Sunday Stamper - Week 367 - Just An Old Fashioned Girl

Goooodly Afternoon Stampers and a very happy  Sunday to you all!  Thanks for your entries into the last challenge... I loved seeing all your gorgeous entries!  This week the theme is ... VINTAGE.   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something; a card, canvas, ATC, a piece of altered art... the choice.. it be yours! Add in some stamping and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me or by leaving me a link to your Pinterest or any other photo hosting site.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 5th December 2015.

 My entry is a whoppping mahooooosive canvas (12" x 16") I decorated... it was my class sample from my Melt Pot class yesterday for Ali-Craft in South Hykeham... we had a glorious day getting all hot with the Melting Pots... you all know how much I love anything with a smidge of beeswax slapped on it and this canvas sure is covered in it!

The papers are from Prima's Archivers collection - they are beautiful... the colours are right in my comfort zone... and I just edged them with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink to give them a bit of oomph.  The flowers are made from Tim's Tattered Florals die... they are my fave flowers to make - you'd never have guessed that right?  I just edged these with Aged Mahogany to give them a bit of a pinky tone and then dipped them right into beeswax to coat them... I did the same with the leaves which are Tim's Tattered Leaves... and then I added a butterfly - stamped onto the same card and also dipped into the wax and pearls added for his body.  The birdy is my Carabelle Studio FAVE bird stamp EVER *and I have a lot of birdy stamps!* ... he was stamped onto the same papers and cut out, inked and then glued down before I waxed so he looks part of the design.  The little embellies are moulds of UTEE poured from the Melt Pot and then generously coloured with Treasure Gold - I am loving the flower... the different metallic colours look so pretty IRL.

Thanks for looking and have a great rest-of-the-day... I am about to bung a leg of lamb into the oven (yes, the Domestic Goddess in me is alive and kicking today) and I shall be serving it with cauliflower cheese (nomnomnom), swede and carrot mash, roastie spuds and sweetheart cabbage.  A few Yorkshire Puds will also put in appearance along with my special mint gravy too... ohalalaaaa... and wait til I tell you what is for pud!!!  Mmmm, I am positively drooling and having to sit on my hands so I don't go and nibble at it already... my favest raspberry cheesecake and..... double cream!!!  I can hear my hips saying "please no" but today I shall be listening to my mouth which is saying "give me something tasty!"   Well, it is a well known fact that raspberry cheesecake and double cream is actually completely free of calories if eaten after lamb... they cancel each other out you see... *ahem*    Right, I shall love you and leave you and say.... TTFN!

Hels x

P.S.  Now... I have some verrrry exciting news to share but I will keep you in suspenders for a few more hours... check back tomorrow when I will be letting you know about a grand new adventure! 

Sunday Stamper - Week 366 - Imagine

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy  Sunday to you all!  Thanks for your entries into the last challenge... it was nice to see some new peeps entering too, so thank you!  This week is a nice easy theme... just use the word IMAGINE.   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something; a card, canvas, ATC, a piece of altered art... the choice.. it be yours! Add in some stamping and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me or by leaving me a link to your Pinterest or any other photo hosting site.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 21st November 2015.

My entry this week is a class sample from a few weeks ago.  As you all know, I loves Distress and especially Distress Paints... I love the freedom they give me to smoosh the colours around a project.  I used Mowed Lawn, Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China and Cracked Pistachio Distress Paints on this project... there's Ranger's Texture Paste on there too under the paints, smooshed on thru Tim's Flourish Layering Stencil... I used my magic little Stabilo All pencil to add shading around the stencilling to make it pop from the background a bit.

The decoration is made using Tim's Perspective butterfly, stamped three times, cut out so it is smaller with each layer and coloured with Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron and Spiced Marmalade.   I added buttons, pearls and little star gems which I coloured with Treasure Gold so they were metallic rather than just being any old colour.  I also used the Ornate Frame die, Tim's new Sprig punch (this is FAB) and Tim's Mixed Media diecuts on the canvas and the words is formed of letter from his Alphabet Thinlets dies.   Around the edge of the canvas I did my usual two tone look - I know, I do this all the time but I like the look of it!

