And Finally....

...I got it done!   Finally, after much faffing and fiddlediddling I finished my canvas!  Oh yesh, indeed and thrice, it is finished... I am telling myself that because I really want to keep on adding to it and I am forcing myself to walk away from it.  Actually, it is just another excuse to not make Christmas cards! Last year I prevaricated until about 15th December and then did a mad frenzy of batch making and this year, L'il Miss Smug inside me was "ha, I am starting Christmas in September, you ain't catching me out again......"  ERM... wrong!  I am well and truly catched out... to the point that I am, shamefully admitting, thinking of nipping to the local supermarket and buying a box of cards!  I know!  I have tonnes of Christmas stash and just no Mojo to make cards!  

Anyways... forget about Christmas... see, more prevaricating (hahahaaa) and on with the canvas.  So, a few weeks ago you may recall I travelled up to Rochdale to spend the weekend with the lovely ladies of the JoLLie StaMpeRs craft group.  This was our Sunday project, a big old canvas and some fancy papers... and a bit of imagination.  The thing I loves most about this technique is that you can use any kind of paper and it really doesn't matter if it is trendy, new etc... this paper is actually an ancient Basic Grey collection - I thinks it is Stella Ruby but I might be wrong... and it is yonks old... and I just chopped it up, layered it on and then got messy with some Texture Paste and paints and stuff and then got all excitable with the embellishments.

I do love to over-embellish stuff... I have been doing it for years - if you check out some of my old tags you will see how much Idea-ology I can bung on one thing... and now that Prima and Artemio have started bringing out even more embellies, I am, so to speak, in embellishment heaven.  I started out a few years ago with a compartment box for my Idea-ology... then the Duke of Distress added more to his line... and another box appeared... and then there was more... so I got another box... and now I have... FIVE boxes!  I know!  I am a bit of a neat freak (don't laugh, I am ... sometimes) and I like each thing to have its own little compartment.  However, with the Prima stuff, I have Really Useful Boxes... and bung it all in there... I am loving those Zippers... just how cool are they!  And the ickle birdies!  So... Tweet... ahem *groan*   I used Treasure Gold wax to colour some of the resin embellies... and added smidges of it around the edge of the canvas to tie it all in.  The stamp has got to be one of my fave ever stamps... a real "go to" word... by The Artistic Stamper... fab isn't it!

Anyways... I shall away... I am scheduling this because we have an early start today... we are away to visit Grim's Mum & Dad and they live on the other side of the world... ok, Norfolk, but it is a beggar to get to... there are no motorways you see... all A roads, all of them usually full of lorries and tractors... so early starts are necessary.   Oooh, I nearly forgot... my friend Caz is having a bit of a giveaway... her clever son has made her a proper website HERE it is... and she is doing a giveaway... do hop over to see her, the website is looking fab and the candy is rather nice too...    Right, am away... thanks for looking... have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

A First....

...guess what???  I have just completed my very first commission!  Oh yesh indeedily.  A few months ago, lovely Joanne spotted a piece on my blog and asked if I would make her something similar... and she was commissioning me!  Get that!  A commission... am still grinning like a loon about it now!  Anyways... I have just handed my finished effort to Joanne... and I think it is safe to say that she likes it. (either that or she deserves an Oscar rofl)

Anyways, the base is an 8" square canvas, this is a shallow edge one, I would prefer a deeper one (ooherrrmissus) but for the life of me I can't find any unless I want to buy a box of 193 and pay through the schnozzle for 'em.  So, this here shallow edge canvas was painted with acrylic paints... a mix of Decoart and Dabbers, all applied with Cut & Dry foam so I could get some nice blending going on.  I painted the edges with Black Dabber (I have to say, I lurves Dabber's because they are matt when dry... I no like that they are in ickle bottles though... I always want bigger ones ...another oooerrr, but I am sure you know what I mean *snort*)   

As I have been heavily influenced by the artist genius that is Ania Dabrowska (click her name to be whizzed off to her blog on the back of a Prima Flower) it is time to admit that I have turned into a bit of a squirrel.  I have always been a bit of a hoarder (as my wardrobe, loft, garage, Room of Stash, shed, dining room... you get the picture... will confirm) and when I saw these new Prima embellies, I started my latest craze... hoarding bits and bobs that will go really well onto canvases and big projects.  The Prima lightbulbs are a fantastic idea... and they are really substantial too.  Oh and the Prima Gears too... mahooosive ones and ickle ones alike.  Check out Sam Poole's Creative Studio's for deets on these babies.

