Back to Crafting Heaven.....

I really don't know where the last 2 weeks have gone to, but there certainly wasn't much crafting done!! I had a lovely long weekend in Scotland with hubby, who was taking part in a charity cycle....and have spent some time assisting mum with the garden, in between the horrendous weather!!
When I have taken a crafting break I find it quite hard to 'get going' again, so I had a look for some likely challenges to get me up and running, and found this one at The Play Date Cafe. Their Challenge 83 is another 'Splash of Colour' one, and I love these, so it was a good place to start! Black and white, with a splash of green...
On our recent trip to London mum bought these chocolates for Ian and Sam, and the tubes looked just too useful to throw away...

...so I decided to turn it into 'something useful'!! Here is my finished pen pot....complete with the required black, white and green!

I covered the tube with Doodlebug Black Paisley paper. then added some green bunting using offcuts. I love Stampotique's Spider Girl and she has lovely stripey legs which were just asking to become green. I coloured them with water colour pencils. Her little sign is computer generated...and I finished with an extra 'splash' in the form of green ribbon!

Thanks for looking.....and I'll be back (even sooner than you think!!)

xxx

Not one, not two....but three!!!

Had a great day on Wednesday at Art from the Heart in Harrogate. Was nice to catch up with friends I've not seen for a while and we made three fabulous canvasses. Everyone at home was amazed that I had done all that in 5 hours...and had time for lunch!! There was time for plenty of laughing and talking too, but I've not mentioned that!!!
First of all we made our canvas 'in the style of Tim Holtz'.....

We used the new Kraft resist paper, which was great...I resisted (pardon the pun!) the urge to buy some, then regretted it as soon as I got home!! Oh, well...an excuse for another visit soon!!!

The next one was 'in the style of Claudine Helmuth' and looks deceptively easy!! We had more problems with this one than the other two put together...I think poor Dyan came pretty close to tearing her hair out!!! That woman has the patience of a Saint!!

...and finally we made one 'in the style of Dyan'...this one was nice and relaxing after the previous one!!

This class followed the brilliant day I had with mum on Tuesday. We went off to London to have afternoon tea at The Ritz!! Here's mum waiting to go into the Palm Court..

...someone has already commented to me that she looks quite at home!!

...at the table..

..the stunning flower arrangement..

...and I have to finish with the 'Powder Room' which I think would have suited Barbie perfectly!!!!

...a pink paradise!!..

Be back soon...

xx

Another Stampotique Challenge.......

There's just no stopping me now!!! The Stampotique Designers Challenge 29  is Sketch. I wasn't too sure about this one at first,as I've never used a sketch before, but decided to give it a go anyway. I'm really glad I did as I'm quite pleased with my finished card!

It is a Stampotique only challenge, so I chose the lovely Olivia as my main focus. Her head looked just in need of a pretty hat and so she chose Carol's Flower for the purpose! I don't think she would have looked out of place at the Royal Wedding wearing that!!! ........Philip Treacy eat your heart out!!!

The papers are from the Sweet Branch Collection by Crate, and Olivia herself is coloured using Distress Inks. A bit of doodling and a 'tongue-in-cheek' sentiment completed my card...

Thanks for looking!

xx

A chip off the old block....???

Had a lovely afternoon on Saturday crafting with my 2 very willing pupils....Mum and Bethany! I bought mum a Configuration Box when I went to ArtsyCrafts in February and she was keen to have a go at covering it, but was also convinced it was beyond her...not at all!!
Here she is hard at work with the tissue tape....

.....and here is the box now....all waiting to be filled with bits and pieces!! I think she did a great job!!!

At the other table in our craft room was Bethany who asked if I could show her how to make a canvas. With pleasure.....

She started off by spraying Dylusions Ink Sprays though a variety of masks, then adding a few dribbles and drizzles and some black & white highlights!! T'was already looking good!!

After drying it off (action shot....and check out those eyelashes!!) it was time for some stamping. She chose a couple of Stampotique stamps....Fab Moth which was stamped onto card and coloured with Distress Inks, and Bird in Cage stamped onto ink sprayed canvas and coloured with more Dylusions.

The words are from one of her favourite songs by Frank Turner (also a favourite of hers, although I have no idea what he sounds like!!). These were printed, cut, stuck on, then edged with black pen and coloured with oil pastels. She wanted the bird cage to hang so with a bit of trial and error, we managed that too!!

Here is the finished piece....I think it's just FAB!!! She did so well, and is now keen to do some more.....so watch this space!!!

See you soon!

xx

Another day...another challenge....

I was SO pleased to be awarded a Stampotique Design Team Favourite badge for the last challenge that I decided I'd have another go!!!
So here is my offering for SDC Challenge 28: Newsprint/Old Book Pages.

