Room One 4 & 650...

...Hey! You will NEVER guess what!!!!!!!!!!! I am posting my 650th blog post!!!!!!!! Blimey, that is one heck of a lot of waffling...and...one heck of a lot more art LOL ... So what's this Room One 4 lark then? Well, not wanting to be left behind *ok, admitting I like to copy...* I decided to call the new Room of Stash "Room One 4"... whatcha fink? Pretentiousness or coolioness? Honest answers pleasings LOL




I escaped! Yep, I managed to smuggle myself and a few essential stashy things out of the house yesterday morning - and wended my way to Wantage to the Stamp Attic, where Wendy, Sarah Anderson and Ruby and Wendy2 were all there waiting for me - I was late as usual, road works, slow lorries, speed camera's (only joking, as if I would make Ferdy go too fast ROFL) Anyways, we had a lovely natter, shared some cake and sausage rolls and coffee..and then got cracking with the new Tim Alterations...OMG, I neeeeed all of them!!! I snuck off into a corner with the bird cage one and ran it thru a Bug with some Grungepaper and then splodged it with Distress Inks and Wendy Vecchi stamps - I kept birdy out of the cage - he looks sad behind those bars, I reckon.




So, I used some Rock Candy Cracklepaint on the tag, more Studio 490 stamps...and then went and bodged it right at the last minute when I stamped the sentiment on...wonky! I always seem to stamp wonky for some reason...*maybe it's me that be wonky!!* I had such a FAB time yesterday - so thank you to Wendy for the invite and Sarah and Ruby for making me feel like I have known them for yonks! I made another tag too but that is still waiting to be PaintShopped - am still sitting with the lappy on my knee, still not unpacked a thing in the new craft room - I am so bad! I have, however, been and done the bedroom, I did that brilliant tidying up thing...I shoved all the boxes into my wardrobe and shut the doors - just don't tell Grim, he thinks I was a goodly wifey and unpacked them all ROFL Alfie had his first trip into the garden this afternoon....and promptly squeezed himself under the decking and then led me a merry dance prancing about and being daft, so he is back inside and sulking now - he has a new collar tag - which is a golden disc - Grim said that the purple heart wasn't boyish enough for him (Alfie not Grim, erm...actually......LOL) We have shopped today - new curtains and nets, just got to get them up now... if I can get to the windows I will do them...boxes piled up still...HELP!!!! That's all from me for now...I need my bed (yep, the tidy one LOL) but before I whizz off...don't forget tomorrow is the last day to join in with the Sunday Stamper mega candy giveaway! we have had over 100 comments combined on the two weeks so ... I will be adding in some stash as a pressie too :O)) And... sorry I ain't had chance to visit you all, I will catch up, I know I keep saying it but I will....promise :O) TTFN.....

Hels x

WOYWW - For Those Of A Nervous Disposition....

...Look away NOW!!! I missed the fantastic WOYWW crew led by Julia last week... there was me thinking that I will give it a miss for one week cos you don't want to see loads of cardboard boxes do you?? And that I would have the new Room of Stash organised and ready for showing off by today.... errrrrm... here are some pics of how the room is now... one week after moving in to the new house all I have managed to do is clear a space for the desk and the essentials...it is a pigsty in there, filled with boxes from every other room in the house too....




For some reason the men who did the moving decided cos Hels had the most boxes, then they would all go into Hels' room!!! And...I cannot set anything up yet cos a desk has to be rebuilt, furniture has to be moved into place before boxes can be unloaded.... oh, woe is me!!!




Listen to me moaning on, actually, I looooove my new room... even in the messy boxey state now, it is really bright and bigger than the old one! Look at the state of my desk though...you may notice a mirror under it, along with my hairdryer...cos it is doubling as a dressing table at the moment... erm, nope, bedroom boxes still not unpacked either ROFL




I am really loving the new house - it is perfect, bigger, brighter and it is soooo quiet here.. all I can hear are the birdies chirping in the trees and the odd hooty owl... perfect! Anyway, before I turn into a house bore *whatcha mean I have already?? LOL* over on the Gingersnap Creations blog today there is a brand new challenge. The theme for this one is Kraft. Now, over here in the UK, and me being a bit dense couldn't get my head around Kraft... I mean...do I use Dairylea spread??? Nah! Silly me, it is the colour Kraft...which is like a buff colour, but you are all a whole lot cleverer than me so you knew that anyway! So, waffling on as usual... the only sad thing about moving away from Lutonia is that we have had to leave our lovely next door neighbours who have been the best! Everybody needs good neighbours *sang to the tune of the popular Australian soap that, yes, I am addicted to ROFL*







