These are my swaps for August on UK Stampers. The theme was children.

'She just wants to play'

First on white card stock I applied gesso, when dry (hurried along with a heat gun) I used distress inks in fire brick, worn lipstick and marigold randomly all over then over stamped in worn lipstick a diamond background stamp (Queens dresser drawers). The little girl is from Joanna Sheen, then I stamped the words in black archival ink.

'Lets play dress up'

Background same stamp as above embossed in gold, the little boy stamps just stamped in black archival ink and mounted the crowns were just cut out and embossed with gold embossing powder, words as before.

'We'll be friends for ever'

Alcohol inks on glossy card, image stamped with black archival ink, the little girls were stamped again on a 1x1 inch chipboard square (which was painted in gesso first, then coloured with distress inks) then applied over the main image.

'I do, I do believe in fairies'

The little girl photo is one of a set from Joanna Sheen. I use a crdit card to apply the white acrylic paint around her, when it was dry I stamped a corner image in biscuit chalk ink. The backgound has gesso applied with a credit card, then distress inks applied randomly. A swirl of gold was also added. Then I stamped a tiny flying fairy all over the top half of the background and the words in black archival ink. I then made 3 shrink plastic fairies and attached them with a fine gosimer thread.

'Memories' book.

Made with 7Gypsies concertina book blank First I applied gesso with a credit card, then I added aqua, lettuce and lilac in the same way (I dried each layer with a heat gun).

I then stamped all over the background with lots of different stamps (swirls, flowers and flourishes) in a stone coloured chalk ink, then I inked around the edges with aged mahogany distress ink, sounds like a weird combination I know but it really works! The main stamp I stamped onto mica with black stazon and added a scape of white paper behind just the stamped image so it stood out. The hinges are Tims grungeboard.

2nd Sunday Challenge over on UK Stampers.

'To make 2 tags with the same stamp, one in black and white and one in colour.'

This is my entry. The colour tag has a background of dabbers scraped on with a credit card, the lower half is white acrylic paint and over stamped in black archival.

The background on the black and white tag has been made by masking off areas and filling in some with black soot distress ink some were left white. Then each were stamped. The main picture was stamped on glossy card and matted onto black.

I've been experimenting! I've used fusible film with an iron and a stamp but I've not just zapped it with a heat gun before.

I cut about a 2 inch strip and folded it in half, put it on a heat resistant mat and just blasted it with my heat tool and it curled up around the edges and crinkled in the middle, perfect wing shaped, the 2 lower wing are just half the size.

I used Art Glitter Fantasy Film Sunkissed for this little fairies wings. (Sorry for the rubbish photo, I think someone has changed the settings on my camera, I knew I should have hidden it!) I also used Crafty Notins fusable film Calypso Blue which came out very cool (like petrol in a puddle) and Crystal pearl which I heated for longer and it looked like a milky semi-transparent opal.

This is my new cupboard my craft room, a lovely old Irish dresser given to me by my lovely niece Tina (she has just moved and can't get it into her kitchen) lucky me!
We went and picked it up yesterday and after a struggle I helped Paul get it out of the van but I just couldn't get it up the stairs so 1 phone call later my eldest son Ben came to the rescue and a few hours later it was filled with goodies in the cupboards and drawers and some of my many finished projects were displayed on Sunday morning.

Also while I was there I got some 1by1 inch boards they are nearly as thick as stampbord and only cost £2.85 for a big bag!

I used gesso as a base coat then dabbers for the background and stamped the harliquin in chalk ink and the birds in black archival.