Merry Christmas

Here's a journal page which I've done to wish all my blogging friends out there a

Merry Christmas

and

a peaceful

New Year

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to leave me such fantastic and encouraging comments throughout the year, I really appreciate them.  Thank you all for sharing your fabulous work and I look forward to seeing your creations in 2011.

As usual, I can now see that the handwriting isn't straight and isn't very attractive, so maybe my New Years resolution is to practice handwriting, lol.

Eat plenty, drink a lot and have a thoroughly good time over the festive season, there's plenty of time to diet next year.

Mini Gift Envelope

I saw this mini gift envelope on the fabulous Wendy Vecchi's blog and I thought they were great, so made one each for my granddaughters and put an Itunes voucher in.

They are incredibly easy and satisfying to make and I think very effective.  Wendy is one clever lady.

Tags 10, 11 & 12 phew!

Managed it at last, made the last 3 tags

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

As usual, didn't have all the elements, who does?  Improvised...drew the snowman, but his shape is a bit like mine, all over the place.  The tree die, didn't have, so again traced one onto grunge paper, I don't seem to have any plain grunge board, so have used grunge paper throughout instead.  Didn't have the joy die cut, again drew one and cut it out, didn't have any pine cones, well I did, but they are enormous, much to large to use, so made a little grunge flower to brighten things up.

I must say I've enjoyed making the tags, it's the first time I've made all 12 and if I do them again, would certainly do my own 'take' on them next year.

I'm linking these to Jennie's blog, of The Artistic Stamper, who is running the 'Tag withdrawal Challenge".

T!m's tags 8 and 9

The snow has been falling steadily all day, so couldn't go to finish my Christmas shopping in Meadowhell, the roads are blocked already, so what to do I wonder...I know make another 2 of the tags, yeah!

Tag 8

I had all the ingredients for this, that's a first, the houses are green, but look black on this picture.  Oops, still haven't got the fabulous flourish stamp.

Tag 9

Not quite the same as his lordships, but I like it.  Linking this to artyjen's splinter group.

I've tidied my craft room and now I suppose I could do some housework, or I could decorate the tree.  It's been sitting there in the lounge for a couple of days now, all empty and forlorn - am I the only person on earth who doesn't like decorating the tree.  By the time I get it done, all the needles will have dropped off, still it does smell quite nice.

Jude has birthday candy

Pop along to Jude's blog where she's offering some fabulous birthday candy.

Still making the tags!

Having been away for a few days, I've really got behind, but I am determined to finish all 12 tags, may be it will be into next year, but I'm determined.  So this is day 7

Now this was quite a challenge, not because I didn't have all the ingredients, but because I was making it at around 5.30pm, canvas sprayed with Dylusion inks, all die cut etc, etc., hot glue gun warmed up and ready, when the phone went.  Hubby answered but as usual didn't ask who it was, well to say I was furious when he thrust the phone into my glued up hand and said "It's for you" is an understatement.  It turned out to be Emma from Sheffield University, pleading with me to be a patient for some end of year final exams for medical students...the last thing I needed...I tried every excuse I could think of but in the end I agreed to go the following day.  All day at the hospital, missing valuable crafting time, being prodded and probed and asked trillions of questions. Anyway, I digress, by this time glue was everywhere, so I just picked up the petals and stuck them on the tag, but couldn't understand why they didn't look like T!ms, kept pulling them off and realigning them, still didn't look right.  Anyway went and had an enormous row with hubby about him never asking who's on the phone, then went back and had another look at the tag...brain into gear, stuck the petals on the wrong way.  Tough, they are staying as they are, I'd lost the will to live by this time, plus the atmosphere in the house was not too good to put it mildly, lol.  Linking this to artyjen's splinter group which you can find here.

I've not started any other of the tags because came back home after having a fantastic birthday weekend with my children and grandchildren and although I've bought most of my Christmas cards, decided I'd better make some for my crafting friends.

Our grandchildren are coming on Saturday and staying until just before Christmas, so will not have any time to craft much, although I've one or two ideas for them to do.

A big thank you to all of my friends who sent me good wishes and birthday cards at the weekend, I've had some fantastic creations and also e cards, everyone is so thoughtful.  May blog them later, so much work gone into them.

Have a good day.

T!m's 12 Tags of Christmas Day 6

Just managed to finish day 6, yet to start day 7 so am behind again.

