WOYWW 156 - the anniversary edition!

Morning and happy Wednesday to you - but not just any Wednesday - it's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, the anniversary edition!  Amazingly, the brainchild of Julia is 3 years old today! For 3 years we've been gathering - looking - snooping - at the desks and other places we create.

Julia, we salute you and thank you - and hopefully you are enjoying Spain! So, this isn't going to be a particularly short post sorry!  Surprise, I have some new stash - some goodies I treated myself to - and a blog giveaway win!

 these I treated myself to - Blossom Bucket embellishments, designed by Wendy Vecchi - and some Dina Wakley stamps - and my WOYWW badge ( well, it had to make an appearance today!!- and my anniversary ATC ready to wend it's way to someone!) There's a "spare" for Julia too...

 This is my blog win - the uber talented and recently Ranger University educated Kaz had a giveaway recently and I was picked at random to win this set of Dylusions stamps - and she sent the fab tag you can see, too. Thanks again, Kaz!  If you don't know her blog, check it out, she makes some amazing things!

Also and finally (thank goodness you cry!) it's time for Dragons-Dream Tag it On again - this time, Sue is setting the recipe is "To Dye For" and to use dies, spray inks and embossing (either heat or dry).

I used some Dylusion sprays on my tag - this is a second generation tag, one I used to "blot" the sprays on the original, so it's slightly less intensely coloured - used the pink and the yellow - and then embossed it in Tim Holtz's brick texture fade.  I die cut some rosettes with coredinations paper and cut some coffee stirers to make the stems The leaves (Dylusions stamps) on the tag are stamped in seedless preserves DI and the sentiment is one of Tim's

The embossed tag.   Looks like I added some white to it - that'll be picket fence distress stain then!

Compendium Challenge 7

This week, Linda is setting the Compendium of Curiosities challenge from page 49 of Tim's volume 2. Brushless Watercolour was a fabulous one to do from the Creative Chemistry class so I was delighted to have another go.

I made two birthday cards because I was having so much fun, with this one! Check out the book for details of how to produce wonderful effects with distress stains or inks (I used inks today - from the new limited edition)

 I used the same stamp Stampington's Poppy Pods both times, and peacock feathers for this one, with a plain base card smudged with the same ink, and some toning ribbons.

The Happy Birthday is from Penny Black, I just tore it in half to fit it on the card!

and in shaded lilac - love how the water has taken some of the lilac out and it looks blue in places!

Mounted this one on a lilac textured card base (Craftwork Cards a UK company)

Not sure who makes the banner stamp, I've put it away and it's too tricky to get it back out to check!

Linda has kindly been offered a weekly prize by electic paperie  for one lucky winner each challenge, a $25 gift certificate, so grab your Volume 2 and have a go!  And thanks to the sponsor too!

Ok, need to grab some lunch and settle down for the Grand Prix from Monaco, so got to scoot!

WOYWW 155

Hello again - welcome to another Wednesday desk snoop, brainchild of Julia at the Stamping Ground where 150 plus nosy crafters meet to see what and where we work.

I do have some new stash to share (there's a surprise!) but not as much as I thought - some more on the way... some pretty paper (and card blanks) from Craftwork cards.... and some little bits and pieces from the Artistic Stamper - a metal tag, an empty vaseline tin and a little spool thingy that Jennie found in France - no idea what I'll do with them yet but they were too good to pass on....

And it's also challenge time at the yahoo group Everything Wendy Vecchi  where Lori challenges us to make something inspired by Wendy - this time from her 3rd book page 36 - Wendy's original was an ATC but we are to make a tag, using a house - and of course, at least one Wendy Vecchi stamp.  I have used Dylusions sprays and apart from the house (Paperbag Studio) all stamps are Wendy's - I used Clearly for Art (whiteout) for the butterflies which I coloured with the new distress colours.  I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I cut down inside the door to prise it slightly ajar....hinting at something inside!

So next week is the big 3rd anniversary of WOYWW - can't wait!! Till then, have a great day and show us what you've been doing.....

Compendium vol 2 - challenge 6

Ideas seem to have deserted me this weekend, and there was so much I wanted to do... Anyhow, the latest challenge hosted by Linda from the Compendium of Curiosities volume 2, is Tissue Wrap Collage - page 38
I can't tell you the details, check out the book (available at all good craftshops but also from Tim here 

My paint dabbers are very dried up - and so are my baby wipes - and my tissue wrap didn't wrinkle enough... but apart from that I like this technique!!

The heart I used is the free cover stamp from Craft Stamper magazine a while ago and I love this heart...

