Wish Pods!

...cor blimey! It has been a barren old month indeedily!   Mr Mojo decided he too wanted to go off on his holibobs and instead of just being normal and taking a week, oh no, he has to go and take nearly FIVE weeks!  I have been scratching around in the Room of Stash, looking to see if I can work without him but no, alas, I can't.  Imagine my enthusiam last night, well, actually, this morning at 1am, when I heard a great hammering and clattering in the Room of Stash... oh yesh, the old rapscallion decided to show his face.  So I have been up all night making sure that he is securely fastened to the floor in the Room of Stash, I used brads, screw eyes and jute to tie him down... hopefully it will keep him here a while! 

A few weeks ago I taught a class at Birds in the Barn in Essex and we were doing all things Fresco Painty and I needed to do a demo.. so I did a basic "painty ombre" background and then used a stencil with some Grungepaste, once dried, I used Cut & Dry foam to apply two colours of browny Fresco to ombre the seed pods too.  And that was about it... a bit of stamping in paint using Ellen's stamps and a bit of stamping with Archival using a script stamp and this demo piece went into my box of "stuff to finish sometime in the next 371 years!"   Well, after all the commotion of Mojo turning up last night, I hastened to the Room of Stash and grabbed the first thing I could see that needed finishing... and it was this.

I added some torn bits of Tissue Tape and then set about the embellishingments... starting with some Kaisercraft paper blooms which were very pretty but ever so slightly dull for what I wanted... I used Black Dylusions and a blue Cosmic Shimmer mist to bling them up... had another rummage and found some little card blossoms I made yonks ago and zapped those with the Cosmic Shimmer too.  Now the flowers were pretty but still not "big enough" so I added some flat Prima flowers behind them and blinged those up too.  OF course, I needed leaves so I nabbed some Artemio wooden leaves and coloured them with Peeled Paint Distress Paint, dried them and then added Forest Moss DI to two tone them.  I then popped some other embellibits on and slapped some Treasure Gold onto the pods and the card I had popped behind.  The word is made from Alphaparts which are stuck onto a little diddy bookplate.  I could've done a little panel of card to fit inside the bookplate but I wanted the stalks to show thru a bit so I just popped the letters onto the metal.

I shall away... I am on a roll at the mo and I don't want to turn me back on that old cad Mojo for too long in case he gets ideas and sneaks off again.  Oh I am happy to be finally back behind me desk and playing!  I HATE getting a crafters block!  Hope you all having a great week... Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 313 - Green Onions

Goooodly Afternoon 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 week is a another nice easy challenge... GREEN.  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 28th June 2014.

My entry this week has seen me return to my true love... oh yesh, it is all about Studio 490.  I make no secret of the fact that I am Wendy's #1 stalker erm, fan and I don't get enough time to really play with all my Studio 490 goodies.  So I treated meself to an evening of all things Wendy and had a total blast playing!   I used Wendy's technique for Archival Re-inkers, CLICK HERE for her fabby video.  I use Surgical Spirit, I think that is rubbing alcohol in the UK... it works anyways so I guess it is right (!)  I also use Ranger's Specialty Stamping paper.. this stuff is the bomb!  It has a coating on it but it isn't glossy... nor is it matte, more of a satin finish and it is perfect for Wendy's technique as the inkyness doesn't soak through the card and sits on top of it so you can move the inks about whilst they are still wet.   The Re-inkers I used are: Dandelion, Tree Branch, Fern Green & Leaf Green.

Once I had the inky background sorted, I set about layering on lots of different stencil images. Apart from the sentiment and flower cluster, everything on the creation has been stencilled.  I used lots of Wendy's stencils and the following Archival Inks:  Leaf Green, Tree Branch, Fern Green, Dandelio and Jet Black.  The butterfly is actually a stencil too, I just cut it out and bunged a little pearl onto the body.  I added Glossy accents to dots I added to the laurel wreath (used a Sharpie to add those) just to add a little extra texture to the background.  The base is a canvas board that I covered with hessian using Multi Medium to stick the hessian down and then colouring with Black Soot Distress Paint. I added the flowers, which are Kaisercraft ones, leaves from Tim's Garden Greens die and voila, finished!

I shall away!  It is Friday morning at the moment, which always confoooses me when I am actually pretending it is Sunday... I am away this weekend teaching at Pickwell Farm in Southampton... and I am reliably informed that the PYO strawbs are ready (cue Hels covered in strawberry juice) and there be cherries too... ohhlalalaaa.. I have already eaten several hundred weight of cherries already this year - must be a good season for them cos they are all delish!  Thanks for looking.. have a grand day!  TTFN


Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 298 - A Stitch in Time

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thanks for so many fabby entries to last weeks challenge, it is a pleasure to hop around to all your blogs to see your grand creations.  This week the theme is... STITCHES/SEWING.  The theme invites you to add any kind of stitching into your creation, be it faux with stamping or doodling... or actual real stitching either by hand or machine!  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 to leave me a comment along with a linky to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook - simply tag my name, or by emailing me a small res. photo of you creation.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 15th March 2014.