Whilst at Ally Pally last Saturday I did a spot of speed stash-shopping... literally 5 mins from the end I dashed to Paper Artsy (always a fave shop) and did one of those highspeed, gasping for breath dashes around the new Artemio embellishment range... those ickle studs on the canvas are actually brads, I just chopped their legs off!  And the metal butterfly is from Graphic 45... I am lurrrving those... wishing I had got two packs of them now too!  The flowers are again from my stash of paper flowers... I added to it recently, visiting Wild Orchid Crafts and nabbing some new paper roses and some plain white blooms, as well as the cute brass dragonflies.  The metal leaves are new from Creative Expressions (and you can get these in Sam's store too)  Finally, the words... the Imagine is an Artistic Stamper word, gotta be my fave ever word stamp, I love the grunginess of it... and the wooden "remember" is another Prima embellishment.  I guess all in all I wanted to make this piece a bit special... well, being as it is for a very special lady, I wanted to add a bit of lurve into it too... so a lot of my fave things are included on it.  Now I just need to figure out how to add some Studio 490 into the mix and I will be complete!

Anyways... I shall away... I am in my hotel room in Preston... scheduling this post because I am fair pooped.  I had a bit of a journey down here... setting off with plenty, plenty time to get to Inspirations to drop all my kit off and then have a moozie about the shop.  Best laid plans and all that.  There was an accident on the M6 - I was hoping it would be clear by the time I got to the site... nope, there was another accident in the accident bit so it meant the motorway was closed.  A quick (handsfree, Blue & Me) call to Grim asking which exit should I take to avoid the closure... and onwards I goes.  Until the exit I needed and there was a Police car there, closing the slip road.  Another accident had happened there!  I finally made it to Inspirations about 5.15pm so it literally was a quick hello, drop off the stuff, back in the car and onto the hotel.  Where I made a complete burk of myself.  So, I needs to use the facilities.  And the bathroom light won't work.  Grrr.. weeing in the dark is not the best fun right?  Anyways, I decides to pop the telly on to get the radio (tis freeview jobbywotsits) and I had a "no signal" thingy show up.  So, off I sets to reception to ask if I could get a light fixed and a telly that works.  The lovely lass on reception was most apologetic and offered to move my room... nope, I just unpacked, can't be bothered with all that... so she offers me free internet... I just paid for it.. and then she offered me a free breakfast.  Thank you very much, don't mind if I do.  And then she said "you did put your door key card into the slot on the wall?"  Errrm... "nope"  *I had the grace to blush*  She tells me that to get the power and lights in the room you need to insert card into said slot.  "Oh and btw" she says... "is the aeriel in the back of the telly?"   Turns out the aeriel wasn't in the back of the telly and yes, key card in slot on wall means I can wee with the lights on rofl   With that delightful image I shall say... thanks for looking... if you are in Preston today please do pop in to Inspirations and say hi, I will be the one with the red face and inky paws!  TTFN!

Hels x

Waxing Lyrical...

...well you know me... always one for a bit of a...*ahem* natter... and yesterday was just the perfect event for me to have an excuse to sit and waffle on alarmingly at poor, unsuspecting crafters. Yes, it was Stamperama and I got the opportunity to sit and play with Beeswax all day long for The Artistic Stamper and do some cool (or should that be hot!!) things with the old Melt Pot. The Sunday Stamper ATC has some lovely flowers on it... made in the same way as the Faux Porcelain technique but using Beeswax instead... and I actually prefer these roses - they are more vintagey.. so this is deffo a thing I will be doing again! I am a numpty ... I took my camera because I never get photo's of my demo pieces before I give them away... and managed to get right through til the end of the day forgetting said camera (which was in my apron pocket so I really had no excuse) and these are the only things I snapped... never mind... I will remember.. next time ROFL



Even more remarkable is the fact that... I didn't drop a single drip of Beeswax onto me!! I have had my fair share of run-in's with Beeswax, like the time I lifted the Melt Pot up while the Beeswax was still molten and gave my trousers an altering (believe me, it is the only time I have ever been grateful for being on the large side... cos... it would have been extremely painful if I didn't have my food baby belly ROFL) Anyways... I had a fab time, I have a bit of a sore throat this morning though... but it was great to see so many familiar faces and to meet up with new peeps too... isn't this crafty lark amazing... it makes the whole world smaller and a much better place to know that there are so many like minded peeps about... ahhh, I am getting all misty LOL Right, I have bags to unpack and stash to put back in its place so I better get a wiggle on....




