FLOWERS ...SDC275 wk2

Theres still time to take part in the Stampotique Designer's Challenge 'FLOWERS'.

For my contribution, I used one of the sets by Eileen Hull  to create this journal.

To begin with I 'applied' ALDI pastel paints (just cheap kids paints) with my fingers ...ok so smeared would have been a more accurate description lol...and glued the panels together. With this set you can lace up the pieces but I preferred a more solid structure (plus the lace thread I had didnt work with the layout I had in mind)

I stencilled and inked areas, highlighted the stencilled circles with pen...and added some stamping directly to the surface

I glued on the letters creating the phrase and added some bits and bobs to decorate...

Added the Giant Daisy and Flamingo & co.

Made an inside  pocket to hold pages

DA-DAAAAAH.

Stamps used are all by Stampotique

GIANT DAISY #3058 (Jo Capper-Sandon)

FLAMINGO #3061 (Jo Capper-Sandon)

DAISY DAISY #3002 (Jo Capper-Sandon)

BROLLY (the umbrella) #3083 (Jo Capper-Sandon)

IN STITCHES #8118 (Josie Cirincione)

ISABELLE #15011 (Tracy Scott)

ALPHA BACKGROUND (letters) #7431 (Arwen McCullen)

FLOWER BLOCK (flowers on flamingo) #9182 (Janet Klein)

Thanks to those that continue to support my blog.- really appreciate it xxx.. 

and for new visitors, all comments are gratefully received (takes ages to upload all these stamp links so gives me incentive to keep showing xx)

ps...I'm not really living the dream...haha...just a bit of artistic license ....like I dont ride round the village on my flamingo...or do I? ;)  All I can say is it would have to be a blimming strong flamingo haha

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Oldie but goodie... SDC274

Oldie but Goodie theme card for the Stampotique challenge #SDC274 ...a simple CAS card using stamps from my range at Stampotique

SPLATTER BLOB (for background)

SMALL BUTTERFLY

PAPILLON

'Bling It On' with apple stamping and glitter!

Bling It On is the theme for the next two weeks over at Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog.

Here I stamped the background by inking up half an apple. Great fun,,,like being three again!. Then added a little of Lindy's Raspberry Lemonade Flat Fario spray paint (LOVE IT!!) and once dry spread some PVA glue, covering it with tiny stars and glitter dust. On top of that I placed the Dragonfly stamped image which I had previously sprayed with more Lindy's spray colour.

DRAGONFLY #3050 Stampotique

Lindy's Spray

Back in! Tag time...

Oooops...couldn't get into my blog for a short while but all sorted now. I shall post a number of 'catch up' pieces  asap.

Todays Stampotique Challenge is TAG IT #SDC 269

Here I made a tag using old sweet/candy wrappers that I saved from Christmas time, some old netting for lemons and watercolours. Stamps used are all available from Stampotique Originals and are...

• TERRA COTTA BUNNY  by Terri Richardson (new release)
• LAVENDER SPRIG by me, Jo Capper-Sandon

Hope you can join in with us over at Stampotique Challenge Blog..prize to be won!

Favourite Stamp at Stampotique SDC265

This week at Stampotique Designer's Challenge (SDC265), they would like to know what is your favourite stamp!

Well I have quite a few for different reasons...so I shall be sharing a few over the next two weeks during the time of this current challenge theme.

Here I've made a card using quite a selection. 

THE STAMPS I USED ARE ALL BY STAMPOTIQUE AND ARE...

QUIET PLACE  is a stamp I designed some years ago now. Its a very personal one to me created during a period of my life when any time to myself or opportunity to get any sleep were very rare.

DAISY DAISY (the flowers at the front) is my 'go to' stamp when I need a filler ANYWHERE on a card or what ever it is I'm making at the time. Works equally well growing downhill from the top!

AGATHA HEART...How can you not love this little cutie...with her little skinny legs and her big dough eyes

Also you can see that I've used a couple of stamps I've received recently from Stampotique and LOVE. I can see these making regular appearances :) 

SPIRAL

TYPEWRITER ALPHA

In the photo below, you may be able to spot the twinkly glitter I added to the Daisy Daisy stamp. Cant resist it, maybe its because the weather is so dark at the moment I'm using any opportunity to brighten up my art work that I can! 