 This week I have been stealing time from the middle of the night!  Oh ho yesh, I have sussed out that time during the night is not only "free" it also appears to be when my Mojo is in full steam and I am at my most creative.  Mind you, it isn't hard to be creative when you have the right stashly goodies.  Of late, I have sadly neglected my Studio 490 stash, mainly because I haven't had time to play with it all.  So, during my nighttime playtimes, I have been dusting off the 490 stash and getting thoroughly covered in ink and paint.  This creation is a hanging piece I made, the base is chipboard that I covered with some new Kaisercraft Papers (Timeless collection, nom!) and then I got crackling... *see what I dids there? teehee*   Recently, the marvel that is Wendy Vecchi added a brand new embossing texture paste to her already great range. *click her name to be transported to her blog for amazing inspirations*  And if you saw last Sunday's Sunday Stamper you will have already seen this fabulous Crackled Texture Paste.   This time, instead of just slapping it onto the base "raw", I added a few drops of Geranium Archival Re-Inker to colour it.  Ohhhhlaaaalaaaa!  Check out those crackles!  I started by popping the Heart Stencil For Art onto the base, smidging on a thin layer of Black Embossing Paste and once dried (super fast as it was a thin layer) I replaced the Heart over the top and spread a nice thick layer of Crackled Paste over the top.  It was nice and dry and ready to use about an hour later... and whilst I loved the bright red, it was just a smidge too bright for how I wanted the piece to look.  To fix this, I grabbed some Cut & Dry Foam and blended Geranium and Watering Can Archival Inks over the top... voila, a grungier effect.

Now for the decorations.  The base looked fine but... a bit bare.  So after rummaging through my 490 stamps, I found the stitched scallop and stamped that around the edge of the base, then used Antique Linen and Gathered Twigs DI's to add a vintage look.  I stamped a few flourishes in Watering Can at the top of the heart (look closely, they are there, hiding under the flowers lol)  And then... ART PARTS!!!  Now, I love Art Parts more than most other things in my stash! They are sturdy, easily altered and they just add that perfect amount of dimension to any creation.  So, the leaves were painted with Forest Moss and Crushed Olive Distress Paints and then overstamped with a cool background using Fern Green Archival ink.  The Art Part word started out saying "wishes" but I didn't want the "es" so I chopped them off, slapped a layer of Rock Candy Cracklepaint onto the word and then once crackled, applied Black Soot DP over the top... subtle crackle on top of mega crackle. 
  

And now for the decorating bit!  It is no secret that I loves a nice flower bundle... in fact, the majority of the things I make have flowers on them.. and the Studio 490 stamps are just perfect for making said flower bundles.  I stamped all the flowers onto cream cardstock, cut them all out and then overstamped them with Geranium Archival and lots of different background stamps - again all Studio 490.  They were then inked with Antique Linen, Fired Brick and Gathered Twigs DI's.  I used the mini dotty butterfly and Jet Black Archival to stamp out onto Clearly For Art.  Now, Clearly For Art is one of the bestest things you can have in your crafty stash - it is a heatable modelling film that can be left clear, covered with papers, fabric, inks, die cut, stamped etc and once it is heated and moulded, it keeps its shape.  And if you hate your moulding? You can reheat it and it goes back to flat again!  Genius indeedily!  The addage of little pearls to the flowers and butterflies was my finishing touch, I didn't want to add any more embellies as I liked the look as it is.. and I know how mental I can go with the old embellies!

 I have had a great time this past week playing late at night... and this coming week I actually have a weekend off so... that means more time to play during the days too!  As ever, have a wonderful day... I hope you like the theme and get a chance to play along.  Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Nighttime... Playtime... Take II

...cor blimey!  Another great night of getting thoroughly covered in ink and paint, I am a happy bunny!  Just like the other night, last night I had a little playtime in the Room of Stash... and being as I am a slatternly persuasion, my desk still had all the stuff from the previous nights foray into the World of Nighttime Crafting.  So, why bother tidying up when it is all there, ready to play with?  Time saving too!  Here's what I made:

More brayering going on using Fresco Finish paints, this time I used Vintage Lace, London Night, Very Berry, Chocolate Pudding, Blood Orange, Claret and a smidge of Squid Ink.  I love the way the paints go on using the brayer, a lovely built up effect with them gives a very interesting background... plus, I have found, if I goof up the layer, I can dry it and then brayer right over the top! Cool!  Here's the background before decorating - more Grungepaste through a stencil - and because I wanted to get Treasure Gold only on the raised bits, I popped the stencil back over the dry Grungepaste and applied the TG through it, easy peasy!

