PEP tangles - my Zentangle Inspired Art blog

Wednesday 25 August 2010

WOYWW 64

Thank you for all your kind comments on my WOYWW posting last week. I was utterly astonished by the response so, with requests for updates & photos when it is all finished, I thought I'd better join in WOYWW again this week.


Above Left  debris from my last two projects - I usually try to trim the scraps & punch out what can be punched before I start the next project but sometimes I don't manage it. The idea now is to get ahead so that when it comes to putting everything back into the room I do some sorting/decluttering as well. So, that will be some task
.
Above Right my ribbon hanger is nestling amongst some of my husband's few thousand books - wonder what Lord Esher, Tennyson & Ruskin would think? These shelves are next to where I sit so in order to reference (when he's not painting) somebody from his 34 volumes of the Dictionary of National Biography (the blue & white books just visible at the top)  he leans over my head & reaches with his long arms.                          

Below you can see how far the painting has progressed. The windows are completely finished - the masking tape just needs removing. All the walls have been painted over with white to give a neutral base for the two coats of Blossom White, one of which has been applied.

Whiff of Joy Challenge DT - #85 Jane's Sketch

front of card

close-up showing detail of image &
floral garland

close-up showing glittered swirl
& stamped swirls border

back of card

close-up showing swirls decoration &
paper piercing of message panel

dimensional view of the Shadow Box Card


A sketch by Jane forms the basis for the Whiff Of Joy Challenge #86. The details of a Design Team Call are also being posted with this challenge. The sketch lends itself to a number of interpretations - for suggestions see the examples from the rest of the Design Team.

I cannot honestly say which idea presented itself to me first when I saw the sketch: Jane's Punched Screen Card technique featured a couple of months ago on the Whiff Of Joy Tutorials & Inspirations Blog; or the Shadow Box Card format (for a tutorial on how to make one of these see Splitcoaststampers). Also, in accordance with my normal preference to make a card without explicit wording I have replaced the sentiment with a floral embellishment.

This snail image is one of my favourites - she just delights me & reminds me of Brian the fantasy snail character from "The Magic Roundabout" 1960s Children's television. This, along with "Blue Peter", Enid Blyton's books & such programmes as "Andy Pandy" & "Camberwick Green" were instrumental in my learning to speak & read/write English. 

Recipe
Stamps Whiff Of Joy "Cute Snail" (image), Whiff Of Joy Spring Swirls (swirl).
Inks etc.... Memento Tuxedo Black (image), Distress Inks (Dusty Condord & Worn Lipsitck) for inking all cardstock edges except the punched swirls, the Dusty Concord also being used for stamping the swirl border patterns. 
Colouring Copic Ciaos & Sketch, Stickles Glitter Glue (Cotton Candy), Liquid Pearls (White Opal).
Cardstock White "pebble dash" textured (mage panel) - Bits N Pieces A4 Assorted Embossed Card (Snow White Textures); Moondust mauve, white, textured white, pale & bright pink from "stash".
Paper Patterned vellum - Nancy Watt Collection from Making Cards May 2008. 
Punches Woodware (circle & scalloped circles, leaves, smallest flowers), Xcut (largest flowers), EK Success (swirl flourish).
Flowers The white spotted pink is Prima Esprit Orange & the white from "stash".
The jewel brad is Dovecraft, the pearls are Kanban & the gems are from "stash".

Challenges Entered
Anything Goes Wk 12 - Three Layers (I have 3 decorated layers on my card: the image layer inside the Shadow Box; the decorated layer around the circular opening; the decorated back)
Crafts & Me #11 - Petals & Pearls
Magical Monday #3 - Flowers (see above for fantasy snail)
Paper Play Wk 33 - Pink
Papertake Weekly - Recipe: 3-2-1 (3 types of bling - gems, pearls & jewel brad, 2 stamps were used, 1 coloured image)
Polka Doodles - Colouring Competition
Stampavie & More #105 - Swirls
Stamp With Fun #73 - Card for a Girl

Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenge Starting 3 Sept


This will be a monthly challenge blog devoted to animal images. The start date (being celebrated with a launch candy) 3 Sept - all details can be found here.

