A touch of the Orient at Craft-Room

Hello – I’m back at the Craft-Room challenge after my holidays and this week Zoe has set the theme of ‘Oriental’.

Our sponsor this fortnight is Tanda Stamps manufacturers of un-mounted rubber stamps in a range of styles to suit every taste.

I have to admit that I’ve never been big into the oriental style. I appreciate the creations of others and do love the striking colours but my supplies are very limited and I struggled initially to come up with anything for this week. I then remembered some topper images a friend got me for my birthday about a hundred years ago. The background of the tag is stamped with a Judikins stamp  - Artifacts cube, in gold stazon.

I had made the little fans previously for another project so recycled them – they are made from a section of the Tim Holtz Rosette die cut and a bead with a gold thread tassel. I added some punched dragonflies and black gems to finish off. It wasn’t until I took the photograph I realised I’d forgotten a ribbon through the top – so please use your imaginations as I ran out of time !

You can share your Oriental projects on the Craft-Room Challenge blog  or on our facebook group.  Don’t forget to visit my team mates too, they have some fab inspiration!

I’m also sharing my tag here -

Sir Stampalot – ‘Punch Away’

Moving Along with the Times – ‘Tag It’

Thanks for stopping by – Esther xx

DT call at the Craft Room

'Just three short months ago Julia started the Craft shop she has been dreaming of for quite some time the shop is Craft-Room have you been there yet? The shelves are stocked with lots of goodies and new lines are being introduced all the time.   A few weeks after opening Julia appointed Zoe as Design Team and together they started to dream up a few ideas and plans.    The time has now come to start a new challenge....'

These words drew me in...tempted me and kept nagging away in my head til I finally gave in and decided to go for it!   Julia and Zoe have asked for people to apply for their new Design Team and here I am, trying my luck.  I have chosen three samples of my work, as requested  I hope they show that I have a go at lots of different techniques and styles - the only thing I don't really do is digis...oh and not been very sucessfull with cute Tilda's!

Masking, inking and Stamping on a One Layer Card 

bright, grungy, embossing

alcohol inks, acetate and stamping

.....the bit i'm not so good at is describing why I would be right for the team. I am passionate about crafting - my job is stressful and so creativity is my therapy, taking part in challenges and blogging just gives it added purpose.  I'm commited and passionate and reliable and hope I have a cheery, positive attitude - blimey, haven't said things like that since writing my job application!

Anyway - whether I'm chosen or not I look forward to the start of this new Challenge blog  - right here - and encourage you all to pop over and check it out - (I placed an order with Julia a few days ago and my goodies arrived very speedily!). Esther xx

Turning Japanese....

After a week of heavy studying (yipee the assignments are done and in the post!) this weekend has been dedicated to crafting. I made a wedding card yesterday which I can't share yet, and today was totally out of my comfort zone! I've never really been into the whole Oriental theme in my crafting - I'm not a big fan of using red either so today's project was very different for me, which is why I did it - wanted to stretch myself and see what happened. This is what happened -

The idea started with the technique from Studio L3 Linda's 'Grungy Monday' challenge which is to use this technique May, 2008 Technique Challenge  fromTim Holtz's blog. I'm not sure if I've missed the point as I made a Frame - but I did use the technique, maybe I'll have another go as we have two weeks for this challenge.  I decided on fans so I could enter the Random Redhead challenge at Gingersnaps Creations.  They took me absolutely ages to make -so fiddly, and could I get them to stick? but thanks to my trusty hot glue gun we got there in the end.  I stamped on some red and black card, then cut with Tim's rosette die but only used part of the strip,  fixed (eventually) with glue and added some tiny pearls and a bigger gold bead threaded with gold thread tassles (which also took forever!).  I tell you, I nearly gave up after the first one - but am glad I persevered as I think one would of looked lonely! The 'lettering' stamp is on the Artifacts cube by Judikins.

Here is a bit of a close up - though don't look too carefully - it's by no means perfect!. It was a devil to photograph too because of the reflection in the glossy card - that red shadow you can see is me!! Just happened to be wearing red so at least I match!!  I'm also going to add this to the entries at Allsorts as the theme there is Oriental and at Lets Ink It up who want us to use Embellishments.