Blog Award

Last week I was awarded a blog award by Sam aka Hettie whom I have virtually met via the Artsy Crafts yahoo group and will hopefully in real life this Friday when I, you know, am going to Artsy Crafts!!! whoo hooo not long now.

Anyway the award is


and there are a couple of conditions for the award:

You have been TAGGED and want to participate?Then create a post where you post the 'LOVE BLOG' image.You should also blog the persons link that gave you the award and inform her/him that you accept the award.You then choose 3 - 5 favourite blogs which you also link in your post, then inform each blogger that they have been tagged.

Dear bloggers:The aim of this action is that we bring unknown, good blogs to light, so I would ask you not to blog fellow bloggers that already have 3,000 followers.

As ever it is so hard to pick just a few blogs but I will pass this award on to:

Sue
Arty Jen
Bernice
Mandy
Lisa

and the person who passed it on to me is Sam.  Thank you so much :)

Anyway I must away as I have a really busy week this week, its my crop today so I can spend all day messing about with papers (I never seem to actually make anything at a crop anymore!), chat and teach a class.  Tomorrow I will be going to Stitches at the NEC and then Friday, well you all know where I am going on Friday dont you! Whooo hoooo.

Thanks for looing :)

Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog

As I have been on a mammoth tag making fest I thought I would enter a tag into the above challenge, which is show a tag, and here she is:

Her name is Doris and she has been made from cream cardstock and Tims tag die.  Inked with Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick and Black Soot then covered with Plum Perfect Pearls so that she has a lovely sparkle.  Her top is stamped with Tims Vogue Stamp and her skirt with the text stamp from the Going Somewhere set.  I have used the rosette die for the ruff using white cardstock inked with Spun Sugar and edged with Worn Lipstick and Black Soot.  The arms are made from Tims ticket stamp and die and finished with spinners.  The Handbag is another stamp from the Going Somewhere set as is the clock face.  Finished with stitches around the edges, metal, tissue tape and string legs - wish my legs were that skinny although the hair is a good likeness!!!!

Hope you like her and thanks for looking :)

Day 12

Bit sad its the last day as I have had such fun making these! here is Day 12:

Inked in mustard seed, dried marigold and rusty hinge and then put through the big shot with the December texture plate.  Tickets on the left hand side are all from one stamp and I have cut them out individually, other tickets are from the Going Somewhere stamp set.  Letters are again Santas Workshop inked in Fired Brick and covered with glossy accents.

If you would like to join me on my last day then please link up your blog post below and I will come and have a look at your creation.



Thanks for looking :)

Day 11

Only one more tag to go!

Here is tag 11:

Inked in Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Aged Mahogany.  Leaf, leaves and quote are all Paperartsy, Tims rosette die and the alphabet is actually Santas Workshop which isnt Tims but I didnt realise that until I had cut out, inked and put glossy accents on them so I decided it was too late to change them!

If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, these are being made until tomorrow for the run up to Artsy Crafts. If you could post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!) that would be fab.



Thanks for looking :)

Day 10

Firstly a big hello to Val - thank you for following me :).  I can't believe I am already on Day 10 and that there is only just over a week left to go to the big day - whooo hooo!

Here is tag 10:

Have inked the background with Victorian Velvet,  Dusty Concord, Spun Sugar and Tumbled Glass.  The tree and leaf stamps are by Lavinia but the Bird House and saying are by PaperArtsy.

If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, these are being made until Thursday for the run up to Artsy Crafts. If you could post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!) that would be fab.




Thanks for looking :)

Day 9

I cant believe there are only 3 days left of my 12 tags! Here is day 9:

Tag is inked with Antique Linen, Worn Lipstick and Fired Brick. I have then used Viva Deco texture paste and stamped a script stamp into it with Aged Mahogany ink, inked over again in Worn Lipstick (although it looks brown on this picture it is in fact quite pink) and then I have covered the whole tag with Inka Gold paint using my finger. Key and Lock are from Tims die cut out from chipboard and again touched up with Inka Gold (love this stuff - well worth the investment but as its £8.50 a pot I can only afford to buy one at a time at my biannual trip to Hobbycrafts at the NEC!!). The words are cut using my dymo and edged with a krylon pen (again another very expensive investment!).  Tag is again Tims.