That's all for today... I hope you have a cracking day whatever you have planned... thanks for looking and... TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 361 - And Your Bird Can Sing

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Big thanks to you all for joining in with the last challenge... the weekly challenge is now back after a little summer holiday and I hope that you will be able to join in getting stampy and inky again.  The song title and theme this time is all about... BIRDS.   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something; a card, canvas, ATC, a piece of altered art... the choice.. it be yours! Add in the theme AND some stamping. Then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me or by leaving me a link to your Pinterest or any other photo hosting site.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 12th September 2015.

My entry this week is a small glass jar that I have altered.  My Mojo has been well and truly awol of late and I spotted that my friend Joanne had been playing with glass and texture paste... which reminded me of a project I did a few years ago.  So, I decided to have another go and make another altered jar.   I spread Wendy Vecchi's black embossing paste onto the jar and sprinkled microbeads into the paste whilst it was wet.  Once it had dried, I used Spanish Topaz, White Fire and Classic Treasure Gold, applying it with my finger over the bumpy bits of the texture paste and microbeads so the textures are highlighted.

I am always on the scout for unusual metal bits and bobs and a few months ago an old standard lamp we had went to the tip... but not before Grim had cadged the lead and switch and I had nicked the brass fittings off it... so I used one of the fittings on top of the jar so the cork is raised up slightly.  It was a perfect fit too!  Result!  I covered some black Clearly for Art with Kaisercraft papers, stamped a couple of Studio 490 flowers onto the papers, cut them out, flipped them over, heated them and moulded them and then blended a little bit of Stormy Sky Distress Ink over to add a pop of colour.  I added a couple of Clearly For Art butterflies (Darkroom Door Wings set) and a resin bloom to finish the flower.

The bird is a Prima resin embellie... he started out as a grey white colour, I used a brush to apply Sapphire and Spanish Topaz Treasure Gold over him to make him match into the design.  Finally, I inked a postage stamp shape (Tim's ephemera - flipped over as I didn't like the design on the other side) and stamped the words... and voila... finished!

That's all for today... have you anything planned?  It is the BTCC from Rockingham - we normally go to Rockingham being as it is so close to home but... the thought of sitting in the cold and (possibly - likely!) wet over sitting in the warm dry house watching it on ITV4 and having a nice beef in beer roasty lunch... well, guess which won!!!   Thanks for looking... have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

**PS..... GO PLATO!!!**

Sunday Stamper - Week 344 - Locomotion

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thanks for your fab birdy entries to last weeks challenge.  The new theme this week is... STEAMPUNK.  You can interpret the challenge how you like: steampunky stamp, add cogs and gears, grunge it up... the choice, it be yours!   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping *this is THE important bit guys, please remember your rubberstamps!*  and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 14th February 2015.

My entry this week is my class sample from a great day teaching yesterday at the Ali-Craft Retreat in Daventry.  I always have fun teaching the folks who come along to their retreats and yesterday was just fab.  A bigger class than I normally am used to... 30 people (!) but 30 people means that I get to see 30 completely different projects at the end of the class... that is one of the most rewarding things for me, seeing all the different interpretations.  Big thank you to Ali and Iain for inviting me again and to all the delegates who were such fun to teach.

I won't go into great detail on how I made this... it wouldn't be fair on the peeps who came along to play yesterday... but I can tell you there are several Distress Ink techniques - the colours I used are Rusty Hinge, Antique Linen, Stormy Sky, Vintage Photo and Gathered Twigs.

There be texture paste and Treasure Gold, Tim stamps, Darkroom Door stamps and then some diecut and metal embellies... voila, one 12" square finished project :O)  I have a plan to find a glass fronted 12 x 12 deep frame thingy to pop this into... then it is going on the wall. 

That's all for now... I will try to get back to a proper blogging schedule this week... I have a few things made and in need of blogging already so I have no excuse!   Thanks for looking and have a fabby day.  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 322 - Deeply Dippy

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  As ever, thank you all for your fabby entries to last weeks backgrounds challenge - it was great to see some new peeps entering too!   The theme this week is all about getting some dimension into your art... and it is DEPTH & 3D. *I have an earworm already, Right Said Fred have a LOT to answer for*  You can interpret the challenge how you like: make a really dimensional creation, add in dimension and depth and all things 3dness to your art, build up your layers...  the choice, it be yours!  To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping *this is THE important bit guys, please remember your rubberstamps!*  and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can come see you.   If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook (just tag me name) or by emailing a small res.pic to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 30th August 2014.

