King Of The Cluckers

...I am snorting a bit laughing at the title...well, here he is...the King of the Cluckers...but... what is a Clucker? I think it is one of these little fellas who are part birdy and part clock...so I have given them a name :O)) The stamps that made him are by PaperArtsy and are called Ding & Dong ... and when Wendy from The Stamp Attic got in touch and asked me to play with them...well, how could I refuse...they are so versatile and I just love the quirkyness of them.




I decided to make a tag and along with the Ding & Dong, I also used a fabby little crown stamp by Heidi Swapp and some of the most gorgeous clear ribbon from Maya Road, which has little clocks printed on it...haven't seen this before...all I can say is that it is my new fave thing and it reminds of those bras that have clear straps...tis kind of stretchy without being pingy...do you know what I mean? LOL




The tag was inked with Distress Inks...I stamped the parts of the Clucker onto cardstock, coloured it in, painting with Distress Inks for the little bits...and making some wings from Grungepaper. Glossy Accents was added...to...er...accent the clock and the crown. All of the ingredients I used for this tag are available from The Stamp Attic.

Thanks for looking...have a great day and don't forget that there will be a brand new Sunday Stamper theme tomorrow...with a little bit of Blog Candy to giveaway too ;O))

Hels x

Arch ... De Triumph?

...well, it is a triumph for me anyway...because I was totally out of my little, albeit cosy, comfort zone when I made this archy book...and why did I put myself thru the stress of doing something completely different???? Because, I was a lucky lass and was taking part in the Artsy Crafts weekend and this was one of the projects...actually, it was the final project of the weekend and I am sure the others on my table would back me up, I was stressing big time!! LOL




First off, I never would have thought of using paint to create a background on cardstock...I would have used inks...paint is messy ... but...I am totally sold! I just love the texture that is created...the paints are Kaisercraft acrylics and are so smooth and yum to work with. Applying paint with a piece of Cut & Dry would never have crossed this "stuck in the rut" crafty mind of mine.




Secondly, actually getting a concertina of card was an ordeal...please don't laugh at me when I admit that...I made a complete fool of myself ... didn't follow the instructions properly...I ended up cutting too much and getting in a muddle...thankfully, my friends on said table didn't laugh at me...much ;o))




Thirdly, the colours! I was on the "Autumn" table and Raw Sienna is a colour I have never used...so that kinda put me out of the comfort zone too...the stamps, however, are a dream to work with...I just love those crazy birdies...they are all by Paper Artsy from the Ding & Dong collection BTW




However!!!!!!! Look at the amazing pieces of art I managed to make...totally copying every single element on the instruction sheet and leaving nothing to chance, once I had completed this piece I was chuffed with it...and ... I quite like Raw Sienna now, it is kind of orangey which is a good colour for me.




All in all...and I hate to admit this...but getting out of a comfort zone is a good thing to do...I learned loads and made some really nice pieces....so a huge thank you to Lin & Leandra for another brilliant class :O)) Thanks for looking...I am off to get back into the comfortable place that is the Room of Stash and have a bit of a crafty day...tis chilly outside and the dusting can wait til later LOL

Oh and I am entering this piece for the Play Date Cafe Challenge...which is oranges and yellows this week :O)) Fab challenge site and well worth a visit !

Hels x

With a Flourish & A Swirl

...The ATC theme on UK Stampers this month is to include flourishes and swirls. I used mountboard for my ATCs...I just like that it is sturdy and I can dollop loads of ink onto it and it doesn't buckle like cardstock does...only problem is that I always seem to get carried away with the embellies and can never fit them into the little sleeves they should live in LOL

I used Distress Inks to colour the bases and then used a variety of swirl stamps for backgrounds. The centrepieces are Maya Road chipboard frames and then I got busy with my favest products...Grungepaper and Studio 490 stamps...I know, I know, I need to stop being so predictable but I cannot be helped..they are just the best stamps and I looooove them!

