Sunday Stamper - Week 370 - Oh You Pretty Thing

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy sunny Sunday to you all!  Thanks for your entries into the last challenge... twas great to see your lovely creations!  This week the theme is  MAKE SOMETHING PRETTY!   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something; a card, canvas, ATC, a piece of altered art... the choice.. it be yours! Add in some stamping if you want to and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me or by leaving me a link to your Pinterest or any other photo hosting site.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 23rd January 2016.

A card for my entry this week!  Today I am teaching my first class of 2016 at Crafty Corner in South Shields and we are having a Distress Cardmaking bonanza... this is one of the cards I have created for the class.  Bearing that in mind, I won't go into too much detail on how I made it... but.... I can tell you about it! I used those gorgeous Darkroom Door stamps that I so love... the sentiments and flowers go together so perfectly... and the little scroll frame is also a Darkroom Door stamp.  The colours I used are Antique Linen and Seedless Preserves DI's... keeping it simple!

I am scheduling this post... hopefully I have remembered how to do it (it has been a long time, I have been neglecting my poor old blog I know!) so it is actually Saturday afternoon at the moment but by now it will be Sunday sometime.... uh! Confooosed... tis easily done with me tho!  Right, time to get a wiggle on... as ever, thanks for looking and... have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

Whoopsie-Daisy!!

... ooopsies indeedily!  Firstly Happy New Year!!!  I know, a little late!!!  Ooops again, I completely forgot that last weekend should have been a new Sunday Stamper challenge... am getting forgetful in my old age.  What with the mirth and merriment of Christmas and New Year I clean forgot that two weeks had passed since the last challenge.  Where does the time whizz off to eh? Anyways, there will be a new challenge tomorrow... I have already scheduled it and everything *polishes halo*

Today I am showing a card I put together as a class sample for my Distress Cardmaking class tomorrow up at Crafty Corner in South Shields.  This is one of my fave Darkroom Door stamps... I love collage stamps and especially those that have lots of details on them along with a decent sized main image.  And what an image this one is!  Tis no secret that I love trains and whilst I am a diesel girl, I do love to see *and smell and hear* steam trains.  Did you see on the news yesterday that the Flying Scotsman is finally restored and back in steam?  It is lovely to see the old girl back running again... even if she should really be green and not black ;0))

So!  Did you have a cracking festive season? Father Christmas was very generous this year... I got some lovely pressies and of course, it would have been rude not to stuff my face with chocolate... so I did!  Just call me Spotty Sheridan now lol    I shall away now... thanks for looking and have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

Those Crazy Birds!!!

...uh-oh!  It has happened!  Yes, I have succumbed to the lure of the Crazy Birds!   Last week I spent a couple of days at the NEC on the Craft Obsessions stand having a ball playing with all things Distress, Gelato's and Tim stamps and stencils.  Thank you to all who popped by to see me, it was lovely to put names to faces and to see your enthusiasm for all things inky and messy too.  Also a big thank you to Brenda and David for putting up with me too!   So.  These birds.  They have accessories!  So you can dress them up! All of a sudden I "got" them... I mean, come on, who wouldn't want to put bunny ears on a bird right?  Anyways, here are two of the samples I made during the show... First up is Mr Painter Bird and his mate who is looking rather jealous of Painter's rather splendid brush in his chops. This was dead easy to make... Spritz Distress Spray onto card, blow like billio *yes, I nearly hyperventilated* dry, spritz another colour, repeat with the blow like billio *stop for much needed oxygen hit* and then stamp, die cut and colour all the components.  The brush is just soooo cute isn't it?  Well, Brenda saw this sample and said... you could use the bristles to make a moustache!  Hey! What a grand idea!!! 

However, with this second card I got thoroughly carried away and instead of a moustache... he has... a flat top!!!  This little fella is all about the Gelato's.  The background is Gelato blending through a few stencils and he is painted in with them... check out his jazzy bow tie too... that's using the metallic Gelato's.

Right, that's me for today... I am about to set off to Preston for my class tomorrow at Inspirations... I am not looking forward to the M6..... hope it isn't toooooo busy!  Ha, who am I kidding!!!   Thanks for looking and have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Just Crazy 'Bout The Birds...

