Hot Air Balloons

Hello again

I cannot believe it has been over a week since I last blogged.  I had meant to come back a little earlier for the Clarity challenge for June which has a masculine theme this month but I was a little busy making some cards for Stamps By Me as I am on their Design Team.  I will post these up soon, Toni should be on Create and Craft very soon with New stamps for Stamps by Me with some of my cards.

I had decided to use my new Hot Air Balloon stamps for the masculine card.  I had got these stamps from the Clarity members Club, I love being part of the different clubs as you get good benefits.

I also used the fabulous tree stamps from clarity and Drew in some little birds.  I would never have drawn these in if I hadn't seen Barbara Gray doing so.  They help to fill a space which needed filled.  I will post a picture of the card without the Birds and you can let me know what you think yourself.

Here goes......

And then the one below is without the birds.

I hope you like it, I used the spectrum noir pencils to colour the water and hills the rest was coloured with real red stampin up ink for the front Balloon and the rest was coloured with Distress Inks.  But both Balloons were coloured using an aqua brush and the faux watercolour technique which is one of my favourite techniques.

I will be back real soon as the Tim Holtz challenge has to be entered by Friday.

Denise xx

Challenge # 4

Hello again

Well it is time for the Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities III challenge # 4 to be submitted.

I had no clue what to do again.  It takes me the two weeks to have a think about it and then the pressure of the last day seems to work and I then produce something.  My first tag I did didn't look good although my Daughter liked it.  I think she is just biased tbh.  The second tag I produced I quite liked it has a flutter theme, possibly because I am thinking about my ATCs for this month which the topic is "In Flight".

I followed the instructions on page 49 to start my tag off using the Tim Holtz Layering Stencil WOODGRAIN THS023 and some texture paste, then used the following distress inks Broken China,Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry and Spiced Marmalade.  My first tag looked too dull as I used the kraft tag therefore brighter colours looked better in my eye on the tag shown below.

Then I inked through some punchinella with Worn Lipstick DI stamped some Tim Holtz stamps with Jet Black archival, stamped the sentiment with fired brick DI and wrote over with a black sharpie.  I then stamped the lovely blue bird with Peacock feathers onto a piece of tissue and stuck down with the Ranger Collage glue stick.

Used a white gel pen to ink part of the EYE CHART THS010 Layering Stencil onto the top right hand corner of my tag.  Attached some bunting to the left hand side of the tag and some lace to the bottom of the tag with some washi tape onto the top of the lace.  Cut out the lock and keys from the TH Lock & Key cardstock covered partly with glossy accents and layered a lovely heart with wings embellishment onto the padlock.  I made a small bow out of some bright pink Rattan for the top left hand corner and also glossy accented some cabouchons and placed over the small inked butterflies on the tag to give a little more dimension and layers to the tag, finishing with the little chain at the punched hole.

Let me know what you think.  Here goes nothing ....

The fabulous Sponsor for this challenge is The Funkie Junkie Boutique which offers a fabulous voucher and then there is also a fantastic prize that Tim and Mario pick out for their favourite.  I wish everyone who enters the best of luck and if you don't enter, why not?

Please leave a nice comment below, and if you cannot then an email would be great too at dmjshepherd@blueyonder.co.uk.

Let me know what you think and

See you soon

Denise xx

Challenge # 3

Hello again

It is time to send in my Challenge for the Compendium of Curiosities challenge # 3.

I couldn't decide what I was doing and then I was unhappy with the outcome once or twice,  therefore I had to try again.  I just adore the tattered pinecones die and how it looks like Little roses, so what better than a Rose Garden climbing a trellis.  I do love to see climbing roses in a garden on a lovely summers day.

I used my Dylusions sprays over a trellis background in my home made Art Journal, which is about half full now as I have been having fun just trying out new things.  I have to laugh as I have green fingers as I type and it isn't from Gardening, it is from the Dylusions Sprays.  If you have used them you will understand he he.

Again a massive thank you to Tim and Mario for the Challenge and making me explore new crafty heights and a massive thank you to the Inspiration Emporium who sponsored the Challenge with a fabulous prize of £50 up for grabs.

Well here is my challenge entry.  What do you think???

Thank you as always for taking the time to read my little Blog.

See you soon.

Denise xx

I won

Hi

I am a very excited bunny this evening or I should rather say morning as it is 1.30 in the morning and I cannot sleep.

I found out I won the Clarity Stamp Monthly Challenge not too long ago.  It was my first time entering it and I won, how lucky am I, woo hoo.

I just had to share with everyone.

And the prize.............drumroll................

A Mahoosive £50 voucher to spend at Clarity stamps, how fabulous.  They are one of my most favourite stamp companies and I also love the fabulous stencils that Clarity make.   Barbara Gray is the fabulous Lady behind Clarity and I have learned so much from Barbara especially following her Blog and of course You Tube Tuesday where Barbara teaches fabulous techniques every Tuesday by posting a You Tube Video.

Here is my card again....

If you have ever thought about entering any challenges and haven't done so because it is a big bit scary, I would just enter anyway as you can only gain from it.  Just like me (I am grinning like the Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland).

See you soon

Denise xx

Happy Birthday Jack

Hi
Today I want to wish my little Nephew a Happy Birthday, he is 3 years old and such a cutie with big brown eyes.

I have put his favourite vehicles on the card, placing a truck in the centre as that seems to be his favourite as my Husband let him sit in the truck recently on one of his visits to Elgin.

I miss Mya and Jack as they live too far away.  I wish they were closer as they are lovely and Skye has a special bond with her little cousins.

Jacks card was coloured using the fabulous Pan Pastels in which I have fallen in love with, I hope you like it x

See you soon

Denise xx