Just her cup of tea - Feminine and Fancy too!

Mother's Day has been and gone so I can post the card I made for my MIL...

...not that she looks at this blog, but it doesn't seem right to show it before the occasion! ;)

A combination of Papertry Ink for the cups and "tea time" cartouche...Stampers Anonymous for the scroll work...and Chocolate Baroque for the beautiful sentiment...it's one of my all time favourites :)

We bought her a lovely floaty scarf from the National Trust shop at Buckland Abbey.

The tithe barn...huge it was too!

Modern reworked plaster ceiling...just fab!

It's quite remarkable to think that Sir Francis Drake actually walked around this place....you can't really say lived here as he spent so much time on the high seas!!! Is it any wonder both his marriages did not produce an heir!!!!?

A beautiful old vellum of Gregorian chant music.

I made a box to gift the scarf in...I might at last have got the gist of what the measurement differences ought to be for the top and bottom! Ha ha!

(Cut the bottom piece 2mm less than the top...i.e. Top 40x25 say, so bottom 38x23....that's if your card is not all that thick!)...well it worked for me in this instance. :)

Thanks for looking and MIL adored her scarf :)

Linking this card to Try it on Tuesday for this fornight's "Feminine and Fancy" challenge

xoxo Sioux

My Heart Yearned For

It's been some time but I'm playing at the Stampotique challenge this week (SDC 190) where the theme is "Use Stitches".

My sewing machine had a bit of a blip and instead of a zig zag it did this below....obviously the tension decided to slacken/tighten of it's own accord! However, because I used different coloured thread top and bottom, I like that it adds to the quirkiness.  ;)

Background used distress inks.....how cool that it collected in one spot in a heart shape!

Could not have done that if I'd tried!! Lol

Heart throb coloured with Distress inks too.

My heart throb will be using this as a book mark ;)

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Dragons Dream 188 "A rainbow of colours"

Dragons Dream 188 "A rainbow of colours"

I was not totally happy with the T!m background I created for March so when I saw the theme here I knew it was an opportunity to try and improve it ;)

It has been joyful to be able to spend today making this tag....no work....time to play :)

Background uses Distress Paints. A Chocolate Baroque heart/wing stamped and embossed in gold. Coloured over with Distress pens in scattered straw, wild honey, worn lipstick and broken china. It's very cool the way the pens don't totally obliterate the background but seem layer further colour to add to the depth and helping it to stand out :)

The words mainly from the same set "Artistic Impressions" with a couple of little additions using a little studio G alphabet set.

The wings were masked and the background over stamped with a small T!m script in Distress vintage photo and aged around the edges with the same....

....because of my muscle problem, up until this week I have not been able to even contemplate using the distress tool and rubbing like that!!!

Heart finished with glossy accents and the ribbon given the distress pen once over.

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

P.S. Just a little design fault in the masking sheets I've found....

...why can't the backing sheet be white?

It's a devil of a thing to actually see where you are cutting on that stuff!!!

Also it would help by not stamping the image on the wrong side, because even though I thought I was stamping on the right side...when I cut the image out I realised my mistake!!! Grrrr!!!

Inspiration Wednesday 2 finished result

Today I finished my second lesson at Inspiration Wednesday.

This lesson was all about collage...with a bit of gesso thrown in! ;)

One of the elements Donna used was some book paper so I decided to use something out of an old set of encyclopedias I have. Randomly I took one of the books from the shelf and randomly opened it where it fell open on "Portrait"

Spooky in a way as I had already made the stamped tissue paper with a number of face images on it! :)

Close up of some of the bits and bobs I found.....

this page includes a cava bottle cover (well I just had to didn't I?)....and that little bit of film strip that has been hanging around for years has at last found a great home, highlighting the word portrait :)

This page has some random paper bits and a piece of the packaging from my favourite Camembert cheese!

