Sunday Stampers Week 242 - Wish

Hello Friends

A big welcome to my lovely new followers, I am so pleased that you want to watch my progress on this amazing crafty journey.....

I feel bad that I did not enter WOYWW yesterday but if I tell you that the Builder rang to say they want to start work on our renovations next week and our garage is still in a tip, you may understand why I didn't enter!  Just a few days and the whole garage needs to be emptied - Yikes......!  If I do not get around to visit as often as normal, I hope you will understand.

Anyway, over the weekend I did get some time to craft, although Mr Mojo has taken a hike but I did manage to make quite a few background papers.  I have been trying for some time to do backgrounds with paints, firstly from the instructions on the Trish Latimer DVD where she creates the most wonderful canvas backgrounds.  Secondly, my lovely blog friend Christine Dark of Sketching Stamper creates the most amazing painty backgrounds which are right up my street.  Incidentally, Christine now designs for Craft Stamper magazine and in this month's edition, not only does she have two fabulous projects featured, she is on the cover too!!  How fantastic is that.  If you have not seen her work please go over HERE and have a look, she is the most amazing artist.

Now, on to Sunday Stampers, the challenge set by the lovely Hels this week is 'WISH' and I have managed to do something for this week's entry using some of the background sheets that I created.  Hels is also featured in Craft Stamper this month too.

The background is a mix of Fresco Finish paints (Beach Hut and Hey Pesto), a liberal dobbing with Tim Holtz Metallic Distress Stain in Brushed Pewter and a spritz of Perfect Pearls for good measure along with Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters and Broken China.

The little frame is a Wendy Vecchi Art Part from the Book Plates set and I have coated this with Fran-tage Embossing Enamel in Shabby Blue.  I attached the Book Plate with brads which I coloured black with ProMarkers.

The stamp is from Inkylicious  and is a dandelion clock set, which also includes the sentiment.  I stamped these in Black Archival ink.   I mounted the  tag onto some thick black card to give it strength, finishing off with some black ribbon and a couple of pearls.

You will see some stars in the foreground, I wanted to do something for Simon Says where the theme is Stars but I just can't get my head around that challenge at the moment.

I hope you will leave me a comment and if you do visit, I will do my best to return the compliment.  Thank you for looking.  Big hugs, Anne xx

Children in the Victorian Age

Hello Blog Friends

Welcome to my newest followers, it is so lovely to have you along on this journey of mine and I really do appreciate your company.

I have been happily confined to my craft room for the last few days, mainly making a children's quilt for Jo of Jozart (a fellow WOYWWer) who has set up a Project to make comfort quilts for very poorly children.  If you sew, have some spare time and would like to make a quilt you can find details here.

On the paper-crafting front, Mr Mojo has gone on his holidays so I have been busy just making a few background sheets and a couple of ATCs.

I did do a canvas last week, not for any particular challenge, but just because I wanted to use one of my new Nicecrane Digital pictures. The image is from a Children in the Victorian Age sheet and I think she is absolutely beautiful.  Nicecrane do a fabulous range of digital images and it is well worth taking a look at the range, I think you will be impressed.

 Click on the image for a better view.

I started with an 8" square canvas which I covered with some manuscript paper.  I covered the paper lightly with Gesso, then a coating of Snow Cap Distress Stain mixed with a little Dusty Concorde DS.  The little frame was a purchase in the sales and was one of three hanging frames in molded plastic and coloured a hideous yellow.  I Gessoed the frame and then gave it a coat of watered down white acrylic paint and then distressed the edges with a touch of Dusty Concorde DI.  I took the backing off the frame and inserted the picture.  

A piece of frayed fine cheesecloth was attached to the canvas and I glued the completed frame on top.  I coloured four white roses with Dusty Concorde DI, watered down with water in a spritzer bottle.  Once dry, I glued these along with two plain cream coloured roses.  To finish off I added two Spellbinder die butterflies with pearl bodies. 

Thank you for visiting, I hope you will leave me a comment, I will always return the compliment, if I can find you (a couple of people have commented / joined me but the links do not work so I have been unable to visit you in return).  Take care.  Hugs, Anne xx

WOYWW - Week 190

Hello Fellow WOYWWers and Bloggers

Here it is, Wednesday again and here we are showing off our crafty spaces to the world of WOYWW which is the brainchild of our hostess Julia who you can find at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.co.uk. Julia will give you all the details on how to join in.