This tag currently has been mounted onto a card and I have given it to my OH for Valentines Day but dont worry he wont want to keep it so I can take it back off and put in my box of tags in a few days time!  tee hee.

If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, these are being made until Thursday for the run up to Artsy Crafts. If you could post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!) that would be fab.



Thanks for looking :)

Day 8

Here is my Day 8 tag and its another Christmas one!:

I have used the double masking technique here - I enjoyed the technique it was quite fiddly and took ages which, as you know, is right up my street!  But for some reason this tag doesnt really do it for me - think I have used the wrong stamp on Santa and the Reindeer - not sure, am hoping little bit of inspiration will strike later and I can "finish" the tag and then add some string/twine to it (that in my eyes is only done when the tag is finished otherwise it has to sit on the "to be fiddled about with a bit more pile" for a while!  Tag is inked with Broken China and Frayed Burlap, swirl stamp and script stamp arent Tims or Paperartsys but are by Viva.  Alphabet is Tims Once Upon A Time, ticket and Merry Christmas stamp are his and the star is a chipboard cut out and inked with Mustard Seed.

If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, these are being made until next Thursday for the run up to Artsy Crafts. If you could post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!) that would be fab.



Thanks for looking :)

Blogger Templates

Day 7

Oooh am over half way and still going strong! A big hello to Jayne C - thanks for following me.

Here is my tag for Day 7:

Fairly simple one today - tag is inked with Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Chipped Sapphire then covered with scintillating silver mica pearl powder.  The snow is hand drawn circles filled with stickles.  The houses are coloured with Peeled Paint, Fired Brick, Broken China (which looks green for some reason?) Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Chipped Sapphire.  I just loved a tag on saw on Tims blog where he had made the smoke from bent wire so I have had to add some of that to each of my houses (in fact this is my new "new thing" and these little swirls of smoke are appearing on quite a lot of my stuff at the moment!).  Have finished the tag with snowflake tissue tape and another ticket coloured with Broken China and some green twine. I know its not Christmas but its never too early to start preparing is it!

Here is a card I made on Wednesday for my friend:

I will leave you to guess what her favourite hobby and colour are! 

If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, these are being made until next Thursday for the run up to Artsy Crafts.  If you could post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!) that would be fab.



Thanks for looking :)

Day 6 tag

Hi everyone and a big hello to Rach - thanks for following me :).

Here is my Day 6 tag:

Think that this is my favourite so far - the background is inked with tumbled glass, broken china and chipped sapphire, covered with scintillating silver mica powder and then run through the big shot using the cuttlebug cog embossing folder.  Cogs are Tim sizzix ones covered in silver embossing powder and distressed then finished with his metal cogs (these are my last few too must get some more!).  Ticket is done using Tims sizzix die and stamp.  Dont ask me why I thought it was a good idea to wrap twine around some of the cogs but once I started I couldnt stop and it took about an hour!  still it was worth it I think.

This time in two weeks I will be in my Tim class at Artsy Crafts - whooo hoo. If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!).

Thanks for looking :)

Tag 5

Firstly a big thank you to Cindy (aka Skrapcollectr) for following me - I am a frugal scrapper too and its amazing how much mileage you can get out of a scrap of paper!

Here is my fifth tag for the 12 Tags of ArtsyCrafts:

Have used Stream Adirondack Screenwash over the time mask as my background and then just stamped with the PaperArtsy Clocks 5 set.  The chipboard is by Maya Road and I have inked all pieces but you cant really tell from this picture.  The clock is Tims Lost and Found paper stash along with one of his spinners.  I kind of feel its missing something and that the mannequin should be mounted onto something but I dont know what - piece of material maybe?  So I might have to add to it later if I get chance - am a bit busy today as I am meeting a friend this morning for coffee and a chat and then need to sew seven costumes for my Sons drama group and then take him to a football match after school.

There are now just two weeks to go to Artsy Crafts - whooo hoo. If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!).