The decorations this time are in the form of lots of Studio 490 stamped images.  The flowers and leaves were stamped onto cream card and then I used Seedless Preserves (perfect colour match!) and Antique Linen DI's for the flowers - overstamping with Jet Black Archival.  The leaves were coloured with Forest Moss DI and then overstamped with Fern Green Archival and shaped to give a bit more dimension. 

The sentiment is another 490 one - stamped onto cream card, edged with DI's and then popped into that cute ickle frame, how sweet is that!!!  A stamped a butterfly onto Clearly For Art and popped that onto the design too, along with lots of embellies and a UTEE birdy.  Smidges of Treasure Gold White Fire and Rose Quartz for finishing touches and there ya go... another after dark creation :O)

I must away now - I have my Sunday Stamper post to schedule now as I am away to South Wales to Dandie Crafts today and won't be back until late tomorrow night so I am being organized!!!  *for a change!*   Thanks for looking and have a great day!  TTFN


Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 297 - All Things Bright & Beautiful

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thanks for so many fabby entries to last weeks challenge, it is a pleasure to hop around to all your blogs to see your grand creations.  This week the theme is... USE BRIGHT COLOURS.  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 to leave me a comment along with a linky to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook - simply tag my name, or by emailing me a small res. photo of you creation.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 9th March 2014.

My entry this week has been borne out of my love for all things Studio 490... starting with the brains behind Studio 490, the wonderfully talented Wendy Vecchi.  To see all of Wendy's art and amazing tips and design inspirations, CLICK HERE.  Now, it is no secret that I am Wendy's number one stalker of course, I mean fan (ahem) and have been avidly collecting all the products and stamps that she designs and brings to market.  This creation features tonnes of her stuff... and a whole lot of inspiration from her too.

A few days ago I came down with the snots - yes, I am still resembling Moomin Mamma - and when I get all stuffy and blocked up of nostrils, I can't sleeps.  So, early on Friday morning, like stoopid early 4am, I crept into the Room of Stash for a little nocturnal dabble with a new stashly goody that arrived in the Room of Stash in the past few weeks... and I hadn't had a chance to open the pot, let alone have a play!  And what is this stuff?  It is the brand new Crackled Texture Paste from Studio 490. **available from Art From The Heart HERE**  Now, I have been stalking staring watching... ok, all of those, I have been viewing Wendy's blog over recent weeks and seeing all her demo's and tutorials for the new paste, I thought "aha, Sheridan, you have some FREE crafting time... "  So I got crafting!

Firstly, I will just say this... I haven't thought up a single thing about this project apart from the layout.  The colours, stamps, stencils, inks, pastes etc are ALL Wendy.   I splodged a generous dollop of Crackled Texture Paste onto a piece of grey board that I had splatted some 490 Black Embossing Paste onto... and then edged over the top of the black with White Embossing Paste so the crackles then have white and black underneath them.  As Grim has been on nights, it meant that I could secretly whack the heating on which meant my radiator was nice and toasty... so I popped the greyboard onto it to speed up the cracklage... ooooh my! It was fascinating, I literally sat there and watched the crackles appear!  Once the piece was completely dry, I used Cut & Dry foam and Wendy's Signature Archivals for Ranger and blended Fern Green, Orange Blossom and Cornflower inks over the crackles... ooooh.... mega swoonage going on here!   
 

I wanted to add a real zing of colour so I went for Barn Door, Rusty Hinge and Wild Honey Distress Inks to colour the stamped flowers and butterflies and Forest Moss for the leaves.  You see the tiny flowers nestling under there?  That is the same flower are the one next to it, I just made the petals shorter when cutting it out. Stencilling was done using more Archivals, Watering Can and Jet Black and more Cut & Dry foam to blend... and then I set about assembling it all.  As you can see, there's a little birdy sitting there... isn't he cute!  Well, he has been roosting in my stash for over a year now.  When I went to CHA Winter 13, I followed Wendy around whilst she was demoing... oh yesh, such is my obsession. Well, she was demoing away and everyone else was getting a bit of her demo art from her... except me... so I cheekily asked if I could have the ickle birdy she had just coloured with Distress Paints... and *to shut me up/get rid of the irksome Brit/whatever* bless her, she said yes!  Hurrah!  I have been saving this ickle birdy for THAT long to use on something special.

Anyways... enough of my wafflings for one day!  I hope you have a great day and you get a chance to hop on over to Wendy's blog to see her gorgeous art... she is such a giving designer too and you will find tonnes of hints and tips there too.  *can you tell I loves her?*   Right, I shall away... thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 288 - King of Wishful Thinking + CANDY!!!