Speaking of which... the Room of Stash is still amazingly tidy!!! I have a few projects on the go which are waiting to be finished but once those are done... it is going to be pristine again! Well, I have a very good excuse to keep it tidy don't I? What, I haven't mentioned already that Ellen is coming to stay in... TEN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have promised her that I will make sure her desk is just ready and waiting to get playing... oh and I have promised to make a chocolate cake too... well, I do (even if I say so myself) make a rather scrummy choccy cake... and... I promised that if Ellen brings me a whole suitcase of Cheesy Chester Cheeto's that I would make her a cake... that is a very good deal I reckon... I would have the Chester Cheeto's over choccy cake anyday... which would you prefer though? Cake? Cheeto's? Or... both??? Anyways... time to stop... waxing lyrical... and get unpacked! Thanks for looking.. have a brrrilliant day!! TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stampers - Week 116 - Whiskey In The Jar...

Goodly Morning Stampers... THANK YOU for all your loverly entries to the challenge last week, it was grand to see some more new faces too... hope you will come back and play again. The theme this week is one with a bit of a twist... you can use either Jars/Bottles OR Booze... that opens up the challenge a bit! To join in, all you need to do is make a piece of art including the theme and some stamping (even if it is just a word!), leave me a comment here with a link to the place you are showing your piece and I can hop on over to see ya. The challenge remains open til 21:00 Saturday 21st August '10.




For my entry this week, I have used the fabby new bottle stamp from The Artistic Stamper as my focal image... stamping onto mountboard, colouring with Tumbled Glass DI and then covering it in a thick old layer of Rock Candy Cracklepaint. I made some ribbons roses *if you click HERE you can go to Lynne's blog 'this is where the idea came from originally :O))* using Grungepaper which had been coloured with different DI's... I cut some strips of GP to make the stems for the roses and popped those behind the bottle.



The base is an offcut of mountboard.. and, alas, is my last piece of mountboard... I have been going thru it like a dose of salts this week with the ATC's I have been addicted to! I covered the mountboard with a piece of paper from the Retro Grunge stack (from the one and only Duke of Distress) and edged with DI's and then sanded it. I added some swirly stamping and then the sentiment, I love this one, another of Mr Holtz's collection, he has the best sentiments doesn't he?





Well, I am writing this post from my bed, I am actually asleep at the moment... *dreaming of a massive room, full of stash... with walls painted... Trad Tan LOL* Seriously though, I am asleep.. or at least I hope I am cos I gotta be up early to go to Stamperama in Stevenage... are you going? If you are, please do pop over to see me... I am playing on Jennie's stand (The Stamp Connection) and doing Make & Takes if anyone wants to join in... my entry for this weeks theme actually has a little hint at what we will be making :O)) I will have this piece with me along with a couple of ATC's that I have if anyone would like one! Thanks for looking... have a fabbylicious day, whatever you are doing... TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 100 - Free...PLUS Mega Candy :O))

Morning Stampers! Wow... I don't know about you but...what a week I have had! Think I may have mentioned that I moved home - if you are thinking of doing it ... DON'T... unless you are mega organised and have all your stash properly labelled and boxed up...ah yes, I have been AWOL for a long time...to be honest, a few days away in Blog Land may as well be a month cos I think I am so far behind on all you have been making and talking about...anyways...enough about my moving house and the fact that until about 9pm last night my desk was inaccessible and buried under a mountain of boxes... THANK YOU to everyone who has joined in with the challenge so far - and huge sorry for not visiting you and leaving you a comment... only just got the t'internet sorted and then I have had to hunt for the lappy, the camera, the new email addy has been a pest 'cos Mr Blogger usually tells me by email when I have a comment...and I haven't got those emails - so... I promise that I will be attempting to catch up and get up to date by the middle of the week :O)) Also, a reminder... the Sunday Stamper is 100 this weekend! Wow, 100 themes and 100 weeks of lovely peeps joining in ... to mark the occasion, The Artistic Stamper and The Stamp Attic have very kindly sponsored the challenge - all you need to do to join in is make a piece of art and blog it, leave me a comment here and also link the piccie below into your sidebar with a link back here. The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified on next weeks Sunday Stamper post... Also, if I get over 100 comments, I will be adding in some Candy myself, along with the piece that I made for last weeks entry, which you can see here: *almost forgot to remind you that the prize is a £15 gift voucher from each store to spend online :O))*





