Twelve tags of 2012... almost there................

Nothing like leaving things till the last minute is there? Still I'm sure I won't be the only one!!

Right. Finally got a chance to mosey on over to Tim's blog to see what delights he had prepared  to inspire us in December. Two Christmassy tags to make up for the January one we'd left out - and why not, suits me I still have everything christmas out and to hand.

For the first tag I improvised with the background using a broken china distress stain but a silver paint dabber for the metallic effect. Worked a treat. For the snowman I fell back on my trusted Octopode digi which has been much used in Christmas cards this year, I really love him, he is just a little quirky (which appeals to me) but not so much that my card recipients would wonder if I'd been on the sherry. I didn't have tinsel but added a line of glitter.

My snowflake embellishments are made from a heavyish card and covered with silver enamelling powder from Debbi Moore. I stamped into it while hot with a medallion stamp - well, some worked better than others but the idea is sound. They look quite metal like and it gives them a nice texture. I say some because as well as the two of each tag I committed to do this year (one for me to keep, one to giveaway in the January Art Draw) I thought I would prove I had read all of Tim's post and use one to make a card. Yay, I'm ahead of the game already for my 2013  Christmas cards!!

The second tag looked similar to one I had already made using a different TH technique, the rusted enamel look. So this time I just did the one following Tim's technique and design because I already have this one to keep myself and was pleased for an excuse to put it with my set of tags.

Hope that makes sense!!

So here is the second of my Christmassy tags. Again I had to improvise a bit with my backgrounds (no metallic stains so used paint dabbers again - cool effect!!) and the embellishments but I think the finished tag looks OK (though perhaps not very Tim Holtzy).  This is the one which will go in the January Art Draw collection.

These two tags will get posted on the TO2012 post for December but I have missed most of them as I am always late for everything. I confess I still have 1 month's tags to finish but I won't upload any more now until the big reveal for the January Art Draw which I will post in a week's time on the 3rd of January. Hope to see you then!!

Quick Update: Thanks to all who sent good wishes, son's girlfriend now out of hospital so nothing to worry about - a great relief to all  of us!!

 

December Art Draw Winner....

The Random Generator has spoken and the winner is - no 9, SHERRY. I have your addy (!) so will be on it's way tomorrow as I have to go to the PO.

Goodness, where did December go? That's all over with then, we had a great christmas except my son's girlfriend was taken in to hospital yesterday and didn't make it to our Boxing Day celebrations. Don't know yet exactly what the problem is but she has been poorly this week. I may have told you that she was in a coma last Christmas and subsequently diagnosed with Leukaemia so we are a little concerned but hopefully will get some good news today.

My poor daughter had to leave for her shift at 6 o'clock this morning and hubby is at work too but my son and I will be at home for a whole extra week. Lucky us LOL. I'm still in PJ's and don't have any immediate plans to get dressed as I am nice and cosy!! Been watching some recorded TV (I rarely have time to watch tv so a guilty pleasure for me) and eating chocolate so as far as I'm concerned the holidays aren't over yet!!

Hope you and your families all had a great time as well and got all the pressies you wanted. I'm looking forward to another year of crafting and blogging and hoping to get a bit more time to spend doing my 'stuff'. Well, I can hope...

Back soon, good luck in all you do for 2013, and don't forget the January Art Draw is a set of TH style tags so please come back and visit!!

When I get them finished..... ooops, better get  cracking.

Cindyx




 

'Lucky Dip' - Choose 4 for Try It on Tuesday

This fortnight we are asking you to include four elements from the following list on your project.

 

Die cuts, Ribbon, Sentiment, Pearls, Distressing, Stamped Image 

 

Our sponsor for December is Delicious Doodles, who are generously offering our monthly winner, their choice of 4 Digi stamps from the store.

 

 

 

Here's my project which is a white on white wedding card. I have used Die Cuts, a Stamped Image, Pearsl (inside the flowers) and a sentiment.

 

 

It was nice to do somethimng  non-christmassy for a change as it's been full on this month. However I'm nearly ready to clean and put all my crimbo stamps away - just one special card left to finish.

 

Well I hope you'll find a few minutes before or after the big day to join in with us at Try it On Tuesday. Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

Getting Festive in the Home.....

