Angels We Have Heard on High

Nan here today with my contribution for the "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" event where we are showcasing the Christmas stamps of both Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda.  I used the stamp from Carmen's Veranda called "Small Angel Head".  I decided to make a set of ATC's; I love making them so much!  I had bought a little Christmas scrapbook kit on sale a year ago and it had some lovely non-traditional Christmas colored papers.  I picked up a small package of ATC papers from Japan although I have no idea what kind of paper it is but I like the texture :)

I also used the "Old Typewriter Alphabet" set from Lost Coast Designs and spelled out the word "angel" across the three ATC's.  I stamped the angel in Distress Ink Weathered Wood which worked well with the paper colors.  I also edged everything with it.  The angel's heads were put on pop dots on strips of lace. The papers from Japan were given a gorgeous shimmer with Gelatos.  Then a sticker from the kit on each, button, and bling.  I had added a strip of tape from the kit on the bottom of each one.

We hope to get to see your "present" for the event so we can visit your blog and leave some love and get inspired!  Don't forget the  Lost Coast Portal to Creativity  has all of the details on everything from upcoming events to the monthly challenge HERE which this month is "Party Animals (animals in hats celebrating, etc.)" so get those critters ready to party and join for a chance to win some stamps!

 Lost Coast Portal to Creativity

Lost Coast Designs

Carmen's Veranda

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Time for a Drink

It is time for the December challenge at Dream in Darkness where it is Halloween all the time and the theme is "Anything Goes".  Grumbacher Art is our sponsor again this month and we are having a blast playing with all the goodies they sent us to work with plus some for the winner of this month to play with also!  I used Grumbacher acrylic paints and gesso on a black canvas.  This canvas was inspired by the Art Sherpa on Youtube who does live, real time videos on beginning painting tutorials.  She was celebrating the reboot of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and I was sooooo in love with it!  So here is my humble attempt at some fabulous, lip biting lips!

I wonder how long it has been since this lovelie has fed?  She looks absolutely famished and must be looking at something totally divine to snack upon!  Here's hoping she finds that snack before running into you or me.....watch those dark alleys I would suggest!

Come bring us your weird, dark, odd, anything but CUTE we just can't have our Evil Froggy seeing cute which makes him see red then we have to deal with a petulant frog for a whole month!

See you at Dream in Darkness good luck on winning some Grumbacher!

December at Eclectic Ellapu

It's December and at Eclectic Ellapu, our theme is what else?  Jingle Bells!  Oh what fun it is to create with some jingle bells!  I took an old Hello Kitty tub and covered it with some kraft paper I had bought in Japan. It is thinner than the kind I have already so it worked well to cover up the kitty.  I stamped it all over with a Carmen's Veranda's Stamps called "Christmas Lights" . 

I used Prisma colored pencils to color my Christmas lights.  I had an unopened Santa pin that looked swell on the front, some red beads hot glued to the top edge, and my jingle bells hung from a green and white twill string.  For some height, I added some small Christmas ornaments to the bottom.  A little red inking to all the edges and it is ready to hold some candy canes.

Come play with us this month at Eclectic Ellapu!

Altered Eclectics Play for December

Angels, angels, angels!  I am hooked on angels right now! So when I started thinking about my design team make for Altered Eclectics I decided to alter this wooden cutout my daddy had cut out for me years ago that I unearthed while trying to get rid of a decade of hoarding!  I painted her with acrylics and then stamped the word "JOY" from Lost Coast Designs "Old Typewriter Alphabet" set on her tummy before covering all painted areas with Liqutex shimmering medium.  Her hair is some wonderful yarn from a kit I bought ages ago. Some silver beads to hold between her hands and a rusty halo completed her look.  Of course, I am forgetting her wings! an angel with no wings?? had some buttons added and the shimmer medium addded, also.

I hope you can join us with your altered art for December; it always makes a good gift so you can get two birds with one or a few crafting supplies put together :)

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers Zentangle

Long time since I played at the Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers so time to jump back in with some "Zentangle" fun ...my absolute not best technique :)   So here we go with a "Cracked Chicken" from Lost Coast Designs!