For this week, because of the limbo dancing I have had to do to just get to the desk, and then the rummaging to find the "essentials" kit that I put together...and then finding the wooden piece I was going to alter had been broken *sad face* in the move, I have resorted to type and made a tag - simple one at that! I covered a basic tag with some of the new Tim Holtz papers, then used Distress Inks to blend some colours on, made a couple of roses using more Tim papers and the smallest rose from the Studio 490 Dimensional Rose Art.




I added on an Idea-ology Book Plate - which I painted with a brand new paint I have found on my travels through DIY stores this week - it is just a match pot of emulsion... but get this...it is called... ALFIE!! I just had to buy it and I am now trying to persuade Grim that I need one wall of the new Room of Stash painted with it - obviously the matchpot will be waaaaay too small, so I need a HUGE pot of it, and any left will be used for my ART LOL. I added on some more Idea-ology and then scruffed the edge with a Distresser tool.




Sorry this is a short post... believe me, I could waffle on for hours about moving house, the state of the garden (overgrown) the state of the dining room (overgrown with boxes) the state of the bedroom (naff curtains) and the fact that my room resembles a dumping ground...but... I won't cos that would be boring ROFL.... Don't forget that there is a fabby candy with this week's challenge .... the more times you join in, the more times your name will go into the hat too :O)) I will be combining the number of comments on last Sunday's post with this Sunday too...so come on, let's get to the elusive 100 and grab yourselves some Hels' candy too :O) The challenge will close at 22:00 on Saturday May 1st 10. All of the stash used on this tag are readily available from The Artistic Stamper and The Stamp Attic too...*except the ALFIE paint..which is from B&Q rofl* Have a great week... I promise I will be back soon and am doing my best to ignore the other boxes and get my room sorted LOL

Hels x

**EDIT** Dur...in my haste and excitement to be making art and blogging I forgot to remind you that the theme is FREE - the song title is Free As A Bird...so you can add anything you like for the FREE part and a birdy too if you fancy!

Sunday Stamper - Week 98 - Maxwell's Silver Hammer

Morning Stampers...isn't it just the most divine weather??? Guess what??? I know why!!! Cos it is Ally Pally weekend and it is always glorious! Anyways...THANK YOU for all the lovely entries and comments last week...it was an all time high with 62 comments left. It may not seem many compared to some challenges but the Sunday Stamper has always been just a little challenge, it was so great to see so many new faces too...and I do hope peeps will return, not only for today..but also, next week will see the Century of the Sunday Stamper...100 themes...and I have a little secret, which I know I can share with just you cos I know I can trust you...there will be not only a special theme...and some candy donated by moi...but also ... fabbbbbby prize candy has been donated too :O) Speaking of Candy... I have just done that Random.org thingy and it packed up on me...so I reverted to more technical ways of picking a winner randomly...and wrote all the names on paper, folded it up and then picked it from a hat...well, actually, a bowl, can't find the hat..think that Packing Fairy has put it away somewhere....so .. the winner is;

CHRIS - congrats hun ... please can you email your addy so I can pop the stamps and Kling into the post for you - email details etc are on my main Blogger Profile :O))

So, this week the new theme is hammers....AHA, only joking...it is SILVER...I have picked another old Beatles record...I do love the Beatles you know and use any excuse to mention one of their songs! So, all you have to do to join in is make a piece of art...include stamping on it and also the theme...this week is a doddle easy one :O)) *saving up for next week LOL* Then, once you have blogged it, please leave me a link here and I will be able to call in and see you :O))




I have got inkier and messier making mine...I say inkier cos you should see the state of my hands after playing at Ally Pally all day...they are minging LOL I started off with a fabby little wooden frame which is about 6" square. I coated the bare wood with Gesso and then smoothed on some Terra (which is like a fine gritty texture paste) and some Ferro (which is like a gritty metalic paste) and then used the brand new and incredibly divine Cog stamps from The Artistic Stamper, )spritzed with water first so they release out of the Terra/Ferro) and randomly stamped onto the surface.




