The big smoke

Hi all

As it is like an ice rink out there today I have spent the day crafting and cleaning (obviously the former was more pleasurable). Before I get onto today's post and creation I just wanted to thank the DT over on Let's Ink it Up for choosing my Advent Calendar as a top 3 in their recycling challenge! Wow I am chuffed an honoured, especially as it was a load of rubbish (well that's what is was made from not what it ended up as - I hope).

Thought I'd have a break from all the Christmas projects I have made recently and had a play altering a canvas, got lovely inky and messy fingers, just need to try and get it all off before work tomorrow lol!

I was inspired by this months theme over on Sir Stampalot which is Travel the World!! With all the stunningly beautiful places in the world to choose from, Maldives, Seychelles, Goa etc, where did I pick??? LONDON lol! Well they say there's no place like home and although I no longer live there I spent many happy year stomping around the streets of London.

I have used loads of distress inks on this one, mainly Vintage photo, fired brick and blue denim. I edged the canvas using tissue paper which I firstly coloured with distress inks then stamped on a map (PaperArtsy). The buses (Personal Impressions) were masked and then coloured in using promarkers, policeman (Personal Impressions) was masked and stamped onto paper coloured with distress inks. Portobello Road 9Personal Impressions) street sign was stamped onto mount board and triple embossed as was the phone box (coloured with promarkers). Crown (Tim Holtz Regal flourish) was embossed onto mount board and gems added for a bit of bling. Watch, cogs and watch face were from my lovely neighbour who collects bits and bobs for me when she does house clearances, key charm used as clock hand. underground map was printed from the Internet. The time stamp which shows Greenwich Mean Time (PaperArtsy) was stamped and then coloured using distress inks, Time charm is by Tim Holtz and held in place with a winder from an old broken watch. The watch straps were made using grunge paper, vintage photo distress inks and some scrapbooking work stickers.

I am also entering this into the following challenges:

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Anything but a card

Totally Stampalicious - Anything goes

OSAAT - Old stash new stash (new is mount board and old is tissue paper)