If you are wondering about anything else you can see here, it was just hand drawn 

This challenge is a fantastic opportunity to use your favourite stamp/s and to be in with a chance to win a STAMPOTIQUE ORIGINALS gift certificate worth  $30 (HOW MUCH???!!! WOW!!) which is drawn at random at the end of the month (see challenge site for all the details) .

Naughty or Nice

Stampotique Designer's Challenge this week is a continuation of the NAUGHTY OR NICE theme. I made something for this a little while ago and have put it away somewhere really safe...yep, too safe, I can't find it...so yesterday had to make something else. Here's what I came up with...

I used MOTH FAB , stamped on to tissue then pasted on to a ceramic bauble (from Aldi), hand wrote Naughty Nice, added a touch of water colour and a load of sparkle!

I'm hoping to make a few of these as it was REALLY enjoyable and VERY quick to put together..

Hope you can make time this busy season to join in with us at Stampotique Designer's Challenge.

All dressed up...

Well when I saw the title 'Human with an animal head' for the latest Stampotique Designers Challenge my heart sank and I then laughed hysterically lol -That theme is so far out of my comfort zone I felt a bit sick so  I had to get started on it straight away as this could take lots of trials and plenty of errors.. As it happens I really enjoyed it !!! and went with my first attempt...who'd have thought?!. It just shows doesn't it that stepping into unfamiliar territory isnt a bad thing all of the time.

Stamps used...(all Stampotique)

FLAMINGO (head and lower straight leg)

MOTH FAB (body)

GRASS

CROWN

SWIRL STALKS

3-DAISIES

MEDALLION CUBE #2 (for the sun)

This is A5 on heavy duty card . Mainly created with sprays and watercolours with tissue paper torn strips. The stitch effect is hand drawn.

I hope you join in with us at Stampotique. Designer's Challenge...

BROOM AT THE READY!

It's that time of year already... no not quite Christmas, although the garden centre in the village is decked out with twinkly stuff and Santas already , but HALLOWEEN! Or Hallowe'en as it should be written (short for All Hallows Even).

Recently I was thrilled to be asked to contribute towards the latest on line magazine MIXED UP! If you've not seen or heard of the magazine before (its brand new)  head over here to find out more. I created two pieces...one of which was this three panelled piece (thank you to Katy Leitch for your relax on the 'reveal' rules with this particular contribution) which I can show you as part of the HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE week 2 on the STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNER'S CHALLENGE blog where the second stage of the Halloween theme is underway.

If ever a stamping company had a perfect niche for a particular time of year you are probably thinking Halloween is Stampotique's...but I've not gone with a traditional gothic style stamp image as you may have expected to see...I've dressed up one of the more recently released images (Flossie)designed by Kassa Hayselden with a collection of extras from my range at Stampotique.

FLOSSIE FAIRY(minus her wings and wand)

STELLA'S BROOM

STELLA'S HAT

WEB

DAISY, DAISY

GREAT MOON

LEAF

BATTY (you can just see his wings!)

As you can perhaps guess, this piece started out life as a tag...

then I placed the tag on to a card...adding leaves and fencing along the way,

then I placed that card on to another folded piece of card

and laced the entire lot together with some sheer ribbon!

Always seems to be the way with me, I like to see what was once a tag morph into something totally unexpected.

As always with STAMPOTIQUE CHALLENGES there is a prize draw up for grabs at the end of the month for all those who have taken part in the challenges leading up to it.. And you dont have to use Stampotique stamps in order to take part, but it would be fabulous to see them if you have any in your collection. They dont need to be Halloween themed as you can see by my design, just adapt what you have.

STAMPOTIQUE Favourite Quote challenge

The theme for the current two week challenge over at Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog is 

FAVOURITE QUOTE.

The reason I chose World All Her Own (Stampotique Originals) is that it is very adaptable and VERY useful with any of the nature based stamps. It can be used as intended or cut up in to two, or more, using elements of the quote.

