Tag it On - Dragons Dream

Good afternoon and welcome to another fortnightly challenge from the DragonsDream Team. This time, for our final numbers challenge, the supremely talented Julie Ann would like us to use 4 in/on our tag. Don't forget you also have to use one real stamp.

I was going to cut my tag into the shape of a 4 but in the end went off on a different tangent.
My base tag was a reject from an earlier numbers tag, so I can't quite remember what went on!!

 there are various layers of number stamps and paint, and I stamped and embossed the teasel in the centre of the card.

I added some more of the teasels and the solid flower from the same set (ELB22)  and stamped some 4's and a circle round them

in my stash I found a wooden counter with a 4 on it which I glued into the centre of one of the circles and added some ribbon.

It needed a word or some writing, so added "believe" too.

Hope that some more of you will join in with this challenge, it doesn't seem to have been very popular, so next time there'll be something different!

WOYWW 330 - not a lot going on..

So, it's Wednesday again (or will be by the time you read this!) and time to share our crafty working spaces at Julia's the Stamping Ground and there's not a lot happening on my crafty space on the floor (there probably should be, but there isn't!)  Also, it's somehow very nearly blooming October (like tomorrow) and not a sign of Christmas card production having started, guess I'd better do something about that before long too...

So as there's not a lot to see, I took the photo from a different angle- from just in front of the window.  You can see the gap between the sofa and my craft mat where I kneel to work.. not much room is there?!  in the foreground,  the cushions are on the stool I sit on at the computer,  then the boxes that surround the working space.. getting very untidy, they need a good sort out! Then, to the right of the craft mat (at the top of the photo) are my boxes of Fresco paints, and  my most used stamps - my Paperartsy plates, piled high now, (the box is full, so there's another pile on top of my Tim Holtz and Wendy Vecchi stamps - I need another box for them!
The Ikea boxes lined against the wall are all full of my wooden stamps....

I counted the stamps the other day (from the index I keep in a ring binder... not from the stamps themselves. that would have been impossible..) after a conversation on twitter -  there were a lot... especially when you know I list the plates or sets as one entry .. the total came to.... 1877.. that's a lot of stamps.. and a hell of a lot of money!  It's no wonder there isn't much space left for me!

So, having shamed myself  (I am not really ashamed, I love them all!) share what you've been up to and I'll stop by later!

Paperartsy - Pigment Powders - challenge 17

The latest Paperartsy challenge is to use pigment powders, and time is running out - it closes at 5pm tonight!
There have been some fabulous projects from the guests, I particularly liked Catherine's clean and simple cards  and Kay's garden of dreams both of which inspired me, although this is not really like either!

 I decided to have a little play with the Bistre powders I bought last week at Ally Pally, on some watercolour paper

I didn't buy all the colours, and have used mahogany, blue and natural here. I spritzed first and then added a little of the powders randomly, and let them drip down (or up!) before drying

 I decided to use them dripping down, and stamped the flowers (JoFY33) approximately over the colours
I put a couple of crystals of the mahogany and blue separately on the craft mat and added some water to mix, and then painted in some of the flowers to fill them out a little.

for the leaves at the bottom, I stamped and then painted the leaves with water, then dripped some Leaf Green Brusho into the leaves, and painted them out.

I stamped the text (ESN14) on a separate piece of watercolour paper and tore out, wet the paint brush and dipped it straight into the blue Bistre pot, to stick the powder to the brush, and then painted the torn edges, so you get a really intense pop of colour.

I finished by mounting it on a piece of black card.

I like the much more grungy colours to the Bistres, and have noticed that some of them are quite fine powders, whilst others are more crystally (if that's a word!)

Entering the Paperartsy challenge here

WOYWW 329 another post show haul

Happy Wednesday deskers!  Time to link up with Julia once again and share our crafty spaces...

so this is the pile of goodies I bought on Saturday and Sunday at Ally Pally... before I did my demonstration stint.. which went well and I really enjoyed it (read about it and see the pics here if you haven't already, together with a better look at what I bought!)

Day two (Sunday) at Ally Pally involved just a mooch around and a smaller stash haul.. (yes, I did get more on Sunday.. well there's always something else you decide you need!)

This is the workspace late Tuesday evening, taken from a funny angle sitting on the sofa.. when I should be making tags and atcs for a swap due this weekend... theme is resist techniques, and I'm struggling..  The atc that looks black is actually Hickory Smoke distress over clear embossed stencilled raindrops.. and I don't know what's happening with it next!

the journal is open at a page (the one on the right)  I was experimenting with the Bistre powders I bought on Saturday - they're a bit like Brushos, but more grungy colours, all having a brown base note to them... as you can see, not done a lot with them yet!

Thanks for stopping by.  It's great to read that Shaz is making a good recovery now from her major operation, Shaz - we hope you get home soon!

