It's Not Easy Being Green

Who could forget Kermit singing this song lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco he sounds so sad and yet in the end he's pleased that he's green. Of course he's not wearing a dress or platform boots!
This is my last piece as visiting artist for the Gingersnap Challenge, and the theme is green.
My tag has been inked and masked and painted and splattered with Dylusion inks, Distress Stains and Eco Green acrylic paints.
The background stamp is one of Tim's, and all the main images are Dylusion stamps from various sets. My froggy has been coloured with Inkadinks and Pitt pens.
The sentiment has been stamped on last years phone directory and torn and stuck.
I've really enjoyed being a visiting artist and have nothing but admiration for the Design Team who produce such fabulous work week after week.
Head over to the Gingersnap's blog to see lots of fabulous green creations.
I'm also entering this into The Craft Barns Colour A Tag challenge, and Simon Says Stamp and Show a Song Title.
Thanks very much for looking x

Week 3 Already!!

I can't believe it's already my third week as visiting artist over at Gingersnap Creations. I was so chuffed to be asked, and then the panic set in, but I'm still here :o), and this weeks challenge on the 'get Organised' theme is to use your favourite papers. Mmmm, well I have about 6 'favourites' from plaint white ready to be inked, to Basic Grey which I should have bought shares in, but I settled on Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante as todays favourite lol.

My box started life as shiney and red and full of Lush goodies so it was already 10/10 in my book, and the fab thing was, the more I messed about with it, the more the smell wafted about. I LOVE Lush - that fragrance you get as you walk past the door. It makes my husband choke, but you can't have everything :o)
I had to cut up my lovely papers, which made me cry a little inside, but these things have to be done.' I've decoupaged bits and bobs, such as the top hat and her wings.

I've layered up the flowers here and added a bit of hologhraphic glitter for some sparkle. You can see this better I R L.

This side was made with the Graphic 45 paper, and some Hunkydory toppers that I got in a kit. I'm not usually a big fan of toppers, but I thought these fitted in nicely.

This is Hunkydory velum that I've inked over with Pine Needles Distres Ink. The images are Graphic 45 stamps that I've stamped onto tissue paper and torn around and stuck on. The dress form has been stuck onto a scrap of velum, then ribbled for a bit of texture. The heart on the ladies head is in antique silver (not real lol) and says 'memories'

This one shows it a little better, can you tell I love my new little camera :o)

The lid is my favourite bit, I love this falling guy sheet, and I've layered him and the bird up, added a couple of cogs that have been UTEE'd and stamped into, a little bit of hardware and a tassel that's been in my drawer for soooo long it squinted when it saw the sunlight.

I really enjoyed making this, and I can't wait to get over to Gingersnaps to see what all the fabulous 'snappers have creatated.

Thanks very much for looking x

I'm entering this into the 2 Sisters challenge, which is Use Metal, and

Simon Says Stamp And Show which is anything but a card.

Anyone For Tea??

Continuing with the Gingersnap theme of getting organised, I thought I would finish my Mum's Christmas present.When I say finish I of course mean get it out of the loft and start it!
The theme this week is ribbon - well they arn't called challenges for nothing are they. I love ribbon, buy it all the time (only joking I'm on a spending ban) but I'm just rubbish with it. I cannot even tie a bow that doesn't look like the cat's slept on it,  and if I put it on a card it just looks like it's hiding a mistake lol. So appologies made in advance here's the inside of the box.

The ribbon is seam binding in blue and white that's been woven together and die cut. The Tanda lady has been stamped on acetate, and the flowers are Tim's trimmings that have been dyed with distress ink. I varnished the inside of the box as it's to go in my Mums kitchen. Posh tea bags to the front lol

I started by gessoing the box, then I painted  it with pale blue acrylic, dry brushed over with teal, then over the top again with a hazelnut paint dauber.  The sides have been stamped with a mixture of TPC and Sir Tims stamps. I was just going to put a little of the 7 Gypsies tissue paper on the top, but I got to the stage where it looked awful so I had to carry on sticking. The ribbon weave and lady were meant to go on the top, but I liked it better with her on the inside. I've varnished the outside as well so hopefully it will be quite hard wearing.

Back to the seam binding for the rosettes with a K&Co brad in the centre.

This is the first time I've actually made something for a present so I hope my Mum likes it (it's her birthday in March so it's not tooooo late) I enjoyed making this, it looks nothing like it did in my head, but I quite like it.

Thanks very much for looking x

I'm So Excited, And I Just Can't Hide It....