This week's challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie's Boutique

Killer Queen - SS 205

Hels' Sunday Stamper challenge features one of my all time favourite bands - Queen - and the theme Queens and Crowns and I couldn't let it pass without entering. So here at the 10th,if not the 11th,hour is a tag!  I was lucky enough to see Queen once, as a 16 year old at the Hammersmith Odeon Christmas Eve concert... think I may have mentioned this before!! it was 1975.... oh Freddie....Look at the ticket price!! £2.50-     £2.50!!!!!
Sorry, where was I?

I started with Dylusions sprays - the turquoise and purple - blotting the main tag with a second spare one for late.
I sponged some white paperartsy paint through the Dylusion alphabet stencil randomly over the tag.

Then I stamped the Dina Wakley figure on a piece of white card and blended some DI's (peacock feathers and seedless preserves0 over it.

Wrote "Queen for a day" on a piece of scrap and cut it out.

the crown is Tim's stamp, on grungepaper and coloured with saffron archival ink and sprayed with the yellow Dylusion spray.

Anyhow, with this nostalgia-fest, I will leave you!

I am also entering this to the Simon Says Stamp and Show, theme is 'anything goes'- and with Freddie, anything definitely went!
They are sponsored for one lucky winner.by Simon Says Stamp with a $50 voucher.










Oh, and this is me with my friends, before we went out... I can't believe we went out like that to a Queen concert - how innocent we were! jeans and jumpers - jumpers!!! That's me in the middle, with the bottle...and that's my Kevin Keegan fanclub poster on my bedroom wall behind me. Told you I'd been a Liverpool fan for donkeys years...

TIO 116 - A Symphony of Flowers

Hello, and welcome to another challenge from Dragon's Dream -tag it on.  My turn to produce a recipe this time, and I challenge you with a "symphony of flowers"

Your ingredients are: A pinch of greenery; some buttons and a butterfly or two.  You can interpret this recipe any way you like, as long as you make us a tag, use at least one real stamp and have lots of fun!  Here is my floral tag.

 I used Dylusions sprays on my tag base, various stencils and pan pastels; then stamped Wendy Vecchi's small flower from 'accents for art' set (I LOVE this set!) several times.

Then I stamped the both flowers from the same set onto Clearly for Art - I used the 'white out' version for the larger one, then coloured it with archival ink, fixing some buttons in the centre and heating it to bend the petals.  

For the smaller flower, I stamped it onto a piece of paper from one of Tim's paper stacks and stuck it to the clear, Clearly for Art and finished as for the larger flower.

 Stamped the butterflies with gold dabber paint onto black Clearly for Art and cut out and heated to shape.

 Added fibres and ribbons

and a Wendy Vecchi sentiment on a scrap of cardstock.

Do head over to DragonsDream to see what the rest of the DT have produced - there are some cracking tags!! And please join in... we'd love to see you!

WOYWW 154

Hello, to WOYWW week 154!  If for some reason you don't know WOYWW (what's on your workdesk Wednesday?) check out Julia's blog here for the links and info.

For a change I've been shopping....some core'dinations paper stacks. (Thanks, Julia for the tip you left yesterday after I'd played with this!) And there is some more stash on the way.... oops! Show you next week!

So cos there isn't much happening on my desk today (can't help calling it a desk!) I'll share the aerial shot of the mess next to where I kneel to work - all my favourite things within reach!!

Anyhow I'll keep it short today and let you get round the desks. I made it to quite a lot last week, and thank you for all your visits and comments too.

if you're passing later there will be a new Tag it On challenge from Dragons-Dream.

Home Sweet Home

I took delivery of some Core-dinations paper stacks today and so had to try them out....

I started by die-cutting a paper rosette in scattered straw to make a sun, and the row of houses from brushed corduroy.

I stamped the three houses (Paperbag Studios) on a piece of white card and sponged some sky (stormy sky) round them. Added some colour to the houses (iced spruce and antique linen)

Mounted it on a piece of black card and the whole to a large 8x8 card blank and wrote Home Sweet Home with a dipping nib and india ink.

On first play with the core-dinations paper I think the darker colours sand down better than the pale ones.   But I have lots to try out!!  It doesn't help that I had to use the flash either..

A Busy Day

I have two things for you today for two different challenges.
First up, Friday saw the latest Compendium of Curiosities Challenge - the delightful and very talented Linda Ledbetter hosting this challenge again based on Tim's second volume of lusciousness.  This week for challenge 5 we are doing "stattered stains" (page 48) which I loved when I did this in Tim's online Creative Chemistry course.

I made a card (the eagle-eyed of you may recognise the red tissue that I fixed to the card as the packaging from Art From the Heart

 I used the criss-cross stamp from Tim's mixed media set, rolling it to get a partial image on the paper, and also on the sentiment which is Tim's, and stamped on a scrap.

The heart that I used for the technique is Wendy's stamped and cut out of grungeboard. I used distress stains fired brick, spiced marmalade, mustard seed and faded jeans.

close up of the heart. This is SUCH a fun technique.  This week the Compendium is challenged by Simon Says Stamp - so good luck to one lucky winner!









