Thursday 31 January 2008

Wednesday Stamper - Charms


This week the theme over at WS is charms. I made this key/bag chain. It took all of yesterday to dry as I covered it with dimension glaze. (Anitas works best for me & is the right price) I stamped two of my favourite Craft Individuals girl images & glued them back to back. Coloured them in with distress inks & then coated them in glaze after adding the jump ring & keyring. I added a tiny bit of fake solder to all the edges to give it a finished look but kept it light.

A Maze Book


As I am so busy packing I don't have any craft work done to show until later tonight when my WS project is dry enough. So here is a mazebook I made at Xmas for a January birthday. I didn't take detailed shots as it was for someone elses relatives.

Wednesday 30 January 2008

Paper08 - The Smaller Picture

The Paper08 challenge this week is telling us to take a look at the smaller picture. It says we all think we should be looking at the bigger picture. Well I for one don't! I am a person who lives for all the small moments & the happy times because life has dealt me a bag of crap & I've had to learn how to make the best of it. Here is my page. The photo isn't good as it is old & taken with an old 110 camera. But this journal is about me & for me so it doesn't matter if people can't really see the detail. I have half done my Wednesday Stamper project but am waiting on it drying before I can complete the second side. Hope to share tomorrow but its my last day home so will want some quiet time to myself to coplete my packing. I intend to enjoy myself, this has cost me over £200 & I had to spend my xmas present money to be able to go.
Good news today, my team mate Nic gave birth, yesterday, to a beautiful healthy 7lb 2oz daughter, Isabella Jane. Congratulations Nic & Ian. We shall miss her as she can't attend the retreat but has far more precious things to take care of.
front
back


Tuesday 29 January 2008

Arty Girlz - Pockets

This week's theme over on Arty Girlz is pockets. I am pushed for time this week & might not get my usual challenges done. I go away on Friday for a Scrap Retreat & still have to go to work until Thursday evening. I began making this card some time ago & then it got put to one side. It was my full intention for this to be an Autumn birthday but it got "lost" in my piles of paper & inks & I only discovered it last week after a good clear up!!! As it fits the theme of pockets I decided to complete it instead of trying to come up with something else when 3/4's of all my craft materials are packed & ready to go!!!!
The only thing left to pack is my bear, Spencer. He is very excited about out little trip, but it won't be quite as big & grand as the Castle in October 2006. It is however a very large farmhouse with landscaped grounds & a stream running through. So he will hear nothing but birds & gentle running water. Oh, & 9 women laughing & having a great time......
hmmm! I must check if he's sure he still wants to come???



Monday 28 January 2008

TMTA - Geometric

Very quick post tonight. I'm late in from work as I had shopping to buy for the Team Retreat on Friday. I wanted to complete this ATC that I began in my lunch break but had hair to wash. Tea is almost cooked so here it is. The TMTA theme this week is Geometric. I used an off-cut piece of my distress inks background, see below for technique I use as it works for me best. (colours Brushed Courdroy, Fired Brick & Tattered Rose) Then i took my MM eyelet setter & punched intertwining circles to represent the ring of friendship. I stamped the CI image onto separate card & coloured with distress inks. Then mounted onto plain ATC sized card so the circles would show up better. It looks effective but boy, those circles were hard on the hands!!

On a very sad note, my workmate & good friend, (for this read partner in crime) Louise lost her grandfather today. He has been ill for some time & he slipped away at lunch time.


Birthday Card

Two of my team mates had birthdays this weekend. Pauline's was on Friday & her card is several posts down. I made it for a challenge on 18th Jan for sketches {by Tamara}. The one below is Rachel's. Her birthday was yesterday. I have had this 12x12 paper for ages & didn't know what to do with it so made up a black blank card & used a quarter of it. I inked & embossed the oval & stamped the words & corner decoration to finish it off. The inside is also stamped but it was too dark to get decent photos.
Migraines have kept me away from the computer most of the weekend. I have been trying to rest my eyes as they feel strained from sitting 6 hours a day on a computer at work!

