Sunday Stampers: Every Day I Write The Book.

Hi to every dear person who reads my blog, hope you are all enjoying the sun. It's that time  of year when young folk go off travelling, families pack up for the holidays and festivals abound. (I hope Glastonbury stays dry, I can still remember when No 2 went off to it the year of THE mud!) As Hels challenge this week is the written word I thought I would make a small canvas with lots of words as a double meaning because it is through travel and experience that we write the book of our life? I hope you agree any way!



I gesso'd a small canvas, then used distress stain and paint for the background. The legs stamp is by Paper Bag Studio's, the small script on the side is a clear Tim Holtz stamp and I used his rub on words and ticket and metal word strip. the FLY stamp is by crescendoH and I found a small collage picture in my stash, then I hung it by a piece of knotted string. I wonder where you are all going this year? I am off later on in the year to Scotland to visit Iona which has been a dream for so long! Can't wait, we are going up on the sleeper train, what fun! But before that I am seeing Robbie Williams on Sunday at Wembley, not bad for 63 aye? I shall rock along with the young-uns! Have an adventurous week one and all, thanks for looking. x

Sunday Stampers: My Guy.

Greetings one and all. I treated myself to Tim's men stamps on Friday so was delighted to see Hel's challenge  over on Sunday Stampers for this fathers day is My Guy, and so has given me a good excuse to break them in! I have had a lovely Sunday with My Guy, as our three daughters all met up at No 1's home and contributed to a lovely feast for him, which included my dearest son-in-law and edible grandson and No 3's fab. boyfriend so it was a houseful! I got back a little while ago and hot-footed it to the craft room to come up with this card.

 



Firstly I inked a background on a large Kraft blank with coffee archival and a watch backgound stamp. Then I had a eureka moment. I couldn't remember where I put my black card stock, so I cut up some black fun foam instead - guess what? It's brilliant as it gives depth to the card without making the front weigh heavy against the back. Must remember this one! Then I took some gold paper and some black and white ledger paper from my stash and ran a piece of white card stock through the vagabond with the clock embossing folder. This was duly coloured with Rusty Hinge, Weathered Wood and Vintage Paper inks and the edges distressed and inked with Black Soot. The man has been given the water colour treatment with my distress markers, then I used photo corners and distress  painted a glary silver watch embelishment with Distress Paints and it looks better for it I might add! The sentiment was mounted on black fun foam and there we go! I never have men cards in my stock, so this will come in handy. Hope you have all had a lovely Sunday with your Guys, I'm settling down later with a glass of vino d'plonk to enjoy the White Queen. Thanks for looking. x

 

Tim's June tag with a purple haze!

Hi everyone, isn't it a glorious day? I have been busy in the garden so have not been a good blogger for a while, but I love Tim's June tag and so enjoyed making it, that then I thought I would have a go at doing it my way so I offer up the two for your perusal! Here firstly is my colour and stamp edition: 

 



I used all Tim's techniques, using Picked Raspberry Distress paint, Dusty Concord inkpad and Brushed Pewter stain for the background with the Papillon background stamp in archival. For the water-coloured image I chose a Paperbag Studio stamp which is one of my favourites and coloured it as his instructions with my water brush and Distress markers in matching colours. The ribbon at the top was stained to match and I found some co-ordinating beads to accent. I should like to also enter this for Hels challenge over at the Sunday stampers which is Purple Haze as it seemed to appropriate not to double up as the colour goes! Here next is the first tag I did in which I tried to copy Tim's as far as possible, never quite looks as good as the great mans' tho!

 

I love taking part in this challenge as you learn so much from him. I did his course 'Creative Chemistry' and learnt lots of techniques using the distress range but it's good to have a masterpiece to copy! I especially love the way you can use the inks, stains and paints to make the fabby background. Well I hope to be back a lot sooner than last time, have a good week everyone, thanks for looking. xx

Sunday Stampers: Some like it hot!

