Meet Stepashka

As I passed Teddy Bears of Witney shop earlier today, I spotted this cutie in the window on sale for £20 (reduced from £75). He looked so mischievous and cheeky - you can't help smiling looking at him. On the way back home the temptation was too much, I felt that I had to adopt him.

If you love chocolate...

You end up with empty boxes, lol. And they ask to be decorated. So, here's yet another of my altered chocolate boxes with spun sugar inside.

Find you passion

When I saw this image, I loved this girl with an attitude, and thought it was perfect for a birthday card for my forum friend.

We wish you a cuddly Christmas!

Rejoice, rejoice!

For this Christmas I designed an angel image, and Tanda Stamps have efficienlty turned it into a stamp. I wanted my cards to be simple and easy to make, playing with different patterned papers, golden acrylic and inks.
This Angel comes from Ust'-Borovaya, and it's a spectacular wooden carved sculpture, one of my favourite sculptures on display in Perm art gallery. I love its glorious trumpet, it seems to be singing: Rejoice!

Russian journey chocolate box and ATC

I received a set of stamps as a gift from lovely Audrey, whom I never met in real life but would have really loved to hug for her kindness, as I absolutely adore these Russian-themed stamps. To thank her and also wish her a happy birthday I decorated a box of chocolates (Italian, I'm afraid).
The ATC is for the architecture swap.

Recent birthday cards

Salem witch/Wednesday Stamper

Wednesday Stamper are asking for Goth-themed submissions this week, so here is my little witch from Salem. I made it a while ago, and I remember Sasha was particularly vexed by her lace apron and tried to rip it off, bless him. The stamped gate is by Inka. The witch is painted with acrylics.

An Angel flew over Witney

Yesterday I looked out of the window and saw this Angel-cloud. And I asked it to watch over us.

More Jolly-ness

The card at the bottom was made using golden leaf on a tag, with the embossing powder,and a card from the chocolate box Amelie.:)

Christmas in July (DT)

I was surprised to receive Christmas stamps in my latest DT. I also had to use a metal leaf,a pack of tags and some sticky acetate which proper name escapes me.
So, another case of Ready, Steady, Cook. I didn't find it easy, especially with this heat, and holidays.

Favourite song/Arty Girlz challenge

It's not a new work, I did it a couple of years ago in fact, but this is about one of my favourite songs by Leonard Cohen.

And where, where, where is my Gypsy wife tonight
I've heard all the wild reports, they can't be right
But whose head is this she's dancing with on the threshing floor
whose darkness deepens in her arms a little more
And where, where is my Gypsy wife tonight?
Where, where is my Gypsy wife tonight?
Ah the silver knives are flashing in the tired old cafe
A ghost climbs on the table in a bridal negligee
She says, "My body is the light, my body is the way"
I raise my arm against it all and I catch the bride's bouquet
And where, where is my Gypsy wife tonight?...
Too early for the rainbow, too early for the dove
These are the final days, this is the darkness, this is the flood
And there is no man or woman who can't be touched
But you who come between them will be judged
And where, where is my Gypsy wife tonight

Serenissima/MMM Places challenge

A friend sent me a wonderful surprise package recently, when she knew I was feeling blue. As a thank you gift I have bought some lovely sugar sticks for coffee in our local coffee shop (white and brown) and decorated an empty chocolate box with images of Venice (Curious by design). As those sticks look a bit decadent in my mind, I thought they would go nicely with the opulence of Venice.

Fairy jam jar

Sasha's school has a fete, and they asked for donations of jam jars filled with sweets. So here is my fairy jar. A pity I couldn't fill it with pretty Jelly Beans, as we could only use wrapped sweets. I added a Candy Tuft fairy image.

YouAngel

Another philosophical piece from Antnhec. Most beautiful. Every word acquires new freshness and depth of meaning. You can always find poetry in your life.

You rock/Nature challenge

Arty Girlz are running another great challenge - Nature.
I made this Dino card earlier today as part of a Teen challenge, but thought it fits the Nature one as well, lol. Love these Dino stamps from BG. Letters are by Love Elsie.

