Monday, 14 January 2013

More Challenges

Hi everybody, hope you all had a good and restful weekend and are ready to start the new week. It is still very cold here, and I woke up this morning to a white, white world - snow again! But when it is too cold to spend a lot of time outside, it's good weather to stay home and craft.... I have been practising stamping the past few days. I couldn't do any stamping for weeks as my hands were so shaky, but slowly I am getting back to doing things again. I still drop a lot of things on the floor, and have problems picking them up again, but it is much better than it was a few weeks back, so that it really good.

I have made this hanging for the Fashionable Stamping Challenges where the theme this week is planes, trains and automobiles. I used a square of cardboard, which I ripped, painted with gesso and decorated with  Ultra Thick EP in gold. For the background I distressed a piece of speciality stamping paper with DIs in antique linen and vintage photo, and did some random stamping with various steampunk stamps using Adirondack espresso. 


I mounted the card onto my cardboard, with some matting made from scraps of other suitable papers, and 2 die cut and distressed cogs. I added some lace, which makes a nice contrast to the 'masculine' images, and two more images which were stamped, fussy cut, and mounted with foam squares. I tied it all up with string, and added two metal cogs instead of beads.


 





It was fun to make, and I am happy that I can use my stamps again!

Have a great day, take care, and thanks for coming by!

32 comments:

  1. Wow! A truly stunning piece of artwork Valerie. The background is amazing and love the touch of textured gold.
    Our FSC challenge hasn't yet gone up on the blog as our Shirley is ill so keep an eye out as it will appear soon.
    Glad to hear you can stamp again as it must have been very frustrating not to be able too.
    Hugs, Fliss xx

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  2. This is gorgeous Val. Glad you are getting back to normal now, whatever that might be! Be careful if you go out in the snow! Hugs, Sarah

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  3. I love it Valerie - I love everything Steampunk and this is gorgeous.
    I like the contrast between the very masculine images (and embellishments) and the lace.
    I'm so pleased that you're managing to use your stamps again - I can only imagine how frustrated you must have been.
    Stay warm and snug indoors!
    Hugs xx

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  4. Absolutely stunning Valerie... I love all the detail... and so happy you are stamping again...

    Jenny ♥

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  5. We have snow today too Valerie and the roads have ground to a halt! So glad to hear you are able to use some of your fabulous stamps again - just think of all that bending to pick up things off the floor as exercise! A super hanging, I do love the gold on the corrugated. Keep cozy. Suze xx

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  6. Just beautiful work today! Glad to hear your hands are improving.

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  7. The more hardware the better I like it. :)

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  8. Jaw dropping piece, Valerie! All the detail is incredible and works so well. Happy you are on the mend. Have a great day. hugs, Donna

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  9. Super inspiring hanging Valerie so much to look at and take in :)
    Von ♥

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  10. Fabulous card, Valerie! I'm thinking it would be a great man's birthday card!

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  11. Hi Valerie. I love the corrugated cardboard look, especially with the gesso. Glad you are doing better.
    Breana

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  12. Hi Valerie, yep we have snow too. Started off the day with none and now have a ton! Love your collage and all those little extras. Great that you are managing to stamp again. x

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  13. So very cool Valerie! I love the thick embossing powder and the cogs and gears are very masculine tied with the string! I like the way the lace has circles like the wheels, ties it in very nicely! So happy to hear you are not so shaky anymore, yay! The stamping looks gorgeous and so do the fussy cuts! ~Diane

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  14. Quite Fabulous!
    The background has a wonderful aged appearance and I love the limited colour palette.
    A stunning entry for the FSC theme this fortnight. Thank You for joining us Valerie.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  15. Wow, fabulous hanging Valerie, love all the stamping,the layers and details. Thank you for joining us at FSC this time.
    Yvonne xx
    p.s. we have snow now as well.

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  16. What a fabulous hanging Valerie, for some reason it reminds me of the Wild West lol. We've woken up to snow here too xx

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  17. Fabulous Hanging Valerie. I love your attention to detail and the rich textures you added to your piece.
    :) Chris / CS Designs

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  18. Love all that collaged stamping and how you popped up some of the pieces. Looks like a fun theme at FSC!

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  19. After following your blog for awhile now, I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing that you cannot do! This really came out beautiful--love the look of the corrugated cardboard!

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  20. Wie cool - ein tolles Steampunk-Werk. Vielen Dank für deine Teilnahme bei Fashionable Stamping Challenges.

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  21. Completely awesome!!

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  22. And she is back! Valerie, this is one gorgeous work of art! Love all the stamping, which I thought was designer paper at first glance! Beautiful use of stamped images! So thrilled to have you join us at FSC! Hugs!

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  23. WOW!! This is amazing. I am so glad your feeling better.. Stay warm my friend.

    Hugs~

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  24. WOW Valerie your art is Fasbulous!!! Love your plains/trains and automobiles.
    I feel for you its cold and snowy hefre too.
    Hope your feeling better soon.
    Hugs Lynn

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  25. Lovely photos, Valerie... wonderful work! :]
    Thank you for sharing your talents with us, always. ~xx

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  26. Glad to see that you are getting the use of your hands back albeit slowly. You did a fabulous job here and the colours, layers,stamping and textures are amazing. One advantage of the shaky hands is I suppose the Hoover cant be used to often !!

    take care

    Marie

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  27. Another truly beautiful piece! So glad you are feeling better and able to do the things you love.

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  28. I am SO glad your hands are doing better! Even though I haven't been around lately, I have been thinking of you and hoping that you were well. I LOVE your collage-anything you start with that gorgeous cardboard seems to turn out amazingly beautiful! LOVE all the details with the cogs and sparkly bits too- I've missed you (AND your art ;)) my friend!
    Hugs,
    Stephanie

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  29. Ein großartiges Werk ist das geworden

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  30. Gorgeous creation, I love the way you stamped all of it in a collage!

    Thanks for joining us at FSC!

    XXX ELLIE XXX

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  31. Das ist eine unglaublich tolle Karte bei der es so viel zu entdecken gibt - einfach wunderschön.
    LG Dagmar

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  32. Hi Valerie, a truly stunning hsnging, love the vintage feel and so much fabulous stamping, perfect for our challenge. Thanks so much for sharing it with us at FSC. XX

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