So, we have had to leave Sham and her lovely brood of gorgeous kiddlies and cos I am going to miss them (not to mention the divine curries and pakora's she used to make for us) I have made a thank you card - just a quicky one, using Kraft cardstock and some Wendy Vecchi stamps - oh boy, I have missed using these stamps, I shouldn't have favourites but I can't help it with these LOL




So, there you go - a messy and boxey room, a card and a very happy and contented Hels - even if the back has given up the ghost - and, thank you to everyone who has been asking after AlfieCat. He loves his new home. He was soooo good on moving day, apart from the yowling in the car journey he has settled in, he is still confined to barracks at the moment, til he gets used to the new place - and he never went out at the old house cos of the busy road - he is sitting on the windowsill eyeing up the birds though...mmm, think I may have to watch him on that one LOL Don't forget to give Julia a visit... this WOYWW lark is the best, especially if you are a nosey parker like me ;O) TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 100 - Free...PLUS Mega Candy :O))

Morning Stampers! Wow... I don't know about you but...what a week I have had! Think I may have mentioned that I moved home - if you are thinking of doing it ... DON'T... unless you are mega organised and have all your stash properly labelled and boxed up...ah yes, I have been AWOL for a long time...to be honest, a few days away in Blog Land may as well be a month cos I think I am so far behind on all you have been making and talking about...anyways...enough about my moving house and the fact that until about 9pm last night my desk was inaccessible and buried under a mountain of boxes... THANK YOU to everyone who has joined in with the challenge so far - and huge sorry for not visiting you and leaving you a comment... only just got the t'internet sorted and then I have had to hunt for the lappy, the camera, the new email addy has been a pest 'cos Mr Blogger usually tells me by email when I have a comment...and I haven't got those emails - so... I promise that I will be attempting to catch up and get up to date by the middle of the week :O)) Also, a reminder... the Sunday Stamper is 100 this weekend! Wow, 100 themes and 100 weeks of lovely peeps joining in ... to mark the occasion, The Artistic Stamper and The Stamp Attic have very kindly sponsored the challenge - all you need to do to join in is make a piece of art and blog it, leave me a comment here and also link the piccie below into your sidebar with a link back here. The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified on next weeks Sunday Stamper post... Also, if I get over 100 comments, I will be adding in some Candy myself, along with the piece that I made for last weeks entry, which you can see here: *almost forgot to remind you that the prize is a £15 gift voucher from each store to spend online :O))*





For this week, because of the limbo dancing I have had to do to just get to the desk, and then the rummaging to find the "essentials" kit that I put together...and then finding the wooden piece I was going to alter had been broken *sad face* in the move, I have resorted to type and made a tag - simple one at that! I covered a basic tag with some of the new Tim Holtz papers, then used Distress Inks to blend some colours on, made a couple of roses using more Tim papers and the smallest rose from the Studio 490 Dimensional Rose Art.




I added on an Idea-ology Book Plate - which I painted with a brand new paint I have found on my travels through DIY stores this week - it is just a match pot of emulsion... but get this...it is called... ALFIE!! I just had to buy it and I am now trying to persuade Grim that I need one wall of the new Room of Stash painted with it - obviously the matchpot will be waaaaay too small, so I need a HUGE pot of it, and any left will be used for my ART LOL. I added on some more Idea-ology and then scruffed the edge with a Distresser tool.




Sorry this is a short post... believe me, I could waffle on for hours about moving house, the state of the garden (overgrown) the state of the dining room (overgrown with boxes) the state of the bedroom (naff curtains) and the fact that my room resembles a dumping ground...but... I won't cos that would be boring ROFL.... Don't forget that there is a fabby candy with this week's challenge .... the more times you join in, the more times your name will go into the hat too :O)) I will be combining the number of comments on last Sunday's post with this Sunday too...so come on, let's get to the elusive 100 and grab yourselves some Hels' candy too :O) The challenge will close at 22:00 on Saturday May 1st 10. All of the stash used on this tag are readily available from The Artistic Stamper and The Stamp Attic too...*except the ALFIE paint..which is from B&Q rofl* Have a great week... I promise I will be back soon and am doing my best to ignore the other boxes and get my room sorted LOL

Hels x

**EDIT** Dur...in my haste and excitement to be making art and blogging I forgot to remind you that the theme is FREE - the song title is Free As A Bird...so you can add anything you like for the FREE part and a birdy too if you fancy!

