Thank Moo tag

Good Morning everyone

Today I have a little tag I made for my brother which I added to some beer and chocolate to say thank you for running me to hospital and back

I had this cow stamped out from a previous project, she was stamped in navy ink onto cream, I added a little more colour by watercolouring with distress inks and then cut her out.  Yes she is a she as she looks like my dads old cow noddy with her tongue stuck out😁 and yes female cows can have horns, naturally they have horns so they can protect their young, although these days they are usually de-horned as calves which I think is why many think only the males (Bulls) have horns

In my scrap drawer I found a blue tone and soft green tone paper which I die cut with a smaller tag, i then tore the edges of the green paper to give a grass like effect and added to the bottom of the blue.  All edges inked with stormy sky distress ink.

I added the cow into place with pinflair glue gel.  The sentiment is a mix of 2 different stamps, one said happy birthday to moo, so i added tape over the part of the stamp I didn't want, inked up, removed the tape and stamped, so I got a clean crisp 'Moo' I then did the stamp with a Thank you stamp, masking the 'you' with tape, inking up, removing tape and stamping next to the 'moo'

I punched a hole and added some bakers twine to finish

On the back of the tag I added a pocket using a piece of the green paper used on the front, i cut it to size, inked the edges and then added glue to the bottom and two sides only, leaving the top adhesive free.  This allowed me to add a little fuel money in for my brother as well.  A gift card would also fit nicely in this little pocket.

Items Used:

Katzelkraft stamp SOLO180 'Portrait de Vache'

Sentiment stamps

Tag dies

Distress Inks - peacock feathers, stormy sky, dried marigold & wild honey

scraps of patterned paper

CraftUk ltd cream cardstock

Thank you all for popping by today. Start of the summer holidays now so will be getting some crafting in with my nieces hopefully. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://tag-alongandatc.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-in-gardenag.html

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https://lovethoseprettypapers.blogspot.com/2025/07/atg-using-pretty-patterned-paper-july.html

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https://girlzmakesguyzcards.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-29-alles-mag-mannen-anything.html

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https://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-180-masculine.html

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July #2 Sun, sea & sand

Good Morning everyone

Mid way through July so time for another post for We love stamping where the theme is 

SUN, SEA &/OR SAND

We always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping as the main elements.

So plenty of options to go with.  Last time I went with more of a seaside image, this time i have gone deep under the sea using this lovely octopus stamp from Pink Ink.

8x6" white card base.  I first created a background with green brushos and pixie powders, once it was dry i stamped the octopus and turtles onto it using navy blue ink and cut them out, i used a paint pen to add details to the octopus for his suckers etc.. I stamped the shells onto scraps of inked papers and cut out.

As Im trying to use up old papers I found an old bobunny pad with a beach theme - I took a white paper with blue foil printed seaside words and inked over the top with blue distress inks so it looked more water like than the stark white it was - the foiling resisted the ink.  I took a sandy printed paper and torn along the top edge, i added this over the water and matted them onto navy card and then the base card.  

I then added the octopus, turtles and shells with pinflair glue gel. 

Sadly the photos don't pick up the shimmer of the mica in the octopus, but it is lovely when the light hits it and the blue foiled words in the background

Items Used:

Pink Ink designs stamp 'pinky inky'

Bobunny paper pad (ancient) 'boradwalk'

Brusho powders - lime, seagreen, emerald green

Cosmic shimmer pixie powders - red and peacock

Distress Inks tumbled glass, cracked pistachio, salty ocean

Posca white & pastel paint pens

The prize this month is this beautiful set from Lisa Horton

so do hop over to We love stamping to join in 

If the sun, sea & sand theme isn't for you then we always have the anything stamping goes, show us how creative you can be with a stamped image, outline digi-stamps also accepted.

I can't believe how fast July is going and next week we will be into the school holidays once again! Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://stampsfun-creativity.blogspot.com/2025/06/479.html - in the water theme

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https://neglectedstuff.blogspot.com/2025/07/neglected-stuff-july-2025-challenge.html - paper pad 8+ yrs old, stamp 4+ both not used in ages

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https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/inspiration-station-challenge-july-2025.html - inspired by the sand, sea and green

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-96.html

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July WLS #1 - sun, sea & sand

Good Morning everyone

Gosh the months are flying by, its time for a new challenge We Love Stamping with the theme this month chosen by me is

SUN, SEA &/OR SAND

So plenty of options there but if thats not for you we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping

I dug out a very old chocolate baroque stamp set with these fab seagulls which is very apt as as the seagulls which nest on my roof spend most of their time sat on the washing line posts in the garden.  In the heat the chicks have fallen off the roof so inhabiting the back garden so its a no go zone for now unless you like being dive bombed😁

6x4.5" card.  I first stamped the seagull image onto white card and then the poem beside it using dark blue ink.  I die cut into a fancy rectangle, this is a very old spellbinders die but i thought the edge had a bit of a rope effect look to it.  I then watercoloured the scene with distress inks.  Once dry i stencilled on the sun with lemonade distress oxide ink, keeping it soft around the poem.  I stamped the seagulls a 2nd time, watercoloured and cut out the posts and seagulls and decoupaged onto the base image with pinflair glue gel for a little dimension.  Added a few white gel pen highlights.

