'Favourites with a Twist' at Craft Room Challenge

Hi Everyone................................ I know its hard to believe but its time once again for another challenge theme over at Craft Room this fortnight. 

Debi is the hostess of this  great challenge, which is the last of 2013, and her chosen theme is

 'Favourites with a Twist'

This fortnight our Sponsor is Crafty Individual's and as always there is a fabulous prize

To view  the fabulous projects of my DT Roomie's and to read Debi's challenge details please click HERE

Below is my DT make for the challenge:

 This large card is made using my Favourite Tim Holtz Dies from Sizzix. The lamp post and poinsettia/tattered leaves dies  were released some time ago. The Carolers are a new release and I  absolutely adore them.

The background was created using a seasonal napkin, which I adhered to card using CH multi-medium. DI's were then used to create an aged effect and the edges were also distressed. 

I am loving Rock Candy Stickles at the moment, which created a frosted effect around the feet of the Carolers, Lamp Post and Poinsettia. ( Just realised I have not added anything to the centre of my Poinsettia ) 

I used a combination of Distress Inks, including Walnut Stain, Black Soot, Festive Berries, Mowed Lawn and Vintage Photo on the Lamp Post and Poinsettia/Tattered Leaf.

I do hope you can play along with us this fortnight..........and you don't even have to make anything new !!  

THank You so much for dropping in and for taking the time to leave a comment. They are so appreciated and enable me to return the compliment. 

Crafty Hugs and catch up with you soon xx

Afternoon Tea at Craft Room Challenge

Hi Everyone and a huge thanks to Suzanne who is the host of this fortnights challenge theme At Craft Room Challenge, which is Afternoon Tea. 

There is  also photo inspiration  in the form of the most beautiful teacups, which I am becoming addicted to, along with some wonderful rustic colours. 

The Sponsor this fortnight is 'The Stamp Man' and the Random Org Winner will receive a £10 voucher to spend at their online store..................so come along and join in with us. I have to say that I have been blown away  by the fabulous crafty makes of the entrants since I joined this wonderful DT. Thats what I love about Blogland and challenges, we get to share our makes with one another and the inspiration out there is wonderful....anyway her is my take on Suzanne's Challenge Theme :

I really had to think about this this challenge as I did not have any stamps that related to it. I saw these  small napkins and knew they would be perfect in some way. 

So on sitting down to play I decided to make my tag look like the front of a Tea Shop...apparently they are all the rage, selling various types of tea. 

I used the Creative Expressions Mask, Stone Wall and blended rusty hinge and Vintage Photo, edging with Walnut Stain and Gathered Twigs DI's. 

The napkin was adhered with  CH gel medium and then covered with Tim Holtz Window and Window Box die from Sizzix, which was blended with Vintage Photo and Gathered Twigs.

The flowers are die cut from TH Tattered Flower Garden strip die. 

I took the TH Hanging Sign die, covered the frame with Distress Stain in Antique Bronze. Some PC generated words were adhered to the sign with glue, then inked with Gathered twigs. 

I added some Crafty Notions Rusting Powder to the hanging sign and the window frame, but I don't think I sprayed enough vinegar !!, however, its fine :-(

There's also a patch on the sign which would not take colour........drat !!.....but hey I laughed when I thought that bird droppings, particularly from Seagulls land on shop signs........................so its quite authentic !!!!

Enough of this laughter as after two days of crafting I have lots to tidy up....that certainly took the smile off my face !!!

I do hope you can pop over and view the other crafty makes by my DT roomies and even better if you can join in the fun. 

Take care and I will catch up with you soon

xx

Mirror Mirror on the Wall !!

Hi Everyone............................its Sunday again and I hope that whatever you are up to you are having some fun. I was very fortunate to have met up with Astrid McLean and my mum ( Rita) yesterday for a lovely day of chat and crafting. We have all joined Creative Chemistry 102  ( CC102) and spent some time with 'The Professor' in between tea and more chatting.........it really was a lovely fun day. 

Today I am fortunate to be spending  some more time crafting as I have a few projects to complete before next weekend. I also wanted to take part in Tim's October tag, which you can see below :-)   You can view Tim's  tag and recipe by clicking HERE if you would like to take part in the 12 Tags of 2013. 

