Happy Christmas!!!

Gooodly Morning to one and all... and a VERY Happy Christmas to you all... may your Christmas bring all your wishes and dreams come true!  I have been busy supervising in the Room of Stash.  Oh yesh indeedily, a certain little AlfieCat decided he wanted to get Ink on his Paws and make Daddy's Christmas card.  He spent a little while mooching around Tim and Wendy's blogs and decided he wanted to make something similar to Tim's 12 Tags December edition... and add in their fabulous Frosted Film and Clearly for Art technique.  HERE is Tim's post and HERE is Wendy's *worth taking a glass of sherry and a mince pie with you when you visit cos you will be there yonks!*

So.  Alfie is a bit of an inky demon and a few weeks ago I took delivery of the new Tim Layering Stencils, Holly and Diamonds.  AND... they were still in their packets, unopened and uninked!  How very remiss of me but I haven't had a chance to sit and play.  AlfieCat is all for using up stuff that hasn't been played with yet and ripped open the packets and off he went, using Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain DI's to colour the base of the tag and filling his paw up with water and flicking it over the tag to add some distressy splats.  I did the heat tool thing to dry it, last time he went near one he frazzed his whiskers.  He then layered the Holly Stencil over the tag and used Forest Moss and Fired Brick DI's to colour.  Another zap from Mummy with the heat tool to dry the ink and then he layered the Diamond Stencil over and used Frayed Burlap to colour.

The fabby technique from Wendy & Tim is adhering Frosted Film to Clearly For Art... how cool is this!!  Die cut with the Tattered Poinsettia, Holly Brank and the sprig from the Tattered Pine Cone and then coloured with her Signature Designer Ranger Archival's in Fern Green and Geranium (and Alf added smidges of Olive to add a second tone of green to the holly leaves)  A zap with the heat tool from me to dry the Archival ink and then I did the next bit: flip the pieces over so the Clearly For Art is face up and heat until it starts to flutter... and then shape whilst still hot... once cooled, the Clearly For Art keeps it shape!  Don't like the shape? Simply reheat and reshape!  This technique ROCKS... seriously, you NEEDS to try it!  Just think, you could colour the die cuts with Promarkers/Copics, Alcohol Inks etc.  Once assembled, I added the bits of Idea-ology and the sentiment is one of Tim's Rub On's.  Alf then coloured the card base using Frayed Burlap and the Diamond Stencil so it carries the design through to the base... isn't he clever!!!???

Right, I shall away... tis time to open the pressies that are sitting under the tree.  I have no idea what Father Christmas has brought me this year!  Hope you all got some lovely stashly goodies... go on, do tell, whatcha get???  Have a lovely day everyone!  TTFN

Hels x

Orbs!!!

...you know that thing when you take a photo and when it is developed (oh dear, how old am I... *don't answer that*) when you get to see it proper, there are little orbs all over it?   Well, I have seen different theories, photographers say it is a light something-or-other... most of us think that it is a capture of a spirit around the subject of the photo.  I have to agree actually, I am a great believer in all that stuff.  Anyways, what am I waffling on about orbs for?  Well, it wasn't until I took the pics for todays tag that I realised I had created my own "orb" on my tag!  Check it out... (just under the "rr" of the sentiment)

What do you think?  Is it an orb?  Or just a little lucky splash of water landing on a Distress Inky background?  I am sticking with the orb theory, cos I can... like :O))  Anyways,  today's tag is my class sample from last Sunday's Hels' Tags of Christmas class.  In the morning the ladies created more or less what I made for the original, then in the afternoon they had a second tag to really play with... this is mine, slightly squished as it wasn't dry when I packed it into a box at the end of the class, so please excuse the dodgy looking pinecones!  The resist technique I used was done using Antique Linen Distress Paint - I just think it is fab that the DP's are waterproof when dried, so when you resist them, they don't budge at all... cool huh?

Afore I go, I shall announce the winner of the giveaway yesterday... we had 53 comments in total so I fed this into Random.org and he came up with the number 30 which tallies with the comment left by Jac777.  Congrat to Jac and please can you email me with your postal addy so I can pop the prize into the post?  My email can be found by clicking on my profile pic over there *points left*.