I used Milled Lavendar Distress Ink on the first ATC...does anyone else think that it looks grey or is that just my pad? It is old and getting a bit dry and I wondered if this was the reason or if...it just really is a grey colour? I quite like it tho..tis great blended with Dusty Concord.




Have a great day peeps...and...I hope that whoever receives these ATCs will like them :O))

Hels x

Ingredients Used:

Distress Inks; Milled Lavendar, Dusty Concord, Black Soot, Weathered Wood, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Brushed Corduroy, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marigold, Worn Lippy, Fired Brick and Walnut Stain *I should have listed the ones I didn't use LOL*

Swirl stamps by Tim Holtz, Studio 490, The Artistic Stamper

Maya Road Chipboard

Grungepaper, Glossy Accents and ickle gemstones

I Thank You....

...Today sees a brand new theme for this week over on the Gingersnap Creations Blog...and the theme is Thankfulness.

I made two cards for this challenge...one is a "reverting to type" card ... very much in the style that I make general cards to send out or give to Charity. The other is a bit more my style "now" cos, as you will see, it is featuring my fave Studio 490 stamps.

Card 1




As I said, my old faithful Brush Strokes stamps feature on this one, I just love the Brush Butterfly, it has to be my most stamped stamp ever ... I have used it so many times it is looking rather grubby and a little bit shabby but still gives a great impression. I used Distress Inks and the watercolour technique with the Fuchsia stamp and then added a Penny Black sentiment. The butterfly is jazzed up with Dewdropz and I added some to the side of the card too.


Card 2




Did I ever mention that I just love Wendy Vecchi's stamps and her style? I may have done on the odd occasion LOL Here is a card I made...Wendy provided all the inspiration behind this one...I made a little background piece of card ... stamping with Distress Inks, backing with Bazzill and then using a Maya Road frame for the sentiment, to which I hung a little flower charm. The big flower is made from Grungepaper (what else eh?) and the centre is from an old bracelet that has been butchered in the name of ART LOL

Thanks for looking...enjoy your day and have fun with this great challenge :O))

Hels x


PS 'Scuse the rubbish pics, I am sure my camera is on the blink ROFL

Allsorts of Furry Friends

...Over on the Allsorts Challenge blog there is a new theme - Furry Friends.




For my card, I used Basic Grey papers for the background and coloured the Mabel Lucie Attwell image in with ProMarkers and Copics. The flowers are from the Flower Power set as are the leaves, both stamped onto paper and overstamped with the Houndstooth and Chicken Wire background stamps...and all of the stamps used are from The Artistic Stamper.




I added a few dabs of Glossy Accents to the little girls shoes and decoupaged the teddy and the puppy so the card has some depth. I used a Nestie to make a circle for the image and then used a scalloped one to make a mat for this to sit on. Finally, I added a sentiment to the card...which is another one of those Artistic Stamper greetings :O))



Thanks for looking...have a great day...tis wet and yukky here so a day indoors relaxing for me I think :O)

Hels x

Coffee & Cream

....Over on the Lots To Do challenge blog there is a new theme this week which is a Recipe...and you have to include the following on your entry;

Paint

Metal

Stamping




Aha! Last weekend I learned a few new techniques on the Artsy Crafts weekend and have had to keep schtum all week so the peeps on this weekends course wouldn't have their surprise spoilt....but...I have fallen in love! Yes, I am in love with Terra! I had a pot of it already and didn't really know what to do with it so was chuffed when we learned how to get the best from it...I have used it here on a Maya Road chipboard bracket and then stamped into it and then painted it with Kaisercraft paints and Claudine Hellmuth Studio acrylic paints.




The metal element on my design is a Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 design which I stamped three times - I painted the metal brown, and another piece cream and then used a piece of golden metal so I could layer the flower - backing it onto Grungepaper to make it pliable too.