Saturday 26 January 2008

4x4 Friday -Open Theme

The theme was left open for this week's 4x4 friday. I decided to make my own background for this sweet girl image I bought. I thought this 4in square would go nicely on a 5in card blank & could be used for a Mother's Day card. Although it will have to be for someone else to send with me not having a mother. I also used my distress inks to colour the photo as I saw on a Tim Holtz DVD. I thought the pale lemon flowers looked dull.

The background was made similar to my other pieces. I add my distress inks to the card on damp kitchen towel swirling them into one another & then I spritz them with a little water to get them to puddle & bleed into one another. Using more kitchen towel I blot the excess water & leave a mottle effect where I press the towel firmer on the piece. I use my heat gun to dry it off & then its ready to decorate.
Colours used; Peeled Paint, Tattered Rose & Spiced Marmalade.
I used an old plastic business card to add the Stazon timber brown lines to give it an old film look. I stamped script down one edge in Peeled paint & the flourish at the top. The flower is stamped over the top of the script & the petals coloured in faintly with some Royal Blue Versamark ink.
I like the fact that no matter how many times you use the same colours they always look different.

Friday 25 January 2008

Sketches {by Tamara} card sketch#28

The latest sketch over at Tamara's blog got me out of my box! I struggled to come up with something different to embellish the card front. The edges of the top paper are wavy but the plain paper is stronger in natural light than it looks when putting the card together last night.
I am very pleased with the bow as I made it myself & normally they are just so fiddly!
Papers are BG Lily Kate. Frame the flowers are in was cut first using 2in punch & then a 1in punch to give the circle one end thinner than the other. I had the image of a shallow basket in my mind when I decided on this piece to act as a frame. I could of course cut one end & have a moon shape for something else! Flower is Scrapfairies, Chipboard flower BG, & tiny button?? can't remember where I got them. Two green flowers from Got Flowers. Computer generated greeting. All the edges of the card are inked in Versamagic Wheat, though you probably can't see on this picture. I took it without flash as it went to acid using false light.

Thursday 24 January 2008

Theme Thursday - Celestial

Theme Thursday this week is Celestial. What does Celestial mean to you, because to me it isn't just moon & stars, but signs of the zodiac & angels. I decided on angels with time being short. This is my first altered jigsaw piece. Well, altered in a vintage manner anyhow. I've altered many pieces to add to minibooks & cards. I used Faded Jeans distress ink, Brilliance Red/Gold & an angels image from CI stamped onto card using archival black ink. Script is also CI.
If you want to see some stunning altered puzzle pieces, then go view my forum friend's blog, Alcoholinky, these are fabulous!
I would love to have a go at more of these once I have broadened my collection of background stamps. That is one of my goals for 2008!

Wednesday 23 January 2008

A card & Paper08 - Freeze It!

First I have this card to share. I made it for my very dear friend, Joy. She spent all last week in hospital & I only got to know after she got home. So instead of a Get Well card I made a Friends cheer up card. The background is made using distress inks, Peeled paint, Faded Jeans & spiced Marmalade using the same technique I used on Monday to achieve a watercolour effect. The image, from Crafty Individuals was stamped over the top in my two favourite shades, Eggplant & Tea leaves. Word friends is from CI too.

Below is my page for paper08, Freeze It!


I froze a day in time that wasn't a working day. I know exactly what I would be doing on such a day & wanted to capture a special day. Paper is 7Gypsies. I had a massage & spent time crafting. I read friends blogs & enjoyed nice meals & plenty of relaxation in front ot the telly!

As I am going away in a week for a Scrapping Retreat, I have not done the Wednesday Stamper challenge. I can't undertake anything that requires a lot of time. I have stuff to make to take with me & preparations need to begin very soon! I have to plan what I will need as I can't take it all!!