...I love this particular time of the year as it means it is the NEC Hobbycraft show and once again, I have the pleasure of demo-ing for the lovely Brenda and David from Craft Obsessions on their stand.  I have been shopping with Craft Obsessions since I first discovered, with huge thanks to my then new friend and now BFF Andrea, that there were such things as craft shops on yonder t'internet!!!  Fancy that!!!   This was in 2006 I hasten to add - I might be a bit of a div with all things teckernerolgicals but I certainly know how to add stuff to a basket ;O))    If you haven't visited Craft Obsessions before (where have you been!!!) HERE is the linky to the shop... just a little word of warning tho... there is a tonne of gorgeousness there and you will be tempted *don't say I didn't warn thee!*

Anyways, yesterday and tomorrow (7th November) I am demoing again for David and Brenda (stand E20) and have been playing with lots of lovely stuff... including all things Distress and... Gelato's.  Now I haven't used these before so I gave myself a good long sesh playing with them and coming up with different ways to use them and effects to achieve with them.  I admit when I first started playing I did think they were a bit, well, ummm odd... they look like a lipstick, feel like wax and yet will dilute with water!  Once I had got my bonce around that I was well away... and I loves them now!  I have even been mixing them with Distress, combining two completely different products together is fun!

Gelato's background and colouring for butterfly with Distress Ink edges

As well as the inky side of things, I have also been let loose with the Bird Crazy stamps, accessories and dies... oh ho ho!  I had said to Brenda that I wasn't going to use them... nope, not going to... didn't even really like them! Ummmm... I am the first to admit when I am wrong and yes, I was wrong!  THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!!  As are the little accessory stamps that have been designed to go with the birdys so you can... DRESS THEM UP!!!!   As soon as I saw the bunny ears and the specs I knew I was lost!  This card has been made with a mix of Distress and Gelato's and the left hand bird has been togged up to look a little bit like a 1970's tv detective *obviously I have seen said detective progs on UK Gold, faaar too young to remember them.... ahem*  And his compadre on the right is a bit of a divvy with his bunny ears and hanging around upside down... but he loves his little detective matie... we all have that one friend, right?  *mm, usually me*

So, if you are going to be at the NEC tomorrow (Saturday) please do pop by to the Craft Obsessions stand... it would be grand to see you there.   I shall away now... I have the Sunday Stamper post to schedule now... I am away off to South Shields really early on Sunday so I need to get organised (for once).    Have a goodly weekend peeps... thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 352 - True Blue

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Easter Sunday to you all!  Thanks for your fabulous flying creations entered into last weeks challenge.  The new theme this week is... ANYTHING BLUE.  You can interpret the challenge how you like: be it blue papers, blue ink, blue paint... the choice, it be yours!   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping *this is THE important bit guys, please remember your rubberstamps!*  and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me or by leaving me a link to your Pinterest or any other photo hosting site.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 11th April 2015.  

A quicky make for my entry this week - namely a little card I put together using that delicious new Distress colour Mermaid Lagoon.  Oh la la!  I make no secret of loving hues of blue and when this one was revealed last month, I did have a little grin to myself... another blue... you can never have too many blues right?  And this one doesn't disappoint.  It fits in perfectly with Broken China and Salty Ocean... but goes delightfully with Cracked Pistachio - which is what I did for the background of this card using Distress Spray Stains.

I stamped out the cone flower three times... cut them out (nearly went goggle eyed cutting those diddy petals out but it is worth it!) and coloured the petals with Mermaid Lagoon and the cone with Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge... I loves colouring using a waterbrush and ink, it is so easy and as I am useless with a marker, I find this way the best for me.  The leaves are stamped, cut out and coloured with Forest Moss DI and a waterbrush too.  The sentiment was stamped, cut down into strips and popped onto the card with some 3d glue so the strips bend over the stalks of the flowers... and that's it... simples! 

So, what you got planned for your Easter?  Today we are going to be avidly watching the tellybox... it is the first round of the British Touring Car Championship, usually we try to go to the first one at Brands Hatch but I am still not 100% so we decided to stay home, watch on the telly box and have a nice roasty dinner instead.... I shall be shouting... as ever... GO PLATO!   Thanks for looking and have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 323 - Mr Brightside

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy *sunny* Sunday to you all!  Thank you all for your fabby entries to last weeks 3d challenge - I have still a few entries to visit and it was fab to see all the depthy projects you came up with.   The theme this week is all about getting colourful... and it is BRIGHT COLOURS. *pretty cool song too, LOVE The Killers!*  You can interpret the challenge how you like: add in a pop of bright colour, go for it and use shocking hot colours, the choice, it be yours!  To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping *this is THE important bit guys, please remember your rubberstamps!*  and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 6th September 2014.

My entry this week is a card I made as a little commission for my BFF Andrea's daughter's friends Nan - a 60th birthday using bright colours and a sewing theme.  Naturally, anything with a sewing theme I make has to have Tim's dressform on it, so I covered some Grungeboard with Claudine's sticky back canvas, die cut the dressform and then coloured it with Barn Door, Fired Brick and Vintage Photo DI's and then frayed the edges to reveal a bit of shabbiness of the canvas.