Then adhered to a kraft card base card, I went with kraft card as once again felt it picked up on the theme. 

The poem reads

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be dented; and all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, and the flung spray and the blown spune, and the sea-gulls crying.

Items Used:

Chocolate Baroque stamp set 'seashell collage'

Spellbinders die set S5-217 'Valiant honor'

Sheena Douglass 8x8 stencil 'sunrays'

Distress Inks  tumbled glass, salty ocean, chipped sapphire, vintage photo, wild honey, aged mahogany

Distress Oxide 'squeezed lemonade'

Kraft card

This month we have these beautiful set from Lisa Horton as the prize so do hop over to We Love Stamping to join in and be in with a chance of winning

Thank you all for stopping by once again. I hope you all have a good week whatever you get upto.  Emma

Id love to enter the following:

https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-2025-challenge.html

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/summer-season-july-2025.html

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https://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/2025/06/add-some-text.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-96.html

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Mother Earth Canvas

Good Morning everyone

Time for a new challenge over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media where its always anything goes as long as you mixed your medias = we need at least 3 different mediums but the more the better and be as creative and arty as you can be. 

Today I have something a bit different with this mother earth canvas.  My idea was triggered when I saw this beautiful ladies head paper in a pad from Art by Marlene - not something I usually would use but I thought she would be ideal as Mother earth providing and protecting all of nature, she is as colourful as the world she nurtures is with her hair full of flowers and butterflies😀

Getting decent photos has been impossible as its too big for my light box

Hexagon Canvas size 10x12"   See below for how I made the background and built it up.

 This is definitely a very 'in your face' and 'throw everything and every colour at it' canvas😁  Predominately pink and blue

I added buttons to the flowers in her hair and a few scattered flower beads

I added touches of diamond stickles glitter glue to add a bit of sparkle and glossy accents to her eyes.

I first cut out the head from the paper, cutting off alot of the surrounding flowers for now and adhered flat where I wanted it on the canvas.  Around that I stencilled paisley swirls with texture paste, I had the thought that they would look like coming out of her head, before the paste completely dried i took a pallet knife and drew some lines into the paste following the curve to help create the effect of them moving outwards or like strands of hair.

I found these wooded lasercut  flowers so added a few and them covered it all in white gesso.

I then added green and blue paints which contrast with the more pinky purple tones in her....I used green and blues that are similar to those in the images also.

I then added a wash of van dyke brown acrylic letting it settle into the grooves and around the texture paste and wood shapes to help give depth to the finished piece - YES this does look like a mess but stick with it...

Sorry horrid photo but once the brown shadowing was dry then added pink cadence dora paint onto the flowers and highlighting the splashes - this really shimmers when the light catches it. 

I don't seem to have taken any more photos of the steps - was obviously caught up in the finishing of it - I must admit this took way longer than hoped to come together - I started it back in February when the weather was horrid and some nice sunny days were looked forward too!

I then went on to dry brush on gold cadence paint and add in touches of the blue and green where I felt it needed it.  I then cut out a 2nd head, leaving off her neck and decoupaged over the base image with pinflair glue gel.

To finish I added extra flowers & 3 butterflies stamped onto art by marlene papers and more colour added with posca paint pens.  I added ivy which was die cut from brusho Inked card, I wanted it to look like it is growing out of her hair so tucked it in among the flowers.

 I printed the words 'Mother Earth' onto off white card, cut out, inked the edges black and adhered to her neck & sealed with mod podge to finish.

Items Used:

Art by marlene 8x8 paper pad 'out of this world'

Paisley 12x12 stencil

Brittania & Joanna Sheen Ivy dies (very old!)

Uniko stamp set 'country garden' (butterflies)

texture paste

Cadence dora paints

Acrylic paints

Wooden flowers

Please do hop over to Creative Artiste Mixed Media to see what the rest of the DT have created and to join in, we love seeing all your creations in the gallery using at least 3 different mediums.

I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine here in the UK, although I love to see some sunshine its been a bit too hot for me, Monday stuck in hospital all day was like a sauna...don't think that improved the health much!  They have started me on my 3rd different treatment in 3 months this week so fingers crossed its 3rd time lucky.  While my mojo is still on holiday Ive been sat in front of the fans enjoying wimbledon. 

Thank you for popping by once again.  Big hugs Emmax

 

JUNE #2 Close to nature

Good Morning everyone

Mid way through the month so time for more inspiration for We love stamping

This months theme is 

CLOSE TO NATURE

or we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamps

I decided to use the same shape circular dies as my first card and dug out an old Pink Ink Design stamp set with this lovely badger and dog rose stamps

Card size approx 8x8" I made my base card from 2 pieces of white card die cut with the largest die and joined with a hinge at the top.  I then added a layer of green background sprayed with cosmic shimmer airless misters, one was pearlescent so it has a subtle shimmer.