Arty Girlz - Animals

I made this card for someone two days ago as a commission. Her friend is going through a rough patch & she wanted a cute card to send her some well needed TLC. I make stuff like this all the time but rarely do I ever blog them as they are not the sort of thing I want my blog to have displayed.
I want to keep my blog feminine, with stylish florals & vintage pieces as I explore more with mixed media.
However, time is short this week & I haven't done the Arty Girlz challenge. This sort of fits the bill, it is a cat. The mice are stamped all around the inside. She loved it, can't say I do much. But when they pay you can't complain they fund the rest of my hobby & they say the customer is always right!
Stamps are a set I have had for ages but can't remember as I threw the box away. Paper is just some offcut from my scraps box.


Tuesday 22 January 2008

Caardvarks - Blue or Celestial

I am quite disappointed with this picture. The light is poor & the papers look more purple than blue. I tried to tweak it a bit but the contrast went too dark. This is my entry for the latest Caardvark theme, Blue. I painted a sheet of text with gesso & stamped the Crafty Individuals image onto vellum. Once both were dry I roughly tore the text paper & fixed the image with blue eyelets. The corner stamp is Design Objectives.
I need to get some very dark blue ink other than my distress ink as I love blue. Papers are HOTP.

Monday 21 January 2008

TMTA - Winter in Blues


Fabulous theme this week to use blues for a Winter
ATC over on TMTA. My background is distress inks
Faded Jeans & tiny amounts of Dusty Concorde & Tattered Rose.
I used a variation on a technique I read in November's Craft Stamper.
Tree, Craft Individuals, is stamped in Faded Jeans. The ink is totally dry
but I like how it appears wet in places as it has settled on the background.
This has been added quite quick during my lunch break as the light is at its best through the rain clouds!!!

Saturday 19 January 2008

All About Eve - New Beginnings.

The first AAE challenge for 2008, is New Beginnings & the title of my layout is New Me.
Papers are all Basic grey, Lily Kate. My title is made from MM Cheeky Shimmer Stickers & Scenic Route alphabet stencils, Redmond white. I used the monogram piece of the M so that I could stamp it using my Honeysuckle stamp by Crafty Individuals (see posts below for details & other things made using this stamp) in my fav colours Versamagic chalk Tealeaves & Eggplant. I also stamped the Design Objective floral scroll in the top corner with the same colours. Pink ribbon is Papermania & the ribbon slide is MM. I also used a small portion of a green scroll & one word from the craft Indivduals stamp, Words. This was used on the Arty Girlz card several posts down. I had fun making this layout as its the first I've done since Christmas.
The text reads, This year I need to focus on a few changes. I want to be happy & to achieve this I need to lose weight & craft more...


Friday 18 January 2008

4x4 Friday - Winged People.

Fabulous theme this week of Winged People on 4x4 Friday. I used my favourite winged lady, CI & some of my fav floral stamps from See D's. Paper is BG Blush.

I am very pleased it is Friday as this week has dragged at work & I am so tired. I went out for lunch today & refuse to feel guilty about it as I haven't gained any weight this week, unlike last week when I went up 6lbs!!! At least staying the same is better & I need to push myself harder. I am finding it hard on only 1,200 Calories a day mind you!

Paper08 What Next?


Here is my page , late & almost never completed.
I have far too much on right now to be involved in
a project as detailed as I wanted it.
Once I get back from my team retreat after 4th Feb,
I might get back on track. I have had team CJ's to complete,
items to prepare for the retreat itself & of course a full time job to go to everyday.
Paper08, will be a great journal once I get myself into it. I just lack imagination
& aren't putting as much into the pages as I could. As the text says, I do want to learn more craft techniques this year & have fun doing it but right now I have to face & deal with my health issues. Forgetting about them won't make them go away. Tried that!

Sketches {by Tamara} card #27

This new card Sketch by Tamara was perfect for this card that I started a few days ago & then put to one side unfinished. Papers are MM. Flower, Scrapfairies. Ribbon, Papermania. Old shirt button for flower centre.
I printed the greeting from the computer & made the small ribbon plaque in coordinating paper from the same range. All edges inked with Rangers Distress Ink, Tattered Rose.

