Two more tags

This decorating lark just goes on and on. We still haven't got the new doors hung, which means it's a bit draughty downstairs of an evening and apparently it won't be finished today. We only wanted to smarten the place up a bit and it's turning into a marathon, replacing doorframes, having to re-paper..... . I've got the carpenter here today, no point doing housework because the place is covered in dust.... so what's a girl to do? Get inky and gluey that's what!!!

Thank goodness I've got my craft space is all I can say or I don't know what I would do with myself.  So have been having a play and there will be more things to post very soon. I have even, don't faint, been using BLUE and TURQUOISE paint.             Must be that strange round yellow thing that is up in the sky today, it's gone to my head.

A tag, a winner....... a slight hangover....

Boy that wine tasting was absolutely mad last night! We started off taking it seriously but after about the first 10 we completely lost the plot.......... but a fun night. We probably only got round about a quarter of the wines there. Didn't regret it too much today....

Anyhow I have really come online to announce the winner of the April giveaway which is Trudy. I have known Trudy for a while and she is a great artist but doesn't come on line very often so we don't get in touch as often as we used to, which is a great shame. But I see she's been blogging lately and I'm especially intrigued by her matchbox cards.....So Trudy, I will leave you a message and hope you see it before the package arrives!!

The May giveaway will be up sometime next week, I have a couple of options, not sure which one I will put up yet, more steampunk, butterflies ..... mmmm you will have to wait and see LOL.

Finally a little tag, just to keep the post pretty with a bit of eye candy.  

Last chance to win and a quick tag

Well only quick as I am in a rush because I am off to a wine tasting tonight. But I did want to remind you that today is the last day to enter this month's art draw - see the details top right.

I needed a picture to go with this post and the only thing I have finished that I can show you is this is Steampunk tag (sorry, haven't got it out of my system yet). I'm not even sure that this is finished, think it might need a word but nothing is leaping out at me for the moment. Any ideas?

Do you like my SP lady? She is a composite of three different stamps and I rather like the way she has turned out.

Anyhow must jump in the shower or I'll get told off. Will  be back tomorrow to announce the winner. But probably not that early.

Cindy x

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday #151

Had a massive stamping attack overthe weekend but am now kind of burnt out. Just this mess to sort out. Worralorrastamps.

If you've got something to show off this Wednesday (or not as the case may be) join in the splendiferous bloghop that is WOYWW. Pop over to Stamping Ground to meet our illustrious leader Julia Dunnit, see what it is all about and jump in. I'm on a course today about mental health awareness. I'm saying nothing, wisecracks on a postcard please. I only mentioned it because it means I will be a late WOYWW browser.

You can guess what I would rather be doing.

Have a great day!!

Anything goes!! TioT Challenge with a twist

Our challenge this week at Try it on Tuesday  is to create something using an item sold at The Craft Barn - easy enough with such an amazing shop with choice galore but the twist is you must add a link to the item in the shop in your post. You can create anything you like and with such amazing stash to choose from you will be not short of ideas. In fact if you area nything like me you will be surprised by how much stuff you have in your craft room!! To be in with a chance of winning the Craft Barn £15 voucher you must link to the item you have used in the online shop.

Here is my DT entry for this week's  challenge. I decided to make a card using a Gorjuss girl stamp and coloured her in with a lovely mellow yellow - my idea was to do a primary card in bright colours as I was feeling quite summery (hard to believe with the non stop rain  know but there have been some nice spells in  between showers). But when I was browsing through my stash this text backing paper caught my eye and suddenly it all became a bit grunge with lots of DI edging......

I really love those spiral roses!! I shall have to find someone special to give this one to.

So here are the things I used (I know, went a bit mad with the linking, please don't feel you have to do the same one item is sufficient, but just shows how much great stuff they have)
Craftwork cards 'Elegant Square' card base and sentiment sheet
Gorjuss Girl Stamp
Distress inks
Copics and promarkers
Cuttlebug with spellbinder Classic circle/Classic Scalloped circle dies.
Marianne Chinese Rose die
Bakers twine
Rangers stickles

I hope you'll have time to join in this week and look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Artful Times Challenge #2 - Sea of Greens

Well missed it last week and another week has nearly gone by (where is this year going?). It's good job the new challenges at Artful Times are fortnightly!!

Anyhow I'm entering this 4 x 4 piece (is that correctly called a fat page? I forget) with a lot of green in the background. And a smidge of orange. There's a little bit of digital, some stamping, embossing and collage. It's one of a series I am doing, there are six so far but I'm keeping the rest a secret for now as I have a cunning plan....(tease, tease...).

Hope you like.

Steampunk Dreams..

Yes it's official, I've even got steampunk on the brain when I'm asleep!! Here's a tag using the man from my new Indigo Blu Stamps. Not very steampunky I know but kinda has the vibe!!