The full quote stamp is 

" It was the sweetest,

most mysterious-looking place 

 anyone could imagine...

And she felt she had found

a world all her own."

I used Stampotique stamps:

JILL PENNEY

MEDIUM BEE w/tiny bee 

(just the wings)

GIANT DAISY 

(the woodblock of this stamp  measures 5"/12.5cm across

WORLD ALL HER OWN 

(the second half of the words of the stamp)

I created the background by smearing  green acrylic over some floral printed paper, then getting a piece of floral laser cut paper and using it as I would a stencil/template and spraying over it creating a painty soft flower effect . 

I attached Medium Bee wings to the Jill Penney girl and placed her onto the Giant Daisy that I had previously  painted a stem for, cut out the flower with new stem and coloured with watercolour paints. Finish by adding gem stones for a bit of twinkle.

Stampotique Challenge 'Put a Bug On It'

Here's my contribution to Stampotique Designer's Challenge 'Put a Bug On It!' . 

Soooo as my range of stamps is inundated with all things nature, that wasn't a difficult theme for me. I had a pocket letter swap lined up with my team mate Tera Calihan and so merged the two themes together (that way I could decide whether to use it for last weeks challenge Mail Art or this insect one.

This is my first Pocket Letter...I'm not sure how others go about making these, but I fancied linking all the panels together, image wise, so I placed all the cards on to the table as they would appear in the display sleeve, leaving slight gaps (as you can see below on the finished piece) and totally covered them all with watercolour. I then sourced all the stamps that might possibly work together well and went stamping crazy!!!!

Here's the list of all the stamps I used...all by me, Jo Capper-Sandon at STAMPOTIQUE ORIGINALS.

LARGE BUTTERFLY #3047

SMALL BUTTERFLY #3018

SYMPHONY SCROLL #3060

DAISY, DAISY #3002

RIBBON CURL #3073

JO'S FLOWER BLOCK (a 4 stamp cube) #3042

DANDELION DUO #3068

WORLD ALL HER OWN #3035

I highlighted areas using my favourite white pen (Pentel) such as the Symphony Scroll stamped images and extra dots , coloured in the flower centres and did a bit of doodling.

The photographs I've used here are out of their pocket letter clear sleeve as there was too much reflection going on, but you get the idea of how it would have appeared.

I hope this will perhaps inspire you into taking part in this weeks challenge. It runs over in to next week too so you have a week and a half still left. And at the end of the month if you've entered you will be in with a chance to win a $30 gift certificate so you too could add to your collection.

MAIL ART week 2 with Stampotique

Here's my contribution for the MAIL ART challenge #256 - week 2 at the Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog .

I decided to go with a rather wild looking envelope design using Daniel's Head Clouds #6207

As you can see various parts smudged and bled into the masked address area , but I incorporated it all into part of the design.

Its a bit of fun don't you think? If nothing else, it would brighten up the postie's day I'm sure :) 

Hope you join in with us ...theres a draw for a chance to win $$ gift certificate to spend online at Stampotique Originals

...what's to lose?!!

Two more for the Polka Dot Challenge

Its the second week of Stampotique Designer's Challenge and the continuing theme is

 POLKA DOTS.

I've made a couple more examples that might give you a few ideas .

Firstly , heres a bit of a fun card , nice and simple,

I used the wings from MEDIUM BEE(w/ tiny bee) 

 COOPER (the ghost) 

along with TYPEWRITER ALPHA

The second card is very much a contrast to the one above, but very polka dotty and still using the Bee stamp, this time BIG BEE

Thanks for stopping by. x Jo

Flamingo Days in a Polka Dot Haze

Its time for a new challenge at Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog and the theme is POLKA DOTS!

I decided to use my FLAMINGO stamp to show how, when I designed it,  I envisaged she could be used as well as using it as a stand alone image, which will perhaps explain why its so large.