I originally made this advent calender for a friend but decided to keep it! I think the design needs a little more work and probably less patterns. (my OCD wants the patterns and pictures to create a pleasing whole and be the right way up whatever the day but I think that might be beyond my capabilities to work out LOL).

WOYWWers may recognise this 'tree' from past posts as it has been languishing on my desk for some weeks. I got a template for this from the 'Every Crafts a Pound' stall at Ally Pally and then adapted it a bit. Considering I just used scraps and a bit of Kraft paper this didn't turn out half bad. But having made one I wouldn't necessarily construct it in the same sequence I did this one if I did it again. If that makes sense.

Oh well better try and get some sleep, back at work tomorrow. After a week of really good sleeping despite my cough insonia is back with a bang just when I really need a good night's sleep. Take from that what you will.

See ya soon.

Ooooh oooh before I forget AGAIN, it hasn't escaped my notice that the followers bar has crept up to 200!! Welcome everyone and thanks for stopping by!

Cute Crimbo?

A quick card from me today. Felt like being a bit non-traditional hee hee. This little elf is an Octopode digi, quickly coloured with copics etc. Background - dylusions ink sprays, then overworkled with ghosting and stamping. Feels good to get inky!!

And for a change I am putting this in to two challenges, the TOFF challenge which is currently 'words' (well there are a few words on it!) and Artful Times which is 'Anything goes'.

Back sooooooooon. So much to do, so little time.

December Art Draw - Desk Calender

OK not entirely original for a new year but this month's Art Draw is very practical!!


Here are a couple of pages. There are 12 in total (just checking you are paying attention).


It's not that big so not much room for decoration - but on the plus side it won't take up much space on your desk!!

Usual rules apply, please leave a comment on this post if you want to be included in the draw. Let me know if you link from your blog so I can put you in twice. Overseas players welcome.

Closing Date will be 9.00 pm on Wednesday 26th  December (yes, Boxing Day) - hopefully I can get it to you before the New Year!!

And if you are in to giveaways check out that Crafty Individuals Blog Candy - got to be worth a go!!

As promised - a Few things....

Thought I'd share a couple of things I made when I was demonstrating last week end.

Really loved the way this tag turned out. I was trying out what Tim Holtz calls the 'rusted enamel' technique although I did mine in pink, so I thinks it's a bit more shabby than grunge! I also stamped my snowflake in to the embossing powder for extra texture. I was pleased to find a use for the metal 'happy christmas' embellishments I have had  hanging around for a while. I remembered seeing somewhere that using white paint over these kind of things really makes the debossed words 'pop' so I tried it out and really liked it. The poinsetta's are the same marianne die I used for the Christmas Wreath - they are so pretty I could put them on everything!! The embellishment was made from some 'medals' I had left over from a kid's promotion at work (librarians among you will probably recognise them) so a bit of recycling was included as well.

The second tag design I did was supposed to be showing a  'blended batik' background but after the first one I had a bit of an accident with my craft iron - I pulled it out from the socket on the floor, tossed it nonchalantly up onto the table and the plug landed right in my mug of cold tea which I had forgotten about. Honestly, you couldn't do it if you tried. I can't hit anything at all usually. Still it's quite a sweet little tag even leaving the background embossed!! I love the double bottom to this tag and was inspired by another blogger (I believe I even left a comment!!) but can I remember who it was? It's sure to be someone who reads this one as I don't get around that much!! So if this reminds you of something you did then let me know so I can give credit and a link - and thanks for the inspiration!!

Finally a card with some metal embossing. I think it looks quite cool with one of my big Wendy Vecchi style flowers though I don't think this is one I can send in the post!!

Giveaway will be along later tomorrow (oops, just looked at the clock, err, later today then....)

Cindy

Happy Birthday to me ..... thank you my friends...

Had a lovely morning opening all my lovely parcels from my crafty chums. You are all amazing and  I am so lucky.

Here are my handmade cards on my new unit.

And some gorgeous pressies. All so different and unique pieces of artwork. Just stunning!! And some great embellishments to use as well.