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thank you for the fabby entries for last week's challenge.   This week sees the return of a fortnightly challenge - being as it is Christmas and New Year and time in our crafty spaces will be limited!  The challenge for this fortnight is... USE THE WORD WISH.   Also, I have some candy to giveaway to one randomly chosen entrant - my thank you to all my lovely Sunday Stampers for your entries this year.   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 and leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via email (small res pic please) or via Facebook by tagging my name.  To be in with a chance of winning the candy, simply leave me a comment on this post - if you ENTER the challenge with a piece of artwork, you will be entered TWICE into the giveaway.  The theme will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 4th January 2014.

 The challenge theme is because during 2013 the word WISH has been "word of the year".  I have loved having this word as my special one... it has brought me lots of inspiration throughout the year and I will be a little sad to see it go... however, the word of the year for 2014 has already been chosen and I will be blogging about that at the end of December.

My entry this time is a papier mache board hanging that I have altered using the gorgeous Craftwork Cards Vogue Collection papers, using the paperblocking technique I lurves so muchly.   Once I had blocked all the papers, I did a very light wash of Mushroom paint over the top to tone the papers in to each other.  I good old coat of Matte Glue & Seal to ... yep, you guessed it... seal those papers and then I added a border around the edges using Black paint.  Once this had dried I got out my Stabilo All pencil and added shading to the paper blocks.  My stamping is the flourish stamp, randomly onto the edges of the base using Jet Black Archival ink.

Next up came some delicious stencilling using Wendy's Dreamweaver black paste and the new to me (hurrah, finally got this one!) "Three Flourishes" Studio 490 stencil.  I spread a nice generous layer of the paste over - I love this stuff... it is the same as the one in the giveaway too :O)  Once this had dried (with a little help from Mr Heat Tool) I started decorating the edges and stencilled bits with Treasure Gold White Fire and Spanish Topaz.  I wanted a bit of a bright colour on my design as the background was quite muted so I picked some gorgeous turquoise blooms from Kaisercraft and layered them up with white paper flowers and then coloured them with Stream Colorwash, Black Marble Dylusions and Ancient Blue Cosmic Shimmer spray for the extra bit of bling.  I keep saying this but I really loves the way spraying the Cosmic Shimmer over Black Marble gives a real metallic effect.  I added lots of bits and bobs of metal and resin embellies - all given a smidge of Treasure Gold to bling them up a bit (check out the ickle spark plug - how cute is that!!)

So, the Candy giveaway package is as follows: Wendy Vecchi's Signature Archival Inks: Watering Can, Potting Soil, Red Geranium and Fern Green, Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, Glossy Accents, Large Cosmic Shimmer glue and a bundle of metal charms too.  There will no doubt be a few extra bits and bobs making their way into the package too :O)  Remember, to be in with a chance of winning, leave me a comment on this post... and if you enter with a piece of artwork, your name will be entered twice.  Closing date/time for the Sunday Stamper is 21:00GMT 4th January 2013.  Entries received after this time will not be entered into the draw and duplicate comments will be deleted to make it fair to all who enter.  The winner of the giveaway will be announced on Sunday 5th January 2013.

Right then, tis time for me to get myself to bed!  I have still not got my voice back... I had a little bit of a croaky squeak earlier but it has gone again... boohoohoo!  Thanks for looking.. and thank you all for your continued support of my little challenge this year too.   Have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Creating with Clutter...

... I don't know about you but I am a teensy bit of a hoarder.  Not often do I chuck stuff away... if fact, nay and thrice, you could say I keep everything cos one day it will "come in...."  You the same?  Well, I have this shelf above my desk and every so often it turns into the Shelf of Doom.  It is the dumping ground for lots of stuff that I have planned to use on my creations but then changed my mind.  I know, it would be easier to actually not be a lazy old bat and actually just put said stuff away but... well, you know what it is like don't you?  (please say yes!)

Anyways... I decided to have a bit of a de-clutter of the Shelf of Doom.  But then I got all pre-occupied with some cardboard bits I had found... namely a corrugated cardboard heart that had been painted red.  I couldn't bring myself to chuck it away... but the red looked really naff.  So, I grabbed another piece of card and turned them both into blue by blending Mermaid and South Pacific Fresco Paints onto them.  Of course, a bit of stamping had to be included so I used that delish new Watering Can Archival from Wendy & Ranger and stamped a Kaisercraft scripty background onto the card base bit.  And cos I could, I used Cornflower Archival and stamped the distressed diamonds (also Kaisercraft) onto the heart.  Actually, you can't really see them cos I then dumped a load of flowers over the top!  Whhoooops!

The flowers were also on the Shelf of Doom... plain white and very boring... so a bit of attention with Dylusions and Cosmic Shimmer sprays changed them to match the base bits.  Of course, I had to use some embellies... and all these were on the Shelf of Doom too!  Now, it makes my shelf sounds massive but it isn't really... it is very very piled high you see ;O))   Once everything was stuck together I popped it onto a bit of black mountboard and added on some Treasure Gold bits of jazz it up and then some string for the hanging bit... oh and the words are also from the Shelf of Doom... I remember the project I wanted these for and I changed my mind... so there you go, I am using up stuff after all!