Sunday 22 August 2010

An Old Yet New Autumnal Star

front of card

close-up of image panel

close-up showing sparkle of gems & glittered star,
  also one of the swirl  elements

close-up showing glittery sparkle
on hair decoration

inside of card

The Sugar Nellie Forum Challenge #19 is to use autumnal colours with  a Sugar Nellie image & the Sugar Bowl has an optional theme of using something old from our stash or something new with Marlene's Sletch. My image qualifies for the new criterion (although it is an older Leanne Ellis image) as I have not had the opportunity to use it previously & all of my Sugar Nellie stamps except for one have been acquired within the last 6 months.

The card I have made is adaptable for various occasions, I could well imagine giving it to one of my female friends as either a "Birthday" or a "Thank You" card.
Recipe
Stamp Sugar Nellie Leanne Ellis Catch a Falling Star.
Inks etc.... Memento Tuxedo Black (image), Distress Inks (Tea Dye & Peeled Paint) for inking paper & cardstock edges.
Colouring Copic Ciaos & Sketch, Stickles Glitter Glue (Orange Peel & Ice Stickles Lemon Ice), Inkssentials White Opaque Pen.
Cardstock etc.... Dark brown, orange, pale green & textured russet from "stash".
Papers Dovecraft Abstract Prints.
Punches Woodware (circles & scalloped circle), EK Success (wave flourish).
Gems from "stash".

Challenges Entered
Sugar Nellie Forum Challenge #19 - Autumn Colour
The Sugar Bowl Challenge #41 - Marlene's Sketch + Theme: Something Old or Something New? (see above)
Anything Goes Wk 12 - At least 3 Layers (I have 6 if you count the card base & the swirls as layers)
Crafty Cardmakers #27 - Birthdays  (see above)
Create4Fun Wk 34 - Birthday (see above) 
Creative Card Crew - Sparkle & Shine (glittter & gems, plus the implications of sparkle/shine in the star imagery)
ISB Challenge #32 - Dots (dots on her dress & in the patterned paper design, dots are also a component of the swirls)
Let's Ink It Up #1 - Anything Goes + Use The Colour Yellow
My Time To Craft #103 - Glitter & Glitz (glitter, gems & implications of sparkle in the star imagery)
Oh Alice Ch 27 - Sparkly Fabulousness (glitter & gems, plus the implications of sparkle in the star imagery)
Totally Gorjuss #44 - Star!

Wednesday 18 August 2010

WOYWW - What's Outside Your Workroom Wednesday

Everything but for decorating paraphernalia.


Excepting what could be put into the cupboards/drawers everything has been moved into the lounge where I'm attempting to craft & keep losing things - the USB camera cable  had to be located before I could upload the photos.
This is my room where I normally work: the counter where laptop & printer normally sit & opposite that the shelves are usually full of cardstock, boxes of stamps & inks etc..... It's a tiny room so I had to stand in the doorway to take the centre & right photos. The left one is taken with my back pressed against the shelves you can see in the right hand photo.
  
And here in our lounge is my work table, with the surrounding kit (except telephone & its table plus books) that normally fits into the above room.

The rest is strewn about the lounge wherever I could find a space
 

The windows were stripped & sanded over the weekend & my husband managed to apply the primer & undercoat between rain showers & before the heavy rain this morning.
The above was taken  before everything had been removed from the room. 

