Add Some Text - Simon Says Stamp Guest Designer

Hello all!  I'm back with my second project in the Designer Spotlight for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge this month.  The theme invites us to Add Some Text.  Since words are always part of my work, I decided I would really make sure there are textual elements in every possible layer of these panels!  Read on to find out more... 

It's such an honour to be invited to be in the Designer Spotlight for this challenge... the Design Team is one of the best in the business, so to create alongside them is a real treat.

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is sponsored by - you'll never guess! - the Simon Says Stamp store, and as always there's a shopping spree gift voucher on offer for one randomly chosen winner.

This week's Add Some Text theme is obviously right up my street.  After all, I'm known as Words and Pictures for a reason!

In fact, over the course of thirteen years of making, I think I can probably count on one hand the number of projects WITHOUT some text added.  So to make it a proper challenge for myself, I decided I would add text in every possible layer and element that I could!

I started out by gluing some of my PaperArtsy Printed Tissue to some tags handcut out of cheap watercolour paper.  (The paper is irrelevant - it's now covered by tissue.)  I selected an area which focuses on text, rather than on my botanical sketches.  

I then used the PaperArtsy Mattints to create a sunrise/sunset ombre across the two tags.  This is a favourite technique of mine.  The transparent tinted glazes layer up with an exquisite glow.  (You can watch the magic happen in this Rainbow Botanical video over on YouTube if you're interested in the process.)  The colours on the mat are Acid, Glow, Squeezed, Ladybug, The Pink, Jam, Foxglove, Bellflower and River Deep... they're all in the mix!

It was brilliant finally to take my Tim Holtz A5 (large!) Typewriter Embossing Folder out for a spin.  I pressed some of the Kraft Black Stock card with it, and sanded it back to reveal that wonderful kraft core.  It gives the typewriter letters a brilliantly distressed look, and it's so simple to do!

I gathered a few additional bits and bobs that I thought might work well... some vintage book pages (more text!) both gessoed and plain, a few seedheads from the garden and - my main added text - some Idea-ology Quote Chips.

I was really enjoying the neutrals, but things started to look very dramatic when I layered the tinted tags into the panels.  And I love how the seedheads from the garden look against the sunrise/sunset colours.  There are some poppy seedheads and some Aquilegia (a.k.a. Columbine, a.k.a. Granny's Bonnets).

The bunches of stems, tied with twine, needed quite a while for the glue to dry.  Clothes pegs are really useful for holding everything in place in the meantime... including the extra book page trimmings creating definition between the tag and the embossed layer.

It's a slightly unusual look for me (black? shades of red?!) even though it's full of my regular ingredients, but I love how they've turned out.  As usual, I can't quite decide which way round I prefer them - seedhead bouquets together or apart?  See what you think as you scroll through the photos.

Here are a few close-ups to enjoy all that added text... and spot the Idea-ology Hinge Clips adding a touch of metal magic.

I hope that's given you plenty of text-y inspiration to get started.  If you're in search of some further creative nudging, then head over to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and see what the brilliant Design Team have been up to.  At the end of the week, they'll pick out some favourites from your entries.

And, as I mentioned, there's that randomly drawn prize on offer for a spending spree at Simon Says Stamp... and all you have to do is just Add Some Text!  We hope to see you there. 

Thank you so much for stopping by - it's lovely to be here on the blog more regularly this month... and it's not going to be only Simon Says Stamp posts.  Keep your eyes peeled!!

Have a great week, everybody, and happy crafting!

Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.

Rudyard Kipling

I like good strong words that mean something...

Louisa May Alcott

Think Pink - Simon Says Stamp Guest Designer

Hello all - I'm thrilled to be back in the Designer Spotlight over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for October, and we're starting the month with Think Pink.

It's always a huge honour to be invited to be part of the fun over on Simon Says Stamp (though I probably need to look at my calendar more carefully next time before saying yes... it's a busy month ahead!).

As always, you'll find oodles of inspiration from the amazing Design Team over on the Monday Challenge blog, and there's the usual generous prize on offer from Simon Says Stamp. 