Another spooky thing.....Donna was using a type of wax to seal the pages she made to stop them sticking together.....and as I was "sort of" tidying my cupboard work space the "Easy sealing wax" label was sitting under a pile of stuff....so I used it instead of the wax! lol

The quote running across the page reads "A portrait, to be a work of art, neither must nor may resemble the sitter...one must paint its atmosphere"

I like the atmosphere of this page......and I learnt a couple of things along the way.

1. Yellow and grey together make me very happy :)

2. If I live to be 500 I shall never use up all the "treasures" I have accumulated. ROFL ;)

I'm linking to Hels Sunday Stamper as her theme is to use Wings....which I have....and "Wind beneath my wings" is one of my all time favourite songs......EVER.

(the version by Bette Midler preferably) ;)

It's ages since I have joined in and I'm really happy to be able to play along.

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Your Desire

Today is Mr B's mums 80th Birthday!

She is having more celebrations than the Queen ;) and why not? :)

Friday was lunch with friends

Saturday  - a family get together just outside Salcombe hosted by her sister

Sunday - cake after the service at church followed by Sunday lunch at her favourite pub

Today - an afternoon celebration hosted by friends

Tuesday sees the end of the party season after celebrating with her brother and his wife :)

Crikey I feel fair worn out just reading that little lot back!!! LOL

Mr B and I just could not come up with the right present until we hit on the idea of taking her to the theatre as she rarely goes these days because of transport issues.

We searched the listings for the theatre in Plymouth but could not find anything that she would like.....so I made a "Promise of Intent" card instead!

This was inspired by

Paula Cheney Discover Burlap Panel on Tim's Creative Team posts this week.

I haven't used vellum for some time even though I have a stash of pretty lush ones hanging around....you know how it is!!! ROFL

I'm entering this in Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge which this week is anything goes!

Also to The Artistic Stamper 'cos it's anything goes there too ;)

Happy Birthday MUM :)

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Home Sweet Home - Rule of 3

Moving to a new home is an exciting time.

Here is a card to celebrate my step son and his girlfriend moving to theirs.

Yikes....a step son! ;) how fab :)

Like the last card I posted it uses just three different stamps and I repeated one of the images three times!.......Simples :)

House from a firm called Home Impressions (Dutch)....unfortunately it looks like they no longer exist as I have been searching and not found them....even followed a very old link but to no avail!!!! Stamped three times in Distress mustard seed, faded jeans and peeled paint....the circular window coloured with the same ink using a cotton bud to smear it on ;)

Home Sweet Home also from Home Impressions stamped in Archival black.

Sentiment on the edge from The Artistic Stamper stamped in Archival crimson.

Seeing as it's summer and I've used summery colours I'm entering it in Try it on Tuesday.
(Except the link thing won't load a photo for me at the minute!....will try tomorrow)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux 

Simply Happy Birthday

A card for my friend. ;)

Simply three stamps stamped onto textured card stock for a bit of extra effect.

Emily (large) from Stamp Francisco stamped in Distress weathered wood.

Just Sayin' from Paperartsy stamped in Archival crimson.

Happy Birthday from Hero Arts stamped three times in Distress mustard seed, faded jeans and peeled paint.

Edged with a gold marker pen.

Entering in Hels Sunday Stamper....use a greeting.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux

Crazy!

Hels Sunday Stamper this week has the theme of Men!

Well how could I refuse? LOL

Journal page in my A5 size book.....thought David could do with a crazy "wing" moustache and a glittery heart for a nose!!!

Thanks for looking ;)

xoxo Sioux

Red, Pink and White at Stampotique

I'm entering this in the Stampotique challenge this week (SDC 86) where the theme is
"Red, Pink and White"

This little scrapling card uses a light spritz of Dylusions and a quick swipe of Distress paint in pickled raspberry...

...well I had to try one or two didn't I? Just to test and see if there is any difference to Fresco's...personally I'm not convinced there is any difference....apart from the obvious colour palette! So I'll be buying Fresco's and not Distress....personal choice.

Jo's Bee was stamped on the card and a touch of red glitter added to the body...then I decided to add another layer and stamped the large bee again onto a bit of plastic packaging and glittered the wings pink.....so not me!!!! ROFL

Thanks for looking
xoxo Sioux

A Wish.....

