Be Still

'Be Still'

Grungy Monday 08 has encouraged me to explore yet another new technique... Tim Holtz' Brushless Watercolour... I had read about it and loved the effect, but hadn't actually ever got around to trying it!  So here's my first go at brushless watercolour... 

The Paper Play challenge this week is Blossoms & Blooms and I've handmade the flower in the bottom corner of this card.  This is a new challenge site to me - yay!

I've kept the embellishing for this card very simple and neutral.  I plan to play around with this technique a whole lot more - it's so easy and a lot of fun!

Published - Fly Away

'Fly Away' as seen in Cardmaking Stamping & Papercraft Vol 17 No 3

I used some of my favourite Stampington stamps on this card :)

Special Delivery - Inspiration Emporium Challenge

'Special Delivery' by Sue Smith

Inspiration Emporium is challenging it's participants to use packaging in their creations this month.  Prima package their products beautifully and so I decided to use a section of a 'Say It In Crystals' packet as the background to this piece.  To this I've added gesso, stamping and some lovely ARTchix collage imagery.  To add at bit of glamour and bling there's some Prima crystals/lace and various ribbon to finish it off!

Solitude - Every Inchie Monday

'Silence and Solitude'  Inchie 

I haven't managed to join the Every Inchie Monday challenges very regularly so far this year, but I looked at the up-coming theme over the weekend and this weeks theme, 'Solitude' spoke to me.  It was a weekend full of solitude and some silence... quite blissful really... I managed finish some projects and catch up on a bit of sleep.

What do you like to do in solitude and silence... there's nothing much better than curling up on a comfy chair with a good book (and some chocolate) is there?!

Chocolat - Inkurable Stampers

'Chocolat' ATC

'Food Glorious Food' is the scrumptious challenge at Inkurable Stampers this month. 

I've stamped images from Darkroom Door's Champs Elysee stamp set on coffee stained card using VersaFine Onyx Black and Vintage Sepia ink to create the background.  I then affixed two chocolate images from Darkroom Door's Sweet Treats Montage with a scrap of lace and machine stitching.  Finally I stamped a section of the postcard address stamp over part of the larger chocolate image with Onyx Black ink and added a section of black German scrap along bottom edge of ATC as the finishing touch.  Note:  It pays to heat set VersaFine ink as you're working to ensure it's fully dry won't smudge.

Now to hunt down some chocolate at my house - that is the next challenge :)

Horizons - TPDCC82

'Horizons' Postcard

The photograph below is the inspirational palette for The Play Date Cafe Challenge #82



I really loved the colour palette and those scrumptious suitcases lead me towards creating the travel themed postcard.  There's nothing like venturing towards new horizons/destinations, but after a great adventure it is always wonderful to return home! 

All stamped images are Tim Holtz, the collage pieces are all from ARTchix Studio and the words are by Collections.

Poppies - Grungy Monday 07

 'I Love You' ATC



Grungy Monday on a Saturday morning... what fun!  Grungy Monday's 07 challenges us to use the Tim Holtz Distress Ink Colour Block technique.

'Illuminate' ATC

I have a very limited collection of Distress inkpads, so that helped me to quickly decide upon the colour palette I would be working with (and created a great desire to increase my inkpad collection)!  I enjoyed playing with this colour block technique, as it was a quick and easy way to create a unique background.  'I Love You' is pure distress ink colour, but I added a wash of coffee to the 'Illuminate' ATC.

All stamped images are Tim Holtz, the gorgeous collage images are from ARTchix Studio and words are from Collections.

Spool Posy - TPDCC81

Spool Posy by Sue Smith

The Play Date Cafe Challenge 81  found it's inspiration in the colours found on the wallpaper shown below.

I really loved the colours found in the wallpaper and the floral imagery.  At first, I was tempted to try and do some stitching, but in the end the wooden spool sitting on my desk caught my eye and I thought I'd spruce it up with a little posy.  I thought this little spool posy could make a great gift topper!

I've used some Hero Arts flower stamps, along with some paper flowers, florist wire and silk ribbon.  The spool was coated in Distress Stain (Weathered Wood) and I then wrapped some TH tissue tape around the spool and topped it off with silver glitter.

Paris - Grundgy Monday 06

'Paris' by Sue Smith

Grungy Monday 06 is revisiting a Tim Holtz' technique from the past found here! 

All stamped images are Tim Holtz and the lovely ladies are from an ARTchix Studio collage sheet.

Extraordinary - SDC30

'Extraordinary' by Sue Smith

I have this fixation, at present, to recycle used envelopes in art work and so, when I saw that the Stampotique Designers Challenge 30 is Recycle, I knew just where I'd start... it's a little hard to see, but the envelope is torn open at the lower left corner and the piece that's missing is now in the top right corner.  I've also stamped on recycled photocopied paper, used a section of a Cadbury's chocolate cover (the elipse with the button and the elipse under the word 'extraordinary'), as well as staining some of the paper with coffee used in a previous project (I actually don't drink coffee!).  The button is an op-shop find, the word from an old book and the polka dot paper left over from a cardmaking project.