Thanks for looking :)

WOYWW and Day 4

Hi everyone, sorry I am not joining in every week -  cant find the time to get around to most people so have decided that I will only play along once or twice a month for the time being - I do so miss my weekly travels around all your desks though!

Here is mine taken yesterday whilst on a tag making frenzy (and yes for those of you that know me this isnt my normal craft desk either! I have moved away from the dining room table today and put up a portable table in my lounge so that I can catch up with some tv whilst creating!):

I am currently making tags each day in the run up to Artsy Crafts - which I am going to on 25th Feb yay! so I am doing my own 12 Days of Artsy Crafts, and making a tag each day which started on Sunday.  So here is my fourth tag for this quest:

This tag is a bit of cheat as its a scraplift from a card I made a while ago!  Tag is inked with antique linen, tea dye and frayed burlap then brushed over with perfect pearls.  Birdcage and bird are from Tims die, the moth is a Paperartsy stamp and the flowers are prima.  Metal disc is one of Tims too.

There are now just 15 and a bit days to go - whooo hoo. If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so I can come and have a look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!).

If you want to join in the fun at looking at crafters creative spaces then pop over to Julias.  Thanks for looking :)

Day 3 - 12 Days of Artsy Crafts

Here is my tag for day 3:

Have used antique linen, dried marigold and aged mahagony inks. The stamp is an old Tim one "Bank of Love", the metal frame is painted with pearl acrylic ink and the stamp in the middle is from the Odds and Ends set and inked with dried marigold. The chipboard heart is crackle painted with frayed burlap (dont have red :() and then inked in fired brick - it has dulled down quite a bit since its been inked which is a shame as I wanted it a lot brighter Have finished tag with twine and tiny attachers.

There are now just 17 days to go - whooo hoo. If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so we can all come and look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!).



Thanks for looking :)

Day 2 - 12 Days of Artsy Crafts

Thanks for joining me yesterday Bernice - your tag is fab!

Here is my day 2 one:

Have kept this one really simple as the embossing folder does all the work really.  Tag is inked with Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Black Soot with some ticket tape around the top.  Have again used the sizzix ticket die and an Odds and End stamp and inked with Dried Marigold, spider stamp is by Making Memories.  Skull and crossbones is made from UTEE using my melt pot, finished with twine.

There are now just 18 days to go - whooo hoo.  If you would like to join in and make a tag please do, post it on your blog and then leave me a link below so we can all come and look (you dont have to be going to ArtsyCrafts to join in - this is just for a bit of fun beforehand!).



Thanks for looking :)

12 Tags of Artsy Crafts

Firstly a big hello to Sam and WendyK for following me - thank you so much for joining me on my creative journey!

I am aiming to produce 12 Tags in the run up to Artsy Crafts on 24th/25th February.  I have chosen to start today so that my tags should all be done before the children break up for half term.  Here is my first tag:



I have used spiced marmalade distress ink on music paper with gold perfect pearls.  Swirl stamp is a Paperartsy hot pick (HP1007) and the man is from Tim's mini muse set.  The ticket is cut using the sizzix ticket die and stamped with an Odds and Ends stamp.  Flowers are cut out using the sizzix flower die and Tim's papers.
Please join me in making twelve tags for the run up to Artsy Crafts - just link up your blog post below and I will come and have a look at your creation.



I am off to a friends this morning as she is doing a fund raising coffee morning for Epilepsy - most people are taking cakes but I couldnt find the hour or so needed to make a cake but I did spend a lovely Friday making these cards and boxes for her to, hopefully, sell:

The suitcase was made for a class in August - this is the first version I made but needed to tweek it in order to teach it to 20 people so as I have two I thought I would donate this too along with the green box. The cards and sizzix gift bags I have made specifically for today though - sorry for poor picture quality!

Thanks for looking and enjoy tag making!

Look what I have been up to!