I shall away now... I have a new DT piece to play with today and of course, the new Sunday Stamper that will be here tomorrow.  A nice inky day ahead, bliss!  Thanks for looking, have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 285 - The Number of the Beast

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all.  Massive thanks for all the gorgeously golden entries for last weeks challenge.  This week has a bit of a different theme... and that is to USE NUMBERS!  To join in is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here and leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, worry not, you can also join in via Facebook (just tag my name on your upload)  or via email, attaching a small pic and description how you made your entry.  You can find my email addy by clicking on my piccie over in the left hand sidebar.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 7th December 2013.

 My entry for this week is my class sample for today's Hels' Tags of Christmas at Busy Bee's in Sheffield... so I won't go into too much detail how I maded it because that wouldn't be fair on the ladies who are coming along to play today.

I used lots of lovely Distress Inks to create the background... and the observant of you will spy a nice little resist technique on there too... along with some die cuts from Tim's Alterations dies... I do love these dies, the fact that you can cut thin card right through to Grungeboard and mountboard... they is perfect!

A short and sweety post from me today... I am actually sitting here typing ever so quietly on Friday evening... Grim is on nights so he is in bed at the mo... I have been attempting to tippy-toe around the house this afternoon... I was doing ok until the phone rang... another of those calls from a foreign land, telling me that if I give over my account details, they will transfer some monies to me.  Oh yesh, I am all over that one.. I put on my best "telephone voice" *think Hyacinth Bucket* and told the eejit on the end of the line that if he dared to call my number one more time I was going to report them to the "authorities"... Although, quite who the "authorities" are is beyond me... but it sounded very convincing! To be honest, I am getting cheesed off with those annoying calls.  Thankfully he didn't wake up Grim (phew) and I don't think he will be trying to call here again in a hurry lol   Right, I shall away... have a great Sunday y'all!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 284 - Fields of Gold

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all.  Big massive thanks for all the gorgeous entries for last weeks challenge.  This week sees a return of a theme... and one of my fave songs ever too.  The theme is... GOLD.  To join in is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here and leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, worry not, you can also join in via Facebook (just tag my name on your upload)  or via email, attaching a small pic and description how you made your entry.  You can find my email addy by clicking on my piccie over in the left hand sidebar.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 30th November 2013.

My entry this week is my class sample from Friday's class at Birds in the Barn.  Thanks to Janet for hosting the class (and making me so welcome, as usual) and to the lovely ladies who came along to play.  As it is a workshop sample, I won't go into too much detail how I maded my creation... all I will say is that tonnes of ink, Distress and Archival, paint, embellies and gorgeous Tim Holtz Alterations dies were used.  The gold element is from the little snowflake embellies - simply coloured with Treasure Gold and some other bits and bobs that I popped onto my creation to make it pretty.

Each year, since 2007, I have made an 8" x 8" piece for Christmas... be it a canvas, shadowbox or frame.   Every Christmas they are displayed in the living room along with the rest of the decorations.  It is nice to unpack them every year - they get stored in the loft for the rest of the time - and remember what I used and how I made the creations... and also, I can see the different techniques I have learnt over the years.  I have been playing around this year, making Christmas stuff... but, no cards yet!  I know!  I am a baaaaad girl!  I was planning on a mammoth card making sesh today... but I have a much better plan for today now... oh yesh, me and Ellen are having one of our Skype Sunday sessions... I can't wait... it is toooo long since we had a chance to sit and get crafty together!

But before I can do anything remotely crafty, I needs to get my Room of Stash sorted out.  Going out teaching is brilliant, I loves it... what I no likey is the unpacking of the boxes at the end of it all.  And last week I put it off... but no!  This week I am going to be uber organised and get it all done and dusted so I have two desks for me and Ellen to play at.  I usually pop her onto the spare desk, well, not her really, that would be hilarious though... no, I pop the laptop onto the spare desk so it is just like she is right here with me.  Thank heavens for whomever invented Skype!  They are a genius!!!

I had a bit of a "do" in the night last night!  I haven't been sleeping too well of late.  You know that thing when your brain won't shut off and it keeps on buzzing like it is on a treadmill?  Well, mine has been even bossier and has been on a cross trainer for the past few weeks.  Add to that the old war wound is playing up... sleeps has been a bit elusive.  Last night I was sooooo knackered (although I managed to watch Dr Who, OMG, how amezzzzin' was that!!!) anyways... knackered old carcass in bed and bam, sleeps!  Not even a full page of book read!  Hurrah!  Well, not so much hurrah when two hours later I somehow managed to fall out of bed!  (again at that!) When I say "fell", it was more of a slither!   I am blaming pyjama's.  And now I just typed that I am wondering... have I mis-used the apostrophe?  Pyjamas?  Pyjama's... uh-oh!  Well, I blame my pyjama bottoms!  *ha got around the apostrophe quandry there ... teehee*   And why do I blame them?  Well, they are a bit slidey and the legs are too long - on account of me being... ahem... a smidge on the sort side.  So... I conclude that the wearing of a pyjama ensemble (see, got out of the apostrophe thing again) is dangerous for your health!  And on that bombshell I shall bid you a very goodly day and say.... thanks for looking!  TTFN