I then stamped the badgers out and the floral spray multiple times, watercoloured with derwent inktense pencils and out out.  I adhered 4 floral sprays around the frame with pinflair glue gel, adding a little shape to the leaves, I then slotted the badgers in behind the foliage.  The smaller badger I stamped in grey ink so softer in the background. 

I added a dot of diamond stickles glitter glue to the flower centres for a little touch of sparkle to finish.

I added shape to the big badger with a large ball tool to give him a more rounded look.

Since taking the photos I have cut the whiskers off the smaller badger as they were annoying me - too bulky and distracting as he is supposed to be in the distance - promise it didn't hurt him😀

Showing it stood up.  I trimmed a small amount of the bottom of the back of the card so it stands up nicely

Items Used:

Pink Ink design stamps - fauna series 'Brock'

Creative products dies - stretch circles

Cosmic shimmer airless misters

Derwent inktense pencils

CraftUK ltd A3 white card

Ranger stickles 'diamond'

We have this beautiful stamp as the prize this month supplied by Buddly Crafts

 so

 for a chance to win hop over to We Love Stamping

To join in with your stamped projects.

Thank you for stopping by once again.  I hope you all have a good week. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com/2025/06/ccc-99-on-1-june-2025-with-anything.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/06/challenge-95.html

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/06/summer-season-june-2025.html

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https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/06/challenge-126-no-designpaper.html

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https://creativecraftinguncles.blogspot.com/2025/06/66-summer.html

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https://unicornchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/06/challenge-110-not-square.html

**

 

Key to my heart

Good Morning everyone

Gosh the weeks are flying by and now its June - scary and time for a new challenge over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media where the theme is always anything goes as long as you mix those medias!

This year Im trying to use old stash and I found these greyboard hearts in the back of my craftdrobe while looking for something else - I also dug out my box of very old tim holtz grunge board shapes and came up with this wall hanging. 

Sizes approx - biggest heart is 5.5x5"  Med 3x2.5"  Small 1.75x1"

See below for full details.  Once finished I punched holes in the hearts and connected together using metal jump rings.  

Large Heart - after doing backgound (details below) - I took some grungeboard & metal keys - the grungeboard ones I first covered with black gesso, stippling it on so some areas are thicker than others thus giving a more rusty old appearance and then added the same paints used in the background so orange, greens and blues. To the metal keys I added some of the same colours of paint to tie them together, then arranged them all the on background. I found some old plastic alpha's which I black gesso'd and added touches of paint and adhered to say 'key'

Medium heart - I added a grungeboard lock which id black gesso'd and painted the same as the keys.  I added screw top brads through the holes and added to the heart.  I took 2 kraft chit chat sticker saying 'to' & 'my', added to black card and covered with glossy accents for an enamel look.

Small heart - I found a really small grungeboard heart, covered with the orange paint used on the other elements and covered with glossy accents.  Chit chat sticker reads 'heart'

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See below for how I did backgrounds

I first adhered flowers I had die cut from grunge paper eons ago and covered it all in black gesso.  I added crackle paste in areas and then added blue, green, orange & yellow acrylic paints. once dry I knocked back the vibrancy by dry brushing on antique white chalk paint. 

 I then added torn pieces of script printed tissue paper in areas and added orange paint through a script stencil.  I then dry brushed on gold & orange dora cadence paints which is beautifully shimmery when the light hits it. 

I finished by sealing it all with mod podge

I edged all the hearts with black gesso to help frame them and draw the eye inwards, for neatness I also covered the back of the hearts with black gesso.  

You can see the crackle paste better here....this is an old jar i found lurking in the back of the craftdrobe and it was nearly set solid ....I added a little warm water to the jar, let that sit a while and then gave it a good mixing with a stick which seemed to resurrect it and Im pleasantly surprised that it still works so that was worth doing...now i must use it more often!

Items Used:

Tim Holtz grungeboard & paper, chit chat stickers, metal keys, alpha stickers

Tim Holtz tattered flowers bigz die

Metal keys

Papermania Screw top brads

Acrylic paints - pebeo, plaid folk art

Cadence Dora paint - gold & orange

Daler rowney black gesso

Ranger glossy accents

Mod podge - matt

Papermania script tissue paper

Crackle Paste

Please do hop over to Creative Artiste Mixed Media to see what the rest of the DT have created and to join in - remember anything goes as long as you use at least 3 different medias. 

I hope you all have a good weekend. Emma

Id love to enter the following:

https://neglectedstuff.blogspot.com/2025/06/neglected-stuff-625-challenge.html - greyboard hearts and grungeboard elements 12+ yrs old, crackle paste? (don't even remember buying that so years ago) found lurking at back of cupboard and nearly dried up, plastic alpha's 6yrs old...

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https://theoutlawzchallenges-saturday.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-outlawz-anything-goes-in-card-free.html

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https://www.simplyellibelle.com/2025/06/ellibelles-crafty-wednesday-june-and.html

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https://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.com/2025/06/june-2025-crafts-galore-encore.html

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https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/06/challenge-126-no-designpaper.html