1000 Posts Candy!!!

THIS IS A STICKY POST AND WILL STAY AT THE TOP UNTIL 30TH JUNE 2015

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MORE CANDY NOW ADDED SO PLEASE SEE BELOW

Hello everyone and a special welcome to my new followers. As promised in my last post which was my 1000th post since I started blogging (sometimes it seems like yesterday!), I'm here with a little candy to celebrate.

I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been following my art journey - I couldn't do this without your constant encouragement which makes me feel very humble sometimes.

OK, on to the promised candy, the first of which is a voucher for the That's Crafty online shop. Some of you know that I'm part of the Design Team but you may not have seen the incredible choices in the shop so prepare to be amazed HERE.

Here's the second lot of candy as promised and the first random winner will have the choice of the voucher or goodies with whatever is left going to the second winner.

It's not a brilliant pic as I had light issues but the contents are as follows:

• Vase and Shrub Clear Stamp Set
• A variety of mini stamps including hearts, a flourish, cameo etc
• Bronze Gems
• A variety of vintage style lace and stitched ribbon
• 2 Embossing Folders - Roses, Butterflies
• A Spiral Flower Die

Please link up below if you'd like a chance to win.  You have until 30th June to enter. Good luck!

Fliss xx

Taking The Scenic Route At That's Crafty

Hi there, sorry that I haven't been able to visit lately, I've been extremely busy with work and family stuff so little time to myself the last week or so. Hopefully things will slow down next week.

I have my Friday tutorial over at That's Crafty today which this week is a mixed media wall hanging panel that I hope you like as much as I enjoyed making it.

 Here's a sneak peek and you'll find the whole thing over at the blog with all the details if you'd like to hop on over. I'd love it if you did.

As you can see, my Flower Garden stamps have come out to play again for a bright and colourful nature themed creation.

Have a great weekend.
Fliss xx

On The Beach or Wish You Were Here!

Hello everyone, I'm a tad late with some inspiration for today's new challenge at Make My Monday after an exceedingly busy weekend and have had to cheat a bit as I haven't got the energy to make anything at the moment so I hope you'll all forgive me if you remember this one!

The main image is Crafty Individuals and the background paper was made by applying ink to an acrylic block, misting with water and then stamping onto a square of white card.
I then over stamped it with a Kaisercraft stamp called vintage fence which repeat stamps really well.
I heat embossed part of a torn piece of corrugated card with Frantage Aged Bronze embossing enamel and knotted some twine round it. I then coloured the seagull panel with Promarkers and ink before trimming down. I attached the panel to the corrugated card.
I stamped the tickets (also Crafty Individuals) with Archival cobalt ink and coloured them with Distress ink before cutting them out. I stamped the words with Hero Arts alphabet stamps and the blue ink and cut these out separately.
I made the bunting by drawing it on card, colouring it with Promarkers and then cut it out and assembled the card as you see.

Sorry it's a repeat and hoping for time to play soon!

We also have a DT call for several new team members as we have plans for the future. Please enter a challenge and let us know if you're interested.

Fliss xx

We're Playing Housey, Housey At That's Crafty!

Hello again and welcome to my inspiration for the new challenge starting today at That's Crafty Challenge Blog which has the theme of

HOUSEY, HOUSEY

I've been playing in my A5 size journal again for this and have inked up a new set of Carabelle Studio stamps which I couldn't resist - see if you can spot why!

I started off by stamping the buildings, sign post image and the quirky sun with Archival Jet Black ink directly on the journal page. They're from the Carabelle Studio Zintenkia by Azoline set.

As you can see I have a couple of smudges on there but I don't think they show on the completed page so if it happens to you, just go with it!

I added colour to the stamped images with Promarkers and coloured pencils. I then applied Cracked Pistachio, Crushed Olive, Fossilized Amber and Salty Ocean Distress inks to the page using the lightest shades around the stamped images.

I then stamped on some of the quirky floral images from the Carabelle Studio Ombrelines Aux Pistils by Azoline with the green and yellow Distress inks onto the page, stamping some twice before re-inking.

To finish I added a Tim Holtz Small Talk sticker which I cut up and drew on the little hearts with a fine black pen. Can you see where I wrote on the sign?

Did you spot the reason why I had to have this stamp set - there's  tiny Eiffel Tower at the top and my dream is still to go to Paris.

Have a great weekend.

Fliss xx

Wishes For That's Crafty

Hello eveyone, I hope you've all had a good week with some sunny weather as we have on the UK South Coast. The only problem was that I had to work - sigh!
This is my first post of the day to let you know I have my usual Friday post at That's Crafty which this week is a rather graphic style card inspired by a conversation with my print designer daughter who has been doing prints with flowers and checks involved. If you'd like to see what she's been up to here's a link to the latest collection for the label she works for which contains some of her prints (I'm a very proud Mum as I'm sure you can imagine). 
Here's a sneak peek of my That's Crafty project and hope you can pop on over to see how it came about.

I'll be back in a bit as we have a new challenge starting today over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog and boy, the last 2 weeks seem to have flown by!

