Woodware - Travel

This week at Woodware our theme is travel. I recently got this gorgeous Stampendous stamp of the steam train. Although it is in this year's Christmas catalogue, you can use it any time of year. So I thought it would fit the travel theme perfectly.

CRR187 Train Postcard

I went with an autumn theme and used a leaf stamp and some travel post marks from a Stampendous clear set of travel stamps I have.

To cover the holly part of the image I die cut a leaf from Woodware copper foil. I love this product. It makes your die-cuts look really special. I also cut a couple of fancy corners to finish off.

The travel quote is another Stampendous cling, and one I have used before. 

I think this stamp is a great one for masculine cards as well as Christmas and travel. There are lots of other great ideas on the Woodware blog this week. Pam our DT member from the States did a great card using a Stampendous cling motorbike. I will be definitely adding that to my collection!!

Siobhan x

Woodware - Circles

Over on the Woodware blog this week there have been some great ideas using circles. All the team have come up with completely different ideas. I made another Christmas card this week using circles. It is always fun trying to come up different ways of using a set of stamps. So here is my take on the circle theme:

 I used a set of clear Stampendous stamps for most of the images, although the little cottage was a separate Stampendous cling stamp but goes really well with the first set. I stamped all the images in black ink then punched out the circles. After colouring in I used a glue pen to outline each circle and covered in glitter.

Family and friends are the circles that mean most to us and so this was the idea behind the card. I think I might make a few of these!!
It was a lovely day here today. The trees are looking stunning in their autumn colours. I must try and get some photos before they loose their leaves. 
Hope you have a good weekend!!
Siobhan

Woodware - Sketch 27

I am last up this week at Woodware for our latest sketch challenge. This is the sketch we were given:

I decided to go with a Christmas theme for my take on this sketch. And both stamps I have used are new. The lovely background script is a new Woodware stamp. The tree is from Stampendous and I just love tree stamps (So I just had to have this one!!)

The Woodware Christmas script was stamped and embossed in gold. For the trees I sponged a background first before stamping the trees. I didn't think the card needed much else so I just stamped and embossed a border down one side of the background paper and added some organza ribbon and a bow.

I know these are both stamps that will get well used this year. I hope to make a batch of cards this weekend to start my own Christmas box. If I have any peace between grocery shopping, cleaning the house, dogs and going looking at Wedding dresses. Catriona and I are going for her first look for THE DRESS this Sunday!!! No doubt there will be a little tear when I see my baby in a wedding dress!! 

Have a good weekend whatever you are up to!!

Siobhan x

Woodware - Monochrome Christmas

Well folks this week at Woodware we were set with a retailer challenge by Janet from Craft Range in Burnley Lancashire. She wanted people to share their monochromatic Christmas ideas. So these are actually the first two Christmas cards I have made this year. As always I seem to be way behind everyone else!!
I chose this lovely new Woodware single stamp JGS176 Nordic Dove and Branch designed by Jane Gill. I love the simplicity if the design and the fact that it lends itself to a variety of techniques.
The first sample is using a resist :

I chose several shades of blue pigment cat's eye ink pads to go over my resist.

I then finished with a light blue dye ink over the top with then allowed me to splatter some water to make it look a little more distressed.

My second sample is more a vintage look.

I stamped the dove twice, once onto white card and the second on to Kraft card and used a paper piecing technique. I added a little colour with a paint brush to highlight the swirls on the dove.
These were two very simple cards to batch and I hope I have given you a couple of ideas of how to use this lovely stamp.
I am sure there will be lots of other lovely sample on the Woodware blog this week, so be sure to stop by and check them out.

Have a great week!!
Siobhan x

Woodware - Alter it or Recycle it!!

This week our Woodware challenge is to either alter something or re-cycle something. I had recently bought some calendar tabs with the intention of making some desk calendars for Christmas gifts. So I thought I would make a start with one for this week's challenge.
I have an old chipboard book that I have never used and as the pages are nice and thick, they make a great base for the calendar.
I used the page as a template to cut out a piece of gold card for the background. This was stamped and embossed with gold. The stamp is an old Stampendous leaf border.

I also ran the gold pad all round the edges and embossed that as well to finish off the raw edge. I then chose a stamp for my main image and stamped it over a sponged setting sun. A little matting and layering and your done! 
I have an easel die which allows you to stand things up, but you can quite easily make your own stand or hanger if you prefer.

Normally I would cover the back with a nice piece of paper to finish off....especially in this case when there are holes in the back!!
Hope this has given you some ideas for quick Christmas presents. And good for fund raising sales of work.
I was down at Port Sunlight this weekend with some good friends for the Happy Stampers show. Although I was feeling a bit under the weather I really enjoyed it. Bought some lovely new things, saw some great demos and also met up with a couple of other friends. Now I am cuddled up on the sofa with a cosy blanket with a hot toddy writing my blog post. 

Linda in the middle of Janet and Liz outside Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight

Liz and Lynne outside the hall.