I'm still waiting......

to crash through that 150 followers mark :0(.  Obviously my 'goodies' aren't enough to tempt you, we shall have to do better!! I also haven't heard from my two new followers - I have tried to contact you but sorry ladies, if you don't get your addies to me somehow I won't be able to send you anything!!

I shall  be offline for several days, but the January giveaway will continue through to the 4th Feb as advertised - you just won't see your comments until I can get back on to approve them. So do join in, leave a comment on this post, or on the original here, and I'll put you in the draw.

We are also waiting with great anticipation for a final date for the new  creative blog celebration being organised by Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian. I know Lisa has had a few teething problems with this new venture but it is sure to be awesome. The event will be called 'Our World Our Art' and will be 'an International Blogwide Celebration of the Arts and its Artisans' to quote the lady herself.

To find out more click on the picture or pop over to A Whimsical Bohemian. The likely date for the event is March, which will of course be upon us in next to no time. If  you have an artistic passion you might even want to sign up yourself!!

I won't personally be taking part this year but I shall definitely be taking a look round once it starts. I'll keep you posted when I know more.

What's on Your Workdesk, Wednesday #138

Another week has whizzed by. Hardly needs saying does it? Had a great day today (it's Tuesday as I am writing this, well technically Wednesday as it is well after midnight, but I digress..) did HW, shopping, mum visiting, made two cards for men (just the hardest!!) ordered some prints using machine in store (a first) and bought and set up a digital photoframe. Feeling very productive, especially as I have had a really fun splodgy messy session at my desk as well.

I offered to send a RAK to a 'newbie' ATC trader but it's hardly worth just making one is it so there are four WIP here in various stages of completion. This is what I call messy, arty farty, faffing about crafting, using layers, stamps, gels and paints. It's real fun. I'm really loving the way the fairy one in the middle is coming along. Need to let them all dry off properly before I do any more to them though.

While I've been waiting for these to dry (and vice versa) I have been busy getting NEXT month's giveaway prepared. I am determined to get ahead of myself. Here's a sneaky preview. The little hearts are covered in crackle glaze that is drying. They were also covered in stamped words but they seem, ahem, to have come a bit adrift. It's probably a lesson in using the right inks or setting it but as I can't remember which ink pad I used and I thought I did blast them with the heat gun, it's obviously not a lesson I am going to get top marks in. Hopefully it will all come out in the wash, one of those 'happy accidents'.

OK you must know by now why I'm rambling on about what's on my desk this Wednesday. No? Well, it's all down to Julia of Stamping Ground who hosts this weekly blog hop known as WOYWW. Hop over first to Julia's to read what's what and find out how to join in. It's easy, so go forth, nose about, leave a comment, make a friend. But I should get yourself a beverage and use the facilities. It may take you a while.

Fairy Tags for TIOT

I nearly didn't bother uploading these tags as they were made for the Try it on Tuesday challenge and the week will be over in about an hour - but I'm here now so I may as well!! This week was an anything goes challenge to the theme of 'Do You Believe in Fairies'.
I had been playing with some mica paint backgrounds and thought they would work well with this silhouette Fairy stamp from Personal Impressions. The flower silhouettes are mainly, but not entirely from a Crafty Individuals stamp set.

TIOT currently have a design Team call out so do pop over and join in if you are interested. Sorry I'm so late posting on this blog but it will run until 31 Jan so you have plenty of time to join in. Hopefully I'll get next week's entry uploaded a bit faster!!

Is anybody else finding some links aren't working on blogger or is it just me being unlucky? Sorry TIOT Team, couldn't view or leave a comment, just kept a blank page, and then couldn't get back on to the page. Nott he first blog this has happenned to this week. Anyhoo, better (try to) get this loaded and linked before Tuesday!

SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS ABOUND....

Is it going to be one of those years? Every birthday card needs a number it seems. We started off with two 21sts on 31st Dec and Jan 5th and this week I have had an 18th, a 21st and an 80th. I was also asked to make another 21st but had to decline as I would not have had time to do it. As it was I used Anna Marie templates and followed her samples pretty closely so I could do them without dithering too much (I still did a bit of dithering). Although it's not my usual type of thing I think the shoe one especially looks really nice. I forgot to photograph the 18th one before I sent it (cupcakes, quite cute), but here are the other two.



