JULY TAGS – JUST IN….

I swear I get later and later each month!! Still here they are….

Simple techniques this month so these were quite quick to do (apart from the hour I spent searching convinced I had a plate of cartouche stamps – I don’t). The only snag was when I went to my rock candy crackle product it was more rock than candy. So I had to improvise with other products, one of which didn’t work so well as it seemed to just sink in to the grungeboard, but I think it was the crackle accents that worked OK and the effect on the grungeboard is rather attractive if subtle. I couldn’t really CASE Tim’s tag as I don’t have the bits so they ended up quite different but I like the way these turned out – they certainly feel more me than Mr H but thank you Tim I would not have thought of doing this. Right, one more challenge to finish by the end of today…… and a fancy card to make….. LOL good job I perform better under pressure.

What’s on Your Workdesk? Wednesday #217

Well actually some projects for once!  Although this has been a bit of a lean month creatively I am of course playing catch up to get certain things done before the end of the day.

You can see my finished  Creepy House from last week, ever so slightly staged. That’s just the front cover, I have to decide how to turn it into a book before Saturday, which was why I was looking at Sue Roddis’ yummy book.

There are also some pieces for my Tim Holtz Tags. More on that later I hope.

 

 

 

 

 

And this is an ATC for a steampunk challenge – well I’ve got this far, not so sure where to go next!! Hopefully inspiration will strike.

So what are you up to? Will you share? Hop on over to Stamping Ground to get all the details, and have a great day!! I’m home so will be hopping about quite a bit I hope.

(PS - Last day to sign up for my giveaway!!)

IMAGINE........What Exactly?? Collage for Try It On Tuesday

Hiya, hope you are all ready for a new challenge from Try It On Tuesday - I have to say that last fortnight just flew by!!

The new challenge is to create a collage which must include some script and originally I thought I was going to make a flat collaged piece - something I haven't done for a while and which I really enjoy. However when I was sorting through some bits and bobs these things seem to fall together. I'm not sure where the journaling page came from, I think it came in a parcel from a friend, and the bit on the right is a piece or air dried clay that has been stamped into and then coloured. The wire had been bent like that and reminded me of a project in this month's Craft Stamper, although in the end I didn't use it for my project.

Anyhow I decided to start with these bits and this is how it ended up.

Imagine? Well it seemed as good a word as any other and fitted in the plate. It did cause me quite a bit of reflection when I was considering what to put there but I really must learn not to sweat the small stuff LOL.

Anyway, if you think you could manage a bit of collage this fortnight we'd love to see you over at Try It On Tuesday. The DT have pulled out all the stops as usual and there is plenty to inspire.

1, 2, 3…….. time for a challenge at Craft Card Makers

 

The challenge this fortnight is 1, 2, 3 – that is 1 image, 2 patterned papers and 3 embellishments.

Here is my DT piece:

I was really pleased to  be able to use one of the digi images from our sponsor ‘The Paper Shelter’. My 1 image is Gothic Girl and I think she would be just ideal for a teenage birthday or even for an older lady who appreciates the darker side of things (whilst remaining totally feminine of course!!) I coloured her in with promarkers but bottled black hair – I really am never sure how to the shading for that!! 

I printed out the two pattern papers from my digital stash (it was so hot it was easier than trawling through my papers!!). and for my 3 embellishments I used Marianne die cut flowers – Chinese Rose - and spellbinder leaves to make up my floral corner, a bit of crushy black ribbon and a diecut chandelier which I embossed in black to make it nice and shiny.

No sentiment on this one as I haven’t decided where it is going yet!!

So if you fancy our 1, 2, 3 challenge pop on over to the Crafty Cardmakers Blog to see the other DT makes and join in. There are prizes up for grabs!!

We are sponsored by

THE PAPER SHELTER

with a $20 gift certificate for their fabulous store

and by

WOODWARE CRAFT COLLECTION
With a prize of £12.00 to spend at your favourite Woodware Stockist, either in store or on line.

 

Can’t wait to see what you get up to!

Quick cards ….

using stamps that haven’t yet seen ink. Bad girl!!

First up a ‘Get Well’ card for a friend using a flower stamp by Sam Poole ……

 

Second just playing with a LOV stamped image of this cute little fairy. Decided to get out my distress inks and play – boy am I out of practice lol.

 

That’s all. Lots to get done today and making an early start as it seems I a not destined to have a lie in.

 

Have a good Friday.

Technorati Tags: Sam Poole,LOV

What’s on Your Workdesk? Wednesday. Don’t know which one.

Hello fellow deskers, how are you all? The last couple of weeks have been a bit of a bust craft wise for me but I’m slowly gearing up again.

However what I have on my desk today is still related to Creepy House. (It goes on till September so get used to it).  I am putting together a sample as making a memory album is one of the craft projects we will do with the kids this summer, we’ll have a competition for the most imaginative.  This one will be a creepy house (I’m sensing a theme…) and is (hopefully) just to get their creative juices flowing, they certainly wouldn’t be able to do the cutting out. I thought I’d actually try a bit harder with this one to make something nice but I was still incredibly pleased to come across this template on the Creating Keepsakes Blog. Intellectually I know it isn’t that hard to come up with my own House design but it is sooo much easier and quicker when someone else has done the hard work. It is nowhere near finished but hasn’t taken me long to get this far, will finish it tonight I should think.