I did have to improvise  on Tim's recipe and will share that with you as we move on through the photographs.

As mentioned the background was completed using Distress Paints you can view in the photograph below. Tim explains the technique on his blog and also CC102. The skeleton is from TH 'Poisonous' stamp set by SA, no CMS 171

I used first, second and third generation stamping. 

You can also see stenciling top left and lower right using Tim's new Shatter stencil. I took some Vintage Photo and lightly "danced it around" as Tim would say. 

Another view of the shatter stencil below.

 Distress Paints I used in the marbling technique :-)   

I was lucky enough to have Tim's new Sizzix Ornate Frame die but I did not have any of his new glitter. 

Fear not !!!!  Last year Tim demonstrated how you can alter the colour of glitter by using  Alcohol Ink...see HERE.    (I used Eggplant AI)

I love Tim's Skull stamp, which I cut out and distressed with Vintage photo. I went over the teeth with Picket Fence Distress Marker, outlining them in black. The little mustache was a gift from my crafty friend Anita Houston.  The spiders were in my stash from last year and fitted this  project perfectly.

When I placed  the frame over the skull it looked to me like a mirror, with Mr Skull ensuring that his moustache was trimmed to perfection !!!! Such a Handsome Chap !!!! Mind you he also looks like he is going to sneeze ! Maybe that feather is tickling his nose !!

As I did not have the  Sizzix owl and moon dies that  Tim used  I improvised with the TH Movers and Shapers mini inkwell and feather die. The little bottle was cut out in black card and then some glossy accents was adhered. The feather was inked with Vintage Photo and Black soot around the edge.  

After dying the crinkle ribbon I decided to stamp the skull on to some clear shrink plastic to create an embellishment for my tag.  I used Jet Black Archival Ink to stamp on the plastic and was careful not to smudge it before drying/shrinking it with my heat tool.  ( Remember to punch a hole before you shrink it.)

I then added an idea-ology jump ring and safety pin to complete the look. 

Hope you like my fun tag...I certainly enjoyed the creativity and it was nice to use various techniques that I had not used in a while. 

As this is my  very own take on Tim's tag I would like to enter  the following challenges :

Stampotique Designer Challenge whose challenge is Halloween and Our Creative Corner, whose theme is Halloween, Lets Tag It On

Off to do some  visiting as well as tidying up on the blog before I sit back down to other crafty makes that I have on the go. Catch up soon x 

Best Wishes and Crafty Hugs 

Cabinet Card/album

Morning everyone .....................thank you for visiting here at my little corner of blogland and a huge welcome to new followers. I am so thrilled that you have joined me here x

Today I am sharing a Cabinet Card that I made in September for a colleague at work. She wanted two cards for family who have similar interests.

The dies are from Sizzix and I used various TH papers and stamps from my stash.

Have a great weekend whatever you are up to x

Best Wishes and Crafty Hugs xx

The Good Life :-)

Good Morning everyone and here we have the start of another week........where are the month's going !!!!

Below is an Album card using Karen Burniston's wonderful Sizzix Die.

One of my colleagues had given me some details for two of her friends who were celebrating their 50th Birthday. She advised they loved wine, holidays and their Cocker Spaniels and I was fortunate enough to add them all in this album. 

I am entering this make in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps Challenge - Anything Goes

Eclectic Ellapu - And They Call it Puppy Love

Our Creative Corner - Forgotten Things ( I found the wine bottle and Aged to Perfection stamp in my stash of wooden stamps, its by Serendipity Stamps and is dated 2005) Perfect for the Occasion !!

Brown Sugar Challenge - Animals

Country View Crafts Challenge- Layers

Have a fab week and I will catch up with you all soon x

Don't forget your umbrella !!!!

Hello crafty friends......................hope you have had a lovely Saturday :-)   The weather started off well this morning and then clouded over, at least the temperature had improved though. 

I had a fantastic afternoon and evening of tennis yesterday and I am still exhausted....!!!!!!!    These lads are so fit !!!!