Well I expect some of you can guess just what it is I'm wishing for! ;)

Wanted to join in with Hels this week at the Sunday Stamper where the theme is "Wish".

Well......heavens will I be able to contain myself if my wish ever comes true?! ROFLIA

xoxo Sioux

I'm in the mood for love

I've made a tag today for Hels Sunday Stamper.

So am I in the mood for love?

Well obviously yes, otherwise I would not have signed up to a dating site!

I some how don't think it's ever going to work with anyone who lives more than say 25 miles away though.

So how nice that someone in Exmouth started e-mail conversations with me a few weeks ago...which led to telephone conversations...which led to actually meeting up for the first time yesterday. :)

Heavens! It's a bit weird meeting someone like that...he seemed a nice chap for someone but not for me....There was no chemistry thing going on....so we agreed that was the end of it!!!

Hey ho...back to the drawing board...and my fantasies! ROFL

xoxo Sioux

Resist Temptation? Not me!!

Mmmm...How could I resist?

TIO is asking us to make a tag with the elements of red, a resist technique and temptation ;)

I'm not one to deny temptation...it's all around us and life is too short to resist!!! ROFL

The resist bit is the T!m scroll stamped in Versamark and clear embossed on a buff tag and aged mahogany tapped over a chicken wire mask.

Aged mahogany inks and Dylusions chocolate pretty much does the rest.

Just for a bit of contrast the sentiment "Why resist temptation" is stamped onto card coloured with Dylusions lemon zing and vibrant turquoise (the amalgamation makes that fabby green!)

Pity that I can't get the circular element in the corner to photograph better 'cos in reality it's a Cava top that actually says "Cava" and is coloured with red alcohol inks.....

....it's the reason for the tag!!!

Hey ho....try and imagine it if you can!

Hope you liked your visit today.

This has given me another idea for a journal page ;)

My mojo, even though you might not think so (thanks for your continuing support with your much appreciated comments), is so hard to come by in the past few months that this tag was something I just had to do :) :)

xoxo Sioux

Dance, dance, dance!

I have a card to share that I am entering in the one layer Stampotique challenge ;)

Stamped, coloured & masked sweetmoves, stamped and masked the T!m wings, stamped the T!m background and stamped my dance word and T!m sentiment.

There is a story behind this.....isn't there always!!! LOL

Last night, after watching Parade's End, I stayed awake because I wanted to see the start at the very least of the marathon club music dance night on channel 4....I was taping it but I wanted a bit of live action ;)

Well......how fab....I just love that sort of music to dance to....(it helps if you have had a few too many cava's as well mind ROFL! ;)

So there I was dancing in the dark (at 3 in the morning...in the end I never made it to bed although I confess I did fall asleep on the sofa for a short while).....on my own some....loving it....but also wishing there was a tall, dark and handsome guy sharing the fun! :)

Where is RA when you need him?

Thanks for looking.

xoxo Sioux

Killer Queen for The Sunday Stamper and Simon Says

Almost as soon as I saw the prompt at Hels' Sunday Stamper "Killer Queen" this page started to form in my head and I just had to enter this week 'cos Freddie was the best...

...and Pip did a very good impression of him....happy times!

Whatever lurks within huh? I'm afraid my slightly dark (and at times rather risque) sense of humour took hold of me! LOL I started thinking about the creatures that devour their mates after....well um.......mating!! As you can see one thing led to another in my brain ROFL.

Hey and I learnt a new word morganatical 'cos serendipity had the word morganatically married on the the bit of book page I was cutting up for the crown :)

Thanks for looking and thanks Hels....I can always rely on you to power the cogs and wheels that churn in my brain!! ROFL
Ooh! I've just realised Simon Says is "Anything goes" this week so I am linking it there too ;)
Who knows it just might be my lucky week to win the fabulous prize from the generous people at the Simon Says shop of $50.oo how cool would that be? :)

Thanks for looking
xoxo Sioux
Stamps used: Stampotique, Studio G and Inkadinkadoo.