The background of the card was created using a few different techniques with Distress Inks.  Starting off with the Wrinkle Free Distress and Barn Door, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade DI's, once I had the splashes and speckles of ink how I wanted them, I then inked over the top with the same inks and did a bit of Spritz & Flick to reveal more inky splats, this time bleached out ones.  I stamped the dress pattern in Watering Can Archival and used a waterbrush to add more colour to the outfit... and then used a waterbrush to remove colour from her face, painting water over the face, dabbing with a cloth and repeating until the DI had almost been removed.  I pricked holes around the edge of the card and used a fineliner to add stitches... I would have used a sewing machine but seeing as I am rubbish with a sewing machine, I can't sew straight to save me life, I decided to go for the faux look.  Embellies finished off the card and I used four of my little stash of Tim's Idea-ology Snaps - oh how I wish we could still get them!  I know you can buy them from haberdashers but the colours of his snaps are my fave!   

So!  What do you have planned for today?  I am still under the weather, whatever this gastric thingybug is has me a bit wishywashy so I have a lovely afternoon of Skype with Ellen planned... we haven't had an I Challenge Thee for literally several yonks so hopefully I will be covered in paint and ink come tea-time!   Thanks for looking, have a great day whatever you have planned.  TTFN!

Hels x

Mix & Match... Part Deux

Ooooh get me, going all French!  Did I ever tell you how I exceeded all expectations from Miss Mathers, my French teacher? Oh yesh, in my *ahem* O Level (ok, yes, I am that old lol) I was graded a U.  At the time I was ever so proud that I had failed so miserably that they couldn't even give the failure a proper grade!  Looking back on it, I was going through a rebel phase, my devil may care attitude was "when am I ever going to need French huh?"  And I concentrated on my English O Levels (which, I am rather chuffed to say, I did exceedingly well with an B+ and a B in Lit and Language respectively!)    Not that you would ever guess that I reached those high accolades if you are a regular reader of this waffle filled blog!   Anyways... enough wafflings!  Today I am back with the card I made for my Jones of Nottingham DT using the Kaisercraft Mix & Match paper collection.

Get this... no stamping or inking on this one!! I resisted the temptation so much I had to sit on my paws to stop me grabbing an ink blending tool!  I wanted to see if I could do a little "clean" work... and, it appears, I can!  Although I do think a smidge of something around the edges would be nice ;O))  Now, I have never been one for making cards... give me a tag, a canvas, a piece of old cardboard and I am happy... give me a card and I struggle to get the layout right, my brain goes blank and I make something super simple... which is exactly what this card is but... it is no bad thing to do "simple" every so often right?

I decided to keep this card "colour free" and stick with the kraft, black and white theme of the papers (there be reds in there too but that was yesterday's post)  The sentiment is actually snipped from one of the papers - it is chock full of lovely sentiments!  The butterfly is another snip from a sheet of the paper, again, I was tempted to add some colour to him but I was good!  I made a little bow using seam binding and then popped the butterfly atop of it... and used a few Martha Steward punches to add some prettiness to the design.  If you look closely, you will see the under the butterfly has strips of butterflies on it... this is one of the "info strips" along the bottom of the papers... I know I said it yesterday but... Kaiser are cool, they do the info on one side of the paper and on the other side is a strip of decoration... this little butterfly strip worked perfectly.

We have had much excitement in the garden today!  Lord Alfonse is single-pawdley going through the Spinney removing all traces of mouses and voles - at least two or three a week and a few weeks ago, two in a morning!  He keeps bringing these furry critters home and I keep grabbing him and allowing them to run off *unless I am too late and they, erm... are extinct!*.  Anyways, this morning a huge cacophony of noise arrives along with Mummy's Little Predator.  What be that noise!!!  A loud squeaking and Alf looking ever so slightly alarmed.  Upon investigation, I can see it is a shrew.  A hooooge shrew!  A massive shrew!!! Nay and thrice a humungus Shrew!  Said Biggest Shrew in England had been deposited on the lawn and was standing up (I kid you not, it was standing up on hind legs) and squeaking loudly at Alf who was looking ever so slightly frightened!  I grabbed Alfonse and the Monster Shrew of the Spinney turned and ran at my feet!!!  Now, I ain't no chicken, in fact there be only one thing that will have me lifting my skirts and running for the hills and that be earwigs (shudder), but this Beast of Northamptonshire had a vicious look in its eye so I took very long and fast steps back into the house with a struggling Alf under my arm.   Calm is now restored, Alf has had his lunchingtons and a few treats so he knows he is a good boy and I have repaired to the (newly tidy) Room of Stash...  after all that kerfuffle, I needs a bit of time with my inks to calm me nerves!   I shall away now... time for an inky afternoon *peeks out of the window to see if the Behemoth of Wellingborough has disappeared*    Thanks for looking, TTFN!

Hels x

Kitty Crafting...

