Just In Time

Happy Tuesday everyone. I hope your week is going well so far.

As always I'm chasing my tail and just scraping in with a couple of challenges today.


Firstly, Frankie's Tag It On Challenge is to "Impress", not to amaze folk, but rather to impress a stamp into something. I have chosen to triple emboss, a favourite technique of mine. I painted the tag background with acrylic paint and stamped with some bubble wrap on top using a contrasting colour. On top of the paint I stamped with a Paperartsy college flower using Peeled Paint Distress ink and finally added the circles of triple embossing which was done using Cosmic Shimmer UTEE. The circles had gold perfect pearls rubbed over the top to highlight the embossing.


I am also scraping in last minute with this fortnight's Stampman Challenge which is to pick a favourite project from 2010 They are also having a Blog Hop and there is still time to join in as it runs until Thursday 13th January. Just pop over to the Challenge blog and start hopping. They have some terrific prizes on offer.


For my favourite project I have chosen the card I made for my lovely MIL's 70th Birthday. Her favourite flowers are snowdrops and my blogging friend Lynda very kindly sent me this image and this is the card I made with it.

Thanks for stopping by and hello to my lovely new followers. How nice to start the New Year with some new Blogging Buddies.

New Beginnings

Afternoon everyone. How's your weekend going?

After all the surprise snow of Friday it's been quite nice and sunny here. We have had a weekend of jobs. Why is it that the New Year always makes you feel like doing all those things that have been put off for months. I now have a kitchen drawer I can open again thanks to a repair job by DH so I took the opportunity to clear out all the drawers which then led to clearing out piles of stuff that had collected in various places around the house. Everything looks spic and span. It won't last but I shall enjoy it while it does.

I even got a couple of hours in the garden and cleared piles of dead stuff and guess what, there are magical signs of life, little green shoots and buds appearing. I know we haven't finished with Winter yet but the first signs that Spring isn't that far away is very welcome.

Tuesday Taggers have had a revamp for the New Year and are now called "Try It On Tuesday" and their first challenge is a card with the theme of New Beginnings. My entry is a New Beginning as it's the first one I made this year and the first one using lovely fresh colours after the Christmas colours have been put away so I hope it qualifies.


The papers are all out of my scrap box. My New Years Resolution is not to buy any more craft stash and use up what I have. We are being encouraged to make cutbacks and economise so this seemed appropriate.

The frame was cut with a Nestability and the sentiment stamp is from Elusive Images.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

WOYWW For A New Year

Afternoon all you lovely Bloggers and a very Happy New Year to all fellow WOYWW's. I've been absent for a few weeks due to all things Christmas but all things twinkly and sparkly have been put away for another year, I have dusted myself off and boy am I enjoying getting back to normal. Holidays are lovely but I have enjoyed getting back into a routine again, how sad is that. To get the house properly clean and be able to escape to my Craft room without feeling guilty is great. My mojo has also come slinking back too so I feel raring to go now. Thanks to whoever found it and returned it with a flea in it's ear!!!!

There is nothing but a pile of things to be put away and sorted out on my workdesk at the moment but I have decided that making things and just putting them in a box never see the light of day again is not on. If you make something, display it and be proud, that's my new motto for this year.


With this in mind I have strung up all the tags I've made over the window in my craft room using a Christmas card hanger I picked up very cheaply. There are hundreds of little clips left so I can add to it whenever a new one comes along and I'm quite pleased with how they look.


My DH has also put a new shelf unit up for me to store all my inks on. Can you ever have enough storage space? I'm beginning to think that however organised you try to be there is never enough room!!


Well, that's me for this week. Hopefully I'll have something to show you next time now the creative juices are flowing again.

If you want to join in with the huge number of WOYWW's out there pop over to Julia's blog to see what it's all about. I shall do my best to get round this week. I love having a good nosey but haven't done very well lately.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week has gone smoothly so far.

Happy New Year

To all my lovely Blogging Buddies I'd just like to wish you the Happiest of New Years. I hope it's a Healthy and Peaceful one and brings you all that you could wish for. Thank you for all your support over the last 12 months and I look forward to crafting with you all over the next 12 months.

