A new home!

Long time no see in Blogger land!!
We have been busy settling into our new home amongst other things.....that's my excuse ;)

Over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team this month they are asking us to play along with them and use a quote ;)

This is barely in time but I could not post this till the recipient had opened it could I? ;)

So here is my entry....hope you like :)

The middle house of the trio was coloured, cut out and 3d'd.....sentiment layered up too.
Just a few die cut greenery shapes to finish off.
Stamps used "A house is just a house" and "Our house" from The Artistic Stamper.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu to The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing my top three favourite makes from this year over at the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog today.

Curious about which three pieces I chose?......Well just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

I am also announcing that I am stepping down from the team after over 3 years of arty fun.

It was such a thrill when Jennie and Hels asked me to join the team...and to be frank it helped keep me sane when the world as I knew it fell apart on the death of my husband...
...at times it was a struggle to find the mojo to carry on and make my posts but somehow I always managed to pull it off!

Time moves on (scarily so for me this year), life evolves and now love grows and as some of you know, I have met the man of my dreams...
...he thinks I'm dreamy too ;)
...what could be better?

I need to now concentrate on us and making our wedding day next May the best day ever.
Wish me luck 'cos I'm going to be making all the invites, order of service, table decorations, oodles of paper flowers etc...etc...you know what it's like!!

So it's so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu from me to The Artistic Stamper Creative Team.

It's been a ball :)
What do you know...
...next May I become Mrs Ball!!!!

I'll leave you with this little ATC...it seemed to fit the bill ;) ROFL

Distress Ink swooshed background - worn lipstick
(how appropriate ROFL)
and wild honey
(well he is my honey...
...I'm keeping it to myself about the wild bit! ROFLIA)

Ball Bottle :) - stamped in Adirondack black and masked
(never thought I'd have such a special use for that image!)

The globe section of Round the World stamped in Distress Ink Vintage photo and masked
('cos of all the towns in all the world he walked into mine ;)

Calligraphic Mat 13 stamped in Distress Ink aged mahogany

The Silhouettes from T!m's Mini Halloween 3 set stamped in Archival and cut out with a little border as was the small label from the same set.

Date stamps from Dates A6

Ooh! Making that made me happy :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

xoxo Sioux

P.S. I'll still be blogging and making things with all the great stamps at The Artistic Stamper and entering challenges when time allows...and perhaps I will be able to find time to design some new stamps too...well....it's on my very long to do list!!! ROFLIA :)

Card Duo for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a couple of cards today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

"Anything Goes" for The Artistic Stamper

It was nice to see all the Christmas inspired creations for last months challenge, some were vintage, some cute, some arty :)
So..... how do you feel about the last challenge of the year....wow! Where did the year go?

"Anything Goes"

The challenge is an open one for this busy month of December over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)

I wanted to make something with "12 Days of Christmas" in mind, having seen similar things around the net...but please don't ask me where! LOL....suffice to say, if you have made something like this, thanks for the inspiration ;)
Oh! And sorry for all the images for those of you with slow Internet connections!

I made some paper bags out of ordinary brown parcel wrap, kraft coloured paper and to lighten the tones some in white and cream.
If using A4 sized paper you can opt to use a full sheet in which case you get a bag approximately 15.5 cm x 11 cm in size.
Cut the paper into A5 size and you get a bag approximately 11 cm x 7.5 cm in size.
Cut the A5 in half again and you get a bag approximately 8 cm x 5 cm in size.

I went for a combo of sizes for the different little treats I will be putting inside for my sweetheart ;)
   


So how to make the bag?
IMPORTANT NOTE
To get a great looking bag remember to crease ALL the folds well with a bone folder ;)

1. Take your paper and fold down the top edge for a thicker edge to later add holes/eyelets for the hanging string or ribbon later....fold over one of the shorter edges a little (it's not an exact science) and attach double sided tape (I find it less messy than using glue).

Fold over edge 1 to meet edge 2 and stick together.

Crease the opposite side.

2. Fold over each long edge and crease (this makes the side gusset and again it's not an exact science but approx 1.5 to 2 cm works well on this size of paper).
Turn the paper over and re crease at the back and unfold.

3. Fold up the bottom edge and crease...again turn it over and re crease at the back too...

...at this point whilst the paper is relatively flat you might want to decorate the bag front ;)...
...for instance on this bag I masked the bottom corner...
.

..and stamped the Santa from Mini Christmas 1 in Archival Crimson.

4. Open up the tube and the long edge will have three creases.
Fold the middle crease into the bag and the two outer edges will now meet (crease)

5. Fold up the two bottom corners and crease both on the front and back again...

6. Open up the bag bottom and manipulate the folds to look like this...

... fold the flaps over each other and, using double sided tape (or glue), secure one flap to the other. Punch two holes through all layers at the top for the twine handles and add some decorative eyelets on some if you like.

I decorated the bags using a variety of stamps from Mini Christmas 1, Snowflakes, Scrabble Tiles, Katy Fox, Music Background, Grungy Greetings 1, Our House A6, Icicles Border, Crowning Glory, Journaling Mini words and Journaling words 2 (cut apart letters you require and assemble together for the word you want....very liberating ;)) and T!m Holtz

To keep some sort of co-ordination between all the bags I stamped all the red images in a mixture of Archival crimson and plum (lurve that new colour)....all the green images in Archival fern green and all the black images in Archival black, stamping some onto red card stock and cutting out. All the white elements were stamped in Versamark and embossed with white.
Small fancy die cuts were used as a base for the numbers cut from Wanted Sizzix die and the paper borders from a mixture of the same red card and some white.
Bakers twine made the handles.

