What’s On Your Work Desk? Wednesday #291

Been missing in action. Apologies all but December was busy. Post Christmas I am now luxuriating in the total lack of pressure and things to be done. Work on Friday may come as a bit of a shock!!

Anyhoo here’s my desk. A few ‘bits’ I have promised myself I will sort today to the left (they have been sitting on a shelf for a whole year). 1 birthday card to be finished, just need to add the name. Oh yeah and a mask to make for my daughter’s NYE party tonight. (OK a little bit of pressure).

I would love to go the whole hog with it but I wear bins so can’t see me with a proper mask it’ll have to be on a stick. And I know no one will be wearing them after the first 5 mins so I refuse to make a big fuss. I will post a pic of the one my husband has bought. It’s proper venetian like. Nutter.

Why am I showing off my desk? Well get on over here and find out. Join in even. You never know who will pop in for a visit.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

Is there anybody out there?

Well I have been sooo absent just lately but tell you what – I don’t care!! I have had a wonderful December and I’ve been really busy IRL, not just in my craft room!
But I just popped on to blog what I’ve been doing the last couple of days. With my birthday and crimbo cash I treated myself to a brother scan n cut so I have been playing – a bit different for me but I’m hoping there is some logic to it as hopefully I won’t buy so many dies. (yeah right). However  I reckon if I use even 30 elements that would have been a die, say at an average cost of £12 the machine will have paid for itself. Well that’s my rationalisation, not that I need it!!
I have some birthdays coming up so thought I’d make some cards using the the snc.
  Used pre-installed elements to cut the words, letters and balloons. Well that’s 3 dies I haven’t got already right? (actually quite a lot more if you include every letter of the alpha………. AND you only need to cut the letters you want!)

Glary photo yuck. But used direct cut for the leaves and shapes to cut the mats. Note: I was trying to avoid having to trim all the edges by getting the circles in the same place – the mats are inverted - unfortunately reducing the size of the circles doesn’t mean they reduce from  the centre so I still had to fiddle with the edges after lining up the centres. However, there probably is a way to do it I just haven’t figured it out yet.

Next I thought I would try to make a  ‘stencil’ effect using pre installed snowflakes. I saved this layout and could now cut this out in duflex and make my own stencil/embossing folder.  I cut this out a few times whilst fiddling about and now have a big bag of snowflakes!! So here are err, a couple more cards using the waste/stencils.
And a ‘Merry Christmas’. (Oh yeah, I am trying to get most of next year’s cards done before mid January – it sure helps in the pre-christmas rush!! Total so far: 24)
These aren’t very designery – just using up what I am cutting!!

Finally I signed up to ‘canvas’ and successfully downloaded and cut out this beautiful trellis file from Monica's Creative Room. I managed this technological feat courtesy of the gentleman crafter – the helpful instructions on this blog are invaluable!!

 
Really love this one – the background paper was from a lovely envelope that I received a birthday card in and the bauble was a gift tag from a present – so essentially made with scraps (tight or what?).
That’s it for now, will try and get back in the swing but more parties tomorrow so can’t promise. Hic. and New Year’s Day might not be too good either……….Happy New Year!!

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #286

Mornming Deskers (just!). Late on parade today as I had a bad nights sleep and got up very late. . Here’s my desk this morning – yep, Christmas has arrived big time. In fact, you’d better not stand still too long or you’ll get glittered.
 
There are about 5 different projects going on here, talk about multi tasking. Don’t you just love those origami xmas trees? Shout if you want instructions. The large one is what you get when you use a sheet of 12 x 12. When you make the trees you get little corners of waste paper - whilst I was roaming the halls last night I decided to punch paper flowers from it. Made me feel better about throwing the rest away – why am I so obsessed with waste? Of course I could have spent that hour doing something useful, like the ironing. Ha!
Mind you found a very useful bit of saved waste that makes a perfect trunk for that big tree…….
Also a choir of angels ready to be packed up.