My new tennis hero has to be Juan Martin Del Potro........................what a professional he has been this week, both against  David Ferrer and Novak Djokovic. Yesterdays match Between Del Potro and Djokavic was the best I have seen in years....at least since the Federer/Nadal match  a few years ago.....................anyway.....my post.

Below is a tag that I made for two of my favourite challenges:

 the Craft Room Challenge, which is to use the colours Blue, Yellow and Green. ( stamping in black is allowed)
Simon Says Stamp and Show, which is Anything Goes

This challenge really took me out of my comfort zone in relation to the colours used and  I also had  this make in mind for a male birthday.

First of all , using Tim Holtz wrinkle free distress technique, I spritzed water over Salty Ocean distress ink and Sunshine Yellow Adirondack Acrylic Paint placed on my craft mat, dragging my tag through it. I did this a couple of times and was delighted with the result ( heat set between layers) The Adirondack paint did not wick like Distress Paints but I kind of helped it by swirling it in the spritzed water. The Salty Ocean DI and Yellow Sunshine paint also gave a beautiful green colour.  Various TH Stampers Anonymous stamps were used to add some detail to the background, using archival ink in Manganese Blue.

I then die cut some aluminium from a  recycled drinks can, using the Sizzix TH weathered clock and umbrella man die. The umbrella man was painted with Salty Ocean DI and the clock painted with Mowed Lawn.

Once dry, I spritzed both pieces with blue cosmic shimmer mist, drying it with my heat gun. I love the effect of this on metal !  A Stampers Anonymous stamp was layered on to the umberella man using black archival ink

The adage ticket was blended with a mix of Salty Ocean and Mowed Lawn DI.

The ideaology  watch face piece was painted with a mix of both Mowed Lawn and Salty Ocean Distress Paints

The sentiment at the bottom was die cut using Sizzix, Stacked Artful Words die. Once again, I blended Mowed Lawn and Salty Ocean DI, but I felt that it needed something  more against the similar background colour, so  I sprinkled some clear embossing powder and then heat set it. I have not used this embossing technique for ages and still love to see the powder melt and the magic happen !!!!!

More tennis tomorrow.................!!!!! I hope that Andy Murray sleeps better than I will as I am so excited about tomorrow's final.

Have a great weekend whatever you are up to.  As always thanks for commenting they really are so appreciated. I have been a bit slow getting round to visits this last couple of weeks so apologies for that but I shall catch up. 

Crafty Hugs x

Sentimental Journey

Hi Everyone and thanks for joining me once again ..................... and a warm welcome to followers Old and New.

I wanted to share this special Diamond Card, which I made for a friend with several challenges in mind of course !!

A group of us went to Paris for the day as its only an hours flight away from where I live and boy did we have fun!!  It was a fair trade as our husbands/partners were going for a day's golf !!

We had brunch at the Arc De Triomphe and a meal in the Grande Colbert Restaurant, where a scene from one of Jack Nicholson's movies was taken.............(Cant remember the name of the film right now but it will come back to me !!)  After a few wines we  had the courage to walk in to The Ritz for another glass of the bubbly stuff,,,,,,,,,,,,yep....in our  jeans,walking shoes and with backpacks !!!!! It was a stunning  hotel and so were the prices, but I have to say the experience was worth it. A wonderful memory !!!!!

You will see below a Diamond card, made as per the Hougie board technique. My mum, Rita,  and I have just invested in one of these boards and when I saw mum's  diamond card knew that this design  was perfect for my project. The design gives you the folded base of the card and then you add a frame of your choice.

I used an oval Spellbinder die. The main image was a freebie image from my very talented crafty friend Astrid McLean, of Astrid's Artistic Efforts. Its a beautiful vintage image, which fits this theme perfectly.

You can see the base and my die cuts below. I  also wanted to frame the photo and did this with the smaller die inside.

I stamped the frame with some french script. ( It was great to use a stamp from my old stash) ageing with Vintage Photo DI

I used Tim Holtz Damask stamp on the Diamond  base, stamping it in Blue Archival and then ageing with Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain DI's

I also blended some Vintahe Photo DI on the main image too, just to age it a little.

Below you can see a close up of the main image and make out the torn paper on which I stamped Paris, again from Tim's recent release.

