Happy New Year

Well, I didn't get down and inky after all today, maybe tomorrow!  I just want to take the time to wish you al a very happy, healthy, crafty New Year!  I've been catching up on my blog list since I got home from my week at Mum's, and looks like everyone had a great time. 

Thank you for following my blog this year, it is one of the best things I ever did, after resisiting it so long! 

I also want to say - YAYYYY  I was picked by Jennie for some of her Tagtastic Candy for the 12 Tags of Christmas - what a great start to 2010.

Have a great time if you go out tonight and I can't wait to see all your great craft projects next (but nearly this) year!!

Happy Christmas To Everyone

I just want to wish everyone in Blogland a very Happy Christmas and Healthy  & Prosperous New Year!  I shall be away at my Mum's (weather and train service permitting - if I'd been going today, I wouldn't have, if you see what I mean, lol, as they stopped the trains on part of my route!) from tomorrow for a few days and out of touch with my computer - gulp! I am having withdrawal symptons already!

I hope you all stay safe with your loved ones and if you have to get anywhere for the holidays, get there in good time and without incident!

This is one of the Christmas cards I made this year, Tim's reindeer is stamped on pearl metal and lightly sponged to match the tag on the card.

(Edit) Sorry, I should have also said, a huge thank you to all the comments and messages left since I started my blog.  It really does mean a lot.

Lots of love, see you all soon. xxx

Stay Safe!

Well, I hope you are all safe and well and not stuck in some awful traffic jam!  I had a bad day yesterday - slipped on the ice on my way TO work - cut lip where I tried to bounce off the pavement!!  and a big bruise is developing nicely on one thigh!!  And yes, I WAS wearing sensible boots!

Then the journey home was bad - it started to snow (having rained earlier) around 4 so they said we could leave work early -around 4.30 - I got a bus almost straight away and then it crawled through horrendous traffic (it had at leasted stopped snowing) for 2 and a half hours (a 20 minute journey, mind you....) back to Sutton.  If I hadn't fallen in the morning, I'd have got off and walked, but I have to admit, I was scared!!

I was going to get a taxi back from the train station home so I didn't fall again - of course everyone else had the same idea, so I braved it and walked - lots of slushy wet snow but luckily enough grip this time, made it home at 7.40... (I did have to do some grocery shopping on the way so I could eat!!)
The journey back to work this morning - in my wellies this time - was 15 minutes on the bus - think everyone is staying inside!

So I hope you are all safe and well and not having too much trouble with your journeys here there and everywhere!  Take care, all.

Play Date Cafe Challenge 09

The latest  Play Date Cafe Challenge is Blue, Gold and Cream.  I have coloured a piece of Maya Road chipboard with Claudine Hellmuth paint in Traditional Tan which is really a pale cream, stamped Tim Holtz "Rock Star" with a gold dabber and the "Life" quote is Wendy Vecchi. The flowers are prima, the leaves are Wendy Vecchi on grungepaper.  I have added picket fence distress stickles to the flower and rock candy distress stickles to the centre of the heart and its banner, and added some blue fibres to finish.

I Believe

Hel's Sunday Stamper challenge for this and next week - is "Believe" - to use the word believe and stamping, in a project.  I had a Santa background prepared but it was very similar to Hel's own entry, so have done another one with scattered straw and dusty concord distress, then used "wine and roses" glimmer mist which I toned down with "marshmallow".  I stamped "believe" from the Tim Holtz Mini Holidays set (where Santa comes from too) on a piece of metal I had left over from my Day 10 tag and decorated it with a couple of Ten Second Studio wheels. The "Christmas Carols" from the same Tim stamp set was stamped on a piece of music background paper and spritzed with various perfect pearl/reinker mixes.

Finally, because Santa wasn't looking very Christmassy, I added some fired brick distress ink round his edges, and a green gel pen on his holly leaves on his hat, which I've covered in rock candy distress stickles., as I don't have a green distress stickles.

There is some great blog candy to one lucky entrant to this challenge - so go take a look!