Have had a lot of orders for these, still quite a few more to make.
So why am I telling you this? If you don’t know go on over here to read all about it and link up. If you do, well I’m going to have a bit of a tidy then I’ll be doing the rounds. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Addendum:

Link for Paper Christmas Trees is http://www.pinterest.com/pin/549228117030795416/
Try a few, if you can't get the hang of it try a bigger sheet of paper!! Tip, the angle of your cuts andthe fold will change the final look of your tree - experiment! I used bamboo sticks and cotton reels to finish mine off.

Box Cards - I saw this design originally at Calla Lily Studios. You can buy pre-scored boxes from Craftwork Cards but I use a sheet of A4 300 gsm card cut lengthwise to 6.5" wide, then scored along the length at 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 inches plus a 1/2 "  'flap' to make the box. You then score at 3.5 across 3 of the four panels to give you a lower box of 3.5" in height and flaps of 2.5". I use these measurements so I know exactly how big to cut my decorative papers and they fold nicely to fit a 5 x 7 envelope. See also post below - you can use the bits you cut off to make the belly band if required and supporting straps. I used a bauble die upside down (twice) to make the angels dress, a butterfly die for the wings and circle dies for the halo and head. Hope that helps, link to Craftwork Cards tutorial here. 

November Winner

Not many entries this month. But the name out the hat is JAYCEE.

Can you let me have your addy hun so I can get this in the post.

December giveaway nearly finished and will be along next week.

Here's a sneek peek.

Have a good week every one.

Cute Christmas for Fantasy Stampers

Time for a new challenge at Fantasy Stampers and this fortnight time our theme is ‘cute Christmas’. I’m sure you are all in the throes of Christmas panic  preparation so I’m hoping this will be a popular choice for everyone.

 

My offering this week is a sweet image from Lily of the Valley – you can’t get much cuter than those school nativity plays can you?

Now it’s over to you. Pop on over to the blog to see the rest of the DT inspiration and add a link to your project – don’t forget this is a stamping challenge so we need to see a real stamped image.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas………. xx

CardMaking 101 - #4 and 5

It’s Tuesday and my bestie and I had another cardmaking session tonight. I don’t know if I mentioned it, but she was receiving cancer treatment this summer which put a bit of a crimp in our activities but she’s raring to go now. Here’s what we got up to last week – we do rather like that corner turned over idea but maybe need to find a new one as I think we may have exhausted it!!

 

I needed three more simple designs for tonight – of course I hadn’t prepared but this is what we made.

Taking another break because she’s off to the bahamas … not jealous at all…. Oh well, at least it’ll give me a chance to get ahead of the game, I’ve been winging it the last two weeks!!

Box Card for Christmas

Earlier in the year I came across some wonderful Christmas themed pop up box cards on the Calla Lily Studio blog. Please explore further than the link, Chris has some truly stunning examples that she did last year shown over several posts. I’d love to try the nutcracker and the nativity scene but they look a bit complicated!!

I had to go at some of the simpler ones and here is my ‘angel’ version using papers from Craftwork Cards and various dies I have (the body is actually a bauble die upside down).

I really like box cards, which I initially saw demonstrated by Julie Hickey of Craftwork Cards but my OCD like nature means that they have to look OK from every angle, open and shut. The flowery ones take me ages to sort out LOL. The three in a line style of these angels gives an acceptable appearance when closed.

But I wasn’t satisfied with that, so have decorated the underside of the flaps and created a belly band (which could be customised) to put on the card when it goes in the envelope. It also means any embellishments don’t get ‘caught’ in the envelope.

 

 

The recipient will probably be incredibly puzzled but I’m happy!! Now I’m trying to think of a way to put folds into the band so that it can be put on the open box. Might look a bit messy though… …. watch this space!!

I really can’t explain how stressed it makes me when things don’t look ‘right’. I remember cutting up a whole bunch of tunnel cards because I couldn’t figure out a way to make them look good when folded for posting. Is anyone else out there as weird as me?

Sunday already??

Goodness, where did the last few days go? Been so busy, supposed to be decorating today but have wimped out leaving hubby to get on with it (may have been the master plan all along hee hee…..).