...I have a rather special card for you today... oh yesh, my little AlfieCat has been rummaging in the Room of Stash and made a birthday card for his Dad... I meant to show you this earlier in the week but you know what it is like, one day it is Monday, the next thing you know it is Friday already!    Alf told me he wanted to use a birdy stamp because he loves birdies... he loves to sit and watch them and he chatters away to them but thankfully he is far more partial to the odd mouse or shrew.. or three!

I helped him out by holding the new Gothic Layering Stencil from Tim... he blended a pawful of Frayed Burlap through the stencil and then did a bit of stamping over the top... Jet Black Archival for the eggshell speckles, birdy and fig.1 stamp and then Tumbled Glass for the egg itself (I love that egg sooo much!)   The letters are Alphaparts and you might have noticed that one of the D's isn't actually a D.. it is an upside down P as we have run out of D's, works tho, right?   The strap is a Grungepaper strip, coloured with Vintage Photo and he added a little Idea-ology buckle to it... Yes, I am as mad as my cat... but it is fun here lol

Please do check back tomorrow... there be a brand new Compendium Challenge launching at 7am GMT... which means you have a few hours left now to join in with the current challenge -= all the deets are HERE on Linda's blog.    Thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 320 - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy (if a bit soggy) Sunday to you all!  Wow, what a great selection of bits n pieces entries last week, I was really chuffed that you all loved tidying up *but that is enough of that for one year right?*  The theme this week is one that pleases me greatly, drops me right into me comfort zone it do!  The theme is NATUAL COLOURS & ELEMENTS - you can interpret the challenge how you like: use your favourite neutral tones and natural colours (ie no bright neons folks) add in bits of natural stuff like jute, raffia, feathers etc...    the choice, it be yours!  To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping *this is THE important bit guys, please remember your rubberstamps!*  and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 15th August 2014.

Before I waffle on... I had a couple of entries in the past few weeks that didn't have a linky to the post on the entrants' blogs... I hopped on over to have a nosey but I couldn't find the relevant post on said blogs - so if you could give the Sunday Stamper a mention in your post please, I can find you much easier, plus your followers might not have heard of this l'il 'ol challenge and might fancy a play along too :O)

Right!  Waffle time!  It was my beloved Grim's birthday last Monday *yes, he was 21...again!*  I usually cop out and buy him a card because I never think that I will make him one that is as nice as a bought one.  However, this year he did mention about having a made one, so I got my thinking cap on.  Girls birthdays are SO easy aren't they?  Boys cards, however, I struggle with.  I didn't want to do a cliched "cogs, guys, cars, boats" kind of card so I had a thinky about what Grim really likes... and one thing he really likes is birds!  *feathered variety... although.... teehee*  I cut some of Tim's Wallflower papers so I had the little birdy image in the right place and layered this up onto Bazzill card.  The papers themselves are ornate enough to leave them be so I just kept it simple, tied some twine around the papers and added a little Heart Charm with the "love you" sticker in the middle  and stamped out the Happy Birthday and the cartouchey thingy it sits in (Tim stamps btw)

But!  Alas!  The card looked bare!  So I added some Idea-ology Washers and Long Fasteners and Clips... still a bit bland.  Ahahaaaa! A feather!  And being as I happen to have the gorgeous Bird Feather Tim stamps, I decided to make me own feather.  I used Wendy's Archivals: Tree Branch, Potting Soil and a smidge of Geranium to reflect the colours of the bird on the papers.  A whole lot of snippetty-snipping to make the feather a little more realistic and a blend around the edges with Vintage Photo DI to get rid of the creamy cardy bits and voila, done! I am chuffed with how the feather turned out... and Grim, bless him, thought it could be real when he first saw it!  *mind you, he didn't have his specs on - oh yesh, bless him, arms ain't long enough anymore*




I shall away now... I have a pretty lazy-ish day planned... well, I have got Mount Crumpled Clothes to scale and as it is a miserable day out there, I think an old black and white film and a date with the iron is in order!  Thanks for looking, have a goodly day all.... TTFN


Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 315 - Hello Goodbye

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thank you for all your fabby entries for last weeks challenge and it is lovely to see some new peeps joining in too.  This weeks challenge is a little different... you need to USE A GREETING on your creation.  You can interpret the challenge how you like: add a "hello" or an "I love you" or whatever else you feel like using to your project :O)  To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping and then pop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 12th July 2014.