Next I used my heat gun and dried the frame...drying the Terra with a heat gun isn't necessary - it will air dry...but...when it is heated, it goes bobbly and warty *I have said this already I know but I did get a few mails about what it is and how it works*. I then painted over the top of the surfaces...applying it with Cut & Dry foam is the best way to do it so it doesn't overload in any patches.




Another zap with the heatgun and then I used Precious Metal paint...Silver colour...mmm, lush...again using Cut & Dry to apply this...then dried it again...and then very gently applied a little more black paint on the bobbly bits to emphasise them. The heart, face and clock embellies are made from a combo of clear and silver UTEE poured from the Melt Pot into moulds, made using Mold & Pour. The little clock is actually a mould of one of the new Idea-ology watch faces. I added some black StaZon to the UTEE pieces - using my finger to apply it cos it means more control... I think this just makes the whole piece pop a little bit. Finally I added some more Idea-ology to it to finish.




The centre piece is made from white card which I coloured with Silver and Marshmallow Glimmer Mists. I edged the whole card with Black Soot DI then smooshed the pad onto the craft sheet, spritzed with water and popped the large coggy background into it...then stamped straight over the card...dried with a heatgun and then used some more of the cog stamps for the background, using Black StaZon. The sentiment is fab isn't it? My fave font ever...and this was stamped, cut down and popped onto 3D foam for added dimension. The stamps, frame, Terra, Ferro, Precious Metal, UTEE, Mold & Pour and Idea-ology can be purchased from The Artistic Stamper...and I will be taking this piece to Ally Pally with me today if anyone would like to see it in the real.



Thanks for looking...have a brill day...again, if you are at Ally Pally today, please pop by to see me and Jennie - Stand #49 - where we are demo-ing incredibly divine Spray Mists by Crafty Notions..which are totally lushious! Oh, BTW, the challenge will be open til 23:00 next Saturday 17th April...and then there will be the biggy next Sunday. Also, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all your lovely comments on my blog...and apologise for not getting around to see you all during the week...that Packing Fairy has naffed off with my hat but not bothered to pack anything else up yet ROFL

Hels x

Chantilly Lace...

...and a pretty face? Nah, not today...the Zit Fairy visited me during the night and zapped me with a couple of new ones...especially for Easter... see folks, that is whatcha get for eating tooooo much chocolate :O)) Anyway...Chantilly Lace! The title...remember yesterday I went to great pains to remind you all of that song Agadoo...and saying that I couldn't think of a song with Lace in the title...mmm, good old Grim came wandering in last night and said "Chantilly Lace"...that is all he needed to say...doh! There was me thinking I am a music lover and went and forgot that one! *although I do hold the record for guessing the intro of a song within the first few beats....aha, showing off again!!!*




Today I have a few more pages of the book I made for the Sunday Stamper...hopefully Mr Blogger won't be playing up and they will load up...Lionel the Laptop has been misbehaving this past few days too...probably cos I have been neglecting him cos I have been packing...argh...how many boxes!!! I haven't even started the Room of Stash yet!




These pages were made the same way as the others...I used an On The Edge Alterations die on some mountboard...thru my Bug...the plates I used were B Plate on the bottom, then the die, then the mountboard and then my B Plate that I use for cutting...and it works a treat...however, I am sure each machine is a little different, so please don't just take my word for it..I would hate your Bug to break! The pages are coloured with Distress Inks and I added some Lace stamping (the Artistic Stamper new ones!) and some Tim Holtz collection stamps and then added some flowers made from Grungepaper and Grungeboard which were cut using the Tattered Florals die. All of the stash used on the pages can be got from The Artistic Stamper..and if you are quick, there is free shipping til the end of today!




Today is a Bank Holiday, which means that I can disappear to the Room of Stash and catch up on some creating...I need to get this done asap cos I have to pack the flipping room up...soon! Am still waiting for the Packing Fairy to turn up to help me, I mean, there is a Zit Fairy so surely there is a Packing Fairy too???

Hels x

Three Colours....

...over on the Gingersnap Creations Blog there is another FAB new challenge starting today...and the challenge is....to use your fave three colours. And...joining in also means a chance at winning Candy :O)) February is the Artistic Stamper sponsors month and all the stash used on the card I made can be found there :O)




It was my great mate Andrea's birthday last week...and I wanted to make a special card for her cos she has been so good to me and truly is one of those friends that is a lifelong one. I will shut up now cos otherwise I will end up getting all mushy and sentimental LOL This card started life as a boring cream coloured 8" square...and I fancied using the shadow box stylee but on a card, so I cut out a section to be about 7" square and then cut a section 6" sq out of this...and chopped it up into segments.