Anyway just a quick post of a card and ATC made for a poppy themed swap. Hope you are all having a great week end.

What Was on Your Workdesk? WOYWW Pt. II

Just to put those of you who couldn’t see that they were going to be adorable little penguins out of their misery here’s a quick piccie – now to add them to the cards.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…….

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #284

No I haven’t gone all zen, This is the space where my bestie sits when she comes over for cardmaking 101 like she did last night. I do  tidy it up before she comes and so when she goes it’s empty.

Before I went to bed last night I sat and started a little paper piecing for some box cards I want to finish today.

Well I hope everyone is set up for a nice Wednesday. It’s mum’s 82nd birthday and I am going to go over and see her later. There might be a trip to a craft shop involved ……we’ve already had a tea and cake afternoon (yum) and have Sunday lunch planned for all at the weekend.

Can you guess what these are going to be?

Anyhow, if you’re new to the weekly show n tell known as WOYWW, you can find out all the info here and check out our hostess Julia Dunnitt (!). Have a great Wednesday!!

Try It On Tuesday – Hand made/Home Made

 

Another fortnight, another challenge and at Try It On Tuesdays we’d like to see something handmade or home made, perhaps a gift, home decor, wall art or other item that you have made yourself.

 

I decided to make a tag advent calender – I didn’t quite appreciate how much work this would turn out to be!!

Still it was mainly die cutting the baubles as I couldn’t embellish the 12 double sided tags very much as they had to fit in the box – they do – JUST!! It’s hard to see but there is a little slot in front of the box so that you can change the tag day by day. I have to fess up the template is by Craftwork Cards so no great design work on my part.

 

Had great fun using up my crimbo papers (I do seem to have quite a collection) but was glad to get it finished! Now we’d like to see your projects so to add your link and catch up with he rest of the DT join us at the TiOT blog.

November Giveaway – Christmas Bauble

Well, an MDF one anyway. Think I got the blank from the wonderful MDF man when I went to Ally Pally.

Had a struggle getting a good picture, there is almost too much sunshine this morning.  Still here we go.

Well I’m sure you know the drill by now. Leave a comment on this post and I will put you in the draw. Overseas players welcome, please feel free to link from your own blog to get an additional entry (but please do tell me you’ve done so!!). Closing date 9.00,pm on Monday 24th November so I can get it in the post. Please do make sure I can get in touch with you if you win. Right, back to the Christmas cards….

Fantasy Stampers Challenge - Red Alert

The stamp I used was free with a magazine – back in the eons of time!!It is from The Great British Card Company,  designed by Andrea Jayne Evans.

This is my latest design piece for the Fantasy Stampers design team and the theme this fortnight is to include something red on your project – along with your stamped images of course!! We’d love to see your ‘Red’ projects so pop along to the blog to link up or to check out the inspiration from the rest of the DT.

What’s On Your Workdesk? WOYWW#283

Morning Deskers!!

This week I asked my son to paint the spare bedroom (job creation scheme for the non-gainfully employed) which was previously my craft room. However, when clearing the decks for him it became very clear that I hadn’t actually moved quite all my stuff with when I re-located. And there was an awful lot of art on the walls as well. So before I do anything today I have to find a home for this lot. I’ve been putting off adding too much to the walls till I was sure my DD wasn’t coming back (never say never), but I think it’s time. Much as I love and miss her neither of us wants that to happen, it’s so much nicer to get regular visits when she actually talks to me rather than enduring a ghost like presence that I am constantly cleaning up after. 

Apart from that it’s been Christmas, Christmas all the way this last week as I have a couple of small xmas fairs I’m doing.

I am so glad I got ahead with those cards  in January, at least that is not hanging over my head.

Anyhow, if you’re a newbie to WOYWW, the what and how is here.

Have a good Wednesday everyone.

OCTOBER GIVEAWAY WINNER IS......

Lisa!! I have your addy hun so it will be wending it's way to you on Monday morning.

Thanks to all who played, pop back next week for the November giveaway and some giveaway news.

I think it will be something Christmassy!