 My entry this week is a card I made for our lovely neighbours to say thank you for looking after the garden whilst we were off sunning ourselves in Rhodes.  Since the advent of The Greenhouse That Grim Built, I have got a little bit into my gardening again and this year I have sewn tonnes of stuff from seed and now have 96 pots and tubs (yes, I counted them all and no, for once, I ain't exaggerating!)  Being away for a whole week and not watering said 96 tubs would have no doubt left them all in a very bedraggled state so our lovely neighbours said they would come in and water them everyday... and a grand job they did too as the garden looks amazing at the moment.  *I will do photo's at some point, I keeps forgetting!*

The card is a 6 x 6" blank, decorated with a little bit of Tumbled Glass and Pumice Stone DI, a smidge of flourish stamping using Wendy's Forget-Me-Not Archival Ink and some inky freckles made by using the inky puffer thingy and a Walnut Stain Distress Marker.   The butterflies are from Tim's Papillon set - stamped in Archival, watercoloured in with Distress Ink and a waterbrush and then more speckles added... and the largest butterfly was stamped again, cut out, coloured and shaped and then popped over the original one.  The greeting is also a Tim stamp - I love the font on this set and there are loads of different greetings too :O)

That's all from me for today... I am in a state of high excitement because in about half an hour we are going to collect my AlfieCat from his holidays in the cattery... I have missed him SOOOO much! We were only home for Thursday so it wasn't fair to get him home and then leave him again so he has had a longer holibobs too... but wow, how quiet the house was on Thursday and I kept finding myself calling for him... I know, I am quite mad!  I am still on catch up with all your entries for the past few weeks... please bear with, I will be visiting you soon :O)  Thanks for looking, have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 305 - Wheels of Steel

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for all your grand entries to last weeks challenge.   This week the theme is.... WHEELS.   You can interpret this in loads of different ways: wheels on a stamp, a vehicle that has wheels, you could add wheels to a 3d piece,  you could add wheels to a little birdy (hey, I love doing that! Every birdy needs a set of wheels!)   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.   Add in some stamping and then pop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come visiting.  If you haven't got a blog/photo-hosty-thingy, you can also join in via Facebook (just tag my name) or by sending me a small res. pic via email.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 3rd May 2014.

My entry this week is actually a birthday card I made for our mate Richard.   Now, Richard just happens to love trains (that's why he is our friend right? No, not just cos he is owned by Jerry the Springer ;o) and when Rachel from Darkroom Door sent me this deeeeelish Steam Locomotive stamp to play with, I knew immediately that it was going to be used for my card.  HERE are the deets of how to get the stamp.   I started out by stamping the image in Jet Black Archival onto cream card and set about colouring it by squidging Distress Inks onto my craft sheet and then using a waterbrush to pick up the colour - I could have used Distress Markers but... erm... remember I tidied up?  Well, yes, um, they are... somewhere safe!

I used some of Tim's Destination papers to create some layers for the background of the card and used Gathered Twigs DI to blend around the edges, Tim's Paper Distresser (well, not his actual one, I think he may miss that lol) so scruff up the edges of the papers and a few Remnant Rubs to add a bit of interest to the papers.   The clock is from Tim's Thrift Shop Ephemera pack (I LOVE those packs... full of special ickle bits and bobs!)   I knew that I wanted to add something else to the card... but what?  Aha!  The Hardware Findings Alterations die!  Oh yesh, cut two of the long strappy jobbies (ok, they have a name but I am having a moment, can't remember it) out of Grungepaper, coloured with Gathered Twigs DI and then scruffed up with Tim's Tonic Scratchery Scruffery tool (yes, that too has a special name but again, that moment is still happening lol)  And there you have it! 

Today I am filled with joyful anticipation!  I shall be planting more seeds in the greenhouse and potting on ones that have already come up!  I know, I know, getting excited about doing planty stuff in a greenhouse!  I surely know how to live life on the edge!!!   I will pop a few piccies of the greenhouse on this week and how the plants are coming along - I have longed for a greenhouse for an absolute yonk so finally, my fingers can become green!  And on that bombshell, I shall bid you all a very goodly day and say... Thanks for looking!!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 303 - Eternal Flame

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to  you all!  Big mahooosive thank you's to you all for all the gorgeous nature themed entries to the challenge last week... I am loving visiting you all and seeing your interpretations of the theme.  This week is a nice and easy-peasy theme... and it is... FLAME COLOURS.   Think reds, oranges, yellows... those bright happy colours to get us into the mood for some sunshine.  To join in with the challenge is simples:  make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping.  Pop back here and leave me a comment with a linky to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via Facebook (just tag my name and I will find you) or by emailing me a small res. piccie of the creation.  The theme will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 19th April 2014.

Now, you may have noticed that this poor old bloggetty-blog has been somewhat neglected of late.  In fact, I have been very remiss and hardly blogged for the last few months.  The reason for this is my old Mojo seems to have done a runner!  Oh yesh, the old cad Mojo has beetled off on his jollies and left me here, bereft and thoroughly cheesed off with a lack of inkyness on my fingers.  I actually think that the old war wound flaring up hasn't helped, pain tends to squash any creativity right out of me... and I have been a smidge busy teaching and getting ready for my next lot of classes.   So where am I going with this waffling?  Well, last Sunday I had a lovely day over at Crafty Bunch in Telford, learning how to make cards, being taught by someone whom I really admire... none other than our Pauline Wheeler.  Please do pop over to Pauline's blog.. oh and remember to take a cuppa and a packet of Hobnobs with you, her scrapbooking, cardmaking and 3d art is all beautiful.. you will be there a while... and HERE is her blog.