2nd post of the day - Play Date Cafe Challenge

When I saw this week's colours on the Play Date Cafe Challenge, I didn't think I could do it - they are not colours I would normally put together.  However I was sitting looking at the piles of stash all over my living room floor and my eye alighted on this handbag shape (Craftwork Cards) and my imagination started to hum... slowly!! In fact apart from the ribbons (they're from Paperartsy), everything is Craftwork Cards.

There won't be any more - Liverpool are playing and on TV!

Don't Stop - Tagging

To borrow a song title from Fleetwood Mac (one of my fave bands) - Don't Stop!!  Following Hel's Sunday Stampers Challenge "Christmas" I decided also to have another go at one of Tim's 12 Day Tags - this one is Day 7 which I was least happy with first time round.

This time I was able to use the Santa from my Mini Holidays plate that I ordered from The Stamp Attic (psst, there is a special offer on today)  when I saw Day 7 go up! (well, I have to buy myself a present don't I!!) and also the small snowflakes on it.  Because I used the snowflakes with the Snow Cap dabber (used more paint this time, so although it looked a mess when I stamped them, when it was dry and finished, it works!!) I didn't overstamp the tag with black snowflakes but used the small pine branch from the same set of stamps (see how useful it is!!)  in Pine Needles and added some Picket Fence distress stickles - I thought it may look like the branches were frosty.

I also had a piece of the music stamped on vellum left from Day 8 that I didn't use - it looked too dark - so I rolled this up to make a scroll to add to continue the music theme on the tag, I tied it with some glittery fibre and stuck it on with glossy accents (none on my fingers this time!)

As I have used all sorts of ink here, I am also putting this in the Alphabet Challenge - I is for Ink challenge this week.

Day 12 - Grunge Roses

Well, I am just waiting for the roses to dry (I am so messy!) I have NO idea how I am going to post them - I am sure they won't go in the scanner....

Ok, well the red rose kept falling apart and I had to cover the scanner because the lid woudn't shut properly, but here it is!  And the red rose has fallen apart again as I took it off the scanner. hey ho, get the glossy accents out again, good job my fingers are still filthy!

I did do the Christmas shopping though - in just under 2 hours. (I didn't have that much to get, to be honest, but I had NO ideas before I went out, what I was getting for whom....) Now just need to get them wrapped so the ones that need to, can go in the post... at least I posted my cards this morning; so am feeling quite smug at the moment!

(Day) 11 Reinders-a-Leaping

I had fun with today's tag despite not having the gizmo to make brads.  I also couldn't find enough large enough pale Prima flowers, (most of mine - I have lots - are quite dark/bright) so have also used some fabric ones (the distress stickles haven't worked very well on this one) which I centred with a coloured glass bead.  I did have a go at a brad-a-like by stamping a snowflake on a piece of sticky back canvas and using it to cover a button.  In fact looking now at all of the flowers, the distress stickles is hardly apparent at all - I haven't used enough.

I don't have any white/Christmassy rub ons so stamped "believe" on another piece of sticky back canvas.

What I can't believe is that there is only one day left to play - which I won't be doing till I have done some Christmas present shopping first, in the morning.. wish me luck with the shops.

Day 10 - Alphabet Challenge!

A huge thanks to Hels for getting her tag done early and posting some extra tips - like her I didn't have the sticky metal tape Tim used, so had to stick some humungo tape to some metal and use that.  Got some lumps and bumps along the way, and I didn't plan my colours very well on the tag, but I got there - when I first saw Tim's this morning I thought - no way, I'm going to fail the 12 tags challenge!   I haven't got any of the alcohol ink pens, so used the original applicator and foam strips.  I'm not too happy with how the sanding of the letters has gone - nowhere near as neat as the Maestro Tim's, and I decided I wouldn't risk ruining it by distressing it further with black dabber.

It's also a good job I had some huge tags - otherwise on the size I've been using, I'd have only had half the words I needed.  The snowflake is a Heidi Swapp clear one that I've coloured with Snow Cap paint dabber.

Tag 9 - Torres!