The little message is stamped onto painted metal and then I scooched the edges before adding some Krylon to them. The gold surface on the texture of the Terra was made using Precious Metal paints...another new fave of mine :O)) I just love these coffee colours...I want all the rooms in my home to be this colour...it is so lush and relaxing! **painting little bits of chipboard is much more fun that big walls tho LOL** Oh and I nearly forgot...the harlequin design which was stamped into the Terra is a fab Crafty Individuals stamp...tis my fave!

Thanks for a FAB challenge .. and thanks for looking. Have a great week

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 76 - Monster Mash

Morning Stampers!

Thanks for joining in with the challenge last week...this week the new challenge is Hallowe'en being as it is Hallowe'en next Saturday and I have a Stampotique stamp I have been itching to use LOL

I got a bit carried away with my entries and made three things for this weeks challenge! I started off by colouring some glossy cardstock with Alcohol Inks, using mainly Sunset Orange and Pitch Black, splodgy on with a tool and also dripping on and blasting with a can of spray air.




The frame was prepped with Rock Candy Cracklepaint and then spritzed with Tiger Lily and Mimosa Glimmer Mists. I added some Grungeboard shapes which were jazzed up with Rock Candy Stickles. The main part of the inside of the frame was made with the glossy card and some Nestie shapes which were then embossed thru the Bug. I made a collage with some Inkadinkado stamps for the background and then made a mini frame for Mort with a Pin Curl.




The card was made with some more of the Alcohol Inked card, stamped with a variety of Inkadinkado stamps and then I added little Mort with a Pin Curl..isn't he just the sweetest??? Look at his little fangs!!!




The ATC was made more or less in the same way and I added a little pumpkin charm attached with a brad.




To join in with the challenge, all you need to do is make a piece of art, include the theme and some stamping and then leave a comment for me with a link to the place you are showing your creation :O))

Thanks for looking and have a great week

Hels x

Ready Steady Stamp!

...I have finally gotten around to joining in with the fab Ready Steady Stamp challenge which this time is:


I used Alcohol Inks in Cool Peri and Purple Twilight to make a background and then used Tim Holtz Christmas stamps for the stamping.




The snowman and the deer are both painted with Rock Candy Cracklepaint but it isn't showing up on my rubbish photo's LOL I used Rock Candy Distress Stickles on top of the crackles to emphasise them but that doesn't show either .. I really do need to be taught how to take a photo!!




The snowflakes are Maya Road Chipboard which was Gesso'd and then painted with Antique Pewter Cracklepaint and I added gems to the middles to finish them off.




The skinny is something I have never made before and really enjoyed working with this size...I cut some mountboard to stick the glossy card onto which gave it a bit more stability and then mounted this onto some more background glossy card which was layered with black and silver cardstock.




I hope the cards/skinny's are ok for the challenge! Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Hels x

The Turtle and the Mouse

My very first Christmas card of 2009!!! One down, 200 to go LOL

The Gingersnap Creations team are being sponsored by Cornish Heritage Farms this month and I was over the moon to receive the cutest Christmas stamp ever...so I had to play immediately and make a card using it.




The image, called Turtle Sled actually launches today so you can buy one...I hugely recommend you do...cos I had such a great time with this one...and have used it more too! :O)) I used ProMarkers to colour the image, and even though the stamp is cling mounted, those clever peeps at CHF put a colouring guide in the pack...so I copied it LOL The little sentiment is also from CHF and is on their new Friendly Kritters Holiday Expressions plate




The paper is Basic Grey which I made a fancy border on using a Martha Stewart punch and cardstock by Bazzill and then a Prima fancy poinsettia flower to garnish!

Thanks for looking, have a fab day

Hels x

**apologies for the wonky photo's...something is seriously wrong with my camera...either that or I need to take more water with it ** ROFL

Rosey Heart

...Totally inspired by Wendy Vecchi...I made a canvas with a heart and some bits and bobs on it...my Mojo has gone walkabout to the point that I spent last night organising my Bazzill cardstock into colour order...sad or what? LOL At least it will be easier to get the right colour when I need it.