Yes, you see, I have, um, issues, making a card.  My usual stuff is over flowing with embellies and lots of 3dness which makes my style pretty difficult to compute onto a card.  I have a mental block when it comes to card designs... I just always seem to do the same old thing... so what a delight it was to learn a few new card making techniques and be able to play with some lush Indigo Blu stamps at the same time.  This card here is using the massive Sunflower stamp... I NEED this to come and live in the Room of Stash!  I used Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick and a smidge of Vintage Photo to colour the sunflower... it was stamped 3 times and cut out in ever decreasing petal layers to build up some volume and dimension.  Isn't it just a beautiful design?   THANK YOU to Pauline for inspiring me!

I shall away now.  It is actually Friday afternoon!   I am heading up North to Art From The Heart in Harrogate tomorrow - which is now yesterday (???) for a weekend of teaching.   So, I decided to be all organised and get this post all scheduled and done so I can put my feet up this evening and get an early night for a change!   As ever, thank you for looking, have a fabby Sunday!  TTFN

Hels x

Harlequin Art

..ooooh, I is lucky indeedily!  I just received some brand new Darkroom Door stamps to play with as part of my DT... the first one is a gorgeously shabby Harlequin Texture.. which works perfectly either stamped on its own or repeat stamped... and as it is also textured, it add a bit of extra depth to any design.  Being as I was so excited to play with said new stamp, I decided to make a quick card... here it is... and here's how I made it:

I started out by getting all my Darkroom Door stamps out and having a good rummage through them all.  As the background stamp is such a generic diamond design, it will go with just about any stamp... and as you know, I am a sucker for flowers and butterflies so I chose the Full Bloom Vol. 2 set and Wings (which has to be a firm fave with me) and I noticed that the new stamp is the perfect fit for the Wooden Frame... so I added that one to the pile.  After stamping the Wooden Frame twice with Potting Soil Archival Ink, I cut out the base and then cut outside and inside the second image so I could 3d the frame up.  A smidge of Distress Ink over the base of the first image, Antique Linen was used... and then inking the Harlequin with Frayed Burlap DI, stamping and then lightly misting with water to soften the image a bit.

The sprig from Full Bloom Vol. 2 was inked with Hyacinth and Fern Green Archival Inks and stamped off the base frame piece.  I added words that I had snipped from a Venetian Word Strip and coloured with more Antique Linen DI. These were then popped onto 3d foam.  Diddy flowers and Butterflies were stamped in Jet Black Archival, coloured with Stormy Sky and Chipped Sapphire DI's and then layered onto the frame.  I added a mat underneath the frame - inked with Antique Linen and then the Harlequin was stamped with Stormy Sky for a subtle background.  A relatively simple and quick card... but I so enjoyed playing! I loves my Darkroom Door stamps muchly.  To see more art from the Creative Team, CLICK HERE for the blog... and don't forget, you can check out the website HERE too.

I will be back later in the week with another creation I have made using a different "new stamp"... teehee... I am a tease!   As ever, I hope you have a great day... and thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Hazy Shades of Winter...

... I am a self confessed Winterite you know.  I loves nothing more than seeing chilly icy patterns on the windows, bright blue skies and spiders webs sparkling like filigree silver and hunkering down on the sofa with a nice cuppa and a furry warm AlfieCat sitting on me knee.  However, I have a complaint this Winter.  Plain and simple we have had not a single day like that!  Rain?  Oh yesh, deluges of it (mm, bit of an exaggerations but you know what I mean)   Everything is brown... and grey... and I figured that whilst I am writing my complaint to the Person In Charge of Weather, (known from here-on-in as the PICOW) *railway folks will totes understand where I got that from* I would show you a card I made for last weeks' tellybox shows... cos the colours match the weather (see what I did there... teehee)

Now, don't get me wrong, I loves the old muted beiges, browns and creams on my art... just not out of my window! (or worse, out of the car window!)  So, I decided that today I shall start up a petition to the PICOW... get Spring out of bed, wake her up, give her a good old shake and tell her to get out there sprinkling her bright green and yellow sparkles... and fast!   Maybe it is asking a  bit much being as it is still only January (just!) but hello?  Bright sunshine and frosty mornings have been non existant this Winter... so let's get onto Spring already... right?

I shall away now... mini rant is over but I am now wondering if you all agree with me?  Maybe we should all sign the petition and send it off... either that or maybe I should just go and sit and grumble... until March!   Thanks for looking, have a great day!   TTFN

Hels x

Oranges and...

