Exploding box prototype!

I was flicking through a Craft Stamper last night and came across an exploding box by the fab Hels Sheridan.
I've never done one before but as my friend has a birthday coming up next week I thought it'd be a good idea to try a prototype to see if a) I could actually make one, b) how long it would take me and most importantly c) how stressed I'd be doing it!

The outside of the box

The lid

Inside

Centre greeting

Sentiments

Sentiments

Inside

Well I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and it hasn't really taken me more than a couple of hours on and off. Now I know I can do it, I can set about doing the real one in good time for the weekend!

I'm entering this in this week's challenge at the new vintage blog Vintage Artisans. Come along and join in!
 I'm also linking it to Handmade Monday-come and join in with the friendly crafting community there.

Breakfast at Tiffany's ATC

This fortnight's challenge is up and running over at ATCs and Cards with Attitude. The design team had a choice of images to use and I plumped for Breakfast at Tiffany's by SassyStudioDesigns. It's one of my all time favourite films so I couldn't resist!

I came across this black paper sprayed with shimmer in a deep cavern in my craft drawer and thought it'd make a good background. I embossed some text and added some shiny gems around the images.
 'A couple of no-name slobs' is a quote from the film but who could ever think of Audrey Hepburn as a slob!
I couldn't have Holly Golightly without Cat so I added my Stampotique cat.
Come along, join in and link up a card or ATC. There are lots of images to be won.

Art Journal

This week I had an art journal page to do for a circle journal and some ATCs for a swap,both on UK Stampers.(link in sidebar). Couldn't decide what to do for ages but after making the journal page, it gave me the idea for the ATCs!

The theme for the journal is Nursery Rhymes/Fairy Tales and the hearts I had left over from the wedding card I made last week were perfect for Snow White.

The theme for the ATCs was Royalty so I pinched the queen from the Snow White page and used her for the ATCs.

Wedding Card

This weekend was special as my brother got married. It was a fabulous day and I had great pleasure making this card for him and his wife.

The heart stamp was free with Craft Stamper and was just what I needed to embellish! The sentiment stamp is the one I used to make wedding invitations for a friend and was ideal. It's nice to make a card when you don't have to fret about finding the perfect stamps!

I'm linking this to Handmade Monday.There's some fabulous crafting to see there so please pop over and join in! 

Circle Journal

This is a page I did for an art journal CJ over on UKScrappers. The name of the journal was Fill My World with Colour so it had to be purple and orange. For years I've struggled to chose which one is my favourite colour and more often than not use them both together!

Father's Day card and brooch!

Father's Day happens at the same time of year every year but still I end up on the last minute! I saw a blog recently where the layout included some little banner flags and I wanted to try it. I stamped the image and then stuck some at the side of it. If I'd had more time I would have experimented a bit more but that'll teach me to be more prepared! I will link to the blog where I saw the layout when I can remember which it was.
I found it!You can see the layout at A Paper Gallery.

There was a knock at the door the other night. My friend was on her way to work and called to drop off a gift for me. It was a brooch weaver. I've never seen these before but I love it!
I don't know who makes it because there's no name on the bag but I recommend that everyone gives this a go. It's quick and I can see making lots of different sizes flowers with it.

This is the finished brooch. 

I'm linking this over at Handmade Monday. Please pop over and have a look at the wonderful crafting posted there.

ATC- Smell the Flowers

I've been absent from the design team of ATCs and Cards with Attitude for a while but have finally caught up and managed an ATC for this fortnight's challenge. The theme is Anything Goes and is sponsored by Delicious Doodles who are offering 4 digi images to the winner of the challenge. 

I used an image of a lovely vase of roses for my ATC and coloured it with distress ink. Please bob over and join in the fun by linking your card or ATC - or if the mojo's flowing, both!

Art Journal CJ

This is the page I did for an Art Journal Circle journal over on UK Stampers (link in sidebar). The theme was Birds and the pages had been beautifully painted before I received it. All I had to do was add some colour and decorate the pages. I stamped some birds, embossing one in black and found a nice quote I liked to add to the page. I really enjoyed doing this entry.

Postcard-In The Skys

In a fit of madness the other day I signed up for a postcard swap on UK Stampers (link in sidebar). I've only ever made one postcard before so I wanted to challenge myself. Guess what? I loved making this. The 4 by 6 size is the perfect size for me and I can see me doing a few more of these!

I inked the background with Distress Ink, masking the clouds then stamped the flowers at the bottom. The images are from Crowabout. They were recommended by a friend and I have to say I love using them. The words are computer generated. Why not pop over to UK Stampers and have a play!

