Magenta 2010 new releases and challenges

Good Morning everyone, firstly thanks to all of you for your kind messages about my health and entering my candy at the top of my blog.

I have been very good this week, followed doctors orders, had lots of rest and this is my first posting for days. But beings it it, I need to make the most of it and it's a bit of a long one so you might want to grab a coffee, a bar of Cadburys or even better both !

I have been doing a bit of crafty dabbling, just the odd hour indulging in some of the new Magenta stamp releases which landed on my doormat from Sir Stampalot this week. They have the stamps on line and ready to buy and there are some gorgeous ones, a mix of Christmas and others, so do take a look and there a few samples below.

As it's Saturday it's time for a new challenge at Allsorts and this week it's yours truly's turn to set the theme and I am going very seasonal with the theme "Colours of Autumn". And as I love working with the rich Autumnal colours, two DT cards from me this week.

For the first card above I have used one of the new stamps from Penny Black 40-037 autumnal gifts, I have probably said this before, but this stamp totally sums up this time of year to me and the Harvest Festival celebrations that will be happening in Churches everywhere. And perfect for a man as well, my Dad who was a farmer would have adored this image, so this is for you Dad.

I stamped the image onto ivory linen cardstock using versfine sepia and embossed with detail clear before colouring in with Copics. I used the top element of the stamp to add corn to the corner's of the card. I have no idea of the name of this shape of card, but it is so easy to make using just a scoreboard and Nesties and quite effective I think. Finally, I punched some leaves with the lovely new Xcut punches which also emboss the leaves so you can highlight with inks, I used a selection of brilliance. This card is also for the following challenge:

Penny Black Saturday - Male card

My second card used the clever stamp set from Lavinina where you stamp first with the solid leaf shape then overstamped with the skeleton. I used Tim Holtx frayed burlap and rusty hinge. I then covered the leaves with Diamond Glaze, allowed to dry, then inked the whole piece, which is cut from Nesties, using TH sage, wild honey and barn door. I then overstamped the whole piece with Hero Arts H2365 old French writing, rubbing up the leaves afterwards to remove any ink. The leave have a lovey raised sheen, but it difficult to pick this up on a picture. Finally I tied some cord and added buttons and mounted onto a piece of Kaiser DP. This card is also for the following challenges:

Fab and Funky - Whatever

Raise the Bar - Orange, brown, green

Paper Play - Autumn is a coming

Next my card for this weeks challenge over at Polkadoodles where the boss Nikky is in charge again and has given us a sketch with a recipe and hidden twist.

I turned the sketch sideways and created a flap at the side with a greeting beneath using a Fairy Flutterby stamp. The paper is all from Paper Boutique and the flower made from the same papers using the Tim Holtz tattered floral die.

Now a couple of cards using the new Magenta stamps I mentioned above. The first one is a Christmas stamp Magenta 43032L Seasons Greeting which I think has a real Victoriana feel to it. A bit unusual having a rose on a Christmas Card, but perhaps it's a Christmas rose ! I stamped it with stayzon sepia and coloured with Aquamarkers. I stamped Hero Arts CO222 Music Background on the actual card using Tim Holtz frayed burlap. The DP is from stash and punched with Martha Stewart cornice border.......a little indulgence I could not resist, it's so elegant and I think goes with the theme of the image wonderfully. This card is for the following challenge:

Simon Says - Holiday Fun

My final card is using Megenta 95276N Field of Poppies.....I have always loved poppies so this was was a must have. I created a background with TH distress inks and water, then stamped the image with versafine black and embossed with detail clear. I added extra colour to some of the poppies with Copics then covered them with Diamond Glaze. The DP is Daisy bucket, I used the same MS punch as he card above and made a flower with my Tattered Flowal die.