Ok, so I got delayed making today's tag by the Liverpool match on tv. (the eagle-eyed fellow Liverpool fans who check out my blog may also recognise the photo on the tag - although to be fair the title of the post may give it away) but I got there in the end.  Once again I have had a nightmare trying to scan it - this is about go 5!!

I didn't have the right metal flowers to attach so, have made a grungepaper one! I didn't have any film strip so I made my own with a black marker pen and some overhead projector film I found in a box - thank goodness for the grid on my cutting mat!  My new "mini holidays" Tim plate of stamps arrived today just in time to use some here. (the others are Paperartsy)

If you could see the mess I have made this week "looking" for things to use on my tags, well....... but it is amazing what I have found that I forgot I ever bought....

Day 8 - Sing it Loud

I love Tim's tag for today - I think it may be my favourite so far.  I had trouble scanning it again as you see, the key is too bulky for the scanner really, I had to hold the lid down so it registered the image!

My lamppost is already decorated so I just added one grunge holly leaf. (I had trouble finding any holly stamps in my drawers, if you get my drift!) Anyhow, I am fairly pleased with the final result.

Tag 7 - two attempts!

I had more trouble with this one that I thought I would.  My first attempt (on the left) is too dark - and I don't think I used enough paint as it hasn't shown through enough when I've cleaned off the distress ink.  The second attempt is a little better, but not much.... Looking forward to Tag 8!

Sunday Stampers - Angels

Hels' Sunday Stamper challenge this week is on the theme of Angels and I took the opportunity to make a spare card in case I've counted wrong!  I inked a Maya Road chipboard frame with fired brick distress ink and covered it in red glitter.  I stamped the angel (Denami) on acetate and covered with some multi-coloured gold leaf.  Got in an inky gluey glittery mess at this stage because I couldn't find the ready-prepared sticky adhesive, I know it's here somewhere, lol..

Sticking to the red theme I stamped a small greeting for the bottom of the card.  I haven't used this angel for a couple of years, I used to do something like this a lot when I first got it.... so thanks to Hels for making me use her again!

Carry on Tagging - half way already!

Had fun doing today's tag, although I'm not happy with the flocking - I had a good rummage around my drawers and found some old Fun Flock - which is plain  although I threw some glitter at it - but I am not really  pleased with how it's come out. 

It's back to work tomorrow, so I hope to have time in the evenings now to Carry On Tagging!!

Tag 5 of Christmas

Ok, so having caught up with day 1, I have now had a go at today's.  I didn't have all the necessary items so improvised - the white happy holidays I originally tried on acetate - but the pack wasn't marked and it wasn't embossable so it melted, lol! instead I used white stazon and white powder to emboss straight on the tag.

The wire I have isn;t heavy enough gauge so it's moving all over the place!  When I was looking for my black embossing powder for the day 1 tag, I came across some tapestry powder, so they have a bit of the texture the pine branches require - even had a brown and green, yay!!

I know, I know, it's late - but it IS Tag 1

Ok, so here belatedly is tag 1.  Badly scanned again, I blame the flourishes!!  And now after a week kneeling on the floor (my "studio") making my Christmas cards, I'm having the night off.

See you tomorrow for the next tag (I hope!)

Tag 4 - tick!

I didn't have the right sized stamps Tim used today (but the order went in before 9am here ) - but I did have the ATC sized one, and I filled in the gaps with some of his snowflakes and a Paperartsy row of parcels. I couldn't for the life of me work out how the swivel clasps are meant to open, even going close-up on the photo on Tim's blog - so improvised with a fancy safety pin and some wire (I always meant to learn how to work with wire, lol)   I didn't have a memory frame the right size so have just stuck the image (part of the mini flourish to follow Tim's theme) to a fragment wtih glossy accents and - very badly - edged it with some scalloped silver tape and some distress stickles. Don't tell anyone but I picked it up before it was dry and smudged it....

In real life I think the tag needs a bit of gloss actually, so I may go over it with some glaze later.... or some rock candy crackle paint.