Thank you Maureen, Netty, Viv, Joan and Trudy



Many thanks also to Yvonne, Astrid and Sherry


 

I'll be round to say thank you personally as soon as possible. But for now going out to lunch!! See ya soon.

 

Cindy xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodness it's December......... Time for the November Art Draw winner

which is Chrissie. I'm sure I should have your addie hun but can't find it so will message you. As soon as I get it I'll get the Christmas Wreath on it's way so you can actually enjoy it during the festive season!! Gosh, only 24 sleeps....... haven't done a thing yet!

December giveaway will  be along shortly!!

Cindy x

Bad blogger....

but I'm still not that well. Went back to work yesterday and just feel like going straight to bed when I get in. Still here's a little new home card I made for someone at work and a Christmas card I made for my 'let's get embossing' demo at our local hobbycraft. I'll upload a few more of the samples tomorrow morning. Off now for a week's holiday (this is supposed to be my birthday celebration/christmas shopping week but I don't have a thing planned) but, joy of joy, have to take 'youngest' in to hospital for X rays tomorrow so it will be Saturday before I get a lie in 0:(. Maybe if they hear me hacking away they'll keep me in.

a polar bear, a piano and a cup of coffee........

Well I did joke that the brief for this new home card for one of the manager's at work included a polar bear, piano, opera, strong coffee, chocolate and sci fi. Despite a very helpful suggestion from LLJ that I could cover most of the brief  by having a polar bear with an opera cape and glasses reclining on a piano with a chocolatte in paw and Yoda as the waiter, I decided to stick with the bear. The sentiment was a free digi from 'netty's cards' if you want to pop over and grab one for yourself.

Unfortunately despite extreme mocking up before I stuck anything down I ended up with everything too near the bottom of the page and I'm not entirely happy with the composition (but I wasn't about to re-do it).
Still the recipient liked it so that's the main thing!!

However, when I asked my OH what he thought, he said ' a piano place of your own...... I don't get it'.

So I guess I put the piano in the wrong place as well!!

And here is another commission card for a friend's daughter. This brief was pink with a fairy. MUCH easier!!

Have only just got up after deciding to take a sick day today. Just can't shake this cold and pesistent cough and am exhausted but feel a bit better after giving in and laying in bed all morning although I may be back there in an hour or so. My sympathies to everyone else who has or has had this bug, it's a real doozie - can't believe I feel this low and it's only mid November.  Still, onwards and upwards!! Have a nice day everyone!!

 

Try It On Tuesday - Christmas Sparkle!!

Well a very simple little card from me this fortnight as I am prototyping my all-and- sundry christmas card which needs to be flat to save postage and using my 'new' Christmas stamp - I say 'new' because it is actually an oldish Lily of The Valley image but I think it is very sweet, (and very quick to colour for mass production!!).

I did however try out a different technique on this card. It may not be obvious from the photos (I have a nice close-up but can't get it to load up the right way round even if I rotate and re-save it - go figure). After stamping and colouring the image with promarkers I put a double sided sticky sheet (? correct name escapes me) over the image and then glittered onto the sticky surface with a very fine white glitter. I thought I might lose the image but it comes through nicely and kind of looks like it has been done on glitter card. So a nice bit of Christmas sparkle for this Tuesday's challenge!!

Don't forget to enter your sparkly christmas projects by hopping over to Try It On Tuesdays and linking in. We'd love to see what you've been making.

 

Card update..

Been MIA this last week, just too much other stuff going on.

But here is the finished sewing card which was on my desk a couple of weeks ago:










and also the card I made my mum's 80th  (apologies for lousy photographs):

Now I will admit this card follows a design I saw on Anna Marie's stall at AP and I even used the same sentiment. I absolutely fell in love with it and asked her how she had made it - and it was so simple!! The curled back frame looks really effective so I think I will be making more of these with different centrepieces etc.

I have a little bit of friendly sibling  card making rivalry with my sister who for mum this year made a huge A4 card (I have to add I had to remind her to make it). When we were out on Saturday at the Blenheim Craft Fair she was telling another friend about her huge card and I butted in, 'yeah but it wasn't as nice as mine' (jokingly) and she replied 'Well at least mine was hand made'. LOL she thought I had bought it. Made my day to get one over on her, should have seen her face when I enlightened her!!