This chicken's rules to live by are so appropriate!

I would like to enter this at the Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers Zentangle

Tag it Thursday Texture

I am still trying to get all of my supplies back in one house so when I needed a stencil for some texture I took an index card and my hole punch and punched some holes in an arrangement I liked and there was my stencil!

My Quilted Angel with Wings is from Carmen's Veranda Stamps and words from Tim Holtz's ChitChat stickers with some embellies from different kits and from friends goodie mail!

I want to enter this in Tag it Thursday Texture

Winter at Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge

Even in south Mississippi it is getting a bit nippy in the weather!  Not close to snowman weather but I do love this snowman (minus his feet ...just wouldn't fit!) from Carmen's Veranda called "Elf with Star".  Some icy blues and stamped in blue Distress Inks with some colored pencils and a little bow and bling and my ATC was done.

I am entering this cutie at Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge "Winter" #236

To Celebrate the Arrival of Halloween!

If you check out the last day of the 31 Days of Halloween post at Dream in Darkness, you will see my book of goodies and bits and bobs!  A lot of fabulous elements from Tumble Fish Studios (now closed) kit Mischief Circus Halloween!  Also the configurations box from Tim Holtz and goodies from his ephemera pack and the Haunted House kit stocked full of goodies!  It also contains some vintage digital images from my Etsy store "Odditiesdigitalstamps".  Here is the book...

And now for the celebrating part, I am giving the images I used either all or parts of in the book for you to grab if you would like!

I hope you have had a fabulous and inspiring 31 Days of Halloween this year!  I hope to be joining the Wicked Bloggers next year as I had planned to this year but my mom's terminal illness did not allow me enough time to play. Now go have a wicked cool Halloween night and stay safe!

Alfred's Favorite Month, Too!

I was sent this fab postcard by dear Squiddy from Middle Earth and immediately thought of my Lost Coast Designs "Crows Border" and the crows from "A Murder of Crows".  They all wanted to hang out with the king of horror back in the day who could put a shiver up your spine without any gore but just mere suggestions :)  A little gold for the Oscars he should have gotten and he is ready for Halloween!

Hope you are having a wonderful and fun annual 31 Days of Halloween!

Until next time BOO!

Thanks for sharing with us at the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity this month! Nan, DT

Face Skull Pencil Case

EEEEK!  It that time!  The 31 Days of Halloween!  I found a cute very plain pencil case and we all know we always need storage of any kind!  I stamped the Lost Coast Designs Stamp "Skull Face" and used a bargain bin Happy Halloween stamp.  Added some dangles and a cross and I love it!

I was down to be a Wicked Blogger but my mom's health deteriorated very quickly and I had to withdraw but it is fun to share a few things I played with!

 Lost Coast Portal to Creativity

Lost Coast Designs

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Surprise Under the Gardenia

Imagine my surprise when I looked down and peeping under the gardenia bush in my yard was a full blown alchemist's home!  Decorated with all the average alchemist would need including a tiny mouse on the second floor and a lovely owl on the bottom, it is an adventure to find each little component that makes up this wonderful house!  Make it Crafty has the digital image of the "Alchemist Chamber" and is sponsoring us at Dream in Darkness this month so please check out their awesome store for stamps, digis, and so much more!

I don't know what goes on when I am not peeping with my camera but I suspect all sorts of concoctions are made looking at those selves of bottles and lovelies!  Colored up with Spectrum Noir markers and due to computer/printer issues fussy cut to attach to my distressed photo from the gardenia bush....and yes, it appears quiet soggy as it rains here everyday!  I am so glad he has his glowing fire (helped to shimmer a lot by Gelatos that I used on most of the image as scanning dulled the colors way to much) and cozy home to practice in!

Still a few more days to play with us at Dream in Darkness where it is always "Anything Goes" and all types of mediums are welcome...just no cute :)\

Hope to see you there!

We're Still Hip How About You?