My second challenge today is for Artful Times   Challenge 4 is Von's choice - 'birds'.

I decided on an ATC and (shock, used distress inks, and a stamp of Tim's, a sentiment of Wendy's and a stencil from Dy.. I used some picket fence distress stain in the middle of the atc to highlight the bird (which is the small one from the QVC special from a couple of years ago)  I finished it with a few real bird feathers from a pile I've had saved for years and years - my late Dad collected me a load and these are the first I've used.


Now, it's the last day of the Premiership football season (soccer if you prefer) and I need to watch the tv.... catch you later!

EWV - ATC Wendy style

The new challenge at the yahoo group EWV is to create an ATC 'Wendy' style - based on the one in Wendy's book III page 20.

I used the background stamp from 'accents for art' which I hadn't inked until tonight - but I am liking it a lot!! I used distress inks in wild honey and what I thought was rusty hinge but turned out to be pumice stone cos I'd got the lids mixed up.... but I like it!!   The flash doesn't do it justice, sadly.

 The flowers are from 'she created art' and I love them. I coloured the grungepaper with rusty hinge (really, this time!) and the butterfly is wild honey, spritzed with perfect pearl spray for some shimmer, and I used some old pearls for the body.

If you love Wendy's style, why don't you check out the yahoo group and join us? it's lots of fun.

WOYWW 153

Hmmm - Wednesday again!! Another WOYWW - my ATC is done (I think!) ready for the anniversary in 3 weeks time... Welcome to my workdesk on what may be a fine sunny Wednesday but in probability will be dull and wet again!!

Tuesday night when I took these photos saw me working in my journal again - Paperartsy Fresco paints in moonlight and pansy (yes, I'm still in a purple phase!) and stamping with seedless preserves distress ink. Stamps are by Stampendous and I haven't used them for ages and ages!

I'll finish this off tomorrow!

There is also a sneak peak of a DT piece I'm working on - so had to hide that with the stencil.... and my latest toys, the fab new distress inks. I LOVE these new colours.

I was going to say I hadn't got anything new to show you - but have just disproved that statement!!!

The grungepaper flower is waiting for something suitable to use it on! As are the butterflies.

Hope you have a good Wednesday and I'll catch as many of you as I can. Till then, happy WOYWW!

Show your favourite stamp?

is the latest challenge from Simon Says - and having literally just got yesterday's entry in in time for last week's challenge, I thought I'd better get this done early!!

However, deciding on my favourite stamp isn't easy.... but I adore the background stamp from Tim Holtz's "Papillon" set so that's it (today!) My colour choice is also allowing me to enter this to Hels' Sunday Stampers challenge "blue and brown"

I had another go at the marbled stains technique for the background on my tag - using picket fence, faded jeans and broken china stains - and then stamped the background with the new peacock feathers ink pad (such a gorgeous colour!)

I stamped the row of butterflies from the same stamp set and cut them out - just used the largest one several times, and one of the others - painting them with distress inks and a paintbrush.
I used the new squeezed lemonade and shaded lilac, with some shading of mustard seed, faded jeans and dusty concord.

Finally shaded some flower trim with walnut stain ink and some brown ribbon.

'fly' comes from part of one of Wendy Vecchi's stamps.

I drew the butterfly antennae on with a black pen, as it's less fiddly than cutting them out!

Kaleidoscope of Colour

I know, another post already!

This week, Linda and her talented team are showing colour and lots of it, over at Simon Says Stamp and Show - and ask us to join in.  So, I took my fabulous Dylusion sprays and stencils and my journal.....

I've used distress inks for the stencilling - walnut stain for the letters, and seedless preserves for the border.
I really need the rest of the sprays now!!! (may just have to go shopping...)

Compendium of Curiosities 2, challenge 4

On Friday, Linda published her latest challenge from the 2nd volume of Curiosities (available from Tim here)
The technique is called Faded Layers and is on page 43 - can't tell you more, you'll need to check the book!

This is my second effort as the first one didn't come out how I wanted and I'm still not sure! If I get time before next week I may try again....

 I used the new shaded lilac (fast becoming a favourite!) bundled sage and vintage velvet, with pumice stone for the over inking.

Thanks Linda for hosting another great challenge - despite my frustrated efforts I enjoyed this one!!

An unexpected afternoon off

I was given the afternoon off today, quite unexpectedly so it meant I had time to play - and it had to be with the new spring edition distress inks again. First off I was asked by a twitter friend Anna, to use the purple again. I made some ATC's:

 The one on the left is shaded lilac onto the atc, then the circles (crafters workshop template) are seedless preserves.  The bird and the text are stamped on white card which I coloured with shaded lilac under a light layer of peacock feathers - love this colour!!
The ATC on the right is coloured with the same two inks, only the blue is underneath (and it's a cream coloured atc blank not plain white) and I threw some drops of water at it.   Apart from "she flew" (Wendy Vecchi) all stamps are by Paperartsy.