I was intending to put it in the first Artful Times Challenge but I err, was sitting at my craft desk doing something else and before I knew it it was Friday and too late. Ooops! Still there's always next time.

I'm also taking part in a 4 x 4 challenge and the April page just happens to be steampunk so I was really in the groove for that one. My dress stamp from Kanban is getting a real work out - but I just love it!


 Steampunk afficionado's may also be interested  in this month's Art Draw - check it out! 

Have a great weekend! 

WOYWW # 149 - Steaming Ahead

It's time once again for the wonder that is What is on Your Workdesk Wednesday? when we all rush over to seeour illustrious leader Julia of Stamping Ground and she leads us hopping around the blogosphere.

Not so organised this week as I have made a bit of time to play with stamps and inks and generally getting a bit messy. Here's my desk:

Looks a bit staged I know, but I was just taking a photo of the three ATCs when I remembered it was Tuesday evening (Bank Holidays  play havoc with my timetable) and time to do my WOYWW post as I'm working tomorrow so won't have time to do it then. Have at last played with my new stamps, not only the ones that were on my desk last week but also some Kanban steampunky ones and those 'Brittania' ones from Indigo Blu. I seem to have found a patriotic streak, think it's all those cushions Lunch Lady Jan has been making!! I see I left out my Who What When book - this is where I try to keep track of trades etc. Keep meaning to alter it or something but never get round to it.

My three steampunk ATCs are going up for trade - here's a closer view of one of them.  |And also a tag I've been working on. Not sure where it's going yet.

So some on, join in and see how far you get this week!!

Cindy

hot diggity dog!!!!

The theme for this week's design team challenge at Try It on Tuesday is 'pampered pets' and it had me stumped for a while as I'm not really a great animal lover so haven't collected much in the way of pet based craft supplies. I remembered however that the last goody bag I got hold of had some sheets of decoupage from the hot diggity dog collection from docrafts. Now handcut decoupage is not my bag either so this card is really a labour of love!!

I decided to use this bathtime pet image (well all those bubbles seems pretty pampered to me!) and the lovely blue bath was the starting point for my colour scheme. As I was incapable of cutting out the base topper neatly I decided to frame it to hide my dodgy scissor work. I cut the frame out of some coredinations Tim Holtz Distress Collection cardstock using a nestability die then embossed with a polka dot folder. I  sanded it lightly to take it back to the core and add a bit of texture. I found the lovely stripey paper in my scrap box along with a scrap of cream card. ( Yes I do put big bits of card in my scrap box - once they have been cut they get on my nerves in the main paper stash, just my OCD kicking in again).



Just to prove I cut out all those layers!!

 I used my edgeabilities dies to create a scalloped edge on the cream card ( I really don't use these enough) and used the companion circle die for extra interest, distressing the edge slightly with Antique Linen Distress Ink to bring out the detail. I found also that putting a piece of plain cardstock behind really made the cut outs pop. Couldn't resist adding a few flowers and some pearls and then mounted the whole thing onto a kraft card blank.


So we are calling all you crafters with a soft spot for any of our furry, feathered or otherwise covered 'best friends' to have a go at our challenge. The theme is 'Pampered Pets' and this week we are sponsored by One Stop Crafts and one lucky winner will be picked randomly .

You can enter any craft or papercraft item, all we ask is that you follow the theme and that you only link to five challenges in total. The DT will then pick their top 5 entries from the challenge and each will get one the of our new blinkies to proudly display and be asked to join us as a guest designer on a future week .In addition, if you are one of our top five entries, chosen by the Design Team, you will be offered a special guest showcase in the next few weeks.

Hope to see you over at Try it on Tuesday! 

Bit Dark......

Just some ATCs. Went a bit off the beaten track with my colours and used a few of my new stamps and masks that have never been touched. Not sure about any of them but was nice to have a play and get inky. The creativity one is a bit tongue in cheek.

Off out to lunch today so better get im that shower. (I can be a right slob at weekends LOL).



Don't forget to join in with the April Art Draw if you haven't already.

Link is top right or just click here.

Big Numbers on Easter Sunday

Happy Easter all, just a quick post from me. I am still in my jammies and have spent the morning tidying up my craft room so I can actually get in and do something I want to do. Spent Friday and Saturday locked in here with my DD making a scrapbook for her best friend's 21st - last minute as usual it had to be finished by 6.30 last night and completely scuppered my crafting plans for the weekend. I have realised that I am quite territorial with my crafting space (you just won't believe the mess she managed to create) and my stash. I was almost hyperventilating when forced to witness the liberal spreading of bling across the table and random cutting into paperstock ....... I am glad I managed to be helpful mummy but by the time she'd left to go celebrating I needed to lie down in a darkened room (but opted for mindless TV and a bottle of wine).