Continuing on our trip down memory lane and being hip not square but using our fabulous squares to be hip...whew! that confused me!  Just check out the  Lost Coast Portal to Creativity  for all the details on our event "Hip to be Square" and Leigh will get you all unconfused and you will know how to play along with us and win some cool spending cash at the stores!  

I used the Architecture Square from Carmen's Veranda to make a wrapping topping for a man's gift or the graduate, any guy will appreciate it.  It comes with its own bunting so when they open the gift they can have a little party on their desk with the twine and circles to keep the party mood going!  

This is such a versatile stamp as it can be stamped and cut apart for architecture elements on a background as I did on my Shrine for the new release event. I am seeing these elements alot on cards and some cool projects so it was a must have for me.  The bunting was made by punching circles and hot gluing onto the twine and wrapping around the topper.

Hope to see you joining us for the fun event and all the fun things coming up so very soon!

 Lost Coast Portal to Creativity

Lost Coast Designs

Carmen's Veranda

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Go Tag Thursday with Me!

I have loved playing along with Sandie at Go Tag Thursday since it's beginning not so long ago and now I get the pleasure of Guest Designer for this week!  Squeee with joy!  I wanted to do an "Explosion of Color" (to tell the truth, Sandie made my suggestions of lots of colors sound so much nicer!) so here are my two examples!

This one was a page of nothing but Nuance Powders sprinkled nilly dilly everywhere and let run and get all scrumptious looking as they always do!  The stamps are freebies from a magazine and I wanted some lovely blue birds but the Spectrum Noir markers just couldn't overcome the background colors so not so blue blue birds.

 

 

This one was the actual reason for the theme as I was working on a tag with this background paper by Holtz when Sandie asked for my theme.  The little fairy declaring her love with a little put up hand is by Rubber Dance Stamps and the word "love" is from Lost Coast's Designs' word set Misc. Words Set.  I finally got the satisfaction of using the key for the letter "I" from my old keyboard that I just got replaced a couple weeks ago after using it with no shift keys working for almost a year!  Ha!  Such a good feeling.  Then a little sticker for "U" and it was all done.

 

Hope you will show us your tags this Thursday and each Thursday (and the days in between!) we are really having a blast with Sandie's fabulous new challenge!

 

It's Hip to be Square at the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity this Month!

Hey all you cool guys and gals!  We are going hip on you this month with our event "It's Hip to be Square" and you will not be thinking we are posing on you not one bit :)  Carmen's Veranda's Stamps and Lost Coast Designs have some fabulous square stamps and it really gets you thinking on how to use them in different ways.  I saw this Eye Chart Square  and then the Eye Chart stamp at Carmen's Veranda and had to have a way to use them together!  I even bought a pair of jeans that I knew were a size too small for the awesome tag that went with my idea (I can wear the jeans when I loose my stress weight and they were on sale for 4 dollars so I am not that bad, really!)

Some Holtz's paper and my jean's tag and some Spectrum Noir markers for a green eye and my tag was done. I even used the black cord the tag was hanging from on here so good jeans great crafting material!

Please check the  Lost Coast Portal to Creativity for all the details and information so you can participate and win!  Lots going on this month and the months to come so don't miss a thing!  And our monthly challenge is always a good way to win some stamps!

 Lost Coast Portal to Creativity

Lost Coast Designs

Carmen's Veranda

   Like our Facebook pages

here

and 

                                                                              here!

                                         AND our brand new Fan Page LIKE us and join us in the fun!

 

Christmas in August at Dragons Lair Designs

MERRY AUGUST!  And Christmas, too :)  We are getting ready for that all too fast approaching holiday season and what better way when it is in the triple digits and 100% humidity than to join Rupert with a nice holiday toast to you and yours!

You can find Rupert's Favorite Tipple digital stamp at the Dragons Lair Designs Store and I used some freebie papers from the store that I had stored neatly on my computer for just such a time!  My how lovely the digital world can be and how it can make being crafty on the go possible!  Check out all our linkys below for fun and inspiration and shopping ...ooooo how we love that! And join us for our challenge this month so we can visit your blog, too!