Anyway, back to the canvas - as I said, Mojo seriously lacking, I mooched about Blogland for some ideas and copied Wendy's amazingly gorgeous canvas heart idea...using a 4" square canvas which I painted with...wait for it...Claudine Hellmuth's Traditional Tan paint (oh where would I be without this essential!). I stamped some backgrounds onto tissue paper and then stuck it to the canvas with Studio Matte stuff...and then added a few bits of lace. The heart is made from Claudine Hellmuth's Sticky back canvas and coloured with Distress Inks then overstamped with another background stamp. I stuck the canvas heart onto card to make it easier to work with and then pricked some holes in it so I could then add the lace and little pearly adornment which is another junk shop find.




The rose is made from Grungepaper coloured with Old Paper Distress ink which I then overstamped with the houndstooth stamp, using Fired Brick for this. I added one of those little metal framey things with a memory capsule filled with bits and bobs, adding some Idea-ology to the loopy thing...then I stuck a Maya Road pin behind the rose. Most of the stamps are Studio 490 ... they just are so easy to use and made it easier for my Mojo-less self to make something today LOL




Thanks for looking, have a great day! Hopefully my Mojo will come home and I will be able to get all messy again :O))

Hels x

My Heart is Blue....

...and so are my fingers too LOL

Here is a Maya Road heart shaped chipboard piece that I have fiddled and faffed about with and added colour and metal floral stuff to...I took a piccie of it before I added the embellies and at an angle so the texture would show up...humph, still rubbish with a camera tho LOL




The flowers are made using Ten Second Studio metal, stamped with Studio 490 stamps, backed with Grungepaper to help them stay sturdy and then spritzed with Glimmer Mists to colourise. The background is made using Terra texture paste and some paint slapped on here and there :O))




Thanks for looking...am off to try and make more mess in my room :O))

Hels x

Colours of Autumn

...on the Gingersnap Creations blog there is a brand new color challenge today...Orange, Green and Brown.




How could I resist getting myself all inky and messy and covered in Glimmer Mists eh? I made a big fat tag using Glimmer Mists to colourise the background and then used some Innovative Stamp Creations & Art Journey images and then popped a few butterflies onto it. The little beady thing thru the top is actually from a bracelet I got in a sale...can't remember which shop though! I also added a few DewDropz to the tag just to give it that little extra bit of bling.

Thanks for looking and if you get five mins, pop on over to the Gingersnaps blog...they have tonnes of inspiration and technique tutorials on there :O))

Hels x

The Evaluation of Life.....

...today is Evaluate Your Life Day...there...did you know that? Neither did I until those clever lasses at Gingersnap Creations told me...and as it is a Reason to Stamp day too...what better excuse than to get inky, messy, make use of some Grungepaper and a rather brilliant Tim Holtz stamp :O)




I made a hanging piece using a Maya Road chipboard book page as the base and then using Claudine Hellmuth's Trad Tan paint (whatever else would I use huh?) and then Rock Candy Cracklepaint which I then spritzed with Glimmer Mists to create a background.




The centre piece is a Maya Road chip frame and the little roses are made with Grungepaper and the flower from the Studio 490 Dimensional Rose Art sheet. For the hangy bit I used some Idea-ology bits and also added a few bits as decoration on the frame too.

Thanks for looking....I would love to be able to tell you all about the Artsy Crafts weekend...but...it is a secret until the next weekend has finished...all I will say is that if you are attending this weekend coming you will have a BRILL time...cos it was FAB!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 75 - Message In A Bottle

Morning Stampers...

Thank you to all of you who have joined in with the challenge last week and if you posted after Thursday evening, apologies for not yet visiting...I am away at the Artsy Crafts weekend...did I mention that already? :O))

The theme this week is a double one - Messages & Bottles. I have done both for my entry, altering a bottle and leaving a little message in the neck of it. Poor Grim was forced to drink a whole bottle of beer for me to get this fab bottle...not that he needed much arm twisting LOL




To alter the bottle, I took lots of lengths of ribbon and lace and beaded fringing and sewed them together (for those who know me, yes, I actually got a needle and thread out) but after plenty of finger pricking, I gave up and used the Tim Holtz Mini Fastener ROFL




I made a little message for the bottle neck, using Grungepaper, Distress Inks and a Tim Holtz sentiment stamp. I love the look of this, it actually could be a cork....such is the nature of Grungepaper. The little tag is actually from the packaging of the Grungepaper, I have been keeping all of these .. how fab, they already have an eyelet set into them!