A very pink card for Olive

My friend Jay's granddaughter Olive is turning one. What a girl!
Here is a card I made for her, hope she likes pink. The quote is from one of my most favourite poems by Milne.
When I was One I had just begun.
When I was Two I was nearly new.
When I was Three I was hardly me.
When I was Four I was not much more
When I was Five I was just alive
But now I am six I'm as clever as clever
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.
A.A.Milne

Two sites are runnig pink challenges this week - Arty Girlz and Caardvarks, must be a popular colour, lol.

Memory of Venice/Dovecraft challenge

Dovecraft challenge was to use 3 Dovecraft products. I looked frantically in my stash, and managed to find 3 as required: paper, brads and a chipboard piece.
The stamped border and a feather and an image of Venice are from Curious by Design.
Harlequin is a face mould painted in acrylics.

One Day

This photo was taken last August in Italy. For this LO I used TT stamps and chipboard, painted with TH distress/crackle paint.
The message reads: "I know you love me - I see it in your eyes, the way you hug and kiss me. Your smile melts my heart. Words are a constant battle for you - they come and go, they don't want to obey... and the only word you repeat like a mantra is "mama". I hope - I pray - one day you will be able to say "Mama, I love you". And I love you more than anyone else in the whole wide world"

Venezia

A birthday card for a forum friend.
BTW, this is a metal embellishment with a net on the ribbon, not a peel off. :)

Living today

This is a recent photo of Sasha with me looking out in our garden. The word Today makes me think that it actually represents who we are, we are living today, one day at a time.
The message says: "Being who he is, Sasha doesn't understand the concept of time. Yesterday and tomorrow don't mean much to him. He is not anticipating Christmas, summer holidays, he's not looking forward to his birthday. A new day comes - and he enjoys it while it lasts. Perhaps it's a gift - not looking back in the past or expecting something better to come tomorrow".
For this LO I used two fab oversize buttons, which I stamped and inked. The long pointy hand on the clock is a find in our new home (it is an old house). The frame is JustJohanna stamp. The clock is a B line stamp.
Photo is taken by Federico.

A happy traditionally built mermaid

Why are all the mermaids on rubber stamps looking so skinny? I believe they come in all shapes and sizes. And as my favourite heroine Mma Ramotswe calls herself a traditionally built lady, so my mermaid is also traditionally built. She is painted with 3d paints, with the added fish and shell beads.

If you live to be 100

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you" (A A Milne) Isn't it a great quote?
This card has been made with my favourite stamp.

Happily ever after (Black and white challenge on Caardvarks)

Caardvarks challenge is to use black and white scheme, plus one more colour (red in my case).
Stamp used : Inka

Nine coaches are waiting for you (Stamp Addicts DT)

These were my favourite stamps from the latest assignement: a horse and a coach. I have already shown a coach and a pumpkin card earlier this month. Here are the rest of the horsey-coach creations. Most of them are coloured in with acrylics and Le Plume pens.

Rapunzel's Tower (Stamp Addicts DT)

This is quite a big stamp. Since it's called Rapunzel's Tower, I thought it would be logical to add some golden locks going down. Then I was stumped for the message. What should I write? Escape?! Rescue me?! or don't pull my hair, or I will be bald?
(sorry for the bad joke). In the end I went for the safe word "love", after all it is a love story. lol
And I liked the idea of using it for a new home card.

Fairy tales (Stamp Addicts DT)

All the girlie stuff - magic hats and crowns and sparkle. I have painted my queenie with watercolours and acrylic, and embossed two crowns for her.

Life is a Cabaret, old chum

This is a birthday card for Jo. The main image has been painted and cut out. The curtain took me a while to master, lol.

No use permitting
some prophet of doom
To wipe every smile away.
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret!

More Earth Day challenges

This card is a combo of two challenges: reuse waste and stamp on a photo.
For the main stamped image I used a Rubbadubbadoo stamp/Beach block, and highlighted it with a powder blue acrylic. I also managed to paint over a fat Italian lady in the corner. Nothing wrong with fat ladies, lol, just she wasn't suitable for my card.
Reused items are: a ribbon from the Swedish crackers, and a link from a broken belt, that again I painted with acrylics.
Words stamped are all TT (Pieces of the Puzzle and Gift from the sea).

Earth Day/Eat Fresh challenge

For my "Have a magical day" card I used a new Judikins stamp (coach). The coach immediately brought memories of Cinderella's story, hence my handmade pumpkin.