Today I am venturing off to Birds in the Barn in Essex for two days of inky festive classes... so as I type this, it is actually last night... not today after all (and now we go down the whole, if it is now it is actually tomorrow and not really yesterday... and all of that sillliness.... you know what I means though... )  So, it is time for me to loves ya and leaves ya... don't forget, I have a giveaway (scroll down for the next post) and it is open until Sunday night!  Thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 275 - Hang On Sloopy

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for the wonderful birdy entries for last weeks challenge... and it is lovely to see a few newbies joining in too :O)   This week the challenge is a little different - normally I suggest you make anything you fancy - this week the challenge theme is to... MAKE A HANGING.   To join is simples - make a little hanging and include some stamping on it!   Once you have made your creation (and remember, it can be any size, shape, style etc you fancy) pop back here to leave me a comment along with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you don't have a blog/web-photo-hosty thing, you can also join in via Facebook (just tag my name on your photo upload) or by emailing me a photo of your creation (my email addy can be found by clicking on the piccie of me over there *points left*)  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 21st September 2013.

I keep saying this... I do indeedily cos I means it... I am a lucky ducky!  Being part of the 2013 Darkroom Door Design Team is such a great honour and I have been so lucky to receive some more of the gorgeous new releases. Todays creation is featuring the new Pocket Watch stamp which I am in lurves with.  As with all Darkroom Door stamps, you know you are going to get quality rubber and quality images and this beauty of a stamp proves it!  The detailing in the design around the edge of the watch is intricate but stamps directly from an inkpad... sometimes really intricate stamps will need ink applying with a brayer, not so in this case (although you could if you were fussed!) However, sometimes I see an intricate design and groan... that usually means lots of fiddle faffing with the cutting out.  Not so! You see the top of the watch?  I cut that out meself (and I don't do faffy cutting) simply punching a hole in the card and then using the pointy snips of my scissors to go in and cut inside the "handle" of the watch.  Colouring the watch was done using a very small amount of Tarnished Brass Distress Stain, applied with a water brush to the edges of the watch and then stamping again, cutting out the middle and colouring with a smidge of Walnut Stain DI.  I then used a paperstump to puff the watchface, applying to the whole image with silicone glue. Simples!

The base of my hanging design is a 5" x 7" canvas board painted with black paint.  I then used the large A6 Gazette Background, stamped in Jet Black Archival ink as the base point for the decoration.  I used Antique Linen and Tumbled Glass DI to colour the card... spritz and flick with water and dry... then edged with Walnut Stain.  Then I decided that the Tumbled Glass was way too pale, so I went back in and added some more just for a pop of colour.  I used an edge distresser to rough up the edges of the card to add a smidge of shabby.  The butterflies are from the Wings set (I know, I know... I shouldn't have favourites but... ) and these were coloured with Tumbled Glass DI on the front and Walnut Stain under their wings. The words are from the Art De Fleur Wordstrip (another fave - love that font) and I just dappled Tumbled Glass onto the card to tone it in.  Finishing touches were some grosgrain ribbons and a little metal corner.

To see more designs using the new release stamps, please do head over to see the arty beauty that my teamies have been creating.  The Darkroom Door blog is HERE and to see stockists and the full range of stamps, the Darkroom Door store is HERE

I had a marvellous day yesterday... oh yesh, I was teaching at Birds in the Barn in Essex and whilst I had every intention of finishing my canvas, alas, I didn't!  However... I am a little bit boastyful because... remember the new motto "keep the Room of Stash tidy, remove all boxes, unpack, put away..."??  Well!  I got home, Grim helped me with the boxes and I, being the reformed character that I now am, unpacked them... and put away the stash!  I know!  I am, at present, multi-tasking.  Oh yesh, I am indeedily typing and polishing my halo at the same time ;o)  And on that bombshell, I shall bid you a goodly day and say... Thanks for looking!  TTFN

Hels x

PS... BTCC today at Rockingham... GO PLATO!!! *he is on Pole for race one after qualifying... finger's X'd and all that.....

Mr Penny Farthing From The Darkroom...

...aha! Yesh indeedily, it is time to show you another my of Darkroom Door DT pieces... this time I have been playing with Mr Penny Farthing.  Isn't he a handsome chap?  I love this collage style stamp... there's enough going on in the background that it is interesting without overpowering the image of Mr Farthing.  To see stockists for Darkroom Door stamp, CLICK HERE and to see some gorgeous creations from the rest of the DT, please CLICK HERE.

