A Distressing Tim Holtz Christmas

Oooh I really struggled with this one - the first 2 attempts went in the bin (on the floor and stamped on actually). I know that Tim is meant to be grungy but it's Christmas - and that means happy and sparkly, so here's what I've ended up with.
I made this card for the Stampman Tim Holtz Christmas, and the Simon Says Stamp and Show Distress Ink challenges.
The background is just a hugh foam snowflake stamp stamped and white embossed, then inked over with shades of blue distress inks.
I've embossed the trees texture fades onto velum then cut out. The 25 is also part of a texture fade. I've stamped the snowman with my new favourite, Chipped Saphire this is just sooooo nice. I waited till it was nearly dry then added a bit of sparkly embossing powder that only caught in patches. There's more torn vellum behind.
The chandelier drops are from Craft Obsessions and they are lovely!
Thanks very much for looking x

How Much Is That Moggy In The Window - Stampsmith Challenge'With Gratitude'

As soon as I saw this stamp from The Stampsmith I had to buy it, because this IS my mog! She's 10 years old now but still has no idea that she's actually a cat. She sits on top of chairs, sleeps on our bed and is always the first to be fed :o).
It's getting really had to craft now, 'cos I do all my stuff in the conservatory and it is soooo cold  (well it is snowing outside) that my glues won't stick. In fact the only thing that is flowing freely is my nose! I know, far too much information there
My Princess Perfect tag will go on a gift to my lovely neighbours who feed her when we go on holiday. Obviously in her mind it should be them that thank her :o)
I've just choped the stamped image up a bit to insert the pillow, and given her some jewels (in real life it's a flea collor lol).
The tag and frame have been cut using the Tim Holtz die. This is great because it cuts throgh chipboard (and pizza boxes)
Thank very much for looking x

Inkurable Stampers - Shabby Chic Christmas

Here's my entry to this month's Inkurable Stampers Shabby Chic Christmas challenge. I must admit I'm not really sure where shabby chic ends and grunge begins, but I hope this is OK. It's got a bit of lace on so that's shabby chic right?? :o)
My Christmas Angel is by Lost Coast Designs, and I got her from Happy Daze.
I hope that glitter and velum is shabby chicy 'cos there's lots of both here.
Thanks very much for looking x

Three Muses Challenge - Shoes

Here's my entry to this weeks 'shoes' challenge by The Three Muses.The background was inked and stamped, and the quote is from Ginger's House. This is such a brilliant blog you must go and visit.
The girl is from Stampotique, and I got the stamp from Happy Daze.   I've had the shoe stamp for ages but I don't know where it came from.
Thanks very much for looking x

So - How Many Men Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb?? Take A Word 4

Here's my entry to this weeks Take A Word challenge,which is Men, and it's asking that age old question...
I've brayered and bleached, and stamped and embossed my canvas background, then added lots of men.
Obviously there's a woman there to oversee proceedings, but it seems like none of them can change the lightbulb!
The stamps are by Paper Artsy, Scrolls Work, Artistic Outpost, and Crafty Individuals. The US Mail has also made a contribution in the form of Mr EA Poe.
I really enjoyed this challenge, and thanks very much for looking x

She Was A Girly Girl

Here's a card I've made for the Stampotique (Girly Girl), Basic Grey (Wings) and Sketch Saturday challenges. The background paper is by Blonde Moments, and is so vibrant in real life.

I've dressed Marcy in Colour Me Silly, and the buttons are Urban Prairie.

Marcy's wings are by Heidi Swapp, and her crown is again by Blonde Moments.

Thanks very much for looking - now I have to go and iron :o(. Enjoy what's left of the weekend x

Another Christmas Card

Here's a card I have made for The Stampsmith's Oval challenge and Sir Stampalot's Christmas Traditions. What could be more traditional than fir trees and snow!I have shamelessly stolen the technique from Donna's blog - she explains each stage perfectly so even I could follow it :o). What she didn't say was to a) not use your craft knife on your new non stick mat, and
b) don't find you scisors by sticking your thumb through them, then
c) bleeding all over your white card!! Haloween came and went without spilling a drop of the red stuff when really that would just have been going the extra mile for your art lol, but now we have red snow :o)
The lovely lady is from The Stampsmith, various embossing folders, and Movers and Shapers die.
Thanks very much for looking x