Keeping my short this week so here is my desk:

I am just tidying away after several days of crafting (due to the snow and ice).  From the left are some gorgeous images from Ignatio at Nicecrane Designs.  If you love digital images and have not visited before, please do.  Below the images are two beautiful vintage hangers by Melissa Frances waiting for me to do something with those images.  At the front is a card for No 1 Grandson who is 11 in a couple of days and football mad.  To the right are some dies cut from Tim Holtz Cabinet dies, large and small - alas, a failed project, but I cannot bear to throw them away......  To the left of these are some stamped images, from a stamp I won in a Candy give-away by the lovely  Kath Stewart, a fellow Woywer.

That's it from me, will visit as many of you as possible and all those who visit me.  Thank you to all of you who do visit.  Have a  Happy WOYWW!   Hugs, Anne x

Sunday Stampers and Simon Says Stamp and Show

Hello Everyone

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments recently and thank you too, to my new Followers, it is so nice to have along on this journey.

Sunday Stampers Week 241, hosted by the lovely Hels Sheridan has 'Birds' as the challenge and Simon Says Stamp and Show have a very interesting challenge called 'What are you known for?'

The birds challenge was the easy bit but the 'What are you known for' was quite a challenge for me as I don't think I am known yet for any particular style, but everyone who knows me will know that I am totally obsessed with all things Tim Holtz and I have a growing obsession (thanks Hels) with Wendy Vecchi.  A huge proportion of my stash contains things from both these designers so I have chosen to make something combining the two and in a bird theme. Click on the picture for a better view.

Wendy herself has made a bird piece using this top hat, as has Tracy Evans, but aside from that, I have used entirely different items in my piece, but took inspiration from these ladies. 

 The bird is a wooden Christmas ornament that I covered with Tim Holtz papers (won from the lovely Kath Stewart last week - thank you Kath).  I edged the covered bird with Brushed Pewter Distress Stain and also a touch of Pumice Stone Distress Ink.  I dabbed a little of the stain on the Wendy Vecchi Blossom Bucket hat and also the back of the eye.  The flowers on the wing and tail are also WV Blossom Bucket.  The backing frame, from a WV Art Parts set, was coated in Brushed Pewter Distress Stain too. 

The wings are die cut from the TH layered Angel Wings, the bottom was trimmed and the edges coated with Pumice Stone Distress Ink to give a little definition.  Finally, I twisted some thin black wire and added it to the top for a hanging and added the word Soar (from my winning items from Kath).

I do apologise for the shadows in the photo, there is so little light today!  I hope you like my little creation and thank you so much for visiting.  Hugs, Anne x

Artful Times Challenge 21 - Time

Hello to Friends and Followers old and new

At Artful Times the challenge is to create an ATC around the theme of Time.  As many of you know already I am on a mission to use as many products as possible that are already in my stash, before I rush out an buy more.  I haven't quite made it, it is the 20th today and I have already made a couple of purchases of things I really 'needed' and with all the new Tim Holtz and Wendy Vecchi things from the CHA ready to hit the shops, I am not sure how long my resolve will hold........

I bought the Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers Vintage Alarm Clock early last year along with the Bigz Heart and Wings set, so I dusted them off for this project. If you click on the picture you will get a closer look.

I used a Sizzix embossing folder to make the background, embossed white card and then cut it to ATC size and then distressed it with Broken China Distress Ink.  I distressed the edges with Pumice Stone DI.  I cut the clock and wings from white card.  The wings and clock rim are embossed with black embossing powder and the bells, clock hands and feet are embossed in silver embossing powder.  The clock face has been cut from a sheet of clock faces from my stash and I added Ranger Crackle Accents to give the appearance of age.  I added the computer generated words which I outlined with black marker pen to give definition.

At Artful Times there is a £10 voucher to be won to spend at the wonderful Oyster Stamps.

I hope if you live in the UK that you are keeping warm, we are expecting more heavy snow falls today, so it is a great excuse to spend time crafting.  Thank you for visiting!  Hugs, Anne xx

Lace Love for Simon Says Stamp and Show

Hello Friends

As those of you who look at my blog regularly (and thanks so much to followers old and new),  will know, I am trying to use up products from my stash rather than go out and buy lots of new things. I may have to make an exception for Tim's new things though..........

In my stash I had some lovely things gifted to me some time ago by lovely blog friends - lace from Lynn and some burlap from May.   Thank you ladies! Aren't crafters just the most kind and generous folk?  I also used a wooden spool, some crocheted lace and flower and some lovely stick pins, all from my stash.  I have had a crackle paint set for years so I cracked that open too.  So far, so good!  In the January edition of Craft Stamper there was an article, with instructions on how to make a Pin Cushion using a wooden spool and apart from making my cushion slightly larger and using a larger spool, I basically followed the instructions given and this is what I produced:

I started with 4" circles, I cut two from the burlap and one from the lace.  I placed the lace circle in the middle of the 'sandwich' and stitched the circles, leaving a small gap and then once turned through, I stuffed it quite well with soft toy stuffing.  I then took a length of strong thread (doubled), starting in the middle and working in a figure of eight I sewed from the centre and around the the cushion, pulling the thread quite hard so that I ended up with a puffy segmented piece.  I did eight puffs but I think it would work with less segments (and be a lot easier too).  To hide the thread workings in the centre I added a button and finished it off with a lovely brown pearl, again, hide the thread.