I surely surely would......like it hot that is! I'm contemplating putting the heating on again! On to warmer thoughts, Hels has challenged us to use the melt pot this week and so I had to make one of the faux porcelain flower roses and have put it on top of a little box to hold a gift for someone special. 



I crackle painted a little box with red and gold acrylic paint and some distressing paste I had, I know that you can buy paint ready crackled which is easier but I wanted to use this up. I deliberately did it roughly as I wanted it to look old. Then I made the rose by stamping out the rose onto some patterned paper that I then covered in aged mahogany ink and then I dipped each layer in hot UTE before assembling. I tried to make some drips as if it had just rained (I looked for inspiration outside the window - ha ha) and then stuck it on top of the box with some spare UTE. I lined the box with a piece of gold patterned paper and now it is ready to hold some tissue paper and some jewellery I am trying to make! I am imagining everyone playing with their melt pots this week, what a great challenge, I shall off to enjoy everyone's masterpieces now! Have a lovely week. x

Tim's Tag for May.

Well, I managed to get most of the pieces for this month's tag for Tim's 12 tags of 2013. I have fallen for those enamel tags when you put rub-ons over alcohol ink. What a fabulous technique for future projects, that's one of the best bits of doing the tags, not only following the Master but getting new ideas for your stash. Mind you my craftroom is overflowing but some things you just have to have!

 



I used slightly diferent colours and accent stamps but had Mona on wood, she was one of my first stamps and I've used her a lot in the past, it was good to get her out again! The only thing I don't possess is the texture hammer, but methinks I will have to put it on my list as I can see what a difference it makes. It's all in the details! Great rub-ons, I usually have an aversion to them but as usual the King of all Things Distressed has come up trumps again! Thanks Tim, I enjoyed this one.

Give away winner.

I don't know why it is but I am just not very good at I.T. I tried to copy the random generator thingy to post the result on here, but I can't and so I hope you will all take my word for it when I tell you I entered the numbers and comment 7 was selected who is - tarantara - Carole Z! Thank you to all of you who commented and to all my lovely followers, I really appreciate it. I shall Email you with my email Carole, and post the sketch book kit with some extra papers as soon as I get your address. Hope to be back soon with something to show but having a busy work week and can't get into the craftroom. 'See' you all soon! x

Many Many Thanks! A small Tutorial and giveaway.

I can't believe that over fifty very kind bloggers have elected to follow my funny offerings. I want to say a very big THANK YOU to everyone of you and for all the kind comments that you have left me since I started. I thought that I would try and post a small tutorial and offer a small giveaway as a sign of my appreciation to you all. So here goes:

 

Some years ago I tried a technique from Somerset Studio magazine, but I can't find the  article so I must have thrown it out. It was how to make a piece of mosaic paper using a paper shredder. As far as I remember it went like this:

First take an asssortment of papers up to about five different ones about the same weight. Put them through a paper shredder.



I had to bring it downstairs to the conservatory to get the right light, so here are a few of the strips. then you glue them in alternate layers on another piece of paper. I used glossy accents glue to make sure they were stuck down well.

I trimmed the edges and then when it was thoroughly dry I put it through the shredder again and stuck down the new strips onto another thin piece of paper.

When this is dry you can do what you want with it, die cut, trim etc. Here is a little note book I covered with wallpaper sample strips.

 

On this one I managed to alternate the strips to make a chevron pattern, then I used a monogram stamp onto some heated craft  foam that I coloured with pearlised gold powder. I added a wine glass charm of a Bottle, no no, because it starts with a B - honest! Well ok, I do enjoy an occasional glass of Boly darling! So as a thank you card for all of you out there I die cut my little sample into a heart and used it to decorate a small cover of a journal.

 So my small giveaway is a blank journal you can cover for yourself, perhaps using this shredding technique.

I will add some blank sketch book pages for the middle and will  random thingy number any one who leaves a comment by next Monday.

So, first tutorial out of the way, hope it was useful, if there are any tips out there for improvement I'd love to hear from you. Many thanks dear followers and commentors! Have a happy week. x