Thursday 17 January 2008

Theme Thursday - Stamped Backgrounds

This is my entry for this weeks' Theme Thursday. I used pale lemon/green paper from DCWV Far East & overstamped it in red & green with this Honeysuckle background stamp.
I then stamped some vellum & two tags in Script, in two shades. The tags are attached together with a pale lemon brad. I added the image I stamped of the Angel Child & a few Words cut from the rest of the piece I stamped to use for my Arty Girlz card. All stamps Crafty Individuals, click on their names to see the actual design. The one thing that I think is missing is a small flower in lemon on the tiny tags, but I can't find any for love nor money. I still have my page for paper08 to finish. I have to admit I lack the enthusiasm that i had doing Em Falconbridges' Deck of Me last year. The larger format is more difficult to fill especially after as it gets so dark early still. I'm prefering the smaller challenges which can be completed easily. This one I began at 5.30am as I get up for work then & needed to create after a fuitless night last night!


Wednesday 16 January 2008

Wednesday Stamper - Kings

The theme this week on Wednesday Stamper is Kings. When I first saw it I thought I couldn't do it as I have no stamps with men on. The I remembered I had a queen with crown, so stole it from her.

The first background piece with the clocks was made earlier last year & featured on my 4x4 Friday Mona Lisa. I had some left over & thoght it would work perfectly with this piece I made with my distress inks last night. I feel it really needed a different shade of red adding, but I only have the Fired Brick & Spiced Marmalade for the time being. Image is from Rein.
Words were computer generated. I added the Spiced Marmalade to all the edges of the card. Crown is from a Hampton Art stamp, Queen Tags & I coloured it with gold gel pen.

Tuesday 15 January 2008

Arty Girlz - Red

The Arty Girlz theme this week is Red. I first thought of a totally red card, but then decided mostly red with touches of green would look more elegant. Inks used are Versamagic Chalk, Tea Leaves (Green). Ranger's Fired Brick (Red). Stamps are all Crafty Individuals. Script, Words & Daisy. EDIT: The flowers over the top of the stamped text are a photograph I took last year & I cut the flowers out.

Distress Inks

Last night I found an hour to have a play with my new Ranger distress inks. I would have loved longer but it wasn't to be. How is it the minute you play the more you realise if you just had that shade you could have done this & if you had that shade you could have done that! The story goes, scroll to the bottom if you get bored! I have only the 6 shades to begin as they are a present to myself for sticking to the new exercise & healthy eating plan. Its not a New Year Resolution fad, it is a health think. I have managed to become 1 1/2 stone overweight partly due to the steroids I have been on & partly due to having been ill for the best part of 3 months. Of course I really ought to take into consideration the fact I've had a cyst growing inside me for I don't know how long, only diagnosed in May last year. I need to shift it, I am struggling to walk from A to B without getting breathless. I have never been overweight in my life, so this is a shock for me & I decided regular, useful treats were the only way to go with this.
So, I got some much longed for distress inks.Colours used are Peeled Paint, Dusty Concord & Faded Jeans. Background paper, word & tree stamp are Crafty Individuals. I also used bottle green bazzill cardstock for the other elements. I love the rustic feel to this but long to work on the techniques to achieve better results. I used cardstock, crumpled up first & misted the colours with water. As ever the light isn't brilliant for showing off the design clearly!!

Sunday 13 January 2008

Sharing a page from Xmas.

I made this 12x12 page over the Christmas holiday. I can't remember the paper as it was part of a vinatge kit. Photos are Jacksons Hole, Wyoming. Kindly given to me by my friend Joy. Embellishments are Papermania chipboard & ribbon & some gel circles, Royal & Langnickel. I scribble with a glue pen & sprinkled fine glitter over. The brads top right were painted with Rimmel 60 second set ice blue nail varnish to match the colour scheme. I really enjoyed this piece but took several days to get a half decent photo of it!

Saturday 12 January 2008

4x4 Friday & Sketches {by Tamara}

The 4x4 Friday theme this week is Music. I used red music paper from HOTP, gold music vellum, unknown. Gold brads, Papermania. Angels singing, Crafty Individuals, (links are in posts below or sidebar) stamped in Rangers black archival ink & coloured with red & gold.