This week's theme of Think Pink is in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Pink used to be a rare colour here at Words and Pictures, but lately it's been getting more common.  It started with a lot of wintry sunrises and sunsets in my work last winter, but lately it's definitely happening because of some of the floral stamps I've created for PaperArtsy in recent months.  So when I was asked to "Think Pink", my thoughts went immediately to my PaperArtsy EAB49 Coneflowers.  

I thought they'd look great with Tim Holtz's lovely daisy from the French Garden set, so I stamped lots of blooms in Olive Archival Ink onto some watercolour paper.

I used a combination of PaperArtsy Mattints and Dylusions sprays to tint my flowers.  Dylusions are the featured product this week.  I don't have many of the sprays - as you'll know, I have tended to prefer my colour palettes muted rather than in the vivid, vibrant Dylusions tones - but I have a few browns and greens and blues in most mediums (to try out), and Dylusions are no exception.

I put dots of Mattint and tiny spritzes of the sprays onto my craft mat to use as a palette, and layered them together to create fabulous variations and depth of colour.  As you can see from the photos, I used Mattints in Glow, Ladybug Squeezed and The Pink, and Dylusions Chopped Pesto, Dirty Martini and Melted Chocolate.  A touch of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic in Snowflake allowed me to create more opaque layers and pastels.  Any white acrylic will do for that.  I'm very happy with how they turned out... the Dylusions might be coming out more often from now on!  

I altered a cheap and simple wooden frame with a coat of white chalk paint and some Distress Opaque Crackle Paste.

And for my background, I used one of the wood effect Tim Holtz 3D Texture Fades.  I think this particular one has been discontinued now, but there are plenty of others to choose from, including the amazing new large size versions.

Once the crackle had done its thing, I grunged it up with some Pumice Stone Distress Crayon and Pumice Stone Distress Spray Stain, brushed on to highlight those fabulous cracks and crevices.

I chose one of the fabulous Idea-ology Photobooth snapshots to go at the heart of my garden of dancing flowers.  I love the energy and joy emanating from this woman.

And then it was simply a question of arranging the flowers around the edge of the frame and gluing them into position.

A few of my much-loved Curator Snippets labels add extra detailing, and it wouldn't be a Words and Pictures project without some words.

These are from the Coneflowers plate - the large word is one of three, especially selected by me to suit the mood of the stamp set, and the phrase is a poetry fragment from a poem by Lope de Vega.

If that isn't enough to inspire you to Think Pink this week, then do head over to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for lots more glorious pink creativity from the Design Team there.

The team will be selecting projects to spotlight at the end of the week, and one lucky randomly-drawn winner will be going on a shopping spree at Simon Says Stamp.  

So dig out all your pink materials and have a play.  If I can go pink, you definitely can!!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy crafting all!

Pink is the colour of strength, a colour of conviction, a colour of decision making.
Angad Bedi

In a world that often lacks compassion, pink stands as a reminder to be kind.
Matthew Green

Wanderlust 2026 Booking Opens!

Booking is opening for Wanderlust 2026, hosted by Everything Art, but you'll have to be quick if you want to grab one of the bargain Early Bird spots.

There are just 2,000 Early Bird spots available at $99 USD (approx €85 / £75 / $145AUD / $137 CAD). They usually sell out within the first 24 hours, so if you’ve been thinking about joining — now’s the moment.  The regular price is $199 - which still an extraordinary bargain for what you get, I think!

As of 4pm Central European time, you can hop over and book using my affiliate link: 

Book for Wanderlust 2026

(That's Friday 3pm UK, 10am Eastern, 7am Pacific and midnight Fri/Sat for AEST!)

If you want a great introduction to the course, you can join Kasia live on the Everything Art YouTube channel at 3.30pm (European) and be there as she opens the doors at 4pm.  But remember to come back and use my link to sign up if you decide to.

Painting. Collage. Journalling. Printmaking. Even stitching and simple sculpting... 

Wanderlust 2026 is all about exploring the full spectrum of mixed-media. Each week, a brand-new project from one of 35 teachers will keep your creativity flowing.  I can’t wait to share my lesson with you — and to see what you create in the year ahead. 

