to see all your takes on the challenge and you can also win this fabulous $50 prize!!! Every week we also choose are Top Three Artists.... which could be you!
Alas, I must now love you and leave you.... Thanks for being here. Have an inspired week. Sarah.

*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps PAPILLON CMS106 2011	*Tim Holtz Idea-ology TISSUE TAPE SKETCHBOOK TH92911	*Tim Holtz Idea-ology 6 x 12 GRUNGEPAPER Grunge Paper TH92841	*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD WALNUT STAIN Brown Ranger
*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps ARTFUL ARTIFACTS Stampers Anonymous	*Ranger Archival Ink Pad COFFEE AIP31451	*Claudine Hellmuth GESSO Studio Primer Paint Ranger	*Ranger Complete Set 53 Alcohol Inks Adirondack

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What's on your workdesk Wednesday???

Once upon a time, long, long ago I used to join in with Julia's wonderful WOYWW every single week. Back in those days I also used to spend hours in my crafty sanctuary, I swam everyday, recognised a computer, my bed was my own and I had a waistline. Ah, the faint aroma of bygone days...

Well, here's my desk with signs of activity all be they very messy ones. (It's life Jim, but not as we know it.) There is also a fabulous bag of Wendy Vecchi Art Parts and a gorgeous tag - a pressie from my oh so generous and talented friend Ellen. THANKS SOOO MUCH!

I knew being a new mum was going to be a full time job but nobody told me that meant a ten day week! Give me a five day weekend and I might just get everything done. I've given up on the concept of yummy mummy. I'll settle for washed and reasonably sane. And here's a glimpse of a metal DT piece in the make.

Ruby is blooming, a real joy and still in top gear. She's a keeper but she sure ain't a sleeper. Hours of baby Olympics and long pram walks buys a little shut eye - with Ruby being the one doing the bit of sleeping!

She's five months today! I'm learning to embrace both the challenges and the laughter. A rare occurrence yesterday morning gave me time to grab the camera and do this post. Just for once, Ruby was all bounced out...! Huge thanks to everyone who still calls by. In the words of Arnie, I'll be back. Have a great week and until the next time. Sarah.

Merci!

Hello folks! 'Tis Monday Morn, my lovelies. This week we are all in a grateful mood at Simon Says Stamp & Show! Blame it on the fireworks, the cold nights or my baby brain... I was feeling slightly bonkers and set fire to my stash. No, it wasn't a quick craft room clean up attempt (which is sooooo badly needed, any offers???) but a way to create a focal point.

I seem to still be in my male card gear and so I created a bold statement to say a big thank you. I'm also still on a mission to make of use of my beloved design papers and dived into my Destinations Paper Stash this time.

l knew I wanted to use my Grunge blocks and letters and thankfully (ha, ha) I had the right letters to spell 'Thanks'. Phew, because sometimes, just when I  fancy some Grungy spelling I seem to be missing one elusive vowel... The blocks are inked up in Walnut Stain Distress Ink, the letters have been pained in Gesso and edged in more ink for an aged look.

 At first I just tore the opening in the design paper but it looked a bit flat and I really wanted to create a 'burnt out' look so I used a match to singe the edges. You have to be quick and blow it out almost immediately otherwise you'll have a big enough hole to wrote a letter in...!

I added a little stamping, distressing and stitching and then layered it onto some more of the Destinations design paper. I thought the printed text of the adverts was a good contrast.

 l added a twist of gold thread to give the illusion of more height and balance out all the letters, added a great inky Tim Word Band and then attached it to my distressed card base with four brads. Hey Presto. All done with the thanks! But you could of course use any word or colours to create your take on this card... Whatever you say, say it big!

Well, that's my story for today.... Head over to the Simon Says Stamp & Show Design Team Blog and check out the amazing creations from my team mates and then run off to you crafty corner and get inky! We love seeing your artwork and there's this generous $50 prize to be won!!!!
Righteo, I must be awaying... Thanks for the visit! Happy crafting.
Sarah.

*Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Stash DESTINATIONS TH93004	*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps 2012 MIXED MEDIA cms125	*Tim Holtz Idea-ology GRUNGE BLOCKS TH92925	*Tim Holtz Idea-ology Metal WORD BANDS TH93000
*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD WALNUT STAIN Brown Ranger	*Tim Holtz REFILL Distress Ink WALNUT STAIN Brown Reinker Pad Ranger	*Claudine Hellmuth MULTI MEDIUM MATTE Paint Glue Ranger	*Tim Holtz Tonic PAPER DISTRESSER Altered Aged Edges

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Look mum, no ink...

