International Art and Soul Challenge 132

 This fortnight's challenge was set by my team mate Christine, and she's chosen the theme Things with Wings.

My first thought was Lavinia silhouettes, but then I had a change of direction, and got out my Ching Chou Kuik/Sweet Pea stamps. 

It's a long time since I've used these stamps, and I've done very little colouring of late, so I honestly didn't expect a lot.

I stamped the image with Versafine Clair and coloured mainly with Promarkers. I added the candle glow with coloured pencil to take advantage of their opacity. I was pleasantly surprised by the result, and, of course, those gorgeous blues and greens are among my favourite colours. I softened the background using a peach hued coloured pencil, but that hasn't come out at all in the photo.

I used an 8in card, so I matted and layered as shown, including a couple of layers of holographic silver to go with the tiny bit of Glamour Dust I used on the image.

The background was created with Distress Ink and a Lavinia stencil, and then stamped with Versafine Clair and a couple of Lavinia stamps - both 'orbs'.

To complete the card, I die cut more of the holographic card using a very old Sizzix die - you know the thinner plastic ones? I rarely use these, but this one giving a foot long result was perfect for this bigger card.

And that's it.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 131

 The theme for this fortnight's challenge is Landscapes, and it was set by my team mate, Craftygirl.

I love the gorgeous landscapes I see online - those created by users of Lavinia, Inkylicious and Card-io stamps, for example. I'm not remotely artistic, and my attempts always seem lacking to me. I do use them occasionally, and definitely find the wintery ones easier - partly because they need a lot less ink!

Quite a few years ago, I bought the Lavinia stamp Fairy Bridge at Alexandra Palace. I've stamped it several times, but never used in a finished project, as far as I can remember. But, I decided to give it another outing and this is what I came up with.

My normal problem with this stamp is giving it context. This time, after stamping, I extended the rocky area using ink and paper for masking, adding some shading using some Pan Pastel. I used more ink, pastel, and a mask to shade the sun, sky and the water, and framed the image with some grass using a stamp from Inkylicious. I completed the image with another Inkylicious stamp (the bird), some more ink around the edges, and finally some glitter on the water.

I know it's not up to the standard of the ones I see elsewhere, but I'm not unhappy overall. It has definitely helped to continue the rocky foreground.

So, let us see your landscapes - however you create them.