It's been a very quiet and relaxing Christmas here catching up with Family and Friends and playing with all our new toys!!!

I have to admit that my crafting mojo seems to have taken an extra long Festive Holiday and every time I pick something up I just lack inspiration. It's so frustrating when Santa was kind enough to bring me some lovely stamps and papers to play with. Hopefully it will return very soon. If anyone has come across it on their travels, please send it back express delivery.

In the meantime I have resorted to an old love, cross stitching, which I haven't touched for years. I hate having idle fingers! Trouble is there's not much to show you. So I've had a trawl back through the archives and found a Scrapbook Layout I haven't shared. This was one of the first ones I did and I like the montage of photos of a favourite place I have been to many times. You always see the same photos of Bolton Abbey but doing it this way made me look at a well loved place much more closely.


I also had a go at making my own rub ons using some special printer paper and the fonts on Windows. I keep meaning to have another go now I have Photoshop so think I must make that a thing to do this New Year. Is there any technique new or old that you have made a priority to try this year?


Well, thanks for stopping by and I hope you are all having a lovely, relaxing Bank Holiday Monday. Enjoy whatever you are doing.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Firstly I'd just like to apologise for not being around so much in the last week. Christmas preparations have taken over as they have a tendency to do.

Secondly I'd like to wish all my followers and anyone who stops by a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope Santa is kind to you all and brings all the things you wish for. I've really appreciated all your comments over the last year and the support and lovely inspiration you have provided and look forward to a New Year of crafty goodness.

I have no crafting to share with you today but thought these photos taken during the last week where nice and festive. Our river is frozen solid and today is covered with a fresh sprinkling of snow. It looks beautiful and I can't remember seeing it like this in my 40 years so it doesn't happen often. Mind we don't get daytime highs of -9oc very often either!!


The swans and ducks are all congregated in the little bit of water there is under the bridge.


Lastly I took these frost patterns on the car window last Sunday when we went out. The cold can be very difficult but it certainly provides lots of photo opportunities.


Stay warm and safe and enjoy all that you do over the festive period and I will see you in a few days.

A Couple More Tags

Hello dear Bloggers. How are your Christmas preparations going? I hope you are getting there slowly.

I keep shopping, getting home and remembering something I've forgotten, saying lots of naughty words and going out again the next day. My freezer is now bursting and the cupboards overflowing just in case the snow returns and I can't get my car to the shops. I don't drive in snow and groceries are too heavy to carry if I walk so hopefully all we need is a bit of fresh veg now nearer the big day. The presents are all bought and just need delivering, again all local so it doesn't matter what the skies throw this way.

I have a rare day to myself. DD has her school Christmas lunch and then party until 3.30pm followed by 2 hours of drama class so she doesn't get home until 5.30 and my very kind Hubby is picking her up so I have lots of hours to fill. Not that that's difficult. My Craft Room has been tidied and all the Christmas card making stuff put away, I've written the letters that need to go in the last few Christmas cards, I've had lunch and seen Neighbours and now I have the afternoon to do a bit of crafting. Bliss!!!! I may even manage to catch up on my very bad blog visiting!!

Here are the other two tags I made last week inspired by Sir Tim. There are a further two still in pieces so once they're done I won't have done too bad keeping up with him this year. I may manage to get the rest done at some point, you never know!!!


This first one was very straight forward. Tim showed a brilliant technique using cut n dry foam and reinkers but as I didn't have reinkers I just inked up the holly stamp using different inks. The general result was the same. I should have coloured the leaves a bit darker though. It all seems a bit insipid to me. I made the bird out of shrink plastic but again would have preferred a little metal charm. Still you live and learn.


The background for the second tag has been run through a wood texture plate and then inked over to highlight the grain, with distress stickles added.


The poinsettia and leaves were made by my Mum using Glimmer misted card and a die she has. The middle was cut out of gold glitter paper and a jewel added. They were made for cards that never got made but they found a good home in the end.