So!   My entry this week is actually the sample I made in class yesterday at Daisy's Jewels & Crafts in Coventry.  We had a lovely day getting all painty and messy... and because this is a class sample, I won't go into to great a detail on how I made it.

I can tell you that I used Tim's Harlequin Border and some Martha Stewart punches to make some depth on my canvas... added in some 3d texture with a stencil and the paints I used were Adirondack Juniper (quite possibly my FAVE colour ever), Lake Mist and Espresso Dabbers.  I love Dabbers because of their chalky and creamy finish... very touchable.

The flowers are Ancient Copper and the embellies were treated to some Treasure Gold.  The stamping... the little diamonds are from Catslife Press (I love these stamps and have had them for about 217 years) and the sentiment is from The Artistic Stamper.

Today I am away back to Daisy's for an Exploding Box day... in complete contrast to yesterday, today will be clean (yeah, who am I kidding) and neat (like I said... kidding?)  Oh and a heads up... I will be popping a new date for visiting Daisy's onto Facebook and on here later on... more than likely be a weekend in October ... and... it will be... Melt Pot!  Hurrah!   I shall away now, sleeps to be had and all that.... Thanks for looking, have a great Sunday! TTFN


Hels x

Wish Pods!

...cor blimey! It has been a barren old month indeedily!   Mr Mojo decided he too wanted to go off on his holibobs and instead of just being normal and taking a week, oh no, he has to go and take nearly FIVE weeks!  I have been scratching around in the Room of Stash, looking to see if I can work without him but no, alas, I can't.  Imagine my enthusiam last night, well, actually, this morning at 1am, when I heard a great hammering and clattering in the Room of Stash... oh yesh, the old rapscallion decided to show his face.  So I have been up all night making sure that he is securely fastened to the floor in the Room of Stash, I used brads, screw eyes and jute to tie him down... hopefully it will keep him here a while! 

A few weeks ago I taught a class at Birds in the Barn in Essex and we were doing all things Fresco Painty and I needed to do a demo.. so I did a basic "painty ombre" background and then used a stencil with some Grungepaste, once dried, I used Cut & Dry foam to apply two colours of browny Fresco to ombre the seed pods too.  And that was about it... a bit of stamping in paint using Ellen's stamps and a bit of stamping with Archival using a script stamp and this demo piece went into my box of "stuff to finish sometime in the next 371 years!"   Well, after all the commotion of Mojo turning up last night, I hastened to the Room of Stash and grabbed the first thing I could see that needed finishing... and it was this.

I added some torn bits of Tissue Tape and then set about the embellishingments... starting with some Kaisercraft paper blooms which were very pretty but ever so slightly dull for what I wanted... I used Black Dylusions and a blue Cosmic Shimmer mist to bling them up... had another rummage and found some little card blossoms I made yonks ago and zapped those with the Cosmic Shimmer too.  Now the flowers were pretty but still not "big enough" so I added some flat Prima flowers behind them and blinged those up too.  OF course, I needed leaves so I nabbed some Artemio wooden leaves and coloured them with Peeled Paint Distress Paint, dried them and then added Forest Moss DI to two tone them.  I then popped some other embellibits on and slapped some Treasure Gold onto the pods and the card I had popped behind.  The word is made from Alphaparts which are stuck onto a little diddy bookplate.  I could've done a little panel of card to fit inside the bookplate but I wanted the stalks to show thru a bit so I just popped the letters onto the metal.

I shall away... I am on a roll at the mo and I don't want to turn me back on that old cad Mojo for too long in case he gets ideas and sneaks off again.  Oh I am happy to be finally back behind me desk and playing!  I HATE getting a crafters block!  Hope you all having a great week... Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Gorra Lorra Bottle... Make It! Take It! Challenge

...uh-oh! I am showing me age aren't I?  Remember the milk advert in the 70's?  Anyways, the reason I am waffling on about bottles is because this is the theme for the new Craft Stamper Make It, Take It Challenge which starts today.  CLICK HERE to see all the deets on how to join in and also all the super arty creations the DT have made too.