Anyhoo that’s it from me. More creepy things to come – and completed Mr Wolfie is in the post below if you want to see how he turned out.

And the WOYWW thing? If you don’t know by now  - shame. Pop on over here to find out more.

Happy WOYWW!!

Watch out, there’s Wolves about….

Hi, there, not much to report chez ashplant as I'm still not feeling very inspired - can't concentrate once it gets warm in here. So am concentrating on developing a decent tan instead!

However I did promise to keep you informed about progress with my Creepy House display for the Summer Reading Challenge.

Here is Mr Wolfie mounted on one of my display boards

.

 

I  think he looks rather cool. Ignore the yellow bit, he doesn't really look like he's frothing at the mouth it's the angle of the photo. In fact that yellow background is one of the Olympic rings we made last year - I never throw anything away, it's a good job I've got a big work room at the library!!

 

I’ve also made a Creepy Portrait.

When you walk in to the children’s library you see this:

 

Now behave, stop laughing, that’s not the creepy bit, just my amateurish drawings skills.

 

 

 

 

 

As you leave the library you see this

 

 

Does anyone know what this effect is called?

  I’m calling it Op Art and we are going to make these in a couple of weeks.

  I know they look a bit basic but when I’m prepping things I have to be able to do them in about 20 mins or the kids will have no chance in the time available and  this was a bit of a stretch  for me and I knew what I was doing so it’s a bit rough round the edges.

  Anyhow just thought I’d keep you posted. Now going to try to make a card or two whilst it’s still relatively cool. Have a good day!!

 

 

 

 

 

Loving the sunshine.....

despite an obsession about rain from some people. Come on guys, don't you remember all that time it was cold? I do, and I don't want it back!!

OK, if we must  - RAIN

Seriously, I was browsing the challenges to see if there was anything that inspired me. First I looked at Out of a Hat Creations where the current theme is 'Let it Rain' - per-lease girls don't wish that on us!! Then I stopped by another favourite challenge blog, Artful Times where their theme is 'Come Rain or Shine' - what is it with all this rain talk?
Finally I stopped by ATCs with Attitude, thinking that I might be able to manage an ATC (well you do have to take it easy in this heat) and their challenge # 44 'More than one Fold' gave me an idea.

Here's my entry to all 3 challenges: Sort of covering all bases I feel!



 

An explosion of summery yumminess inside.
Much better!!

I paper pieced the little umbrella girl (a Debbie Moore stamp) on the atc and added an exploding mechanism inside similar to the tag I made a few weeks ago. I think that certainly gives it more than one fold. Lots of coloured punched flowers and voila. That's probably me for this week, far too warm in my craft room to have the pc on for long so I'm signing off.

And my 'C' keeps sticking which is very tiresome - could be the bit of magnum that fell on the key board lol.





Try It On Tuesday - HOME is where the HEART is

Aah, so true!!

I have made a 'New Home' card as my DT piece this fortnight using a gelli background, a Sam Poole Stamp and some UTEE heart embellishments (cute ain't they?) made using the spellbinders media mixage heart bezels as moulds.

So that's your challenge this fortnight at Try It On Tuesday. Do pop over and see what the rest of the DT have been up to there are some great projects. You can make anything you like as long as it follows the challenge 'Home is Where the Heart Is'. Don't forget to read the rules and only link up to 5 challenges in total if you want to be eligible for Top 5!!

Hope to see you there!

Best wishes, Cindy

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY TO CRAFTY CARDMAKERS!!

I've only been with them a short while but 4 years is certainly something to celebrate!!

The challenge this fortnight is to create a birthday themed project so I have waded in with this bright and breezy birthday card.

The papers are from the Café Mediterranean DCWV paper pad. For a change I cut a small section off the front of my card using a spellbinders edgeability die. The background is quite fussy so opted for some big bold flowers as a contrast. The flowers are made using a layered up Wendy Vecchi image stamped with versamark and embossed with white powder. Simples!!

So congratulations to the Crafty Cardmakers Team and especially Lyn the driving force behind it all, for reaching this milestone.

Meanwhile the challenge to you is to create a 'Birthday' project (it doesn't have to be a card!) and share it with us at Crafty Cardmakers.



We are sponsored by

DI'S DIGISTAMPS with a $10 gift voucher and also by and also by HOBBY ART with a lovely stamp set so there's plenty to play for!
Can't wait to see what you get up to!

 

 

JULY ART DRAW – an aMUSEing little piece…

I am having a dry spell. My life feels very hectic, work is just full of STUFF going on, and I'd rather be in the garden than my stuffy craft room -  the disadvantage of that big South facing window is it can get rather warm in the Summer. But I'm not complaining, after 8 months of being permanently COLD you will NOT hear me even mutter about the heat under my breath. I embrace the heat, the heat is my friend (helps  my cough too, 9 weeks and counting, still can't get rid of it), it's just nicer to sit in the garden when it's warm!!