Each segment was then coloured with Antique Linen, Fired Brick and Brushed Corduroy DI's. I then used a big selection of Tim Holtz collection stamps to do a collage stylee arrangement....adding in some Idea-ology bits and bobs along the way for that bit of definition. The frame part was the bit that I am not 100% about actually...I think I may have overdone the stamping but it seems to work...a bit at least :O)) And ... I used my favest background stamp of the moment, the Sequin Waste, which is also from The Artistic Stamper.




Thanks for looking...have a great day and if you get chance, pop over to the Gingers...they have the most fabby art samples on there :O))

Hels x

Merlot & Old Lace....

...I know, it is supposed to be Arsenic and Old Lace...you know, that film that was made in 1944 starring Cary Grant....*ah, I sound so knowledgeable...the beauty of Google ROFL* Anyway...today is the start of a brand new Gingersnap Challenge and the theme is Lace & Fibres...hop on over to their blog...there is a bit of candy from our sponsors this month, The Artistic Stamper. For my piece I used some brand new 1920's ladies...along with a lady from the original 20's plate from The Artistic Stamper. I love the fact that the heads fitted onto a 2" square piece of Stampbord...so I did four different ones, inking the Stampbord with Chalk Ink...the Merlot part of the title is cos I used Merlot coloured ink...not cos I drink it ROFL... and then scratching at the Stampbord to emphasise the design.




The board background is an offcut of mountboard which I painted with *please don't yawn* Traditional Tan paint...then once this was dry I attempted to dab the Merlot ink around the edge...and...AlfieCat jumped onto the desk...made me leap out of my skin and blob... the inky sponge went splat onto the bit I didn't want inked... Never being one to be put off by a big fat cat landing on my stash, I decided to blend the Merlot ink over the mountboard...and then used some more Trad Tan paint top stamp the fabby sequin waste stamp, which breaks up the background a bit :O))




The last bit of the piece was the addition of lace...which I love....and fibres, which I cannot stand using...but I challenged myself that there would be some on the piece, so they made the hangy bit LOL I added some co-ordinating ribbon over the top of the lace just to break it up a bit...and then popped all the bits onto the board and added some beaded fringing to the bottom of it to finish.




That's all for now.. I will be back later with my workdesk mess...ha, so much for my put stuff away promise...it is a piggysty in my room of stash again ... I have got to take Ferdy in to get the heater and the brakes sorted...am hoping that it won't be a long do as I don't like Ferdy not being there on my drive LOL *for peeps who don't know, not only do I name my laptops I also name my cars* Don't forget to pop over to the Gingersnap Blog....there are some gorgeous bits of art on there too :O))

Hels x

Love Is InThe Air...

...Over on the Gingersnap Creations challenge blog there is a brand new theme this week...and as it is a new month, we have a brand new sponsor which is The Artistic Stamper, who are kindly giving away yummy candy for one lucky entrant to the challenge. The theme this week is Romance...so what better than to use the new range of heart stamps from The Artistic Stamper!




I combined my love of all things hanging *no dirty jokes pleeeease!!* and made a little Maya Road Chipboard piece, colouring the chip with Old Paper, Fired Brick and Walnut Stain Distress Inks and then using the heart background stamp, along with a dotty background stamp to make a nice...er...background :O) I covered most of the piece with Rock Candy Cracklepaint and once this was dried, added some ribbon and lace as a divider.




The message was stamped onto more Maya Road, again coloured with DI's and the actual message plate was them smothered with Rock Candy Stickles. The little roses are made using Grungepaper, Distress Inks and the medium and dinky flower from the Flower Power Plate and I used more Maya Road (swirls) behind the flowers instead of leaves. All of the stash used on this piece can be got from The Artistic Stamper...