My take on Mr Farthing was, of course, to turn him into a hanging (being as I am addicted to all things wall-arty)   I started off with a piece of mountboard and gave that a quick coat of Black Soot Distress Stain, drying it, then sanding it back a bit to reveal the board underneath and then blending Walnut Stain DI over the edges to age it.  Mr Farthing is stamped onto cream card using Jet Black Archival and I then coloured in using Antique Linen, Forest Moss and Walnut Stain DI's.  He was then popped onto a piece of corrugated card (Thank you to Mr AlfieCat for letting me upcycle his food packaging!)  which I tore back to reveal some of the corrugations and painted over it with cream paint.  I then added some Frayed Burlap DI to tone the colours in and smidged around the edge with Jet Black Archival Ink.

The decorating was fun!  I die cut a couple of cogs from Grungeboard, coloured them with Gathered Twigs and Walnut Stain DI and cut them to fit onto the base board.  Holes punched and eyelets set ready for some rusty wire for the hanging bit and then I started on Mr Farthing himself.  Adding the Ornate Plate over the top of him, some little wire swirls, a bit of a Journal Ticket and some twine around the corrugated card... and then my new fave Tissue Tape (diamonds - LOVE them!)  I added some metal cogs and a few bits of Idea-ology to finish the project off.

That's all from me for today... busy busy busy as usual... you will be pleased to hear that I finally tidied up the Room of Stash though... it is like a new pin now!  (not for long I guess lol)  Thanks for looking, have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Life...And The Art Of It...

...sounds pretty deep and meaningful doesn't it?  Actually, I decided to call this piece by that name because it makes me sound like an artist (well, one can always have aspirations...)  I actually do just see myself as a crafter... an artist can do drawing and stuff, whereas, if I attempt to draw anything, it looks like a 5 year old has done it... well, apart from elephants, I do draw a good elephant.... 

Anyways... another demo piece from the other weekend... I have no other stuff to show you at the moment... basically because the Room of Stash is STILL a pit.  I know, I keep saying I shall be tidying it... and I have done the sum total of nowt at all.

I do have goodly excuses though... well, food needed cooking... and washing needed doing... and bins needed emptying... and shopping needed to be got... oh and then there's the small issue of the old war wound which, has again, flared up.  I am calculating it it about 3 weeks between "crisis points"  Which is NOT good.  But, hey ho, it happens and I will get used to this degeneration and then it will be bearable for a while... and then it starts again.  Anyways... I am going to "gently" do the Room of Stash today... no lifting and stretching, just removing boxes from the floor and putting away stash... and then, I may just get a chance to play with the Susan's Garden dies that Grim got me for my birthday!  That is my reward ;o))   I shall away now... as ever, thanks for looking... hope you having a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Make A Wish...

...well, the word "wish" is my "word of 2013" after all... and surprisingly, I am not getting bored of using it all the time either!  Anyways... today sees another demo sample from last weekend... this time I have pushed myself and used cardboard for a base (ahem... quite!)

Lots of lushly Fresco Paints and Grungepaste through a new Crafter's Workshop stencil... I loves this new one lots!  I used the gorgeous Lin Brown stamps, stamping with paint (application is simples, a bit of Cut & Dry, half with one colour, half with the other and pouncing it onto the stamp moving the stamp around in a circle, so it is light in the middle and dark on the edges... easy peasy!)   Anyways... the flowers were stamped onto black card, I have seen Lin do this and it gives the flowers a real "pop".  The leaves were stamped onto cream card for a bit of contrast.  The letters are from the Vintage Market Alterations strip die... love that die lots (and I haven't got it either)  A smidge of Treasure Gold around the edges and over the stencilled bits... and a finishing touch with a butterfly (Studio 490) stamped onto Clearly For Art (clear flavour)  A few bits of rusty wire to add some swizzles to the flowers and for the hanging and there you have it... done!

As I sit here, in the Room of Stash, I am seeing a brilliant blue sky, which makes me want to go and do a spot of gardening... but!  It is blowing a hooley, the trees in the Spinney and bowing down so I figure I will only get radged with the wind blowing my hair about (little known fact, getting my hair blown about by the wind makes me reallly crabby!)  So, I shall stay in the Room of Stash instead.  I have lit a Yankee Candle (today's smell is Lilac Blossoms, my all time fave) and I shall have to make sure I get covered in ink and paint... and then perhaps, later on, I will actually tidy the Room of Stash instead of picking my way over several boxes and bags of stuff that needs re-homing. Then again, I might just carry on playing!   Grim is on a long old shift today *sad face* and won't be home til 11pm so I do have plenty of time to get tidied up (even as I write that, I know I am doubting it will happen lol)   So, I shall away... to tiptoe through my own handmade bombsite to the Desk of Creativity and see what happens.... Thanks for looking, as ever, have a fabby day!  TTFN

Hels x

J'Adore.....

