Taking Part // PTI August Blog Hop

I felt quite inspired when I saw the details of PTI's August Blog Hop and immediately started digging through my supplies. I had quite a clear picture in my head of what I wanted it to be, and here it is, it just feels a little 'off' and I'm not sure why (I can take constructive criticism in the comments)

(and I know, it's a terrible, terrible picture!) :) I stamped Stitches and Swirls on to a piece of felt using a light coloured permanent ink pad and then spent a couple of hours in front of a movie over stitching the stamp. I mounted it on to some raspberry fizz card and then on to a square of burlap. I stamped the sentiment and mounted it on foam pads. Thanks for looking!

Supplies: Stamps; Think Big Favourites 12, Stitches and Swirls (Papertrey Ink), Other; Felt and Burlap (Etsy)

Update: Here is a *marginally* better picture :)

On a roll...

I've really been enjoying my crafting time over the past few days, I think trying to enter different challenges is great to help kick start your creativeness.

Here is another entry for the Hero Arts challenge (I promise you it's the last one)

Supplies used:Stamp; Antique Engravings, Sky's the Limit (Hero Arts). Die Cut; Antique Engravings (Hero Arts/Silhouette America) Cardstock; Pool (Hero Arts)

and this one is for the Papercrafts Connection August Gallery Challenge,

Supplies used: Die Cut; Borders (Silhouette America/Jamie Koay) Tag (Papertrey Ink) Paper; Stella and Rose Hazel 6x6 (My Mind's Eye), Stamp; Tiny Tags 2 (Papertrey Ink) Other; Heart Button (Etsy)

Well, it's a Bank Holiday weekend here so I am off to make some more cards :) Hope you have a super weekend!

Make A Wish - Clean and Simple?

Here is another card that I am entering in to the Hero Arts monthly challenge. I have been playing around with my silhouette and saw this shape by Jenni Bowlin silhouette of a little girl holding a star. I initially wanted it to take the positive die cut and incorporate it into a card but found that I much preferred the negative. I am entering this as 'clean and simple' which doesn't seem to be my style, I just look at it and wonder if it's CAS enough?

This is the end result:

Supplies: Stamp; Classic Fabric Design Cling, Sky's the Limit Clear (Hero Arts). Ink; Picked Raspberry, Shaded Lilac and Salty Ocean, Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inks (Ranger). Die Cut; Whimsy Silhouette (Jenni Bowlin/Silhouette America).

It wasn't my first try, I made this card first,

I used the Envelope Pattern Background and black pen around the edges but i felt the pattern wasn't bold enough, but i'm happy i have 2 to use as i just love the die cut. Now I need to see what i can do with the positive image :)

Well, Hello there!

Is is hot where you are? It's 30 degrees in my garden and I am melting in the heat! Not the best time to be crafting, however I seem to have recovered a tiny sliver of my mojo (I cannot believe that the last time I created something was in March) and when the mood strikes, you just have to go with it!

I decided to enter a challenge as it's the best way to get the creative juices flowing. I chose to enter this month's challenge over on the Hero Arts Blog which is Clean and Simple style stamping, a sketch challenge or make your own embellishment.

I decided to go the 'make your own embellishment' route. I have had a pack of fimo sitting on my desk for ages, I had such grand plans for it, I was going to make my own cabochons, cameos and frames, all of which fell by the wayside and I'm left looking at this squidgy lump feeling completely uninspired. As the weather is balmy and where I would really rather be is at the beach I pulled out my 6x6 pack of Pink Paislee Nantucket papers and ephemera, my Hero Arts Antique Engraving stamps and came up with this:

As you can see i'm still a beginner when it comes to stamping into clay, here are a couple of LFMF (learn from my fail's)

1. Make sure your work surface is really clean. I run my finger along my craft mat, hmmm, seems clean, errr.....NOT. Always use a wet wipe
2. If it's hot where you are or you have really hot hands and the clay is sticky, let it rest and cool before stamping
3. ALWAYS protect the stamp by inking it up with your chosen colour or a versamark watermark pad....Why?
4. If you don't you will spend ages scraping clay out of all the tiny grooves and scrubbing it to within an inch of it's life. Like I said, LFMF ;)

I rubbed the shell over using a peach coloured Faber Castell Gelato and dusted it with Cosmic Shimmer Mango mica powder. I attached it to my prepared card base with a squidge of silicone glue.

Give me links to your favourite stamped clay embellishments in the comments?