WOYWW 134 - Over already!

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!

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!

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.