I really don't want to go back to work next week, I've so enjoyed having time to play this week (and yes, the Christmas cards are finished - apart from writing them, of course!) - so I am glad there is the weekend's tags to come first.

Tag 3 - well one anyway

I just loved today's tags from Tim!  I haven't got a cute enough Santa to try his second one but this is the trees one - I didn't intend to copy it so closely but that's how it seems to have come out. I had the trees out already as you'll see from my first blog today.  It's a long time since I did plaids and my lines are decidedly wonky - this is the best of the lot, lol! (Bit like the scanning!)

I couldn't find any string thin enough - the stuff I had is toooo thick, and I can't tie knots for toffee - so I found some raffia that I have had for donkeys and used that instead. I don't have any of the pin things Tim used to tie the philosophy tag on so used some glitzy fibre.  Good job I went to B&Q a couple of weeks ago and got some washers - didn't get flat ones in the right size or colour, but these ones fitted the brass fasteners.

Red White and Green

This week's Play Date Cafe Challenge is to use Red, White and Green - and as I am still striving to make all my cards before I go back to work on Monday, here's one for the list! 
I've used perfect pearls (pearl)  to create a snow shower over the tag.

T!m's Tag 2 of Christmas

I had quite a productive day target wise so this evening allowed myself a play.  I haven't had a go at Day 1 yet, but this is my - hugely improvised - Day 2 tag.  I couldn't find an oval shaped frame and for some reason don't have ANY distress embossing powders - not sure how or why that is! and as for that fab metal flower, didn't have anything remotely close, and had to make my own corners.  Still, it's better to try than not.....
Am off to bed now so I can be up ready for Day 3's launch (and to refresh for tomorrow's Christmas card target... Night night!

Winter Wonderland

I was doing a spot of blog-hopping before starting today's target of Christmas cards and saw the new Gingersnap Creations - Chestnut Challenge - Winter Wonderland - so combined this with one of today's efforts.  My liquid applique looked very yellow before I blasted it with the heat gun (far too impatient to let it dry on its own!) but a sprinkling of glitter hides all sorts!

Check out T!m's tag 2 of Christmas -if you haven't already - another wonder creation from the Maestro.

On with the day's "work" now, back soon....!!

I'm Back - What a Stinker

It seems like ages since I was here!  I had a really stinker of a cold last week and I wasn't up to doing anything craftwise.  I still have a lot of pain in my sinuses, which I've never suffered from before, but feel better generally! 

Luckily I have this week off work to try and catch up with my badly behind Christmas cards! Here are some I've done today. I have set myself a daily target... There's a bit of a theme going on as you will see.

Sorry about the scanning, doesn't seem to have worked too well tonight.

Awww - another award!

This one is from Kay - thanks, Kay. I have a really bad cold at the moment so this was nice to find. 

I have to answer a whole heap of questions with one word answers - yikes.

1. Where is your cell phone?  handbag
2. Your hair?  highlighted
3. Your mother ? missing dad
4. Your father?  missed
5. Your favorite food? steak
6. Your dream last night?: none
7. Your favorite drink? g&t
8. Your dream/goal? happiness
9. What room are you in? lounge
10. Your hobby? crafting
11. Your fear? illness
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? healthy
13. Where were you last night? bed
14. Something that you aren't? rich!
15. Muffins?  cherry
16. Wish list item? more room
17. Where did you grow up? Norbury (SW London)
18. Last thing you did? sneezed
19. What are you wearing? joggers
20. Your TV? on
21. Your Pets? none
22. Friends?  few
23. Your life? boring
24. Your mood?  sorry for myself
25. Missing Someone?  sister
26. Vehicle?  bus
27. Something you’re not wearing? watch
28. Your favorite store? craft (any!)
29. Your favorite colour?  red
30. When was the last time you laughed?  last night
31. Last time you cried?  not sure
32. Your best friend? Claire
33. One place that I go to over and over? work
34. Facebook? sometimes
35. Favorite place to eat?  home

Now I have to pass this on to 5 people so I can find out lots about them too! I choose Linda; Lori; Julie; Brenda; and Jacqui

Shimmer that fairy!