Thanks for looking... have a pop on over to the Gingersnaps...there are some amazing pieces of art on the blog using the same stamps...so you can see loads of different ideas using the same set of stamps...and, if you join in ...you could win some candy!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 88 - Hip To Be Square

Morning Stampers ... have you noticed I am not in my usual place??? Do I look different? Aha, that is cos today I am having to post from....THE BIG COMPUTER! My laptop has passed away (or at least, it will have once I have removed my boot from it...why are computers so annoying, you just get used to it, it understands you, you understand it... and then it goes and plays silly beggars and annoys you so much that you inflict harm on it....ROFL) so Grim has allowed me onto his pride and joy purely to post the new challenge...he just knows how rubbish I am with computers and how I break things, unwittingly of course, but clumsy is, afterall, my middlename ROFL First of all...THANK YOU for all your lovely entries last week... it was lovely to see so many new faces joining in too. I used Random.Org to pick out a winner...basically, using the usual formula, every entry assigned a number in order with date/time posted and then picked out this way...the lucky number was 7. Without further ado, I am pleased to annouce the winner of the "Sponsors" candy from The Artistic Stamper is....

Clarky J - congrats and please email your addy etc to me and I will pop your candy into the post.




Moving on...the new theme this week is....hips....ahahaha, got you going there... really it is SQUARES... and I used some 2" squares of Stampbord to make a little hangy piece. The base is an 8" square canvas oil board which I first painted with ... Traditional Tan (why use anything other when this is THE perfect paint!!!) and then layered some stamped tissue over it using Beeswax to fix it down...the stamping was done with StaZon and are Crafty Individuals stamps and an Artistic Stamper script stamp.





Now, once this was done it was way too in my face, not subtle at all (and, afterall, subtle is my middle name...along with clumsy LOL) so I layered another sheet of plain tissue over the top, using more Beeswax over the top...and then watered down some of the Trad Tan and blended this over the top using Cut & Dry foam. I used some little sprinkles of gold embossing powder to jazz up the edges and randomly over the bumpy bits just to add a bit of emphasis and to close the piece in I dragged a black StaZon around the edges too.




The tiles are all inked with a combo of Adirondack Foam Pigments and Chalk Inks and Colorbox Pigments. I have found that these pigments seem to work the best on Stampbord...basically, just heat set between colourings and stamping...and then I used a scratchy tool to scrape away bits of the images to add some highlights.




Each tile was then UTEE'd with three layers altogether so you get a really cool ceramic look..which doesn't really show up on the photo's too well. I edged all the tiles with gold Krylon to make them nice and neat and then to blend them more into the background I swiped a StaZon around the edges, just roughly, which toned them down a bit.




The stamping was all done with black StaZon and are a bit eclectic this week... no real theme, just some random images that are some of my faves and are from *in no particular order* Crafty Individuals, PaperBag Studio's, Stamp Francisco, Prima, Stampers Anon and The Stamp Bug... I have to admit, this piece is totally unlike the idea I had in my head...so that project, hopefully, will be made today...and will be the One World One Heart giveaway tomorrow :O)) If you are wondering what I am waffling on about, there is a link in my sidebar for you to click on and get transported to the place that is setting it all up...several friends joined in with it last year and loved it...so I thought I would give it a go this year!




Anyway...back to the hangy piece...I added some eyelets and rusty wire for the hangy bit and added a little bead that I nabbed from an old bracelet and a Philiosophy Tag which I dabbed with gold paint and wiped off so the gold stayed in the indentations. Finally, I added some micro beads randomly round the edges, again, they don't show up too well on the pics and some more of the heavenly golden pearls that I am fast running out of now!



To join in with the challenge, all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, altered, tis up to you, incorporate the theme and some stamping and then pop back and leave me a comment on this post with a link to the place you are showing your piece... then I can hop over and visit you :O)) The challenge will remain open until 23:00 on Saturday 30th January...so you have all week to play!

Thanks for looking and I hope that you all have a great week!

Hels x

Time....Round Her Neck?????

...I really am scraping the barrell for a title for today's offering...but...it kinda makes sense...in a round about sort of way... Today is a very special day...it is Jennie's **th birthday and to celebrate this event I made a card (yes, most peeps do do that) and also ventured into the jewellry making part of the world that is crafting.