 Then I used the squeezed lemonade ink onto a tag, shaded the edges with the lilac which blends to a bluey greeny colour. which I quite liked - but then I used Dyan's luscious leaves stencil with the peacock feathers and it's hidden most of the other colour!

The Paperartsy stamp is stamped onto one of their kraft paper bags that I brought home some show stash in, I added a few touches of twinkling h2o's on the label and the dragonfly, not sure how well it shows up.

This is a journal page I started yesterday, first used Dyan's alphabet stencil with the lemonade ink (it is very pale on the page) added the same leaves as above - inks are iced spruce and bumping done with evergreen bough. The flower stencil has wild honey.

The Paperartsy stamp was done in black archival and I've added pan pastels for some colour blending.

Finally, I was taking a break and got up to make a cup of tea, when I saw this chap in my downstairs neighbour's garden, typically he turned as I took the picture and by the time I got to a different window to try again, he'd gone!! They are as bold as brass, aren't they, urban foxes!!

A Purple Passion for Paperartsy

The title of this post is a bit of a laugh, because Leandra (Mrs Paperartsy) doesn't like purple and we like to tease her on twitter... however, I was keen to carry on playing with my new distress inks - this time I've just used the shaded lilac one (with a bit of dusty concord for contrast)

Anyhow, I made a tag.... all stamps are by Paperartsy (for which I have a passion!)

I started by smooshing the  shaded lilac ink onto my craft sheet and spritzed it with water, then dragged the tag through it several times - it is a very pale colour this way of using it, (but has a very dreamlike quality to it); so I also inked the edges of the tag with my blending tool.

Stamped the flower several times over the tag with dusty concord, spritzing with water for a faded, watercolour effect.

Roughed up the edges with the paper distresser, and inked the edge of tag with black soot distress ink.

 The flash bounces a bit, but as it's pitch dark there's not a lot I can do...






Finished off with a Paperartsy moth stamped in black archival on silver metal on card (also Paperartsy) but the flash in the top photo makes it look a coppery colour, the one below sort of shows it's true colour!

I finished the journal page..

that was on my "desk" for WOYWW.

 this is how I left it yesterday...

 and this is it, finished (probably!)  I added the spiral  (free from the Craft Stamper for June, courtesy of the Artistic Stamper) and it's a fab spiral!!

the sentiments are stamped on scrap of white cardstock, and edged with the new peacock feathers spring distress ink.................

 which arrived with me today!!! These pics show them on a manilla tag, and white cardstock....LOVELY colours...

and this is my finished tag.
stamps by Tim Holtz (of course!)

I know this will be my THIRD post today, but - there you go!!
I had to use these new inks, didn't I!

Behind the Mask - DD Tag It On

Hello and welcome to another round of challenges from Dragons' Dream. Thanks for playing along in our Secret Garden last time.  This time for your tags, we are setting you recipes and our teamie Elizabeth, has given us this one:  Stencils, paint and script.  You have to do a tag, and you must use at least one real stamp and the ingredients - but other than that - get cooking!

 These are my ingredients - tag, Crafters workshop 'brick wall' stencil, Paperartsy Fresco paint 'mocha mousse' Wendy Vecchi's running man (though he's climbing the wall here!) idea-ology from Tim Holtz. The script stamp is by 'a bird in the hand' and is still my favourite script.









I sponged the paint through the stencil with cut and dry foam, dried it and them placed the stencil back to mask it so I could stamp the script (the failed side is on the reverse where more script ended up on the mask rather than the tag!)

I then outlined the bricks with my white gel pen.

WOYWW 152

Happy WOYWW to you all - thanks for dropping by last week. I've had quite a busy week craft-wise and have been playing around in my journal again (see previous post). It's also the day for our next Dragons-Dream Tag it On challenge - but you'll have to come back later to see that one!

So, what do I have to share with you today? No Distress Spring inks cos they are in transit to me as we speak.. but I can't wait to get them - what gorgeous colours they look! No Altered Book homework (again!) as it is still no further ahead than the last peak...oops!

I had Tuesday off work to wait for British Gas to come and do my annual boiler service - cue "it's getting old the parts are hard to get we recommend you get a new one" speech... so I had some time to play...

A partly done journal spread - and if you look closely you MAY see a WOYWW anniversary ATC that I started today - but it's shy and in hiding!!

Methinks I need to re-organise my die storage box - this is down by the sofa, in the doorway and in the way full stop! also it's over full (hence the handful as I try and find the one I want... it's always the last one I check as I usually forget to store then name upwards in their packaging!


So, have a good Wednesday (or whatever day you get here) surfing the craft spaces of the known universe.