Finally got around to making my Amy Butler bag - took me all of Tuesday (it took me 3 hours just to cut out all the fabric!) and then a little bit of Thursday evening to make it - it has that many pockets and little nooks hidden away in it that these photos dont really do it justice:

This is the whole of the bag - strap is long enough to go over my shoulder and bag is big enough to hold a plastic paper box - this bag has been made solely for my trips to Hobbycrafts in March and November cause I am just that kind of girl and need to have a  bag for everything!

Front of bag with top flap open

This is the inside of the bag - I have pulled the front pocket out so that you can see the zipped section and other pockets - there is room for my mobile phone and a pen and notepad on the lower pocket - the zip at the back is on the flap of the bag.  There is that much material on here that it already weighs a lot before I even get my shopping goodies in it!  It also cost a fortune and I have realised that it clashes with every single coat I own - best to move on quickly I think.......

Anyways it is now only 21 days until the fab ArtsyCrafts event in Newport Pagnell so, starting on Sunday, I am going to make a tag a day for 12 days to, you know, get me geared up for the event (like I am not sooooooooooo excited already!).  So for anyone that wants to join me I will start on Sunday 6th February and finish on Thursday 17th February - want to make them all before the half term begins as I am not sure how much time I will have to make stuff when the children are at home - plus my crop is on the 20th Feb and I will be going to the Stitches Trade Fair on Monday 21st too.  If you would like to join me I will put a mister linky at the bottom of each post.  No prizes as this is just for fun and even if you arent going to the Artsy Crafts event if you would like to make a few tags and share them with me please feel free to join in too.

Thanks for looking :)

This linky is just a test...

Lots of cards

Firstly can I say a big hello and thank you to Kim, Neet and Karla for following me.  I have had a really busy week with lots of things to organise for the parents association, my sons drama group where we need to make 20 costumes for his Romeo and Juliet play (gulp!) and our 2011 workshops plus having a decorator in so the house has been a complete tip too!  I then suddenly found myself having to make five cards this week - had a cousin (her 40th), a new baby in the family, Sister and two friends all with birthdays this week - here is the one I made for my friend Jane with whom I have a coffee with every Monday morning!

Dont you just love that Lili of the Valley stamp and of course a Tim ticket had to just creep on there!  Have been doing some other stuff too for workshops but will post those at a later date - will show the clock I am going to make at one at the crop tomorrow and I will also be doing the class which uses some lovely Fancy Pants papers from their Hot Chocolate range:

Thanks for looking and see some of you tomorrow :) we have a full house so be prepared for lots of fun!

Have been busy

My mojo seems to have come back in a big way - I have managed 3 layouts and a clock in a week!  Will show you the clock another time as I am thinking of changing it slightly - its for a workshop in February.  The layouts have already been filed away in their albums - they are only plain but I have rediscovered the ease of following sketches and have scrapped 2 awful photos which needed to be done as I want the stories to stay alive and one lovely photo on not so nice paper so I am not going to showcase them on here - they are for family eyes only!

This mini book is also for a workshop in February:

We will be organising our workshops dates in the very near future so watch this space.

I also need to give a big thank you to Spyder who so kindly gave me a blog award way back in December - sorry its taken me so long to get my act together to nominate 7 others, but here they are:

Nicks
Kim Dellow
Debs
Pam
Made by Karla
Stamping by H
Neet

and here is the magical blog award for you each to post on your blogs and pass onto 7 others.


all of the above I have "met" during my Wednesday Whats On Your Workdesk travels - their blogs inspire me, make me laugh and are a delight to visit any time of the week - not just Wednesdays.

Thanks for looking :)

Mojo is back!

Firstly a big hi to Shelley - thanks for following me! and secondly I have done a layout today!

My two little boys :)

This layout is so way out for me in so many ways!


1. I have mixed old (cosmo cricket) and new (basic grey) papers (well new to me as I only bought them in November).

2. I have used three photos that were *shock horror* all taken on different dates and *shock horror* are a mixture of colours and haven’t been converted to black and white!

3. I have used a sketch (Becky Fleck – page 33 of page maps 1 if you are interested) and *shock horror* broken away from it a bit by introducing an extra piece of paper and a journaling card and where there were flowers on the sketch I have used a cog! (first for me I usually have to follow a sketch and would normally have had to use flowers!).