This Will Be The Last Time...

!!!! I take it all back!!!! I do indeedly!!!!

The Packing Fairy turned up on Sunday and did loads of packing... including the Cri-Cut which I was not looking forward to - why does an electrical thing never go back in its box the way it came out??? Actually, there is no Packing Fairy.... however, there is a Packing Hero - in the very same shape and form as my lovely Grim....who worked like a Trojan while I was out... sunning myself and eating cake at Tina's house (the cake I made on Saturday went down a treat! OMG, you should eat some of those new Cadbury's Caramel Nibbles, they are like choccy buttons with attitude...button shaped, as thin as a button but with....caramel in the middle......oooooh, heaven!!!! These were all over the cake BTW!!!) It is Tina's big day today...bless her, she is only 21 but has had a hell of a hard life *ROFL - don't tell her I said that!!!!! *


This is Room One 4 - waiting to be filled to the brim with stashly goodies... notice the stamp on the window sill??? This is the first rubber stamp I ever bought...so the day we completed, I moved it in and staked my claim on the best room in the house ROFL


So, today, moving day.... and here I am, wedged into the only bit of work surface I could find that wasn't loaded with boxes, and I am writing my last ever Blog post from the land that is called Luton... and my email addy has to change *sad face*... so I am off to investigate Mr Blogger and see if there is a way of doing that changey thingy so I know when someone has left me a comment! BTW, speaking of comments, we are doing well for the Sunday Stamper...but that elusive 100 still needs to be beat... oh boy, the Candy I have amassed to giveaway if they do get to 100 is pretty darned coolio, even if I do say so myself LOL Anyways...I gotta dash...it is 04.45 - have been up since 3am...blimey, I am so excited about moving...and also...boooo, I got baaaaaaaaaad pain...but it will be worth it - the next time I talk to you I will be installed in the new Room of Stash - did I tell you I am going all posh and upmarket and calling it Room One 4? Oh? I did? How did I forget that I had already bored you with that? LOL Have a goodly week...hoping I am here tomorrow... if not, TTFN and I will be back *said in an Arnold SwarzenWotsit stylee voice*

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 100 - Free As A Bird...PLUS Mega Candy :O))

...Morning Stampers and thank you ever so much for all your gorgeous Silver entries this last week. Now, last week was Week 98 - and this week is Week 100... I know I have had a lot on this week but don't worry, I haven't lost my marbles (well, not all of them!) Basically, I am doing a two weeker challenge theme - simple reasons... I am moving house on Tuesday (yay!) and I just know that if I don't plan ahead I will get caught out and end up bodging the 100th Sunday Stamper. So, this week we have Week 99 and Week 100 together and the challenge will remain open for two full weeks; closing date will be 23:00 on Saturday May 1st 2010. *May, already???* In honour of this special landmark, The Artistic Stamper and The Stamp Attic have both very kindly agreed to sponsor this theme. This special candy is on offer to one entrant, whose name will be chosen at random and announced on May 2nd 2010 Sunday Stamper post, will win a Gift Certificate for the value of £15.00 each from The Artistic Stamper and The Stamp Attic... and I will be adding my entry for this week as a little thank you too :O)) So, that will be £30.00 to spend on stash...how divine!!!