The woodblock mount of the Flamingo measures 3" x 5.5" !!(  and so therefore is perfect to carry a number of Stampotique characters on its back. :)   Ones that could perhaps look great having a ride are Moon Girl, Stella, Dance Party Break Up, Wicked Witch, Chessy, maybe even  Polka Dot Dog (perfect for this challenge but I dont have that stamp sadly) and RELAXIN..(which I used on this occasion. Pretty much anyone can sit on the Flamingo with a bit of clever scissor work :) 

I began by using sequin waste as a stencil and blended distress inks through it  to add the dots to the background, then piled on the watercolour, finishing with a few dots of white pen and black biro around the drawn frame.

This Polka Dot challenge lasts for two weeks...hope to see you there!! x

Last few days for the TEXT CHALLENGE at Stampotique

The last few days to submit your artwork and join in with the TEXT CHALLENGE at Stampotique are here so I have made a couple of straightforward mat and layer cards....

The first card is for all those people out there having to care for someone and for those being cared for. 

The text element was created using a template/stencil.

Stamps by STAMPOTIQUE- 'UNDER MY WING (Terri Richardson)

DANIEL'S HEARTS (Daniel Torrente)

This next card is more subtle in the text background department...so much so you have to look quite hard as its written quite softly on the preprinted paper (the green/pink main outer layer).

STAMPOTIQUE stamps again..

.JACOB (Tracy Scott)

SPIRAL DAYDREAM (Daniel T)

IN STITCHES- this is the background 'striped' lines not the border stitch (Josie Cirincione

Thanks for visiting :) x

Even Silence Speaks...Text Background Challenge SDC254

First of all thanks to you all for visiting lately.... and great news re the WINNER of the $30 Gift Certificate from Stampotique that was up for grabs with the new release post (see side bar highlight post) - It was picked from my blog!!! Check out the lucky winner here.!!! Congratulations!!

This week's challenge SDC254 on the  Stampotique Designer's Challenge is TEXT BACKGROUND.. And theres another $30 Gift Cert up for grabs again over this months challenges - all you have to do is enter your artwork (follow the details on the site, linking to no more than 4 other challenges at the same time please).

I created a simple hanging...I used a pre printed paper, stamped MAJESTIC TREE onto that and placed the stamped words of EVEN SILENCE SPEAKS underneath, finishing off with a hand drawn line and touch of watercolour. Simple.

Hope you get an opportunity to join in with us at Stampotique Designer;s Challenge...this challenge lasts for two weeks so you have plenty of time :)

Oh I do like to be beside the sea...

Welcome to my new look blog...the black background and triple columns from 12 years ago has gone *sob* and now I'm on neutral colours and a more simple streamlined appearance. I figured that I dont need so much info on my blog nowadays, but it really took some doing, lots of memories.

Anyway..less of the chit-chat and on with the artwork.

Its week two of Stampotique's Designer's Challenge SDC254 Beach/Sea theme.  I hope you liked Mondays new stamp blog hop...?  If you missed it, the link to my contribution can be found in the 'featured post' on the side bar to your right. Thanks to everyone who kindly stopped by and left a comment...good luck in the prize draw!! (you still have time to leave a comment and be a contender...you have to be in it to win it!!)

Here's another piece using one of the NEW stamps...It's using The Crew #14018 from Kassa Hayseldon's new collection at Stampotique which I thought would make a fun, albeit unusual, beach scene. I placed the dynamic trio underneath a shady parasol that I drew for them along side  Starfish #3015.

I used Prima watercolour paints to colour and finished with a white pen border.

I hope you can join in with us for our second week. You can enter TWICE now (new rules are on the Stampotique Designer's site) which doubles the chance to win the $30 gift certicate. But if you are a fan of entering one piece for multiple challenge sites, then the new rules say no more than 4 others plus Stampotique's.

Here's a close up of The Crew having a day by the sea... 

Have a good week...hope to see you on the Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog 

x Jo

PARTY!!!

 PARRRRRTYYYY!!!!!!!!

Here's my 'Party' piece (well, pieces) for this fortnight's challenge SDC#252. The challenges on the Stampotique Designer's Blog are changing to every two weeks instead of weekly, but there will be inspirational artwork posted on a weekly basis. Check out the blog for more details.

I decided to make a couple of party invitations that you can hang up so that you don't mislay it!!.

On the reverse I stamped a few details and hand drew a border.