...'cos I've been invited to join Gingersnap Creations as a visiting artist  for January. The theme this month is Get Organised, and this weeks challenge is to use a set/collection of stamps. I thought I would get organised by making myself a calendar page. This again has been inspired by the fabulous Kate Crane and her monthly pages.
I've chosen some of Sam Poole's Creative Expression stamps, Snowdays and a journal set. I love these stamps as they ink up really nicely, and they're not toooo fussy to cut out.
 The background has been inked with some Dylusion inks. It was going to be a blue page, but then I added a bit of yellow, and before you know it, it was green.  Funnily enough that happened the last time I used these two colours together - who knew eh! The trees in the background are mostly Tim's, and the children have been coloured with the Dylusion's and Inkadinks.
Please get yourselves over to Gingersnap Creations and check out the fab inspiration over there.
Thanks very much for looking x

Down On The Farm

Over at Gingersnap Creations the theme this month is Farm Fresh. I don't have too many (1)farm type stamps,so here it is lol. The background papers are some old K&Co that I've had for years, and they've been inked with DI's. The front one has been stamped over with a Fiskars plaid stamp to give it more of a 'farmy' feel. The rooster and sentiments are  from The Paper Company.

Rocky the Cocky has been gilded (ouch) with my latest toy Indigo Blu glue and gilding flakes. Who's a pretty boy now then!

It's all been backed up onto a cork kitchen tile, and then a piece of brown card that's been ribbled. Now for a confession, I was the one person in the whole crafty world who didn't own a Tim Holtz Distress Stain (until yesterday - I now own one lol) I figured that as I had the inks, and the re-inkers why would I need the stains. But I bought the Picket Fence one to see what all the fuss was about and curse it I do like them. I've used it on the brown card and it does look pretty good in real life.

I didn't mean to have eyelet all around but I didn't look where I was putting my first set of holes (??) so unless I wanted to hang Rocky upside down (and I'm pretty sure they only do that in bad satanic films) I had to add another set.
I really enjoyed making this, and I hope it's farmy enough.
Thanks for looking and enjoy whats left of the weekend x

Mmm Not Somewhere To Spend The Night

I know I said I was through with Halloween, but that was the cute side, this is just downright spooky...
I could never understand why on films people went into graveyards, in the dark, (and always in the fog) what good did they ever expect to come of it lol.
For my spookiness I've used stamps from a Cherry Pie set (love these) a Stampendous cobweb stamp, and one of Tim's trees. This is one of my 'go to' stamps, along with his flock of birds.
The stamping has been done in black versafine, and the card just coloured with Black Soot distress ink. The bat started life as silver, but I coloured him with the Ranger black enamel accents.

I've been practicing my reverse stamping with the railings on the bottom right. The card railing is Tim's Picket Fence die, and it's all being supported by the small easel die which is fab, I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this one!
I'm entering this into the following
Gingersnaps - Black and grey
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Show one colour - any colour
Craft Room - Black and white
Tando Creative - Spooktastic


Thanks very much for looking x

Not Quite An Old Master

This weeks challenge at Gingersnap Creations is Ravens. I don't know why but I thought that American Gothic would look quite nice featuring a couple of ravens lol.
The American Gothic stamp is by Lost Coast Designs and has been well loved (but not as well cleaned lol) I stamped it then coloured with distress inks. I treated myself to the Claudine Hellmuth paint brushes and they really do make a difference, if I stick my tongue out at the correct angle I can almost stay within the lines now :o)
The ravens are Hampton Arts cling stamps and they are lovely. I had to do the stamping onto another stamp to reverse it for the woman 'cos I really can't get to grips with the brayer technique.
I'm afraid I had to decapitate the ravens next and stuck them over the original happy couple. I then stamped the couple again, bit more head chopping, and stuck them on top.
Stamped it yet again just for the frame, and embossed in gold, cut out, and mounted on teeny foam pads.
The background is a bit of ribbled kraft and a page of my trusty old Mills & Boon Whirlpool of Passion!!
I saw the episode of Fame In The Frame about a month ago where John Myatt painted this picture and put Paul O'Grady in the picture. I  really enjoyed hearing about the background of this painting. I didn't realise it was so iconic.
Pop over to Gingersnaps for far better examples of ravens!
Thanks very much for looking x

On The Street Where You Live

I don't normally 'do' Halloween, but last year I bought myself a We R Memory Keepers Halloween pad so I thought I'd better use it. I made myself a haunted house. I traced around an old Craftwork Cards template to make myself another couple of houses. The one on the left and in the middle have been covered with the WRMK's papers, and the outsides not so carefully painted in orange acrylic. The one on the right has been alcohol inked in red, yellow and plum. The windows have been cut out and pictures put behind. These have been printed on accetate and are the 'Anabel Lee' sheet from Moonlight Journey.