So Here It Is Merry Christmas Aaaaggghh

Ooooh it's the middle of November and I havn't even begun to THINK about Christmas yet!! But never fear, I've got ONE card that I made  for The Stampman Challenge! I've been wanting to make a stepper card for a while so I decided today was the day.What a faff! Measuring... cutting with a craft knife... no good ever came of this, THEN sticking with foam tape - I swear as soon  as I touch foam tape everything goes on the wonk. Is this straight? yeah course it is.. NO, it's not within waving distance of straight so why have I stuck it down with that ***** tape! The only way to move it is with a chissel :o)
Anyway.... the lovely robin stamps are from The Stampman, I was lucky enough to win them in their recent blog hop. I've coloured them with Twinkling H2O's The Let it Snow is from Creative Expressions, these are clear stamps but they stamp really nicely - no squidge!
The bit at the back is a Tim Holtz mover and shaper die I really like these, you just need to work out what's top and bottom and back to front lol.
I'm really glad I made this card, but would I make another - you're having a larf!
Thanks for looking and enjoy the rest of your weekend x

The Bird is the Word -Take a Word 2 Angel

Marie's word of inspiration for this week is Angel, so here are my 2 guardian angels. As soon as I started colouring my birds I had an image of Peter Griffin singing Surfin Bird, so if I had to have this, here you are too, say thank you to You Tube
I've inked and stamped my canvas, then bleached certain areas -  I love doing this 'cos you never know how it's going to end up.
My 2 guardian angels are from the Octopode factory. Just about everything has been coloured in with H2O's today. I'd forgoten how nice these are to us, so I sat there, stuck my tongue out and painted :o). Then along came surfin bird Aaaaagh......
My tree,  houses,  and bird are all from Art From The Heart, while the beautiful Marci is by Stampotique, and I got her from Happy Daze.
 If you look really carefully you can see my writing around the tree - now you know why I rubber stamp, I never learned to do joined up writing... :o)
Thanks for looking, enjoy what left of the weekend, and remember..... everyone's talking about the bird, the bird, bird, bird is the word!

The Stampman ATC Challenge - Take a Letter

These are my ATC's for this month's Stampman challenge. They're the first ATC's I've made in ages, and I really enjoyed myself. What I don't get is as they are so small why have I made SO much mess??
The stamps are a mixture of Stampman, Tanda, Prima and Clarity. Thanks very much for looking x

Showtime

Here is my entry to this weeks Three Muses challenge, which is Showtime. My background is much brighter than it looks, being made with red and yellow paint, but my computer has decided that it doesn't want to take my memory card any more so I've had to photograph on my phone :o(. My dancin' gal is by Kanban and I've dressed her appropriately in feathers and (please don't judge me) white 'fluffy stuff' I remember buying this to go with a sheep stamp I bought years ago. It also comes out every December to go on Santa's beard!

I'm sure she could put on quite a show in the Moulin Rouge.

Thanks very much for looking x

And Here's Another..

There's a new challenge blog in town, so I had to have a little play. It's called 'Take a Word' and each week we are to be given one word to take inspiration from - never mind words gimme lots of pictures and detailed instructions :o)

The word of the week is 'Time', so here's my 2nd journal page. The background is a mixture of Starburst Stains from The Stampman. These are beautiful, such rich colours - these are from the Autumn collection. There's also lots of moon glow embossing going on in the corners with the Heidi Swap damask and clock stamps.
The main image stamps are from The Artistic Stamper - again beautiful stamps which I seem to be adding to weekly! If I buy any more the cat will have to go on e-bay. Only joking mog - or am I..... :o)
I struggled with this page and it's still a work in progress, but then I never did know when enough is enough lol.
Thanks very much for looking x

Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead

Here is my first attempt at an art journal page. It's on the Dia de los Muertos theme which I love - all those bright colours :o) This is a Mexican holiday which is on the 2nd of November, and celebrates the lives of those no longer with us. I've never seen so much white space as the first page of my book. The background was painted in various Dylusion paints from the lovely Dyan at Art from the Heart. She was kind enough to demo these for me at Doncaster Dome, so it would have been rude if I had not bought some lol. She taught me how to apply them with great care and precision (slodge with a wet wipe) and they are lovely, you can layer up the colour and they dry to a matt finish.

The stamps are from Third Coast and they are fab. They're unmounted and have so much detail. I love the dog and the donkey lol. I can really recommend a virtual visit.

The skull is a digi image from The Octopode Factory. Lily has some lovely quirky images - even die hard rubber stampers like me couldn't resist.

Thanks very much for looking x