Try It On Tuesday – Colours of Autumn

 

Oh the weeks sure do fly by, and nothing marks the passage of the year more dramatically than the flaming colours of Autumn.

Here’s a pic of the view from my craft desk the other day. (Today is even better cos the sky is blue!!)

But to business. This fortnight’s challenge at Try It on Tuesday is ‘Colours of Autumn’ and for my DT piece I decided to make a Krafty card using browns, yellows, oranges, greens and a touch of red.

I used my stamping gear to create a corner of stamping on the distressed background and an old (docrafts?) stamp from a seasons set to make the topper. Quick and simple.

As always we would love to see your project, just pop on over to the blog to see lots more yummy DT inspiration and link up. See ya!!

Stamping Gear

Well I had a nice afternoon last Saturday playing with my stamping gear from Inkadinkadoo. So what can I tell you? Well, you don’t NEED this tool, but it is a fun bit of kit. You do need a fairly steady hand if you want a ‘perfect’ finish but for most things I think you can get away with the odd mistake. I know I wouldn’t even attempt this kind of stamping freehand.

I have a circular ‘gear’, a paddle and my most recent purchase an oval gear (which, if you wanted to would let you stamp an oval up to at least 10 inches – ITS HUGE!)

Here are some of my plays.

  

 

Basically you can use any cling stamp that fits on the paddle BUT they do need to be the thickness of rubber plus stamping foam so although acrylics will work you will have to faff about creating a faux foam backing so I just use the stamps I have that are already mounted. If you have a smallish stamp the position on the paddle affects the closeness of the stamping and the overall size of your project. I am not going to pretend I am any more knowledgeable than that, just play and always check out what  the distances will be by doing some trial stampings.

It’s a bit like a spirograph, you don’t know what it’s going to look like till you try!! This one on the left is keeping the gear on the same place and varying the the position on the paddle and the number of times you stamp.

I then branched out into actually making a couple or cards. This candle stamp perhaps doesn’t work that well but I kinda like it – maybe with a big black glittery number it will work for a masculine special birthday card.

This last one I love how it turned out, even though I can see a couple of wobbles (don’t look too close!!). I added some die cuts and a sentiment to finish it off. So there you have it, may have another play soon if I don’t get totally overwhelmed by Crimbo Crafting, but for the time being, glitter calls!! Happy Sunday!

 

Fantasy Stampers - Something Spooky!!

Always lots of spooky challenges around in October so I am sure you all have your Halloween bits n bobs out by now!

So Something Spooky is the new challenge at Fantasy Stampers and we’d love to see what you can come up with. Please remember though that this is a traditional stamping challenge and we must see some stamping on your project.

I recently bemoaned my lack of suitable Halloween images, but I purchased a clearance ‘grab bag’ of rubber from the wonderful Lily Chilvers at the Octopode Factory and was really pleased to get a ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ stamp so I was able to ink it up for my DT piece for this challenge. 

The background is a gelli plate piece that has been knocking around my desk for a while (in fact I think it is time to make some more, I think that was the last one) and the other stamps are from various sets I have. Unfortunately I could only find flying birds not monkeys!!

Having coloured up and stuck my witch on I added a silly sentiment… hee hee I have a recipient in mind for this one but better not let the cat out of the bag!

Anyhow, hope you’ll join in, hop on over to the blog for more DT inspiration and to link up your project.

Happy Halloween!!

Paper Artsy Inspiration from Helen Lindfield

Purely by chance, this month I have started following the Paper Artsy blog. Talk about a feast of creativity! There is a new project posted every night around 7.00 pm and a monthly challenge. Early on I saw a great journal cover made by fellow WOYWWER Helen Lindfield,  who I know just loves all things Paper Artsy. The bright fresh look of it appealed to me and as the challenge is to make something inspired by one of the designer’s I thought I’d have a go.

here is Helen’s journal cover

I thought I’d try a couple of tags because I have some peeps to send things to and thought they would make nice gifts. So I chose my paints from my meagre collection of PA FF paints - Ice Blue, Honey Dew, Lilac and Spanish Mulberry. Then I painted the tag blue, and stencilled some flowers through a PA stencil with the honeydew. Ok, it’s pretty, but why isn’t it ‘fresh?’

