HAPPY EASTER

HAPPY EASTER

to everyone who celebrates this time of year.

These  gorgeous cards are from 2 dear friends and although I have never made an Easter card in return, they always send me Easter wishes. Thank you girls.
Enjoy your holiday break and all those eggs!!

MY BOOK OF RUINATION

I have had to learn a very big lesson whilst making my book - patience - not generally known to me.
Andy Skinner's online class is a real blast and you would so enjoy yourself if you decide to take part.
Here is my finished book:

I used Andy's skull mask too.
I am really pleased with how this has turned out and I'm now going to try what I have learnt on different shapes.

WOYWW #199

Oh Julia have I got a surprise for you this morning. Look - a messy desk:

It's been tidy for so many weeks that I almost forgot what a mess I can make.
I am desperately trying to complete a decent piece following Andy Skinner's online class, Book of Ruination. Pop over to Andy's web for details of this, it really is good fun. I therefore have paints, embellishments, sponge, brushes, paper towel, bits of card, torn book pages, mixing pallets, etc. etc. all over the place. The outside of my book is almost complete but I am now doing battle with my lack of skills to try and make a really nice inside. It will take a couple of days to achieve but I will keep going. It's at points like this when I wish I was an artist rather than a crafter who just has a go because I do get frustrated when I struggle with a technique that looks easy when done by the professionals. Still, it's all in the fun and just having a go. After all, if a pile of old plastic can be classed as art, then just look at the creation in the middle of my desk........
If you want to see more 'creations' then pop over to Julia's where you will find a list of like-minded folk having fun with all sorts of bits and bobs.
Happy and fun WOYWW.

DAFFODILS - TOBY

They've come through again, the daffodils I bought that are called Toby.
I split the bulbs between the 2 large pots near the front door and each have a lovely display of pale yellow daffodils. What a gorgeous sight especially as they are delicately scented too.

WHAT A DELIGHTFUL MORNING'S VIEWING

Within a period of less than 5 minutes, I saw in my garden:
Mr Blackie
Mrs Blackie
Robin
Noisy Collared Dove
Several Pesky Starlings
and
A SONG THRUSH
But look who is also paying us a visit:

Now if our Purdy was still here, this little critter would have been breakfast!!

However, had our Toby still been here, it would have been a present for his Dadi who would then have spent all day chasing it around the house and being bitten once he had caught it!!!!
Such fun.
A bit more fun on the cards today. I'm trying to sort my next DT ATCs out whilst pondering what else to do on my Book of Ruination.

That is just one of many jobs today. Just off to put some washing out..................

MY BOOK OF RUINATION - SO FAR

Considering that the snow has prevented our trip to Harrogate and York this weekend, I was able to do a bit more to my book courtesy of Andy Skinners online class.
This is where I am with it:

Its so different a challenge for me as I'm used to stamping on card etc but it's one that has me hooked.

So this snow thing, have you got any 'cos we have had a tiny scattering over night and there was none for miles and miles around us yesterday. So gutted we couldn't go away but just didn't dare chance it. If you have snow, or worse still, if you do and have lost power, keep warm as best you can because it will be gone in a few days - I hope.

I SHOULDN'T BE HERE

I should be on my way to Harrogate to the Motorhome show and then a trip to Art from the Heart. Then off to York for the night followed on Saturday by a good 'ol wander round York itself.
But where am I?????  STILL AT HOME.
Thank you to the great British weather bringing snow blizzards that have blocked the Pennine roads.
So a change of plans this weekend now mean I shall hopefully get some crafting done and be able to continue making my Book of Ruination from Andy Skinner's online class.
But also, it's my monster grand child's 10th birthday today. (she's not a monster really) so
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNA love you lots.

ATCs WITH ATTITUDE # 36 - EASTER

How the weeks fly by. It's time for another challenge at ATCs with Attitude, this time our theme is Easter.
But first, a big congratulations to the winners of our last challenge. I hope you enjoyed making your ATC and that you will join us again this fortnight.
Our wonderful sponsors are:
Delicious Doodles

4 digis are on offer for the winner
and
Sassy

4 digis are also on offer to the winner

I decided to use a DD image this time - Away with the Bunnies. It just reminded me of white Easter bunnies flying away on a magic carpet - silly I know. Anyway I came up with this:

I distress inked the background through a stencil and then added some embossing paste which I had coloured green, through another stencil. Once this had dried I rubbed over the raised bits with gold metallic wax.
The lovely image was re-sized, coloured with Copics and a Spica pen before being cut out and attached with 3D foam. The words are from Tim Holtz chit chat stickers.
Now our wonderful Design team have made stunning samples for you to see so please pop over to HERE to view them and find all the necessary details on how to enter this challenge.
Happy Easter.