...ooh get me, going all Francais!  That is about my limit for speaking French though... being as I am rubbish at languages (except English of course, although that has been brought into debate of late!)  Anyways... today sees another one of my demo pieces from Sunday at Birds in the Barn. 

The base is another bit of cardboard (no surprise there eh?) and a piece of gorgeous kraft coloured card that I used for the texture more than the colour on this piece.  One side of the card is textured, the other is smooth... cool huh?  Anyways, more goodliness in the form of Fresco Paints... some Grungepaste through a Crafter's Workshop stencil and then a whole lot of layering.

The beautiful tulip stamped in black was actually stamped onto a piece of tissue and then collaged onto the base using Glue & Seal (from Ranger)... I love how cosmetic tissue just disappears under the Glue & Seal... opens up a whole range of ideas for adding collaging to a project.

Today I am mostly going to be Nursemaid.... poor old Alfie has to go to the *whispers* V E T this morning... he is having his annual boosters and MOT and also... tis tick-removal-day.  The thing has not grown since I soaked it with Frontline... but it is hanging on in there.  I am, at the moment, trying to "act normal".... because for sure, he knows when he is going in his box.  Said box is still in garage and said AlfieCat is now skulking about in the bedroom... how does he know!!!   And... poor old Grim has had to go to the *whispers* D E N T I S T today... broken tooth :O((  I have told him that when you get to  a certain age, these things happen *not a lot of help am I?*   So, I shall be donning my nursey hat today and dispensing lots of sympathy... only for today though... cos tomorrow... it's my birthday!    And on that exciting bombshell, I shall away to squeal out loud in excitement!!  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Giveaway Day!

... oh yesh indeedily, today is giveaway day!   I am giving away this demo sample from Monday's shows... to be in with a chance of winning it, simply leave me comment before 23.59 today, 5th June and I will pick a winner and announce the name on tomorrows blog post.  

This was my first demo on Monday and I have had so much feedback about this one... and it seems you are all turning into Wombles just like me and nabbing all the cardboard before it goes into the bin... well, cardboard is fab to work with .... and... it is freeeeee... always a goodly thing!  The base is painted using Cut & Dry foam and Cool Peri and Eggplant Dabbers, there is a smidge of Texture Paste through my fave Foxgloves stencil and then a whole lot of Gilding Wax to jazz it up.   My fave embellies are the Studio 490 Embellish Your Art range... and these flowers are amongst my fave of those.  I only just noticed that the Small Star Knob on the left isn't in the right place... so they are a bit wonky there... whooops!   Anyways.. .if you would like to own this piece of artwork, just leave me a comment!

I am not stopping... I have just spent the last two hours faffing about cleaning!  I know!  I must be sickening for something!  And now it is time to get messy again in the Room of Stash as I have a few projects that need to be done... and being as the sunshine has deserted us, now is the time to stay indoors and play.  Thanks for looking... have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

When A Box Isn't A Box...

...don't worry, I haven't gone stark staring tonto... well, not quite.  No, I thought very carefully for about 30 seconds about todays post title... believe me, that is a long time (I usually just type whatever comes into my head!)  Anyways, the box isn't a box anymore because I have been doing a smidge of up-cycling.  I seem to get a lot of cardboard boxes passing through the Room of Stash (all for work, obvs... ahem) and I am forever flattening them and bunging them into the green bin... so I decided to utilise all this free cardboard and use it for a wall hanging piece.  I saw Leandra from Paper Artsy demo-ing using cardboard as a base and thought "what a brill idea" so thanks for the inspirations to Leandra.

I used a Stanley knife (yep, I am very careful with that baby, it is sharp!) and a metal rule and cut a piece of cardboard to measure about 4" by 8" and then peeled away some of the top layer of paper from the cardboard, revealing the corrugations.   Next up, adding some texture... so I used a Crafter's Workshop stencil and Grunge Paste, I spread on a layer with a palette knife, dried it off and then popped the stencil back into place and spread another layer on as I wanted quite a deep stencilled effect.

Next up was a good paint application.  I used Fresco Paints... starting with mixing Snowflake and Mermaid together... pouncing this all over the piece with Cut & Dry foam... and then adding in Mermaid around the edges... a smidge of South Pacific blended lightly over the raised bits and then a smudge of Mocha Mousse around the very edges.  Once dried, I popped a little bit of Little Black Dress around the edges to make a frame for the design.  I loves my Treasure Gold and used Pewter and White Fire, applying it very lightly over the raised bit and around the edges of the base.  My floral embellishment is just a bunch of paper flowers, some have had smidges of Treasure Gold applied and some left plain.  The sprigs are Prima (had these years and never dared to use them before... duh? Use them!!!)  Alpha Parts for my word of the year... and a clear butterfly to finish.    I am entering this piece into the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge this week which is "Into the Woods"  *a musical I LOVE... I was introduced to this fabulousity by my friend Dan... if you haven't seen it... you needs to!*  Anyways... HERE is the link to the deets on the challenge... and my "into the woods" bits are the woody sprigs and the cardboard, which, after all, comes from wood originally!