...glitter!  Whatever next eh?  I have well and truly gone over to the Sparkly Side haven't I?  But then again, in my defence, Distress Glitter is rather delightful to use.   Here's another demo card from last week's tellybox shows.  This one uses Clear Texture Paste to hold onto the glitters and it was applied through the Flower & Butterfly That Special Touch mask.

I used several different colours on the main design so I got a nice light and shade look to the flower but if you don't want to have different colours, you don't have to... just use the one.   The little flower cluster was made using the Heartfelt Creations stamps on the shows, stamped onto cardstock, with Jet Black Archival, cut out and then coloured with Distress Inks with a smidge of DG in the middles using Glossy Accents to help them stick.

A short and sweet post today...  Thanks for looking, hope you having a great day! TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 292 - Orange Crush

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy...erm.. Monday (!) to you all!  Big thanks for all the entries to last week's challenge and apologies that I haven't had chance to visit you all yet, life has a way of sending in a big old rock to climb over sometimes  but hopefully things are getting back to normal (soon!).  The new challenge for this week (and apologies for the late posting of the new theme - please see post below for the reason) is... ORANGE.   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come visit.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via Facebook (just tag my name on your upload) or via email by attaching a small res. pic to the email.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 1st February 2014.  (Feb! Already!)

This week my entry is one of my sample cards from last weeks tv shows.  I love using lots of different masks and stencils on one project, layering the designs with different colours and making my own background papers.  Here I have used Eyetlet Lace, Chicken Wire and Small Polka Dot That Special Touch masks, colouring with Antique Linen, Broken China and Seedless Preserves Distress Inks to make a patterned design.   I stamped out lots of the Heartfelt Creations Sunkissed Fleur images, cut them out and coloured with the same Distress Inks, layering them all up and adding a splash of orange in the form of Spiced Marmalade Distress Glitter (did I say, I loves this stuff!) into the centres of the flowers.  A few little embellies half hidden behind the flower clusters adds some little bits and bobs of sparkles and I also added some flourishy bits using Jet Black Archival ink.

Sorry I am late posting the challenge - as I said, the internet access in the hotel this weekend was plain weird... it was an unsecured network and Lionel Laptop was having none of it.    I shall away now... busy day ahead!  Thanks for looking, have a good week folks... TTFN

Hels x

Sparkelicious!

Corrrrr Blimey!!!  What a fab response to the tellybox shows yesterday! Thanks ever so much to you all for your messages, Tweets, emails etc  It warms the heart of my cockles to know that you enjoyed the demo's and the goodies I had picked for the shows.  My card today was made using the gorgeous papers and Heartfelt Creations stamps...I just love those browns and cream papers in the Teresa Collins paper pad... very vintage and very me :O)

This is a 6" square card base and I cut some brown Bazzill and a piece of the paper to fit.  I always like to edge my card/paper with Distress Ink, this covers up any white cores of the card and makes the edges neater and a little bit distressed.  I used Walnut Stain to do the inking around the edge and then stamped the Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur stamp in Black Archival. A zap with a heat tool to set the ink and then I set about colouring the image in using Forest Moss Distress Ink, squidged onto my craft sheet and then painted in using a waterbrush. I stamped the flowers again twice on more of the papers and cut out the little flowers, some are really teensy but I think it is worth the faff to have them on the card.  Once cut, I used Walnut Stain DI again and edged these and coloured the backs of the flowers... again, a little attention to detail :O)  I used Glossy Accents to dot into the centre of the flowers and then poured Black Soot Distress Glitter over the top and tapped off the excess. I LOVE the Black Soot... muchly!!!  I then added a piece of twine and a Fancy Key and couple of the Sparklers/Dazzlers under the flower pile.  A sentiment from the Thoughtful Sentiments CE stamp plate and a bit of bling in the form of the pearl swirl and there you have it... uno finished card!

I am blogging later than intended today.  This morning it was time for Ferdy to go in for his MOT.  I absolutely hate that hour long wait... whilst the mechanic man is prodding and measuring and revving and testing my little car... but... hurrah and thrice!  He passed!  I loves my car (and I loathes the thought of mahoosive repair bills... just think of all the stash you could get for that!!)  Then I spent the day cleaning (I didn't say the H word... hope no one is offended lol)   and tidying and sorting and putting away.   Anyways, I now have a stack of cardstock cut and ready to diecut for my retreat classes this weekend... tonight I shall mostly be cutting and kitting.   I shall away... to cut and kit!  Once again, thanks for all your lovely messages and kind support, makes me very smiley happy!   Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

What Is Normal???

