Merly Impressions Scrapbook Challenge Feb 2014

The challenge on the Merly Impressions blog this month is to use stamps & stamping.  You can check out the challenge for yourself HERE.  The blog is full of inspiration.

I found this old photo of my nana, Elsie with her sisters.  I don't know their names or when this was taken, I'll be checking with my Mum later to see if she can shed any light on this.

I started with a white piece of 12 x 12 card stock, then applied pink and cream paint, in my usual random messy style.  It was a bit too 'fresh' for the photograph, so I slapped on some bronze, but that made the paper too dark for my liking, so out came the gesso and sponges/swiped that over the background till I was happy.  I'm very impatient so all the layers of paint were still wet while I was playing around with colour.  

Its all about the stamping and I think I went a bit stamp mad!!  Using bronze ink, I stamped the lace border for the base of the photo and then I went mad with some gold ink and my old favourite a crackle stamp, its so well used its split in places.  I've no idea where I got it from.  Back to the bronze ink and a swirly stamp for the rest of the border around the photo and the edges of the card stock.  I've used a kind of scribble stamp to further edge the card stock border.  

  For the final touch of stamping, I cut out some stamped and heat embossed butterflies onto old music paper, then smooched them over with a distress ink before stamping the butterflies onto the layout and overlaying with the cut outs.  I think the butterfly at the top should be a bit higher but its stuck down now!!

TFL  Lou x

The Craft Barn Q&L Challenge

Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave me a comment, very much appreciated.  This fortnight the Craft Barn challenge words are "Miss" and/or "Strong".  You can check out the challenge  HERE.

Sticking with my Affirmation Cards, I picked the quote:

"Love is Life, if you miss love then you miss life."

Dictionary pages have been used for the background, I've painted the background with cream and lilac paint, then  used chalk pastels to add pink and white highlights.  The heart was stencilled on using chalk pastels and the heart beat stencilled using ink.  

TFL  Lou x

Silence & Dazzle The Craft Barn Q&L challenge.

Firstly, I'd like to thanks those who take the time to leave a comment, its appreciated.

Silence and/or Dazzle are the words this fortnight.  Dazzle is such a fabulous word but I  couldn't find an appropriate dazzle quote or lyric for my affirmation card.  Check out the challenge and other fabulous entries HERE.

"In the silence I rediscover who I am" 

by John Francis, an American Environmentalist

Paint, tissue and stamping.

TFL  Lou x

Craft Barn Q&L Challenge.

Happy New Year To One and All.

The Craft Barn has a new challenge for 2014, you can check out the challenge and other fabulous entries HERE.  What is Q&L I hear you ask, its Quotes & Lyrics.  And to kick of 2014, there first Q&L is to create a piece of art work using a quote or song lyrics with SMILE and/or UP.  I've decided to create a series of affirmation cards, I'm trying out 3"x4" for size, we'll see how I get on.  My quote

"Peace starts with a Smile" by Mother Teresa

Any excuse to use my buddha stamp.  The base has been built up with layers of old text, maps, music sheet papers then gesso'd and finally coloured with chalk pastels.  The Buddha was stamped onto tissue paper and then applied with Golden matte medium.

TFL  Lou x

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge - letter S

Not many weeks left before a new challenge will start; this fortnight we have letter S to play with.   Check out the Craft Barn challenge HERE, lots of fabulous pages to check out :).

Was thinking Snwflakes or Snowmen as they are a current favourite but as usual, it never quite pans out like that!! I was rummaging around for some festive snowflake confetti and I stumbled across some really old Egyptian stamps.......along came another thought....... lets do a SCARAB beetle Egyptian style.

The background is smooched with gold paint and a pearlised blue ink, I used my Egyptian stamps to create a border.  I made my own Scarab stencil and mask, using black and purple inks to add colour.  

It looked better without being coloured in but its too late now.  

The sun is a mix of orange, red and gold paint.

Had fun using my new stencil cutting hot pen, I'm sure practice will make perfect!!

TFL

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge : letter Q

Over at The Craft Barn the alpha challenge continues with the tricky letter Q.  There is a great wealth of ideas and inspiration there, its all well worth a look.

After must procrastination  I've gone with QUISQUILIAN .  As a big fan of recycling, I took the opportunity to create a page from items in my recycling box, mainly envelopes and cardboard.  The transformation reminded me of butterflies.

 QUISQUILIAN - consisting of rubbish

TFL Lou x

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge Letter N

I really appreciate you all stopping by and having a closer look at my pages.  Thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave me a comment.

The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge can be found here, its well worth a look at all the other entries past and present, there is a wealth of great inspirational work out there.

Time has flown by, I've missed the deadline for the letter L, but managed to tackle this weeks new letter N today.  No faffing , no procrastinating just straight in with my design idea.

NONES : Prayers at 3pm.   

I painted the background in a fawn colour.  I used black gesso to stencil the clock and painted in the silhouette.  There is obviously a theme going on;  thought I'd still share my take on the letter L with you, you'll see what I mean :) .

Leadlights - Decorative windows made with clear glass supported in lead canes; 

a more simple version of the coloured Stained Glass windows.

The blue and green is supposed to be the sky and trees through the clear glass :)

TFL  Lou x