Hels x

P.S - don't forget, I have a giveaway running until 23:59 GMT tonight... CLICK HERE to be in with a chance...

It's A Giveaway...

...I loves a good giveaway I do!  Last weekend I ventured to Craftasmic in Taunton for a weekend of demo's and teaching.  On Sunday two lovely groups of ladies joined me to make Christmas in Burlap.  Now, I already had my original class sample... and then I made another one during the morning class... and another one during the afternoon class.  I left one sample at Craftasmic and brought two home.  And I don't really needs two so I figured I would do a little giveaway!  This is the Burlap Panel that you could win:

To be in with a chance of winning is simples: click to follow this blog (if you don't already) and leave me a comment.   If you haven't left a comment before,  you needs to click on the "inky thinkings" button at the bottom of this post.  Leave me a comment, if you haven't got a blog/Google account, you will need to make a Google account to leave a comment as I don't accept anonymous comments. (just put "Make Google account" into Google and follow the steps)   The closing date/time for the giveaway is 23:59GMT, 24th November 2013 and the winner will be announced on Monday 25th November. The winner will be chosen at random, if the chosen winner doesn't come forward to claim their prize after 7 days, I will re-draw the giveaway.

Those there pics are from the giveaway panel... and the following is of my original sample (which I am keeping lol)  If you haven't had a play with Tim's Burlap Panels yet, you are missing out!  There are lots of different sizes to chose from too.  There's the big one which is 6" x 8" and then this size which is 4" x 6" and then there are four diddy ones in a pack (which I have and am planning my project for them already!)   The colouring of the Burlap was done with Distress Paints... and the embellies are all from Tim's Alterations dies and stamps.

I guess I had better get myself moving, I have been a little bit lazy this week already... and that to-do list is still looking a bit long (ok, it is as long as my arm and so far I am at wrist level lol)  so sitting here waffling isn't getting things ticked off now is it?   Oh and speaking of ticks... I'm A Celebrity... I am watching... it is going to be a classic year...   Thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

The First Noel... **Plus The Winner!**

...I don't know about you but that festive feeling is creeping up on me early this year!  I mean, I am not at the point of contemplating Christmas cardmaking just yet... oh no, I usually leave that to the second weekend in December when I get all of a panic and go out and buy them (shock horror!)   However, since I bought the gorgeous Christmas Post papers by Craftwork Cards, I have been feeling ever so slightly Christmassy.  The other night I had cleared up the Room of Stash, done all my DT commitments, answered all my emails, done all my up-coming class projects... so that meant... I had some PLAYTIME!!! Yeeehawwww... I loves it when I get some proper guilt free crafting time and I made the most of it... making this piece for starters:

Using the gorgeous papers... and the offcuts that I always save, I popped them onto a 5" x 7" canvas, paper block stylee.  These papers really are lushness themselves and even the smidgiest of smidgy pieces is perfect to use!  Once the blocking was done, I used watered down Mushroom paint to blend all the papers together and give them a shabby look... and once this was dried I slapped a generous layer of Glue & Seal on to ...erm... seal (!) the papers, this not only means that they won't be affected by any water/humidity, it also means that if you make a boo-boo, you can just wipe it off!

I used my Stabilo All pencil to add some shading to the paper layers and then set about getting covered in glitter!  I know!  Me! Glitter!  I blame that Tim bloke you know... I used to eschew all things glittery and turn my nose up at anything remotely sparkley.  Not any more... Oh ho!  The new Distress Glitters are LUSH! GORGEOUS! LUSH! GORGEOUS! Mmm, you get the message I reckon!  Anyways, I cut out the Noel from Grungeboard and slapped Glue & Seal on it and then popped Tarnished Brass Glitter over the top and allowed it to dry.  I then grunged it up a bit with some black paint...well, it has to be a bit grungey ;O))  I then cut out the Tattered Poinsettia using more of the Christmas Post papers and added Holly Branch leaves and branch using Distress Core-Dinations.  The flower was coloured with Fired Brick DI and the leaves with Forest Moss DI.  A few golden pearls and a snowflake finished off the canvas... and there you have it... all things festive!

