Insomnia chatter...and more designing fun!

GOSH, I'm feeling chatty tonight! Have you ever found new stamps, and just can’t do anything else till you play? That’s me today! Oh my oh my oh my! I’ve known for a couple of weeks that I’ll get to play with these a lot in future, as I’ll be designing much more with Louise's stamps (she owns “Art Journey” stamps in the Netherlands). This is my first post with her delightful musical pear...a MUSICAL PEAR...how QUIRKY is THAT!? Love it!

Once I opened Louise's shipment, and my dog settled back down after my hoots and hollers and shrieks, I went right to my computer to find some challenges to do.

So, this card’s been designed to meet several: Project Tuesday (make a folded paper frame), Crazy Amigo (birds...see the wee Crafty Secrets bird on the frame?); Three Muses (hats and crowns and wings and things...I glued a gold crown onto my little bird); Papertake Weekly (do something different...my folded paper frame); Gingersnap (use Kraft paper...I used Kraft from Jillibean); Wednesday Stamper (use something Tim Holtz...I used one of his grunge flourishes, painted it black, and I used Vintage Photo Distress Ink...LOTS of it); Creative Card Crew (April showers bring May flowers...or in this case, grunge flowers); Pollycraft and Diecut Dreams (make your own flowers); Stampin’ for the Weekend (use a favourite book...I used pages from a favourite book for altering, and created my paper flower from a page); Creative Cottage (circles); Tuesday Taggers (their theme is “memories,” and whenever I use anything at all musical, I think of my little sister , who would practice for hours and hours every day when we were children, and who has since become a “real grown up musician..." doing what she LOVES...a classical pianist...living in England...siiiigh...she’s SO gifted...and she STILL practices...and teaches...for hours and hours every day).

WHEW!! So...the card...I computer generated the sentiment at the top right of the stamped image (using the Two Peas Hot Chocolate font I bought years ago, one of my very favourites, use it lots), then stamped the pear image with Ancient Page Black ink, added a little colour with chalks, distressed the edges of the panel, then popped it in the folded paper frame. I stamped Tim Holtz Vintage Photo ink randomly, using sequin waste as a mask. These flowers are so simple to whip up! I just die cut six scalloped circles all the same size, crumpled them all up small, straightened them out, spritzed them with a little Olive Vine Glimmer Mist, then, once they’d dried, sewed the layers together with a black button and a little gold thread.

If you like handmade flowers, I posted a tutorial here yesterday for paper roses, and I’ll be posting another one here on my blog this Saturday for handmade lace and ribbon posies, in conjunction with the Crafty Secrets designer challenge and giveaway extravaganza...hope you can come back to visit!

Here are a couple more cards done with my first play with these Art Journey stamps...LOVE the stark contrast of black and white, with the images stamped on glossy cardstock. The sentiments are computer generated. Love this stamp! My husband and I engage in "social dance" twice a week these days...such FUN! So this card will be tucked somewhere for him to find.

Now THIS is the stamp that resulted in my new obsession with Art Journey! Oh my. It's always difficult for me to find stamps to use with cards for the crowds of men in my life (lol), and as soon as I saw this, I knew it needed me. Isn't it amazing!? I've seen this one used in many different vintage and distress ink formats, and it's beautiful, but I wanted that black and white contrast again. You can see the stamp here at Art Journey.

Thanks SO much for stopping by today!