4. The cogs aren’t Tim’s – oh no – I have broken open a pack of Maya Road cogs that cost me £3.25 and have been sitting in my chipboard drawer for months as they are too expensive to use! (go figure – but I am sure I am not the only one out there who does that!!).

5. and the biggest “so out of my comfort zone” thing on here is that there are no dates on the photos!! Get me! (although I do have to confess that I have written them on the back of the layout – couldn’t move on that much too early on a Saturday morning).

Oh yes that’s the other thing, this layout has only taken me about 4 hours! – this includes inking, cutting out, sticking down and faffing around trying to wind string and then a very expensive robot ribbon I have (again unused because, yes you’ve guessed it, it’s far too expensive and lovely to use!) around and through the cogs but they both just looked rubbish so I have gone for the metal spinners and cogs instead – no expense spared there either eh!

I am on a roll.....

Stash used:  Basic Grey – Inventory, Cosmo Cricket - Cogsmo, Distress Inks: Brushed Corduroy, Dried Marigold, Weathered Wood, Fired Brick and Shabby Shutters, Sizzix Ticket die, Stampers Anonymous Odds and Ends Stamp - Limited Edition, Stampers Anonymous Mini Muse Stamp – Embrace perfection,
Maya Road cogs, Silver cosmic shimmer, Metal cogs and spinners and, last but not least, Sizzix on the edge die - Ornate

Thanks for looking - am off to see if I can do another one now!  whoo hoo.

WOYWW and a Toot for me!

Morning everyone - it's a good week for me as I have been published in Craft Stamper :) - have been published a few times before but always in scrapbooking magazines which is funny as I usually stamp on everything and Craft Stamper is the one magazine I buy regularly!  However I sent in two projects to them last year and they kindly decided to publish my pirate bunting!  My son isn't too impressed but is pleased that he will be able to have his bunting back and on his wall again soon.  Let me know if you liked the article - it's on page 30.

Also along with the circular squash book (which I did manage to finish and have time to make a little box to keep it in - post of finished article is below if you are interested) here is something else I did on Sunday:

Birdcage

I bought the birdcage from Sema warehouse and thought it needed pimping so I have used Sizzix tattered flowers and bunting made from My Minds Eye papers, the vines are from a Martha Stewart punch and the metal birdies that were on the cage have been painted with inka gold paint - I want to paint the leaves too but have decided that I absolutely must use inka gold paint on them too and as I don't have a green I am going to have to treat myself to some when I go to ArstyCrafts and finish it then!  The birdies I bought at Artisan and have covered with music paper and inked.  Hope you like it!

My dining room table looks just as messy as last week despite having to clear it all off for a couple of dinners this week:

and yes that is an almost finished layout at the back there - I am so trying hard to get out of this scrappers block - I seem to be able to make projects just not scrapbook layouts at the moment!

That's it from me today - my little boy has been poorly and off school for two days (which is why I haven't had a chance to blog the birdcage before now) so today I need to catch up with some jobs around the house as I am having a decorator in tomorrow to do a few rooms for me - whoo hoo.

If you would like to join in the fun and frolics of looking at other peoples desks and see what they have been up to pop over to Julia's and show us your desk - go on you know you want to!

Thanks for looking :)

Its finally done!



Have managed to get my dinosaur circular squash book finished - papers used are Basic Grey Archaic.  I have to confess that this has been a work in progress for well over a year - guess I just lost my way with it, shoved it in a drawer and forgot about it.  Instructions were taken from UKS in June 2009 (thats how I know how long its been a wip!) and yes I am glad its finished and I am really pleased with the results:



Book closed

 

Front of book opened out

 

Closeup of front of book first section

 

Closeup of front of book middle section

  

Closeup of front of book third section


 

Back of book opened out





Closeup of back of book first section



Closeup of back of book middle section

Closeup of back of book last section

  And then I have made a quick and simple little box to keep it in:


Box

 Can I also just say a big thank you to Tracey and Becky for following me too - its great to know someone likes my work!

Thanks everyone for looking :)  off to work on my bird cage now!