Wanderlust isn’t just an art course — it’s a way to keep showing up for your creativity week after week. In 2026, you’ll get 48 lessons, collected in four creative seasons, and a supportive community where you can grow, experiment, and make art that feels like you. 

I’m so proud to be one of the Wanderlust Teachers for 2026, and I'm really excited about the project I'm going to be sharing. I’d love for you to join me on this adventure. 

Enrol now by clicking on this link: Book now for Wanderlust 2026 and good luck grabbing one of those Early Bird spots.

This is my own personal affiliate link, which gets me a little boost to my earnings if you use it - at no extra cost to you!  I hope to see you in the classroom...

I do not want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.

Diane Ackerman

I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.

Rosalía De Castro

I'm a teacher for Wanderlust 2026!

It's time to reveal one of the secrets I've been keeping for months, and it's a big one!  I'm thrilled to share that I will be one of the teachers on Wanderlust for 2026 with Everything Art.

If you've never heard of Wanderlust, it’s a year-long, mixed-media art course with weekly video lessons and step-by-step project tutorials from 35 teachers (including me!).

Now is your chance to get on the waiting list to grab the Early Bird deal when doors open in September.  There are limited Early Bird spots, so you’ll definitely want to know when it’s time.  And just so you know, it makes a big difference to me if you sign up via my personal
affiliate link (though no difference to you!)… 

Sign up for the waiting list here.

You’re just signing up for the waiting list for now, so what have you got to lose?!

Whether you’re a passionate crafter wanting to explore new techniques, or already dabbling in mixed-media, Wanderlust will keep you inspired, challenged, and creating all year long.

Each season ends with a live wrap-up session from host Kasia Avery, plus you’ll be part of a private, supportive community (no Facebook needed!). I’m so excited to be part of it all this year.  Here's just a little sneak peek of the project I'll be teaching...

I'll be sharing more details about the course and the other teachers in the weeks to come.  For now, if you're even slightly tempted, do click to join the waiting list - and then you'll still have the choice about whether to sign up at the great Early Bird price.

Hope you're all having a great week!

That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.

Doris Lessing

New Eclectica Alison Bomber Stamps and Stencils at PaperArtsy

I'm thrilled to be sharing three brand new stamp sets and three new stencil designs over on the PaperArtsy blog today.  And you can also watch the Live Launch in the PaperArtsy People FB Group, where I'll be talking about some of the inspiration behind these new designs, as well as showing lots of lovely samples I've been creating.

I hope you'll enjoy the floral botanicals and vintage advertising - I've been having a great time playing with these stamps and stencils, and I know there's so much more still to explore.  I can't wait to see what all of you will get up to with them!

Do hop over to the PaperArtsy blog to check out these new summertime releases and/or join me in the PaperArtsy People FB Group on catch-up.  I'll update the link to go direct to the launch video once it's available for catch-up viewing.

Thanks so much, as always, for your company on this creative journey, and happy crafting, all!

Here's flowers for you;

Hot lavender, mints, savoury, marjoram;

The marigold, that goes to bed wi' the sun

And with him rises weeping: these are flowers

Of middle summer...
From The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare

In summer, the song sings itself.

William Carlos Williams

Storytelling in Pictures and Words over at PaperArtsy

Hello all, long time no blogpost - apologies!  But I'm back with a splash today... I'm delighted to be over at the PaperArtsy blog with a hand-stitched book full of storytelling using words and pictures, with a joyful spring colour palette.  And you can also turn the pages and listen to the stories embedded in them over on YouTube. 

The current theme on the blog is mixing and matching two different PaperArtsy stamp designers.  My project uses my own designs combined with some of France Papillon's eclectic range of stamp sets, and the whole thing is inspired by vintage book pages and illustrations.

I hope you'll hop over to PaperArtsy to find out how I brought together lots of different elements by using recurring colours and motifs.

And there's also a flip-through on my YouTube channel where you can hear me telling all the stories which emerged from the pages as I was creating them.  So catch the "how-to" over at PaperArtsy and the "listen-to" over on YouTube... I hope you'll enjoy all of it!

Happy springtime to you!

If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.
Oscar Wilde

Books are the mirrors of the soul.
From The Waves by Virginia Woolf