Future - Oxford Impressions

'Future'

I simply adore this new bird image from Oxford Impressions new 'Steampunk Works' plate. When I came across this red feather in my stash the other day I thought it would go perfectly with the bird image.

Stampotique - Not So Sweet Sixteen

'16'

Stampotique hosts design challenges twice a month and this is my first time participating in one. The theme 'Not So Sweet Sixteen', was indeed a challenge until I remembered the spider 'Mr Stripes' - it all looked a little too sweet 'til I added him to the mix.

I'm still having a ball with gesso and I've created this work on a piece of card literally ripped from the box on the way to the recycle bin this afternoon.

Happy Fathers Day

'Time'
Happy Fathers Day to my dear Dad. He is an absolute blessing to me in so many ways and I hope he has the loveliest of days today. He loves being 'Grandpa' to Sean and he's sure to have a delightful time with him today.


All images are from Oxford Impressions new rubber plate 'Steampunk Works'. This is such a fantastic plate to have to create masculine cards. As I've mentioned before, working with these images always bring back fond memories of my dear Poppa, tinkering and inventing away to his hearts delight.

Be Still - Destination Art

'Be Still'

Destination Art is hosting a twinchie swap this month and the theme is 'Bird Call'. I've used some Tim Holtz and Cavallini rubber to put this together, and totally loving the fact that my hands are covered in gesso!

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.