My project is a diddly little glass bottle that I bought about 251 years ago... can't even remember where I got it - in fact, I got three of them and they have just lurked in a cupboard ever since!   There are lots of different ways to alter a glass bottle... use papers, alcohol inks, paints... but how about using the fabulous technique from the one and only Wendy Vecchi?  Oh yesh, cover said bottle with her Black Embossing Paste! How fab this looks!  I opted to go for a very metallic effect once the embossing paste had dried... but imagine if you got some greeny colour paints and made it look like lichen and moss growing on the bottle! Oh the ideas are really popping now!  The paste was applied with a palette knife and to get the scluoopy (new word!) bits, I just patted the palette knife against the paste to make it peaky.  Once set, I used Florentine and White Fire Treasure Gold, applied with a brush, to add some metal effects.    The flowers are made by sticking some of Tim's new Wallflower papers to Clearly For Art blackout modelling film.  I stamped the flowers (from Studio 490 Live & Make Art set) and cut them out, edging them with Frayed Burlap to tone them in, gluing together and adding a little button to the middle.  I added some jute around the neck of the bottle and then used a little shield from Tim's Thrift Shop Ephemera, stamping the words from Tim's Little Labels stamp set.  The butterfly is also paper on Clearly For Art, heated up, shaped and then popped onto the bottle side.

Now I have two more of these bottles... so I am thinking I shall alter them all and have a little set of them to sit on a shelf somewhere in the house.   Don't forget to pop on over the to Craft Stamper blog to see the challenge details... there be a prize on offer too!  Thanks for looking and have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 295 - And Your Bird Can Sing

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all.  Many thanks for all your gorgeous diamond creations last week, it was great to see so many different interpretations of the theme.  The theme this week is rather poignant... more of that later... but first, the theme is... BIRDS.  To join in with the theme is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you like.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here, leave me a comment with a linky to the place you are showing your entry and then I can pop over to visit you. If you haven't got a blog, you can join in via Facebook, simply tag my name... or via emailing a small res pic to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 22nd February 2014.

As I mentioned, a poignant theme for me this week... in memory of my dear Aunty June who sadly passed away last week after a short illness.  I could have chosen so many different themes that remind me of her... but birds was the theme that stuck with me because I share her love of our feathered friends, especially owls.  When I was a kid I spent many a happy summer holiday staying with her, my uncle and cousins in "that London"... being a northerner in the south during those hazy summer days whetted my appetite for all things southern and I eventually ended up living in the south.  Aunty June always spoilt me, when I was little her birthday and Christmas pressies were always a little bit special, like a fancy pair of socks with golden threads woven into them, a beautiful red leather purse (which was sadly stolen) and in later years she bought me silver charms for my charm bracelet, all of them had a special meaning too; the Owl & The Pussycat because she used to say that poem to me when I was a kid.   She was a very special woman in my life and this piece of art is dedicated to my Aunty June... and the happy memories she left with me.

I won't go into too great a detail on how I created this canvas as it is my class sample from my workshop yesterday at Neil Burley's The Studio.  Big thanks to the lovely ladies who came along to play and get painty with us... and again to Neil for hosting the class.  I used a selection of Kaisercraft paints to create the background colours - Eggshell, Wisteria and Eggplant... aren't they gorgeous colours?  I don't know what is going on with me this year but I seem to have turned a little purple!  I had actually chosen to use soft mossy tones with smidges of mocha but changed my mind at the last minute!!! And then spent half an hour trying to dull down the purples until I was happy with the colours.  The sentiment is from The Artistic Stamper - available HERE... I love these lovely big wordy stamps - perfect for a mixed media project like this.

I must away now - I am up at stoopid o'clock today (scheduling this late last night... ) to travel to Birmingham for the Stitches Trade Show at the NEC.   I am demo-ing for Creative Expressions for the next three days so I might not be about much (social media might be a bit scarce too as the signal in the NEC is pants!) And as I hinted earlier in the week... I shall be demo-ing a brand new product from Creative Expressions... I am hoping to be able to make up a few samples whilst at the show so I will be able to blog as soon as possible to share all the goss on this fabby new ***** .... whoops, nearly let the cat out of the bag then!   As ever, thank you for looking... have a great day all.  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 293 - Black & Gold

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for the lush orange entries for last weeks challenge :O)   The theme this week is a nice easy one to get the juices going... and as the title suggests it is... BLACK & GOLD.   To join in with the challenge 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 along with a linky to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via Facebook (tag my name on your upload) or by emailing a small resolution piccie of your creation to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 8th February 2014.