Anyways, I guess that I should get around to telling you who the winner of yesterday's Bezel giveaway is... so, I had 81 comments left, thank you all!  I fed this into Random.org and he popped up with the number 26 as the winner, this tallies with the comment left by Patricia Youdell   Congrats to Patricia , please email me your address and I will pop your prize into the post.

That's all for today... as ever, thank you for looking... I hope you have a fabby day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 282 - 99 Red Balloons

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Big hoooge thanks for all the gorgeous dimensional delights entered for last weeks challenge.  This week is a nice easy  theme... can you guess by the song title *which, btw, has been twinkling around my head all week!*  Oh yesh, this week the theme is.... RED.   To  join in is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can pop and see you.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via Facebook (simply tag my name in your upload) or via email by attaching a small size pic (my email addy is over there *click on the pic of me*)   The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 16th November 2013. 

I can't believe that I haven't blogged for a week!  Where does the time go huh?  I have been busy this past week planning new classes for 2014 and I took a little trip to the NEC on Thursday and managed to grab a few new stashly goodies :O))   One of the things I have been after for a while is the new Merriment Paper Stash from the one and only Duke of Distress.  I love the colour palette and I love love love the patterns and designs.  So, being as I was all angelic yesterday and cleaned and tidied the Room of Stash, I figured I would give myself a little play time!

I covered a Size 8 tag with the papers and then dulled down the pattern ever so slightly by lightly dragging Antique Linen Distress Paint over the top.  A zap with a heat tool to dry the paint and then I blended Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain Distress Inks over the top and then spritzed with water for a shabby effect.  Of course, I needed some stamping so I used the gorgeous (and my new FAVE!) Watering Can Archival (the new Wendy Vecchi Signature Designer inks from Ranger) and lightly stamped a music score; I wanted a patchy "in the background" kind of effect for this bit of the stamping.  Next I used Jet Black Archival and stamped the flourish... and then set about making the embellies.

I used more of the Merriment papers to cut three Snowflake rosettes (Tim's Sizzix dies) and once I had assembled them (and removed several layers of skin from my finger where I dipped it into hot glue... OUCH)  I lightly painted Glue & Seal over the snowflakes and then sprinkled Rock Candy Distress Glitter over the top.  A little Festive Foliage for the middle and voila, one snowyflakey embellie!   I added tinsel twine and AB gems to the bottom of the tag for a smidge more bling and a few more bits of Idea-ology and metal embellies to jazz up the tag a wee bit more.  Finally, I used a Sharpie Marker and ran it around the edge of the tag to give it a frame and a nice finish.

So, I must away... tis waaaay past my bedtime and I needs to be up early (uh-oh... I was going to say tomorrow, as even though it is now really Sunday, because I haven't been to bed yet it is still Saturday... which means that I should say today... but being as I have already been up today... eeeeek! I am so confooosing meself now!)  Anyways... up early as I am on Create & Craft at 12pm with a Melt Pot Tool Shed... and again at 7pm for an hour again with the Melt Pot.  Channel deets etc are over in the sidebar :O)  Hope you can join me!  All that is left to say is... Thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 279 - Hazy Shade of Winter

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all.  Big thanks for all your very special entries last week :O)  Just seeing you join in with my challenge makes me smile BIG!  This week the weather has turned hasn't it?  I for one am happy as I loves Autumn and Winter!  So, a seasonal theme this week, which is... WINTER.  To join in is simples: make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog/web-photo-hosty thing, worry not!  You can also join in via Facebook (simply tag my name on your upload) or via email, attaching a small size piccie for me. (my email is over there *points left* where my profile pic is)  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 26th October 2013.

So, my entry this week is another festive creation.  I have an old bag full of photo frames that are unloved and ripe for altering.  Every year I like to make a Christmas frame for the house decorations... so being as I have been addictively playing with the gorgeous Christmas Post Papers from Craftwork Cards, I figured this little frame would be perfect!  Now, normally I would change the appearance of the frame... and I do this last so it matches perfectly with the things I have used.  However, whilst sizing up and working out placements for the embellies, I popped the frame around the creation and saw that actually, leave it alone!  It is perfect the way it is!  So I left it!  And, yipyah and thrice!  I remembered to get a pic of the "before" although I needn't have because.. erm.. it is the same lol

The paper base has an added strip across that was torn and then distressed with Walnut Stain... and I added some smidges of flourish stamping using my fave new inkpad... the Watering Can from Ranger's Archival range by Wendy Vecchi... LOVE these colours! MUCH!!!   I stamped the sentiment, which is a mini Tim Holtz one, onto more paper, distressed the edges and then popped this onto some Kraft Distress Core-dinations.