Lots of recycling as well as a chance to develop a little more confidence with watercolour paint... all in all I had a lot of fun doing this piece and especially loved using these wonderful Stampotique images :)

For You

For You (Moo)

Yesterday I had to tidy up before I got started on some ATC's for a swap I'm participating in this month.  These bits were still lying around after The Play Date Cafe Challenge #80, so I put together this little moo using up the scraps... it took me much longer than I thought it would, but I just couldn't throw these tiny bits away!

I was also thrilled to see that I made The Fab 4 at The Play Date Cafe with my Treasure Bag :)  As seen in the post below.



Treasure - TPDCC80

'Treasure' by Sue Smith

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #80 is inspired by the photo below... red, orange and white...

I've recycled a white paper bag to create a gift bag.  It could be filled with a voucher or a small treasure or two!  Stamped images are by Tim Holtz and Stampington.

TMTA - Washi Tape

'Beautiful' by Sue Smith

'Washi Tape' is the current challenge over at Think Monday Think ATC this week.  I happily possess a little collection of washi tape and really enjoy working with it.  I've used some Tim Holtz washi paper in this ATC, but it's pretty well camouflaged by ink and stamps.  The easiest piece to see is just under the butterfly.  All stamped images are also by Tim Holtz.

I nearly gave up on this ATC... the background got very muddy last night and I didn't think I'd be able to rescue it... but sometimes it pays to walk away and try again the next day. 

Romancing the Paper: Tutor Rachel Emilie Jackson

Cover

Way back in January, I mentioned to you how excited I was to be participating in a Crescendoh Creative Lab being tutored by Rachel Emilie Jackson called...

'Romancing the Paper'

I started off well, completing each class for the first few weeks and then school recommenced and I just didn't manage to get back to it with all my own lesson planning and organising to do.  When the recent school holidays started, I knew I wanted to get back to the classes I hadn't completed and finally make my pamphlet book.

Here it is... all finished!

Pages 2 & 3

Pages 4 & 5

Pages 6 & 7

I have learned so many new techniques in this class and would highly recommend it to anyone that admires Rachel's beautiful romantic style.

Alsteel Green

'Alsteel Green' ATC

Here's an ATC I put together last week for a one-for-one swap.  It was my choice of theme and I'm still so hooked on 'Steampunk' that I couldn't go past it and also wanted to put those gorgeous Oxford Impressions Steampunk Works stamp set to work once again.

Country Roses - TMTA

'English Rose' by Sue Smith

Yardley English Rose - I have a fond, yet faded childhood memory, of purchasing this perfume for my mother (or with my mother?) in a lovely department store, that is sadly no longer to be found on the main street where I live.  I do believe it was David Jones, but as I say it's a faded memory.

In my mind's eye, I still see this bottle sitting in pride of place on her dressing table and it's perfume was thrilling to me!  I'd sneak into my parents bedroom from time to time to have a whiff of this wonderful scent :)  And I still remember the delight when Mum wore it!

 I remember her coming into my Year Five classroom one day, dressed to the nines, and the boy sitting next to me commenting to me about her perfume!  My mother loved perfume and she had quite a collection. As I grew older I delighted in being allowed to share from her collection! 

Oh, how wonderful memories can be so simply triggered - the challenge at Think Monday Think ATC is 'Parfum-Fragrance' this week and from their challenge this little memory has come to light!  All stamped images are from Oxford Impressions 'Fairest Flower' rubber stamp plate and the lace edging is another op-shop find from these holidays :)

It's nearly Mothers Day in my part of the world... sometimes a sad and difficult time for me.  As my mother and grandmothers have passed from this world, all I can think about is how much I miss them.  They each have an influence on who I am and how I live and I'm thankful for the treasured memories I have of each one.
 
I hope for you that this Mothers Day will be a celebration and time of treasuring and remembering.  As for me, I shall dry my tears, splash on some perfume and seek out some other comforting memories of these amazing women.



Secret Place - Inspiration Emporium

'Secret Place' - ATC by Sue Smith

Yes, another new challenge site that I discovered today, thanks to Shelley Hickox.  Thanks Shelley!

Inspiration Emporium's first challenge requires you to use any shaped fragment you wish.  I was really pleased because I actually had some Tim Holtz fragments on hand!  Having never opened the packet before, I knew this would be just the motivation I needed to use one, as well as inking up this new set of Tim Holtz stamps for the first time.  The red buttons we a op-shop find in the holidays too!

Live - TPDCC79

'Live'

I've been checking out The Play Date Cafe for quite some time - it's full of inspiration!  Their current challenge is 'Red Lime Grey' as seen in the photograph below!

What a colour combination!!!  I think the texture of the velvet on the cushions also attracted me to this challenge.  Anyway as I sat to consider where to start I knew I wanted to use this set of Tim Holtz stamps which had not seen ink 'til today.  I was having a bit of a tidy up and came across a lime green tea bag cover that also had a tiny touch of red :)  The hardest things to find were the grey tonings, as I always think it's a bit too much like cement and I steer away from using it!  One of my friends adores grey, she raves about it and it's so I've been warming to the idea of having a play with it.  This challenge has enabled me to give grey a chance and you know what, I do actually like it!