It's a new month .... and there's a brand new challenge theme ....

Happy Friday folks!

Pinch and a punch for the first of the month!!  1st of May, it's the first Friday of the month .... so it's time for a new challenge over on the Craft Stamper Blog.
It's the turn of  'Take a Stamp' again this month so that means Anything Goes ..... as long as there's stamping on there somewhere.

It looks like you all enjoyed last month's challenge, to Use Colour ...... as always we had some fab entries.  You don't half make it difficult for the DT to choose our Design Winner!!

Back to this month though ...... and basically Anything Goes!  You just need to make sure you follow the challenge rules, there's not many (you'll find them on the Blog) and don't forget ....... there has to be some stamping on your project somewhere!!

Our sponsors this month are the fantastic WOW! Embossing Powders

And what a prize we have for you ...... a set of 6 Vintage Embossing Glitters in their own case, plus a beautiful Lace Design stamp

Fancy adding that to your craft stash ........ well here's a little something to hopefully inspire you to give this month's challenge a go ......

The weather has been so nice over here the last few weeks ..... I'm feeling quite summery hence the nice bright colours.
I used a piece of mixed media cardstock, wet it all over with water and then used some Distress Paints to add the colour ....... because the card is wet the colours blend so easily.  I started off with Picked Raspberry across the top, then into the gorgeous Abandoned Coral (I love this new colour!!!). Next came a touch of Scattered Straw, finishing off with Cracked Pistachio (another new favourite!) Speaking of new Distress colours ..... I wonder what this month will bring.  All will be revealed later today .... I wonder if it's a purple shade, or pink maybe ....... I can't wait!

I stamped the pretty butterfly from Tim Holtz's new Perspective stamp set onto the coloured card using Black Archival ink.  I then stamped them again, this time onto white cardstock, and embossed them using a clear powder

I then coloured them using the Distress Paints along with a little water.

Once everything was dry, I fussy cut the butterflies from the white card and attached them directly over the top of my stamped images on the coloured background ..... don't they stand out!

To finish off I added the perfect words .... from Wendy Vecchi .....

and a few paint splats using a wet brush and some white acrylic paint.

Not one to waste anything .... I even used up the bit I cut off my coloured card to add some interest to the inside ....

Now it's your turn ...... get out that stash and get stamping.  Remember ... it can be anything you like .... a card, altered art, a home decor piece, it's entirely up to you.  All we ask is that there's stamping on there somewhere.
You have until May 27th to get your entries in .... you've got to be in it to win it!!  Have fun and Good Luck!

Thanks for popping by .....enjoy the rest of your day and have a lovely Bank Holiday Weekend.  Are you doing anything nice?

Cheerio until next time

Linda

xx

Just a little reminder ....... the Take it Make it challenge is up and running

Happy Friday!

I can't believe it's the weekend again already!  Mind you, I do feel as though I've been going at 100 mph all week ... time to slow down and enjoy the weekend I think!

It's also time for a little reminder about the latest Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge ...... it's the turn of .... Take a Stamp this month and there's no specific theme, just anything goes, the choice is up to you.

As always there's a fab prize from our sponsor up for grabs.  This month it's from PaperArtsy .....

and the prize is a gorgeous set of Fresco Finish Paints .......

AND

a fabulous set of brand new stamp designs

Not forgetting there's also a prize for the Design Winner, chosen by the DT.  You can find all the details over on the Craft Stamper Blog

So ... have you entered yet?  No ........ then maybe this will inspire you to give it a go

Another of the results of me playing with my new Brushos for the background ....

Then I've simply stamped over the top using Black Versafine ink, and Penny Black's brand new cling stamp ......  effulgence.  I've then embossed the image with a clear fine detail powder

I added a touch of sparkle to the flowers using a Quickie Glue Pen and some fine crystal glitter, and then finished off with a sentiment (from Tim Holtz's new stamp set .... Perspective)

There's a touch of the design on the inside too

Feel like giving it a go ...... why not!  Need some more inspiration?  Then pop over to the Craft Stamper blog today and see what the rest of the Design team have been creating.
You've got until midnight on the 25th to get your entries in, so come on ........ have fun, and get stamping!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day and have a great weekend.  And if you're a Mum .... Happy Mothers' Day for Sunday

Cheerio until next time

Linda 

xx

Take a Stamp ..... it's Challenge time again!

Happy Friday folks!

This is a scheduled post (so fingers crossed it has gone live on Friday!!).  I'm currently across in the UK having fun on a craft retreat weekend down in Retford, Nottinghamshire run by the fabulous Kay Halliwell-Sutton from IndigoBlu.  I'll let you know what we all got up to when I get back!

It's the first Friday of the month, and you all know what that means ..... a brand new challenge over on the Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge Blog.

It's the turn of 'Take a Stamp' again this month .... no specific theme .... you can create whatever you like as long as there's actual rubber stamping on there.

Our challenge sponsor this month is the fabulous PaperArtsy .......

And the prize for the challenge winner is ......

A set of Lin Brown Limited Edition Paints

(how gorgeous are these colours!!)

 AND ......

a brand new release Darcy Wilkinson stamp set ..... oooh!!!

Don't forget .... there's also the Design Winner, chosen by the DT ...... they get their wining project featured in Craft Stamper magazine, they're invited to be a Guest Designer on a future challenge and ... they also have a Winner's Profile post on the blog!!  Not bad eh! ..... come on get those stamps out!

Here's a little bit of inspiration for you to get you started ......

I've used one of the fab new stamp sets from Mr Tim Holtz ........  the gorgeous Flower Garden .... love this set!

I'm also still playing with all the coloured card I've made using the Brushos.  I stamped the flower heads onto some of the coloured card and then fussy cut around each one

I then stamped the stems for the blooms, 2 directly onto a piece of white card cut to fit on the front of my finished project, and one on a separate piece of card and then fussy cut around this.  They were all coloured using  Distress ink and a little water.

I attached the fussy cut stem over the other two and then tied a piece of dyed bakers twine around all three.

Using a stencil and some co-ordinating Distress inks I added a bit more interest to the background around the stems

I attached the stamped flower heads onto the card, using foam pads on one of then to add a little dimension

and finished off with a sentiment, from another new Tim Holtz set ...... Perspective, coloured to match

The usual little touch on the inside too ....

This time the flower was coloured using Distress ink mixed with a little water, and a few drops splattered around the edge with a paintbrush to add the final touch.

Now it's your turn.  Go on ..... take a stamp, and create something fabulous!

You have until midnight on March 25th to get your entries in.  Check out the rules and challenge guidelines on the blog .... you'll also find more fabulous inspiration on there today from the rest of the DT.  You never know, you could be our next winner ....... have fun and get stamping!!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day and have a great weekend ...... I know I'm going to!

Cheerio until next time

Linda

xx