Anyways... I have news of my little predator.  Oh yesh, he has been up to his tricks again.  And, it is all our fault, we laughed at him the other day when he was trying to stalk a pigeon that was having a little rest on our lawn.  Alf hasn't really "got it" when it comes to the stalking of birds... he wags his tail, chatters his chops and wiggles his bum too much, they see him coming, laugh at him and then fly off.  That is until he decided to change tactic... and went for a baby Collared Dove!  And... to make things worse, he brought it home for Mummy.  Why he does this while Grim is at work is beyond me.  I was actually having a chat with Grim on the phone when Alf arrived, baby dove in chops and proceeded to run into the living room and dumped said dove on the rug... which I have to admit is where all his toys are, you know, like catnip mice... and sticks with feathers on (I know, it is my fault... I have taught him how to catch a bird!)   Anyways, Baby Dove was still alive... so I went to grab Alf, who promptly dropped the dove, which then flew into the hall.  In the meantime, I am trying to talk to Grim, slipping along the carpet on my knees with a rather cheesed off cat in one hand and trying to talk to Grim with the phone in the other... well, it was going to end up messy so I and ended up dropping the phone, letting go of Alfonse and rushing off after the him as he was in hot pursuit of the poor birdy.   I managed to grab Alf again, and, to his disgust, shut him in the hall.  I figured the poor dove would be dead... but no, it was still alive... so I held it for a few minutes (ok, more like half an hour) while it (and I) calmed down... and then released it back into the Spinney and Alf was then on lock down. For a day!  I have since seen said baby bird sitting in a tree so I am rather chuffed that I managed to rescue it.  And Alf?  He decided to adopt his full name for the next day... Lord Alfonse of Sheridan - oh he ignored me, huffed at me and even took a gnash at my passing ankles!  He has forgiven me since.. he knows which side his bread is buttered... not to mention who gives him food and snuggles!    Right, I shall away... thanks for looking!  TTFN

Hels x

Just Hanging Around...

...yep, that is the incredibly original (ahem) title for today's post.  After the challenge on Wednesday, Mr Mojo put in a brief reappearance so I grabbed him by the scruff and got playing my my fave Paper Artsy Fresco Paints.  The base is a chunky greyboard square from PaperArtsy.  Being an honest lass, I will admit that this piece is actually third time lucky - this has taken me over a day to make because I kept mucking it up. 

First I got the background paint exactly how I wanted it and then went and faffed and added a bit too much.  So I slapped a piece of paper over it and started again.  This time, the background was exactly how I wanted it so I started with the stamping... and goofed up, stamping a script wonky isn't a good look, "I shall cover it with an embellishment" thought I.  And then promptly went and stamped said script again... upside down!  PAH!  So a very thick layer of Nougat Fresco right over the top and an overnight drying sesh occurred.

Finally, I managed to get it to look how I wanted it... I substituted the stamping from Archival Ink (which was a bit harsh) to using Squid Ink paint... I happen to be in lurves with this gorgeous colour... it is the colour that I also used on two of the flowers... isn't it lush!  As well as the  Squid Ink stamping, I also added little torn strips of Washi Tape.  The paint colours I used were:  Nougat, Rose, Claret, Toad Hall, Hey Pesto and Squid Ink.

The butterfly is where this whole project started... I used Cut & Dry foam to apply the Fresco Paints to the Twiddlybits diecut... and then added smidges of Treasure Gold to bling it up a bit.  I wanted to add some texture to the board, so I decided to mix up some Grungepaste with Hey Pesto FF paint... and then I used my fave 490 Stencils for Art leafy stencil to add the leaves along the top of the board.  The hanger was a birthday pressie last year from Ellen... I have been covetting it for too long... so decided to use it on this project.  I added a few charms to the hanger and a little handstamped word using Alpha stamps.

Well, I am in the wars again!  For some reason the old war wound is really playing up and to be honest, I think that is one of the reasons why the Mojo ain't flowing as easily as it usually does...  This new pain is nothing like I have had before and it is really bugging me.  Needless to say, the premium rate phone call to the Dr's this morning was a complete waste of time and money as they had no appt's left for today.  Rid.Ic.U.Lous!!!!  I am sitting waiting on the emergency doc calling me and maybe he may see me... PAH!    Anyways... enough of my moaning, time to get moving again and get my special project for the weekend completed... please do check back on Sunday for the Sunday Stamper and a nosey at what I have been up to... there be a prize too!!!    That's all I am saying for now!   Thanks for looking, have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x