a tag for the paper artsy weekly challenge

 

It's been a loooooong while since I entered a challenge but I needed a bit of cheering up [in my head I was going to be well enough to go back to work tomorrow but my body has decided it's not fit enough yet so I'm not :(  ]  I saw Helen's lovely cards on her blog and decided that this week's paper artsy challenge would be just the thing to make me feel better.

It was also the ooomph I needed to finally open the packet and use my Lynne Perella stamps!!  I have looked, and looked, and looked at these so often as I really love the imagery; finally bought a set at Happy Stampers earlier this year; and now I've managed to use them!  So thankyou paper artsy team for the inspiration I needed :)  I also cracked open my poor neglected distress inks, and very rarely used distress stains.

Whilst happily clapping handfuls of water over my inked papers (just LoVe that technique!!) I thought it might be fun to have splashes of ink on there too so I put some vintage photo distress stain in my hand (I'm sure re-inker would work too but I don't have any) with some water, again merrily clapped over the papers and yes, I like the result!

Being such a huge stencil fan I happily didn't have a problem finding any to co-ordinate with the stamps :)

I used a crafters workshop brocade combined with memory box flourish and clearsnap quarter foil.

 The lace stamp is one I've had for years from paperbag studios.

I felt the image needed grounding a bit more so used the top of the tag stamp as another border along the side.  I then felt it needed something 'extra' so I stamped it on white paper and layered it again over the top.

I have used bleach in the past, wasn't going too here then decided why not?  Just give it a go!!  My stazon inkpads were very dry so I tried it with my versafine black inkpad and it worked - YaY :)  I then worked back into the face, as Liesbeth suggests, with pencil crayons. I added highlights with both a white gel pen and a white pencil but felt like I overdid it on the eyes so went over them again with an inky sponge and then a coloured pencil.  I'm happier with them now although the difference doesn't seem to show up here.

 I stamped the cotton ribbon with the text section of stamp, although it's not very clear on the pics, sorry!

I will definitely be playing with these stamps again very soon.  Thanks again Liesbeth for the inspiration I needed :)  Her leporella accordion book is delightful and certainly worth a look if you've not seen it.