...indeedily!  Today is the day that I shall be on yonder tellybox doing a couple of Creative Expressions Stamping shows.  Times are 11am and 7pm and all the deets on how to view the channel are over there *left hand sideybar*   So, what is normal?  Well, normal for me is a little bit dull, a little bit monochrome, a little bit brown with a little bit of blue thrown in for goodly measures.  I guess you are going to be a little bit surprised to see this creation from my own fair hand....

Customary to the trend I seem to have set meself for 2014 is the use of purple.  And pink!  I know, whatever next... glitter?  YOU BET!  Well, it is Distress Glitter after all so don't worry, I haven't completely gone over to the "sparkly side" ... just a wee bit.  This was created using a That Special Touch stencil - Fuchsia - love this one because I love fuchsia's and now I have my greenhouse, I am planning on have very lots of them so I can keep them over winter.  Also appearing on this card are some Heartfelt Creations stamps (yip, loves these too!) and Distress Glitters in Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade and Peeled Paint. I will be demo-ing the technique I used to get the multi coloured image so I hope you can tune in to see it.

I really must get a wiggle on... tis nearly midnight and I have to be up early to get to the studio's and as usual, my nails needs attentions and I really should be getting myself some sleeps!  Have a great day and hope you can join me on the shows.. don't forget to email in if you can as there will be giveaways!   Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

True Lurves...

...awww, friends of ours got engaged over Christmas... awwww, I loves a wedding I do, being a bit of an old romantic.  So, I made them a card.  Now, regular readers of my daily wafflings will be well aware that cardmaking isn't really my forte... but I do like to make special ones and personalizing them.. so I got my "pretty" head on and made this for them.

The papers are the gorgeous Violet Crush Kaisercraft collection that were in my Jones DT kit this month.  Check it out too... purple!  I know!  Told ya, I am turning purple this year for some reason.  Mind you, it isn't difficult with these papers cos they is lushness indeedily.  I added Seedless Preserves DI around the edges of the papers and card base - well, I can't make a clean and simple card to save me life, there has to be some sort of inkiness going on.  The words are computer generated and die cut with Nestabilities.  I added some Kaisercraft Wisteria paper flowers... but whilst they are gorgeous, they looked a little pale, so I smudged some more of the Seedless Preserves on to them and then slapped some Glue & Seal on the edges of the petals and then sprinkled Rock Candy Distress Glitter over the top so they sparkle gently.  A twist of ribbon and there it was made.  One day I am going to go on a proper card making course and learn how to do the fancy stuff that a lot of people do!

I am scheduling this post as today I am travelling to Pickwell Farm in Southampton for two days of Melt Pot Master Classing... so I better get a wiggle on and get myself some beauty sleeps!  Have a great weekend, don't forget to pop back tomorrow for a brand new Sunday Stamper challenge.  Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 278 - Special Brew

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for the beautiful entries for last weeks challenge!  This week is a nice and easy theme... simply use the word "SPECIAL" in your creation.   I loves the song title I have picked this week too... remember it?  Bad Manners (shows age lol)    To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you like.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here to leave me a comment and a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog/web-photo-hosty-jobby, worry not, you can also join in via Facebook (simply tag my name on your upload) or via email by sending me a small size pic.  (my email can be found by clicking on my piccie on the left hand sidebar)   The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 19th October 2013.

My entry this week is a card I made for the Craft Clinic shows on Monday,  featuring my fave products to create with, Studio 490 stamps and Distress Paint and Ink.   I started out by scribbling Spun Sugar and Broken China DP onto my craft sheet, lightly misting and then dipping the card through it and then drying, then re-dipping and spritzing with a bit of water to make the bobbly bits of paint blend in.  Once dried, I used Broken China DP to stamp the flourishes and then Forest Moss and Seedless Preserves DP to stamp the flower border.  A zap from the heat tool to set the images and then Walnut Stain, blended around the edges of the card to frame the design.  Another cool thing about DP's is that they act as a "resist" when you stamp with them... if you look closely, you can see the effect where I have stamped the flourishes.

The words... one of my fave saying from Wendy Vecchi's fabby stamps, was stamped in Jet Black Archival onto a piece of card that I had coloured, using the same method as before, with Broken China and Seedless Preserves DP's.  The ickle butterflies were stamped onto cardstock in Jet Black Archival and then inked over with Tumbled Glass and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.  And there you have it... lots of lush layers but a pretty simple card.

So, what you got planned for today?  I shall be reclining on the sofa watching the very last meet for the BTCC this year :O(  Am always sad when it is the last one!  We always go to watch it at Brands Hatch but having seen the weather forecast we decided that instead of sitting for 9 hours in the pouring rain and and wind and cold and mud, we would stay in the warm and watch it on the telly... and as a treat I am doing a nice roast lamb din-dins too... Nom!   As ever we will be cheering on our fave driver... so all that is left for me to say now is... GO PLATO!!!  Thanks for looking!! TTFN

Hels x