Stuck On You...

I`ve been itching to show off what I did using a new (to me LOL) stamping surface called STAMPBORD. Yes, I know it`s been around for quite a while, but this is the first time I`ve actually played with some, thanks to SARAH, who gifted me a great assortment of pieces a little while ago as a RAK (thank you SARAH). She also happened to have a link to THIS great STAMPBORD competition up on her challenge blog (INKURABLE STAMPERS) so I thought I would have a go. The Stampbord website has a great, easy to follow "how-to" page, & there`s also a variety of very inspiring samples up in their gallery & there is also a "Featured How-To" page (Sarah has a great LO there) Anyway, because I entered the competition, I haven`t been able to show my entry until now (the winning entries have been announced HERE) & I`m so happy to say that I`m one of four mini prize WINNERS (insert happy dance here!!!!) So, if there`s a lesson to be learnt here, it is this: Don`t be afraid to play, have a go, you may just win something, & even if you don`t win, you`ll have fun trying, AND you`ll end up with some cool magnets LOL :)

You can click HERE if you want to find out how I made these...

& if you want to find out more about some great alternatives to plain ol`canvas, visit AMPERSANDART, click on "products" & have a look at some of the gorgeous projects artists have created.

As always, thank you for visiting me, & I wish you a very creative week, B4N :)

A New Challenge

Sarah over at INKURABLE STAMPERS has set up a great new Gothic arch challenge which will run for the rest of the year, you can read more about it HERE. & the theme for the first Gothic arch is butterflies, which you can read about HERE .

The top photo shows my Gothic arches (I used the template for a triptych card from HERE ) all ready & waiting for the themes, & this is the one I finished last night, I had to ask DD to hold the arch for me to photograph it, thanks darling :*

After tracing the design onto heavy card, I covered it with an old book page, painted the b`ground with white acrylic paint, inked the edges, stamped the swirls (Sculpey texture sheet) & the face (My Stamps) Added the b`flies (Darkroom Door) which were stamped onto painted cs, cut out & mounted). The sentiment is from a red rubber butterfly plate (?) & I added the tiny rhinestones to the lower corner. This is my very first Gothic arch, & I have to say I`m so happy with how it turned out, I can`t wait to see what the other themes will be! Sarah has created a Flickr group HERE where the arches can be uploaded. You can join in at any time, so if you`re like me & haven`t made one of these before, why not have a play : )

Welcome 2010

CAUTION: LONG POST AHEAD :)

Welcome to a brand new decade, I know I`m a little late updating my blog, but as the old sayng goes, "better late than never".

It`s school holidays here ATM, so not much crafting happening, plus the heat over the last few days has been quite annoying! But enough about the weather :)

DD has been invited to a couple of sleep-over b`day parties, so while she was busy getting her things ready last night, I had the chance to join in this month`s brand new theme over at INKURABLE STAMPERS (where I was lucky enough to win one of the fabulous prizes, for the colour challenge with my party cones , thank you Sarah)

A few months back the theme was "By the Sea" & I made THIS mermaid using a template from THE ENCHANTED GALLERY (a great resource for paperdoll templates!) so I went back & downloaded a different mermaid to make her into a bookmark.

So, here she is, complete with navel jewellery (hard to see, but it`s there LOL)

After tracing all the pieces onto cream coloured cs, I used various images on her arms & torso (by Technique Tuesday & Oxford Impressions), & attached them using tiny brads. I added some beads by sewing them onto her neck as well as onto her wrist. Her "hair" was cut out from a printed book page, & painted with acrylic paint & KG. I like my mermaids to be a bit on the conservative side LOL, so I added a couple of butterflies (Non Sequitor,from my scraps box) to cover her bossom.

Her tail was painted with silver paint, stamped using THIS set of DARKROOM DOOR stamps (part of my prize pack for taking part in DRD Flickr challenge, thank you Rachel) as well as some Victoria`s Secret stamps, using royal purple StaZon ink, & highlighted with a white Souffle pen. I added a little chalk to her arms & her cheeks, & she kind of reminds me of Cher (must be the purple hair LOL) If you look very closely, you`ll see there`s a tiny purple rhinestone where her belly button should be (DD`s idea, thanks darling) She`s approx. 11" long (or should that be 11" tall?) & she will reside happily-ever-after in my currently-being-read book from now on :)

There`s heaps happening over at INKURABLE STAMPERS, including a new prize structure (if you haven`t had a go at the challenges before, this is a great time to take part, as there`s a prize for newbies as well as for domestic AND international entries, so go & check it out HERE And if you`re looking for something a little different there`s also THIS starting this coming Sunday, & I can`t wait to see what the theme will be.

On another note, I also managed to finish my ATCs for THIS swap, but I`ll share when I get my returns back...

& I just got an email from LEESA about THIS competition, so if you have a little time to play, why not join in?

And just what I need to get me scrapping again, this is the prize pack I received on the 24th of December from DARKROOM DOOR, thank you so much Rachel. You`ve heard it from me before, & here it is again: You`ve got to be in it to win it, so go & create something, have fun & play along, & USE that stash, you know you want to!!!!!!

So in conclusion,thank you for reading this far, & Happy New Year/Decade, & as always, thank you for visiting my humble "palace"