Finally, this is what is on my table - I'm venturing into unknown territory with the Tim Holtz Distressing Tool I've just acquired.  So, it seems appropriate to link this posting to WOYWW.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Let's Ink It Up - New Challenge Blog now Aug 22nd


The response to this new challenge blog - whose emphasis will be upon rubber or acrylic stamps rather than the digital variety - is growing so fast that the date for the first challenge has been brought forward to Sun 22 Aug. In addition both KLM Digital Designs & Clear Stamps plus AnnaBelle Stamps are offering candy ending 4 Sept. There are other interesting matters on the blog which are worth reading too.

Sunday 15 August 2010

The Sense of an Oriental Fairy Tale

front of card

close-up showing inked dry embossing
& heat embossing of image

inside of card

The Sugar Nellie Forum Challenge #18 is "Embossing". I decided to heat emboss my image & to dry emboss the background which I then sponged with ink. The sketch used is that  from Sketch & Stash #41 &,  although I didn't set out with an Oriental theme in mind, when I looked at the finished card I realised that the combination of tree, white & blue reminded me of the Willow Pattern Blue China that is based on an old Chinese fairy tale. The images of the Willow Pattern are very different from mine but the fairy tale connection remains, especially if you also think of Maeterlinck's "The Blue Bird".
Recipe
Stamp Sugar Nellie Bird House (image).
Inks etc.... VersaMark watermark stamp pad & Stampendous Detail White Embossing Powder. Brilliance Mediterranean Blue for sponging raised surfaces of cardstock & also for inking cardstock edges (alone or  in combination with Brilliance Galaxy Gold & Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue).
Colouring Ice Stickles Glitter Glitter Glue (Gold Ice).
Cardstock etc.... Navy pearlescent, bright gold cream Moondust, navy, pale blue, aqua & white from "stash".
Punches, Dies etc.... Woodware (dragonflies), EK Success (Swirl Flourish), Spellbinders Nestabilities (Large Deckled Rectangles), Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (D'vine Swirls), Fiskars Edging Scissors (Deckle).
Pearls Kanban.
Ribbon from "stash".

Challenges Entered
Sugar Nellie Forum Challenge #18 - Embossing (heat embossed image, dry embossed cardstock, see above)
Sketch & Stash #41 - Sketch (my new item is the stamp)
Craftalicious #6 - Pearls & Swirls
One Stop Craft Challenge #93 - Oriental Delights (see above)
Simon Says Stamp - Summertime Blues (image & dragonflies are summery)
Stamp Something - Fairy Tale Somethings (see above)

Sunday 8 August 2010

August Brecon Colours For A Summer Girl

front of card

close-up of image panel
 
close-up showing glittered earrings,
inked deckled edging &
inked embossing

inside of card
The pale mat on the base cardstock which appears pinkish in the photos is actually a pale yellow, for some reason that  colour does not photograph true.

The Sugar Nellie Forum Challenge #17 is "Summer". I have used Emma Lockley's sketch from the Sketch Saturday Challenge Wk #115 & the colours are those in my back garden (see photo) on a summer's day in August (8th August 2010).


Recipe
Stamp Sugar Nellie Diane Duda Curtsy.
Inks etc.... Memento Tuxedo Black (image), ColorBox Pheasant Gold for sponging raised surfaces of embossed cardstock, & Pine Needles Distress Ink for inking all cardstock edges.
Colouring Copic Ciaos, Letraset Black Fine Line Drawing Pen, Inkssentials White Opaque Pen, Stickles Glitter Glue (Green).
Cardstock Dark & bright green, pale yellow & white from "stash".
Punches. Diets etc.... EK Success (corner rounder), Spellbinders Nestabilities (Large Deckled Rectangles, Classic Scallloped Ovals Large & Classic Ovals Large), Fiskars Edging Scissors (Deckle).
Flowers Prima Esprit Orange.
The brads are Dovecraft & the buttons are from "stash".