See you in a while.
Fliss xx

Embossing At Make My Monday Plus A DT Call

Hello everyone, hoping you all had a better weekend than me as I've had to wear my glasses all the time and I'm somewhat cross with the optician who didn't tell me that I'd have horrendous problems due to the fact that I wear gas permeable contact lenses. These don't seem to be compatible with glasses which considering I said I wanted to take out the lenses and put glasses on when I get home from work has turned out not to be an as well, but rather an either/or situation. I can't tell you what a miserable time I've had not being able to see properly (I feel sorry for my DH too as he's had to put up with my whingeing)
Anyhow, enough of that and on to the reason for my post which is to let you know that we have a new challenge today over at Make My Monday which has a theme chosen by yours truly:

EMBOSSING - HEAT OR DRY OR BOTH

Here's my inspiration and it's 2 for the price of 1 this week as I got carried away!

These came about because I was messing about with sprays on Saturday and made a few backgrounds in varying shades of blue, pink and purple and as I wanted to use white embossing the stronger colours were ideal.

I used Decoart Media Misters in Primary Magenta and Shimmer Turquoise, some of the backgrounds paler as I misted them with water to use up all the ink spray.

The first card uses a Stampinback Forget Me Not image which I stamped on with Archival Plum and Cobalt before stamping with Versamark ink and heat embossing with white detail powder.I stamped on the Penny Black text with the deep blue ink and attached the panel to a white card blank.

The second card uses a wild flower from the Tim Holtz Nature's Moments stamp set which I stamped with Memento Lilac Posies and Grape Jelly dye inks. I then stamped with Versamark as before and heat embossed with white. I stamped the text from the stamp set with the Archival Plum ink and attached to a white card to finish.

We also want to add some new talent to our Design Team and will have more exciting things coming up in the future so check out the challenge blog if you'd like to join.

Thanks for looking and have a great week.

Fliss xx

Butterflies Galore at That's Crafty

Hello all, hope you're all having a lovely sunny week. It's been so warm down here in the South that I've finally managed to leave my coat off at last!
I have my Friday post over at That's Crafty Blog today if you'd like to hop on over and see what I made this week.
Here's a sneak peek to tempt you :)

Have a great day and a lovely weekend.

Fliss xx

Shabby Chic at Make My Monday

Hello everyone, it seems like Summer has arrived so I hope you all had a lovely sunny weekend. Mine has been a bit mixed as I got my new glasses on Saturday (I wear contact lenses all the time) which I have for back-up and as I'm exceedingly short sighted and they're also varifocals, to say I've been struggling is an understatement!!!
I just about managed to get my card for our new challenge at Make My Monday which has the theme of Shabby Chic chosen by Suzi B, although a fair amount of squinting came into it! Hope you like it.

I used a scrap of the Gelli print paper shown on my post last Friday and stamped on the Penny Black collage image with Archival Wareing Can ink. I then added colout with Inktense pencils.
I stamped the Hobbycraft corner flourishes on with the same ink together with the sentiment. I then distressed the edges with an emery board and added the panel to a kraft card blank.

If you haven't yet seen I have some candy on offer, do check out the post to see what you could win.

Have a good week.
Fliss xx

All That Glitters

Hello again and welcome to my second post today which is my inspirational piece for the new challenge over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog which has the theme of All That Glitters.
This is also a very special post as this is my 1000th post since I started blogging so keep an eye out for the next post because I think a little candy might be in order to celebrate!

The background for my art panel is actually one of the extra prints I pulled from my Gelli plate for last week's creation on the That's Crafty Blog - here's a pic to show you the 3 extra prints I gained.

I took the piece on top and trimmed it to size, attaching it to a thick grey board panel. I then stamped on the Carabelle Studio mini stamp Collage Horloge with Archival Fern Green ink. I then used first and second generation stamping with the same ink to stamp on the images from the Carabelle Studio Textures avec des chiffres stamp set. You can see the result below.

I made a sparkly butterfly using the Tim Holtz Sissix Alterations Layered Butterfly Die and a piece of the Gelli print paper which I then dry embossed and added further colour too with Picked Raspberry, Fossilised Amber and Salty Ocean Distress inks then heat embossed with crystal embossing powder.
I added this to the panel and finished off with some Tim Holtz Big Chat stickers which I swiped with Crushed Olive Distress ink to blend them in.
Hope you can join in.

Have a good weekend and see you soon!
Fliss xx

Coming Up Daisies For That's Crafty

Hello there and welcome to my first post of the day which is to let you know I have my usual Friday tutorial over at That's Crafty Blog and this week I'm sharing a simple card made for one of my nieces who has her birthday on Monday.
Hope you like it and you'll find all the details over at the blog as usual. Here's a sneak peek to tease you!

I'll be back in a bit as we have a new challenge starting today over at That's Crafty Challenge Blog at 8am.

See you later.
Fliss xx

The Only Way Is Up!

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a lovely weekend. It's been freezing down here in the South and I can't believe today is June! Hope Summer makes an appearance very soon!
Today we have a new challenge for you over at Make My Monday and this week Marina has given us a picture as inspiration and you can make whatever it inspires such as the colours, the sea, the balloons etc etc.

 

As you see I've made a very simple card for my inspiration using a very sweet image from Mo's Digital Pencil which I printed out on to smooth cartridge paper which has to be my go to paper for most things. I coloured the image with my few Copic pens and confess I managed to mess up the colouring of the balloon as I really struggle with larger areas. This is why the balloon is now paper pieced! I printed it on to a piece of Polka Doodles dotty paper from the Sugarplum Daisy CD.
I then simply added mats of purple and lilac before attaching to the card blank and finished off with a text sticker from the Tim Holtz Small Talk book.

Thanks for looking and see you later on this week.
Hugs,
Fliss xx