You can also just make out the lace below the torn paper and on the left hand side too. 

The lace bow was made using the bow maker, gifted by my mammy, RITA,  and I adhered a little pearl.

A bit more detail below

The diamond on the left was adorned with a sentiment, torn around the edges and stamped, some lace and a trinket pin and a leftover nib from my 12 tags of 2013

The tag on the right was adorned with some stamped images from my stash and a brad on which you can see the Fleur de Lis.

The sentiment is one of my favourites by Helen Keller and is so true !!!!

I am thrilled with the outcome of this card and I know that my friend will treasure it.

As mentioned I had a few challenges in mind when I made this project and would like to enter it in the following :

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Passport/Travel

Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Sentimental

The Artistic Stamper- Texture

Sunday Stampers- Blue

I am off now for a few days relaxation with my DH but look forward to catching up with you all. If you have time please leave a comment as they are truly appreciated and I will always try and return the compliment.

CRafty Hugs

xxx 

Sentimental Birthday Wishes x

Hi Everyone.... thank you so much for dropping in to my little curious n crafty corner of blogland.

I must apologise for my absence....but I have a rather demanding job which occasionally prevents me from visiting you, never mind posting. Think I am back on track now and I look forward to catching up with you all.

Below is a card that I made for my son to give to his cousin on her 21st Birthday.  (I made her a canvas with a key, which you can view in the previous post )

I just can't believe that my niece is now 21..........time just  passes so quickly !!! ( okay...... I  guess it makes me realise I am older too !!

The  Steampunk stamp set, which comprises of the body form, butterfly and bee  are designed by Sam Poole from Creative Studio's. I so love Sam's designs as they are right up my street.  (  After cutting the stamped images out I blended the body form and stamps with a combination of Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Salty Ocean DI's) I like to ensure that there are no white edges on my projects and always edge with ink or a marker, charcoal pencil as it gives a better finish.

I used a Spellbinders die, edged with DI in Vintage photo and the  TH Sizzix Bigz die, ( Weathered Clock), which I blended with a combination of walnut stain and salty ocean.

The numbers were cut using  the TH Wordpad die from Sizzix.

The winged Steampunk  bodice, butterfly and bee are all raised off the paper to give a lovely  effect.

Certainly a sentimental keepsake that my niece will treasure. 

Its been some time since I played along with Fashionable Stamping Challenges but this make meets the current fortnightly challenge of 'Sentimental'. You can play along by clicking HERE

At Simon Says Stamp and Show the challenge this week is Colour. Please click HERE to play along with me :0

Thank you so much for visiting and for leaving comments.  I love to read them  and be assured that they are really appreciated.  Catch up later this evening  and definitely over the weekend when I will have time to play.....Yippee

Crafty Hugs

Double Celebration !!

Hello everyone.............exciting day ahead  tomorrow in UK when the Olympic Opening Ceremony takes place. Jennie, The Artistic Stamper, has some fabulous piccies on her blog as she attended the rehearsal for tomorrow's ceremony. I have only observed what has been shown on TV but it really does look amazing !!!!

Best Wishes to all the competing athletes x

Today's post is of two cards I made for my friend's twin boys 30th birthday celebrations. Just realised I forgot to take a photograph of the back of their cards, which also included stamping, mainly large stamps, depicting Happy, Giggle and Dreams and sentiments !!! Silly me !!

The design is similar to that posted last week for my dad's birthday, using the Donna Salazar pocket die to house a tag. Again I used a TH Distressable paper for their initials. The letters were matted on to cardboard, distressed at the edges and then  totally covered in embossing ink and clear embossing powder, which I heat set to give a protected surface. The honeycomb stamp from Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz ( TH) was used as a background on the front/insides of the card. TH DI's were blended on all areas of the card, mainly vintage photo, rusty hinge and spiced marmalade. 

Envelopes were made as the cards were not of a standard size, using Basic Grey, scrapbook designer papers from my stash. 

They were both delighted with their handmade cards, which as you know makes it all worthwhile.

As always I love to visit your blogs and view the fabulous crafty makes you have created. If you drop by please leave me a message and I shall do my best to reply. 

Crafty Hugs

Annie x