Less is More Steampunk! Mmmm

Whew! didn't think I was going to make LIM this week but I did, just.
I  used Art Stamps Steampunk recycled rubber, Steampunk Accessories
The embossing is Cuttlebug cogs

I deliberately wanted the tape etc to look oily

Its my grandsons birthday soon... this just might be ok .

Which do you prefer with the steampunk script or without..
I prefer with  :o)

added Fri. 1st April

Oops forgot to say, this week the LIM challenge is a sketch with a DL card

tc Sue xx

                                                                                                                              

Secret Garden at the Cubby Hole

 The challenge set for March by Carol  of Cubby Hole fame is a Secret Garden! most people have entered into the spirit and had a go... the title inspired every one. I'm sure at some stage all the entries will appear on Carols Blog.. see link in my side bar.

I've also entered this into the Gothic Arch Challenge.
Open theme.
http://gothicarches.blogspot.com/

Front entry into the lovers secret garden 

I would like to add something a bit more vintage to the flower centres 

I haven't come up with an idea yet! :) 

 some where where lovers can meet... no prying eyes!

back gate out of the garden using papers from Dezinaworld Shabby Chic

 

She's waiting secretly and patiently for the man of her dreams :))

The gorgeous lady is stamped onto tissue paper, fixed onto the card then gessoed.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Lesley (Crafty Love n Hugs) whose work inspired me and who very kindly sent me the arch templates and included the door furniture. Thank you, Lesley xx

Products

TIM HOLTZ 
 masks, tattered floral and flourish dies. DI's, Glimmer Mist
STAMPS
La Blanche
Elusive Images  (now Chocolate Baroque)
Lavinia
Crafty Individuals
Art Impressions
Creative Expressions.
PAPERS
Dezinaworld: Shabby Chic




tc Sue xx

Trouble at Blogger

I've been unable to leave comments this morning! no idea why not. 

So I'm not ignoring  you... just can't let you know I called.

tc Sue xx

Here's a picture of Castell Dinas Bran which overlooks Llangollen

Taken by Joe from miles away,trying out one of his new cameras with a huge lense.

The vale of Llangollen is one of my favourite places especially when viewed from part of the Eglwyseg Rocks called the Panarama... and especially from "our rock"

( special place for me and Joe)

the view for me is mystical and  magical.

tc Sue xx

Time will heal times wounds. French proverb

 caption: "My metal throat speaks every tongue"

Hello folks how you doing?
enjoying the spring like weather here in the Uk?

This is an illustration from  book called Time
by Francois Le Lionnais.
 bought yesterday for £1.75p  from a second hand bookstore.
It fascinated me I love all, well most of the images and there are some great quotes.
Thought I'd share a few of the images.

Steampunk?

  I love this one! "Puffa  goddess of time and eternity, seated on a lotus and surmounted by the sun"

This is from the 13th century from a treatise on astrology  written in Arabic with a Persian artist. 

left: Scorpio passing into the sign of Jupiter. Right the sun holding the glittering floral orb around his head.

Sue Roddis might like this one.

"The resurrection of the body" by Lucas Signorelli (1441-1523)

I don't think I'll be reading the book from cover to cover but will certainly be dipping in!

I intended to buy books for ripping and tearing but this one will be staying intact...

could possibly be scanned though! :))

tc Sue xx

LIM..Masculine!!!

Not sure about the layout... lol as usual!

I did find this difficult.. must invest in more masculine themed stamps! although I do have steam punk and architectural type stamps, I couldn't make them work in the LIM mode...

Products

Hot off The Press

Clarity Stamps

Archival Ink
Creative Charms: Lets Rock

tc Sue xx

Etsy Inspiration mark2

I think the added tree and flowers to the outside ...so to speak, have given it depth. Although it's not showing up all that well on the photo.
tc Sue xx

Etsy Inspiration

 

I've had this idea to make these little wooden trays (24cmx24cm. I have four, bought for about £1.50 in Chester.) into pictures or something. I was browsing Etsy and saw a painting for a child's room along these lines. It stuck in my mind. So last night when I couldn't sleep ..I did this.

My interpretation using chip board. distress inks and stamps.

I'm pondering adding another tree
on the lefthand side of the frame

 and maybe stamp around the frame?

Unfortunately I didn't make a note of the artists name :((

Products

Water colour paper

Distress Inks

Crafty Individuals chipboard tree and bird house

Artemio clear stamps

Autumn Leaves clear stamps

Whispers Strokes

Woodware leaf punch

*****

More sneak peaks for my Cubby Hole Secret garden project.

                                           

Still can't get images to go side by side... even if I make the images smaller. I will investigate :))

tc Sue xx

More than I can chew?

Sneak peaks of my contribution to the Cubby Holes March challenge... whew! Front almost done... nothing permanently placed. In fact the whole thing may change.. colour at least :)) three more pages to go!.. 

 

I don't know why but I can never get downloads to go side by side..

tc Sue xx

Incurable Addiction!.... Less is More Off the Page

Hi everyone doe this qualify as a CAS card?  it is one layer :))
I so enjoy this challenge sight!
Not sure I get LIM genre quite right but I love having a go.

Chrissie and Mandi what have you started?

Products

Artemio

Whispers Strokes

 ***

This one definitely qualifies and oh sooo simple took 5minutes if that...just a bit of fun.

Products
Elusive Images... All of a Twitter
Whispers Strokes

tc Sue xx

Altered

I wasn't happy with the" make your own" card from the other day. I kept looking and looking wondering what it was that was unsettling... lol if a card can "unsettle". 