The idea behind this card started from the tag - I sprayed it directly with my reinker/perfect pearl mixes - broken china/pearl and mustard seed/copper drying in between each colour mix.  The colours just seemed to mingle nicely whilst they were drying!  I've since tried to repeat it but just got a mess lol!  The sentiment is from the same paperartsy plate as the fairy.

I thought the fairy would sit nicely on this card, coloured with gel pens and glitter, and added some similarly coloured prima flowers that I have covered in rock candy distress stickles (thanks to Tim  - the god - Holtz for that tip on his blog a few days back) They look fab - I've got a whole load done ready to use in projects.

I found a flower trinket - no idea where it came from,  because they're not in the original packing - I've had a pack of them for years and never used any before!! for the centre of the green flower.

The flower top left is grungepaper (a Wendy Vecchi stamp) coloured with distress ink, over inked in gel pen because the colour wasn't bright enough, and then glitter (well it is Christmas, lol!)  I seem to be using all non traditional colours this year, maybe next time I'll get out some red!!

Reindeer

I only got one card made last night - slacking!! Again, I used the Studio 490 background in sepia on a cream card, then I painted a chipboard piece with butterscotch paint dabber. I quite like this colour - it reminds me of Caramac chocolate bars..... yum, lol.   A never used before stamp from Ally Pally (Tim Holtz) is stamped in sepia on the chip and Tim's reindeer stamped in black on grungepaper and sprayed with a mustard seed/copper perfect pearl mix finishes it off. The time I took trying to get the angle of the reindeer to my satisfaction shall not be divulged!

I didn't actually get this ready to post last night, but at the crack of dawn before I left for the office I uploaded the image so I could do it now!

O Christmas Tree!

Hels' challenge this week over at Sunday Stamper is "Christmas Trees" and although I could have used either of the cards I posted earlier this week, I decided to do a new one, based on the theme of my previous post for the Play Date challenge. I've smudged a bit of ink under the trees to ground them and not having them hanging in mid-air!

Once again, it uses grungepaper for the trees, covered in Ferro paste in golden green and iron for the tree trurnks. Another one off the "to do" pile... it's not getting much shorter though.

Play Date Challenge

This weeks Play Date Cafe Challenge is to use blue or green, chocolate brown,tan and cream.  I struggled with how to interpret this for my ongoing personal Christmas cards only challenge, but this is what I came up with.  The ink for the background (WV's Studio 490) is a new achival ink in sepia, stamped straight onto a scalloped cream card blank.  The grungepaper flowers (WV of course!)are coloured with distress inks in a variety of faded jeans, brushed corduroy and shabby shutters.  I used some rock candy distress stickles in the middle of the smallest flower and held them all together with a blue brad.  To offset the flowers I found a small tag which I stamped in faded jeans with a Paperartsy greeting and added some glitter and blue fibres.  Now it's finished, I quite like it, lol!

Christmas Trees

Managed to dodge the downpours this morning when I went to the Craft Barn (spent FAR too much of course - but it WAS all - mostly - on a list.....) but it was sooo windy...

When I got home (after I burnt the lunch as mentioned earlier) I got down and crafting - kind of - I was cutting out some more grunge flowers - had my first go at "the" rose - it seems ok-ish, - can't show you as it won't fit in the scanner, lol! 

I then thought "I must do Christmas cards" so here is one I finished - the arch is the piece that wouldn't go right last time - but a fresh look at it today (in the gloom, anyhow!) and it looks ok I think.  The tree is Wendy Vecchi of course, pearl metal, sprayed with a couple of distress reinker/perfect pearl combo's. Fortunately you can't see in the scan, but the bottom harlequin paper trim went on wonky (sorry, whoever gets the card!) but it was a bit late to start again....

Got to stop here, or dinner will burn too, lol!

An Award

I got this award today from Craftytrog and have to share 5 facts about myself with you and pass it on to 5 more people - so here goes.