You may not recognise the two stamps that I used for the main images?? Thats because I combined stamps to create a different look. I placed the larger heads on to the usual size bodies.

 I really like the look of the big heads...

And they are so much easier to colour

I used watercolours to colour , and pre-cut letters for the words.

Here's the list of Stampotique stamps that I used:

Noelle

Jill

Leeta

Mary

Daisy, Daisy

Swirl Stalks

Crown

and for the back of the invitation

Alphabitties

I hand drew the pointy party hat :)

It would be great to see you over at the challenge blog - ( you could win $30 worth of stamps!!!) and/or at the Facebook group page.

xx Take care..

Deja vu...I'm on the Stampotique Originals Design Team!!!

Well I timed that well didn't I...being away for a few years and then one day spotting the DT call on Facebook-. I didn't even used to use Facebook and had popped on to wish someone a happy birthday and there was the announcement-  it was all a bazaar coincidence. So, I applied and got back on to the Stampotique team.

Whahoooooo happy happy. Its very different than the last time I was there though- so not just a case of picking up from where I left off...only a few familiar faces from the old days and everything operates in a different way plus theres Challenges. Facebook, Pinterest, and You Tube to tackle now.

Please take a look at the new team HERE. A lovely mixed bunch of fabulously talented artists!! Mind you, we have a tough job following on from the previous wonderful team who I hope will still be around on their blogs and Facebook sharing their art with everyone..

Talking of Stampotique, theres an ATC swap taking place on the Stampotique Facebook group and you can sign up HERE.

It requires two  ATC;s using the theme FRAME IT....I've put my name down and so had a go at a few the other day,  but I made a set of four for the heck of it.

I used Stampotique stamps:

Dragonfly

Dragonfly Verse

Kisses

Below is an image of all four ATC's but at an angle that catches the shimmer gold...

Maybe you fancy joining in?

Otherwise, maybe see you at the Stampotique Designers Challenge for the latest theme tomorrow ?

Take care xxxxxx

It's Black and White Only...

Here's my take on Stampotique's Designer's Challenge 'Black and White Only- SDC251' , hosted by design team member, Nellie. I've used quite a selection of Stampotique stamps as you can see.

Symphony Scroll (for the cloud and hill)

Swirl Stalks

World All Her Own

Tree-O

Great Moon

Daisy Daisy

Fairytale Castle

Unicorn

Hope you like it... it wasn't as easy as I thought it might have been, just using black and white. Have you had a go?

TWO cards today... 'Quiet' and todays challenge piece at Stampotique

*Those of you looking for my Stampotique #250 challenge piece, its a few images further down on this post*


Well I've been busy crafting and stamping again. Really enjoying it Last night I had a play around with a few stamps from my range at Stampotique and posted a few photos on to the Stampotique Originals Facebook page, thinking I'll upload them on to my blog this morning as it was too late last night. THEN...I saw the Stampotique Challenge theme #250 out this morning  'BUTTERFLIES, FLOWERS AND ALL THINGS GARDEN'.  ...darn....if only I'd held back a few hours from Facebook. Don't you just hate it when that happens and you pre-empt a challenge by a few hours...Of course, this means I'm unable to enter this first piece in to the challenge (I think the theming would have been ok...its isnt butterflies but its flowers and garden with a few bees thrown in for good measure...)

I used -

Medium Bee with TinyBee on the side #3000

Symphony Scroll #3060

Quiet Place #3011

Spider Grass #3063

Prima Tropical Watercolours

Glimmer Mist spray - Marigold

Black embossing powder 

So thats the first item...

Second up today is a total contrast to the above...a quick make for Stampotique Designer;s Challenge #250 hosted by Jackie Payne- BUTTERLIES, FLOWERS AND ALL THINGS GARDEN using Small Butterfly and Papillon (which is Butterfly in French...also the name of  our house.)

I used-

Small Butterfly #3018

Papillon #3020

Prima Tropical Watercolours

Stazon

You can imagine how quick and easy this card is to make. Stamp stamp stamp (x quite a few) the butterfly, add some watercolour dabs, stand it upright so it runs downwards, stamp and add the Papillon text, fix to card stock that I inked a little around the edges. Da-daah.