I used the same cardstock and cut some Tattered Pinecones and Holly Branch shapes from the Tim range of Alterations for Sizzix.... made them all sanded and shabby and then glued them into place, adding a gorgeous fabric poinsettia, some pins and a few pearls.  The snowflakes were actually snipped into to make them go further, well, there's little point hiding half an embellishment underneath right?

Woe is me today! I have a sore throat and snuffly schnozzle!  It started last night and also, I keep going dizzy... yep, a proper dizzy blonde, I thinks I may have picked up a bug so today I shall mostly be taking it easy.. I haven't got time to get sick!  Hope you all have a fabby Sunday!  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

The C Word & The G Word...

...yikes! I need help! Muchly needing help!  Not only have I start the C word in October I have also added in the G word too!!!   I am not your regular *bah humbug* kinda gal though, I do loves Christmas but I just don't loves it starting too early... but in the World of Craft, there has to be a point in the year that Christmas crafting starts... and mine started this week!  So, that is the C Word part sorted... now for the G Word.  Well, I am a self-confessed disliker of glitter.  Don't get me wrong, I loves to see nice sparkly things as much as the next person but I really hate that it gets everywhere.  I once bought a gorgeous black top that had dots and sparkles of glitter all over it... after wearing it for a few hours not only was my face covered, so was Grim's, AlfieCat's and every other person in the pub was sporting a sparkle or two.   BUT.  Those magicians at Ranger have solved the *flying about all over the show* problem with Glitter... and they have invented Distress Glitter.  And I LOVES IT!!!

A few weeks ago I was teaching at Pickwell Farm down in Southampton and I spotted a rather delish paper pack in their well stocked shop.  Well, it would have been rude not to take a closer look and do a snatch and grab and bung it into my basket wouldn't it?  It is the new Christmas Post collection from Craftwork Cards.  The colours are PERFECT and the designs are fab too.  I have had my eye on it for a couple of weeks but what with being a smidge busy I left it to one side til I had time to play properly.  I started out with a small project (ok, I am being a bit stingey and not using too much paper in one hit lol)  

I covered a small papier mache hanging board with the paper, sanded the edges and inked with Walnut Stain DI to tone them in.  Also in the paper pack are some die-cuts including these gorgeous poinsettia's.  I edged them with Fired Brick DI and then got my Glossy Accents and drew around the edges, then sprinkled Fired Brick Distress Glitter... corrrr... indeedily it doesn't fly all over the show and it has a lovely crunchy texture.  I added Peeled Paint DG to the leaves and then I got a Card Candy and covered this with Antique Linen DG... how pretty!  The wordage is also a die cut and I added Glossy Accents to the birdy to make him pop a little.
 

Today I am in a state of much mirth and merriment... because we are off to the flicks this afternoon!  I love going to the cinema but it is one of those things that we rarely do because of Grim's shifts and so on.  I have been after watching Rush ever since I saw a clip of it on Top Gear earlier this year and today is THE day!   Also, and a smidge more excitingly... Grim bought a greenhouse yesterday!!!  I have wanted a greenhouse for absolutely yonks and finally we will have one!  I have done some weeding - ok, it took me a couple of days - but the site is now ready to be "Grimified" with membrane, met posts (nope, me neither lol) and a ton or so of gravel... and then it will be assembled!  We have got it from Norfolk Greenhouses because, to be quite frank, I am poop scared of glass.  I had a rather nasty altercation with a cold frame 11 years ago that resulted in me being about 2mm away from cutting my brachial artery so... plastic all the way for me now!  I am most excited that not only will I be able to grow seeds, I shall also, finally, be able to grow tomatoes.  I try most years to grow them and most years, ok, every year, the plants die.  Not next year, oh ho, I will be called the Tomato Woman of Wellingborough you know... well, I can dream lol   On that bombshell, I shall bid you a goodly day and go and get myself glittery again!  Thanks for looking, TTFN

Hels x