Quick plug for the January Art Draw. If you haven't entered already click on the box in the side bar and leave a comment on that post to get your name 'in the hat'.

Best wishes, Cindy

What's on your Workdesk? Wednesday #137

I read somewhere that the lovely Julia of stamping ground who hosts the WOYWW event each week takes her photo standing on a chair. So I thought I would give it a go.

Yes, I can see the attraction. However not a lot to look at from any angle. A couple of cards in production, and two altered art projects. The red frames from last week have been subdued with a layer of gesso (to see what happenned to all the other bits from last week go here) and I've gessoed a sort of body form thing I have high hopes for.

I've also changed my ATC display, but poor photography, I've chopped the head off one of my favourites (that's what happens when you rush). But it gave me great pleasure to choose them and so much better to see them even if  only for a few weeks than just leave them in a box.

I am at work today so don't expect to see me until the evening when I'll sit down with a cuppa and do the rounds. So hop over to see Julia and join in and visit one blog or one hundred - yes, it is that big. Happy WOYWW whatever you are doing.

January Art Draw - and Happy New Year to you too!!

Right. First giveaway of the year and I'm late. And I have an idea that is going to make you happy or fall asleep before you get to the end of this post. Still, read on!!

First, two altered slide mailers, one of these will constitute the main prize for this month's art draw. As you can see I've gone a bit oriental in honour of Chinese New Year which this year signifies the beginning of the Year of the Dragon, one of the most auspicious of the chinese zodiac.

The one on the right has an acetate front which may/may not be hard to see from the photo. Lots of gold embossing powder and a bit of gilding flakes. On the reverse there is a chinese proverb/quote (allegedly anyway according to Mr Google).

I am not quite sure what it means but it sounds like pretty good advice, should you happen to know a local dragon.

For the one on the left I got out some sadly neglected embossing paste and a bamboo stencil to decorate the back and front. Came out pretty well (but oh what a mess you can get into!!!)

I used some of my inca gold to highlight and was quite pleased with the result. Finished off the front with the large coin that just happens to have a dragon on. (I don't just throw this stuff together you know).  Inside I have used the slide 'niches' to add some pictures and another inscrutable chinese quote. More good advice to start the year!!

I did get rather carried away with my general paintiness and inkiness - feels like an age since I've had a chance to be messy - and I was doing a bit of 'resist' work because that is the challenge over at TIOT this week. So I also made a CNY tag which will be part of the giveaway and which is my entry to the challenge. I hope the DT at TIOT won't be cross with me for burying it in the middle of this post but I can't be bothered to do it all separately.  The dragon is the resist bit in case it's not obvious!!

Right usual rules apply. If you would like to be entered in to the art draw please make a comment on this post before 9.00 pm on Saturday 4th February. (I am extending it a bit because it is already the 15th, and also I know I won't be able to get to the pc to do the draw before then). International players welcome. please feel free to link from your own blogs.

Now I am going to make it a bit more complicated. The draw will be for 1 slide mailer, unless we get over 30 entries, when there will be two winners. I will also make another tag and box to be fair (it'll never happen!). First drawn will get first choice. Simples?

Oh what the heck, it's New Year and I'm feeling generous. As I say I got carried away and I also have three tags and three ATCs (most but not all are resist technique as well). So the next six new people to 'follow' me will get one of them as a RAK. (We are currently at 147 and, yes, it's really bugging me that that follower tag has not gone over 150 yet!!).
So there are potentially 8 prizes on offer this month and I hope they will tempt you to join in. Don't forget that although you do not need to have a blog of your own I must be able to contact you if you enter. Good Luck, and
Kung Hei Fat Choi!