• Dragons Lair Designs Inspiration Blog - Bookmark us and come back regularly
• Dragons Lair Designs Challenge Blog - Challenges starting the 1st Friday of every month with different themes, please come along and take part
• for inspiration
• Dragons Lair Designs Fan Group - Even more inspiration, challenges,
• Dragons Lair Designs Store - A fantastic range of digital downloads
• freebies and fun activities
• Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Page - Please do pop over and "Like" our page
• Dragons Lair Designs Etsy Store  - Another location to get hold of our range of digital downloads
• Janette Padley's Creations on craftsUprint - Yet another location to get hold of our digital downloads
• Dragons Lair Designs Crafts Group - selling buttons and bits and bobs

We'd love to have you join us in our Fan Group and post up some pictures of any creations you make using any DLD items.

One More for Rubber Dance Stamps

You know what the drill is by now....third time is a charm, right?  Rubber Dance Stamps Challenge this month is Black and White + Your Color Choice with a twist of Love or Romance.  I made this one with the Arty Hearty Set from Rubber Dance Stamps and added my secret favorite color pink!  A love card...awwww..how sweet!

Gelatos gave a glorious pink to the heart centers and the smear across the word "Love"..now don't be reading anything into that....just artistic license I think it is called?

I am entering this in the Rubber Dance Challenge Black and White + Your Color Choice with a twist of love or romance

More Black and White with My Choice of One Color

Onto project 2 for Rubber Dance Stamps Challenge this month.  The theme is "Black and White + Your Choice of One Color with a twist of Love or Romance" a long theme but such a fun one!  Here goes some orange that was supposed to be red oh well...orange is always good :)

Stamps are all Rubber Dance Stamps: Marble background, Watch from ATC Backgrounds Set One,

Sentiment from Sarcastic Superpowers Set.  

Seems I got this one a bit fuzzy sorry :(  

Entering Rubber Dance Stamps Challenge Black and White + Your Choice of One Color with a twist of Love or Romance  

 

What's Black and White with a Splash of Color?

Why the challenge at Rubber Dance Stamps this month!  The theme is "Black and White + Your Choice of One Color with the optional twist of Love or Romance.  Loved the theme when I saw the design team members makes and sat down and made all 3 of my entries in less than an hour with the long lost and/or hiding Rubber Dance Stamps from June for Dream in Darkness!  Wow , what an awesome find and hour :)

 

 

This was a little cube I found in the clearance bin and it had the sentiment embossed already in white on white so a little blue Nuance Powder and some water and magic!  All that lovely blue appeared with the words and dots so clear.  The stamp I used this time as a happy couple; I gave them too hard a time last go round so now they are in love and happy!  They are from Rubber Dance Stamps and called "Nostalgia Love".

That was it for this one two more coming up back to back :) 

Entering into: Rubber Dance Stamps Challenge Black and White+ Your Choice of Color with a twist of Love or Romance  

 

Tag Your It!

It's Go Tag Thursday time and it's all about "Wings" so hurry up and gets those wings stamped up and tagged up!  Here is my offering for the week using stamps by Rubber Dance and Holtz's paper pad which makes making things soooo easy :)

I added some crowns to the lovely ink bottle fairies and some words from Holtz's Chitchat pack and a bit of ribbon.  Hoping to get in in the linky in time so off for now!

Entering Go  Tag Thursday #7 Wings

Make it Crafty and Dream in Darkness for August

It's August, it's hot, and it's time for a new challenge at Dream in Darkness for August!  Make it Crafty is our awesome sponsor and I chose the saucy "Jet Propelled Santa" as my digital image to play with and if fact the whole DID team went a little steampunky this month!  

Yep, the old dear has made a bad landing on his skis that has caused a whole lot of damage to my house and some of my presents it seems!  

 

As you can see, he is taking it in stride with a huge grin on his face but I guess he did get about an 8.5 for sticking his landing!  