Still, despite the absence of mr mojo I wanted to do something for my monthly giveaway so I got out my JOFY stamps and my Fresco Finish paints and forced myself to have a play. I have painted straight onto this mdf  bunting and then used a variety of other mediums over the top. A bit different for me but I hope you like it. Oh and  all the waffling at the beginning was supposed to make you understand the sentiment is a little tongue in cheek, given that I am not feeling very inspired at the mo!!

So if you have space for this somewhere leave me a comment and I'll put you in the draw. International players welcome, feel free to link from your own blogs or wherever. Let me know you have done so and I'll put you in the draw twice. Closing date will be 9.00 pm on Weds 31st July - please make sure I will be able to contact you somehow. Thanks for playing!!

Technorati Tags: Art Draw,giveaway,Fresco Finish Paints,Jofy Stamps,bunting

What's on Your WorkDesk Wednesday #213. No really, it's #213

I am nothing if not a follower. If Julia tells me it's week #113 that's what I write down. If she said it was week #777 I would follow. Heaven help us it will probably happen! What am I going on about? Well it's Wednesday again when we show off wot we is up to to the world. Unexpurgated (sometimes), entertaining certainly. For all the info go here, read Julia's post and jump in. We won't bite but the project on my desk might(GRIN).
 


Not a lot of crafty time this last week but my werewolf head has moved on a tad and here he is taking up most of my desk. I've given him two coats of grey acrylic paint and will add some detailing today. As I am intending to 'mount' him like a trophy for my creepy house display I'm wondering if he needs a lower jaw but I'll see what he looks like first. I hope you are impressed that the rest of the desk is quite tidy (although I am no longer quite sure what is in that purple box, I may have to empty it and have a look).


Here's another little creepy project which I found on the RavensBlight blog. There are some great templates on this site and this one is for a balancing bat. Isn't he neat? I'm thinking I might try the floating candelabra, I think they would look quite cool hanging from the ceiling in my creepy house....... Anyhow, off to visit a few desks before I go out to lunch.

Happy WOYWW!!

Show Us Your Metal!!

is this fortnight's challenge at Try It On Tuesday. After much head scratching I decided to visit an old favourite - using ordinary kitchen foil.

Here is my DT entry, I have made a little 4 x 4 memory book (I haven't finished the insides!) and the cover front and back is made from silver foil. For the front I attached various embellishments to a piece of 4 x 4 mount board and then covered it with kitchen foil. A thicker kind is best as it is less likely to tear. You then work the foil into all the grooves and then once you are happy paint as you wish and dry. Then use some black paint and quickly wipe off, leaving bits in the crevasses to age it and finally  finish off with whatever metallic rubs or waxes you have to highlight the textures. In fact the crinkled foil on its own gives a rather nice texture and that's exactly what I did for the back cover.

Back Cover!!
 

There's lots of great inspiration from the DT over at Try It On Tuesday and we'd love to see what you get up to so get thinking metal and link up your project.

See ya!!

Cindy

 

'HOLIDAYS' for Crafty Card Makers

digital design

'Holidays' is the theme for the current challenge at Crafty Card Makers. When thinking what I was going to do as my DT entry all that kept coming to mind was that I had a million and a half holiday photos to scrap!! So finally I gave in and decided to do a scrapbook LO of a few days away with my mum and sister last year. I've had the idea of this layout in my head for a while (I really like the main photo, it's quirky) and so I used Craft Artist 2 to design my page and print the small 'fuzzy' edged photos onto the backing paper. 

I printed out the elements separately, fussy cutting the small items and then made it up into a dimensional page, mounting it onto a bit of Kraft  card to give it a border. It will go into a box frame in due course to be displayed but I haven't been able to get out and pick one up yet so here is the hand finished page



Hand finished  project

I'm not sure if you'll be able to read the journaling but these are a few photos I took when we went to visit the local beach. Now, bearing in mind that my 80 year old mum can't walk to the end of the road without her walker, being beside the seaside seemed to rejuvenate her completely and she was down the steps like a five year old, whipping off her shoes and going for a paddle. If we'd had a bucket and spade I'm sure she'd have been making sandcastles. It was a struggle to get her to come away! I found this incredibly amusing and quite heart warming, a very special memory.

So that's enough nonsense from me, what kind of project can the theme inspire you to make? A holiday you've already taken or one you're dreaming of? We'd love to see what you make of it so do pop on over to Crafty Card Makers and join in. We are sponsored for this challenge by 

SIR STAMPALOT

so why not have a go? Just be sure to follow the theme!!

And the winner of the June giveaway is........

GILL.

I have emailed you Gill, if you could replay with your snail mail I will get it off to you  this week.

Thanks to all who played (although I suspect some  of you didn't know you were!!). The July Art Draw Prize will be uploaded later this week so keep a look out!!

July? Already? Eeeeek!