WS - School Days

'Courage'
How courageous are you feeling today? Do you truly feel free to be yourself and to express yourself in artistic ways? I'm not sure that I always do. I believe it not only takes courage, but time to become who you really are... fear of failure or rejection can be a huge hurdle to overcome. I know my faith in God and the belief that He has a plan and a purpose that is unique for me (and each of our lives) allows me to draw strength and courage to continue to carry on in what is sometimes a rather crazy world.

Wednesday Stamper's theme this week is'School Days' and I immediately reached for Oxford Impression's plate of stamps 'School Days'. Aren't these two little school kids adorable? Just like the twenty I work with each school day :)

Tag Tuesday - Butterflies

'Dream Flight'
A great friend of mine is off to Europe next week with her husband and they will be travelling to Paris. I'm pretty sure it's her first time out of the country, so I'm hoping she has a 'dream flight' over and the most amazing holiday ever!


I'm a little green with envy, but so excited for her!

Tag Tuesday's challenge this theme is 'Butterflies' and Louise has made a gorgeous butterfly tag book. Check it out here. Stamp images are all by Tim Holtz and the gorgeous butterfly is ARTchix.

Emerging

'Emerging'
Spring is nearly here! The thought of the nearness of Spring, the promise of new emerging buds and blossoms, warmer skies and longer days has brought inspiration for this postcard. I'm loving these new Paperbag Studios stamps from the Doodles and Daters plate.

There's quite a bit of shimmery glimmer mist in the background and the clouds have been highlighted with a white gel pen. I had fun playing with wire, twigs and flowers to make these buds!

Stamping with soft muted ink colours has helped great further depth to the background. Can you see the tinsiest piece of fabric?

NEW Paperbag Studios Stamps

'Creative Souls'

Paperbag Studios have just released a new plate of stamps called 'Doodles and Daters'. I love each of the three houses on this plate and have created this postcard using them all! I used a number of ARTchix Studios 'creative souls' from their collage sheet 'Mini Chix'. I've been wondering what these ladies might get up to behind closed doors. Perhaps they dance, paint, act or design costumes. What do you get up to when no one's looking?

'Doodles and Daters' by Paperbag Studios

Can you see those gorgeous women who are already indoors? I wonder what creative treasures they're coming up with!

Wednesday Stamper's theme this week is 'stitched' which fits nicely with this postcard, with it's stitched (stamped) lawn!

The Explorer - Oxford Impressions

'The Explorer'

I'm having loads of fun playing with Oxford Impressions new plate 'Steampunk'! This fella is heading off on a long journey from Paris (postmark stamp is from 'April In Paris) to Italy, then to London and all the way over to New York. Think I might hitch a ride with him!

The Inventor - Oxford Impressions

'The Inventor'

The new Oxford Impressions unmounted plate 'Steampunk' arrived this week and I've been looking forward to working with it this weekend. I was pleased to see that the theme over at Wednesday Stamper is 'In The Sky', so I had double inspiration to complete my first piece with this fabulous range of stamps.


I've piled up a couple of smaller images on the top hat as well as adding a small 'screw' brad to add a touch of metal. As I was working away on this piece, I recalled fond memories of my dear Poppa, who loved to tinker and invent things in his workshed. I especially loved the 'under the house' work shed! Although I was a bit scared to go visit him there, as it was a bit dark and creepy, I now appreciate how he must have loved his little haven - a wonderful place to play and experiement and fix things. He collected bits and bobs in his little tabacco tins, some of which I still have and treasure. Perhaps I take after him a little as I love to collect things... you never know when you might need them!

'Steampunk'
The Steampunk unmounted plate is available now at Oxford Impressions.

WS - Wild Animals

'Adventure'

It's all about 'Wild Animals' over at Wednesday Stamper this week. I've finally inked up these great images from the Tim Holtz Collection 'Life Adventure'. There's also a small piece of film strip by Tim Holtz, word stamp by Making Memories and butterfly by Collections.

I have a friend who loves Africa and it's her birthday tomorrow, so this card is heading her way!

Always Paris

'Always Paris'

Look at all of this wonderful lace and those beautiful mother of pearl buttons... they were a surprise gift in the mail today from my friend Trish. The lace was just the inspiration I needed to complete my piece for Sunday Art Postcard with the theme being 'Paris'.



All stamped images are from Oxford Impressions 'April In Paris' plate.

Thanks for the inspiration Trish! xo

Cupid

'Cupid'
I'm really enjoying playing around with the 'Bonbon' plate by Oxford Impressions!!! The images all work wonderfully together... but after working with this plate all I want to do is go off and get some handmade chocolates... and I know just the place to go!

Be Mine

'Be Mine'

Here's another 4" x 4" created with some more gorgeous images from Bonbon by Oxford Impressions.

Wind Farm

Late afternoon at the wind farm...

and an awesome sunset

With Joel :)

4x4 Friday - Ornate

'Hot Chocolate'

Ornate is such a cool theme and it's found over at 4x4 Friday. It's the first time I've participated in one of their challenges. I've been playing with my new 'Bonbon' plate by Oxford Impressions while making this card.