 I think it was the position of the image... so off it came ..whew!  then repositioned,  added a few bits and bobs. I didn't take the lace off, that would've caused too much damage .. so could only slightly reposition the image. I feel a bit happier about it now...
Honestly you'd think it was life and death...chuckle, chuckle

tc Sue xx

One Layer Off the Edge

Less is more week 6... .one layer, off the edge. 

I can't tell you how many goes I had before I got this CLEAN!... every time I stamped the image there was a black smudge some where!  I was ready to throw things out of the window!

 I  randomly coloured the image with artists oil pastels... I've never used these before and  I don't know how to use them.. I just went for it with twos shades of blue and a yellow then blended it all together with  cotton  buds. I quite like the look.

 Amended 15.03.2011

The butterfly stamp is from an A4 sheet  from Elusive Images called Patchwork Butterfly

Elusive images no longer trades

but will be relaunching soon as Chocolate Baroque 

I've also entered this into One Stop Craft Challenge which this week is Clean and Simple

http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/

***

This is one of the rejects ... cut out ready to use in a journal... probably.

 I changed my mind about the colours because these are the ones I always go for...decided I should try some thing else.

tc sue xx

50's Style

This card is made with an Hero Arts Cling stamp called Make Your Own. The DP is Simplicity Patterns by Fancy Pants Designs. the DP and the stamps are both from the Cubby Hole

I had a go at making my own flower in the scrunchy style... using  a punch and the same DP and rubbing over with DI Victorian Velvet. The paper was a bit thick but I like the result

I really wanted to  sew around the image... I did  have a go but I think I messed up the machine:((

***

I also used a punch for these flowers. I stamped the text onto the punched flowers. don't know about you but i always have a problem with white on black.
I might enter this into the forgotten Friday challenge but I'm not sure if it has to be posted on a Friday. 

I haven't used my punches in a long time and the DP has been lurking in a draw for ever ... can't remember where or when I bought it.

tc Sue xx
ps I've replaced the missing jewel :))

Less is more no.2

Another attempt as less is more... that bow took for ever... I'm no good at bows esp small ones :))

One or two people commented on the Penny Black stamp I used in yesterdays card.

I thought you might like to see it in full.
***

I agree that the swirls on yesterdays card would be better with the flat side facing the image,  

Off to do some snooping and commenting :)

tc Sue xx

Less is More week 5 pastel Colours

Stamp; Penny Black Mixed Media with the list element cut off.  The scroll was in a freebie pack with an order from Crafty Individuals... thank you Malcolm. Image coloured with Whispers Strokes

This idea came to me this afternoon when I was struggling with the challenge concept. I love pastels so no idea why I found it so difficult. But as a friend from the CH would say "just go for it" so I did.

  

 I intended that the scrolls should face in opposite directions... but may be they  should both be facing away from the image?

tc Sue xx

Glory of the Snow

 I have been stuck at home for the last 9 days with this brute of a cough.. didn't want to share it with any one (you don't wont it!) but I do feel as if things are improving...yeh!!

Hope I haven't spoken too soon.

 The weather forecast for yesterday was ... sunny.
Joe suggested we went out for the afternoon... drive a bit, walk a bit, etc etc. so we visited some of our favourite places near where Joe lives in North Wales.
I thought I'd share some of the photos I took along the way.

The gorgeous tiny blue flower is growing on the side of the Llangollen canal. Joe spotted it earlier in the week and wanted me to see it.
Neither of us were familiar with it .
Joe looked it up and

ts called, Chionodora... or as I prefer .. Glory of the snow... great name.

I love bridges... particularly old stone ones but I love the arches in this viaduct near a leisure park called Ty Mawr (Big House)

this is a favourite photo of an old bridge taken some years ago ... unfortunately can't remember where it is! I know it's in North Wales, some where off the A70 near a mill. I've looked and looked but have never found it again :(

How about this fine fellow! look at his wonderful colours!

A very speckled hen...  not a decent picture but you get the idea.

Bunny Love .. they're called Jack and Jill

 These famous gates are at Chirk Castle

and the not so famous lamp? I particularly like the shadows on the stone wall. You can just see some of the stone of the castle behind

.

This guy was flying!? in someones garden in an area which is a favourite for hand gliders. 

It was difficult to get a good shot.. unless we trespassed :))

  I had a lovely afternoon, it got me out of the house! and I didn't infect any one!! :))

tc Sue xx

Spring Flowers

My lovely little colour journal again. This time inspired by a Cemerony download.
The background colour is  waste from a baby wipe after using acrylic paints; essential Acrylics.. Blue Mist and a tiny tiny bit of Adirondack .. Stream.

  I've then over stamped with THDI, Scattered Straw, Milled Lavender and Spun Sugar for a pretty spring like page. I was thinking of all those crocus flowers. 

 Photo courtesy of Wikipedia!

 tc Sue cc

Less Is More week 4

Although I've been coughing for England! and my throat feels like a bag of razor blades :( I was determined to take part in wk 4 of the LIM challenge

 which this week is to use three squares. 

The community over at LIM are welcoming,  supportive  with  plenty of hints and tips... 

A couple of months ago I enquired on a US blog what CAS stood for... felt sooo stupid when I found out.....now I'm having a go... not sure I get it right..but I like the end result... 

I also want to say thank you to every one that drops by and leaves a comment.. sorry I don't make it to as many as I'd like... but you all do a fantastic job.

 The lovely ladies are a download from Cemerony. The word and square stamp is by Stampendous purchased from the  Cubby Hole. The Friends stamp is from HOTP

tc Sue xx

Here it is without the ribbon as one or two have suggested. It's slightly different. I've left a boarder round the word stamp, the gorgeous beauties are different but off the same download sheet.
What do you think?