Charlie Poppins

Inspired by the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge this week I've created a card using my favourite Tim stamp.  I've actually used a few of his stamps as its a hard choice, but my absolute favourite stamp is the quote "The Journey Awakens The Soul" followed closely by Charlie Poppins.

Well, I'd like to think that if Charlie Chaplin ever did Mary Poppins this is what he would have looked like.  A Paper Artsy stamp may have just snuck in, but I hope I'm forgiven for that!

So meet Charlie...

It's official

I am the worst blogger.  Regular posts, who am I kidding!

It's been forecast and budget time at work for what seems like the last year but apparently its only 2 months.  I've been busy counting beans and making sure that the department managers request a reasonable amount of beans for the next year.  Jack doesn't exist see and money doesn't grow on trees.  Believe me, if it did I'd have bought the lot up.

Anyway I've set this weekend aside to make my house beautiful once more and mix in a bit of crafting, which basically means I've put on a wash load and been in my cratt room since.  So from an eratic blogger to probably some more organised people .... here's a card I've made.

Ooops

I've decided in the vain hope of keeping my blog updated more regularly to not write what I did in so much detail.  So here's a card I've made recently for my work box.  Background is alcohol ink and the stamps are PaperArtsy - love 'em.

I was away this week on a conference, one day of which we volunteered at Acorn's children's hospice.  I've decided to make up a box of cards for them to sell and use the money on something for the kids there.  If anyone else fancies joining me let me know and I'll give you the address.  Amazing charity which basically supports terminally ill children and helps them and their parents plan their funerals and enjoy those last moments together. We heard some amazing stories and it certainly put life in perspective.

Hope you like the card.

Debz
x

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday day to you

Just to let you know I have the voice of an Angel.  In fact a few years ago I dreamt I'd won the X factor or Pop idol whatever was on at the time. 

Anyway, fresh from drawling over a rather annoying person's ramblings from Ranger U - I mean who'd want to go there anyway.  OK just about all of us - one day, one day :)  Distracted again, anyhow I've been making a birthday present for my wonderful mummy and after her kind permission I'm blogging it for you to see.  Rather glad to be honest as it was inspired by Ink on my fingers (or Hel's) challenge this week which is Summer of '69 or numbers.  Good job it's numbers as I wasn't even a glint in my daddy's eye by then.  Love the song though.

I then had rather a clever idea as I wanted to mark my present so mum new roughly when it was made (in my fourth decade) which is where my number came in.  Using inspiration from Hel's I then "hid" an "O" to coincide with her 40th and followed on decoration my house with lots of lovely techniques.  I'll show some pics and then try to list out all the techniques I used (if I can remember then).  Heading towards the big 4-0 does effect the grey matter a bit (or maybe I was dropped as a baby, always good to blame someone else!)

So that was the little house which I painted in teal dabber.  Once dry I used my finger and a dry brush to highlight it with Cranberry dabber.  Then it was on to all of the bits. 

The embellishments in no particular order:

• 
  
  Stampboard which I covered in teal and raspberry tinkerbella inks before deciding it was too strong so out came the trusty Crafty Notions white spray.  I then stamped Kathleen (B Line) before using Cranberry dabber and a finger to soften the edge of the stampboard and covering the yucky edge with Gold Krylon.  The inks just about show through in a subdued manner but I love the look.
• 
  
  Fragments with stamped tags and a Crafty Individuals picture.  The tag was covered with Distress ink before being masked and then stamped on with a mesh stamp before I used a couple of stamps over the top.  If you look closely at the top fragment it has the initials HS on it, which whilst being Hel's initials happens to also be my mummy's (Sorry Hel's!!) This fragment also appears to be hoovering as it was all shadowed in the back of the house so I stuck some dominoes together and then stuck it on top, much better.  See picture at the end.

• 
  
  A utee heart which is a mixture of blue and red to show a marbled effect (still perfecting this, but who'd of thought a old necklace would make such a great mold).  This is stuck on some distressed paper so that it didn't become part of the background.A metal rose spritzed with glimmer mist (it looked way too shiny!)

• Painted canvas with metal and Terra.  I'm still working on combining metal and Terra so I ended up painting over it to disguise the fact that it's a big lump where the Terra and metal join!  On the other hand I did wonder what would happen if you put the Terra on thick and then semi dried it before pushing it about a bit.  The effect is a lovely texture which looks a bit like wrinkled paper but dries solid.  I painted over the top, sanded the metal which I'd embossed with dots before highlighting the Terra with Raspberry dabber.  One of them has a fragment on and the other the rose.
• 
  
  At this point I was chuffed with my hoovering fragment so I wanted to make the little pink disc hoover too.  Not so easy!  Firstly there were too hole's in it as it came from a necklace so I wound some wire around both holes and created a sort of wobbly stand for it.  I then held it for 30 minutes in front of the TV whilst the glue dried.  It was for my mum I doubt I'd do it for anyone else, sorry!

• 
  
  I die cut some shrink plastic which has a little squares all over it, shrunk it and covered it in alcohol ink before sticking an Ideaology dream ticket on it.  I then held this for slightly less time whilst the glue dried but boy was it difficult to get the glue on and get it to stand up whist my shakey little hands did their best to scupper my plans.

The rest are Ideaology and scrapbook embellishments.

My mum loves it so I hope Hel's does too.  I loved spending time on so many different techniques with only a colour scheme in mind.  Maybe that's why I love Artsy Craft so much.  Oops almost forgot the number is a stencil I've had for ages which I covered in embossed metal and sanded down.  I think there may also be a little bit of alcohol ink on that.  Not sure if I used every technique I know but I sure gave it a go and my craft room looked like a hurricane had hit it - always proves I had fun!

Hope you like it

Debz

x

All of a flourish

I booked myself on a craft class to cheer myself up the other day and there's nothing like a bit of Linda Elbourne abuse to cheer you up.  The class took place at LB Crafts in Olney with the title "A flourishing quartet".  I knew all of the techniques but sometimes I lke to attend classes just to get new ideas or purely to play with products/ colour combinations I've not used. 

Having spent 3 hours in the car to get there rather than 1 hour 15 minutes I was glad not to have to learn lots of techniques - got to love the car park that is the M25 and the roadworks on the M1.  I recommend using the M40 in future if anyone heads from the South!  The way back was no different as I tried to get to the M40 but ended up headed back to the M25 and I managed to pull a muscle in the back of my knee.  By this time I was feeling well and truly cursed so I arrived home via the chippy :D

Anyway back to the class.  We painted a canvas black and then over painted in green.  Never used black as a base and I must saying it looks stunning popping through the green.  We then stamped a flourish all over the canvas - think this might be PaperArtsy but I can't confirm.

After that we did some metal work, covered this in black and then green paint.  Again I love this look as you get two lots of highlights.  Finally we stuck a few die cuts on top of the metal and hey presto and stunning piece of wall art.  Oops nearly forgot we also covered 37 (yes, Linda counted them) ycuky yellow plastic free of the cover of a magazine flowers in Gop (Inka Gold Copper to anyone who hasn't learnt Lin and Leandra speak) and then highlighted them with Rangers new black dimensional glaze.

Back on to my card making quest I made another card for the box at work last week and have forgotten to show you so know seems as good a time as any.  Seems to take me ages to make cards as I insist that they are all totally different.  Maybe I should make several similar ones at the same time and hold them back until the others sell, not sure.  Anyway I used the PaperArtsy Love Birds stamp on this one along with the two very cute birds.  I like to think of it as mum and dad looking after the babies.  Maybe that's why I take so long making cards I've really thought of the whole family thing (yikes, I'm slightly dotty me thinks).  The background is a glimmer mist jobbie and the birds are stamped on card coloured with DI's bundled sage using the direct to paper technique.  I then coloured them in and stuck a flower on the front.  Almost forgot I aged a book page with antique linen.  Love, Love, Love these stamps.

I'm entering this into the Lots To Do Challenge this week which is Birds/ Wings (Week 23).

Hope you like

Debz

x

A first time for everything

At least I don't think I have ever gotten round to a Gingersnap Creations challenge. I started off entering the Colour Challenge which is Burgundy, Black and Ivory.  Somehow I managed to go off track and use a pure white so I think I've knowcked myself out of that challenge however I've managed to complete a piece which fits two of the other challenges being Wings and Quotes.

So here is my entry for all 2 out of 3 of the challenges!

For the Random Redhead Challenge: Quotes - a PaperArtsy stamp which I love.

For the Chesnut Theme Challenge: Wings - another PaperArtsy stamp which I equally love.

Both of the stamps are from the Hot Picks range as are the two "flower" stamps I have used on the background.

To start at the beginning though I covered a canvas in white paint, PVA and then burgundy paint diliberately putting it on quite thick in places to avoid the cracking.  I guess I could have only PVA'd in certain places but that would have been way to intelligent for me!  After it was dry I thought it was looking way to clean so I swiped black ink over it to give it a dirty look.

Then I used Distress Inks (Rusty Hinge, Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen) on a piece of white card.  Once dried I sprayed Crafty Notions white spray over the top, dried it and stamped the "flower" images in Rusty Hinge and Brushed Corduroy.  Another spray and finally a dab I got the hazy look I was after.

To finish I embossed the bird cage on the card, stamped the quote and stuck a couple of Tim Holtz embellisments on the canvas.

Wasn't sure if I liked it last night, in fact I'm still not sure now but its grown on me a little today, so tell me what you think.

Debz
x

In sickeness and in health

grapes are always a good option (preferably after being mushed up, fermented and stuck in a bottle).  But seeing as its nearly bedtime the painted variety will have to do you and me both. 

Still going through my cutesy faze (which I've determined is me stamping with pre-printed paper backgrounds), so I've stamped and water coloured a bunch of grapes from PaperCraft4You and then surrounded it with a Lavina Stamps (Sycamore?) leaf stamp. 

The green and red background is a mixture of Glimmer Mist Olive Vine and Cosmic Shimmer Mist Lava Red (pictures not great so you might not be able to see there's red there too).   The lace came from a cheapy shop and the paper is from somewhere else (no idea, had it ages and now decided that its not "my precious" and therefore it can be cut up).  It's a wonder I haven't been picked up by the environmental police given the amount of paper I hoard - I think that's why I'm so careful about recycling all of my rubbish.  I have to at least try and fight to carbon neutral.  I suspect as crafters we all fail miserably but at least we try!

I had intended to come up and make a few cards but I've got back on the Wii fit and spent 1.5 hrs working out (Don't worry it'll be down to 10 mins a night by the end of the week!)  Apparently I have lost 2lbs which is great news (however I took 141 days to do that though, so maybe I should try a little harder!)

Enjoy
Debz

Out of the frying pan

and into the cuteness zone.  Over at the Corrosive Challenge blog this week the theme is die cuts.  I've not been very good at cute cards recently or cards full stop to be honest.  I start to think about cards and then alter something instead.  As my crafty friend at work is in need of card making support I have offered to create cards for colleagues along side her. 

This means creating all sorts of cards and coming out of my comfort zone, so I've been looking around for challenges and inspiration.  I don't really have many cute stamps so I've opted for cute colours instead.  There are two cards on show as I couldn't decide which one I liked best.  Hope this doesn't break the rules!

And at the same time the Sunday Stamper challenge is letters so I thought I might surprise Hel's with a completely different style for me.

The first card has a Distress ink background with various flower and circles stamps randomly stamped.  I've then used a PaperArtsy stamp for the main image which is water coloured using distress ink.  Almost forgot that I used one of the new PaperArtsy Die Cuts (love these and will prob end up buying the lot - ouch!).  They cut fantastically well and this one (Big Pointy Frames #3) is a fab shape.

The second card is mostly printed paper base because the flowery one fell out whilst I was looking for something else (and I love it).  Can't remember who its buy but if anyone knows please drop me a note as I'd love to buy more.

Once I'd die cut'd to my hearts content I water coloured some Papercraft4you stamped images of Pansies, Cosmos and something else!  These were one of my first QVC stamping purchases and they are great for little snippets.  I'm feeling all flowery at the moment because the gardens starting to look like a sea of colours and I love it.

Hope you like the cards (click on them to see bigger images)
Debz

Wings and things

Over at Sunday Stamper this week the theme is "wings."  Anyone that's been reading my blog might have realised I've been following some weeks but haven't managed to get my entry up until after the deadline.  Luckily for me this week I was already making something that fitted!

This piece is a frame I picked up from the Craft Barn a while ago.  I painted it black and then used a Viva stencil with Ferro Golden Orange to create a border around the frame.  Technique shamelessly stolen from Artsy Craft May 10.  From there I coloured a piece of Grunge Paper in DI's (Rusty Hinge, Spiced Marmalade and a touch of Brushed Corduroy), stamped it with a multitude of flourishes, buttons and circles) and then sprayed it with Crafty Notions white spray (I love this stuff!)  This was covered with a piece of acetate with butterflies on it from a QVC TSV (You know, we all have them). 

Finally I used a Craft Stamper freebie on a scrap of mount board covered with Spiced Marmalade and a hint of Rusty Hinge.

Hope you like it.
Debz

A wall of inspiration

Just a quick post tonight.  I thought I would share my wall of inspiration with you all.

A right mix and match of things but there's a reason for all of them.  Some are to remind me of techniques I constantly forget I know, some because I love the colour combinations and others are just cos I got them on a card and they are so darn cute.

In the bottom right corner you can see part of a canvas I made at an LB Crafts class with Linda Elbourne.  It was great fun and I met some lovely people, in fact we didn't stop laughing and chatting throughout the day.

The flowers in a pot you can see near the bottom is actually dabbers through a peel off on silver card and then the peel off is carefully lifted.  Whilst I wouldn't necessarily use this on a card I love the idea as it gives a really textured look.

As I said a right mix and match but also a great inspiration when you can't decide what colours to play with or need to sit and play before inspiration strikes. 

Debz
x

Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh

Life seems to be flying me by at the moment and I wouldn't mind but its not much crafty fun either.  Oh well lots of lovely crafty things to look forward to this month - classes at LB Crafts, the Craft Barn Extravaganza and getting a place on Artsy Craft in October (fingers crossed on that one!)

Anyway talking of Artsy Craft in normal late style I thought I would share some picks of the event with you and tell you how brill it was.  Lots of lovely people and Lin & Leandra were alright too (well, went we weren't been frog marched around - I was starting to think we were at boot camp when the cuttlebugs were needed!!!)



The first project was called Secret Garden and this was great fun to make. 

We were asked not to show full photos or give full descriptions so here are a few pics to wet your appetite.  We decorated a canvas layering up as we went and used some of the new Hot Picks from Paper Artsy (1004 and 1005) for the background and texture paste to decorate a tree. 


This is a photo taken during the process but we ended up with various metal embellishments adorning the tree and surrounding area from the Flora and Fauna stamp sets by Paper Artsy.  I love all of the stamps, but particularly set 2 and 3 which have a really cute hedgehog and owl on them.

The main project was "Bird Song Sampler" which as the name suggests was a sampler using loads of different techniques over 9 squares.  Techniques included metal work using crafty notion sprays, embossing and die cuts, distress inks on various surfaces and my particular favourites texture pastes as bases for stamping into, painting over and generally making a mess before being pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

And of course to take advantage of the presence of Linda Elbourne we were shown how to make the lovely roses she makes.   I decided to emboss mine using a dotty folder.  It made it impossibly bulky to mold into a rose but I love the effect.  We used copper which looked a little too bright for my Shabby Blue colour scheme, so a quick squirt or two of blue spray and it fitted in beautifully.

The final project of the weekend was called Love Birds and involved us making a beautiful birdhouse out of sticky back plastic and a few toilet rolls.  OK, ok I lied, it was a picture frame which we adapted.  After sloshing a bit of paint here and there, stamping the love birds and embossing some metal we all had a really cute embellishment for the wall.

All in all it was a fab weekend and I met or caught up with some great people.  If you haven't been I suggest you pop over to LB Crafts or Paper Artsy and book for October, but not until I have my place secured thank you very much!

Thanks Lin & Leandra and not forgetting Jo Firth-Young (the Cuttlebug Guru), Linda Elbourne (Tim Holtz' stalker) and Karen Daniell (the Queen of shops - forget Mary whatsername!)

Debz

x

Best present ever

I got given a lovely bottle of Rose Malone perfume for valentines day, which smelt absolutely gorgeous.  Unfortunately once it hits my skin it smells like the kind of perfume you bought when you were 15 and cost £2.99 from Superdrug.  There's nothing wrong with Superdrug but I had high hopes for this beautiful bottle.

However on a plus point it came in a great little box so I've altered it and the perfume can just sit there until I can work out how to get rid of it without the boyf seeing (good job he doesn't read this!)  Told you I was going to blog the backlog!

I painted the lid black and then covered this in various glimmer mists of the blue and green variety. 

Then I molded some metal on one of the big daddy molds I have and put the smaller end pieces through the cuttlebug.  Not content with spreading glimmer mist everywhere I had another go on the metal after distressing it with Adirondack black acrylic dabber. 

Finally I embossed some grungepaper and coloured it blue before highlighting it in green.

After doing all that it sat for a day or two and I went off playing with my Melt Pot.  Remembering Linda B's demo from Artsy Craft I poured some clear and gold melted utee onto a Ten Seconds Studio big daddy mold and highlighted the design with Perfect Pearls.

Playing along a bit more I created a button mold from mold and pour which was slightly easier to produce in one piece!  This was similarly highlighted.  It was finished off with a small section of tag using Tim Holtz stamps I created after inspiration at a Linda E class and I sneakily stuck a key on intending to submit it for a Sunday Stamper challenge.  Think I might have missed that one (by a mile!)

And the good news is I'm now being trusted with the camera this weekend - yippeee!

Oh well, hope you like it.

x

Through the round window

OK there isn't a window and any I have definitely aren't round, but for some reason I have Play School in my head.  Better than normal though it's usually the Wombles or Love and Marriage (not that I know more than the first couple of lines).  Can you imagine how hard it is to live in my head?

Anyway I know have the camera back, although I'm not being trusted to take it to Artsy Craft (boo) so I shall be clicking away tonight to get some of the numerous creations up on here over the next week or so.  There's classes I've attended, things I've altered and by then Artsy Craft creations to amaze you with.

However for now you will have to put up with another card.  This one is made quite simply using a PaperArsty mini text stamp and a Vintage Collage girl stamp.  The background is one of those glimmer mist jobbies done ages ago.  The main image is stamped and masked as is the alphabet.  I've then used the text stamp all around so the black image blends in more to the background paper. Thanks to Tigger cat for finding the backgrounds as I only found them when he knocked my scrapz box off the shelf. At least one of my cats is useful.  The other covered my kitchen floor in water this morning - hmph! Contrary to the photo which I can't even scan straight the card isn't all wonky in real life!

Hope you like it

Debz

Time flies

And I'm not even having fun :o(  Really not sure where this month is flying to but boy is it flying.  Tigger, my ginger non human son disappeared for a few days last week so when he eventually returned from whatever shed I think he was locked up in I felt too guilty to come up here crafty.  Instead of doted on him and now he has finally realised his place is on my craft chair.  We seem to be having competitions as to who can get on to it fastest and I'm definitely loosing!  The worst thing is I turn my back to pick up an embellishment and he seizes the opportunity.  I seriously went to get a spare chair from the bedroom earlier but its heaped with ironing (yuck, not even my beloved boy is going to persuade me to clear that).

Anyway seeing as its been ages since I posted I thought I would show you a few cards over the next few days until I manage to get some photo's of my latest dalliances.

The first one, "Mona"  was created from a glimmer mist background of Juneberry wine (love this colour) and gold with a spritz of cosmic shimmers purple violet.  I then swished a white piece of card in various watered down distress inks and over stamped it with Creative Expressions map of the world in Dusty Concord.  Finally I used Victorian Velvet and Dust Concord on another piece of white card and stamped Mona on it.  The flower seemed a bit bright so a text stamp was used to grunge it a bit and whilst fiddling I found a baby flower to use in the centre. 

The picture isn't the best but that's cos the "boyf" has stolen the camera.  Don't panic though I've demanded it back when I see him tomorrow!

Catch you soon

Debz

Hanging around

It seems like an age since I've done any stamping and getting messy and it has been.  Work has been really busy and I was desperate to get some of my holiday photos from Nov 09 into a scrapbook.  I've only managed about 6 pages but its a start.  If it wasn't for wanting to enter the Ink on my fingers challenge I would have shown some now, but that will have to be for another day.

Hel's challenge is free this week so I've created a hanging piece based on a  workshop I did with Linda Elbourne today.  That inspired I was that I cam straight home and got inky.  Well, technically, I'm still blue from earlier, but now I'm orange and red as well.  I'll blog that piece in a day or two.

Back to Hel's challenge.  I've decorated a frame with Adirondack Dabber in copper and them collage stamped a tag using a mixture of Tim's Bitty Grunge CMS089.  The images in black are from TJ Designs vintage collection.  I love this set as it comes in its own handy little CD-ish case. Tim's gorgeous stamps are as always gorgeous but I don't need to tell most people that!

Finally I embellished it some Tim embellishments and a clock face I picked up from LB Crafts earlier today.  On that point I did a wonderful mirror class with Lin, but that's a another day's blog post too.

Hope you like it.

x

True blue baby I love you

Excuse the title, but I've been over at Ink on my fingers and caught the song title bug.  This little creation was actually a Valentine's present for SW but I haven't gotten round to blogging it.      

                                         

I picked up some little suitcases at the Artsy Craft weekend and forgot all about them until I had a tidy up.  Having decided that SW isn't really a pink man I mixed up some acyrlic paints to get this lovely blue green colour which I painted on the suitcase after a liberal covering of Gesso. Looking for colour inspiration I meandered through my odds and sods box and came across some wallpaper (well it looks like wallpaper anyway).  After sticking this to the inside lid of my suitcase I tucked a little crafty individuals picture in a metal frame, covered it with Anita's 3D gloss and stuck a key on it.  This became my little picture on the wall.  unfortunately being a little impatient I moved it before it had fully dried so the gloss is slightly warped. 

Whilst on the trip down memory lane using old products I came across some Stamp Oasis Luna lights - pearl which I mixed in with the aqua paint and used to paint an arch shaped booklet (shamelessy copied straight from Artsy Craft Oct 09).  The individual arches were then decorated with a range of PaperArsty, Tim Holtz and Crafty Individual stamps and then covered with a swirl stamp in White Stazon.

Other decorations used include some old epoxy film strip stickers I picked up in a market somewhere  and part of an old necklace on an old chain.The piece was finished off with a metal heart cut and embossed using my cuttlebug and deocrated with Grungeboard wings.  The colouring is from glimmer mists sprayed directly onto the metal and dried until it slightly tarnishes but not enough for it all to fly off again!

I'm entering this into Something Completely Different where the challenge theme this week is W for .... (Wings in my case) and Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturdays where the theme is Wings.

Hope you like it

x

Cufflinks and brownie points

I don't normally do two posts in one day but I've had several things to upload this week but no access to my photos'.  I've come to SW's to abuse his computer.  I think I'll leave the other post 'til tomorrow.  Finally got into this blogging malarky and I can't get my photos!  Ah well, I'll get sorted one day (possibly!)

Anyhow's I've finally found a way of being forgiven for my crafty obsession by making something useful for SW.  Now not only does he think I'm thoughtful and clever but he also has a place for his cufflinks.  Best still I have more room to buy other lovely things to alter.  Clever, clever me!

This was actually a paper mache book, but I've turned it on its side to make a box instead (actually I found a stamp that I wanted to use which wouldn't fit the right way up so a box it became). 

The box is painted with a mixture of Claudine Hellmuth's acrylic paint and another brand in a silvery black, which created this gorgeous green/ blue colour. I may start to get organised one day and actually write down the brands and colours I use - bare with me though, it might be a while!  An atlas stamp was used for the middle of the box, masked and surrounded by a handwriting stamp.  I finished the box with some of Tim Holtz's alteration dies used as a flourish and a handmade heart.  There's a bit of glimmer mist on there too - couldn't resist!

Hope you like
x

Time for tea

So while my well trained bf is making me a cuppa I thought I would upload my Sunday Stamper entry.  The theme over at Ink on my fingers this week is time so out came my Paper Artsy stamps.  I used a frame from Hobbycraft as a basis, covered it with Gesso and then used mushroom and a mixture of acrylics to get a darkish green blue to highlight it. 

The background is grunge paper inked with Tim Holtz Distress Inks (tumbled glass, weathered wood and forest moss) and stamped with a fob watch in brushed cordoury.  I then took an arch and covered it with ferro before using the same stamp to create some texture alongside a script stamp.  I wanted a really deep impression so I used quite thick ferro basis and applied a fair bit of pressure.  Once dry the ferro was covered with Rangers pearl acrylic dabber and then dabbed with the same blueish green paint to give a really good contrast.

I then created a metal emobssed clock face to sit on top of the arch and decided it didn't work.  A bit of rummaging later I found a painted domino which I hadn't used from a while back, so I highlighted the pattern in brushed corduroy distress ink and attached some spinners to give a clock impression.  To pull everything together I used a combination of flowers to finish the project.

Thanks Hels for another great challenge.