NO WOYWW #198 FOR ME TODAY

I have no computer Julia so it's difficult to link a post using my phone, at least, I dont know how to.
It's gone for an upgrade and a fan clean plus some programme sorting.
I hope I get it back today.

IT'S BROKEN

My computer is poorly.
The fan needs a good clean which means a strip down to service it. The memory is too small plus it's running on old software.
So all in all its a bit of a pricey affair but seeing as its 7 years old, it's doing really well and worth the effort.
Won't get it back until at least tomorrow afternoon - I miss it!!

MULTI TASKING

I'm meeting myself coming back today.
Ebay has free listing again this weekend so I've just put a load of old craft stuff on. I have 2 Xmas cards on the make:

I signed up to Andy Skinner's Book of ruination so have been getting the necessary items together for that, just completed a very lengthy Spybot search on my computer, trying to cook dinner and not burn it plus making a list of the problems my computer has because I'm taking it to get it sorted tomorrow.
All this whilst trying not to scratch my skin off. Thank goodness I have a hospital appointment on Thursday. can 't take much more of it.
Right, got to go and get the Yorkshires in.

HELS SUNDAY STAMPER CHALLENGE - USE NEW STASH

Not joined in with many challenges for a long time. To be honest, I haven't gotten over winter yet which always knocks me sideways. I hate the dark days and I hate not being able to have my door open so I can just walk outside as though it were another room. This winter has been particularly bad because it looks like I may have succumbed to Photo Dermatitis, something you get from sunshine abroad!! It would make sense if I'd ever been abroad to get the darn condition in the first place. Anyway, next week I may just find out what it is that is hurting like mad and driving me insane. I digress - sorry.
Hels asked that we use either new craft stash or something we have had for ages but not used yet. I may have done both but took a photo of the new stash I used:

Stencils and embossing paste. I also used a black sheet of Clearly for Art which although not just purchased it is new. Oh! and a 12"x12" Kaiser Kraft sheet of butterflies -that was new.
Hels makes amazing art, mainly in tag form and I wanted to make a tag but to also use it to make a card. I came up with this:

Distress inks through the masks, bits of torn dictionary pages, smidges of traditional tan paint. Lovely and I didn't make too much of a mess.
It ended up as this:

I can't tell you how happy I am with this card. Usually I make an awful mess but this one has worked. I have some metallic waxes that you spread with your finger and I used about 3 different colours on the black embossing paste. The camera hasn't picked up the subtle colours but they almost match the background paper I used to matt onto the 8"x8" base card over the black matt. I also managed to tie a decent bow using 3 ribbons, 2 of which I distress stained to match the card.
So I will enter this to the challenge and await the critical eye of the challenge host after she has thrilled us at 3pm and 6pm on Create and Craft today.

WOYWW #197

Julia, many congratulations on 197 weeks of What's on your Workdesk Wednesday.
Having never flown in my life, Wednesdays allow me to travel the world whilst sat comfortably at home and don't cost me plane tickets or all those little extras that get added on. I get to talk to folk from Australia to Canada, Scotland to South Africa etc. etc.. It's a great pastime that also allows my nose to stay the same size despite poking amongst other's crafty stash!!! LOL.
However, I'm a reasonably tidy crafter so there's not always something to see on my desk, as today shows - again -

The stencils are new. I bought them yesterday from Inspirations who have just started to sell them. The embossing pastes are also new. They came from the same place and I bought those last week at Hels' demo. The plastic container has mucky water in it, left over from a disastrous canvas I made the other day, but the sticky gems are from a successful card I finished yesterday. The rest, apart from the 2 distress stains which need clearing away, is as it always is.
I hope you pop by. I never make it round to every one but do try and visit different desks each week, so have a happy woyww wherever you are.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

A GREAT BIG 

THANK YOU

to my special step daughters for beautiful cards

and the most stunning flowers

especially the Morticia stem - Susanna!!!!!! LOL

These 2 girls make my heart sing.
Mwah xxx

MY TAKE ON A LOVELY CARD

I saw what I consider to be a really lovely but simple card in the April issue of Craft Stamper, so decided to make something similar:

The base card is  6"x6" Papermania textured card, just a lovely finish to it. I used a Marianne creatables flower die for the flowers which I cut from plain white card which I had coloured and stamped with Distress paints and Tim's Mixed Media stamps.
The 'twirling' bit always gets me as I always roll the flowers the wrong way, see the orange one. Anyway, I decided to leave it and rolled the others correctly. I used Cosmic Shimmer glue to stick them together. I painted the distress paint on the card, spiced marmalade, barn door and peeled paint - same as on the flowers - dried each one then brushed a bit of picket fence paint over them through a Crafters Workshop stencil.
I already had the white swirl die cut so used that instead of trying to cut more. It's all assembled and glued down with Cosmic shimmer.
Rather stunning but very simple. Makes a change from the messes I usually make like this WIP:

ATCs WITH ATTITUDE # 35 - ADD SOME FLOWERS

We have had a pleasing number of entries for our last challenge although more would be nice. Many congratulations to the winner and top 3. Don't forget to request your banners.
This fortnight's challenge is to Add some Flowers. Our wonderful sponsors for this are:
Meljens:

who are offering 3 digis to the winner
and
Bugaboo

Tammy is offering 7 digis to the winner - wow!
Our amazing Design Team have pulled out all the stops and made amazing samples to inspire you so pop over to have a look at them HERE. 
I decided on using Meljens image - Doggy Bone and had a bit of fun by taking a photo of it with Huxley office manager to our son-in-law.

I scaled down the image and printed it onto plain card before using distress pens to add some colour. I rough cut around it and used 3D foam to attach it to the base card which I had covered with some fancy paper, also cut to a shape. I glued a few Prima flowers and seed beads to the image plus a brass dogs head which appears to be looking eagerly at the bone!! the words were stamped with mini letter stamps and cut out.
Please join us this fortnight and be introduced or in some cases, re-introduced to the enjoyment of Little Works of Art.

WOYWW #196

I'm sure you have better things to do than look at my empty desk again this week. Julia, can they all come round yours again please?
So you can see my DT folder which I've been working from most days. The screw driver is there because our boiler keeps losing pressure and has to be turned up so we have heat. Can't find any leaks anywhere so the plan to replace it this year seems a probability now. There is evidence of some craft having gone on as you can see a simple wedding anniversary card in the background next to yet another bag of wine gums.
I did manage to make a certain little girl's birthday card the other day which you can see in a couple of weeks after her special day and when we get back from our trip to Harrogate and York.
The Roman blind for the kitchen is still in my head although I now have all the bits needed and the old tv had gone off the wall together with all the sockets which have been hidden behind the curtains. So work on the decorating has begun albeit slowly and hence no crafting time.
Right, I shall away. I have an appointment with a demonstration. Happy WOYWW.

THE MORAL TO THIS IS.........

don't over fill your card and papers stock drawers. This is what you will find down the back of them if you do:

No wonder they didn't close properly.
Why on earth would I keep tiny bits of card and torn bits of paper in the first place?? Well, I suppose I can describe myself as a paper crafter so that's why I struggle to throw stash away. However, this lot is creased so it has to go, but wait a minute, that bit isn't too bad, nor that, and that's oil on water paper, far too nice to bin, that bit is.................

12 TAGS OF 2013 - MARCH

Isn't it just lovely to see something bright and cheery in anticipation of some sunshine at long last? Well Tim has made a start with the March tag. Lovely green grass, bright flowers and a glittery bunny. Spring is definitely in the air.
I decided to go about this month's tag by looking at the supply list and getting out the bits I had:

I knew I would have to compromise, I also knew I had some fiddly cutting to do but I did have some determination which has been sadly lacking for several weeks ( I used to suffer badly from S.A.D. every winter and I think I've had a dose this time).
So how to cut a bunny out of the middle of a shaped label without the relevant movers and shakers die:

Dive head first into grunge stash and find a bunny, draw round it to make a template:

After spending ages re-sizing it to fit the label, draw round it and cut it out with a craft knife:

Stand back to admire whilst giving self a great big pat on the back................success.
I was then able to follow Tim's instructions for giving my little chap some glittery bling. Never thought of using alcohol inks to colour the tinsel, how cool.

The next obstacle was how to cover the base tag not having the seasonal papers. I do however, have the seasonal stickers, so I used some of the Easter ones. The strip die that Tim used to make the grass is actually on my want   need list and so I used the Martha Stewart icicles punch instead. Ok, the effect isn't as dramatic but it worked ok.

I have a wooden stamp which is a dictionary definition of Spring, so I just used a black distress pen on the word 'SPRING' and stamped that onto the banner.

The best bit of this tag for me was getting to use the new distress paints. These in part, were a birthday and Xmas present otherwise I doubt I would be using them as they were not cheap. However, I love the quality and the ease of using them so maybe I'll have to save up in anticipation of the rest of the colours coming out at the next CHA. So I assembled my metal flowers and photographed my March tag amongst the tete-a-tetes and a few mini easter eggs!!

1 MARCH 2013

HAPPY ST. DAVID'S DAY

to everyone whose day it is.