I then moved on to the base.

I covered the spool with Espresso Paint Dabber and then coated it with Crackle Finish.  Once dry I added some cream acrylic paint and allowed the crackles to form.  Being impatient I heated it up to quicken the process.  Once dry I sanded it back more to give it a more vintage feel and then distressed it more by adding Frayed Burlap distress ink in places.  I added another strip of the gorgeous lace to the middle of the spool, added a piece of cotton lace and some brown ribbon for a contrast trim and then added a hand crocheted flower with a brown pearl added to the centre.  I think you can see the distressed base a little clearer in this photo.

To finish off I put some beautiful stick pins in the top.  It is quite sturdy little piece.  Here is a closer look at the top.



Because the January edition of Craft Stamper came out so early I was able to make a few of these to give away as Christmas gifts but this is my first attempt at making one with lace.  I was quite pleased at how well it came out and because the lace is backed with burlap it is very strong.  It was nice to make something that is also useful too!

So, this is my piece for entry into the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge which is - Love Lace.  There is a $50 prize for a randomly selected individual (I was lucky enough to win last time) to spend at Simon Says.

I hope you like my effort and if so I also hope you will leave me a comment.  Hugs, Anne x

WOYWW - Week 189 and a special mention

Hello Fellow Woywwers and Bloggers

It is that time of week again where we share our work spaces with Woywwers and Bloggers from around the world, courtesy of our Hostess, Julia at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.co.uk.  If you would like to join in then please pop over and see Julia and she will explain all to you.

My workspace this week has a few bits and pieces on it.  You can see some fabric and a few bits of lace for a project I am working on.  A few months ago I started a canvas which I created after watching Trish Latimer's DVD - Create with Paint.  Unfortunately I did not complete it but as I have resolved to use things in my stash that I have not touched for ages (or ever) and this was top of my list.   Here is my desk with the completed canvas on it.

I used a fabulous Christy Tomlinson She Art stamp (called SHE was a daughter), which I stamped on various patterned pieces (again unused and unloved in my stash) and then paper pieced it together.  The face and legs are coloured with Promarkers.  I stamped out the butterfly in her hair several times and cut out a couple and added them to the words.

A better picture here shows the design and the wording:

I would like to give a special mention to a fellow Woywwer, Darnell who celebrates her anniversary today.  Darnell is a wonderful lady, a brilliant blog friend and she writes in the most humourous way, which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face every day.   A couple of weeks ago Darnell blogged a picture of her husband when he was a little younger and it was a lovely sight for my and lot of other ladies eyes.......

Edited to add:  I have entered this into Eclectic Paperie's Get Altered Challenge - use canvas and where the winner will receive a $15 certificate to spend in the Eclectic Paperie shop.  My inspiration came simply from my desire to finish off things I had started and to use up products that I have had in my stash forever.

That's it from me.  Hope you all have a Happy WOYWW today.  Thanks for visiting, I hope you will leave me a comment so that I can visit you too.  Big hugs, Anne x

A New Year and New Challenges

Hello Everyone

I don't really make New Year Resolutions but I have resolved to stretch myself this year and do some different things, apart from the normal cards, tags and chunky ATCs.  I have also resolved to use up all the products lying in my cupboards, untouched and unloved, or things that I bought on a whim, thinking it would come in useful one day..........

Now, I hope you will forgive me but I have a new computer, brand new yesterday and I have not yet figured out how to edit my photos with it, so my photos may appear quite amateurish - and uncropped - sorry, I will eventually work it all out.  However, if you click on the photos you will see them better.

In my stash, lay a Journal, unloved and never used together with some stencils, embossing paste and some Fresco Finish paint together with my newish Wendy Vecchi stamps and some Tim Holtz stamps that I have never opened - shocking I know!  So I set off to make some journal pages.  It was a lot more fun than I expected it to be, it was very messy and I learned that you need to clean stencils immediately after using them with embossing paste........but that's another story.