The wording was cut from a Sissix die, inked in Barn Door DI and then text stamped over and the swirl was a TH Sissix die of course. The little 25 was also a TH stamp with glossy accents over the top.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Thursday goes well. Wrap up Warm.

Tim Tagstic

Evening dear Bloggers. I hope you have all made the most of this tropical weather and got all your Christmas shopping done before the Arctic conditions return!!! I even managed to spend a few hours in the garden today, admittedly it was only getting rid of what the cold had spoiled but it was lovely to be outside pottering again and amazingly enough apart from the remnants of the Summer bedding nothing seemed to be too worse for wear.

I have been loving Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas again this year. Have been following them? He has shared some amazing techniques and when you love to play it's a great excuse to get all the inks and stickles and stamps out and create just for the fun of it.

Apart from the blue Santa I managed to do last weekend I've been itching to have a go so yesterday after a quick bit of housework I had the luxury to spend a few hours playing and managed to do 4 of them. I'll share two today and two next time, don't want to give you tag overload.

As you know, I currently own very few TH stamps, texture plates and dies so my tags have all been made with other things but following the general Tim idea!

The first one is Tag 5 and Tim's looks like this.


And here's mine.


It has a white acrylic paint border and is inked with Barn Door DI. The ink wipes off the paint leaving the border. My trusty Habico Santa takes pride of place and the holly was from a Forever Friends Christmas set. I coloured it with promarkers and added some stickles.

The label was hand cut, painted with green acrylic paint and Peeled Paint DI rubbed over the top, the music was from an old torn sheet of music with Walnut stain DI rubbed along the ripped edges and the 25 was cut on my Slice, painted with white acrylic paint and rubbed around the edge with black ink. The little flower and leaves were hand drawn. Unfortunately, I didn't line up the Merry Christmas very well but as we are being arty I lived with it!!

Onto Tag 6 and again here is Tim's


And here is mine.


I embossed the tag with a cuttlebug leaves folder and inked with Broken China, Peeled Paint and Walnut Stain DI. There is a swirl stamped onto it as well but it didn't work very well. Lastly I inked the edges with gold ink using a texture sponge.

The little deer was cut on my slice, embossed with a Cuttlebug snowflakes folder and painted with pale blue acrylic paint and rubbed over with Walnut Stain which I also used to colour his antlers and then they were glazed with glossy accents. The music ribbon is from the same piece of old sheet music and the greeting from a set of Hero stamps. I added a green ribbon and red bell instead of the garland. The Christmas decs are still in the loft so I couldn't raid them for this bit of embellishment!

I know Tim's are far far superior to mine but I really enjoyed having a go. I'll show you the others another day as promised but as Frankie at Tag It On is also playing along this week for her challenge I shall enter either tag , take your pick Frankie, you can have them both!!!!

Sioux's Splinter group is also having a lot of fun with their tags and there are some brilliant works of art being created. It's definitely worth having a look at.

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely evening and enjoy your Sunday.

WOYWW

Hello Lovely Bloggers from a still freezing Yorkshire. I was upstairs in my sunny Craft Room this afternoon finishing off my last cake order before Christmas and it was quite toasty but when I came downstairs the lounge thermometer said just 13.8oC, a little parky I think. Thankfully it's lovely and warm now.

Because of cakey business upstairs my craft is back on the dining room table so here's whats happening today. I'm in the middle of finishing off a little box for our very special neighbours Golden Wedding Anniversary on Friday. They are surrogate Grandparents to our DD and we are very lucky to have them so I wanted to do something a little bit special. I would have made them a cake but she is diabetic so that was not really appropriate.


My little butterflies need putting in and then it's done. I intend to get them a yellow rose bush for the garden to go with it.

The rest is just general mess, the white boxes are my special new SU inks, which I adore using at the minute and you might just spot a very special chap who has just joined The Craft Garden.

Yes, at last I've managed to track down Sir Tim's Umbrella Man on a set of stamps where I actually love all of them. As you may remember back in the Summer, I was trying to track him down as a single stamp as his set had lots of images I'd never use. I did find him but at quite a high price and as a crafter on a budget I just couldn't justify it. Having a snoop round Google the other week, however, I found this clear set called Visual Artistry from Inkylicious. There are lots of other sets if you are interested in Tim's stuff and they are only £8 a go.