As usual didn't have many of the elements required, followed his techniques, used a Cuttlebug folder of a Christmas tree for the background, then his snowflake stamp instead of the flourish, which was too big for my tree.  Didn't have the reindeer die, so drew one on a piece of grunge paper, did make the antlers from the tree die though.  The gold speckles do not show up very well, but they are there.  Once I'd worked out how to do the reindeer, the tag came together fairly quickly.  I bet like me that you thought you'd got lots and lots of T!m's/Ranger's stuff, just goes to show hey.  Don't forget to pop along to artyjen's splinter group to see the other wonderful tags.

Just been looking at today's and that may take a little longer, but will not be attempting today because it's the next episode of Corrie, the only soap I watch, no I tell a lie, I usually watch doctors at 1.45 after I've had lunch but I've rarely seen an episode all the way through because it's so boring I ALWAYS fall asleep and have a little zizz.  Oh how wonderful to be retired....

Well, feeling a little sad, all family gone home this afternoon, but going down to my daughters after I've seen my consultant on Friday, fingers crossed that my COP hasn't got too bad that he won't let me travel.

Tag 5

Just a little bit behind, but I do have a good excuse.  So here's Tag 5, still to start Tag 6

As usual didn't have all the correct stuff so had to improvise.  I thought the father christmas stamp was the large one, but the keen ones amongst you will have noticed that it wasn't, hence not enough space to stamp Merry Christmas at the bottom of the tag, however I did do the dabber resist round the edges, I stamped a Paperartsy holly stamp and had to use ordinary stickles, his beard etc., is glamour dust, made a flower and put a red button in the middle, this is one I made earlier out of Fimo, I didn't have any white UTEE, so just used a couple of coats of ordinary white embossing power, but I put too much white acrylic on them and they went all bubbly, but I actually like the effect, bit of a vintage look I thought.  By this time I just couldn't be ar*** to get the big shot out, find the grunge paper, because hey, have you seen the state of my desk.  Just torn a bit of card, coloured as per instructions.  I did manage to find some jingle bells, but I just could not show you the other side of my room, I am so ashamed, I had to empty every drawer, cupboard, box etc, to find the darn bells.  Anyway I'm not going to tidy it up until day 13, but it is starting to stress me out a bit because things keep falling on the floor, then I stand on them, then I swear a bit, then I turn round and my big bum knocks something else off, you get the drift, lol.

Work desk

My daughter is here at the moment so we've been chatting all day, had a spot of lunch and she's just gone with her dad for walk, I've managed to make the tag and now I've got to clear up the lunch things, the kitchen is in a mess and the dog has been going mad because we've had my son here as well, so hence dog hairs everywhere, even in the fridge, so got to hoover the fridge as well, dog owners will know what I'm talking about, lol.

Don't forget to pop over to artyjen to see T!m's Splinter Group creations.

Tags day 3 and 4

Managed to catch up so here's

 Day 3

As usual didn't have everything T!m, so I used the branch stamp from Urban Tapestry as I didn't have the tree stamp, didn't have any tinsel because I hate the stuff and would never use it, so used some fibres.  The nest I created by colouring some tissue paper with DI and scrunching it up.

Day 4

Didn't have any of the fancy bling, should have borrowed some from Chanelle, she's got loads, so improvised with some black and I stuck on all those pearls and crystals individually, took longer than to make the rest of blinking tag.  

I am linking this to Susan Jennys....artyjen....blog please pop along and take a look at all the other fantastic tags that people have created.  They are stunning.

T!m's 12 Tags of Christmas

Because of the weather and being snowed in I've decided to play along with T!m's 12 tags of Christmas, didn't have time to post yesterday's so posting day 1 and 2 together.

Day 1

As I didn't have anything to make the tree with or the holly wreath, just left them out.  I didn't have his house either, but used one of Crafty Individual chipboard houses instead.

Day 2

Again, didn't have all his stamps so used a mixture of T!m's, Crafty Individuals and Paperartsy ones.

I've enjoyed making the tags, but day 1 took ages so if the rest are going to take as long as that, might not do them all, will have to see.

This is the sight that I met when I went to pull the curtains in the bedroom on 30 November.  I think it's brilliant, but my other neighbours hate it and think it 'lowers the tone' of our lane.  It makes me smile and my grandchildren love it.

365 Calendar

Managed to finish November page on time and even started December.  The challenge is run by the extremely talented Kate, take a look and she her wonderful artwork.

Here's my part prepared December page, still lots to do, including lots of glitter since it's Christmas themed.

I've done it in an advent calendar theme and used Christmas colours, although I'm not happy with the background, so will alter it.

Global Warming???

