The Stamp Man Blog Hop

I've just spent a very enjoyable half hour taking part in The Stamp Man's blog hop. There are lots of fab prizes along the way so give it a go.
You can find it here

It's All Change - Well Simon Said To Alter It!!

 I have always loved looking at altered art on other peoples blogs, but it's something I've never had a go at myself, so when I saw in advance that The Stampman were going to have a Altered challenge I thought it was the perfect time to have a go!
So my weapon of choice was this,

it's a cutlery tray from a discount store. Why I couldn't have started with a wooden spoon I don't know :o)

I sanded and painted with black acrylic paint, then sprayed inside and out with purples and orange glimmer mists. It's the first time I've persevered with the glimmer mists and I'm now a convert!
Now came the small task of filling it - again why not a wooden spoon!!.
So I made some atc's, microscope slides, and then my new Alteration dies landed with a thud on my mat, so these were used immediately :o) on Coredinations card, and sanded.
The inks are a mixture of distress and dye, and a wee bit of embossing has gone on as well.
It's by far the most adventurous thing I've ever made. I'm officially the slowest crafter in the world, and this has taken me days  weeks, but I've really enjoyed watching it come together. Though as my DH says 'What are you going to do with it??'  Men!!
The stamps are by Artistic Outpost and Cherry Pie.
The images are by Itkupilli and Moonlight Journey
I'm entering this for Stampman's Altered challenge
Lot's to Do - Alter it
Sunday Stampers - Paint it Black
Simon Says Stamp and Show Sanded/Distress.
Theme Thursday - Dark Gothic/Halloween
Thanks very much for looking - I'm going to tidy up the conservatory now 'cos it looks like we've been burgled (again!!)

Goodbye Norma Jean

Here's my entry for this fortnight's Stampotique challenge which is Vintage. This was a real challenge to me as it's a Stampotique stamps only week. Now I'm sure Mr Stripes would look lovely in lace, but I thought I would go with Amy Wilson Wellenstein's   beautiful Marilyn stamp. So,  I set about making a pin board (What could be more vintage, takes me right back to my mums, with my school paintings :o)
When I was looking through Google images it made me realise just how beautiful Marilyn was - especially when she was just being herself rather than full on glamour. She had a real presence - not just some wannabee celeb, but don't get me started on this one lol.
Lots of photo's and articles care of Mr Google, and apologies to my place mat which has been well and truely pinned.
Check out the Stampotique blog for lots of fab entries, and thanks for looking x

Phew - In The Nick Of Time....

I've been meaning to do my entry for this weeks CoC challenge all week, but here I am, last push again :o) This week page 65 has all the answers on...Grungepaper flowers. As mine are rather blue they also fit in nicely with Hels' challenge for the Sunday Stampers, so who says being late isn't a good thing :o)

I'm sworn to secrecy by Linda and Tim himself about how this was made, but I started with 3 beer mats that I stole borrowed from the pub last night. Hands up those who know that a beer mat is the exact size of the largest nestie circle.  Oh you knew, and you and... well I didn't but I do now :o)  Ok hands down now,  no one likes a smart a*se you know lol.

I went to the Papercraft show in Harrogate yesterday - wow I could have spent a fortune on the first display (actually I did but that's our secret right). Then today my heat gun went to crafting heaven (big green bin) I've had it since day dot and it's one of the long ones that blows the embossing powder everywhere so I'm thinking of changing to the 'heat buddy' type. Any opinions would be most gratefully accepted.

Have a lovely Sunday evening, and thanks for looking x

I Can Sing A Rainbow

....but only if we were being burgled 'cos my singing would make anyone flee :o)
The monthly challenge over at the Artistic Stamper is Rainbows, so here's my piece.

I covered a piece of mountboard with canvas then stamped the Tim Holtz stamp and covered with tea dye distress ink.

I then took 8 microscope slides and coloured them in the colours of the rainbow - maybe I took the challenge a litttle too literally, I'm just not very good at thinking outside the box.:o(

These were stuck down with Glossy Accents, and then taped around the edge when dry.

The stencil is one of Tim's.

I really enjoyed making this AND there's not too much of a devistation to tidy up wayhay!!

Have a great Sunday and thanks for looking x

Marci & Wilbur Get it Together

Stamped that is :o)
As the queen of stamps that have never got dirty,  it's always a joy when they get their initial inking.Why is it that I love 'em, have to have 'em, then don't use them??
Anyway the challenge at Stampotique is Not So Sweet 16, and at Sir Stampalot it's All Distressed, so here's mine...

Though how anyone can say that Marci and Wilbur arn't the sweetest couple I don't know.

I love these stamps, they really make me smile, and Mr Stripes is the most handsome spider ever.

I've also used some of Jo Capper-Sandons range, the French Text, Small Bee and Splatter. If you havn't seen her blog you must go and look, her work is gorgeous.

The door hanger has been in my top drawer for as long as I can remember, and the paper on the numbers is the  Basic Grey white 6x6 pad. This is fab, lots of white backgrounds with a hint of different patterns.

Lots of distress inks acrylic paint and Modge Podge for the background, which has been roughed up nicely with a TH distresser. I thought I would use blue and yellow, but I ended up with er.. green..... who'd have thought!!

When you see this in real life it's distressed to the point of tatty, so definitely not so sweet lol.

Sorry if the font size is hurting your eyes, but I'm not a good typer at the best of times, and I can't even see the little stuff anymore -  Mother Nature up to her bee-atchy best again :o)

Thanks very much for looking and have a fab weekend x

Simon Says Layer It

Can you believe it's September already, where did August go??? Seems like ages since I've trashed my craft room, :o) but a fortnight away, then the washing,  then Leeds Festival (no not for me, for DS,who came home smelling of camp fires and hot dogs) and that's a month gone by.
Anyhoos I've been catching up on the new challenges that have started without me lol. This weeks Simon Says Stamp and Show is Layer it up, so here's mine.

Firstly big thanks to Sharon for her great tute on how to make a shaddow box. As I'm not the sort of gal to measure in 1/4 inches I've started with a piece of 12x12 and taken it fom there.

My background has plenty of layers, paints, inks stamps, and a ****** great blob of  green glimmer mist!!! Really needed to cover this up so I stamped a text stamp with bleach. Scared myself silly when I stamped it for the first time, but I love it :o)

I forgot to photograph it before I stuck anything down, but I was really chuffed with my background.

Then lots of stamping, and cutting out. My Gears in the background is from The Artistic Stamper, and I know that this is going to be a favourite. All the others are from Artistic Outpost, from the Stampunk and Paris Exposition sets. Thanks Happy Daze, If I just send you my salary will you drip feed me with more of their stamps :o).

The fab papers are Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante. I chose the 8x8 pad 'cos there's 2 sheets of each so I can use 1 and keep 1 for ever and ever and ever and ever.... They are gorgeous, so I cried a little inside when I had to cut 'em up.

My lady on the microscope slide thingy is by Itkupilli. I love her images, but this is the first time I used anything this size and it looks fab in real life.She's hanging on for dear life to the flying fish???                     The gears thingy is one of Tim's (I call him Tim - he doesn't call at all).... and it's nice and layed 'cos I chopped the end off my foamy paint  brush and it fits perfectly. Alas poor Stumpy....

Just to prove I've done the layers lol

I really enjoyed this challenge, and it's good to be back in the blogosphere x

Thanks for looking. x