1. I love crisp, sunny - dry - autumn days (not wet ones like today, lol)
2. I just burnt my lunch blog hopping
3. I can't believe I'm 50!
4.  I am scared of the dentist
5.  I really really want Liverpool to win the Premiership soon.

I am passing this award on the these inspiring people:  Linda, Lin, Leandra,Hels and Kay.

I have just read this back and seen I haven't thanked Crafttrog for the award, so thank you, I am touched and honoured.

Christmas - Buttons

The new Gingersnap Creations  spicy supply challenge is "buttons" and because I am trying to be strict and only make Christmas cards at the moment I have combined the two.  The stamps are Studio 490 - did I say I love those stamps, lol!  (Just got my Dimensional Rose Art today - I can make roses, yayyyyy )

Sorry, where was I?  I was trying to create a piece using Terra and Viva paints on some chipboard but wasn't happy with how it was turning out, so I mopped up the spare Viva paint (olive) from my craft mat onto a tag and added some gold viva, overstamped it with the Studio 490 "happy christmas" background, added the tree (pearl metal, decorated with some scribbles from the teflon tip, sanded lightly and sprayed with a couple of perfect pearl/reinker mixes) and some buttons (for the challenge) and another tree - this one is grungepaper, covered with golden green Ferro for texture and some gold viva paint for contrast.   I couldn't find any buttons the right colour so I painted them with olive viva paint again. Fiddly, messy but worked great!

I mounted it on some (new- also arrived today!) dotty embossed vellum (Craftwork Cards) and added a couple of Studio 490 messages. The whole thing is on a DL-sized card blank. Because this new emobssed vellum is quite thick, the doublesided tape I used to mount it, doesn't show through - result!

Back to the Christmas Fairy

I've got a few more Christmas cards made today, using the Paperartsy Nut and Meg stamps; here is the one I am best pleased with.  The background is shabby shutters and broken china, with a very fine mist of broken china/perfect pearl/water mix (the first background I did is still uncurling, it got too wet!!).

The arch is covered with Rum and Raisin paper (in truth I cut it a bit too close to cover perfectly, didn't want to waste any...) and the fairy is coloured with pencils, and just Stardust glitter for the wings. Add some snowflakes (Craftwork cards) and away you go.

A Challenging Day - part 3

So here is the third challenge I saw that I wanted to have a go at - Tag It On 22 - Fruits of My Labour - you have to do a tag using fruit in appropriate colours.  Like Frankie, challenge host, I have used a Stamp in the Hand stamp - apples. And I know it's still not a Christmas card, lol.

The tag is coloured with shabby shutters and scattered straw distress inks, then sprayed with mini misters holding mustard seed ink/copper perfect pearl, and then shabby shutters ink/gold perfect pearl. 

I stamped the apples in all sorts of colours but settled for pine green Memories on paper, cut them out (they're in a row of 3 on the stamp) and added some green trim.

I seem to be quite tired now, so am going to have a rest - at least dinner is a takeaway Chinese (M&S) so no cooking to do tonight!

A Challenging Day - part 2

I've really got the bug for challenges!!  This card is a double entry for the Alphabet Challenge - "D is for Decoupage" & the Gingersnap Creations "Cozy Home" challenge.

The background is from a Basic Grey pad I have until today not been able to bear using - you should see the papers i've bought that I can't bear to use, lol, but the colours seemed to be right for this.  The stamp is a Paperbag Studios one, called "home" and it leapt out of its box at me to use for these challenges!  The sentiment is Penny Black - I LOVE their sentiment stamps (need some more, lol!) 

I know it's not a Christmas card, but there's time left yet!  I've got one more challenge I want to try today..

A Challenging Day

I am making some cards for various challenges today, this is the first one for the Play Date Cafe Challenge "Red, white and black" and have also managed to cross another Christmas card off the "to do" list, lol. Everything is Craftwork Cards apart from the "joy and peace" which is from a Hero set.