Oops, lack of concentration - meant to do that the other way round!! Oh well that’s my creative process I guess, because I have the attention span of a hamster.

Sighing, I went on a search for a flower stamp that would work with the stencils - I wanted something a little more detailed but still ‘stylized’ - and found a very, very old set of acrylic stamps (possibly early Dawn Bibby?) that I thought would do. Wondering why Helen had opted to stamp her contrast image on tissue paper, I stamped the flower and the sentiment and then coloured in. Finished with a ribbon and  voila.

For the second tag thought I would try and stick to my original intention (darker stencilling on white) but after I had painted the tag white it seemed too stark – I don't have the PA chalk white - so I changed that for Nougat.
Using the same stencil with Zesty Zing I stencilled my background flowers and then stamped the other flower onto tissue – well I might as well see why Helen thought it made a difference. As I was cutting them out, of course a light bulb went on – Helen had been decorating a journal cover and  the stamping onto tissue was to ensure a good image – doh.
Still I’d already done them so I stuck them on. I wondered if the black overstamping on the stencilled flowers Helen had done made a difference – I didn’t have a similar stamp so just used a black pen to add a few lines – it worked on this tag but I felt would overwhelm the sentiment on the blue one.
Helen had used some fabric flowers as embellishment – I tried die cutting from hessian which worked, but probably won’t stand up to much handling due to the loose weave. Made them into flowers with bits from my stash and added buttons.
And there you have it. Inspired by, but nothing like really!!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #281

Wasn't going to link as have been out and about. But hey, I may be a bit late getting round but its good to say 'hi'. Here's the desk:

Went to visit our new TK Max this morning - needed a birthday present for a friend. Nope, no luck, but got myself a paper pad and a ball of twine. No hope is there? Bug is out because I had a die cutting sess with a friend yesterday - great fun!! You might be able to see my current project - there is a chipboard bauble and stocking that I am decorating. Over the back you may be able to see some painted reindeer  - they need glittering up. And I have a new set of speakers as my little 'hi fi' (LOL) stopped playing CDs on Sunday - been driving me mad as I went to see Caro Emerald at the O2 last Friday and have been dying to play her CDs ever since - of course she is playing now!! Had no idea what I was buying but did have the sense to choose one that had a bluetooth link and DS has shown me how to link to the music on my music player - simples!! Who knew it was that easy? (I know, not news to anyone else!).

Oh, why am I telling you this? go here to find out. Must crack on now -  Happy Hump Day!!  

Tim’s Tags of 2014 - October

Sometimes I really don’t like October. It is just one Halloween project after another and I struggle to find appropriate stuff to use. But given that Halloween isn’t a big thing here in the UK it really doesn’t seem worth investing in stuff to use once a year. So although Tim’s tag is a Halloween one, I decided to take an easy route and make mine autumnal.

 

Techniques for this tag are: Stamping, embossing, masking, stencilling with texture paste, watercolour distress background, embellishments, generally grunging up. Piece of cake (!?).

I made a paper mask for my embossed stamping – in my eagerness to get ahead I forgot to put it on before adding the texture paste, resulting in much fine work with a q tip and my pokey tool. The second time I did remember and it came out much crisper as you can see – one on the left if not obvious. Neat technique.

No Distress Stains so I went old school, using my colorwash sprays. Really like the way the texture paste picked it up – could have tried to distress it more but liked how it was so added a bit of mica spray to add some sparkle, letting it pool in the dips. Nice.

Stamped, coloured and glossy accented my leaves. Found the berries from stash and a bit of hessian string to go behind.

Don’t have the monocles so thought I would try and recycle some ‘medals’ I have. Added some rub-ons (is that an owl or a bug? I am not quite sure) and more glossy accents over the top. Finished with a bit of lovely orange blingy fibres and the word ‘FALL’ (Autumn would have been a bit big LOL).

All done!! Think this may be my new fave for the year.