So, on with the challenge - the theme this week is FREE - which basically means you can make absolutely anything so long as you include stamping on your piece. If you want to, you can add in the odd bird or two as the song title is Free As A Bird...which is a Beatles one again...I do have a lot of theirs to chose from though LOL To join in with this challenge all you need to do is to make a piece of art, leave me a comment here with a link to the place you are showing your piece, then, if you aren't already, click to follow my Blog and finally, I have added a Logo for this event to my sidebar - all you need to do is copy it and paste it onto your Blog sidebar with a link back here. You can enter as many times as you like - each piece you make will mean one entry to the hat - so if you make 3 pieces, your name will be added three times - also ...and this is a biggy as it has never been done before ... if I get more than 100 comments left on this post then I will add in some stashy candy to the haul too :O)

Seeing as I have very limited time and limited craft supplies 'cos all my stash is in boxes, I did that "thinking ahead" thing and kept a few *snort* essentials out - allowed myself two hours to sit and make the piece yesterday evening - and here it is;





I made a Shadow Box, painted first with Traditional Tan paint (how could I ever have coped if I had forgotten to pop that into the essentials box!!) I then painted Rock Candy Cracklepaint randomly over the surface and set it aside to dry. I made a collage piece of cardstock, chopping it up into small pieces, colouring it with Distress Inks - this time I used Old Paper, Brushed Corduroy, Wild Honey and Walnut Stain. I then took a selection of Tim Holtz collection stamps and stamped with Timber Brown StaZon.




I pieced them all together on a base piece of card and left them to dry. I then went back to the frame - the Crackle wasn't 100% dry - and the beauty of the Rock Candy means you can heat dry it and still get crackles... so I did this for speed and then used Crafty Notions Quince colour spray - spritzing and heat drying at the same time to get a dappled look. I then added some Gold Perfect Pearls to a Mini Mister that had water and a drop of Brushed Cord Re-Inker in it...making my own pearly mist - which was then spritzed over the top to blend the colours together.




The Idea-ology was added to the frame and the centre of the collage - I added a little glass bottle filled with BeaDazzles and finally I used one of the little melt art hearts I had made a few weeks ago - smudging Gold Krylon onto the surface and then adding on some little resistors..I love these little things... don't panic Grim if you read this - the electrics are safe ROFL All of the products and goodies used on this piece are readily available from both The Artistic Stamper and The Stamp Attic.




So, there you have it.... Please feel free to join in as many times as you like .. it is a very generous prize and I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to Jennie and Wendy for their generosity - and also to everyone who has joined in with the Sunday Stamper over the past 100 challenges. And... just got to add... I may not be able to get to see your art immediately this week; moving, changing emails etc, getting t'internet sorted will take a bit of time but hopefully, I will be back and blog hopping very soon...til then....TTFN...and ...thanks for looking!

Hels x

What's A Girl To Do???

...I mean... first of all, who stole Wednesday, Thursday and Friday??? I think it was that nasty Packing Fairy *who has been no help what-so-ever!!* and her meany friend The Day Shrinker Fairy... I thought that days were 24 hours long. Not so! Honest...they have been shrunked to about 15 hours - which just isn't enough time to pack the house and blog, email, browse t'internet, watch TV, eat, sleep....*yawns*




I feel I have been neglecting you all... and THANK YOU for all your lovely comments on the Weds post...I have to be honest... I have just turned on the lappy for the first time since posting on Weds... but... TA Dah! I have packed the Room of Stash! These pics were taken just a few mins ago... towers of boxes...please bear in mind that some of them are for the main bedroom... well, ok three are for the main bedroom (ahem) and the rest are for my new room. Now I just have to unpack them all ROFL **admittedly, the two massive boxes at the bottom are full of airing cupboard stuff, towels, duvet covers etc...so NOT stash LOL**




And...er... I have had this idea that if I can't get to unpack the craft stuff first - I know, kitchen etc will be needing to be done first (boooo) so I figured a little essential kit - maybe a box of stash - ok, well maybe a Tote bag and a box.... erm... well, ok, a Tote, two boxes (big Really Useful ones...) and a little bag.... Oh ok, I am fooling no one... A Tote, a large wooden chest (full of Tim stamps), two large RU Boxes...a carry bag (full of inkpads - Distress of course) and two little bags....not much really... I just cannot bear the thought of needing something and having to rummage through all those ... erm... TWENTY boxes... So... here is the piccies of my essential stash LOL




I gotta dash - busy day again...finishing off the packing in the dining room, making a cake for my friends birthday for tomorrow... and I have to make the Sunday Stamper...which, I will let you into a secret about... tomorrow it is 100!!! So .. there are some special things happening...please pop by tomorrow to see whatcha could win :O)) TTFN

Hels x

WOYWW - Erm...

BOXES!