What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday #136

An explosion of red paint that's what!! Needed a messy crafty fix so I've got two altered slide mailers on the go and a couple of canvases that might become a shadow box, or might not, haven't decided yet. Why red? Well, firstly the cap on the paint has snapped off and the tube itself has cracked (yes, at one stage there was red  paint everywhere until I realised what had happenned) so it's a case of use it or lose it. Secondly I've gone a bit oriental for Chinese New Year which is fast approaching. Good to dust off some of those stamps and images. One at least of these projects will be in my art draw this month so I need to get a wriggle on. Don't know quite where they are going yet but expect more red paint, gold paint and gilding flakes, dragons and geishas!! Lush!

Not much will get done today as I have to go in to work 9 - 8. I have been told to go into 'head office' first thing for a briefing. Not sure why, probably about restructuring/redundancy/outsourcing. Again. Note to self: Look for new job! Am finding these constant re-organisations very stressful. Aw heck it might be good news for a change.

Anyhow enough about me, get yourself over to the droll musings of Julia Dunnit at Stamping Ground (Julia's posts always make me smile!!) who hosts this weekly bloghop/brag and see who's who and what's what this week. Join in yourself or just be a looky lou - you never know who you might meet!

PS: Late NY resolution - STOP using exclamation marks!!

No papers were harmed ........

in the production of these cards.

Well strictly speaking, no new papers. I'm trying desperately not to make any new promises I won't be able to keep but using up scraps has to be something all of us crafters would like to do. So three cards made entirely from scraps or bits left over from old papers and kits.

This first one is a birthday card for my nephew - stars and cake will have to do, I'm not very imaginative for teenage boys, and let's face it they are usually more interested in what else might be inside the envelope. I think these papers and toppers were originally free in a magazine.

Many blogs seem to be exhorting us to try new things this year and that is certainly something I would like to do. 2011 was a bit of an artistic desert for me - I put it down to working, if I was at home all day I would be creativity itself (NOT). Anyhow The Try it on Tuesday team have challenged us this week to make a card which is 'All Your Own Work'. So I have inked and stamped some scrap card for the backgrounds and then made a tile by 'stamping into' shrink plastic, a new technique for me. I saw this idea in the January Craft Stamper magazine and was a little sceptical that it would stay pliable long enough to accept an impression. Characteristically, not having the same materials they used in the article didn't stop me having a go with a bit of SP and a red rubber stamp (logic being it could stand the heat if I heated the SP right on top of it so I could flatten it down quick). Seemed to work OK but I'm not sure it's the best use for SP, Friendly Plastic gives a similar result and is much more forgiving. I coloured the tile with alcohol inks and inka gold. I chose the sentiment because I thought it seemed appropriate to the challenge and embossing it in white made it stand out. Stuck the feather on just because it seemed to need a bit of blue. And just to keep true to the title of my post, the mats are all from my scrap box. 

Finally, last night, I popped over to mojo Monday and decided to have a go at this week's sketch. I don't think I use sketches enough, they do seem to speed up the creative process.

Once again I only used things from my scrap boxes (I have to admit some of those bits are so big perhaps they shouldn't be in there as they are hardly scraps). Also my punches which are much under-used. I wasn't so sure about the colours when I saw them in daylight but I think they work. I also used one of the many sentiment stamps in my stash that I haven't used on a project  yet.

Can't believe that after the terrible weather this morning when I had to have every light on in the house because it was so dark, I have just had to draw the blinds because the late afternoon sun is bouncing off the walls and absolutely blinding me. Go figure!!

New Year, new kit.....

Thought I'd done with cards for a while but no, first week of January is riddled with birthdays and 2 are special 21st ones.

In the 'sales' I succumbed to a Kanban kit I have had my eye on for a while. It is the Safari Boutique collection and based on animal prints with lots of gold foiling. I'm not usually a fan of all that foiling but on this kit it seems essential and just right for a fashion conscious 21 year old.

I love how this card turned out, but I have to 'fess up it wasn't all my own idea, I saw a presentation on C & C where they showed a similar sample - I loved the idea of making an acetate window to give the front of the card some dimension and it worked really well. It's hard to see in the photos (acetate is a devil to photograph anyway!!). I hope she likes it. Well onwards and upwards, trying to get ahead with my birthday cards so I can get on with something else - feeling the urge to get inky and messy....