Ally Pally day two

So, despite engineering works on the railways and having to get a train that took twice as long as normal to get up to London, going a long way round, off I went for day two... no nerves this time,as I was just spectating!

it was a beautiful, sunny warm morning - but very misty over London - Alexandra Palace is one of the highest spots in London (hence the siting of the television mast in the 1920's when the BBC tv started) and on a clear day you can see for miles (in fact you could by the time I left after the mist/fog had cleared)

 even in the mist, you get quite a good view, and it's a lovely one!










Today's guest demonstrators were Jo Myhill and Deborah Wainwright..

 First up, Jo, working on fabric with image transfers.. here are her BEAUTIFUL samples she brought

 here she is explaining how to do the image transfers.. I made notes but still not sure I got it all..

 layering up with lace and bits..

 and her finished result.  gorgeous, Jo!!

She did several more, during the day, which were all fabulous.

 Leandra was stencilling grunge paste through stencils to try the bistre powders

as seen here in the background, think I forgot to photograph a few stages!  The hotpick flowers on top are also on a bistre background

 then a lady was asking about the clear tar gel and if you could use it through stencils... so Leandra mixed some up with Professor Plum paint-  and had a go!

it does take a while to dry though.

then, on to more tags - demonstrating the difference between applying paint with a brayer (tag on left) and a brush (on the right)

 lots of layers of colour!

 Then it was Debs' turn

 Jo's still going, lol!

Lin watching intently!

 Debs was playing   working with gels and mediums and the bistres.

 Jo eventually cleared up  and finished her demonstration!!
never seen her workspace so tidy... (sorry Jo!)



it was great to see Cindy and Margaret too, today, even if you escaped the camera!

and I know I did say I wouldn't buy anything today..


well not much! some chipboard twiddly flourishy bits, another big heart, a couple more pots of bistres and stencils...

 aerial shot, you can probably see a bit better in this one

Chris, you wanted a close up of the wooden bits - think you probably meant the trees?  we did a make and take with Courtney, (the one on the left,  - obviously!) so I bought a couple more to make a little forest... well copse, 3 doesn't make a forest, does it!

but the hearts are gorgeous too.

Now of course the weekend is practically over and I don't have time to play.... !

Elizabeth,you mentioned in your comment hearing that this was the biggest show in England ... well, it's not really, certainly not any more, and by the time I did my demo a lot of people had gone and I was left "playing" to mostly friends!!

Julia - I wasn't serious all the time, honest... look I found some more pics of yesterday..

see, I was laughing!

Ally Pally - and a demo'ing debut

Just got home and had dinner, from a great day at Ally Pally (not even put my feet up yet, that's dedication for you!)

Had a great time demo'ing for Leandra and Paperartsy, even if I did feel sick before I started.. but it was great... we'll start at the beginning though!

 Leandra demo'ing with the Bistre powders... yes, bought some...

 an early PAtwit tea break.. l to r  Jo, Alison, Hazel, Claire, Lucy and Julie Ann.   Lin was hiding and we'd lost Kirsten...

 the gorgeous old organ at the end of the hall

 the lovely and uber-talented Alison Bomber (probably a mistake to watch before I had my turn...)

 she was doing fab things with embossing and Hot Picks..

 Hugo was making his debut too, first time at a show. Courtney was having a quick demo herself..

 Alison was up after Alison B.. doing some fab tags

 the watching Twits!

 then it was my turn... tissue masterboard with the new Limited Edition Frescos.. thanks to Kirsten for taking all these whilst I was otherwise occupied!

 Lucy, Julie Ann and Sarah watching me

 Emma was demo'ing next to me, and Claire is looking through my journal

some sample tags I took with me

Lucy is being my glamorous assistant, holding a wooden heart which I'd painted, whilst it dried..

 then I tore up my tissue background and glued it onto the heart (thanks for the idea, Lin, it worked a treat!) think this is the quickest I've ever used anything I've bought at a show, lol!!

 Heart finished, it was onto some more tags..

 Emma was still working next to me, unfortunately I didn't really get to see what she was doing! Bistres were involved though!

 I took control of the camera, and took this shot of the girls from the demo side of the desk!

Oh, and YES it was very odd working standing up...

 final tag I made with some leftover paint, and Darcy's snowman .. I gave this one to Jo.

 then it was off to the pub for a drink (much needed) I didn't notice Kirsten with her tongue out!!  Lauren Hatwell is next to Lin - was great to meet her too.

 then home, and unpacked... these are the tags I took with me - together with a candle I'd decorated with stamped tissue and Darcy's stamps.

 the demos from today

 may have to get some more of these hearts!

and some goodies...

and some more...
Won't be spending (probably) tomorrow... will just be watching Sunday's demo'ers!!

Thanks girls for your encouragement, and Lin, I really hope the video didn't work.... it was great fun - so a big thanks to Leandra for giving me the opportunity to do this!