Nature Tag

I was going to make up some grunge flowers tonight (one of two new sets of WV stamps arrived the other day- yippeee!!) - they are cut out and coloured, ready to go, but I had a surprise call from an old friend (actually of my ex's) so haven't got them done yet. (George, if you've come to visit the blog, it was great to talk!) 

In the meantime here's one I made earlier!!  It looks a bit wonky, blame the scanner, I promise I haven't been drinking.

I did this a few days ago and can't remember now what colours I used on the base tag, looks like scattered straw and brushed corduroy then sprayed with a perfect pearls/reinker mix whch I used on the grunge flower too.

C is for Circles

I promise this is the last post from me today, but wanted to get this done so I don't miss the challenge, like I did last week with B is for blue.  You can find the challenge here.  I have used the tiny bubbles cuttlebug folder and a paperartsy clock (I love those clocks) - I think I am still trying to convince myself I was on the recent Artsycraft weekend.

Sunday Stampers Challenge - Snowmen

This week's Sunday Stamper's challenge is "snowmen" so we can all crack on with our Christmas cards - so here is my entry.  The stamp is a Hero Arts one I've had a while, and I usually just use it to make a fairly simple card. This time I stamped the image twice and cut out the snowmen on the second to 3d them.  I've coloured them with watercolour pencils.

I have got another one on the go for this challenge, but the glue isn't dry yet so will have to post it later.

EDIT - here it is!  This is a Paperartsy snowman on pearl metal.  I love this snowman!

Oh, my poor legs!

Well, as I thought,yesterday was HARD work!  We moved files and other boxes of "stuff" upstairs and downstairs all day - what a workout!!!  I didn't leave till nearly 5 so it was a full day - and then to find Liverpool lost - again- what a disaster.  This morning I can hardly move - my calves ache like no-one's business despite a soak in the bath last night and I am covered in bruises and papercuts...   I hope to be back with some art later, but need another lie down for a bit first, lol!

Christmas Again

I was in the mood for making Christmas cards when I got home from work tonight, and started this whilst dinner was cooking. Everything is from Craftwork Cards apart from the words - the squiggly ones are Heroarts and I think the small one is Hobby Art.   At the time I thought I would be on a real roll and get loads done but then I stopped for food and have slumped in front of the TV, LOL!

Probably won't get a chance to blog tomorrow as I have to go to work - we're having an office move and we have to move a load of files upstairs whilst the files already upstairs have to come downstairs - it will be a lot of hard work and I'm NOT looking forward to it!  I imagine when I get home I will just fall asleep.

Play Date Cafe Challenge

I think I am going to love the Play Date Cafe Challenge - it sounds such fun.  I didn't get to take part last week but have had a go for this week -  the challenge is to use yellow, orange and dark brown or black.  I've played with grungepaper, Studio 490 flowers/backgrounds and distress stickles/crackle paint.

Those fab 490's

I got sidetracked from the football tonight - we lost again but played a lot better - and ended up making this tag.  It started yesterday when I used the plain tag to mop up some glimmer mist from my craft sheet and thought it quite a nice pale glimmery blue!  You can't see a lot of it left here, I have overstamped with Studio 490 stamps of various sorts, and added metal and grungepaper flowers, with brads for the flower centres.  I have scooched (a Leandra term) the metal flower with some of my wheels and then coloured it with jazz blue glimmer and an alcohol ink - already put it back so I can't remember which one...

Although I haven't used that many of them, I shall link it for the Gingersnap Creation "brads" challenge.  

See you soon!

Back to Clocks

I know, I am meant to be doing Christmas cards!  But I couldn't resist playing with Ferro and Viva paints after reading such great things about the recent Paperartsy weekend - how I wish I could have gone to one of them; I really must try to get to one next year.

Anyhow, I used Ferro in Iron, Viva metallic paints in Pistachio and Blue Azure with a dash of Gold to accent, some glimmer mist (I think it was Jazz Blue and Iridescent Gold) on the arch chipboard.  The clock was stamped on pearl metal, sprayed with glimmer mist again and stuck to a piece of grungepaper, mainly because it happened to be handy, but which does mean I can tweak and shape the wings.  I added a prima flower with a black rainbow drop for the centre, but having stuck it on I'm now not convinced it's the right thing. 