I started by coating the pages with Gesso, then Fresco Paint in Mermaid, stuck on some ripped pages from an old dictionary and I then smudged some white acrylic paint all over to add some contrast.  I randomly stamped a harlequin design using Peacock Feathers distress ink.  I outlined a few of the harlequin shapes with a black pen.  I took a Crafter's Workshop stencil and used matte black Dreamweaver embossing paste to create a random design.  I really love the contrast of the black against the blue.

I stamped four Wendy Vecchi hearts in Ranger Black Archival ink, cut them out, then triple embossed with clear embossing powder and added these to my pages.  I added the Tim Holtz saying - 'Wishes are the magic in our heart that cause beautiful things to happen'.












To finish off I drew a squiggly line around both pages with a black fine-line pen.

I am entering this into Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge where the challenge is to Embrace the Old and which can be something old or can simply be stuff that's been around a long time or has been forgotten about.  Check on both those counts!  There is a $50 prize draw and the DT will choose their favourite pieces too.

I am also entering this into Pan Pastel UK Challenge 2 which is New Year - New Technique.  This suits my effort as I have never done Journal pages properly before, nor have I successfully  used embossing paste, or  paints to create a background on paper so I think my entry qualifies.  The prize is a starter kit of Pan Pastels and the winner will be randomly chosen.

Thank you for looking and double thanks if you leave me a comment!  Hugs, Anne x

Tim's Tag January 2013

Hello Everyone

Tim Holtz has delighted his many followers by doing 12 Tags again in 2013.  Last year at this time I did not even know who Tim was - oh how things have changed - I don't seem to be able to do anything these days without using at least one of his products and I am totally addicted to doing his tags.

Here is Tim's actual tag for January:

 

 

Once again, I did not have all the products that Tim used but I did use Tim's recipe for the tag, so here is mine:

 

 



The background is embossed with a clock embossing folder that I bought from Creative Expressions some time ago, it is quite large but I cut the top of it so that my No. 10 tag would fit in.  I then cut an inch or so from the bottom of my tag to balance the embossing element.  The cogs are die cut from Spellbinder Sprightly Sprockets because the TH cogs that I ordered during the sales have not yet arrived. 

Apart from these items and the stamps Tim used to overstamp the ribbon (I used a mini typewriter style stamp set) , everything else is pretty much as Tim did his so I won't go into any further detail. There have been some fabulous entries this month, do go over to http://timholtz.com/12-tags-of-2013-january/ and have a look, if you get the time.

Thank you, as ever, for looking and for all the lovely comments you have left in my last few posts, it cheers me up and keeps me motivated!  Take care.  Hugs, Anne x

WOYWW - WEEK 188

Hello Fellow Bloggers and Woywwers

Thank you to my lovely latest Followers, it is a real pleasure to have your company.

Before I start today I want to send my heartfelt wishes and thoughts to all our lovely friends in Australia who are being devastated by horrific fires at the moment.  The wonderful Julie from Time to Create is right in the thick of it and  she is also worried about her Brother who is on a walking/fishing holiday.  I hope that they are all safe and keep well, that the winds soon die down and the fires are stopped.

If you are wondering what WOYWW is then please pop over and see our lovely hostess, Julia who you can find at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.co.uk.  Julia will explain all to you.

Not much has happened in my room since my last post.  We are having some major work done to our home and we are having to clear out our Garage and Conservatory, ready for the work to begin in February.  I cannot tell you how much junk we have accumulated over the last 16 years living in this house!  I expect many of you are the same......   so this is my desk this week:

 

A couple of background tags (with some beautiful hand rolled beads on top) that I did just for fun and have yet to complete.  Some Goosebumps Texture Spray and some Stampsmith Stamps which I got in the sales.  A Tim Holtz word stamp for a project I have just completed but can't show just yet, a Halloween paper pack (again from the sales) and lastly my new Chocolate Baroque stamps which I used in my last post.  These stamps are so much fun - there is a mobile phone, a mobile home and a skylight to name but a few.

 

So that's it from me, thank you for having a look, I hope you will leave me a comment, I got round quite a few people last week and will try and do the same again this week.  Happy WOYWW everyone.  Hugs, Anne xx 

I Love My Mobile Phone

Hello Lovely Blog Friends

I love my mobile phone - well truth be known I don't love my mobile phone at all, it does have it's uses but I could live without it most days.  BUT I found some brilliant stamps in the sales and one of them relates to a mobile phone and I thought it was so funny that I wanted to use it straight away!

Hel Sheridan who runs Sunday Stampers each week (yes, THE Hels Sheridan who is off to the CHA in a day or so!!) has chosen 'Things that Fly' this week for her Sunday Stampers challenge Week 239.  I could not resist using my new stamps.