And lots of them! :O{

And... a whole heap of crud that I need to sort out into keep and throw away piles. Blimey, I spent 15 hours yesterday (I kid you not) trying to sort out my stash. A word of advice to any crafters out there. DO NOT MOVE HOUSE! Or, if you are planning to - have a clear out about three months before you are due to pack...cos leaving it right down to the last minute is so not a good idea! I still have 1/3 of the room to do - seriously, I never realised just how much rubbish I collected... I found several carrier bags with little off cuts of paper and cardstock...never been one for throwing stuff away .. but when will I ever use them eh? Cos I cannot resist slicing into a new sheet of paper the little bits get forgotten! Anyways...today is Wednesday, which can only mean one thing...Mrs Dunnit and her trusty followers are showing their crafting spaces...and here am I - a shy and retiring type normally (snort) showing off the sad state of my room!

This pic is Desk #2 where the boxes are sitting




This is the corner where the stash from my big unit is stacked...





And this pic is Desk #1 where all the crud is there sitting...waiting patiently to be sorted...and there was me thinking that the "Feel Sorry for Hels Fairy" would have done something with it during the night...ha! Not a chance LOL





And... cos it is Wednesday, it also means that there is a brand new challenge over on the Gingersnap Creations Blog...




The theme this week is FOUND OBJECTS... oh, how could I not join in with this one...actually...being part of their DT really was useful cos I made this a few weeks ago...what I could have said is that I made it yesterday while packing with the other hand and holding a duster in my teeth...but nay, I altered this spoon with Alcohol Inks and beads ... the ickle spidery thing that has only got 6 legs, so techernically speaking, it isn't a spider, was revamped...the body is a pearl, coloured with Alc Inks and I added in little gems for the eyes.





The hangy offy thing is an acorn I think...it is yonks old and was in an old trash box I found on my rummagey travels.




Anyways..back to the grindstone again now...best foot forward and all that ...actually, do I have a best foot? Come to think of it, both of my feet are more or less the same and I couldn't possibly favour one cos the other would feel left out and then sulk and give me jip...see, this is what packing does to you...makes you ramble on like a mad old bag....*who said that I did that before????* ROFL TTFN peeps...apologies if I don't get around to you all today...I wish I could just sit and play in Blogland but that packing won't do itself...am sure you will understand though..oh, and this will be my very last WOYWW from the Room of Stash @ 62 - next time, it will be from Room One 4 - I know, I am poncing about giving my craft room a name when I should be packing...see, aversion tactics again....I gotta go.....byeeeeeeee
Hels x

Fairy's??? Who Needs Fairy's ???

...ME!!! and PDQ cos I am having a NIGHTMARE!!!!! I started packing up the Room of Stash this morning at 09.30 - actually, I started in Gary's room where all the storage units and stuff to be altered lurks...and that took all morning - but I have been utterly ruthless and thrown out - so far - 8 binbags full of old tat! I have now moved on to the Room of Stash proper and have just had to stop - tears down my cheeks cos I found my Scrapbook Albums which have been away under the big unit for ages now...and I saw some layouts I had made that made me feel very sad... Here is a piccie of one of them;





And here is a piccie of a LO Grim made for me when I hit 5 years as a Driver...bless him, he is better at scrapping than me LOL




So, here I am ... covered from head to foot in dust - where does that all come from??? And I have done about 1/3 of the packing in the room...I have been working my way round it methodically - and am now in even more of a mess than before ROFL I am putting away an "essential" pack into a tote trolley - thank the Lordy above that I invested in one of these ages ago...it will come in handy! And... hazard a guess at how many canvases I have ready to be altered???...nearest one to it gets the pleasure of driving over to my abode and helping me ROFL Here is another LO I found....this one is my first ever meeting with Tim Holtz...can you tell that I actually went all shy??? This is also my first foray into the world of Grunge and Distress Inks..not bad for a first attempt I reckon :O))



I had better dash...oh, before I go...the news on the MRI's....mmmm, not so good - but could be a whole lot worse - I have got several degenerating discs - as well as the prolapsed ones...and the only ones that are still in tip top condition are the ones where the pins are - they have held my spine together and actually protected them. However! I have to go and have a "procedure" done...basically, they will inject some kind of anti-inflammatory and analgesic into the base of the spine - I suppose it will be the taily bit...and that should give me some relief from the chronic pain. I will have it done under local - so I am guessing I will have to be on my front with my backside exposed...not a pretty sight! Anyways... gotta go.... tomorrow I will be blogging the photo's of the horror's of "Room 62" - you will have a fit when you see just how many boxes I have done already...and still have more to do! TTFN

Hels x

Just Another ... Manic Monday...