Well, just a smidgen then... Good morning and many Blogful greetings to you all! It's Monday (yes, again) and so I'm in the house with my piece for Simon Says Stamp & Show. This week we want to stretch your artful minds and get you all get stamping without ink. These days there is such an abundance of sprays, stains and paints, you'll be spoilt for choice.

Years ago, I tip-toed into the crafty world when I decided to make my own Christmas cards and although I now love to create in a whole range of styles, I still love designing a card. My inky time is indeed precious with my little Ruby in top gear, so a card gives me just enough space to play and dabble.

l wanted to make a male motivational card which is not as easy as it sounds. Fishing boats or mountains weren't quite the look I wanted so I decided to go with foliage ad Autumnal colours so as to still be able to create an artful card.

I seem to have oodles of Design Papers in my craft room and even though I've long passed the 'dare not snip' phase, there are still piles of them in residence. I took a piece from my Retro Grunge pile and jazzed it up with foliage stamp from the Floral Tattoo set which I still really love. I stamped with gesso which gives that extra bit of texture.

I used a piece of Cut' N Dry foam to apply the Gesso to may stamp to get even coverage and so as not to overload the stamp which can happen if you just press it into a blob of paint. REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR STAMP IMMEDIATELY! Otherwise, it's bye-bye stamp... I stamped and aged the sentiment and then added a few Tattered Leaves also cut from scraps of the same paper stash. I stamped the leaves with words to make them stand out from the background, edged them with ink and curled them a little for movement.

 I layered them all up with an old torn book page and set it on a Kraft base. If I'm not sewing... then it's often string! So parcel string and a Philosophy tag it was to finish off.

So, there you go, that was my male card and inky fun for this week. Do take a look at the great inspiration over at the Design Team Blog and join in with the fun. We are on the hunt for our Top Three Artists and there's this great $50 voucher... Hmmm, just in time for Christmas!!!  Have a good week wherever you are. Thanks for popping by. Sarah

*Tim Holtz Sizzix Die TATTERED LEAVES Bigz Leaf Alterations 656927	*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps STUFF TO SAY CMS110 2011	*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD WALNUT STAIN Brown Ranger	*Tim Holtz Idea-ology PAPER STASH RETRO GRUNGE 12 x 12 Double Sided TH92823
*Claudine Hellmuth GESSO Studio Primer Paint Ranger	*Tim Holtz Idea-ology PHILOSOPHY TAGS Hardware Metal Charm TH92678	*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps FLORAL TATTOO Stampers Anonymous

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'Allo 'Allo...

That's a phrase you either know or don't! It depends on whether you like a certain silly, but oh so funny, British comedy... but enough of that for now, as it's Monday and therefore time to get inky and crafty with the new challenge theme over at Simon Says Stamp & Show where we have gone all ..."Je ne sais quoi..." Yes, we're going French!

 My first response was to start speaking in a very bad French accent and of course, Ooh La la soon popped out... and so did my card. I totally love the Face Art stamp set from Wendy Vecchi and was eager to use the smaller face as she is so alluring.

I went for quite a simple design and decided that my colours should also reflect the French mood, so red, white and blue it was. I always love a freshly stamped image on white card. Just paper and ink are a fabulous combo!

The faces are stamped in Cobalt Archival ink and then mounted on thick card for more dimension. The leaves are stamped in Vermillion ink which is such a great red to work with. The Grungeboard letters are painted with gesso before being stamped and edged in blue. I added the spots later as they looked a bit bare at first. I can't go too long without reaching for that fabulous flutter-by and they seemed to be the perfect headdresses for my three mademoiselles.

A little distressing and voilà a pretty stylish card... even if I say so myself. Which I am, because I'm writing this post! I hope you feel inspired to create your own French masterpiece... Go on, have fun and join in with us. Head over to the Design Team blog and take a look at all the fabulous makes from the team. Don't forget this $50 voucher is out there to be won... Enjoy your week!
Sarah.

*Wendy Vecchi Cling Rubber Stamps IT'S FACE ART Stampers Anonymous	*Ranger Archival Ink Pad COBALT AIP31444	*Ranger Archival Ink Pad VERMILLION AIP30461	*Tim Holtz Idea-ology GRUNGEBOARD MIXED MINIS PLAIN Altered Art
*Claudine Hellmuth GESSO Studio Primer Paint Ranger	*Wendy Vecchi Cling Rubber Stamps SERIOUSLY ART Studio 490 lcs034	*Wendy Vecchi Rubber Stamp JUST FLY G2-1557 Studio 490 Stampers Anonymous	*Tim Holtz Tonic PAPER DISTRESSER Altered Aged Edges

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