My entry this week is actually my class sample for one of the projects that I am teaching  to 19 lovely ladies this weekend on my Middlesbrough retreat.  I am confusing myself already because I am scheduling this post (remember last week that Lionel Laptop refused to let me get onto yonder t'internet? didn't want to take a chance on being late again this week!)  Anyways, I have actually just taught this class yesterday (which is actually tomorrow because it is Friday now and not Sunday... yikes, confoooosing meself!!!)

I won't go into to great a detail on how the canvas was altered as that won't be fair on the ladies who have come along to the class.  You will be able to see the mahooosive rose though... that big one there is the new Tattered Florals die (about 5" across) and the smaller ones that look teensy are actually the regular Tattered Florals... all made out of cardstock to formed into the roses.  I loves making these ones as they just look so big and blousy!

I shall away now... it is still Friday and I have to get all my stash loaded into Ferdy and then get myself ready for the drive 'Up North.  Have a great Sunday and rest of the week.  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 288 - King of Wishful Thinking + CANDY!!!

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thank you for the fabby entries for last week's challenge.   This week sees the return of a fortnightly challenge - being as it is Christmas and New Year and time in our crafty spaces will be limited!  The challenge for this fortnight is... USE THE WORD WISH.   Also, I have some candy to giveaway to one randomly chosen entrant - my thank you to all my lovely Sunday Stampers for your entries this year.   To join in with the challenge 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, you can also join in via email (small res pic please) or via Facebook by tagging my name.  To be in with a chance of winning the candy, simply leave me a comment on this post - if you ENTER the challenge with a piece of artwork, you will be entered TWICE into the giveaway.  The theme will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 4th January 2014.

 The challenge theme is because during 2013 the word WISH has been "word of the year".  I have loved having this word as my special one... it has brought me lots of inspiration throughout the year and I will be a little sad to see it go... however, the word of the year for 2014 has already been chosen and I will be blogging about that at the end of December.

My entry this time is a papier mache board hanging that I have altered using the gorgeous Craftwork Cards Vogue Collection papers, using the paperblocking technique I lurves so muchly.   Once I had blocked all the papers, I did a very light wash of Mushroom paint over the top to tone the papers in to each other.  I good old coat of Matte Glue & Seal to ... yep, you guessed it... seal those papers and then I added a border around the edges using Black paint.  Once this had dried I got out my Stabilo All pencil and added shading to the paper blocks.  My stamping is the flourish stamp, randomly onto the edges of the base using Jet Black Archival ink.

Next up came some delicious stencilling using Wendy's Dreamweaver black paste and the new to me (hurrah, finally got this one!) "Three Flourishes" Studio 490 stencil.  I spread a nice generous layer of the paste over - I love this stuff... it is the same as the one in the giveaway too :O)  Once this had dried (with a little help from Mr Heat Tool) I started decorating the edges and stencilled bits with Treasure Gold White Fire and Spanish Topaz.  I wanted a bit of a bright colour on my design as the background was quite muted so I picked some gorgeous turquoise blooms from Kaisercraft and layered them up with white paper flowers and then coloured them with Stream Colorwash, Black Marble Dylusions and Ancient Blue Cosmic Shimmer spray for the extra bit of bling.  I keep saying this but I really loves the way spraying the Cosmic Shimmer over Black Marble gives a real metallic effect.  I added lots of bits and bobs of metal and resin embellies - all given a smidge of Treasure Gold to bling them up a bit (check out the ickle spark plug - how cute is that!!)

So, the Candy giveaway package is as follows: Wendy Vecchi's Signature Archival Inks: Watering Can, Potting Soil, Red Geranium and Fern Green, Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, Glossy Accents, Large Cosmic Shimmer glue and a bundle of metal charms too.  There will no doubt be a few extra bits and bobs making their way into the package too :O)  Remember, to be in with a chance of winning, leave me a comment on this post... and if you enter with a piece of artwork, your name will be entered twice.  Closing date/time for the Sunday Stamper is 21:00GMT 4th January 2013.  Entries received after this time will not be entered into the draw and duplicate comments will be deleted to make it fair to all who enter.  The winner of the giveaway will be announced on Sunday 5th January 2013.