Jubilee Notebook

I hope everyone's enjoying this Jubilee weekend.Wouldn't be right without a bit of rain!
I made this notebook as a gift for a friend. She's having a Jubilee party at work next week so I thought this would look good on the table for people to write in. Have to say I'm loving my Bind It All and can't stop punching and binding anything I can find!

The front

Some of the inside pages

Really enjoyed making this and love the Artemio stamps-perfect for the Jubilee!  
I'll be linking this over at Handmade Monday.Pop over and see some of the fabulous crafting. (Link in sidebar)

Birthday Card

This is for a friend at work. I was on a drive to use up my scraps of paper so the backing strips are cut offs from some ATCs I was making. I used one of all time favourite Paperbag Studio stamps-it's impossible to get a bad print from this (always a bonus!) I sprayed the background of the card with some Glimmer Mist through an old tangerine bag. I quite like the effect so may just have to do it again!

Le Chat Blanc ATCs

The theme for the ATC swap over on UKStampers (link in sidebar) this month is Black and White-with a hint of colour allowed. I decided to use my freebie Craft Stamper stamp of Le Chat Noir and embossed the cat in white. I love this stamp but for some reason don't use it enough!

Art Journal CJ

This is my entry for an Art Journal CJ I'm doing on UKStampers (link in sidebar). The title of the journal was Now Is The Time... We had to finish the sentence and I couldn't think of anything that fitted better than these two stamps! I especially love the sentiment 'Change the world or go home.'

I'm linking this over at Handmade Monday- please pop over and check out all the fabulous crafting there! 

My son wanted a magic based card for his birthday and as he's mad on card tricks I'm afraid they were the obvious choice! I just pinched some of his cast-offs and used them to decorate the card. 

 Then I decided to have a play with my new toy, my Bind It All, which I love and made him a little notebook to keep in his magic box. I'm hoping I don't keep finding scribbles on scraps of paper all over the house now but...like mother like son!

ATCs

These two ATCs were for another swap I did on the ATC Trail over on UKScrappers.

 Couldn't resist the fairy stamp again and stamped it over a Distress Ink and text background before colouring with Promarkers.

I found this stamp at the bottom of a drawer. It's the first Tim Holtz stamp I ever bought! So I thought it deserved an airing. The background was Distress Ink with Glimmer Mist sprayed on,but instead of letting it dry I rolled a kitchen roll over it which gave the shimmer a vintage-y look.

Long time no see!I don't know where the time's gone this month but I thought it was about time to play catch up!

This ATC is one of three made for the monthly swap on UKStampers (link in sidebar). The theme was Faces and I chose this Art Journey stamp on a whim! I stamped the text background with Big n Juicy ink then sprayed with water to give a rain effect. After stamping the text, I added Glossy Accents to try and make the words look like raindrops.

I'm posting this over at Handmade Monday-nip over and check out all the fabulous crafting!

Angel ATC

I made this for the ATC Trail on UKScrappers. I thought the girl looked a bit like an angel so cut around the body shape and added wings. The background is a bit of left over paper from the steam punk screen I made.

I'm linking this to Handmade Monday-please visit and check out all the wonderful crafting on show there.

Places Art Journal CJ

I was tempted into another Art Journal Circle Journal, this time on UKStampers (link on sidebar). I've been wanting to try more journaling and this was an ideal opportunity. I chose Places as a theme as I love a bit of armchair travel!

Front Cover

Intro Page

My Page

I wanted the background a bit brighter but stuck the girl on and couldn't get her off to stick her on a brighter page- so I used the new page for the cover!

Steampunk ATC

I chose this chain image for my design team ATC  for the challenge over on ATCs and Cards with Attitude. It was lucky as I had some cogs left over from my screen. I embossed a background and stuck the chain image around it before embellishing with embossed cogs. I like the shiny feel it has and can't stop touching it!

Steampunk Screen

Another swap from UKScrappers, this time inspired by the screen from last month's Craft Stamper. I was given Steampunk as a theme which flummoxed me as I don't have any steampunk stuff!

I sprayed the background with Glimmer Mist and randomly stamped some of my Victorian travel and people stamps around, and was surprised to find I had a cog stamp! The die cut cogs were scrounged from someone and embossed in silver and copper.

I made little badges by flattening bottle tops,putting a stamped image in and covering with Glossy Accents. Couldn't resist adding the wings!

I added some little watch parts randomly over the screens then bound it with ribbon.

I covered the back with watch patterned paper and embossed some flourishes in the brightest blue I could find! I really enjoyed making the screen and plan to make another one for myself soon.
I'm linking this over at Handmade Monday-please come over and see the fabulous crafting on show.