Next, I made 7 Grungepaper roses....blimey, this took ages and my stock of Grunge is now sadly depleted...need some more :O)) The roses were made using the Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 Dimensional Rose stamp and Distress Inks in a variety of colours. Once assembled, I made some stalks for the roses, twisting wire and then colouring it with Precious Metal paint. I added some little silver cups under the roses to make them look neat in the bottle.




To join in with the challenge, all you need to do is make anything arty, include some stamping and the theme and then leave a little comment for me with a link to the place you are showing your art.

Thanks for looking, I won't go on about the great time I am having at the Artsy Crafts weekend ... wouldn't want to make you green :O))

Hels x

A Rainy Jolly Day Out

...this is a scheduled post...unfortunately the owner of this blog is away having fun and getting inky and messy at the Artsy Crafts weekend :O))




However...here are a couple of tags that I made a few weeks ago and haven't gotten around to showing you...they are made using those heavenly cute little Mabel Lucie Attwell designs from The Artistic Stamper.




Simply stamped with StaZon and then coloured using Distress Inks and a waterbrush...told you it was simple LOL

Thanks for looking...don't forget...the Sunday Stamper challenge will have a new theme tomorrow :O))

Hels x

Bat & Bones

...Another cheaty ATC today...made using mountboard for a base and attached to...the cutest little hanger in the world...which I bought from Homespun Hearts.




I used Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink to colour the background and then a Tim Holtz ATC stamp, stamping with Black Soot. I edged the ATC with Black Soot too and then punched a couple of holes and added eyelets and jumprings for attaching to the hanger.




I added some Grungeboard shapes which I also coloured with Distress Inks and then finally, added Glossy Accents to the Skelington and bats, layered up another couple of bats onto it and added some Rock Candy Stickles to the middle of the incy wincy web....see, I am being so thoughtful, not mentioning spiders again LOL

I am a tad excited today...actually, more than a tad really...I am going to the Artsy Crafts weekend and I cannot wait!! So, I will be scheduling a post for tomorrow and also the Sunday Stamper too..so please check back on Sunday morning for the new theme!

Have fun :O))

Hels x

All Things Bright ....

...and maybe not so beautiful ... but definitely bright :O)) Over on the Lots To Do challenge the theme this week is Brights. So, I made some cheats ATCs using mountboard and Tim Holtz ATC stamps.




Cheats? I always feel a bit cheaty when I make ATCs using these stamps, they are great because they are already collaged so just need stamping...but I can't resist using them occasionally cos they do look so good! Sometimes I like to stamp the ATC and then use the big stamps that co-ordinate and make my own background..but today I am just too lazy LOL




The colours are made using Distress Inks and I jazzed up the images a bit with some decoupage, Glossy Accents and Distress Stickles.




Thanks for looking :O)

Hels x

Brads, Brads, Brads

...and even more brads...actually, I used 40 on this creation! It is the new challenge theme over on Gingersnap Creations blog...and what a fab challenge it is. I don't very often use brads as a decoration so it was nice to use them to make a surround on this altered beermat. The beermat was kindly donated by Linda...she makes some FAB ones so clicking on her name is well worth the visit :O))

I used Glimmer Mists to make the background, stamped some Art Journey images and then added the gold brads. The little butterflies are from an Innovative Stamp Creations plate.



I also made an ATC - I had some card left over after altering the beermat and it seemed a shame to waste it, so I used it up on this and added some Paper Artsy images to it. There is only one brad on this tho...I have run out of gold ones LOL




Thanks for looking...have a great day and don't forget to join in with the challenge :O))

Hels x