Anyhow, now I am in a suitably good mood (still chuckling over that) I am home most of this week, everyone is off about their business and I am going to CRAFT!! So, see you soon....
 

A bit of canvas work.....

After making all those flippin' cards for MacMillan I was desperate to get a bit inky. I also wanted to make a couple of pressies for friends whose birthdays I had missed. So I decided to get a bit inky and painty.

This one is a really mini canvas with an octopode image. I love the way the background turned out on this one  and as I am sure you know by now this is one of my very favouritest Octopode images.  

For the second one I decided to try out a bit of 'she art'. I love Christy Tomlinson's style (do check out her etsy store if you are looking for something lush for a crafty friend - she has lots of funky new merchandise using her art).

I don't have any idea what I'm doing really, I just watch a lot of u tube demos and then wade in using any old paper, paints and inks I've got in my stash. Actually used some really old inks I bought when an art shop was closing down several years ago - I think they are designed to go in an artist pen, probably some kind of early promarker as they stink so much they must be alcohol based. So glad to find a use for them at last!!

The added attraction of this style of course is no faces, although it's then hard to give your image some character without. I like the angle of the face on this one although (and this is so typical) imo the original sketch was even better.

November Art Draw - A bit of Christmas spirit!!

Well I suppose we had to mention the 'C' word sometime soon! In an attempt to be more organised and get this month's offering out to the winner before the festive season is over, I have  a Christmas themed project for November.


The item in question is this festive wreath, much influenced by samples I have seen using Mr Holtz's dies. These ones however are from Marianne Creatables. The wreath is not very large, being about 8" across but hopefully someone would like this in their craft room or home.
 The art draw will run until 9.00 pm on Friday 30th November. If you want to play please leave a comment on this post to that effect - this will secure your name going 'in the hat'. Feel free to link from your own blogs and if you let me know you have I'll put you in the draw twice. Overseas players welcome but please make sure I have a way to contact you should you win as posting dates might be tight for overseas delivery.

I think that's all for now, and err.... merry christmas??
(Anybody know how many sleeps??)

What's On Your Work Desk, Wednesday?.........#179

Goodness it's Wednesday again!! Time for our weekly snoop around the craft desks of the world, courtesy Julia Dunnit of Stamping Ground. Pop on over to find out more and join in.

Here's my desk, kinda the calm after the storm this week. I have been making poinsetta's for this month's giveaway - just a little tease, and it's just drying off so will probably post it this evening.

My trusty circle cutter has died (well the blade snapped and I don't seem to have any spares) and the poor lollipop tree is still not finished and is now listing rather alarmingly. And for those who care, I have covered my gravy tub scissor holder. That rather funky covering started life as a sheet of kitchen roll in the bottom of my spray box.

Leave me a message and if you have a blog I'll repay the favour, whether you join in with WOYWW or not. Home today, so hopefully will get a bit of crafting done as I have two very important cards to get done, one a commission new home card (brief: polar bear, piano, opera,strong coffee, chocolate and sci fi. No problems there then.) and the other an 80th birthday card for my mum. As I'm about I hope to visit a few desks before lunchtime rather than the middle of the night as often happens!!






And finally a word of warning. This is what happens when you try to grow out your acrylic nails and then play with mica  sprays.
Very attractive n'est ce pas?

Happy WOYWW!!


 

Try It On Tuesday - 'Memories' DT Piece

I have to 'fess up. When I sat down on Sunday morning (cutting it fine as usual) to make my DT piece for Try It On Tuesday I was completely mojoless and uninspired. When that happens I find the only thing that gets me making is to follow a 'recipe', a sketch or try out a technique.

I have quite a few new stamps that have been looking at me reproachfully for some time now as they haven't seen ink yet so I thought I would make myself use some of these. I bought them at Ally Pally from the Paper Artsy stall and this particular set was  the last choice I made for a 'buy 4 get 1 free' offer. The first four were easy to choose, the last one was more difficult because although all the sets are gorgeous none of them were screaming 'you have to have me'. So I chose something that I wouldn't normally. If that makes sense. Still stuck for inspiration, I then looked over the photos I took at the Paper Artsy stall of all their lovely samples.  I didn't see anything using the stamps I had bought but saw a fairly masculine looking little piece with lots of bits and bobs on - something I find very difficult to do myself although I love the look.  (I would have put in a picture but it's just in one of the whole wall and a bit fuzzy even before cropping so I'll spare you that).