One Down - Lots to go!

Hi.  I've had a cold all week which although not very bad has blocked my mojo!  Anyhow, I started this a few days ago without intending it to be a Christmas card, until I decided I really had to get cracking with this year's cards.  I have used terra, black dabber paint and brushed corduroy for Rudolph.  The glimmer effect is a minimister filled with bronze perfect pearl and mustard seed reinker; the snowflakes (Inkadinkadoo) are stamped in scattered straw, not a traditional colour but tone with the card better.

A is for Apple!

I saw these Maya Road apple chip shapes (available here) after I saw Linda doing some fab things with them and had to have some.  They arrived last week but for some reason I couldn't settle on what I wanted to do first.  In the end I coloured them with spiced marmalade distress ink, overstamped with a Studio 490 background (gingham) in the same colour, and stamped another Studio 490 stamp in brushed corduroy and then covered it with a thin layer of Rock Candy distress paint.  Once that was dry I added a Paperartsy bird stamped on metal, and some bits and bobs!  Looking at it now the crackle is dry, the gingham background doesn't show up any more...

It fits with the theme for the new Alphabet challenge here where this time round you have to use something starting with the letter as the main theme.  I had some trouble scanning and uploading it, it looks a bit wonky!

Squashed Metal

Yesterday I was just trying to remember how Lin did the metalwork on a demo she gave me at Ally Pally and was getting in a muddle with it, when lo and behold! Leandra posted a step by step guide to just that!  So I was able to have another go, here is the result.  It's not as neat as Leandra's but it's much better than what I'd managed before her post!

I've used another stamp from one of her Ding and Dong sets and sprayed it with glimmer mists - cinnamon, and a couple of gold ones.

I've also managed to clean off the leaking glossy accents from the scanner bed...thought it had stopped oozing, lol!

Tick Tock chip

Carrying on with the clocks here, have coloured the chipboard with walnut stain, brushed corduroy and vintage photo, a quick spritz of marshmallow glimmer spray. I stamped the clocks and then added the metal clock (from a Ding and Dong plate) and the four squares were left over from a previous project.

Mum's Birthday

It's my Mum's 86th birrhday on the 16th and whilst she won't want to be reminded of passing time, I couldn't resist using some more of the Paperartsy clocks stamps. I wanted to get the card done early to make sure it arrives in the post on time as I won't be able to get down to see her.
I've used Terra and Ferro and some glimmer mist again here.

Altered Frame

This is my first altered piece!  I started yesterday by covering the frame in white gesso then 3 coats of Claudine Hellmuth paint (sky blue) .  The stamp is from a Tim Holtz plate and the sentiment Wendy Vecchi.  The paper flowers are prima , I went for this lime green for contrast as all the other colours I tried looked wrong, and I found a brad the right colour blue in my stash.  The dragonfly was in a pack I've had for years and found last week when I was having a sort out.  I have sprayed it with glimmer mists, using jazz blue, irridescent gold and then moss green to try and get the shade I was looking for.  As I haven't found a little photo for the middle yet, I cuttlebugged a piece of metal with "tiny bubbles" to fill the centre.

Christmas Fairy

This is a version of the card I made for my friend Michelle (she did love it!) on the more tradiitonal Christmas theme.  The ink is dusty concord and her wings are coloured with a 3d gel pen and then Rock Candy distress stickles, the dress with a pink gel pen.  The snowflake is from Inkadinkado's Snowflakes-a-plenty set which I think I am going to love this year...  I will put it on a card later and it will be my first of this year's Christmas cards.

I think it may qualify for the Gingersnap Creations "bling" challenge which is just about to close. I just hope the glitter dries quickly enough for me to load the image! I'm going to go and try to prise the glitter off my fingers from where I "tested" whether it was dry yet - it wasn't LOL.

EDIT - Sunday 11th - Hels has a new Sunday Stampers challenge - circles - so I've put it forward there too.