Right then, tis time for me to get myself to bed!  I have still not got my voice back... I had a little bit of a croaky squeak earlier but it has gone again... boohoohoo!  Thanks for looking.. and thank you all for your continued support of my little challenge this year too.   Have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 286 - All You Need Is Love

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Many thanks for the fabby numerical entries for last weeks challenge... I know I says this all the time but I do really appreciate all the entries every week, makes me smile biggly to see your interpretations of my little challenge.  This week the theme is... *can you guess it?* LOVE.  To join in with the challenge 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 linky to the place you are showing your entry so I can hop over and see your creation.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via emailing me a small res piccie (my email can be found by clicking on my profile pic *points left*) or via Facebook, simply tag my name in your upload and I can come visit you.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 14th December 2013.

Guess what???   This is my 1750th post!!! That is one heck of a lot of wafflingtons isn't it???  And I noticed yesterday that I have 1600 followers now too... THANK YOU ALL for  your continued support!  Makes me heart happy!  

Anyways, on with my entry for the challenge.  So, the theme was going to be something else... which it can be next week actually so I shalln't tell you now... but I started making my entry and I used this stamp from Kaisercraft and it just seemed the natural thing to do... use the song title in the stamp!  And as you know, I lurves The Beatles more than any other band in the world ever... so it had to be done :O))   This piece is actually a DT thingy for Jones DT ... my December kit is a bunch of beautiful Kaisercraft 75 Cents collection papers... and the colours and designs are just so me... perfect for a spot of paper blocking right?  I cut pieces of the papers up and then layered them onto a photo frame (this is one of the *sadly* discontinued RAM frames from IKEA, I have one left now... )  I always use Cosmic Glue to stick me papers down, in fact, I use it for most things but it works perfectly for the paper blocking technique.  Once all the papers were stuck down and trimmed up, I did a very light wash of Antique White Kaisercraft paint to knock back the designs a little.  A quick zap with the heat tool and then a roughly applied layer of Glue & Seal to erm... seal the papers. 
 

The centre piece is actually a perfectly sized element from the papers, I cut it out and added a smidge of stamping to it; I made a template of scrap paper so the stamping didn't over stamp onto the edge of the paper and kept within the bordery bit.  The stamp is Windsor from Kaisercraft and I used Wendy's fabby Potting Soil Archival Ink (from her Signature Designer colours for Ranger).  I stamped the butterflies again, cut them out and edged with Walnut Stain to get rid of the white bits around the edges and then layered them over the base image.  The word is stamped with Black Archival to make it pop.  Now, I have to say, I have always been a bit of a "stamp snob"... you know, always favouring red or grey rubber and whilst I use clear stamps, I am always left a little disappointed that they don't stamp too well, they squish when pressed or don't ink properly.  I can safely say that this is SO not the case with these clear Kaisercraft stamps... I have tried lots of them and they all give perfect images... and they are not expensive either! Result!    The flower cluster was made using more Kaisercraft, the paper flowers are Sage and I added Black Marble Dylusions and Antique Green Cosmic Shimmer sprays to them to add bling.  Then I popped lots of little bits and bobs onto the design and added touches of Treasure Gold to finish off.
 

So, what you got planned for today?  I am going all "domestic goddess" and cooking a Sunday roast... contrary to what I was saying the other day on the tellybox shows, I do cook other stuff other than sausages... not much else I hasten to add but I have this tried and tested recipe from my dear MIL and whilst perusing the butchery bit in Morries the other day I spotted a rather nice looking piece of Brisket... so we are having Slow Roast Beef in Beer for dinner... I am drooling at the thought... oh and I got meself some sprouts too.  Grim won't eat them, he says they taste like "boiled farts" ... not sure he actually means that, I mean really? Has he ever tried to boil a fart I wonder... I must ask him!  Anyways, on that delightful note *you can always rely on me to lower the tone lol* I shall bid you a very goodly day and hope that you have a nice Sunday roast to scoff too!  Thanks for looking... 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...