Bag 1

Bag 2

Bag 3

Bag 4

Bag 5

Bag 6

Bag 7

Bag 8

Bag 9

Bag 10

Bag 11

Bag 12

I will put my "sweet" little gifts inside and pad the bags with some shredded paper...
...just to stop any sneaky peeking ;) LOL

Well....I enjoyed making those so much I might just go on to make a whole "Advent Calendar"!!!

You really must take a look at the "Anything Goes" creations the rest of the team have made.

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Anything Goes"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, scrapling, Advent item ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until December 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Further designs in cyber space

Here are a few more links to some gorgeous creations using my stamp designs

....thanks for wanting to create with them everyone :)

Dot (all the way from Australia!)
Jennie
Helen
Buttons
Jennie
Crafting at SG

Dance stamps available here from The Artistic Stamper :)

And one of my own favourite pieces using the dancer.
It was made as a pass if forward gift for WOYWW.

Come back tomorrow and there will be some crafting on show here for The Artistic Stamper

xoxo Sioux

Season's Greetings for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Carpe Diem for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Hey You for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Autumn Card for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Alter Something for The Artistic Stamper

You all made some very inventive entries for last months challenge "Autumn" :)
So.....how about joining us this month for something a little different?

"Alter Something"

Yes, that's the challenge for October over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)

So.....I was struggling to decide what exactly to alter and how exactly to alter it!!! LOL
In the end serendipity played it's part (as it so often does in my life!) and whilst I was getting rid of lots of junk in the shed I came across some tiles left over from when the kitchen was fitted a few years ago! Well lets face it if I have not needed them up to now there is not much chance I will need them in the future! But just as I was throwing them out I thought....hang on a minute...they might make a great base to alter....so I did....and made them into some drinks coasters for my honey and I to use :)

It's a pretty simple process.

First I did a rough doodle of what I had in mind for the layouts...

Then I drew round the tile onto some scrap paper and had a practise run with some stamps ;)

I then placed some tissue paper over this practise run template and secured both layers to my non stick mat with tape so they did not budge and started to stamp my images using Archival inks.

Masking the images as necessary as I went along and sometimes using a second stamping of an image to get a slightly different shade onto the design.
(I really must get a few more of those gorgeous new Archival colours ::))

This is the finished tissue paper layer compared to the original practise layer...I did alter it slightly as I went along to get a more pleasing (to me) layout :)

Now to attach the tissue to the tile...I used Glue and Seal and firstly gave the tile a coat using a brush before placing the tissue paper on top of the still wet Glue and Seal and using the brush and more Glue and Seal all over the tissue paper to attach it to the tile. Try and take the tissue paper down the side of the tile for a nice edge and don't overwork the tissue on the surface or it may tear...although where the edges are concerned the fact that the wet edges tear easily is a bonus as you can then easily mould any surplus onto the reverse of the tile.

Now be patient as this will be best left to dry overnight (as the tile has a very slick surface).
Then use some designer paper (we all have plenty of that lying around now don't we LOL) to cover the reverse of the tile so that you don't scratch your table when you use the coaster. I used some T!m Holtz Crowded Attic papers attached with Glossy Accents and finished the edges of the coaster with some Adirondack Gold Dabber.

For the female coaster I plumped for using some of the new stamps from Katy Fox, the wings from my Dance plate, the lovely lady from Twenties no 1 plate,  and the word Love from Journaling Words 1.

For the male version I used the same new stamps from Katy Fox and the wings and crown from Crowning Glory.

P.S. The significance of the date is the day my honey and I met for the first time:)
We are so lucky to have found each other. Aaaah!

You really must take a look at the "Alter Something" creations the rest of the team have made.

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Alter Something"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art and alter anything you fancy ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until October 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Trio of Cards for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a trio of cards today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Home Tag for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a tag today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Share my World for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a thrinchie hanging piece today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Unique Self for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a journal page today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Postcard Card for The Artistic Stamper

Last months challenge entries were a pleasure to look at :)
So..... how about the theme for August?

"Postcards, Travel and Holidays"

Yes it's all about those dream destinations or chilled out feel of a trip away for August over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)

I made a square card and started by making the background layer.

Using the triangular luggage label I stamped it a few times in Archival aquamarine. I then masked all four images and stamped the French label from the same plate in Distress tea dye in a random manner all over.
I then used the negative mask to colour over the triangular images with the same Distress tea dye.

Finally tattering the edges and aged with Distress walnut stain.

I made a matt layer to go underneath by colouring with some Distress worn lipstick and walnut stain over the top to dull it down a bit.

The postcard was a piece of Kraft card onto which I stamped the words Carte Postale from carte postale plate in Versafine. I drew the dividing lines with a pen and added the script text mini calligraphic background on one side in Archival coffee and the Special Delivery in Archival crimson.
The stamp from carte postale plate was stamped onto white card in Archival aquamarine, cut out and tattered round the edges and aged a bit with Distress worn lipstick and a touch of tea dye.

This was then glued to the postcard and the franking lines from T!ms Paris to London plate were stamped in Archival crimson. My sentiment of choice was added in black.
The postcard was then attached, along with two more labels from the labels plate, to the card.

You really must take a look at the "Postcards, Travel and Holidays" creations the rest of the team have made.

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Postcards, Travel and Holidays"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, journal page;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until August 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

P.S. Entries are now closed for the give away but come back at 19:00 today to see who has won the ATC and dapper man stamp from this post.