Did this journal page the other day when it first started snowing....it set me thinking.  I remember when we had lots of snow, when I was a child and the schools never closed.  Don't know whether global warming is to blame about the weather at the moment or not, it's up for you to decide yourself.  I'm a very sceptical person I'm afraid.

Used Dylusions spray inks for the background, the fence is from one of T!m's On the Edge dies which I've used Claudine Hellmuths acrylic paints to get a peeled paint effect, the melting snowman is from the Octopode Facgtory.

Well, had more snow today, more forecast, so what better excuse than to tuck up warm in my craft room and do a bit of crafting.  

Have a good day.

SSC Week 130

The theme this week on SSC run by Hels is Butterflies, so how could I resist, lol.

I would normally have put at least one grunge paper butterfly on this, but as it's also a birthday card I decided that I was fed up with paying excessive amounts for postage, just because one adds a few embellishments to a card.  I reckon that Royal Mail have got wise to us crafters and decided to make more money.

Used the usual DI's, mostly T!m's stamps with a few others thrown in, can't remember who the main one is by, and I just can't be bothered to go back into my craft room  studio to find out.  I've even put a bit of glitter on this, OMG, will have to go and have a lay down now, something must have happened for me to use glitter.

Blog Award

Woo hoo, the very talented Liverpool Lou has given me this award

I'm thrilled to bits, because it's all about attitude.

I've got to tell you 3 things about myself that make me different from everyone else, so here goes:

1.  I seem to be on a different planet to most other people
2.  I am me, so therefore am unique
3.  I'm left handed

not very original I know, but hey, who cares, lol.

I've also got to give this award to 5 other talented people who I consider have attitude, and in no particular order they are

Kate
Hels
Carol
Clare
Siobhan

They have all got attitude, take a look at their blogs.

Shadow Box

Had a lovely time a couple of days ago with my friends "Ladies who do Lunch", we had already planned to make a shadow box along the lines of the one we'd seen at Samuel Taylors in Brighouse.

I used all Crafty Individual papers and house templates.  The houses are placed to make it 3D, but it's difficult to tell from the photo.

First foray into Christmas

Still been making art every day, but today decided to make some Christmas tags.

The left and middle tag backgrounds are Dylusions  mica spray inks, the right hand one is distress inks.  The images are the Angel and Mr Claus from Octopode.  These digital images are really good fun, I used copics to colour Mr Claus and Sakura pens to colour the angels.

Well it's been raining here for over 24 hours now with no let up, and it's really cold, had the heating on all day.  Off to Essex for a few days, so have a good week everyone and see you when I get back.

5th Day

Today is Ann's birthday, here's the card I made for her...

Ann and her sister Sandra were involved in a car accident last week, which has left them very shook up, so Happy birthday Ann, hope you're feeling a bit better.

I'm not going to blog the Make Art everyday in November, everyday, it will get a bit boring for those of you who are kind enough to follow and leave comments, which I truly appreciate and am humbled by, so will still make art every day but only post every few days.

Day 4 Make Art everyday in November

Guess where I went for lunch???

Yep, went to Whitby.  Got up this morning and we were debating which was the most exciting shop to go to for the weekly shop, you know, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons....what an exciting life I lead, not. Anyway it was throwing it down, so I just said, let's go to Whitby for lunch. Well my husband doesn't need asking twice, so off we went. Of course the only place for lunch is The Magpie Cafe, but because we had Charlie (the dog) with us, we had to get a take away and sit on a wall to eat them, they were still delicious.  Had a walk on the beach, around a few shops, managed to find a craft shop which had an offer on alphabet stamps, so couldn't resist, then up to the abbey.  A lovely day, rain free and as you can see from the photo a bit of blue sky. It's still raining and blowing here in Sheffield, ugh.

Came back and just managed to finish off my November page for the 365 Art Calendar Challenge, so here it is...

Decided on a firework and Guy Fawkes theme, just a bit different.  

Make Art every date in November

Well day 3 and I'm still hanging in there, just.  Here's a card I've made for a crafting friend. 

All sorts of different techniques going on here.  Embossing, perfect pearls, stamping, the flowers are cut from the tattered floral die out of silk material, some of T!m's metal bits.  The central panel is one of T!m's stamped on to linen and then machine stitched around the large words and around the edges with wadding underneath to puff it out a bit.

Make art every day in November

Well, I must be barmy deciding to join in on this challenge, it's much more difficult that you would expect.

My friend Pat came over today, she wanted to know how to make the faux porcelain flowers, so we played this morning, burnt my fingers, got covered in glossy accents, but I'm afraid this is my art for today, because didn't have time to do anything with them.