Best Wishes card

This weeks card sketch on Sketches {by Tamara} really caught my eye. I had made the background a while ago but had no use for it. I stamped random flowers & hearts onto card & sponged it with inks in greens blues & reds. Flower, Dunhelm. Centre gel sticker, from a gift. Ribbon, market stall. Skeleton Leaves & Best Wishes stamp, Lakeland Ltd. Greeting & edges of the card inked Versamagic Tea Leaves.


Thursday 10 January 2008

Theme Thursday & PO8

Theme Thursday this week is Valentines. As usual, I'm late home, its dark & I can't get decent photos of my work. But below is a tag. The edges are painted in gold acrylic paint. Stamp, Craft Individuals. Ribbon all free from work colleagues.


Below is my page for my Paper 08 journal. The front is just a stamped border, stamp from Crafty Individuals. Tag printed with title from papermania paper kit. corner stamps, Design Objectives.

The other side of the page is the Butterfly lady as used on the tag. With one corner stamp & my journalling.

I have been award the Make My Day award from Em, Silvia, Lynn, Ink n Rubba & Msscrooby. thank you for this. The picture wouldn't upload with this post. I won't pass on this award as everyone I can thinnk of already has it several times. But there are a lot of fabulous arty people out there that inspire me.


Wednesday 9 January 2008

Wednesday Stamper - Keys



Here is my entry for Wednesday Stamper this week.
I had a few problems getting a decent shot of the key.
So I included two side views of the project.
What started out as a very bright day, turned dark
quite quick!!! Wednesday Stamper Keys.
Key stamps, Artistic Stamper, bag, given. Key 7Gypsies.
Heart, papermania. Mirror, can't remember!!

Tuesday 8 January 2008

Arty Girlz - Buttons

Papers are Making Memories. Stamps are Scroll, Design Objectives, Love floral, Free with Craft Stamper. Brads, Papermania. Buttons, Laura Ashley, from a vintage kit. Flower, a gift from Janine. Arty Girlz challenge.


Monday 7 January 2008

TMTA - Postage Stamps

The theme this week on Think Monday Think ATC, is postage stamps. I have quite a lot as my friend, Joy sends all her used ones for my collection. I use some for my art & most of them go to the RSPB. I made this card quite quickly during my lunch break as I have a fair bit to do this evening before my tea & as it has poured with rain most of the day, I made use of the good light!!

I stamped text & postage symbols from one of my travel sets of clear stamps onto a cream piece of card cut to ATC size. Then sponged reds, oranges & greens onto it. The red floral is a free stamp from Craft Stamper mag. I then glued on a red vellum envelope that I had made on a previous occasion. (one of my makes when I can't complete a project. I just create envelopes & elements to use on cards & pages so at least I create some sort of art every day!) I glued a stamp in the flap & two onto the card.

Sunday 6 January 2008

Paper Adventure 08

As I have said, New Year, New challenges. Here is my latest new one. Im a little late begining as I have been plagued with migraines, a side effect of taking the steroids I'm perscribed. Hopefully not a lot longer. You can find the challenge here.
This is my front cover. My inside & back covers are not decorated as yet. Same paper for the back & both covers are lined with green. This pink is cherryArte. Green is MM.
First page Balance.

Reverse of the page.

I am leaving the page relatively plain as I couldn't think of the right thing to embellish with. In the past I have completed pages & wished i'd done something differently. So that's another new thing for me this year. Stop until Im sure. In a week or a month I might see the perfect thing to add, I might not. Only then will I do it. I have rushed art sometimes in order to finish on time.

Saturday 5 January 2008

Sketches {by Tamara} Card

During the course of a little blog hopping last night wishing friends well for 2008, I happened upon this site, sketches, {by Tamara} via Dawn's blog. I loved Dawn's use of the sketch & needing to get some cards made for family & friends birthdays, I thought I'd do this one. I will be doing this a lot in 2008. Popping in & out of challenges when I see things I like rather than doing them just because they are there each week. I get a litttle bored otherwise!