Take me!

I am having so much fun with this journaling!

Also loving the fact that the Easter holiday has allowed me to make something everyday.....oh what luxury ;)

Here I go again then...

...Neo colour background Artistic Stamper stamps, Studio G, T!m alphabet.

Entering this in Hels Sunday Stamper to celebrate the 200th anniversary "I got your Number"...
Wow! Huge congrats Hels for that milestone and thanks for sharing all your creations with us over the years :)

Thanks for looking
Just in case you don't recognise the face it's Jose Mourinho.

xoxo Sioux

Misty for SS and SSS&S

I'm playing along with Hels at the Sunday Stamper again this week 'cos how could I pass on the theme of "Misty"

One of my very, very favourite songs...

...I only have to hear the first three notes and I go all unnecessary!!! HOL

So it put me in a great mood and as I have just received my new Stampotique stamp Heart Throb (be still, be still) courtesy of Art from the Heart I just had to play with him!

So here is the page I made...

...lots of inks, neocolour, sprays (distress and tattered angels) and some of those fabby die letters from T!m ;) which were coloured with distress peeled paint and wild honey then overstamped with a T!m cloth texture stamp in Adirondack pigment snow cap, crown from The Artistic Stamper and words from the song hand written around the heart and down one side.

I've only recently discovered Donna Downey and it is facinating watching her create....this page was looking a bit on the dull side until I watched wednesday's video where she added gesso round the edges of her pages so I thought I'd give it a go.....like it!

This really put me in a happy place ;)
So three cheers hip, hip, hooray for Hels and of course Donna ;)
Just realised I can enter  this at Simon Says Stamp and Show as it's anything goes and there is always the chance of winning $50 thanks to Simon Says online shop ;)

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Miss the Noise!

So here is the second page of the double spread in my small journal.

Here are the pages side by side.

I'm entering this at Hels Sunday Stamper where the theme is "Life".

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux

The colour purple at Stampotique!

Apart from the Hallowe'en season I'm not one for much in the way of the colour purple!

But that is one of the colours in the colour challenge over at Stampotique this time.

Purple/Pink with Black it is then ;)

I've done another page in my small journal as this phrase popped in my head (along with another stanza that will go on the facing page) the other day...

...and you know how it is.....you just have to get it out.......get it on the page and then you can try to move on...

...well at least I do!!! LOL

I used the fabby Clover head along with the fabby medium sized bee by Jo Capper-Sandon.

India inked background and hand drawn words using black Sharpie pen and the best white ink I have come across to date......Bombay white india ink available here.

Hope you like....it worked for me! HOL

xoxo Sioux

CASE at Stampotique

I'm not one for casing if I can help it but that is just what the Stampotique challenge asks for so I chose to case this lovely page from the fabulous Gez!

I knew I wanted to try to capture the lovely colours used (not quite managed that I fear!) and the word fragments (some Stampotique the rest hand written) and used my gorgeous alpine maiden (at least that is what I call her!)

The wording reads "In my soul I know there is spirit, beauty and creativity. It's just a pity that some days I find it hard to believe!"

(I don't know about you but since Blogger has had yet another change I cannot enlarge photo's to really see the gorgeous art work people make and that includes being able to read stuff on pages like mine!)

Thank you so much for the inspiration Gez....I enjoyed having a play...I'm finding creating a real struggle at the mo but this has made me feel heaps better ;)

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux
P.S. Can't see a link to enter this at the moment....will get back to it later! All linked now ;)

Vision

The Sunday Stamper celebrates 4years of challenges this week :)

Huge congrats to Hels...

...for she's a jolly good fellow and all that! ;)

Can't remember the last time I joined in at this...or any other.......challenge come to that!

I'm afraid my Scanner syndrome has rather got the better of me lately!!! ROFL

So nearly running out of time 'cos it closes at 9 tonight here is my little offering.

Hope you like and thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux