Stamping by H

WOYWW 141

2012-02-15T00:15:00.004Z

Welcome to another WOYWW (What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?) brainchild of Julia Dunnit (now a proud White Van Driver for Mr D's business)

As promised I have stash to share (some of you saw it after I got home from the Stamperama show in Stevenage on Sunday) :

Just one bag.... doesn't look much, does there? Shall I let you see what I got...

OK then, here it is!! Stencils, wooden bits to alter, bits and bobs, stamps, dies, paint...
The show was fab (see Sunday's post for details) and I met some blog friends who now ARE friends!!

This was the view from my cramped perch at the computer (yes, it IS uncomfortable, if I sit here too soon after dinner I get terrible indigestion!!) and that's yesterday's journal page on the "desk"

and this is Tuesday's (yesterday's technically, as I write this on Tuesdays) which I'm not happy with - it's too dark IRL but looks ok here where the flash has lightened it.... maybe I need to go over it with a pale wash or something if I can do it without ruining the stencilling... Anyhow I shall keep fiddling with it!

So do tell - and show - us what you've been up to - can't wait to come and see!
I shall schedule this as always and link it when I get up - wonder what time Julia will post this week!

More bumping - in my journal this time!

2012-02-13T20:26:00.001Z

Well, this "bumping" technique is certainly addictive!! Couldn't wait till after I'd eaten,I had to start whilst it was in the oven (tuna pasta bake if you're interested). It nearly got burnt...

This is the result.... fresco paints used are rusty rose, inky pool and claret, with snowflake to bump and tone down....

Leandra also told us yesterday (us being her stalkers of Jo Myhill, Gabrielle and I) that you can stamp trhough the stencil too - I used a Mini Paperartsy stamp - don't think the minis have names, this is some grungy looking little numbers... I carried the theme through by using the "roll part of the stamp on the page" method.

Made the separate image (Dina Wakley) on some scrap paper painted with rusty rose again.

and a couple of step by steps....

what a mess on the craft sheet!! Now I really DO need some more cut and dry foam...!

Because this week at Simon Says Stamp and Show has an "Anything goes" theme, I am entering thsi there.

New stash - time to play!

2012-02-12T19:36:00.000Z

I had a great day today at the Stamperama show in Stevenage - not such a lovely train journey there (unexpected engineering works en route caused a delay of about 40 minutes - luckily by the time I came home it was ok and I was home in 90 minutes - the trip there took 3 hours all told!)

Anyhow, once there I made a beeline for the Paperartsy stand where Lin and Leandra were doing a great double act of demoing fantastic Paperartsy products - thanks for the tags, ladies I love them!

So, here is my stash haul (twitters have already caught sight of this!)

Some of it was even on the list of things I wanted to buy!!!

And this is my first go at the "bumping" or shadowing technique that the ladies were demoing so beautifully....

I think actually I prefer the tag before I added the cut out flower - may try and unstick it and do something else....

However it was my first play - maybe I'll just make another one!

And these are the fab tags from Lin .......

....and Leandra - this is a whopper tag! Just love all that stencilling

I had arranged to meet a couple of twitter/blog friends at the show - the lovely Gabrielle (and her gorgeous daugher) and Jo Myhill who both produce fabulous art and seem to have the same taste in "must have" shopping as I do, lol!! It was really great to put faces to your names, girls!

Right, I think I need to put my feet up - it's Sunday night so it's nearly time for Call theMidwife! But the joy of playing in my living room (even on the floor) is I can watch at the same time.... hope I don't fall asleep.

Tag it On - Time

2012-02-08T14:00:00.000Z

Hello, and welcome to another Dragons Dream Tag It On. This week, it is my turn for the theme and I have chosen the title of a book I loved so much when I read it when it came out a couple of years ago- The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. An amazing love story about a man who time travels involuntarily. When I was writing this post I found this review which tells it much better than I can! Long gone are the days when I thought I would write novels! It's since been made into a film, which I've not seen - I never think my favourite books convert well, I prefer to remember the story! (EDIT. since writing this I have seen it as it was on TV at the weekend - and I think they did it quite well!)

Anyhow, I loved the book, and the theme for my tag this week, is "time" Here is my tag...

I covered a tag with paper from Tim Holtz Lost and Found paper stack, covered it with white gesso to tone it back, added some texture (viva Terra paste) painted white. Embellishments are idea-ology pieces and a small watch face from a bag of bits bought at a show sometime.

Time flies stamp by Paperartsy.

WOYWW 140 ? a book to alter

2012-02-08T05:00:00.003Z

Happy Wednesday to you all - happy What's on your Workdesk Wednesday, even! Don't know what that is? (What planet are you from?) check out Julia's for all the info

Thank you for your comments and visits last week - nothing looks very different here today so there's no wide angle or airial views this time!

I am really hoping to take part in Elizabeth's Altered Book free, online course that she's running - Elizabeth is a keen and regular WOYWWer and I have wanted to do an altered book for - just YONKS!

So I needed to look out a suitable book - I have thousands of books, but most of them are rubbishy paperbacks and so no good. However, I think I've found something that will do. So that's step one sorted - can't wait for the next step! If you fancy having a go, Elizabeth would love to see you join in - click the link above for the details.

So that's me today - short and sweet (for a change) but next week - unless we get another load of snow - I should have some new stash to share with you as I'm hoping to go to the Stamperama at Stevenage, run by Stamp Addicts. I love this show as it's busy but quite small - and I am meeting up with some blog buddies to put faces to names! It's on Sunday and the details are here

Come back around 2pm (UK time) for the latest DragonsDream TIO challenge!

Sunday Stampers - Hearts

2012-02-05T13:46:00.000Z

Hels' has us all getting in a Valentines mood today with her "hearts" theme for Sunday Stampers. I actually started this page yesterday which is quite spooky!! Means I had something ready to enter without really trying too hard - just needed some finishing touches.

Painted the pages white for the ink to grip to better - used the Magenta archival ink pad again (see yesterday). I wanted a patchy slightly uneven ink coverage.

The heart stamp is the giveaway from last month's Craft Stamper magazine and I have been dying to use it. Stamped it in clear ink and used perfect pearls powder on it for some lovely lilac shimmer. It stamps beautifully and is a lovely image.

Then today I hand wrote some of the lyrics from Love Is All Around randomly over the pages. Can't get the song out of my head now!!! I love it.

This was the view from my (first floor) living room window today... just hope it goes soon!
I don't mind snow if I don't need to get anywhere -
like work - so it will be a wellies morning tomorrow so I stay on my feet!
I had a bad fall a couple of years ago that really shook me up even though I was only bruised; and I don't take any chances now, no matter how daft I look on the bus!

Alter It - Stampotique Designers Challenge 47

2012-02-04T15:41:00.000Z

It has been far too long since I managed to enter the Stampotique Designers Challenge - I don't have many Stampotique stamps, which I intend to rectify this year, funds willing! However, I bought a new one the other day and it arrived on Wednesday.

Today is the first time I've had a chance to play with it - Daniels Hearts...

I decided to alter this beer mat I picked up before Christmas and whilst I'm not totally happy with how it turned out, it's ok(ish)!!

I had trouble photographing it, the sun from this morning has gone now - the skies are clouding over and I guess that means the snow we've been forecast will soon arrive in Surrey!

Anyhow, I started by painting the beer mat white, then applied some tissue tape (don't have the tissue wrap yet!) and sealed it with Paperartsy Fresco's Satin Glaze. Then I added some portfolio pastels but didn't totally like the way they looked, (my fault not the pastels!) so painted over that white again to blend them in more and stamped the hearts. (archival ink, magenta - it's such a great colour, I forgot how much I like it!)

Anyhow, I stamped Maisie on some white card and cut her out, adding magenta ink to her . Used a stencil to write her name (I don't have any of the Stampotique text stamps). The heart at the top is UTEE and fell off something I was given at a show (sorry, Jennie!) but I've been saving it and the colours are just right for this.

Off to link up now at SDC - there is a voucher prize for one lucky winner and the challenge runs a few more days.
(this one is without flash)

Inspired by Donna

2012-02-03T20:02:00.001Z

A highlight of my Wednesdays - apart from WOYWW of course - is Donna Downey's Inspiration Wednesday video/art journal.

This week it really "spoke" to me and I started this straight after I watched the video. I realised whilst watching it, that I had a Hero Arts jumbo cling stamp, solid and outline version that I could use...

It took me a while to finish it off, as I was struggling for some text/words to go on the page, but yesterday I settled for these by Wendy Vecchi.

I used dusty concord distress stain on the stamp before overstamping black archival.

the background is Paperartsy Limelight paint (lightly diluted) and the leaves 7 the border stamps are by Dyan Reaveley. Used portfolio pastels inside the leaves, whichI outlined with a new item that arrived yesterday - my white pen that actually shows up white.

Starting point, with some partially stamped images too.

The flash has caused over-exposure but the limelight paint looks more realistic here! I've been tweaking for days - tonight I used a circle stencil and the black portfolio pastel to add some dots!!

Now, I must away and play with something else new - my 7 Dots fab fab papers (from the Stamp Attic) oh and yes, Daniel's Hearts (Stampotique) blame Hels...!!

Thanks for looking.

WOYWW 139

2012-02-01T05:09:00.000Z

Pinch, Punch, first of the month - February already by Jove!! So, Wednesday again finds us congregating chez Julia's for the desk marathon that is WOYWW.

Last week saw me prevaricating about decanting my Tim Holtz idea-ology into these boxes (left, in front of my stamp drawers)... so has she? has she??

Well.... I tried....

but no. it is still in here... I took some out of one packet - into a drawer - and back again. Will have to work up to it!
Maybe next time! Trouble is, there's too much to go in this 3 drawer chest - and I think probably too much for the 16 boxes anyhow...

I am treating you to an arial shot today (no chairs were harmed in the taking of this photo!) to show the true extent of the mess around me on the floor that I work at - but no work in progress today! The cushion is the one I sit on at my computer....

writing my blog posts! Amazingly I got back in place before the self timer went off - and didn't fall over all the ~~crap~~ stash on the floor on the way! This is me in my cozy slob out at home gear! When I get back to my de-clutter, maybe I'll tackle this space too... (won't be throwing anything away though, just moving it around!) The de-clutter is still stalled.

Well, you'll probably never come back now you know what it's really like here - so I'll leave you to the rest of the workdesks!! Have a good week.

I'm forever blowing bubbles...

2012-01-30T21:35:00.000Z

Hels' Sunday Stamper challenge this week is based on the song "I'm forever blowing bubbles" which I know as West Ham's club song. Then I saw on a tweet by Suze Weinberg that today is National Bubble Wrap day. (in the US presumably as I've not heard of it here!) Why would you have a Bubble Wrap day???

I decided to use bubble wrap as my method rather than the theme. I made a background on an A4 sheet - using Fresco paints Inky Pool, Sky and London Night. I had two sizes of bubbles!!

I also spritzed it with blue patina perfect pearls spray.

I also used a tag to mop up the spare paint from my craft sheet, adding some snowcap white. I used some sequin waste on both the tag and the A4 sheet, and chipped sapphire DI.

I cut part of the A4 sheet using the Tattered Floral die and made some flowers, and punched a few little daisies with the offcuts leftover.

The background on this card is Wendy's bubble stamp, the sentiment one of Tim's.

I used the other flower on the tag.

Best of all is I've still got a large piece of the bubble wrapped paper to use for something else - it's going on the scraps pile!!

Time...

2012-01-29T14:29:00.000Z

Hope you're all having a good Sunday. I have been (am still) glued to the tennis for the Australian Open final - what a fabulous match! They've been playing over 5 hours and I'm exhausted just watching.... looks like it won't be Nadal's day though...

Anyhow, I started these pages in my journal yesterday during the football and finished it off today..

Covered the pages with the clock page from Tim's Lost and Found stack - embedded some natural hemp into the page and painted over it - inked, stencilled and stamped over the pages.

Used a mixture of distress inks & Paperartsy Fresco paints.

The little clocks (also from the Lost and Found stack) are covered in crackle accents glue but you can't see it very well.

I did have trouble photographing this, even in the daylight.

The Eyes Have it...

2012-01-28T10:20:00.000Z

Well the candy picture in the side bar says it - Hels' Sunday Stampers challenge is 4 years old. Couldn't let this go without passing, and the theme is "eyes" or faces - but it's Saturday morning and I'm nearly out of time... what to do.... hmmm

I read a lot - all the time (when I'm not blog-hopping or crafting or twitting!) so I made a bookmark.

Took a piece of glossy card stock and coloured it with distress ink (evergreen bough) and some Wendy stamps. Yes of course I meant to stamp the letters at the bottom upside down... Used some gel pens to accent the eyes and lips but they don't show up, and some spun sugar (DI) for blusher...

I like to keep my books neat and tidy (hence the bookmark - don't let me catch anyone turning the corners of MY books down...) so I don't like anything bulky on my bookmarks. And it's quicker that way... lol!
You have till 9pm UK time tonight to enter - and she has some great candy on offer to one lucky winner. Thanks Hels' for the challenges, love them!

Now, my new Craft Stamper has just fallen through the letterbox so I must go..!

On the way to our dreams

2012-01-27T19:53:00.000Z

I liked the effect of the blue stripes in the previous journal page so I had another go - this time I used mustard seed and wild honey distress stains.

I stmaped Tim Holtz's small Rock Star heart randomly in black archival across the pages, and the sentiment in butterscotch .

Many many months ago, I stamped the same stamp on some sticky back canvas that I had die cut and then not known what to do with! I came across it the other day when rummaging through the scraps box. The colours are perfect for this page.

I stamped another sentiment (also Tim Holtz) on some manilla card stock, coloured it with wild honey, edging it with gathered twigs from the autumn limited edition set) and cut it into pieces to stick across the pages.

Finally I coloured the hearts & banners with the fab fab fab portfolio pastels (yellow, yellow orange and golden brown) and heat set them.

I've got the whole weekend to play (football apart) - chores be blowed - so hope to have some more fun!

Dragons Dream- Tag it On - we're back!!

2012-01-25T13:00:00.000Z

Yes, Dragons Dream Tag it On Challenges are back - refreshed and raring to go! Did you miss us?!

This time for our challenge themes we're taking favourite book titles as our theme and my teamie Elizabeth has chosen "The Beach".

That immediately said "Stampscapes" to me - I have a few.... and this is the result.

Inks are all Distress inks and all stamps are Stampscapes. Hope you all get to play along with us again.

WOYWW 138

2012-01-25T05:25:00.008Z

I am beginning to think someone doesn't want me to write my WOYWW posts recently- I got home from work on Tuesday to find there'd been a power cut and had to re-set various clocks/radios/timers etc and then came to turn on the computer - nothing, nada zilch.... the base unit was ok, but the screen - nope.

Fiddled around, turned it off and on again, (you know, the old IT failsafe...) eventually tried the leads to make sure they were ok -bingo! finally found the lead to the screen was slightly loose - now, how can that be, I didn't do anything different last night when I turned it off to go to bed, but today - it just fell out all by itself... anyhow at least it's ok and I don't have to buy a new one!!!

So, you're probably here to see my workdesk today. Well, I'm still in a journalling mood at the moment, or at least working in the book I call my journal - I don't do any baring my soul stuff .... so this is the latest page in progress on the floor.... waiting for something to strike me to finish it off.

Inks are distress stains in tumbled glass, faded jeans broken china and picket fence. stamps are by Dina Wakley (I love them, and need/want some more....) You can see them just to the right of the craft mat. Behind the journal is my latest favourite - portfolio pastels - they are fantastic - water soluble oil pastels. They actually arrived last Wednesday but way after I'd WOYWW'd!

OOh, look what happened in the close up. Still needs some tweaking though...

Now, I wouldn't be "stampingbyh" if I didn't have something (else) new to show....

On Saturday I was looking for some spraybottles (failed) to use for some watered down paint to spray on the journal - but I did find these cool frames and foam sheets, in the £1 shop.
I'd have preferred lighter coloured foam really and I am not totally sure what I'll use it for... but the frames are great. They look all nice and distressed before I even start distressing them!

I also bought this storage box - meaning to use it for my Tim Holtz idea-ology but at present I can't bear to decant it all from its packets to put in here so it's still empty. Not sure why I like having them in the packets, they take up more space than I have.... check back next week to see if I've taken the plunge!

Anyhow, have a good Wednesday and I'll get round as many of you as I can.

Collage pages - Tim style

2012-01-22T22:08:00.000Z

In between the football, Call the Midwife and before Birdsong today, I found time to do a double page collage in my journal. (wanted to use up some scraps from the overflowing pile!)

Stamps are by Tim Holtz apart from 'time' which is a Claritystamp.

This is what it looked like before I started.

I only used papers in the scrap pile, but it's still overflowing...

Journalling

2012-01-20T21:54:00.000Z

Had a play in the journal tonight - a mixture of paints, inks, shimmer and pastels on the page and this and that on top!

It was fun....

Portfolios - addicted already!

2012-01-19T20:09:00.000Z

Well, I rushed home again today and started playing even whilst the dinner was cooking itself.... Went with another tag based on Leandra's tutorials, and one I made up as I went along....

This is one of my favourite ever Hot Pick stamps, I just love it. Sealed the whole tag with Fesco Satin Glaze after stamping and added a ribbon - which I coloured with the pastels too, just to see if it would! and some pearls.

Couldn't get a decent photo of this one! Used various brown shades of the pastels, only lightly blending them, masing with violet and the harlequin mask from Crafters Workshop and added some orange pan pastel (from my very limited, so far, supply!) The stamp is by Dina Wakley. A spritz of perfect copper perfect pearl spray (doesn't show up, told you it wasn't a good picture!) AND the flash is bouncing off the new craft mat (from Jennie's blog candy from yesterday)

A good mail day!

2012-01-18T20:25:00.000Z

WOW!! I got home tonight to find a card from the Royal Mail - two parcels - but rather than me having to go and collect them from the sorting office - they had left them in one of the wheelie bins - luckily it's not recycling day!! And here they are:

Oooh,, what's in there??!

My blog candy win from Jennie (The Artistic Stamper) - I was lucky enough to win her birthday candy - and what candy!! Thanks Jennie it's amazing... (click to enlarge for a bette view)

and these babies - you've probably seen Leandra using them here so I had to grab a quick dinner (gave up part way through, I was too keen tp play..) OH my GOSH they are fantastic.................

Now this is my first attempt with any kind of pastels - and following Leandra's tutorial - fairly closely! this is what I managed. Leandra, you are right, they are SOFT!!! Obviously I need to play more, and this took only as long as a cup of tea took to go stone cold.... but I likey, I likey. I do need some more stencils - this was the bubbles from the fish template!

Now off to do something with that tag from yesterday!

WOYWW 137 nearly didn't happen!

2012-01-18T05:30:00.003Z

Hi again! Well, it's Tuesday night as I write this and as the title suggests, it nearly didn't, thanks to the non-broadband connection when i got home from work! Tried ringing the helpline "all lines are busy, please try later".... grrr! Not even a recorded message.

Fortunately after a couple of hours the service came back so here I am...

So, workdesks then? Well, I've been doing bits and pieces this week, you may have seen some of them here and here. But tonight, this is my workspace:

some desk calendars that were sent to the office by one of the life assurance companies - the bottom of the pages have a fabulous embossed texture to them that don't show up no matter how hard I try! - not sure if it's supposed to be random or a proper design - and I was going to throw them out, but thought I could do something with them - even if I just use the patterns on something. (thinking chalk or pan pastels.....)

And a couple of tags (for a change, lol!)

This one is finished, (though I think I may add some ribbons or fibres) - I used some new (to me) stamps by Wendy Vecchi and some perfect pearls for shimmer.

This is a throw-away - I really like the background - watered down paperartsy paints and then sanded - it gives such a smoooooth finish I love it!! but I don't like the stamping on top now!! Maybe I'll paint over it and start again (I am running low on tags!)

I won't be able to visit many of you till later tomorrow as I have a busy day ahead of me. Work is still - work - but at least I've had December's salary now...... nuff said!!!

Have you seen the fab new logo designs Julia (and her sister) have come up with for WOYWW - aren't they fab! Check her post here for info and here for the best blog hop in the world.

Messing about in my journal

2012-01-16T21:25:00.001Z

I decided that rather than just slobbing out in front of the tv tonight, I would do some more in my journal - this time I went with this page I used to mop up the spare paint the other day and using a dry brush added some more of the paperartsy paints.....

turned it into this. The leaf is from my one and only set of Dylusions stamps and I coloured it with my 3 pan pastels... which are luckily green! (need some more of these...)

The stamp in the middle is from a Tim Holtz set I'd not used before, and I cut out some of the words to layer up.

You will see that I even wrote on this page!!!!! (I used india ink - I bought a bottle from The Works before Christmas - don't have a quill pen so I used the end of a cuticle stick I "rescued" from Mum's house when we were down at Christmas doing some of that decorating/clearing out.... well it's the right sort of shape!!

One day I'd like to take calligraphy lessons....! I was only doing this for fun, but I realised belatedly that today's Simon Says Stamp and Show theme is "anything but a card" so I'm entering it for this! As always there is a fab prize up for grabs.

Sunday Stampers - Gold!

2012-01-15T11:59:00.001Z

Trying to put my work worries to the back of my mind today and got inky instead! Wanted to enter Hels' Sunday Stampers challenge as I've missed a few recently! Her theme this week, is Gold.

Yesterday I was playing with Paperartsy paints again and the masking tape technique Lin shared recently and made this tag

Now, there's no gold there, you are saying! Well, true but once again I mopped up the spare paint from my craft mat onto a journal page.....

added some masking

and some stamping - Wendy Vecchi stamps (a new - to me - set I treated myself to before Christmas and needed inking up!) - aahh, here's the gold!
So, it's a bit contrived but it is gold!

Now, I've got a question - this is my pot of multi-medium - does it always go dried out/thick and gungy like this? Have I been storing it wrong? It's not been in full sun or anything.... is it just old?

(thanks for the comments - there isn't much left in the pot, so it could just be drying out. but yes, the lid has been tight on)

WOYWW 136 - WIP

2012-01-11T05:30:00.003Z

Here we are again - Wednesday already! Doesn't Christmas seem a long time ago?! I am kind of back in the swing of working again, although feeling very discombobulated at present. Won't go into details here (yet) as I need to do some serious thinking.....

My very dirty craft sheet on the floor (must get out the new one out, one day!) this week shows a work in progress (depending on how much I get done before I have to hit "post" for this week's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW) - the brainchild of Julia - and comes courtesy of Lin's inspiration the other day here - don't you just LOVE her tags? - and Paperartsy Fresco paint - which I adore!!

I couldn't wait to have a go.... my masking tape is old, and of the low tack variety so I hope it's going to work...

The texture doesn't really show up much, but these are the colours of paint I used (and later added some honey dew as well)

I decided to stamp straight onto the tag and used a couple of Dina Wakley stamps - Lonely Girl is stamped in coffee archival, the blobs are with distress inks. The text is from Wendy Vecchi.

Lin, it's a great technique and one I shall practice!

I mopped up the surplus paint with a page in my journal - another WIP!

The clear out hasn't continued much either - had a very lazy weekend - but I did fill another black sack with some more old videos for the rubbish... slowly, slowly, catchee monkey as they say! Maybe I'll get some more done this weekend!

Hope to get round as many of your desks or other creative spaces as I can this week - managed a bit better last week!

Grungy Monday 31 - Happy Birthday Tim!

2012-01-07T16:30:00.000Z

Today is Tim's birthday and Linda from Studio L3 has for Grungy Monday set us a challenge to make Tim a birthday card.....

I haven't felt at all crafty since Christmas, but I had to give this one a go. Happy Birthday, Tim! Hope it's a good one.

I used paper from the Retro Grunge stack, knocked back with picket fence distress stain, and my favrourite Umbrella Man die and the large rosette.

It was also my brother's birthday yesterday and this is his card (Paperartsy paper this time!) Hope you had a good one too! I was feeling totally uninspired when I made this, sorry Rich!

WOYWW 135 - Happy New Year

2012-01-04T05:30:00.012Z

So, all that preparation and it's over in a flash! Happy New Year, the first Wednesday of 2012 finds us all back at Julia's checking out the desks of the world again. Sorry I didn't get to many of you last week, you may have seen I was away decorating at my Mum's house - it's going to be a long job but we did quite well for 3 days hard - very hard - work!! My sister in law took some pictures but I don't have them yet. (hint hint, if you're reading this!)

So I can show you my floor today -

Some up-cycling from Christmas - the ribbons/berries are from the crackers, the scallop shells were part of our Christmas dinner starter, the corks - well you can guess! and the tins and boxes are from Mum's sewing box that we cleared out whilst we were there - buttons and bits and bobs which I will be "filing" into my stash - soon....

In the background is my Christmas pressie from Richard and Lynne (brother and sister-in-law) - some new Tim stamps - just need it to be Christmas time to use them now!!

We were down at Mum's house for 3 days and got her bedroom stripped - of furniture to start with - then the wallpaper off the walls (the whole house is covered in wood chip wallpaper, what hard work that was and will continue to be!) then we had to wash the walls & ceiling and start the painting - got one coat done so far.... there's a long way to go but not a bad start!
You may also be amazed to hear that since I got back I have done some clearing out HERE too.... need to get rid of a lot of old tat - so made a start at the weekend, took one sack of clothes to the charity shop and threw out a load of old videos that I can no longer watch and a huge pile of magazines - not crafting ones, obviously! 2012 is my de-clutter year.... and that's the closest I will get to a New Year's Resolution. Not setting a timescale either - but if it gets to a stage where you would notice the difference, I'll show you!

Anyhow, I have rambled on longer than I intended. I have to get my brother's birthday card made - he's hitting 50 on Friday!!
Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a good week.

WOYWW 134 - Over already!

2011-12-28T05:00:00.001Z

Hi, everyone! Hope you had a lovely Christmas. I did, with my brother and his family and it was noisy and busy and just what we needed. Thanks R&L for inviting me, it was great.

I don't really have a workdesk to share today because today I will be going with my brother down to Mum's house to tackle some more clearing and decorating whilst we have some time off work.

Their tree (I don't have space for one!) surrounded by some of the presents...

and my goodie box from Lin at LB Crafts closing down sale, that I did keep for the day to open - a great selection of things and great fun not knowing what was in it!

Not sure when I will get to visit you this week, won't have access to a computer whilst we're away decorating, so if I don't catch you before, Happy 2012!!

Happy Christmas Everybody!

2011-12-24T15:00:00.000Z

Leaving this post to (hopefully) schedule on time... just wanted to wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year.

Thank you for all your lovely comments and support during the year - as always, and more so than ever this year, it is much appreciated.

I couldn't show this card earlier because it is for my brother and his wife and I didn't want to spoil the surprise! it is based on day 2 of Tim's 12 tags of Christmas and one I really loved doing., even more so in a large size!

made another little "wreath" of silver beads for one, used some of the festive greenery die for the other deer.

Used a piece of the music paper from the Lost and Found stack, clear embossed my own resist on it.

It is mounted on an 8x8 inch card base.

Happy Christmas everyone! Hope you all spend time with family friends or other loved ones and have a peaceful, happy time.

Since writing this, I have made the Dutch Butter Biscuit recipe we found in one of Mum's recipe books and which my brother and I remember fondly - so have made some as I promised them, to take with me. By the time you see this, they will either be - in our tummies - or the bin!! Not done "proper" baking for a loooooong time! They look similar to how I remember... how far wrong can you go with butter, brown sugar and flour?!

WOYWW 133 - it's Chrrriiiiiissssstmaaaaasssss!

2011-12-21T05:17:00.000Z

Well, hallo again - didn't mean to leave it a week between posts - but I haven't done any crafting this week! (except a card I can't share yet cos the recipient reads my blog and won't be getting the card till Christmas Day!)

Anyhow, it's Wednesday - which means it's WOYWW? (what's on your workdesk Wednesday in case you're visiting from another planet) Click the link here for Julia's gaff, for all the desks you can imagine.

This being just 4 days before Christmas I had some wrapping requirements - so I have a "before" and "after" for you today.

Before....
(my bag of bling from Paperchase has lasted several years - but this was the time to use it!)

and after .... how can it take nearly 2 hours to wrap such a small pile???
I went to town with the bling this year, I figured we deserved it!
No peaking now!

Not sure when I'll get to post again so in the meantime, it just remains for me to wish you all a very happy - healthy - funfilled - Christmas and don't all work too hard!

Thank you for all your visits during the year and for your comforting words. They meant a lot at the time (still do) and helped. So thank you.

Happy Christmas!!

WOYWW 132 - Who's ready for Christmas?

2011-12-14T05:00:00.002Z

Welcome to the penultimate WOYWW before Christmas - oh my gosh!!! Are you ready? Am I ready? Probably no to both of those... although the cards are in the post and I have bought some presents - so instead let's head to head girl Julia's to check out the workdesks of the universe and not worry about what isn't done!!

So, did you do Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas? I kept up daily - and am very proud of myself too! I posted each one every day, but here they are all on my ~~desk~~ cramped patch on the floor - waiting for me to do something clever with them!

I have a cork display board thing that I may put them on and hang somewhere, although I don't think all of them warrant being on display, but some of them I am happy with!

I was absolutely determined NOT to buy anything for the 12 tags - and did really really well until last Friday when I gave in and bought these - the festive greenery die, and the reindeer flight die... oh, well! Me being me, I haven't actually USED them yet, but it won't be long!

So that's 12 Tags done and dusted - now I can concentrate on getting ready for Christmas - it will be strange to say the least this year, being the first without Mum and Christmas normally being just me and Mum - but this year I am staying at my brother's - he has two children and his in-laws are also coming to stay, so it will be busy and fun and I'm looking forward to it!

However, I'll be here next week before then (and probably still not ready!) so in the meantime, I'm off to check out the rest of the desks at the Stamping Ground. Now that I'm not spending every night making tags, I should get to visit more of you than I managed last week.

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 12

2011-12-12T21:03:00.001Z

It's the final day - boooo! Tim's Tags has reached day 12 - and boy does he deserve a rest! Catch his season finale here - it is another cracker!!

For the final day, Tim is using tissue wrap - which I don't have - his dwellings & vintage lace dies - ditto - the charlotte doll - double ditto.... hmmmm Helen needs to get her thinking cap on!!

So, (writing slowly so the camera battery recharges, can't take any pics just yet, lol) I stamped my own tissue paper, cut my own "vintage dwelling" by hand from grungepaper (run out of grungeboard) and this was the result....

Had to use some more of my wired ribbon instead of tinsel trimming, hand cut a piece of silver card instead of the lace trim using a pair of decorative scissors) (thanks so much to Eileen for that tip, wouldn't have thought of that!) Hand scrunched a flower (used the largest tattered floral die flower and some more of the hand stamped music tissue paper) and sewed it together before fixing it to the tag.

Found a little - too little really - chip Santa for the dwelling - and made the 25 in the same way as the wish per Tim's instructions.
The silver snowflake at the top is from that cheapo £1 shop decoration I got the other day.
It's been a blast - Tim thank you so much for another fabulous start to December - I don't know about you, but I'M ready for a rest!!! Thanks too to Mario for your BTS tweets and on FB - it's been a great way to start the day for the last 12 days. You guys ROCK. (realised after I'd loaded the tag to Tim;s blog, I'd forgotten the row of glitter dots round the tag - so this is a quick re-do!!
Thank goodness I have finished my Christmas cards, I feel a break from crafting coming on.....or maybe not!

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 11

2011-12-11T12:38:00.001Z

I nearly missed the 8am (UK time) launch of today's tag as I only woke 5 minutes earlier.... rushed to get the computer on!

Today Tim is using shrink plastic in the melt pot - things I own but rarely if ever use - but gave it a go!

Tim's is here using his Santa which I don't have and couldn't find one of my own in the right size - so I used a Hobby Art bear that I have had for years and years.

Don't have the holly die so used the tattered leaves - need practise with the shrink/melt pot game - couldn't get hold of them to drag them out of the UTEE... anyhow, this is the penultimate tag - already - wonder what masterpiece Tim is keeping for the final day tomorrow!!

Am entering this for Hels' Sunday Stamper where her theme is Christmas.
Now I must go and find something to eat - I have a headache which I think is caused by not eating enough this morning - or maybe the UTEE!

(Just realised, this is my 600th post - CRUMBS!! )

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 10

2011-12-10T14:51:00.000Z

Today's tag took longer to sort than I thought it would - I had quite a lot of the necessary equipment, apart from the tattered banner die (nearly ordered that yesterday, but stopped myself!) Anyhow, Tim's tag is HERE and is - of course! - an absolute beauty.

This is my version -

I even found some metal tape - I was looking for a pack of silver metal to back the facet with and found a pack of metal tape - it looks slightly less metallic than the one Tim used but it worked - and the transfer method he used for the pictures behind the facet is fab - I bought some clear parcel tape a few weeks ago when I saw Tim use it probably on the same kind of thing as here, and had been tripping over it on the floor ever since - finally got to use it.
It works a treat!!

I didn't have the music stamp Tim used for his tag, but instead cut some of the carols from the Seasonal paper stack and stuck that to a tag - same difference!

I cut by hand a banner shape from a scrap of patterned paper - the scrap I had was a little too short so couldn't fit "believe" on it, went for dream instead - same idea, less letters!!!

For my trim I used some ribbon from my Christmas wrapping stash (I bought this several years ago - must be at least 5 as my Dad was still alive!) when I intended to give beautifully wrapped presents - it's heading into my craft stash now!!!!

The silver balls come from a cheapo snowflake garland decoration I bought in a £1 shop the other day, wanting some extra goodies for my tags! I strung them on a bit of wire into a wreath shape and wound it into the ribbon.

This was a really fun one to do - thanks again, Tim!!

I was impatiently waiting for my glossy accents (on the dream) to dry but couldn't wait any longer, the light has gone and I had hoped to get it done in daylight - just about made it!
The reason it took so long, is I had to wait for the glue for the facet to dry, (spent the time tidying in the garden!) but I have also done some Christmas shopping this morning (before I started playing!) and now MUST get my cards written... see you later peeps.

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 9

2011-12-09T20:47:00.000Z

The last few days have flown, doing Tim's tags!! Today Tim is double embossing to get his fab rusted enamel look, I have had less success.....

Check Tim's blog here for the original - this is mine, with loads of substitions/omissions again!!

This is mine - the background stamp is a B Line design stamp and judging by the state of the rubber, I can't have used it before - it was pristine clean!! I used the same ink colours as Tim did - evergreen bough and festive berries - my first version, I used wild honey (which I really like) instead of the red, but anything I tried to put on top looked rubbish. As I don't have the candles or the lamp-post dies, I had to use a stamp - this is by PSX - and it has it's own greenery which I coloured with gel pens, so I didn't need the festive greenery die that hasn't arrived yet.... yes, I succumbed and went stash shopping!!!!

Anyhow, I did have one of the alphabet dies, though not the one Tim used, which I really want too - cut from a piece of textured card (don't have any core-dinations!) and coloured black with a glaze gel pen to get the shimmer - just too lazy/tired to wait for glossy accents to dry tonight!

I was hoping to stay up to join in some of the BTS fun with Mario and all on Twitter tonight, but I don't think I will be able to stay awake - may just get up early instead!!!

We're on the closing straight now so I am determined to keep up doing the tag on the day Tim does.... 3 more to go....

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 8

2011-12-08T20:47:00.000Z

WOW I don't know how Tim does it - every day's tag is better than the one before. Today's is no exception - Steampunk Christmas - the original is here and this is mine - I had quite a lot of the things Tim used today, but not all, like the die for the gears which I left out.

I had to reverse the placings on my tag because I did the white stamping on the opposite side of the tag - that caused me a few hiccups - like things facing the wrong way - but I got there... I also discovered I had the Alpha Parts (for the JOY) which I had forgotten about - or not remembered what they were.... they are fab!

This was a whole bundle of fun and I like the way this has turned out. Loving the winter seasonal inks all together - such gorgeous colours!

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 7

2011-12-07T21:10:00.000Z

Day 7 - another masterpiece from Tim (here) but it took me HOURS!!!!

I didn't have the holly die - used the tattered leaves die instead and made the best of it!

The branch is the one from Tim's Urban Tapestry set minus the bird! (I knew it was a good idea to splurge on that set the other week!) and so is the splatter stamp from that set. The holly berries are from an old 'pearl' necklace I donated to my stash and I coloured them as Tim shows in his blog.

Fiddly fiddly tag - but I loved it!! I have done nothing else I should have tonight, so I hope tomorrow's is a bit more straightforward!

WOYWW 131 & TIO 107

2011-12-07T05:00:00.003Z

I don't know how I'm cramming everything in at the moment - have been following Tim's 12 Tags - so far got each one done on the day it was posted - not sure if I'll keep that up for another 6 days, here's hoping.

So on my desk at the moment - not you may have thought a pile of Timmy stash because I have been clearing away after I finish each one - yes me!!!- but my finished Christmas cards that are awaiting writing/posting.... that will have to be the weekend I think! Check out some more amazingly creative (i.e piled high, full of stash) desks here

For DragonsDream Tag it On this week we are set "Time Changer" as the movie by Frankie herself - with the theme being Victorian/Steampunk/Gothic. so out came my Tim stamps and some Graphic 45 paper.....

Check the rest out here later today when they 'go live'!
We'll be having a break until the New Year after this one, but do try and join us!

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 6

2011-12-06T20:18:00.000Z

So, today Tim has us working with paint and metal..... see for yourself here . Like a lot of people who's comments I've seen, I wasn't sure about this one - until I tried it.... trust me (trust Tim!!) once you get to the sanding stage - it makes it....
Couldn't get a decent photo because of the dark - artificial light and flash not being conducive to photographing metal!!!

I don't have the adhesive foil sheets that Tim used, but did have paperartsy's metal on card sheet that worked as well. The folder is from cuttlebug and I used various paint dabbers. I've put them away buried under all sorts of rubbish so I can't check the names!!

The star is a chip shape from my stash, coloured with iced spruce and spritzed with perfect pearl, the greeting at the bottom is from one of Tim's sets and IS on another piece of the silver metal, I toldyou I was having trouble with the flash....

Hope you like it, see you tomorrow - WOYWW and a TIO challenge AND a Tim tag - is there enough time in the day I ask myself.... (no!)

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 5

2011-12-05T20:00:00.000Z

Day 5 already!! Love Tim's tag today - using his reflections stamps and clear plastic - now I don't have any reflections stamps but the technique is the same as one that Tim uses on fragments and such-like and which I've tried before (with little success it has to be said)

But tonight it has worked better than before - mainly I think because I built up the layers of alcohol ink before stamping. Anyhow, check the Master's work here for how it can look - and this is my version!

Had a sheet of heavy duty acetate and I cut round a tag to form the shape.

I used alcohol inks sailboat blue, stonewashed (not much, it didn't show up too well) and denim. Used the larger of Tim's snowflake stamps and the snowman is by Paperartsy. Tied some blue ribbon and that's it - decided it didn't need much more embellishing (don't have the ones Tim used, or any others suitable)

Nearly left it plain - quite like it!!

sorry about the glare from the flash on the camera!

Ok, no more crafting for me tonight - Liverpool are playing and on the TV so I'm off!!

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 4

2011-12-04T14:03:00.000Z

Hi again! Not sure how long I will keep up with doing the day's tag on the day.... so far so good. At least today's tag LOOKS a bit more like Tim's, lol. See the original here with all the detailed instructions and how to's....

I don't have the snowman die, so stamped Tim's snowman stamp on gungepaper (not board, it would have been a devil to cut out...) nor the 25 mover and shapers die so I used some grunge numbers from an old set and stuck them to the snowman.

Don't have the on the edge die so the fab plastic snowflakes are missing, I used a couple of stars from my stash.

I enjoyed this one much more!!

This is where I got the tuile from for the trims - the backing for some fabric flowers I found at Ally Pally last year (cheaper than Tim's trimmings, shhhh!! though I do have some of them too)

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 3

2011-12-03T21:36:00.000Z

Oh dear!! My day 3 tag is a dis-ahhhh-ster! Tim's tag here used cut'n'dry felt - which I don't have.... to make your own custom stamp - and a matching stamp/texture fade folder which naturally I don't have either.....

So I had to use the only stamp I had which I have the embossing folder to go with.... perhaps I shouldn't have bothered. I nearly didn't blog it, but I didn't want to not do a tag today so here goes!!

SORRY!!!

On a plus side though, I have finished making my Christmas cards... now just to write and post them! And then to buy some presents....!!
Wonder what Day 4 will bring...

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 2

2011-12-02T20:12:00.001Z

So, Day 2 - another stunning tag (indeed, 3) by Lord Tim.... didn't have all the items again, but a few more than yesterday.... Hot foot it over here to see the real deal (and the many many fab tags made by other Tim fans... there are so many already...

Here is mine - I don't have the deer die, but as soon as I saw Tim's post this morning,I thought - ah, Umbrella Man - poor lad, he's caught out in the snow - but at least he's got his brolly!!

I don't have the Christmas Kraft Resist pad (it's gone on my wish list now.... lol!) so I used the ordinary kraft resist and clear embossed Tim's snowflakes and the "Christmas" from a Paper Inspirations stamp before following the rest of Tim's instructions. I then borrowed an idea for the perfect pearls from Eileen here and it works a treat! She did the same as me with the Kraft resist!! I made him a scarf to keep warm as I didn't have the greenery for the wreath!

I hand-cut a zig-zag edge from the leftover canvas and added it with some mini fasteners, and used a bit of raffia with the ribbon at the top. Good job I just bought the holiday muse tokens!
This was really fun to do - can't wait for Day 3.... but now, I must get some more Christmas cards done - I am falling behind with them!! but first, my hot chocolate before it gets cold...

Time for Tim's 12 Tags 2011 - Day 1

2011-12-01T20:44:00.000Z

Well, like thousands of others, I was poised at my computer at 8am UK time to see the first Tag of the series - and we weren't disappointed!

I had to wait to get home from work to play though, and improvise as I didn't have a lot of the product that Tim used. Still that's part of the fun.... check the original here by Tim

and here is my attempt!

I had as much trouble photographing it as I did making it, lol

The embossing folder (snowflakes) is cuttlebug as I don't have Tim's - the tag is coloured with iced spruce and evergreen bough.
I didn't have the Noel die or the festive leaves but I used the "wish" mover and shaper.

Made the banner with some tissue tape stuck to a piece of paper and coloured some flower trim instead of the pine cone die cut.

Maybe this angle is better!

Lets hope I do better for Day 2 - I can't afford to buy lots of new stuff for this challenge (although I did nearly order some stuff today...)

Thanls Tim (and Mario for the tweets of course) for the inspiration.

WOYWW 130

2011-11-30T05:30:00.002Z

Ok, Wednesday is here again... so we can all get together at Julia's place to snoop at one another's crafty spaces.... What have you got on your desk today? Do tell - and show.... Here's mine...

A Christmas present to myself - a bargain box of goodies from Lin at LB Crafts from her closing down sale... I am so going to miss Lin - I never got to see the shop in person but I have made up for it online and at shows; lol! Now all I have to do is make myself not open this before the big day!!

Haven't bought any presents for anyone else yet, something else that needs to get done!!

Still busy with Christmas cards - this one is with those lovely Tapestry stamps - I don't use them enough....

And these are stamps by Tim... I haven't counted up lately (it's not that many more than last week) but still have a lot to do - and Tim's "12 Tags of Christmas" starts on the 1st December - OMG that's tomorrow!!! - so I really want to play along with that.. there won't be enough hours in the day, lol.

I was looking for a purple card for a mount for a card tonight, why is it that the box you want is always at the bottom of the pile???!

Anyhow, do go over to Julia's and catch up on some more desks to see what everyone else is up to.

I'm seeing stars...

2011-11-29T21:22:00.000Z

A quick post from me tonight, I am still in the midst of Christmas Card City.... but this one - quick and simple - fits a couple of challenges so I thought I'd better get it posted!!

The theme for both SimonSays Stamp and Show and Hels' Sunday Stampers is "stars" and I used the Stampotique star designed for a Craft Stamper cover stamp by Jo Capper Sandon, and a small Paperartsy star, the 'Merry Christmas' is from Hobby Art. I stuck with one colour - Iced Spruce - oh I LOVE that colour... so much more than I thought I would!!!

Sorry about the photo, the light in my living room is not good, and the flash is bouncing off the card! The card is white, honest!!

Simon Says - show some tickets

2011-11-24T21:48:00.000Z

HI, and Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! This week's challenge from Simon Says - is to show some tickets - and that means Tim Holtz! ......Wish Upon a Star......

I had to incorporate this into a Christmas card because I still have plenty to make and there's only a week of November left, yikes!

The base card is a 6x6 card and a sheet of pearlescent blue paper then the scalloped edge mat - you may have noticed I've used a lot of these this year (I'm running low, will need to change my theme soon!!) with Wendy's stars stamped twice in chipped sapphire and twice in stormy sky (second impression stamping, to get a light colour) I lightly inked the adage ticket with the blender tool and covered it with rock candy crackle for a bit of shimmer.

It's been so long since I managed to take part in this challenge, what with one thing and another, and it's nice to be back at it!!

The stamp in the centre is a Crafty Individuals one, only I trimmed off the "jingle bells" bit from the bottom, stamped on a scrap of card.

WOYWW ? Leonardo, that's who - Da Vinci ..

2011-11-23T05:37:00.000Z

Happy WOYWW everyone - can't believe it's Wednesday again already...........

Well, I've been cracking on with Christmas cards - got quite a few more done at the weekend but only a couple since... 28 down.... not sure how many more to go!!

Here they are, teetering on the "scraps" box... along with some bargain Ten Second Studio tools from Lin's closing down sale at LB Crafts (am I going to miss her shop!)

So my desk tonight shows my Tag it On tag - theme - the Da Vinci Code - but inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci - hence the blog post title....

and my pile of Tim stamps that I used for the tag.

Check out loads more desks at Julia's here

And here is the tag itself. I used Iced Spruce on the tag - I LOVE this colour more every time I use it - and the words were stamped on a reject tag that I saved - can't remember now what colours I used for it, it's from weeks ago!! Apart from the "art" (make unknown) all stamps are Tim's.
As he was a man of great invention (Da Vinci, although Tim's not bad either!) as well as an artist, I used that as my source.

Check out my other team mates tags here at DragonsDream - and why don't you join in this week?

Snowmen - double challenge!

2011-11-20T10:54:00.000Z

Hi again!!

Two days - two Sunday Stampers in a row! Hels has chosen Frosty the Snowman ths week for her challenge and PanPastels challenge is Frosty and Bright so this card is fitting for both of them!

Hels' is giving her tag away to one lucky winner, and PanPastels have a great prize too from their sponser Your Creativity Store - a twin trial Pan Pastel kit - so go theck them out .

Similar style to yesterday's cards - the snowflakes on the black mat are done with picket fence distress stain picked up from my craft mat. The ink is iced spruce again.... and the snowman has then been sprayed with perfect pearl mist in pearl for some added shimmer, but it doesn't show up in the photo.

I'm on a bit of a roll now with my Christmas cards, must get back to them...

Sunday Stampers - Trail of the Lonesome Pine

2011-11-19T15:26:00.000Z

I was busy making Christmas cards again today and suddenly realised that some of them fit Hels' soon to close Sunday Stampers challenge from last week inspired by "the Trail of the Lonesome Pine" which is to use pine colours or pine trees/branches. And I am now in love with Iced Spruce, that fabby new winter DI.... although I do love Evergreen Bough too...

Anyhow, here tis...

the scallop edged mat is from Craftwork Cards and the background stamp and 'make it merry' are by Wendy Vecci, the deer and pine branch are Tim's

You get two for the price of one for this challenge - a version in Evergreen Bough, the trees are by Judikins and I love this stamp!

Got to go, more cards to make (and my DT tag for Dragonsdream for which I have NO ideas at all....)
Talking of which, a couple of weeks ago our film inspired theme was Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium which I didn't know at all, but I see is on TV this afternoon so will watch it whilst I'm card making.... TaTa for now!)

WOYWW 128? I think we're turning - Asian?

2011-11-16T05:30:00.001Z

Hi, all welcome along for another mega-ride round the world's strange crafting spaces. (well, mine is!) .. hosted by Julia here.

My workspace today finally shows signs of Christmas - yes, at last! I made a start at the weekend - clambered behind the first row of boxes to get to the Christmas stash - dug out some of my favourites - Christmas = Penny Black here!! It's the only time I do "cute" ..... so my space has out some of the stamps I'll be using this year

and the first few off the run! I got the chance to use the new winter limited edition distress inks - oh, I LOVE that evergreen bough - the 3 trees and the background behind the hedgehogs. Love it, think it is my fave fave DI... Trouble is, I haven't done any more since... oops!

And at DragonsDream Tag it On, we are dreaming with an Asian theme this week and the film that inspired my teamie Silvia, is Chinatown.
I nearly ran out of time with this one so it's a very basic one layer tag - used distress stains in scattered straw and bundled sage and the fans are on a Judikins cube stamp. The Asian script is from a Paperartsy plate. Found the oval picture in a book of ephemera bits and bobs. Check out the rest when the challenge posts around noon. We enjoyed seeing your romance last week!

Letters to Juliet - TIO #104

2011-11-09T12:00:00.002Z

This week's Tag it On tag film title is Letters to Juliet - so romance seemed to be the order of the day. Once again (I don't watch many films, have I mentioned this?!) I didn't know it - but from googling it, it sounds worth looking for and watching!

I started by stamping my script stamp (Just for Fun) onto the tag twice, and then painted over it with a thin layer of gesso to make it recede into the background.

I overstamped the tag with the cityscape (Judikins) which here represents Verona. 'Juliet' is from Impression Obsession

I used some antique linen over the gesso'd tag and walnut stain round the edges. Found a scrap of paper for the sentiment and added the idea-ology. Make sure you come to check out the other DT entries and have a go - don't forget you have to do a tag, and you must use at least one real stamp. Have fun.

WOYWW - new stash

2011-11-09T05:30:00.003Z

Life is trying to return to normal here - almost succeeding sometimes! - and Wednesday means it is What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, thanks to Julia for co-ordinating it so perfectly.
I decided I needed a little treat last week and indulged in a few (!!) bits and pieces, so here they are... (see, told you I was trying to return to normal!!)

Some Tim stamps, some new Paperartsy Fresco paint colours (I'm in love...) and some mega bargain cookery books from WH Smith - already both reduced by at least 50% to £9.99 and THEN - as you see from the sticker - 2 for £10... so the 2nd one (that I wasn't going to get) was only 1p.... it would have been stupid not to.... and as I didn't fancy Cheryl Cole's "autobiography", River Cottage was the winner. But the Baking book (from the TV series) is fabulous... I may even start baking again...!

The Winter limited edition inks look a bit out of focus, sorry! But boy are they fantastic colours. I LOVE Evergreen Bough (a fab bluey-greeny-turquoisey colour) Festive Berries is a real red red and Iced Bough is a cool bluey-grey sort of colour... I blasted off a quick tag on Saturday afternoon

It's not meant to be fantastic, I just had to try out the inks.... if you didn't see it then, here it is again!

Anyhow, if Julia hasn't slept through the alarm again (sorry Julia!) head over to the Stamping Ground for some fab desks/floors (I'm not the only one!)/ironing boards etc to see what the rest of the world has been up to.
And don't forget to stop by Dragons-Dream later to see the latest Tag It On challenge (mine will be here later!)

Journal page

2011-11-05T22:13:00.000Z

When I saw Lin had some of the yummy new Paperartsy Fresco Paints in on Thursday, I had to order some straight away (and just as well, as I see she's sold out already...) here they are nestling in their box - don't they look fab?

I "only" got 6 - had to draw a line somewhere... aren't they gorgeous colours?! Those two orangey red ones are different colours, they haven't photo'd very well! One is Autumn Fire and the other Smoked Paprika... such fab names!

Anyhow, today I took Autumn Fire and covered a page in my journal and started to play....

Used some (new!) Tim Holtz and Wendy Vecchi stamps, and my Dina Wakley's.... the tag is coloured with the limited edition ripe persimmon.....

My Winter seasonal inks arrived today - whilst I was in the middle of having my highlights done so I had to go to the door covered in bleach filled wraps.... so I had to play with them too....

LOVING the evergreen bough.... and the festive berries is a great red!!

Hmmm think I've been shopping a bit too much this week... may have to stop a while!

WOYWW 126?

2011-11-02T05:30:00.007Z

Welcome to another Wednesday's snooping at desks thanks to the lovely Julia - check them here .

I've still got a bit of a block on creating but hope it's on the way soon - I really must get into Christmas card spirit very soon!!

When I got back from my brother's (where we had the "do" - obviously I don't have the space - ahem!!) on Friday after the funeral (it went ok, as well as you can say for these sad occasions, at least it was good to get together with lots of the family) I found some lovely things had arrived in the post - look!

the new Craft Stamper, a couple of sets of Wendy Vecchi stamps (on special offer here because the lovely Lin is retiring at Christmas so I had to, didn't I!) and a gorgeous Hels' tag that I won in a blog giveaway!
I haven't used any of the stamps yet but hope to very soon!

So, that's my desk.

I must also show you the Dragons-Dream tag for this week's Tag It On challenge - we are challenging you to go Steampunk today - here is my tag. The film title that inspired Wanda's choice is Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium. (not one I know...but I don't watch many films - I did google it though and found a trailer!)

I covered the tag with a piece from the Tim Holtz Crowded Attic paper stack and used a selection of stamps from Tim's set handily called "steampunk". Added some washers from my stash (from the hardware store - B and Q to the Brits!) and some jump rings under the gentlemen.

Anyway, I hope you'll come along and have a look at my teamie's work and why don't you join in? We'd love to see you...

Sunday Stampers - Halloween

2011-10-30T16:19:00.001Z

Good Afternoon, stampers!

Hels' theme for this week's Sunday Stampers is Halloween/bats. Now, I don't really "do" Halloween although I do love lots of the tempting stamp sets and bits and bobs around... only I haven't got much.

So it was a quick and basic tag that I got made, plus I am still not really back in crafting mode yet, probably understandably. But, I did want to try and push myself into something this afternoon, so....

The tag is the one that was hanging around from when I tried out the seasonal distress inks that arrived recently - I don't have a stamp or Tim's spiders web mask (was going to buy it at Ally Pally last month, not sure why I didn't in the end.... drat!) so I had to draw one.... the spider is from Wendy's stamp set "Botanical Art" and the picture at the bottom is from Tim's seasonal paper stack.
The funeral went as well as these things can, and it was a nice sunny bright day, so.... thankyou all again for your words of comfort and support. It means a LOT.

DragonsDream - Planes, Trains & Automobiles & WOYWW

2011-10-26T05:46:00.000+01:00

Welcome to another challenge from DragonsDream Tag it on - my turn to choose the film title this week and I went for Planes, Trains and Automobiles - with a travel theme.

I used some Rubber Stampede vintage stamps for the train and the plane - don't have a vintage car so used Tim's small car, together with Wendy's man (stamped and cut from grungepaper) on the roof! I was going to try and sit him on the bonnet (hood) but couldn't make it work. So he's hitching a ride that way instead....

Well, it IS a comedy film......

Hope you get time to join us and have a go at a tag this week - don't forget you need to use at least one real stamp on your tag, with the theme.

So, you're thinking, where is the desk... or even the untidy floor.... well, they're not here... Not got anything to show you... nada, nothing, nil. Not been crafty at all this week - finishing the arrangements for Friday and haven't felt at all like putting ink to - anything. Which is a shame as there are some challenges out there I want to have a crack at.. But - if the mood don't grab ya, you can't do it! I didn't want to miss a WOYWW though, so here I am... deskless!

So for a load of people who HAVE got desks to share, check out Julia's here and be amazed. See you next time!

Grungy Monday & Sunday Stampers

2011-10-23T10:34:00.001+01:00

Morning, all! I didn't think I'd get time to do an entry for Grungy Monday this week - my brother and I have been finalising the details for Mum's funeral which is this coming Friday..... but I found time this morning for a little "light relief"!

It's my first go at the returning Grungy Monday - Linda wants us to make a card in 10 minutes with at least one Tim Holtz product.... no problem there, just which ones to pick...!! Click the link on Tim to his website and all his fabby products/blog for ideas.
Also, Hels Sunday Stamper theme today is Autumn or the colours of Autumn, so I combined the two.

I don't usually plan my cards to this extent so that was a new challenge in itself! I used distress inks wild honey, rusty hinge and the fab new ripe persimmon on the card for the layer and the tattered leaves. The leaf border is Dylusions, everything else is by Tim so I have met that challenge. (text, tattered leaves die)
The timer went just I was getting the layer fixed to the base card... phew!! 10 minutes isn't long....
Thanks for looking.
(Just loaded some photos from Kew yesterday - take a look for some more autumn colour, for once I'm rather happy with the results!)

DragonsDream TIO 101 - WOYWW?

2011-10-19T05:45:00.001+01:00

Hello again and once more I am thanking you all for your wonderful words of support, cards and good wishes last week. It's been a tough week, lots to sort out, but we're getting there!

So, it's Wednesday and you're here to see my ~~desk~~ (I wish!) my craft space on the floor - well, there's new stash (don't like to disappoint!) in my new, limited edition Timmy Distress inks - not a shade of wee wee among them, Julia! Head here for the rest of the desks to snoop at!

Haven't had much of a chance to play, they just arrived in time for their big reveal here....

This week at Dragons Dream we are onto a new series of themes for Tag it On - we're going for film titles this time round and my teamie Elizabeth has chosen The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I couldn't get the ugly in, and I'm not really happy with this but it was all I could do.... go check out the others, I'm sure they will be cracking!

Coloured these tags alternately blue - for the angel in heaven (clouds are by stampscapes) and red for the demon in the other place! (couldn't find a stamp with flames... ) Used Marci (stampotique) with wings (a dragonfly stamp) on parchment paper, coloured with a gel pen and (very badly) drew some horns on her alter ego! Reminds me of the rhyme my dad used to say to me about the girl with the curl on her forehead, "when she was good, she was very very good, when she was bad, she was horrid!" I had very curly hair when I was little - but I am sure I was always good......

Hope you have a good week and enjoy snooping at desks, don't forget to check out the Tag it On challenge too. Why not come and play? We'd love to see you.... Just make a tag, use at least one real stamp (not digi) and the theme - and that's it....

SSSS - Things with Wings

2011-10-14T19:44:00.000+01:00

Hello. I didn't think I'd get time to join in the Simon Says challenge this week "show things with wings" but I needed to get inky today!

There isn't much more to say other than show you the page in my journal - I actually wrote on this one!!
To those of you who stopped by on Wednesday, thank you all for your lovely comments.

We're not really the kind of family who express our feelings much - but that doesn't mean to say we don't have them.

The angels are Denami, the sentiment is on the back of a pack of paper chains I bought at Ally Pally.

WOYWW - haven't we been here before?

2011-10-12T05:39:00.000+01:00

This isn't actually a photo of my workspace on Wednesday, but Monday morning - had to clear all the crafty stash out of the way for the phone socket AGAIN.... hence, the title of the blog post....

All cleared out of the way...

And some time later, all put back again! I decided to leave all my distresss inks & stains and paperartsy paints on the tray to say time next time - cos you can bet there will be a next time!! So it's tidy now (ish!)

As it turns out Monday was not a good day - got a call on my way to work from my brother & his wife to say that Mum had deteriorated over night and the Dr's had called overnight and wanted us to go in and talk to them. Complications (not from the surgery as far as I can gather) meant that she wouldn't have long left - at best days -we spent some time with her before leaving with a view to going back later - and in fact as I was getting off the train back in Epsom after waiting for the phone to be fixed, she died, but my brother was there though, with an aunt and a cousin.

Thank you all for your support over the last couple of weeks - it means a lot - and hard as it is, I know this is the best outcome for Mum. She would have been 88 this coming Sunday and apart from the last couple of weeks, never ill, so we are blessed.

Oh, and as it is Wednesday (nearly forgot why I'm doing this!) not only is it WOYWW but Dragonsdream Tag it On (I got this made at the weekend, thank goodness) The theme was Frankie's before she fell on her holiday and ended up in plaster so can't craft - based on the Beatles Ticket to Ride - tickets being the theme.

Used stamps by Tim and Wendy and distress inks and stains in blues (various - can't remember which!) and aged mahogany. Now I come to think of it, there is a bit of a spooky thing here - the ticket at the bottom, with the date circled - for today's date of the challenge - the first one I did, I circled 10th October instead of 12th... (was looking at the date of the scheduled post on TIO - being American and "back to front" ) - 10th being the day we lost Mum.... oooohh!
Anyhow, we hope you can come and play!

Sunday Stampers - This Wheel's on Fire

2011-10-09T15:05:00.000+01:00

Happy Sunday to you all.

Hels' had some help setting her theme for Sunday Stampers this week after she was lucky enough to attend the Dina Wakley class at LB Crafts the other day. Using the colour wheel the theme -chosen by another blog buddy Gillian - is Blue and Orange.

So, had some time today to splash some colour at a sheet of watercolour paper (7x10) - spiced marmalade distress stain, partly watered down and the sunset orange spray by adirondack through a circles mask, and distress inks in faded jeans, chipped sapphire and dried marigold.

Stamps are by Dina Wakley, Dylusions and Tim. I think it needs something else, but I'm not sure what yet! Pity I wasn't able to go to the class, it sounds a whole load of fun and would have helped me!

(for those of you who've been following the story, Mum had the operation to remove the small tumour (for it was a tumour) in her bladder on Thursday, but can't go back to the care home till she is able to be up and mobile - 2 weeks in bed have taken it's toll! The hospital are hoping to arrange some physio to help and we'll see what happens soon! They don't think she'll need any more treatment though which is good)

WOYWW 122 ? TIO 99 - Moon

2011-10-05T05:45:00.001+01:00

Hello, to another Wednesday. 5th October sees us celebrating the weird and wonderful workspaces of the world, co-ordinated by the lovely Julia at the Stamping Ground - thanks to all of you for your visit last week and your kind words of support. Mum is still in hospital - they are still trying to stop the bleeding from the mass on her bladder but think now they will have to operate to remove it without waiting for that to happen. She has to be moved to a different hospital for that and we may hear soon when that will happen. (Transport to transfer and a bed being the latest issues...it was going to be Monday. it was going to be Tuesday....)

So my workspace is feeling neglected at the moment (I have been doing bits and pieces but not much) This is a tag I've been fiddling with for a while! (some of my new Ally Pally stash)

5th October also sees Dragonsdream TIO celebrating the moon - the choice of one of our new DT members, Blackdragon. Her song choice was not known to me - the Waterboys "Whole of the Moon" but when I googled it I thought it was fabulous. So, here is my "moon" tag.

I used faded jeans distress stain to colour the tag, then the picket fence stain onto the stamp (stampscapes "rising moon") and stamped it onto the tag. Added some inka gold in Haematite and Steel Blue round the edges and some more picket fence stain. Was rummaging in my stamp boxes for some suitable words - couldn't find what I wanted so used a Hero Arts alphabet set to spell out "moonlight" on a scrap of tag, then found an old and unused set from the Stamp Bug with the "mystical" and "magical" which seem to fit the moon theme. The bauble is from a cheapo junkie neclace I bought ages ago in Primark specially to use for things like this. Felt it needed something else, then thought of the mini flock of birds from the Tim Holtz tiny set (last year's QVC special)

Thanks for stopping by, and welcome to my new followers!

It's Wendy Week at Simon Says

2011-10-03T21:51:00.000+01:00

I was thrilled when I saw the theme this week at Simon Says Stamp and Show - it's Wendy Week!! So I had to make time after visiting Mum, to Make Art, as the Lady says herself.

Broke out the art parts - it's my last frame - yikes time to go shopping!

Coloured the frame with walnut stain distress stain, (note to self, colour it before sticking it together or the glue will heat and the frame come apart....) the flower art part is a mixture of aged mahogany and fired brick with some shimmery spray and the leaves/stem are forest moss.

I found a bauble on a cheapo necklace I could use for the centre of the art part flower and some tattered leaves I had left in the scraps box.

I've used a dictionary page for the centre piece and as vintage text paper is the theme for challenge 28 at the yahoo group Everything WendyVecchi, this is doubling there too.

Thanks for looking.

Men are resistable

2011-09-29T20:24:00.001+01:00

Not that I'm bitter and twisted at all!

I just needed a bit of time to do something crafty - Mum was discharged yesterday but sent back again today to the hospital!!!!!!!!!!

I went to see her on my way home from work and she is waiting to see the doctor again tomorrow. She sent me away after an hour because she said I looked thin and as if I needed a good meal, and tired - was I sleeping - answer, not much no!!

So to take my mind off things, this is my entry for Hels' Sunday Stampers - Resist; and Simon Says Stamp and Show - Men Only.

As soon as I saw the theme for Simon Says I knew there could only be one man - Umbrella Man! I used the die and cut him twice from the Kraft stack (scraps, please note!)
Used pumice stone over the resist technique and stormy sky on umbrella man, with tea dye and aged mahogany on the sentiment, edged walnut stain.
Thanks for all your good wishes, it is nice to know you are thinking of us at this tough time.

These boots are made for walking - TIO 98 & WOYWW 121

2011-09-28T05:45:00.004+01:00

Welcome to another Wednesday desk-snooping. Each week head Girl Julia marshals us around 100+ desks (or other weird workspaces - ahem!) and we have a right good nose. Check them out at The Stamping-Ground

You'll be surprised -after my trip to Ally Pally for the stamp show on Saturday - that my craftmat is clear - that's because the stash is re-distributed already - not put away, obviously - just re-distributed. For those of you who didn't see it this is what I got:

(Julia, what you thought was packaging for the hemp was in fact a really cute little bird cage - which in this version seems to be out of shot...it's sitting on the very edge of one of the crafters workshop templates at the top of the frame)

Oh, but look what came in the post today (Tuesday) They were from America and on special offer, I know they're available here too..

Over at Dragons-Dream Tag it on, we are still thin on the ground - but this week we are grooving with Nancy Sinatra "These boots are made for walking" and the theme is shoes. Come check it out - we'd love to see you take part.

Here is my tag - I traced round a boot shaped card on my large tag and played with some of the Dylusions stamps from Saturday and some old stash from long ago!

Cut round the boot shape and used mustard seed and wild honey distress stains. The sentiment is one of Wendy Vecchis, cut up.

Hope to see you soon - I probably won't get to visit as many of you as usual as my Mum is in hospital, waiting for some tests - first results show a small mass on her bladder, sadly, so my brother & his wife and I will be back and forwards to the hospital - she went in at the weekend (yes, you guessed it, whilst I was at AP!) Poor thing, she really doesn't understand where she is or why. It's so hard.... I know you'll be thinking of us!

Pan Pastel Challenge

2011-09-25T12:01:00.000+01:00

My fellow DT member from TIO, AJ, is also on the DT for the brand new Pan Pastel UK Challenge Blog - and because I got some yesterday I thought it only polite to make something for them to join in.

This week, the theme is "anything goes" and as I have limited colours - 3 greens and an orange - autumn came to mind. I used my new Tim H die bought yesterday - Autumn Gatherings - boy those leaves are tiny.... and some tattered leaves from my scraps pile (yippee!)

The circle chip is also something I'd started to use for a different challenge a while ago and rejected - it was the right colour (distress stains) so I recycled that too! Added the Tim sentiment and sprayed some Perfect Copper for some sparkle.

I cut the tiny leaves from some of the Kraft stack by Tim (more scraps!) and coloured them with my pan pastels.

Stuck all the leaves with a prit-stick glue.

I may not be able to join in many of these challenges, till I get some more colours, but we'll see!!

Ally Pally & pan pastels

2011-09-24T21:02:00.000+01:00

Well, I had a really great day at Ally Pally; went with my sister in law my niece and a friend of hers. Spent - well, see for yourself - about what I intended to....

pan pastels, (and equipment to use them) stains, stencils, trims,
Tim's fab new autumn leaves die,

stamps, stamps and stamps... refreshed some idea-ology I'd run low on... bits and bobs!

After dinner I had to play with the pastels.

This is my first effort - Lin made it looks pretty easy - and fair play, it's not hard. The colour isn't as dark as it looks, but the light is bad - I'll try again tomorrow when I can take the pic without flash. Also used some of my new stash!

I might have to get some more of these.....!!

But I'm bushed now, so Casualty is calling me, then Match of the Day...

WOYWW 119 and TIO

2011-09-21T05:45:00.002+01:00

Morning all - yes, it's Wednesday again already!! Time for the weekly snoop round the workdesks/space of the world - find them all at Julia's here It is also Ally Pally this weekend - hurrah!! I nearly made it without doing any stash buying - but not quite. I was very good though....

I forgot to show you these buys last week which I got on my week off

Whilst I was up near the British Museum I "popped" into Blade Rubber stamps (the only craft shop I know of in London!) and picked up a copy of "Where Women Create" featuring Tim Holtz in a guest feature... and some mini tags The tag book - Keep Calm - was in a sale at Paperchase - intended for shopping lists but I love the thick kraft nature of these and couldn't resist. Well, it was my "summer holiday" ...

by the side of these goodies are some book page leaves and flowers I cut and ended up not using (yet) for a challenge that went down a different route in the end (see the ATC in Monday's post!)

And because it is Wednesday, it is also DT day for Tag it On. One of our new members AJ, set us to use embroidery and to the tune of "Mother" by Pink Floyd. Now, I have mentioned before that I can't sew for my life - though I did a fair bit of cross stitch a long time ago..... so this WAS a challenge.... all I will say, is Sorry!!

I "embroidered" an M on some jute mesh that I won (more of that in a mo) in some blog candy and arrived just in the nick of time to help me out..... the ribbon border to the mesh is attached with my Tim Holtz tiny attacher ( my kind of sewing, lol!) I did use some sewing type stamps for the tag which is coloured with distress stains (got to get some more on Saturday) and the rest of Mother is a Tim alphabet die cut... I am sure I had a second alphabet but can't find it - so maybe I didn't buy the other font yet..... I added some faux cross stitches round the border.

My blog win was courtsey of the fab Artyjen in a blog giveaway recently - and I was very lucky indeed because she had to do the draw 3 times before someone (me) finally claimed it.... this is the mega prize I got - including a set of her self designed stamps for the Artistic Stamper. Thanks again, Sioux!

So, that's me today. Thanks for all your comments last week - I got round a fair few of you in the end last week! I can't wait for the show at Ally Pally - looking forward to it - maybe I'll see you there... I'll be the one with loads of bags....
Oh, and I know I've got the week wrong - its 120 - can't change it or the link will break!

A Monday Threefer!

2011-09-19T20:45:00.000+01:00

I don't know what's happening lately, I seem to have no time or inclination to play at the moment! I think it's probably the start of the new football season and the beginning of the autumn tv schedules - even if I do craft on the floor in front of the TV!! It's too easy to sit on the sofa.

Anyhow, today I managed three challenges in one! The EWV yahoo group set me off - for challenge 26 we're looking at polka dots and faces - Lori our list mom has set us working from book 2 page 27 so I am using Wendy Vecchi stamps throughout.

This morning, Simon Says show an ATC which gave me my format and Hels' Sunday Stamper - "going to make you a star" gave me an accent. So, whilst apologising for the photo - the flash is bouncing off the embossing - here is my Threefer ATC.

I used wild honey and picket fence distress stains on the atc, stamped the polka dots in vintage photo (I think) and the stars - which are clear embossed - in rusty hinge. Stamped Mr Serious on a scrap of white card and used foam pads to fix him to the atc. The star brads are from my large stash of brads and found the feather in a bag of feathers (doh!) that just happen to have spots on.... and they moulted all over the carpet when I opened the bag...

Back to the TV.... thanks for looking!

WOYWW? Tag it On #96 - Fashion

2011-09-14T06:00:00.002+01:00

Well, my week off flew by and I am back at work now. Had a lovely time and had a couple of days in London, playing tourist (see some of the photos here)

So, you're either here for WOYWW - Julia's brainchild when we all gather to share our (sometimes strange) places we craft...
On Saturday my brother and I went down to Mum's house to start boxing up some of her belongings, if she stays in the care home she will have to sell the house and there is a lifetime's stuff to move! I brought a few bits home that I can "use" -

Some old maps, dictionaries and a great box of my Dad's that I will "do" something with!

Or, you may be here for Dragons-Dream Tag It On - this week the theme is chosen by Wanda and we're listening to a Dedicated Follower of Fashion The Kinks - here is my fashion tag.

I have used 'my mother's dress' by Inkadinkado - a stamp I love but don't use often - shocking! Painted a piece of white card with sky Paperartsy fresco paint and stamped and cut out the dress. the handbags are Hero Arts. There was a fashion supplement with the weekend paper so cut out some suitable words from the pages and added some fab multicoloured fibres. The coathanger is one of Tim's idea-ology hanger clips
The tag is coloured with antique linen distress ink and sprayed with blue patina perfect pearl spray.

Make sure you check out Frankie's blog for the results of the Bird Cage swap she recently organised to celebrate her blogaversary. I hope the link is right as at the time of writing, it isn't there yet! But check out her blog anyway, it's fab. Here's the one I made - distress stains, Tim stamps/dies and idea-ology.

I hope to get round as many of you as I can, but with being back at work it may have to wait till later.

Sunday Stampers - A time to remember

2011-09-11T14:10:00.000+01:00

Today, fittingly, for the anniversaryof the 9/11 attacks, Hels' has chosen a theme of Memories /Remember for her theme at Sunday Stampers. In some ways it is hard to believe it is 10 years, but for those directly involved it must seem like yesterday. Am thinking of everyone affected, as once again the pictures fill our TV screens.

Have used a PSX stamp of New York, and some die cut leaves to represent the beautiful fall day it was before.
I'll be back soon!

Ten minute tag!

2011-09-08T16:42:00.000+01:00

Hi,.

After yesterday's walk round London I took it easy today - and the day has drifted away in a blur of - nothingness!
However, I did see that Lori set a new challenge for the yahoo group Everything Wendy Vecchi and this time rather than using for inspiration one of Wendy's works from her books, we are just challenged to make a tag with no more than 2 sets of Wendy stamps. In fact I just used one, Botanical Art - love that set.... and a flower I had made a few days ago with Tim's tattered floral die and some inked old book pages.

Covered the tag with tumbled glass distress stain and inked the old German script in the same ink, before adding some flowers (stormy sky) to the tag. Stamped the solid flower (chipped sapphire) (tis my favourite stamp!) on a spare tag and stuck it to the main tag.

Will have to find something to do or somewhere to go tomorrow or I will be back to work before I know it! Hmmmm and it needs to be cheap!

I've just been up to collect the photos from yesterday - I didn't take any inside the V&A at the Power of Making exhibition though, sorry for those of you who wanted to see! Will try and blog them (on the other blog) later, or my cup of tea will be cold!

Dragons Dream TIO #95 A Colour Challenge (RED)

2011-09-07T06:00:00.001+01:00

Welcome to another TIO challenge for Dragons-Dream - this week it's my turn to choose the theme and I had the colour RED in my mind - so I am challenging you to use (mostly) RED (Liverpool being my team and it being the beginning of a new season and I am all hopeful....) and the song I picked to go with it is UB40's Red Red Wine (all together now, red red wiiiiiiiiiiiine!)

So here is my tag - hope you can join in this week - we had some fabulous metal creations last week -

I started by clear embossing the star - it was the Craft Stamper giveaway stamp this month (October issue) designed by the uber-talented Jo Capper-Sandon for stampotique - and then covering the tag with fired brick distress ink, some more of the stars in the same colour. I stamped the Tim Holtz sentiment on a scrap tag and cut it into portions to add to the tag (mainly so I didn't hide all the stars!) before adding some of the flower trims and trinket pin. The heart is from the packaging of an order from Art from the Heart and now I am going to prise it off to use again somewhere else too!! I didn't realise until too late that the middle section of the sentiment looks rather like a pair of (Bridget Jones) big pants.... lol

OK, I've rambled on far too long! Hope you'll come and play with Frankie and the team this week!

WOYWW 118 if my maths are right

2011-09-07T05:00:00.011+01:00

Morning peeps! YAY I really AM on a week's holiday now!!! Whoo whoo whoo.... not got many plans, will wing it. Hope the weather is better than Tuesday though - don't mind if it's not hot, just dry would be helpful. Thanks to a mention on twitter from Jo Firth-Young I am probably going to the Victoria & Albert museum today to see a new exhibition "Power of Making"
Oh, welcome to What's on your Workdesk Wednesday, I should have said! Check out some amazing desks shared by Julia

I am still prepping this on Tuesday night though, because I really hope I don't wake up at 5 in the morning (Memo to self, must turn off the radio alarm....)

Still haven't got any new stash (oh.... well.... there was ONE stamp I had to buy..... it's not here yet though.... so will keep it for next time!)
My ever-decreasing patch on the floor is quite empty today -some part done journal pages

and this is my Sunday Stampers challenge piece for this week.

Keep your fingers crossed for some nice weather and I'll see you all later!

Sunday Stampers - Love is the word

2011-09-06T17:47:00.002+01:00

For Hels' Sunday Stampers challenge this week I decided to play in my journal. Hels' is celebrating her 4th blogaversary this week and has set the same theme as her very first Sunday Stamper - Love - or as she says, Lurve!!

I started by covering the page with fired brick and spiced marmalade distress stains mixed and diluted with some picket fence (what did we do before we had this must have product?!)

I then over-inked with the same distress inks (from the pad this time) through the brick wall mask and added some sentments - "dream" is by impression obsession and "let your heart" is one of Wendy Vecchi's. I had the Eiffel Tower already stamped and cut out of grungepaper and the circle is the 'waste' centre from the Tim H 'weathered clock' die, also grungepaper that I've had hanging around for weeks, waiting - for this obviously! Coloured that with the same inks/stains and stamped the Tim sentiment on it. It needs something else though.... so off to think a bit more. (who's got my tiny Hero Arts heart stamp??? I know it's in a drawer somewhere, lol! I'll let you know what I come up with...

EDIT - found something! Two of the little wooden hearts I got a while back!

I saw today that the divine Lin (LB Crafts) is having a pan pastel giveaway - think how fab they would be on this page - check that out here just see what you could win

These are on my wish list for Ally Pally on the 24th/25th (I'm getting excited already!)

A Little Light Metal - TIO 94

2011-08-31T06:00:00.003+01:00

Time for a new round of DT themes at Dragons-Dream Tag it On - this time we are working from song titles and my teamie Elizabeth has chosen Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi and wants us to use !a little light metal"..

So I took some hot diamond pink metal from Ten Second Studios and one of their flower molds. I tried to do this through the Big Shot but couldn't get the 'sandwich' right so embossed it by hand - it hasn't come out very well because I stuck the humungo tape to the metal first... I think that was a mistake I won't repeat....

I stamped the gorgeous 'script sillhouette' stamp by Dina Wakley (Have I told you I LOVE this stamp...) on a spare tag that I coloured with archival ink 'magenta hue' mixed with picket fence distress stain (have I told you I LOVE... ok, yes)

Stamped the sentiment (a Tim stamp) on the rest of the tag and made a metal flower with the two smaller Paperartsy grungy flower dies on silver metal, coloured with black dabber paint and raspberry alcohol ink.

Make sure you stop by Dragons-Dream today for some exciting news - (no, I won't spoil it for her) and hope to see you joining in the challenge.

Oh, and if you do join in, make sure you use at least one real, proper stamp on your tag!

WOYWW 117

2011-08-31T05:00:00.005+01:00

Morning all (depending on where you are and when you get here, of course!) Hope you are all well and enjoying your tour of the workdesks of the universe hosted by the delectable Julia

By the time you read this I will be at work as usual - unfortunately! Only because I thought today was the start of a few days off, but I got the week wrong and it's actually from NEXT Wednesday I will be off... Grrrr!! I was gutted when I realised on Tuesday.

So, what is on my floor today? Not a lot - well, that's a bare faced lie - it's covered with the usual craft stores - but not a lot crafty. It's been a really unproductive time. Perhaps I need to go shopping (lol! So far I've kept my pledge not to till Ally Pally - late September... will I make it? )

This really stoopid tag I made for the Everything Wendy Vecchi yahoo group challenge ('use a bottle or bottles') I was close to the deadline and couldn't think of anything 'proper' - was reluctant to use one of my Tim idea-ology bottles/vials - don't know why! so this was a bit of daftness!

Not sure what I will do with my days off - haven't got anything planned (just as well as I got the dates wrong!) - may have a day up in London - not been for a while and I love mooching around London. Just not having to get up at 5.30 and going to work will be break enough! I don't have a car so I can't go far unless I can get there by bus or train.... or foot!

SS 169 Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

2011-08-28T15:38:00.000+01:00

Gosh, I can't believe today is the first time ALL week I've got anything crafty made! I had a really lazy week last week after work just vegging out in front of the TV.
So, today, Hels's guest theme setter for Sunday Stampers, Alfie-cat, has chosen "birds" for his theme. Hmm wonder why... Don't thinkyou'll find these two very tasty!

I decided to go for a canvas today instead of a tag, and took my inspiration from Lin's demo's at the recent Stevenage show, so thanks again, Lin for sparking off these ideas!

I coloured the canvas with black soot and walnut stain distress stains, blending with some picket fence and then spraying perfect copper perfect pearl spray over that.

For the stamps. I used the Paperartsy Hotpick 1107 plate - Steampunk Peter and Paul, and some cogs and a text.

I stuck some old book pages on some white card and coloured it with blue/green/orange distress stains before stamping the images and cutting them out.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday - and tomorrow, as England is enjoying a bank holiday - hurrah!!

Really glad to hear that Hurricane Irene is downgraded to a tropical storm - hope our American friends are not too badly affected.

WOYWW ? a bit of this and a bit of that

2011-08-24T05:30:00.002+01:00

Hi, fellow desk snoopers. Tis time for another Wednesday swoop round the workdesks of the world, thanks to Head Girl Julia.
Today you find me going on my travels - though sadly only in my dreams! At Dragons-Dream, it is Frankie's turn to set the theme for our Tag It On Challenge today - and the theme is travel.

I actually had most of this tag made before the theme was set, but hadn't blogged it, so just had to add a couple of finishing touches! Result - don't you love it when that happens. If you fancy joining us, we have a call out for DT members - check the Dragons-Dream blog for details. Also, this week, travel is the theme at SimonSays Stamp and Show too - so this is my entry there too.

So, on this fine (probably not sunny) Wednesday, what is occurring chez H? Well, no new stash - I MUST NOT buy anything else till Ally Pally in September - but there is a new magazine though; waiting to be read - and a tag in progress for a swap I can't share yet It's currently being weighed down to let some glue fix!

So, come over to Dragons-Dream and play with us - and catch up some far more creative workdesks than mine! Happy Wednesday.

Sunday Stampers 168 - Our House

2011-08-21T15:43:00.000+01:00

Hels has created a masterpiece in wax today and set us off on a theme of houses/home for the Sunday Stampers this week. "Our house, in the middle of our street", (hums quietly to herself) I used to really like Madness. (the band, the band!)

I am having a lazy (spectator) sport day in front of the tv - bit of footie, bit of cricket - but made this quick tag.

Spritzed the tag with water before applying stormy sky distress stain, but the row of houses (Tim's die) in sticky back canvas and coloured with distress stains, stuck to the tag. Cut out the Wendy car on a scrap of paper from the Kraft paperstack, the 'sun' is a Wendy flower coloured with paperartsy paint 'haystack'

Ok, back to the cricket - see you later!

Stampotique - Alter a Book

2011-08-18T05:36:00.000+01:00

I haven't taken part in a Stampotique challenge for ages - time to put that right! The current challenge is to Alter a Book - any kind of book, and it's a non compulsary Stampotique week - though I have used some of my (far too few) Stampotique images.

I decided it was high time to have a go at another page in my "journal" so here we go!

I started with a rough layer of gesso, then applied distress stains in spiced marmalade and tumbled glass, added some torn book pages, another layer of stains, spritzed with blue patina perfect pearls and started stamping! The 'grungy circles' are Dina Wakley and the script on the flower is my fave Stamp in the Hand.

Check out the other fab entries at Stampotique - one lucky person will win a $30 gift certificate.

Dragon's Dream -Children

2011-08-17T06:00:00.004+01:00

Welcome to another Tag it On with Dragon'sDream.... this week my teamie Janet has set the theme - Children. I have gone simple this week, (again!).

I took a jumbo sized tag and some Penny Black stamps - stamped the children swinging in the tree directly to the tag and the others - they are actually 3 in total - but I stamped them on scraps of a tag and only had room for 2 - and cut them out so they are playing round the tree. Printed off some words on the computer to cut out.

Hope you enjoy this week's theme - I think we all found last week quite hard! Thanks for your entries.
Oh, suppose you want to see the new tag... lol

WOYWW 115 - new stash!

2011-08-17T05:00:00.002+01:00

Truth be told, most of it is put away (not tidily though, you KNOW I don't do tidy! it can be seen here though - I had a great time at Stevenage even though I will regret spending quite so much when the credit card bill arrives in a couple of weeks...

So, what IS on my desk? Well, the prep for my threefer challenge - which can be seen here in its full glory

And yes, they are my knees, and you can see the toll taken on the left trouser leg - it's always the left and only the left - that goes holey! This hole is spreading though! I may have to turn them into shorts soon... See, I really DO work on the floor!

So here's a proper stash shot - some of my new bottles and potions - you'll see I have put coloured labels on the tops of my distress stains so I don't have to pick all of them up to find the one I want. I did that when I got home on Sunday, after mounting up my new Paperartsy stamps (which are FABBER than ever!!)

That's it from me today, thanks for dropping by.
In case you've made it right to the end without knowing what I am showing you my ripped trackie trousers for, pop over here where Queen Julia will explain everything!

A Threefer!!

2011-08-16T20:45:00.000+01:00

Hi all. With being out at the Stevenage show on Sunday I didn't have time to do Hels' Sunday Stampers challenge (White) so have managed to combine it with Linda's Grungy Monday - Distress Stickle Party - and Simon Says Stamp and Show - some BLING. How lucky is that!

For a change I did a canvas - painted white (Paperartsy fresco paint) - Sunday Stampers - tick!

Spritzed with Perfect Pearls spray - in pearl - Bling tick one!

Stamped the 'silhouette script' by Dina Wakley (magenta hue archival - scrummy!) and added some crystal gems - bling tick two!

Stamped the Dina Wakley 'create with abandon' in bundled sage distress stain on the canvas and used a flower mask and the same ink (pad this time)

Cut a rosette (Tim's die) and fixed to the corner, with a pearl from an old necklace - bling tick 3!

Took chip letters to spell dream, coloured in bundle sage distress stain, and covered with milled lavender distress stickles - GM tick!

Phew! Be sure to check out the other fab entries - and of course Sir Tim for the inspiration.

Stamperama - FAB day out!

2011-08-14T20:21:00.000+01:00

I spent a lovely few hours at Stevenage today at the Stamperama show. I met my friend Joy at Kings Cross and my first port of call was, of course, Lin at LB Crafts.... I could stand and watch Lin all day.

She was making some fabulous works of art using the new Paperartsy stamps - oh boy!!!! and was kind enough to give me this one:

stamping with fresco paints to give a resist under distress stains, pan pastels (about the only thing I didn't buy today...) and other yumminess! Love this Lin, thank you!! Thanks for all the great ideas.

And a couple of my tags playing with my new stash haul.... these are stormy sky and spiced marmalade stains which were too bright/dark so I used picket fence over the top.

This looks a bit fuzzy, sorry! Crushed olive and spiced marmalade stains. The script is Dina Wakley - love it!!

And my "treat" to myself - did go a bit mad - but heck, so what!! It's been a tough couple of weeks... and I won't get a holiday....

Pile one....

Pile too - see, Karen, only took 2 pics to show it all!!

Think I'm too tired to play more tonight, going to watch some golf and then an early night - not had enough sleep this weekend!! Thanks for looking.

Everything Wendy Vecchi Challenge - & a Birthday Card

2011-08-13T12:37:00.000+01:00

This week, our lovely EWV yahoo group Host Lori, challenges us to create a piece of art based on the first book, page 22 - but if you don't have the book - it's out of print and hard to find - you just need to use at least one scallop edge and two border strips. This finishes us off in book one! So, come over, join up and join in. Rumour has it there is a random prize this week!

So, I have made this card - the book project is a card but that't not essential as long as you use the ingredients above - and some distress inks and stains - bundled sage, tumbled glass, picket fence and broken china.

The border strips I used are the dotty backround from Seriously Art and the lacy one is from Art in Bloom.
The grungepaper flowers are from She Created Art and the sentiment Celestial Art. The scallop edge is an Art Part and I trimmed the card base to fit it.

It is also my nephew's birthday this coming week - he'll be 15 and I made him this steampunk themed card. I had to drop it in to him on my way to work yesterday as they've gone away for a week and I wanted him to have it on time.

I can post it here now as he won't see it before Wednesday!

Faffing about with stains

2011-08-11T21:43:00.000+01:00

Wow, have you seen Tim's new video about Distress Stains? How cool is this? And do I want all the colours? Oh yes.....

So this evening I was messing about with a tag and some stains (fired brick, wild honey and broken china, with a bit of picket fence thrown in for good measure). Used the wrinkle free method on the craft sheet.

Spritzed it with some perfect pearl spray for some shimmer and stamped Wendy's stars in coffee archival. Had a snippet of left over tag from a reject tag that I used for the sentiment that I coloured with some of the same stains. Made a very bad flower from glassline paper. (am very out of practice at these flowers!) It looks a bit better in the photo than real life....

Thanks for looking.

WOYWW 114? a TIO tag!

2011-08-10T05:53:00.001+01:00

Hi all - hope you are safe and secure and not caught up in the madness that seems to have erupted in England this week! Even Sutton is preparing for possible trouble, when I came home from work on Tuesday the shops were closed early, shutters pulled down and bracing for - who knows what - it is at times like this that I wish there was someone else in the flat.... Monday night I went to bed with the sound of police sirens in the distance - there were minor disturbances at the other end of the High Street to me, but nothing on the scale of what's happened elsewhere (thank goodness!)

Anyhow, this week I am combining my posts for WOYWW with my DT piece for Dragons-Dream Tag it On - Zoe has set us on a challenge I found really hard - the theme is Equestrian - and I couldn't find a single 'real' horse stamp at all (in any of my 1500 plus stamps...) horses are not a subject I have ever been "into" . So I totally had to improvise.

I had torn out a Yellow Pages ad for a local stables and was about to stick it to a tag - when I remembered I did have this stamp....

Well, actually two - the carousel at the front is a slightly larger version of the one that appears in the middle of the image that is stamped on the tag. They are very old because they are by PSX who went out of business quite a few years ago now!
So, Zoe, sorry but I couldn't do better this week!

And to those of you who left comforting comments on my Sunday Stampers post on Sunday - thank you - Mum is settling in well to the care home.
Hope you have a good day, stay safe!! Try to find time to catch some desks at Julia's!! All being well, on various fronts, I am going to the show at Stevenage on Sunday so shopping to share next week I hope!
Edit - Wednesday am - all quiet down here!!

Grungy Monday & Simon Says

2011-08-08T21:41:00.000+01:00

Hurrah! Another Monday twofer!! Simon Says Stamp and Show - any Tim Holtz technique - and Grungy Monday takes us to this fab technique from December 2010

I took the birdcage die and cut it twice, once in a piece from the Kraft resist stack and once from a piece of plastic idea-ology packing, as per the Tim Technique. I then ran the plastic cage through a texture fade and coloured it with copper alcohol ink to enhance it and fitted it over the bird and to the bottom birdcage.

Found some toning background paper (Basic Grey) and adhered it to a blank cardbase.

Wish - a personal tale

2011-08-07T19:20:00.003+01:00

Hels' Sunday Stampers today is called "Wish You Were Here" and challenges us to 'wish'. I have been dithering about all day but decided to go ahead with this wish. Forgive me!

My wish is for my Mum. My brother and I have just had to take the very hard decision to find a care home for her - she has dementia and has been struggling to look after herself and the house and latterly has been refusing to get up. So; hard as it has been I - we - think it is for the best, as neither of us have the room or expertise to look after her properly. She is now much closer to us.

She moved in yesterday at least for a trial run and my wish is that she finds comfort in being well looked after - they are lovely people running the home and I feel sure she will be happy, when she gets used to it! My wish is also for my brother and his wife - they have borne the brunt of sorting things out so far, dashing backwards and forwards to Sussex - and I feel very guilty about that - so thanks and love to them too. I know this isn't the sort of thing I usually write on here, so I hope you (and they) forgive me.

The tag uses distress stains (on the tissue tape and the flower trim) distress inks everywhere else; as I don't have the full range of stains yet.

Distress with Picket Fence

2011-08-04T19:17:00.000+01:00

Well yesterday I received my Picket Fence distress stain - and had to play; though I didn't have time to blog them.

When I got home from work tonight I had to carry on playing! Like it - like it a lot - and need some more colours to try!!

I have played really, rather than particularly finishing off any tags - so no embellishments, just some stamping.

Left to right - tumbled glass with picket fence both under and over the tumbled glass; applied in a scribbling motion
Antique linen and walnut stain
Dusty confcord and fired brick.

Top - picket fence on the tag, and tumbled glass over the top, and then more picket fence and tumbled glass again left without blending.

Bottom -Wild honey applied roughtly and picket fence again left without blending other than spritzing with water - love how the stain wicks and bleeds.

Used some new stamps (had them a couple of weeks, but haven't inked them before so it was a good excuse!)

I have also managed to damage the picket fence applicator - it's torn - I don't remember if it was when I opened it, or if I have been too rough - but, hey it still applies the stain, so no probs!

Off to play again now.

TIO - Nature's Bounty

2011-08-03T06:00:00.004+01:00

This week, at Dragon's Dream, we are dreaming of Nature's Bounty, a theme chosen by my Teamie Wanda - and I have made a tag with some of Tim's leaves from his tattered leaf die.

I started with a sheet of watercolour paper that I coloured with various distress inks - wild honey, peeled paint, mustard seed, barn door, fired brick and spiced marmalade and stamped them with various Paperartsy stamps from their Minis series - direct to paper technique from years ago!! It was kind of pretty before I die cut it!! I gave it a bit of shimmer with Irridescent Gold glimmer mist.

Had a couple of false starts with the tag background before I settled on a plain blue one (leaves tumbling against the sky) I used a small daisy punch too, for some extra impact. Couldn't find a little leaf punch! The 'beauty' stamp is by Claritystamps

the starting piece!
Do come and see what the rest of the team have done, and we hope to see you join in too!

WOYWW? Happy Anniversary!

2011-08-03T05:00:00.001+01:00

August? What do you mean it's August...... welcome to another Wednesday where we join in the world-wide blog hop that is What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday lovingly co-ordinated by the fabulous Julia - check out the link for the info.

Whilst I was making my entry for Grungy Monday and Simon Says Stamp and Show a tag - on Monday (scroll down or click here - I needed a piece of red ribbon.... I knew the one I wanted was in the ribbon box somewhere - only look what's happened to the box.... oops!

I also need to go through my box of scraps - it's got a bit messy too - look! Although I wouldn't want you to think it's a BIG box -

- it sits on top of another box with my Adirondack Dabbers - but it does overflow regularly!

1st August was my brother and sister-in-law's wedding anniversary and I made this card for them which also met the latest challenge at Everything Wendy Vecchi, yahoo group! (since prepping this post the challenge has closed but I couldn't show you before they got the card, now could I?!)

We had to use 4 differently decorated squares to make one background. I have used Victorian Velvet DI and some Wendy stamps. Couldn't find a 'happy anniversary' stamp the right size in my stash (I am sure I had one...) so used the 'with love' instead!

Oh, and don't forget to check out Dragon's Dream Tag it On for another great challenge today - click here to be transported there! Honestly, it's a wonder I ever get anything done on a Wednesday...... don't tell the boss!!

Simon Says - Show Grungy Monday a Tag

2011-08-01T20:33:00.002+01:00

For Grungy Monday today we are working on techniques from Tim's Christmas tags again - this time it's 2009 - click the link for the details straight from the Master. And check out Linda and her Guest Designers for some fab samples at Studio L3

I had to rummage for my vellum, as I wasn't sure which box of papers I'd put it back in the last time I followed this technique... oh, what a mess!

Anyhow, I made a tag using a Hero Arts stamp "woman writing" rather than copying Tim's music theme.

I stamped Wendy's large script background on the vellum, inked it and heated it according to Tim's instructions and scrunched it up a bit, causing cracks and creases. Folded it roughly and tied it up with a piece of velvet ribbon - well, it is a love letter!!

Thanks to Tim for the inspiration, and Linda for running these fab challenges. Link up at the Tim Yahoo group too

I am sure I have done something very similar to this before, but I promise it's new - and I didn't have the pen nib idea-ology before!! And, as I have used a tag, and Simon Says' theme this week is 'a tag' I am entering it for that challenge too. There is a $50 prize for a random winneer, courtesy of Simon Says Stamp.

Sunday Stampers - Waterloo Sunset

2011-07-31T18:19:00.000+01:00

Today Hels has chosen the song Waterloo Sunset for her Sunday Stampers theme and inspires us to use sunset as a theme - either the colours or a sunset itself. I was totally intending to use some of my under-used Stampscapes stamps and stamp a sunset, but instead this happened!

Coloured the tag with wild honey and fired brick distress stains, stamped the single daisy (Impression Obsession) - clean rubber, not used since I bought it at the Newbury show earlier this month!! and then sat and looked at it for hours, thinking......
Die cut some flowers (Paperartsy dies) from watercolour paper I'd used distress inks on, and pinched the petals together, forming a 3 layer flower. The baby die has a Wendy stamp stamped in the centre. The words are also Paperartsy.

Thanks for looking - and welcome to my new followers! Hope you like it, cos I'm still not sure....

Back to Black - Sunday Stampers

2011-07-29T07:12:00.000+01:00

This week, Hels was inspired for her Sunday Stampers challenge by the sad death of AmyWinehouse, with the song title Back to Black, so we are to use black this time. Such a tragic waste, of a young life - so sad when people get addicted to drink and drugs.

Anyhow, it's taken me a while to get round to the challenge but this is what I've come up with.

I covered a large chip jigsaw piece with some of the music paper from the 7Gypsies "Paddington" pad, and swiped Black Soot DI round the edges and stamped the Tim sentiment using the Vermillion archival ink - it seems kind of an apt thought for Amy - and a grungeboard A painted with silver dabber paint and accented with Vermillion ink. The eye is one of Wendy's - probably should have been black eyeshadow given Amy's bold eye makeup! RIP Amy Winehouse.

Rockin' Mondays

2011-07-28T07:31:00.000+01:00

This week, Linda's Grungy Monday challenge is to use Rock Candy - crackle paint or stickles or both. check out Lord Tim's video here

I took the large art part flower and used wild honey distress stain (perhaps I should have used something to cover the art part first!) and stamped Wendy's spotty background across it in Vermillion archival ink.

I used rock candy crackle over the grungepaper flower (coloured with wild honey again) and have rubbed dusty concord over the crackles.
Added a circle cut from the Kraft stack, covered with stickles that doesn't show up in the photo very well!

Now you may not believe me, but that is the regular, clear, rock candy distress stickles around the petals - it's just when it's dried it has picked up the colour of the wild honey underneath... honest! I left it overnight so didn't see it until today, otherwise I'd probably have wiped it off.
Just got to find "something" to stick the flower in now so I can display it somewhere.......

And, because Simon Says challenge this week is "anything goes" this is entered for that too.

(Now, I am going to hit the publish button at work, so I hope my work pc will then let me link the pictures to the challenges (it doesn't always) otherwise I will have to remember when I get home....)

Dragons-Dream TIO 89 - Pressing Matters

2011-07-27T06:00:00.001+01:00

Hello, and welcome to another Dragons Dream. Thank you for all your entries last week - it is such fun seeing what you all dream up each time.
So, it's my choice of theme again this week and in case the challenge title is too cryptic, I want you to emboss this week. (Pressing, get it?!) You can use any kind of embossing you want - heat, dry, with metal, texture fades, you name it!

I can't stop using this Papillon background! This time I used broken china distress stain on the tag, and white embossed the stamp. I die cut some butterflies (Tim Holtz) - two in metal, two on black Clearly for Art. I coloured them with alcohol inks (silver, sailboat blue and purple twighlight) The metal butterflies,I added some patterns with a Ten Second Studio wheel before adding the colour.

Hope you'll come and see what my teamies have come up with this week - and why not join in. Just remember the theme - and to use at least one proper stamp. Have fun!

WOYWW - well this time I shopped

2011-07-27T05:42:00.000+01:00

Two weeks without any new stash was WAY too long for my willpower, so this week I have two lots of new things to show you!! Oh, sorry, welcome to my desk (it's still on the floor, Julia - the previous shot you commented on was just from a VERY low angle...... ) So, it's Wednesday again (well it will be when this gets published!) and it's time for globe-trotting round the desks of the universe thanks to JULIA.

First, I got some new Tim'n'Wendy stamps (well, they were on special offer at the time, thanks to Dyan at AFTH - and they'd have come super-duper quick if I hadn't typed the wrong postcode in the order..... oops!) but HOW beautifully they were wrapped - look - and yes, I have kept the heart (of course!) to re-use somewhere down the line....

And then I kept seeing the new Dina Wakley stamps that I "had" to have some - I got them here but they are all over the place oh my they are just gorgeous.

I had a play on Monday - oh, yum!! I haven't finished this yet, but I had to get the ink open - Wendy has been raving about how fab the Vermillion ink looks over Wild Honey distress (stain here) ink - I think she's right!

So what have you been up to? Got any new 'toys' or re-organised your stash? Do show us all, we're a nosy lot.... See you soon!

Everything Wendy Vecchi - yahoo challenge

2011-07-22T21:32:00.000+01:00

It has been a few weeks since I found time to enter this fab challenge hosted by Lori for our Everything Wendy Vecchi yahoo group and this week she has set us a theme of "use a bird" based on Wendy's 2nd book, page 38 - but you don't need the book to play! You must use at least one Studio 490 stamp and the challenge theme.

So, I took a piece of Maya Road chip, wild honey distress stain and ink, some Heirloom Gold perfect pearl spray and a whole heap of Wendy stamps. (The flower is new, it's just come to live with me....I told you on WOYWW there was some stash on it's way.. )

I covered the bird with some patterned paper (by memorybox) and made an extra wing (two actually, after I forgot the bird was reversed cos of covering it with the paper....) I was going to use a piece of ball chain (the bits that come with the chip pieces) but I couldn't get it to fasten, so used a hitch fastener to hold the philosophy tag in place instead.

Sorry about the photo, it's dark so I couldn't turn the flash off and it's gone a bit glary!

Simon Says - Grungy Monday on a Thursday

2011-07-21T21:41:00.000+01:00

Once again I have been able to combine my two favourite Monday challenges - Grungy Monday's host Linda wants us to get playing with Grungeboard and/or paper which is one of my most favest Tim products ever - and the other lovely Linda hosting Simon Says - show us embossing. So.....

I started with a tag - spritzed it with water to make the Lettuce colourwash spread easier - cover the tag and dried it. Using Snowcap white adirondack (I LOVE that ink!) I white embossed the Papillon background. That's for the Simon Says bit.

I die cut the dress form in grungepaper - that's the Grungy Monday bit - and used Fresco paints from Paperartsy (Toad Hall to base, then the fab crackle glaze and Snowflake on top to create the crackle) to paint it. When that was dry I tied some sparkly green fibre round the waist and fixed it to the tag, coloured the cotton reel and button (don't tell Wendy but I didn't thread the button... apparently she hates that!)

Then I took my (new - just came today!) Haberdashery stamp set and stamped the two cotton thread labels on grungepaper, coloured it with distress inks and embossed them in a texture fade sanded them to highlight the embossed pattern , fixing them to the tag with a couple of fasteners. Added a Wendy text on a scrap of watercolour paper and a piece of Tim's trimming (LOVE that stuff!)

Don't forget to check out both challenges, Simon Says has a $50 prize up for grabs too... that would be nice!! Thanks for looking.