This week at Anything But A Card the theme for the challenge is 'Things with Wings' and I hope this qualifies me to enter that challenge too.  I was lucky enough to win in their last challenge and I was so thrilled that here I am back again.

    To get a better view, click on the picture.

                                                    

 

The stamps are from Chocolate Baroque.  I made the background using Faber-Castell Soft Pastels and also Pan Pastels, overstamped with a bubble wrap stamp by Creative Expressions.  I sealed the whole tag with Ranger Glue and Seal as the soft pastels are not permanent unless sealed.

 

I coloured the heart and wings (which also has little cogs on it) and the mobile phone with Tim Holtz Distress Markers and Distress Inks. The vintage silk ribbon is dyed with Peacock Feathers and Dusty Concorde Distress Stains.  The words - mobile and phone are part of the stamp set and the other words are stamped with my bargain typewriter stamp set that I found on that well known on-line auction site.

 

I hope you see the amusing side of this stamp set, there are plenty other unusual stamps in the set too.  Thank you for visiting and  if you leave me a comment, I really appreciate it and will always do my best to return the compliment.  Hugs, Anne x

Friendship and Art - Pocket Watch

Hello Everyone!

I have not had the time to do much crafting over the Christmas holiday and I should now be making birthday cards........ but, a lovely blog friend Chris sent me a tag (which I showed on my WOYWW post this week) and I was so inspired by it that I wanted to try and re-create the background.  I admit, I failed to re-create it as beautifully, but I did make something that I am happy with.  Thank you Chris for your inspiration!

I am sure that, like me, many of you are excited to see all the new products that Tim Holtz has been previewing this week, prior to the CHA.  I think I am going to be bankrupt soon because I want one of everything he has designed!  Seeing what he has come up with reminded me that I had an Idea-ology Pocket Watch still waiting to have a make-over.  

This is how it looked before I altered it.

And this is the 'after'.

 

 

I used Ranger Alcohol Ink in Silver Mixative to colour the outside of the pocket watch and also part of the flower inside (part of the flower is coloured with  Sail Boat Blue Alcohol Ink).  The flower is made up from three flower Idea-ology pieces.  I used a small circle of the background paper that I created, to line the watch (the pocket watch is standing on the rest of the background paper).  The sentiment is made from Tim's chit chat words and these are edged with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.  The pearl brad in the centre of the flower is from my stash. 

 

The pearls attached to the top are Idea-ology ones and I coloured one with the Sail Boat Blue AI. I attached a long length of chain which I purchased from my local DIY shop.

 

This was such an incredibly easy piece to make up and the beauty of it is that the top is easily removed from the watch base so I can create lots of different designs for the inside, making it a very versatile piece of jewellery.

 

I am entering this into Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stampers  where the theme this week is 'Writing' as it has some words on it.

I am also entering this into Anything But a Card Challenge 9 where the theme is Anything Goes!

 

I know a couple of people have had problems with Blogger today and I had the most horrendous problems doing this post and getting the photos into this post.   Don't you just love Blogger.....

 

I hope you like my altered pocket watch and if you do please leave me a comment, I love to read them all and will always try to return the compliment.  Thanks for taking the time to look.  Crafty hugs, Anne xx

 



WOYWW - Week 187 Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Woywwers and Blog Friends!

Hope you have had a good Christmas and New Year.  I missed WOYWW last week because we were preparing to go around the Country, visiting our three Children and their families.  It was fun but exhausting and we are only just back.  I have tried to keep in touch with blogland but it is difficult with family around most of the time.

If you are wondering what WOYWW is then please have a look to see what our Hostess, Julia has to say over at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.co.uk.  It is fun, but addictive too.

My desk has not seen much action since my last post. 

There are quite a few new dies and embossing folders, some more Clear Rock Candy dry glitter, a Christmas card I made using my new poinsettia embossing folders (I did a card in case I forget next Christmas that I have the folders!).  The tag in the middle is from my wonderful blog friend Chris whose work is a joy to behold.  To the right is a card and two ATCs from a blog friend, Julie, in Belgium with whom I did a swap through the Haunted House blog.  The card was done using glow in the dark card and it does look great in the dark.  Right at the front are two little notelet holders I made using my new Harlequin die, which I love and think I will get lots of use out of.

I was lucky enough to win $50 from Simon Says Stamp and I also got some vouchers for Christmas to spend in my favourite craft shops.  It is going to be difficult to choose what to buy, from my ever lengthening list of wants/needs.

If you do visit I hope you will leave me a comment, I do love to read them all and will always try to return the compliment.  Happy WOYWW to you all and wishing you all you wish for in 2013.  Hugs, Anne xx