I sprayed a canvas with Dylusions Spray inks, then added some black and white highlights and a touch of  Viva Precious Metal in Blue Azure and Mother of Pearl. The birdcage stamp is PaperArtsy, as are the flower and cage dies. I cut these using old book pages, lightly tinted with Distress Inks. The quote is taken from one of my newly purchased anthologies (what a great word, that is!!). I printed this on the computer, then edged with oil pastels when I'd stuck it down...and VOILA!!!

Hope you like...and thanks for looking!

xx

Stampotique Triptych Challenge....

To be honest, I never thought my attempt at a triptych card for the Stampotique Designer's Challenge 27 would ever make it my blog...I seem to have been making it for ever, and felt sure I must have run out of time...but I do believe, I've just made it in the nick of time!! PHEWWWW!!

I started off by folding and cutting a piece of A4 card, then creating a background using acrylic paints in shades of yellow, blue and green on both sides of the card. I stamped with Daisy Daisy along the bottom edge of both sides. I stamped Row Houses onto old book paper and also onto white card, then coloured the card centre house with Distress Inks, cut it out and stuck it back in its correct position on the paper row. 

At this point I had 2 songs going round in my head.. both 'Our House', one by Crosby Stills & Nash (Our house is a very very very fine house, with 2 cats in the yard) and the other by Madness. Whilst I love the first one, the stamp seemed to lend itself to the lyrics of the second better, so that was the one I chose. However my house did end up with 'one cat in the yard' in the form of Kitty!! The little fence in front of the house is a Collage Anonymous download.

For the front, I stamped Welcome Door onto card, coloured it with DI's again and cut and mounted it onto the triptych. I completed the 'Welcome' phrase on the door with a few more words printed on the computer and edged with a fine black pen. I thought someone needed to be making the statement, and Two Sticks seemed to fit the bill perfectly!

I also decided to pop them outside their house on the inside too!

I think they'd definitely have to 'duck' to fit inside!!!

My mum has commented that my work never looks as vibrant on the blog as it does in reality. I think this is true of all of our work, but generally I tend to use my phone to take my photos, so this time I have actually used a camera, and taken advantage of the recent good weather and used natural daylight. I think they are a little better.....

Thanks for looking!!

xx

Anniversary...Mother's Day....and babies!!!

Had a busy couple of weeks preparing cards for last weekend! Obviously I couldn't blog these as I didn't want the recipients to get any sneaky peeks...but here they are now!
On Saturday it was our 23rd Wedding Anniversary...we had a lovely day & overnight in Chester, and thanks to my lovely hubby I am now the owner of a Pandora bracelet :) We went to 'Appy Feet' and had our feet nibbled by little fishies...a strange, yet very pleasant experience!

...And here is the card I made for the man himself....

It's very plain, but I love it for its simplicity! The bird image is Stampin' Up, the writing is all computer generated and the bunting is hand cut from printed paper, then doodled round. Simples!!!

Next up was Mother's Day...obviously we weren't at home in the morning, so Mum had to wait a little while for her card and pressie...she said it was worth the wait...so that was the main thing!! Here's the card...

I created the background using a variety of acrylic paints and ink sprays on watercolour paper. I then stamped the small butterflies (Stampin' Up, again!) onto this and stamped further, larger butterflies onto some offcuts. The words are, once again computer generated. Here's a close up...

The antennae took me longer to make than the rest of the card!!! I threaded seed beads onto very fine florists wire and attached to the back of each butterfly with red line tape. The butterflies are attatched with foam pads on one wing to give a little dimension. I had a spare butterfly left over, so decided to use it to make an insert for the card..

I made..well, with a lot of help from M&S!.....a lovely afternoon tea for us all...in anticipation of our trip to The Ritz for the real thing in May!!! It was a lovely relaxing weekend....though I fear my diet has 'gone to pot'!!! Guess what??? I don't care!! Next week is another week!!!

My final offering for today was made to welcome the most adorable little bundle of gorgeousness I've seen for quite a while! I wanted a slightly unusual present, and whilst I was hunting..came across this....

...which got the old cogs turning...I thought "Hmmmm, I'm sure I can alter that to look more imaginative than it does right now!" I THINK I was right!! 

It went to this...

...with the addition of some gesso and acrylics....and then to this....

...with some die cut flowers and letters!! Not forgetting the charms, of course....

It was posted 'First Class' on Friday....and still hasn't reached its destination, which is about 15 miles away! Could have walked there quicker!! Just hope it hasn't got lost on the way :(

Couldn't finish without a picture of the babe herself...

....how beautiful is she???

Thanks for looking...see you soon!

xx

PS....Just heard from Isabella's mummy...it's arrived!!! PHHHEWWWWW!!!!