Creating with Clutter...

... I don't know about you but I am a teensy bit of a hoarder.  Not often do I chuck stuff away... if fact, nay and thrice, you could say I keep everything cos one day it will "come in...."  You the same?  Well, I have this shelf above my desk and every so often it turns into the Shelf of Doom.  It is the dumping ground for lots of stuff that I have planned to use on my creations but then changed my mind.  I know, it would be easier to actually not be a lazy old bat and actually just put said stuff away but... well, you know what it is like don't you?  (please say yes!)

Anyways... I decided to have a bit of a de-clutter of the Shelf of Doom.  But then I got all pre-occupied with some cardboard bits I had found... namely a corrugated cardboard heart that had been painted red.  I couldn't bring myself to chuck it away... but the red looked really naff.  So, I grabbed another piece of card and turned them both into blue by blending Mermaid and South Pacific Fresco Paints onto them.  Of course, a bit of stamping had to be included so I used that delish new Watering Can Archival from Wendy & Ranger and stamped a Kaisercraft scripty background onto the card base bit.  And cos I could, I used Cornflower Archival and stamped the distressed diamonds (also Kaisercraft) onto the heart.  Actually, you can't really see them cos I then dumped a load of flowers over the top!  Whhoooops!

The flowers were also on the Shelf of Doom... plain white and very boring... so a bit of attention with Dylusions and Cosmic Shimmer sprays changed them to match the base bits.  Of course, I had to use some embellies... and all these were on the Shelf of Doom too!  Now, it makes my shelf sounds massive but it isn't really... it is very very piled high you see ;O))   Once everything was stuck together I popped it onto a bit of black mountboard and added on some Treasure Gold bits of jazz it up and then some string for the hanging bit... oh and the words are also from the Shelf of Doom... I remember the project I wanted these for and I changed my mind... so there you go, I am using up stuff after all!

Today I am venturing off to Birds in the Barn in Essex for two days of inky festive classes... so as I type this, it is actually last night... not today after all (and now we go down the whole, if it is now it is actually tomorrow and not really yesterday... and all of that sillliness.... you know what I means though... )  So, it is time for me to loves ya and leaves ya... don't forget, I have a giveaway (scroll down for the next post) and it is open until Sunday night!  Thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 277 - Wishing I Was Lucky

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for the entries you all made over the past two weeks.  After a brief sojourn, the Sunday Stamper is now back to the normal weekly workings :O)   The theme this week is  WISH.  To join in is simple: 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/webphotohostythingy, you can also join in via email (click on my pic on the left hand side) or via Facebook, simply tag my name.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 12th October 2013.

My entry this week is actually a class sample that I made a couple of weeks ago whilst teaching at Crafty Bunch in Telford.  Chock full of Distress Paints - did I ever tell you I LOVES Distress Paints?  I love the colours... and Ranger has just announced that a further 6 have been added to the DP family... including Iced Spruce (am dead excited about that one!)  I love the reaction with water they have... and the liquidity too.  And just a very *small* hint that maybe... tomorrow... if you tune in to the Craft Clinic on Create & Craft at 11am, you might just see some... *whispers* techniques involving Distress Paints.... I shall say no more ;O))

 
As ever with anything that I made, I love to add in the layers.... this canvas has lots of them including the stamping - which is my fave Studio 490 background from Heirloom Art and texture added through a stencil - the delicious Studio 490 Dreamweaver embossing paste no less... and then there's the bling... in the form of smudges of Treasure Gold, worry not if you don't have Treasure Gold though, you can use Gilding Wax and get a similar effect :O)

Anyways... I shall away!  Today I am chasing my tail (that is figuratively speaking cos I haven't actually got a real tail... although if I did have one it certainly would have a little point on it lol)  Lots of prep to do for the shows tomorrow... as I said, I am on at 11am - 1pm for the Ranger Craft Clinic (and Melt Pot fans might be interested in this show too... cor blimey, I am dropping mahoosive hints left, right and centre here!) and again at 4pm for an hour long stamping show.   Hope you can join me!  In the meantime... have a fabby Sunday!  Thanks for looking, TTFN

Hels x