Action 5 Sky News was close by so they got an awesome photo from the air of the scene unfolding below them...even a great photo of my burnt prezzies!  Oh well, Santa tried and at least no one was home when the incident occurred!  

Hope you will all join us for the fun and win your choice of a digital image from the Make It Crafty crew; they have sooo many fantastic digis to choose from you will have so much fun!

You can jump HERE to enter the Dream in Darkness Challenge this month...remember we like odd, weird, steampunk, goth, dark, anything but CUTE!  It makes the Evil Froggie mad to see cute then we all catch heck from him....not a pretty sight! 

 

It's Altered Eclectics Time and DecoArt Time

Two of my favorite things...altered art and DecoArt products to make them look pretty!  The theme at Altered Eclectics is Anything Goes altered art and DecoArt has a fab challenge Under the Sea so I combined and came out with one pretty piece of regular old wood scrap that my sweet daddy had left  behind one of his construction projects.

Lots of DecoArt fluid acrylic blue and other blues, some interference paint, and some green metallic mixed with a bit of blue metallic for a scrumptious tropical sea blue/green make up this Finnabair style wood plank.  Seashells from my beach in Alabama and a found seashell necklace with some fabulous pieces to it and it was all done.

Hope you will join us at Altered Eclectics this month and inspire us with your awesome makes! 

I am entering this in the DecoArt Under the Sea Challenge

It's a Man Thing at Eclectic Ellapu for August

Finally trying to get into the swing of my two new design teams of which I am so happy to be a part of but life definitely got in the way making it a little tough to get going.  I am catching on with what is going on a bit now so hopefully I can contribute in a good way.  Our theme is basically anything masculine as in images, textures, your interpretation of masculine. Mine went to a series of orange and black cards I had made using Holtz's stamps and another stamp set that is at my home while I am at my mom's that I simply can't recall the name of but they worked beautifully together for a very simple care suitable for anyone of any age.

I hope you explore your imagination and join us; you can play with the purple or pink team :) or both!  We hope to see you at Eclectic Ellapu Challenge Blog this month!

August and Rhedd's Creative Spirit

I had this almost finished for July as you will recall when it disappeared..those darn gremlins!  But what a surprise when I found it all ready to finish for August.  Like a mini present :)  I have seen a lot of cereal box notebooks big and small so definitely wanted to give it a try.  I used the glue resist method then Nuance Powders with some Gelatos to add some shimmer.  The binding went a bit wacky but I can still use it.

I love the colors the Nuance Powders available at Lost Coast Designs produce and the resist with the glue was my first try but fun.

A huge green bead? found in my stash of broken jewelry bits and bobs became the perfect clasp and needed no painting!

Tangled Blue Rose had given me a ton of paperclay flowers and fun things..even a fly! so I colored them carefully with watercolor paints to keep from dissolving them.  The fly just had to go there for my title of the notebook "Always a Fly in the Ointment".

Come inspire us at Rhedd's Creative Spirit Challenge blog this month so we can visit your blogs and leave some love!  Thanks for having a look xx

Sneak Peek at August's Collection at Dragons Lair Designs

Summer is fast retreating....not fast enough for South Mississippi but retreating none the less and I have a sneaky peek for you.  As you know I can't talk anymore or I might spill the beans so here it is...a tribute to my mom and dad.

Please drop by on the first for all the wonderful details!

• Dragons Lair Designs Store - A fantastic range of digital downloads
• Dragons Lair Designs Inspiration Blog - Bookmark us and come back regularly for inspiration
• Dragons Lair Designs Challenge Blog - Challenges starting the 1st Friday of every month with different themes, please come along and take part
• Dragons Lair Designs Fan Group - Even more inspiration, challenges, freebies and fun activities
• Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Page - Please do pop over and "Like" our page
• Dragons Lair Designs Etsy Store  - Another location to get hold of our range of digital downloads
• Janette Padley's Creations on craftsUprint - Yet another location to get hold of our digital downloads
• Dragons Lair Designs Crafts Group - selling buttons and bits and bobs