I haven't made anything wearable before (except for all those tshirts that I have dropped ink on over the years) so this was a bit of a new thing for me. Inspired by Lynn who has been making the most amaaaaaaazing Steam Punk jewellry *you have got to go and look at her brilliant blog...hang on a mo though, finish reading this one first tho ROFL* I kinda got a bit lost of the way and ended up making a sort of, kinda like, Steam Punkish (if you squint you will see a resemblance) necklace as a pressie for Jennie who always wears wacky jewellry anyway...so I am just hoping that she likes this *and doesn't fire me from the DT for my last comment* :O))




I started off with an empty watch part that was in a huge jumblee bag of junk, I polished it up a bit and then used a Salvage Sticker for the main element...a clock, I added some little watch parts and a J to personalize it...and then added some hands which have a special meaning...I won't let on how old she is, I wouldn't do that *cos she'd fire me* but they aren't just telling the time LOL




I used Glossy Accents to fill in over the bits and make a protective layer for the watchlet...and added a piece of Idea-ology Foliage which I had bent about a bit to make it stand out more. The hangy round the neck thingy is like a little leather strip with added fastener...goodness knows where that came from... wish I could say I made it myself but alas, my jewellry making days are over :O)





The card is made up from little squares of mini Jenni Bowlin papers (actually, correct syntax ...should read; Jenni Bowlin Mini papers)....(otherwise it sounds like Jenni Bowlin is mini!!) which I stuck to a piece of backing card, drew a few faux stitches on (couldn't find my stitches stamp...and as for attempting to use a sewing machine....pah!) I backed this onto some black card to make it stand out a bit and then edged the whole cardstock with Antique Linen DI and bent over the corner to make it look old. The little Grungepaper Rose is made from the middle sized Flower Power stamp, inked with Antique Linen and then overstamped with Fired Brick and the Houndstooth background stamp. The leaves are from the same Flower Power plate, inked with Shabby Shutters DI and then overstamped with the Dotty background stamp. I went a bit OTT with the Glossy Accents glue which is visible if you look at the rose on the angle...but...more is better than less right? Wrong? Ho hum!






The metal rose is made up using Idea-ology Foliage....and this technique is borrowed from Tim's 12 Tags... I have made loads of these...I love them and think they go really well with the Grungepaper rose.




The sentiment is a Wendy Vecchi stamp...I love this one the bestest I think, and I popped it onto some Maya Road chip, coloured with the same DI's and overstamped with the Houndstooth again.




I am hoping that Postie managed to get this to Jennie before this post is uploaded...if not...stop looking now Jennie...you will spoil the surprise LOL Cor, that is a lot of waffle from me today...one last thing....because of the snow...and because it is her birthday, Jennie is offering free P&P on stash from The Artistic Stamper and this runs til Sunday Jan 10th...

Thanks for looking...

Hels x

Happy 'Mew' Year

...Nope, not a spellling (sic) mistake for a change LOL It actually is a Happy Mew Year for pussycats today...and over on the Gingersnap Creations blog there are 30 more Reasons to Stamp for January...so, if you are stuck for inspiration, why not hop on over there...honestly, there are some amazing pieces of art to look at :O))




I made a tag *groans, not another one!* using some Distress Inks to colour the background and a cute ickle kitty stamp by Lost Coast Designs. The harlequin stamp is by Crafty Individuals and is one of those stamps that I seem to pick up constantly when I want a little infill for a blank area...you know the type I mean? I coloured kitty in with Distress Inks and a waterbrush...and added Stickles to jazz him up...made a little message for him using Studio G Alpha's and then finished off his hat with some Rock Candy Stickles...I love Rock Candy...be it Stickles or Cracklepaint...if you haven't tried it yet...go on, you need to .. it is THE BEST!

Have a great day and thanks for looking...oh and don't forget...today is the last day to join in the Sunday Stamper Mega Candy giveaway...just leave a comment on the post, become a follower and link back to my blog...simple! The winner is being drawn tonight after 23:00 and will be announced tomorrow.

Hels x

'Cafe' New Year!

...Happy New Year everyone! Wow...a whole new year and new decade to look forward to ... and just a few words from me to all the peeps who have been so kind to follow my Blog and leave me such amazing comments...thanks guys for all your support!




Over on the Play Date Cafe challenge this week there is a new colour challenge...that got me stumped! I loved the idea of using these colours but for some reason spent a couple of hours scratching my head how to incorporate them all together...so I ended up bunging a tag together LOL




I used a combo of Glimmer Mists and Distress Inks to get the tag coloured and then made a little card to fit inside a Memory Frame with a Memory Capsule over it...which I then filled with beads. I added some Idea-ology and made a Grungepaper rose using the Flower Power large stamp by The Artistic Stamper. The rest of the stamping on the piece is using Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 stamps..well, I thought I would start the new year off as I ended it...still totally adoring all those designs by Wendy and ... I cannot wait to see her new sets coming soon!




Thanks for looking...have a great New Year everyone ... and ... may your fingers be continually inky :O))

Hels x