So new stamps in hand, and using that layout as a sketch or recipe I came up with this. And to make it fit with the theme I just used the word 'Memories' on it. A bit of a cop out I'm afraid!!

Anyhow, it has way more elements than I am usually confident at adding but works I think though I should probably have stamped the clock onto a slightly thicker piece of card to put crackle glaze on it as it's gone a bit crinkly.  Oh well, it's just vintage!!


So, if you would like to join in with us at Try It On Tuesday we'd be very pleased to see your 'Memories' projects. Have a great day!!

 

WOYWW #177

Time again for our regular Wednesday blog hop, masterminded by Julia Dunnit of Stamping Ground.

Time to visit the tidy and the untidy, the creative and the waiting-for-mojo. We're not fussy, just nosey.

Now, those of you who had begun to think I had gone all tidy may want to look away now - for here is my desk this week.

I did have an excuse -  I was trying to finish things off for my MacMillan Coffee Morning on Monday and haven't been back since I abandoned it.

The rest of the room fared no better whilst I was in the throes of  my crafting frenzy.

We did very well, raising £220, largely from the sale of cards and other items as well as plenty of tea and cake.

And 14 for lunch at my dining room table was cosy to say the least.

That's all from me this week, working four straight days from now on so will do my  best to get round as many desks as possible but may well be visiting late into the night! Happy WOYWW, indeed Happy  Halloween as well if  that's your bag.




 

And the October Art Draw is .......

Fuschia. If you could let me have your addy that would be great.

Sorry no pictures and I'm late, been busy with my MacMillan Coffee Morning. We raised £220 so far!! Hope to get a little more by taking the leftover cakes etc  to work tomorrow.

Now, time to get arty and inky!!

Just a reminder .......

that you have until 9.00pm tonight to enter my steampunk giveaway.

For details click on the picture top right.

Cindy

What's on Your workdesk Wednesday # 177

It's Wednesday again, and time for our weekly deskhop courtesy of our illustrious leader the lovely Julia of Stamping Ground. Pop on over there to find out all about it and join in!!I've been playing and the main desk is just a pile of bits and bobs but as I have actually been being productive I thought this week I'd show you my other two desk areas (one of which is cunningly disguised as a chair)

So voila some cards. Had my dylusions inks out to make some backgrounds though most of these I think are from the papers I put in my spray box when I'm having a bit of a spritz. Wanted a few simple but 'arty farty' cards for my Macmillan coffee morning (eek, it's next week!!), makes a change from teddy bears and flowers.

Kept them quite simple, but the backgrounds are quite lush. mmmmmm
 
And also been making tags, again playing with the dylusions and those Lynn Perella stamps.

Not sure where these are going but it's good to play!

So that's it for this week, I am home this Wednesday so should make my rounds in good time. Thank you to my new followers - I have noticed and will be round to visit those with blogs as well.

Happy WOYWW everyone!!

 

Try it On Tuesday - HALLOWEEN and DT Call

Image from Flickr Group

Well I guess it has to be done. Maybe one day I'll give in and buy a lot of halloween stuff but not this year!!

Here is my DT piece for the current Try it on Tuesday challenge, a stamped and collaged ATC.

I was going to make a spooky altered bottle as I have been much inspired by the ghoulish goings on at Laura Carson's blog, Artfully Musing but I couldn't even find a decent bottle!! If you have a few minutes to spare go over and have a look if halloween is your thing - there is some gorgeous eye candy. I can never believe people find so much 'stuff' to put on their altered art - I certainly wouldn't know where to look for it.

So I'm sure you've all got a little halloween project you can share with us at TioT. It can be any type of project that fits the theme, but you must remember not to link to more than 5 challenges if you want to be considered for Top 5.

We also have a design team call out until 20th November so whether you are a newbie or an experienced crafter why not have a go? Just add DT after your TioT entry so we know you are interested.