Anyhow, am now debating whether to stay in PJs or get dressed which will entail shower, hairwash and probably another whole hour before I can actually sit down and craft. But first I'm going to post the card I made for my son's recent 18th so I can enter it in the Polkadoodles Big Birthdays challenge.

Teenage boys being what they are I opted for a purely digital card using my Serif Craft Artist Programme (if you haven't already got this software there is a very good deal for this at Create and craft this weekend).   I imported a digital stamp (the boy) from a polka doodles CD and then manipulated it to be a bit taller and skinner - a bit more like my son who is a 6'2" streak of nothing.

Here's the darling boy with his dad last week.

Hope the rest of your weekend goes well whatever you are doing.

April Art Draw - steampunk pocket watch

Here at last, a bit later than planned. This month's offering is this Wendy Vecchi Art Parts pocket watch. As usual the photography probably doesn't do it justice.

Had great fun grunging this up with paints and powders. The large cogs are chipboard pieces from eco green while the smaller pieces embedded in crackle glaze are old watch parts. Had great fun texturing the cogs (no I don't have a texturising tool just a hammer - noisy but fun). Used Clearly for Art to make the flowers following a Wendy Vecchi tutorial (I should emphasise hers don't look like this - I must have lost my way somewhere - but they are still kinda neat). It has a little chain so it can be hung or you could just leave it in the box.

So the April Art Draw will remain open until 9.00 pm on Saturday 28th April. All you  need to do is leave a comment on this post and I will include you in the draw (well I don't actually draw it so much as feed the numbers in to Mr Random Generator!).

International players are most welcome and I'd love it if you have the time (and ability) to link from your own blogs. In fact, although I hate sounding like I'm making people jump through hoops, if you do I will put you in  the 'draw' twice, so more chances to win.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll try to return the favour - I am getting better, honest!!

Happy Easter everyone!

Cindyxx

WOYWW #148 - Ready for Easter

Well here's my desk looking nice and tidy but it's a work day today and I cleared away last night before I went to bed. Here are all the bits for my kiddies crafting session today, we are making exploding boxes. I do like to be prepared, just need a box for the butterfllies.  What you can't see are the little bags of chocolate eggs for the Easter Egg hunt on Saturday painstakingly filled by yours truly (with only a few samples on the way - a girl's gotta keep up her strength). They are on the floor out of shot - they look so cute!!

The strange little bodyform is a WIP - I'm really not sure where I'm going with this one but  just keep adding more paper to it every day. Might be done by next Wednesday.

I also had a bit of a spend up on ebay and have some new Tim Holtz stamps to play with. In fact I've had them nearly a week and they are still on my desk. Still in fact in their wrappers. I'm guessing with the weather changing so dramatically just in time for the holidays I may get some time in my craft room over the weekend!!

If you haven't heard of WOYWW before a) where have you been? b) pop over to see Julia at The Stamping ground, join in with the blog hop and add a piccie of your own desk if you dare so we can return the favour. I will be taking the tour this evening as I'm at work till 8. Last week was a disaster as I messed up my link. Kudos to those who still found me but by the time I realised I was off doing something else and didn't really get round many desks. Must do better.
Have a great day, and Happy Easter everyone!!  Cindy xx

12 Tags - April

Well, didn't have the reflections stamps (what's that all about?) or the embossing folder so got a bit of dimension using a white embossing powder for the vintage frame stamp (which I do have!!). Obviously that then resists ink colours so used a bit of rub on wax to highlight it (bit lost in the photo I have to say, they look grungier IRL). Grunge paper birdies cut out with Marianne dies. I only have one colour of distress embossing powder so did the branch and leaves with that and then dabbed lettuce alcohol ink onto the leaves to colour. Kinda worked. I'm pleased with them both, didn't take long, made me use a die I haven't used for ages, used up some sentiments that my friend AngyB sent me last week with a trade (they were just the right size!!), and haven't opened that distress embossing powder for a year so it's all good...

Had to laugh, my son came in to  the craft room and asked what I was working on. After a bit of explanation about how wonderful Mr Holtz's work is I said ' so he puts up these projects and you try and make something using the techniques. Of course I never have all the right bits .... '   at which point he did a perfectly executed teenage eyeroll round my overstuffed craft room. We both fell about laughing.

Oh well that's enough messiness for one day, mum's coming over to make tea light boxes, that should be fun!!

Winner of March Art Draw is......

Sherry, and it couldn't go to a better home I'm sure. Sherry is a regular commenter on my blog and has a wonderful blog of her own, the Queen of art dolls, altered matchboxes, books and many, many other things of crafty yumminess! Always worth a look. No need to send your addy Sherry I think I know it!!

Here's my little bird all packed up and ready to go, I'll get to the PO in the next couple of days.

The April Art Draw has a steampunk theme and will be uploaded on Thursday (unless I get distracted in which case will be Good Friday cos I know I'll be here then). So don't forget to pop back later this month!!

Thanks to everyone who joined in this time.