Challenges Entered
One Stop Craft Challenge Wk 92 - Summer Fun (see above)
Paper Sundaes #30 - Metal (metal brads)

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Funny Girl Ivy Dresses Up For A Tickled Pink Christmas

front of card

close-up of image

close- up showing sparkly hairband
& hat ribbons

close-ups of "blinged" flourishes


inside of card

This is my second entry for the Tickled Pinks Stamps Challenge #3 using the sketch provided, this time with the Christmas theme of the Lil Lilita Boutique Challenge #8. The image reminds me of Audrey Hepburn or Barbra Streisand, & they in turn the movies "Breakfast at Tiffany's" or "Funny Girl".

ETA - Now how did I manage to get the inside of my card looking as if the paper is about to detach itself from the cardstock & the right hand side is longer than the left? I used a tripod.......oh dear!

Recipe
Stamp Tickled Pink Stamps Lil Lolita Ivy.
Inks etc....Memento Tuxedo Black (image), Brilliance Mediterranean Blue for inking paper & cardstock edges.
Colouring Copic Ciaos, Inkssentials White Opaque Pen, Sakura Stardust Pen, ProMarker (pale blue gems).
Cardstock Bright gold cream, navy, white & yellow from "stash".
Papers Dovecraft Winter Wonderland.
Punches Woodware (scalloped ovals), Crafts Too (corner), EK Success (swirl flourish).
Gems Papermania & from "stash".
Ribbon from "stash".

Challenges Entered
Lil Lolita Boutique Challenge #8 - Christmas in July
Tickled Pink Stamps Monthly Challenge #3 - sketch
Allsorts Wk 63 - Dressing Up (It's the hat that makes me think of being dressed up for a show's dance routine)
Hanna & Friends #55 - Favourite Movie (Funny Girl - see above)
Stampalot Challenge August - Bring on the Bling

Sunday 1 August 2010

Golden Sugar Bowl at the Forum for a Blue Christmas


front of card
close-up of image

close-up of bauble showing glaze & sparkle

close-ups of chipboard elements - the glitter on the tag is just visible

inside of card

The Sugar Bowl Challenge #40 involves selecting a sketch from the gallery of previous challenge sketches whilst the the Sugar Nellie Forum Challenge #16 is "Blue". Using the sketch from Challenge #19 with the Blue theme I made a Christmas Card as I wanted to use the Sugar Nellie Manga Baubles image.

Trying to photograph the combination of glaze, Mirri card & glitter in the sunshine or using flash had me almost going dotty (never mind the Simon Says Stamp Challenge) - I must have taken over 50 photos.

Recipe
Stamps Sugar Nellie Manga Baubles.
Inks etc... Memento Tuxedo Black (image), Brilliance Mediterranean Blue & Brilliance Galaxy Gold for inking paper & cardstock edges.
Colouring Copic Ciaos, Inkssentials White Opaque Pen, Sakura Stardust Pen, 3D Crystal Lacquer, Stickles Glitter Glue (Turquoise & Waterfall).
Cardstock Pearlescent gold - Crafter's Companion Special Effect Card Pack, blue Mirri, navy, aqua & pale blue from "stash".
Papers Dovecraft Winter Wonderland.
Punches, Dies etc...Woodware (Circle & Scalloped Circles, "Blink Blink"), Xcut (corner), Spellbinders Nestabilites (Classic Scalloped Rectangles), Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Swiss Dots).
Gems Kanban (aqua) & Papermania (pale blue).
The chipboard letters & tags are Dovecraft Winter Wonderland whereas the brads are from "stash".

Challenges Entered
The Sugar Bowl Challenge #40 - Do It Yourself (see above)
Sugar Nellie Forum Challenge #16 - Blue
Anything Goes Wk 9 - Punches
Dutch Dare Card Challenge DDCC #83 - Anything Goes
Paperplay Wk 30 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - We Are All Going Dotty (embossed dots on Mirri card, dots on patterned paper, the baubles, brads, gems & chipboard letters are large dot shapes as are the finials of both the "Blink Blink" snowflakes & corner trios of snowflakes, also see above)
Stamp Something - Christmas In July Somethings