July's Forgotten Stash

Looking through my stash this month to find something that's been unused and forgotten about, I came upon this large postcard tag stamp from Hero Arts.

 I love it but have never got round to using it, so I decided to have a play!  I like the proportions of it, it's a substantial size being 12cm x 9cm so would make a good front for a card.
This is definitely a keeper and I know I'll be using it again!

 I'm linking up with Julia who I'm delighted to say is back at the helm of WOYWW this week.  

Summer Nights

While wandering round my local DIY store recently I discovered some new style paint sample cards, and they looked perfect for little pieces of arty crafty stuff!   Laid out in colour sequence they were totally irresistible to me!  

Working on my theme of the summer garden at night, I thermofax printed on them, used Infusion powders on clear texture paste and stitched velvet flower buds on top.  I wanted the effect of twilight sweeping over the garden, so I smudged the Infusions with a baby wipe, which I then didn't like as it just looked a mess, so that's why the other two look 'cleaner'!

 I forgot to initially coat them with clear gesso, so some of the texture paste flaked off - I quite like the effect though!

And here are the cards on my work desk!  I chose some lovely rich shades of red for Christmas, the blues for the summer night garden, yellows for spring, and a few pales that were actually to help choose paint for our dining room walls!

I'm linking up with Jan this week (who is doing a superb job of being Julia) for WOYWW.

Summer's Night Garden

'I often think the night is more alive and more richly coloured than the day'

                                                                                     Vincent Van Gogh

In the summer I love my garden more at night than in the day - it's at it's most beautiful in the late evening, just as the sun has gone down.  The scents are stronger and the garden is more alive with insects and moths.  The shapes and outlines of the plants are more highly defined and the although the bright colours are muted the blues and whites are quite spectacular. 

Here's a garden tag to celebrate the summer we are eventually going to have!

I am linking up with Jan (who is temporarily Julia) over at WOYWW this week.

June's Forgotten Stash and the Peppered Moth

For June's Forgotten Stash project, where I find stash I've never used and decide whether to keep it or move it on, I dug out a bark effect embossing folder - never used and long forgotten.  I was inspired by a beautiful card made by Shoshi here (do pop over and have a look, her work is beautiful).

My idea though was moths (of course) and the camouflage of them against the bark - I wanted to create dark moths against dark bark.

I was also influenced by the story of the Peppered Moth - through research in the 1950's it was thought to change to a darker shade to blend in with the industrially polluted cities of England.  A fascinating story on many levels, and well worth a Google!  I'm adding a link to a recent BBC news story concerning the current research for anyone interested.

I used an old photo album page as the frame and I covered the embossed bark so thoroughly it's difficult to see it, but you can make it out in the image below.  

I am linking up with Jan (who is Julia once again!) for WOYWW.  Sending love and best wishes to the both of them and thanking Jan for holding the fort so superbly once again!

Spring Flowers Tag

Not much art going on this week as we are decorating.

However, I needed a tag for an engagement gift and this is the end result. 

 The background is clear embossing and distress inks, and I was very pleased with the flowers I made from scratch - I found the idea for them through Pinterest and a blog called Such a Pretty Mess.  I made up my own flower centres as I didn't have the right punch but I think that makes them more unique!  

I received the prettiest little ATC this week too, from Fiona (Staring at the Sea) - the background stamp is just fab and is now on my wish list, and I just LOVE the little seed heads - another obsession of mine!  Thank you Fiona.

I am linking up with Jan, who is Julia for a few weeks, over at WOYWW.

Spring Pinks

 Getting a little tired of the bright green I've been working with lately I decided to add some vivid pink - a choice helped along by the beautiful bundle of cerise sari silk I found at the Needlework Fiesta few weeks ago.

I used the little frame stamps from May's Forgotten Stash post here, and I made a series of little Spring windows again.

Th backgrounds are Brusho's on clear texture paste - a technique I found on the Country View Crafts blog, although they were using Infusions and not Brusho's.  I have recently purchased the Infusion powders but felt they weren't as bright and vivid for what I wanted on this project. 

I received another beautiful ATC in the post this week from Jo (Twiglet), and I'm thrilled with it - I love the colours, especially that beautiful bright pink -  very appropriate for my 'pink' mood this week and very gorgeous!  She also included a card showing close-up the beautiful and intricate work of her daughter Maxine (Tilly Tea Dance) - a big thank you Jo!

I am linking up with WOYWW this week.  

Spring Tea Bag Embroideries

I have been finishing off more of my little mossy tea bag embroideries this week.

These two became little ATC's!

Some close-up detail:

I'm so thrilled to have received another little batch of ATC's in the post this week - and what stunners they are - the beautiful triptych from Angela at Felix the Crafty Cat, the exquisite print of her work from Sandra de and the lovely heart from Lunch Lady Jan - thank you so much ladies!

I'm linking up with WOYWW this week and am so happy to hear that Julia is now on the road to recovery after her successful operation - sending lots of love and keep getting stronger Julia. 

May's Forgotten Stash

Each month I'm rooting out forgotten and never used stash with a view to using it or moving it along.  For May I found a set of little frames by BLine Designs.  They came on a cube and there were four of them originally, but after peeling them off many moons ago I seem to have lost one!  

It was hard finding a project for them but I decided they would be little windows onto a Spring garden.

I am joining in with What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday this week and before I do anything else I would like to send Julia a huge Get Well hug - I am so glad her surgery went well and I am sending positive, healing thoughts and lots of love her way.
Last week was the ATC swap and these are the ones I sent out (I made 7 but somehow only photographed 6)....

And these are the ones I've received so far...

The wonderful bee, so happy and sunny, from BJ (BJCraftcorner) and the beautiful heart from Shaz (Silverwolf) - I am loving that heart stamp!  Thank you so much ladies, it was a joy receiving them through the post.