Hope you all like it

x

Playing around with bits and pieces

Wey hey, not only have I been playing with my new distress inks but I've managed to do two challenges in one day.  Haven't had this much crafty time to myself for ages.  The weather's great so the cats are off a-playin and the bf has been tucked away in front of the tv (Grand Prix widow season has started) and I've been a-messin around with bits and pieces for the Sunday Stampers challenge this week.

Firstly I swished around with some inks (my new favs are tumbled glass and pumice stone, btw, not that I used any pumice stone here).  I've become a non pink/purple girl and seemed to be drawn to my out of comfort zone colour - blue.  Anyhows, after that I became all T!m-ish.  Out came the masks, on went some more blue distress inks (I think pretty much a bit of each of the new blues and a bit of weathered wood cos I felt disloyal to the old colours).  Then I remembered that I had played with the new Alteration Dies, so they got covered with Silver Dabber (not the dies, the die cuts).

Sorry it's a bit wonky, it would sit straight on the scanner cos of the bits and pieces on it.

After all that playing I had a lovely background, but no focus - time for a tidy up (by this time I'm playing in a space the size of a A5 card).  Whilst tidying I remembered the negatives die I had, bit of stamping and a few pieces of hardware later and Bob's your uncle (well he might be, personally I don't have an uncle Bob).

Quite pleased with this challenge entry as I've managed to use 4 stamps that I've never used that have been sitting in my stash for well over a year, probably nearer 5 years in some cases!

Hope you like it
x

All my Easter's have come at once

Christmas didn't fit and I quite like Easter eggs.  Mmm have you seen all those shiny boxes with there foiled goodies. 

Anyway I digress Mr Postman is my new bestest friend (not that I've ever done anything but grunt at him on Saturday morning trying not to let him see I'm still in my bed clothes and can't even open my eyes) .... right concentrate .... he, lovely Mr Postman, bought me Mr T!m's alteration dies to play with AND my preorder of distress inks.  Yes. I know you have probably had yours for like eons and yes, I will be more patient in future and not order from the first company to put up pre order as I'm sure they were the last company to receive there order and yes I have probably admired your art whilst growling.  But I no longer care cos I've got them so there!

To celebrate I went out a bought a truckload of Easter eggs, not really I did something much more fun ....  I've created by first challenge entry for Stampotique Designers Challenge   - spring has sprung.   I've had to scan it as I'm still minus a camera, but hopefully it does the card justice.

I love this time of year.  The sun is out the snow drops are springing up and the weather is warming (sort of) All in all I gain an extra spring in my step, in fact I tend to get a bit hyper after all the dark winter nights, but that's all part of the fun.

Hope you like the card

x

Birthday Wishes

I intended to post my valentine's creations today thinking SW might appreciate seeing them first but I've managed to drop my camera on the floor and its not very happy about it.  Borrowed SW's but the memory card was full and there are so many photo's on it that my machine can't cope with it.  Seeing as bad luck usually comes in three's for me I'm staying in and walking very carefully up and down the stairs (having fallen down them and embarrased myself last year!)

Warble, Warble ... anyway I thought I would show you a card I made recently for someone.  The background is alcohol ink stamped with dragonflies (paperartsy) and then I've shrunk some really cute butterflies using shrink plastic.  I love shrink plastic for making your own embellishments.

Hope you like it
x

Ice ice baby

I thought I would share this picture with you.  Back a few weeks ago I was consoling the cats when they couldn't go out when I looked out of the window and found this hanging from my washing line . Bless them, they tried but they kept sinking into the snow.  It was very funny to watch even if they weren't amused!

The whole side of house was decorated with icicles some as long as a metre - beautiful.  I looked out the next day and thought my washing line decoration and gone, but looking further out of the window it had just travelled along the line!

I'm on the look out for inspiration to scrap this photo as its so unusual.

Take care
x

Inspired by Paper Artsy

I'm not sure where the time went between October and now but it definetely went somewhere and mostly to a non crafty place - boo!

I started this back in November.  Take one plain pine frame throw some Ferro Graphite texture paste at it.  Paint in black and then highlight it red and gold.  You get the idea,  - more of a add a bit here and there until it looks right technique.

The picture isn't doing it justice (modest aren't I!)  The inside of the frames are decorated with embossed and glimmer misted metal.  They look brighter here than they actually are, which could possibly be because of my snap and see photography style.

I've finished off the piece with a grungeboard butterfly embellised with metal flowers and with a stampboard tile decorated with Red alcohol ink, stamped and topped with crackle accents.

Hope you like it.

x