acetate challenge

I did not manage to take part in the last challenge over at Artful times. Believe or not all the stamps I own and not one of the Mona Lisa Lol. This time round however, the theme is acetate which you can find here. I`m really a bit bored of making cards at the moment so decided to make myself another bookmark as they are always useful. I also decided to look through the box of bits I have. You know the sorts of bits I mean, the playing about bits that never made it onto an actual project. I started with the piece of card background, then I found the fish which is a piece of caught in crystal technique. Another piece of ready made background was overstamped with the wave pattern, then the whole lot layered together. I added some clear jewels for the bubbles. I added another layer of acetate by stamping ginko leaves in stazon onto a border of acetate. I then used adriondrack pens to colour on the back. I cannot remember the last time I used these pens or the ginko leave stamp for that matter ! I did wonder whether the distress markers would work on acetate ? anyone know ? I added an eyelet then threaded some fibres through it to finish off. So there you go, why not look through your box of bits and see what you could put together. I shall be doing this again because I have lots of bits Lol. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

new stamps

Well so much for managing to blog on a more regular basis ! appologies. Its the six weeks ordeal, I mean holidays Lol so I am desperately trying to keep my three entertained. I did treat myself to some new goodies recently from Paper Artsy. I bought two sets of the Lynne Perella stamps and some fresco paints. So this is my first effort using them. I keep mucking about lately doing bits and pieces but cannot seem to finish anything by putting it together into a project. This card is very different for me as I cannot usually manage to do the whole multi layered thing as much as I admire them. I used a kraft card blank and have to say I really do like this card stock. I used my new paints in mermaid, beach hut and nougat to make a background with crafters workshop templates and some Tim Holtz stamps. Really like how it turned out. I wanted to stamp the Lynne Perella stamps onto a small tag to layer. I used a kraft coloured tag to paint onto. However, when it came to stamping onto it, the tag seems to be made out of something like sugar paper so all the ink bled. Not to worry though I just layered my images onto white card instead. I used an oil pastel crayon to outline the lady image to make her stand out more from the background. The layers didn`t turn out to be so hard after all, just layering down different strips of patterned paper till I was happy with the arrangement. I am quietly pleased with how it turned out in the end. Now I just need to find some precious time to make something else ! hope you all like x Lavinia

artful times challenge travel tag

well, I missed the last fornights challenge so thought I had better be a bit quicker with taking part in this one !. The challenge which you can find here is to make a travel themed tag. I seen to have loads of stamps with a venice theme so went with that. I have to confess that I have never actually been to Venice although it would be nice to go one day. I used distress inks in brushed corderoy, antique linen and tea dye to give a really aged look to my tag. Stamps used from Stampington and Oxford Impressions. It really did not take long to make this so why not give this a challenge a go ? Thanks for looking x Lavinia

arful times challenge - seaside

Well I have not fallen off of the earth, just everyday life getting in the way of crafting. I cannot believe we are in July already and still no sign of summer Lol. You may have noticed that I have tried to give my blog a facelift after admiring others arty backgrounds. The background is now lovely but I seem to have made a right pigs ear of everything else. I shall have to have another fiddle with it when I have a minute. I have not managed to take part in any challenges for weeks but the challenge over at Artful times which you can find here this fortnight is a seaside theme. I managed to sneak off tonight while husband finished off the dinner and the children were busy on the WII, hee hee. Hence my entry was quick and easy today for lack of time. I covered a postcard with some background paper with a vintage theme that I have had for ever. I pulled out two wooden stamps which are also very old, the ship image and the couple which is one of my favourite stamps. The ticket image peeping out was a craft stamper freebie which says free entry to fairyland hence I`ve covered most of it up ! I stamped with Ranger black archival onto Ranger speciality paper which gives a really crisp clear image. I`ve then watercoloured using the distress markers. Still not sure how I like the effect of the markers on this paper. The colours are very sutble which is what you want on a vintage type piece I guess. I used forest moss on the ladies dress and it has come out almost grey. I think I will experiment with using them on different types of watercolour paper and card to see which result I like best. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

less is more childrens

well, here we are with a different computer which has taken me all day to try and fathom out ! quick post then. The them over at less is more this week which you can find here is baby or childrens cards. I used Magnolia stamps for my card which never see the light of day nowadays. I got sidetracked into buying them before realising they weren`t really my style Lol not that there is anything wrong with them, I just cannot do the whole hundred layers of papers and embellishment thing. I used copics for my colouring. Better get a shuffle on now to link it before it closes !

Just to let you all know my blog will come to a halt for a bit. I turned on my computer this morning to scan in my card to blog and nothing. I think the moniter has gone kaput. I am blogging this from my daughters laptop but being technically challenged do not know how to connect all the printer and stuff to this one. So until I can get another computer up and running I may well be taking an enforced break from challenges for a while. I shall still visit them to keep up to date so I shall be there in spirit. It just never rains but it pours does it ? hope to get back into blogland soon x Lavinia

artful times birds

Over at the Artful times challenge blog which you can find here the theme is birds. Now I have a `thing` about bird stamps, I cannot resist buying them because I love them. However, all inspiration seems to have left me at the moment. All I seem to do these days is work and come home then go back to work again. Never mind, I did manage to make a tag although its not my finest hour. I used distress inks in chipped sapphire, tumbled glass and broken china for the background using the wrinkle free distress technique. I then oversponged using a crafters workshop pattern template , oh and a hero arts old french writing stamp. The bird image is from Chocolate Baroque stamped onto a piece of their patterned paper in versafine. I then sewed my flower and button onto the bottom. So thats my paltry effort this time round Lol hopefully the next challenge will see me more rested and refreshed. I could sooo do with a holiday. Thanks for looking x Lavinia