'Bonbon'

Hmmmm, after finishing this piece all I can think about Hot Chocolate!!!

Oxford Impression's 'FARM BOY'

I'm most excited to announce that I have been invited to join the Oxford Impessions Design Team. OI has just released a new stamp plate called 'Farm Boy'. As I know one of the cutest little farm boys ever, it has been a pure delight to work with such a great set of stamps. This set also works beautifully with OI's 'Country Girl' plate and I have included a couple of these images in the work that follows.

'Baby Chicks' Postcard

'Organic Eggs' ATC

'Seed Company' Postcard

Speaking of cute my cute little farm boy, here's come photo's of Sean, taken on Easter Sunday.

Sean, Lambo and Freddo

Time for a walk!

Leaning Post

Look!!!

'Farm Boy'

SPA - Bunny People and WS - Trees

'Wonderland'

Oh, I didn't know if I was going to be able to participate in the current challenge over at Sunday Postcard Art because I didn't think I had an image to fit the theme of 'Bunny People' and then I happened upon the perfect 'bunny person' in amongst the fabulous images from the 'Wonderland' plate by Oxford Impressions - Alice image is from OI's 'Classic Alice' plate. I hope you enjoy the quirkiness of this piece - Alice wearing a cake on her head, a royal teapot that pours fresh flowers and a topiary tree that grows keys! And 'It would be so nice if something made sense for a change' don't you think?!

Speaking of trees that grow keys - the theme at Wednesday Stamper is 'Trees' so I guess I've completed something for that challenge too!

Tag Tuesday - Happy Days

'Happy Days'

Tag Tuesday's current challenge is 'Sketch'. Louise has created a 'tag sketch template' to follow. I thought this would be a great opportunity to work with yesterday's twinchie and make a tag!

Twinchie - Innocence

'Innocence'

The theme at Small World of Inchies and Twinchies is 'Numbers'. I've had a lovely time playing with some new stamps from Darkroom Door's 'Art De Fleur' collection. The numbers are by Paperbags Studios from the 'Scrap & Journal Tools' rubber sheet. To finish it off I've used this lovely image from ARTchix studio 'Mini Mix' for the focal point.

Extraordinary

'Extraordinary'

I've just had the most wonderful mini break this weekend... so restful and fun. I spent quite some time in the car alone driving to each destination with loads of time to think and I guess the one word that sums up how I'm feeling today after all my thinking would be 'thankfulness'.

So it's Valentine's Day today and despite the fact that I think every day should be a day where we 'love one another'... I do want to thank those people who love and accept me for who I am - I am ever so thankful for each one of you... it can be a difficult day for those of us that do not have a significant other in our lives... but I am constantly reminded that I really am never alone, for the Father in heaven promises to be with me always and He has blessed me with some extraordinary people in my life that encourage and care for me.

I dedicate this piece 'Extraordinary' to a dear Christian lady, Anna who shaped my life in some very significant ways when I was a young teacher. She has had a very difficult path to walk in the past number of years, but I can picture her now rejoicing in heaven with her Lord and Saviour. Thank you Anna for being a true blessing to me and so many others.

Family

'Smith Family'

I love the sentiment on the image 'Being There' by Paperbag Studios ...'Family means putting your arms around each other and being there'.


I am very definitely hooked on the WIRED challenge at Paperbag Studios at the moment... This time I beaded wire to make a hanger and...


an embellishment. You've just got to love that luscious French velvet trimmed ribbon!!!

So wrap your arms around your loved ones and BE THERE for them!

WS - The Past

'Every Life'

The current theme at Wednesday Stamper is 'The Past'. I've been waiting for just the right time to play with the 'Siblings' stamp by Paperbag Studios and as it turned out the WS theme was the perfect opportunity!


Here's a list of all the other PBS rubber I've used to create this piece: 'The Story', 'Lace', 'Ruler', 'Buttons' and 'Knowing'.


And yes, I'm playing with wire once again. This time entwining buttons into the hanger. Don't forget the 'WIRED' challenge at Paperbag Studios for February!

'WIRED' - Paperbag Studios Feb Stamp Challenge

The February Stamp Challenge has been announced over at Paperbag Studios and I have the wonderful privilege of being the host this month :)

The challenge is to embellish/enhance PBS stamped artwork with WIRE. You can use wire to hand make your own embellishments, to create wired hangers, combine beads with wire, or in any other way that takes your fancy.

Please visit the PBS blog for further details.

'Believe'
Here I've handmade wire daisies and painted them black. PBS rubber featured: 'Audrianna' and 'Believe'

'Dream'
I've created a wire hanger with some lovely teal wire and a rusty nut and screw. PBS rubber features: 'Decide', 'Ruled Alpha', 'Holed Punch' and 'Journal Impressions' rubber sheet.


I challenge you to 'get wired' and show me what you can do with a piece of wire!

Happy creating :)