The green card is one DD is making, they have been making them at school and it's a really clever idea. She has been showing me how to do it and once we get some put together in a card, I'll show you them. It's just folded and cut to look like a tree.

If you wonder why I'm waffling on about all this then you need to pop over to see Julia who started the wonderful WOYWW and get sharing your space. It's a fantastic way of meeting new friends.
I was really bad at getting round everyone else's desks last time for which I apologise. I shall try to do better this week. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are keeping safe and warm.

Just Playing Around

Afternoon all my lovely Blogging friends. Do you know how nice it is to know you are all out there to chat too. It doesn't half cheer a girl up. You are such a fantastic bunch of people and I never take you for granted. Just wanted to say that!

I think I was all Christmas carded out at the weekend. I have many to make for friends and family, but I'm taking Jules' advice and keeping my Fayre cards for next year. I don't think I can face sending them all out. Anyway, I prefer sending more "me" cards if that makes any sense at all. When you are making them to attract people with pennies to spend they have to be fairly generic, the general public don't "get" arty cards I've found. Sorry I'm waffling.

What I meant to say was that I spent the afternoon yesterday just playing with a tag inspired by one of Tim's 12 days of Christmas tags. Have you been following him, they are a pretty impressive collection so far aren't they?


The background of the tag was done with my new SU inks, which I just adore at the minute and then the Habico Santa was stamped in the same blue as was the snowflakes to blend him into the background.

I didn't have any of the things Tim used so I white embossed some snowflakes and then covered them with glossy accents to represent the glints. The pearls at the bottom are liquid pearls and the gem swirls were stuck on by hand. The little tag was one I had saved from the internet and I made a paper clip from some silver wire. Santa's glasses were picked out with a silver gel pen and a few beads added to the tassel.

I'm entering him into the Tuesday Taggers challenge this week which is St Nick. They are being sponsored by The Craft Barn so it's well worth checking out if you're very quick!!!

And also The Stampman's fortnightly challenge which is Christmas in Three Colours. Mine are blue, silver and white.

I've also linked my Tim inspired tag to Artyjen's splinter group who are playing along with the 12 days of Christmas tags. If you are tagging too go and check them out, there is some absolutely gorgeous tags being created


Just before I go I thought I'd share with you the view I had today from our Conservatory window this morning. Yes, the ice is on the inside. It got down to -14oC apparently.

Thanks for stopping by and keep safe and warm.

It's Been A Funny Old Week

I hope you are all keeping safe and warm in this freezing weather.

We had such a dollop of snow yesterday. I haven't seen anything like it for years. The flakes were huge and coming down so fast it was hard to see across the road. We had 4 or 5 inches in a few hours and everything ground to a halt. It took DH 2 hours to do a 20 minute journey home.

Today thankfully, apart from a few showers, has been a much better day and the gritter has now cleared the hill outside so we are able to get in and out again.

The most disappointing thing is that the School Christmas Fayre on Saturday that I have been making Christmas cards for for the past few months for a stall I was having has been cancelled so all that work has been for nothing!!!!!! Guess how I feel tonight.

Enough doom and gloom. I have just managed to finish the cover for my Journal Your Christmas book in time to enter it into The Stampman's challenge this fortnight which is to create something for Christmas using Tim Holtz products.


I painted the cover of the book with Acrylic daubers and then stamped around the edge with part of the only TH stamp I currently own, which is one of the components Christmas stamps. I used Broken China and Worn Lipstick DI for all the stamping. The edging was clear embossed.

The negative part of the TH swirl die was used as a stencil and the swirl itself was inked and glittered with crystal stickles. The flowers were coloured in the same way.



The letters were triple embossed with Moon Glow Midnight Emerald Obsidian which is just gorgeous and then the TH stamp inked with Silver brilliance and pressed in while the powder was still hot. My favourite technique.


It's surprising what you can do with one little stamp but I really need to expand my collection of TH stamps. Maybe Santa is listening!!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and stay warm.