Used T!m's papers, I like the patterned one the best.

Anyway had a Lakeland brochure in the post this morning announcing that they had opened up in Meadowhell, and if we took the enclosed voucher we would get a box of after dinner mints, well girls can't pass up on an offer like that can we?  So after a lunch of broccoli and stilton soup (which was disgusting) and garlic bread (which was delicious), off we went, but decided on a detour with a visit to Craft Den because Lynne has got T!m Holtz stuff at half price or less, so managed to get some fantastic bargains.

Went into Lakeland and thing I wanted the most had sold out, still managed to spend some money on other things...well then the fun started.  No one could work the tills, they had to put the free chocolates in as a sale and then take them off again.  Well, I don't know how long it took them, but we'd lost the will to live and waited so long that we needed to have a pee and then had to go to the loo (its an age thing) lol.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll try to be a bit more creative.  It's raining cats and dogs and blowing a hooley here, with my dog Charlie looking longingly at me saying 'come on Mum I want to go out for a walk'  We've managed to ignore him so far, but he's now started to cross his legs, so hubby has drawn the short straw, ha ha.

365 Art Calendar Challenge

Woo hoo, managed to finish on time, that's a first, so here it is

A pretty simple layout, but I love the colours.  Why not take a look at what our leader has done, find Kate's fabulous work here.

Not even started November, but I've got ideas running through my mind.

I've also decided to join Clare on her mission, don't know where she heard about it, neither does she really, and that is to make art everyday throughout November, and post it on your blog.  Why not join in the fun, I love to see what others have created, there is so much talent out there.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone, hope you have a good one.  Like many people, I don't usually 'do' Halloween, but I seem to have got caught up in it all.....personally I blame Lord T!m, he produces such fantastic stamps.  Here's my journal page

Used a variety of images, Stampotique, Octopode, Tangie, Lisa's Altered Art, T!m Holtz.

Finished Canvas

I've managed to finished my canvas

It is actually canvas board, made 9 panels out of TSS metal in copper which have been embossed, painted with acrylic paints, then spritzed with inks, mounted onto mount board and then onto the canvas, finished off with some embellishments, including TSS hearts, faux porcelain flower, fragment charms with some 7 Gypsies paper underneath.

Here's one by one of the "Ladies" partially done but in red metal, which I think looks fantastic.

I am entering my canvas into the Sunday Stampers Challenge which this week is green, as my canvas and spritzing is in green.

Ladies Who Lunch Club

Today a few of us who 'do' lunch on a regular basis met at mine for a play day of crafting.  I know that everyone enjoyed the project and here are a couple of photos of what we did.  I will blog my complete project tomorrow, all being well, and I'm sure the others will blog their's when they are completed.  

We used TSS metal, acrylic paints, spray inks, etc.  Everyone turned out differently, some beautiful colour combos were achieved.

I thought we'd get it completed in a couple of hours, but we spent so much time chatting, having a leisurely lunch, more chatting, laughing, more chatting, and not enough crafting, lol.  Still that's what it's all about.

Sooooo tired now, good on tee vee tonight, Waterloo Road, and of course, ta da, The Apprentice, my all time fav, although I think this lot are a load of *****.

Trick or Treat

Off to my daughters for a week, can't wait to see my two darling granddaughters and have made them a trick or treat bag each.  I'd already made some for my friends grandchildren and was getting a bit fed up, so they had to be made very quickly and easily.

As well as the usual stamping, I made some charms by stamping a few of T!m's halloween stamps onto shrink plastic.  Not sure they show up too well on the photos though.

Won't be creating or blogging for a week, but will be able to see what you've all been up to.

What planet do you think you're on?

"I don't know what planet you're on" was what my parents were always saying to me when I was a teenager, I was a bit of a wild child...before that term had been invented, lol.  So...I've done a journal page about it..

Used acrylic paints, Dylusion inks, the image is made up of downloads from Collage annonymous.


My parents despaired of me at times, but I'm sure I'm really not so different from the rest of you, bet you've all a tale to tell!

Mini Canvass No. 2

I decided not to alter the other mini canvas, so have made another one.  I just love these little 4" x 4" canvasses, so quick and easy to create with.

My inspiration was Wendy Vecchi, she had used this stuff called 'clearly for art', which I don't think you can get in this country, but I'd bought something similar from The Artistic Stamper called Duralar.  This is a product which looks like a very thick acetate, you heat it up with a heat gun then mould it to the shape you want.  It doesn't show up very well on the photo, but believe me it looks pretty good IRL.