The skeleton stamp is from Tim Holtz, and I've also used various Artistic Outpost stamps from the Halloween set.

My spooky bird has been cut on chipboard from the Tim Holtz die, the stamped with the cobweb stamp from A.O, and embossed in black. I've then blended purple and yellow DI's and clear embossed again.

The cat is from the same die and has been cut in Kraft Glassine, crupmpled to within an inch of it's nine lives then splodged on in black archival. This has then been heat set.

The ironwork fence is one of Tim's On The Edge dies again cut in chipboard and splodged with black and platignum inks.

I had a lot of fun making this - it's nothing like I had in my head but it will be in my front window on the 31st.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:
Gingersnap Creations - alcohol inks
Shopping Our Stash - Spooky
Simon Says Stamp And Show - things with wings

Thanks very much for looking x

Gingersnaps Colour Challenge - Turquoise, Blue & Purple

The final 'Friends' themed challenge over at Gingersnap Creations this month is a colour challenge of turquoise, blue and purple. The background technique has been shamelesly stolen from Jo Capper-Sandon's article in this months Craft Stamper. Basically you put your hand in a plastic bag, dip it in the ink and dab, but Jo does it with so much more style!
The background stamp is called 'Friendly' and it's by Stampin'Up. The flowers are the Greenhouse Garden set also by SU, and they've been stamped in turquoise, blue and er purple. The quote is from a TPC stamp set. This actually looks quite pretty in real life - quite a change for me  lol. I've really enjoyed this set of challenges from Gingersnap, and they've given us a heads up that October is going to be all about Edgar Allen Poe. Mmm now that is a challenge....
Thanks very much for looking x

Friends - Cheaper Than Therapy

I decided to go for the inky and messy look today (I'm a real fan of yellow and green fingernails lol) so I made a 6x4 postcard. The background is a mixture of Dylusion spray inks and Inkadinks.
The stamps are mostly from Art Journey, although the bird is from The Paper Company. The guy's shirts have been painted in Inkadinks. One drop on my craft mat goes a long long way and the colours are really vibrant - I love them!
The quote stamp originally said 'Chocolate It's cheaper than therapy' and it's always reminded me of Crocodile Dundee when he's asking why people have therapist's rather than just talking to their friends, so I left the chocolate bit off. It has to be the first time I've EVER turned down chocolate!
I'm entering this into the Gingersnap challenge which is 'shared moments, and the Shopping our Stash challenge which is no coloring allowed (pens or pencils).
Thanks very much for looking x

Take Time To Enjoy Life - Gingersnap Challenge

The challenge this week at Gingersnap's is to use crimpers (that's a ribbler to us Northerners lol) I was looking for my TH glassine paper when I came across these Sara's Surfaces 'tag in a bag'. I stamped the bag with a couple of Wendy Vecci HUGE bacground stamps then ribbled away. The Art Declasified stamp has been stamped in coffee onto my new favourite La Blanche card and edged with Broken China & Tea Dye. If you look really really closely you'll see the TH ribbed glassine under this.

The tag has been inked in blue DI's and stamped with TH swirls. I'm not sure that I'm a fan of this card, the ink just sat on top and bled so I heated with a heat gun and that didn't work so I finally covered with embossing powder. I think the quote is a Just For Fun stamp that I've had forever. The flower stamps are by Kanban, and a bit of seam binding to finish.
I really enjoyed making this, and I love the idea of a tag in a bag. Thanks very much for looking x

Hey Girlfriend!!

Here's a card I made for the latest Gingersnap Gal Pal's challenge. The stamp is from The Stampsmith so it would be rude not to enter their challenge as well with is Fabulous Faux.
So I blew the dust off my melt pot, choked a little 'cos it's been a long time, and made some faux porcelain flowers. The centres have been filled with green micro beads - they look just like the bobbly liquorice allsorts lol.
The paper flower centre are from Harrogate last year.
I used clear UTEE but it is now an amber colour, I don't know if this is because of the flex or if I have overheated it. It's fine for dark colours, but some of these flowers started off as pink.
Thanks very much for looking x

Ride 'em Cowboy

I've been stalking the Gingersnap Creations blog for a while now, and have finally taken the plunge with the latest challenge which is to use twine on a Wild West themed piece.
The stamps are all from Tanda, and I've paperpieced the cowboys.
The card behind has been made using the faux leather technique with masking tape and DI's, and mounted onto a die cut cork tile.
I really enjoyed making this, and thanks very much for looking x