31 December 2011

Journalling into the New Year

Have had a wonderful time so far with family and friends and lots of partying and visitors but today my craft room morphed back from spare room to craft room and I had time to play. I have fallen behind in the weekly challenge at UK Stampers but I am determined to finish. Here are three of my pages. The first page reflects on my patience or lack of it depending on the circumstances. The background was built up in layers of paint and gesso. The figure is from a range of dylusion stamps stamped directly and indirectly onto the page.
I wanted it to turned around to reflect the two sides of me. The page was all green and calm to begin with and then I used fired brick distress ink to show my angrier side.
The next page is about Horoscopes and Astrology - my star sign is Aquarius so I chose a watery them and one of my favourite Stampotique stamps.
New Year Resolution - buy some daylight bulbs so I can take more accurate photos and check colours. I used Dylusion inks and wild honey distress stains to build up a watery feel using torn paper for waves. I also stenciled some stars on. I don't believe in horoscopes but always read them if I see them.
The last one is monochromatic using Dawn Bibby stamps - she was the person that got me into crafting and even if it is not really my style now the stamps still work. This page is all about wisdom and wise old owl sayings...
 I had to  include one from Winnie the Pooh as my dad always read me these stories and I always think of that owl when I think of Owls.
Have a fabulous and merry new year and I hope 2012 brings crafty fun and inky mess to a space near you.



21 December 2011

Where does the time go - flies by perhaps?

This month has vanished in a flurry of stuff but I am just not sure where all my time went... anyone else feel like that? I finish for the holidays tomorrow and I can't wait. We took a group of pupils to see Hansel and Gretel today and I am beginning to feel a little festive but I am usually full of Christmas spirit at this time of year but the bottle of spirit seems to be empty. The tree is now up and I have posted some presents and perhaps when I finish tomorrow the spirit of fun and freedom will creep up on me. Aprat from working and making Christmas cards I have not been very inky. I made a batch of felt birds and created a hanging for my niece and experimented with envelope fold cushions from my son's old Tshirts (I found the tutorial for this on Joanne Wardle's blog here). These are versions of birds I have made before with slightly different decorations and colours of felt.
I sewed them onto velvet ribbons and added bells from an unwanted Christmas decoration and then then added these to more ribbon. It was originally going to hang vertically but I realised my niece had low ceilings in her room and it would be better hanging horizontally.
It was late and dark and I needed to post the birds when I took this picture but you get the idea.
The envelope fold cushions from old Tshirts are so simple even a novice like me can make them. I have a pile of old Tshirts the boys were throwing out so am going to make some more. I plan to embroider the bottom one to make it a bit more funky.




3 December 2011

Tim's Tags - 1


 Here is my attempt at the first tag. It is very different as I am just using what I have (as per Tim's instructions) which includes a sizzix embossing folder, distress inks, flowers from prima, brads, distressed ink lacy ribbon. I punched some small holly leaves using a tonic punch and added them with some tiny bling around my lovely stampotique snow lady's head and on the page.
I liberally coated her in distress stickles for a glittery look. The glitter (not sticking very well to the letters) is Martha Stewart.
I don't have the banner (or any of the other dies) so I just tore a piece of craft resist and cut the banner edges and used picket fence and broken china distress. The fir type leaves are just a piece of card which I cut into a fringe. The pearl brads and red bling were in my box.
 I like the effect. Note I embossed the wrong side of the folder and used lots of picket fence distress stain but decided I preferred the look of that side of the tag.. The falala was the closest Christmas greeting I had (sizzix die). I just enjoyed the process and thinking about how to create something inspired by the tag.

2 December 2011

Christmas cards a mixed bag

If you pop into this blog on a regular basis you will know that card making is not really my thing as I don't seem to have the patience or skills to be neat and tidy.. but I have been making a few.
TH resist as background, Stampotique stamps, 

TH resist as background, Stampotique stamps, 

TH resist as background, Stampotique stamps, 
My children as my worst critics and youngest daughter commented on the above - well they okay mum but they're a little weird (that was the plan). You cannot send that to the grandparents. I know what she means so I have made some slightly more traditional cards.
Lets Build a snowman stamp, wobbly stamping and background papers from Levi Whitlock paper stacks


I found some Smirk papers daughter had used last year and cut them up to create new images and punched some snowflakes and then tried a one layer card.



A very mixed bag but at least they are homemade...