Gessoed the canvass, then covered with butterscotch and sail boat blue acrylic paints, stamped around the edges with Archival sepia, put some circles and lines on in sail boat blue, pushed some gesso through some sequin waste.  The butterfly is grunge paper, coloured with DI's, then the butterfly is stamped onto the duralar using Stazon, then heated and shaped.  I used one of T!m's buttons in the centre, the sentiment is Wendy's, stamped in sepia.

I've not been too well for the last few weeks, that's my excuse for the stamping not being straight, and why I've not been blogging so much, but hopefully have got back into the mood again.

Hope you're all having a good day and enjoy your weekend.

Quick card

Here's a quick and easy card which I've made for a friend whose birthday it is today.

Two different toning papers for the background, hand stitched around one of the pieces, stamped a Crafty Individual flower in Adirondak raspberry, made the flower out of pink tissue paper with a Nestability, edged with raspberry, put a green button in the middle, added some ribbon, I then edged the card in raspberry.

365 Art Calendar

September

Well that time of the month again, I've finished September on time, a first me thinks, mind you not done anything about October, but I have my ideas.

I just lurve those Crafty Individual stamps and have used them so many times already.  Why not take a look over on Kates blog to see what it's all about.

Sunday Stampers Week 122 - Paint it Black

Here's my entry for this weeks challenge over on Hels blog.

A quick and easy card to make in half an hour.  A TSS dress mould in black metal, sanded over to take off some of the black, red ribbon belt, and red metal rose, add a bit of ric rac and three buttons.  Faux stitched around the edge, but on reflection shouldn't have been lazy and should have got out my machine!

Mini Canvas

Flicking through old issues of Craft Stamper the other day, as you do, and came across a mini canvas project.  The colours are far too bright and I don't like the way the colour is across her face.  However, what I love about acrylics and gesso is that I can just paint a couple of layers of gesso over it and ta da, it's gone and I can start again.  So maybe tomorrow I'll show you the altered version.

Well, it's dark, cloudy, rainy, cold and totally miserable here in North Sheffield, so I've put the heating on, going to clean up and then get into the craft room and play.  Have a good day all.

Another day another box...

Really enjoyed making the grunge box, so thought I'd make another, but different style.

Box front

Side view

I used 7 Gypsies papers, don't you just love them all, edged with DI vintage photo, some machine stitching, paper flower made out of same paper, then stamped with script stamp, Martha Stewart leaf punch, the image is a new Crafty Individual plate, which I absolutely adore.  

I went to supermarket to buy some chocolates to fill these boxes and on offer were huge tins of Cadbury's Roses shouting out 'buy me, buy me', so no excuses now for not making more of these boxes because I've got to get rid of the chocolates somehow.......

Show Your Grunge

Over on Simon Says Stamp and Show, the theme this week is 'grunge'.

I have made a box out of card, decorated it with some 7 Gypsies paper, edged in fired brick DI, the hinges are grunge paper, flower and leaves are also grunge paper, coloured with mustard seed and spiced marmalade.  Some machine and hand stitching, added a T!m sentiment and popped on some brads which I have distressed.

Filled box with chocolates, all ready to give to a friend. The photos aren't too good, seem to have a lot of reflection, the flash must have bounced back.

Waxing Lyrical

Looking over on Suze Weinberg's blog I saw that she had covered a mirror with beeswax.  Well having a couple of those Ikea mirrors hanging about, taking up room, decided to have a play.  

My mirror was black, so put on a couple of coats of trad tan, four coats of beeswax, then pushed in different sizes of cookie cutters.  Then time to play, added loads of different colours of alcohol inks. dropped it on the wax then, gently at first, took off with paper towels, kept adding different colours and sometimes took off the colour underneath, sometimes left it on.  Really enjoyed doing it, and like the effect.

I put it on the wall to take a photo and my husband walked passed and asked what it was.  I said a mirror, and he replied that the mirror bit was far too small, he wouldn't be able to see to shave, I said, it's just a work of art, at which point he roared with laughter and said, but it's not practical......the philistine, see what I'm up against.

Crusade No. 44

I have decided to have a go at the journal technique challenge run by Michelle Ward, take a look at some of the lovely backgrounds here

You have to paint layer, upon layer of paint using a scraper, I used a Starbucks card, keep applying layers, taking a bit of here and there, etc.  Once I'd got the backgrounds to my liking, I then cut a stencil out of paper and, on the top one, used my scraper to put on paint and gesso, on the bottom one, I just used gesso.  Really enjoyed doing this, not finished, is anything ever, and will probably add to it next week.