Handmade paper from an old pack Lakeland Ltd. Flowers are a mix of Dunhelm & Scrapfairies. KAren Foster clear gem brad. Tag stamped with See D's from Garden set. All edges are inked softly with Versacolour Sky Blue ink. Unfortunately the light isn't good enough to show the true colours of this card. Im keeping some quite simple for posting this year as Xmas cost me a packet!!

Friday 4 January 2008

4x4 Friday - Textured Paper

One of the promises to myself this year (you will eventually get to see a minibook of all my promises) was to make a piece of art everyday. No matter how tired I am when I walk through the door, I must spent an hour on art. Some "me time" to wind down from the day & if I have the energy, go on & create more. This week I am easing back into full time working & I'm more tired than I expected, but I am glad to be making art. This first 4x4 Friday challenge, really got my creativity flowing tonight. I have had Christmas roughly pulled away from me & been forced into the New Year so my thoughts turned to spring!!

The papers are both textured, but the lightest piece is actually wallpaper. I left the torn edge uninked for softness. I stamped the wheelbarrow stamp lightly to give the effect of watercolour & filled in the space with textured paper flowers & gorgeous Flower Soft, given to me by a dear friend, Cat. I added small gems to each of the flowers. I then stamped flowers & words all over. All stamps are See D's. Flowers are from Got Flowers, Crafty Carrot, although she doesn't sell them anymore sadly!!

Thursday 3 January 2008

Theme Thursday - Quotes



The first challenge for Theme Thursday is Quotes.

I made this ATC, floral stamp is one of my See D's, inked with sponge tips.

I added a scroll stamp by Design Objectives & inked the edges.

Quote is printed on my computer using font Vivaldi. Dragonfly brad given to me by a craft buddy.

I'm shattered today. Need to get an early night or three!!!

Wednesday Stamper - Gothic Arch

The first Wednesday Stamper theme this year is Gothic arch. I have seen & admired many of these but am not happy with how mine turned out. The edges are a bit too wobbly. This is my New Year Arch. I stamped over my favourite paper from HOTP, it has journey, create,love printed in different fonts all over. The top & two bottom corners are my fav scroll stamps by design Objectives. Down the sides I stamped leaves & flowers from two of my floral See D's clear stamp sets. My image is a stamp from Crafty Indivduals, Angel Child. I stamped her twice, once onto some plain white paper & once onto some alcohol inked card. I cut the flower bouquet & clock from the paper image & inked to give a dimension to the colour. I feel she is too dark but the lighting here isn't great & the flash hates this piece. We have a dusting of snow here in Scunthorpe today so light should improve!!

I'm back at work now full time, as all my holidays are used up & its going to be hard getting used to going 5 days a week again after only working 3 for two months. I miss my two crafting days at home very much.

Wednesday 2 January 2008

Arty Girlz - Embossing

The first Arty Girlz challenge for 2008, is to use embossing. I love heat embossing so I have used it in silver as flowers. The background is a piece of paper splattered with alcohol inks from when i was inking my piece for the final Art Journal card. I thought it looked just like a watercolour image of lilac bushes so stamped & coloured some pretty butterflies to nestle amongst the flowers. Butterfly stamp & Happy Birthday, Crafty Individuals. Flowers, See D's.
Silver embossing powder from Lakeland Ltd. Lilac paper from a pack from £1 shop.


Tuesday 1 January 2008

New Year, New Challenges

Happy New Year to all my blog friends & other readers!
Nothing new here in Scunthorpe today, raining cats & dogs. The weather doesn't care what the calendar says. I felt the need to crack on with some much needed birthday cards & the very first blog feed I came across this morning was Caardvarks. Pop over & try this fab sketch for yourselves. Nice, quick & easy. Papers are DCWV Far East & MM Vintage Hip Collection Gracen. The stamps are Words, Crafty Individuals & a free floral circle from SI, which I stamped 3 times, cut out & mounted on sticky pads for a nice 3D element. The centre is a small red flower from a plastic flower arrangment at work!