I'm happy to gift or trade this ATC if anyone would like it - first one to say so in the comment box. and, err, .....
 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
 

What's on Your Workdesk, Wednesday #

On my desk today are the bits I was working on at the WOYWW crop on Saturday.

First the flowery wreath in Christmas papers that I brought to do. Needs a bit of ribbon but otherwise finished.

Absolutely rubbish photo as ever.





And here are the dominos I made at Morti's master class. I didn't dare put the glossy accents on before I came home but they turned out quite nice. Who'd have thought those huge Lynn Perella stamps would work on a domino?

So busy nattering (and eating, there was also a lot of eating......) I didn't quite get round to doing Julia's project on the day. But here it is finished. 

Really like those little stars. Amazing, when someone else makes all the decisions I can really work quite quickly....

At the end of the day we were given some little goodie bags (very naughty, as we were told not to bring gifts) with a lovely hand made gift from LLJ (sorry forgot to photo it) and another bits n bobs challenge from Julia.

Here's what I made with that.

 

It was so nice to meet everyone, WOYWW has now become even more special. If you don't know what WOYWW is it's about time you found out! Go over to see Julia at Stamping Ground and join in!!

I hope you all have a lovely day vistiting one another today. Unfortunately I probably won't be around to visit  until tomorrow evening. I have to go and and get my photo taken with the Olympic Torch (for being a route marshal when it came through the town), then I have to go to work, then straight up to town for a charity music event that some friends are taking part in and then work again Thursday. But I will be visiting this week so hope to see you soon.

And finally here's sock monkey with my WOYWW badge, my chocolate medal (keeping that for emergencies) and my name badge from the day.

Am uploading this quite early as I don't have a lot of time  in the morning and will just link up as soon as I can.

Happy WOYWW!!!

Tim's Tags again - playing catch up!!

Right here are my catch up tags for July and August (don't know what happenned to those two months!!)

First, July - Tim's tag is here. The main technique for this was alcohol splatter ink background (nice technical term don't you think?) I know Tim likes us to be resourceful but I'm not sure he expected us to substitute his neat can of compressed air for a curly straw. But needs must when the devil drives and it was the best I could find in the kitchen drawer (!).

Despite perhaps a less than efficient tool I was still able to produce some reasonable results. Here are my finished tags:

Finally got a chance to give one of my Lynn Perella stamps a work out (truly it is killing me not to play but I just haven't had time).

I really love the vibrancy of these backgrounds and they are great with crisp black stamping (or not so crisp - I double stamped one as the first impression was a little wishy washy but I think it adds a certain something - OK, I think I got away with it!!).

Typically the little test piece I had done that I  then just stamped and made into an ATC came out the best.

And now on to August - Tim's vintage style ATC is here. The techniques on this ATC were to heat emboss a frame and then using an embossing folder to dry emboss the tag leaving the centre blank. I used an Anna Griffin frame and (as I don't have the folder Tim used) embossed the tag very carefully by just putting it through the cuttlebug so that only part of the tag was embossed (Hope that makes sense!). Came out quite well. I don't have a silhouette stamp but had these paper cameos. Tim used his pine cone die (I am tempted....) to make his roses but I used the Spellbinders bitty blossoms spiral die. I think they make great roses though I did follow Tim's pinching and folding technique which I think helps make the kraft paper a bit more pliable. The rest is just inking and spritzing. All in all quite pleased with all these tags, which just shows if you concentrate on the technique things come out a bit better.

But why (you may ask) do I make two of each? Well I did say I would do this so that at the end of the year I can have a whole set for either my December or January giveaway, keeping one for myself of course!! So far I'm only a little bit off track, and they should all be done by the end of the year. But if you can't wait till  then, just a reminder that the current giveaway is still running. Click here to have a look.

Oh well, that was my little escape from making bits for MacMillan so now I'm back making cards.

I also had another little craft break at the WOYWW Crop yesterday - what fun, hopefully I'll put a few piccies up tomorrow! Ate too much, talked too  much..... oh well what's new? Must dash, have to prep for an interview tomorrow, I've been putting it off all day and now it's dinner time - oops!!