... Cor, what a weekend! It was sooo lovely to see so many peeps at Ally Pally... thank you for coming to see me and saying lovely things and leaving me lovely comments on my Blog and for just being fab! Yesterday was sooo hot, at one point I had to escape from the stand and get some water...and I necked the whole bottle straight down...and...because I was forced to sit outside in the sunshine and chatter to my pals over a few sandwiches *er, thanks Minxy for letting me eat all yours too... hungry work this demo-ing lark LOL* I have ended up with the brightest red shoulder (yep, just the one, now that really does look ridiculous) and a very red chestickle too!!! It was glorious weather as usual for AP... anyway... today is going to be one of "those" days. We have the garden stuff being moved today - shed, all my pots and tubs, table n chairs, that kind of thing...and I have my results appt at the hospital too...so hopefully I will find out if I need more surgery on my poor old back...*here's hoping not!* and .. I have to start something today which I have been putting off for a month. Yep, today is the day I have to start packing up the Room of Stash! I did send a message up to the heavens...just a simple request that for the next week they make each day 36 hours long...not heard back from them yet, I think it is request denied!!




Anyways... firstly, sorry I haven't hopped all over the world to see you all...you have been wonderful and left me lovely comments and I have been awful and not returned the compliment...I shall try and set aside an hour a day to sit here and catch up. .. well, that is the plan LOL The pics here are a couple of the tags I made whilst demo-ing...using the fab Tim tags - yes the same ones he uses, Claudine's paints and canvas, Crafty Notions Sprays (which are to dye for...deffo have those on my wishy list) and Crafty Notions Jewel UTEE's...again, utterly glorious to work with... all of the products are available from The Artistic Stamper :O))



I have to go...I have just looked at the clock and realised the time... so...again, THANK YOU all for your lovely comments... I will try to get back here and keep on blogging :O)) Oh, I almost forgot....Remember I told you I had asked the Packing Fairy to help me??? Well, I got this message left for me;

Hels - I really wanted to be able to help you with your packing. In fact, I did help to pack up a few boxes the other day while you were out sunning yourself at something you have called Ally Pally. But, I had a look into a small room in your house and I saw, what I can only describe as total chaos. Never have I seen so much "stuff" crammed into one room. Once I had come round from my fainting spell, (thank you to the Bad Hair Fairy for the smelling salts BTW), I realised that I could only say one thing to you about that room. You are ON YOUR OWN! Best of luck, you will need it - The Packing Fairy (I am not leaving you a X because you have brought all of this on yourself and do not deserve one!)

So, whatcha think to that huh? The Packing Fairy has abandoned me in my time of need... ROFL *sob*... TTFN...Thanks for looking...

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 98 - Maxwell's Silver Hammer

Morning Stampers...isn't it just the most divine weather??? Guess what??? I know why!!! Cos it is Ally Pally weekend and it is always glorious! Anyways...THANK YOU for all the lovely entries and comments last week...it was an all time high with 62 comments left. It may not seem many compared to some challenges but the Sunday Stamper has always been just a little challenge, it was so great to see so many new faces too...and I do hope peeps will return, not only for today..but also, next week will see the Century of the Sunday Stamper...100 themes...and I have a little secret, which I know I can share with just you cos I know I can trust you...there will be not only a special theme...and some candy donated by moi...but also ... fabbbbbby prize candy has been donated too :O) Speaking of Candy... I have just done that Random.org thingy and it packed up on me...so I reverted to more technical ways of picking a winner randomly...and wrote all the names on paper, folded it up and then picked it from a hat...well, actually, a bowl, can't find the hat..think that Packing Fairy has put it away somewhere....so .. the winner is;

CHRIS - congrats hun ... please can you email your addy so I can pop the stamps and Kling into the post for you - email details etc are on my main Blogger Profile :O))

So, this week the new theme is hammers....AHA, only joking...it is SILVER...I have picked another old Beatles record...I do love the Beatles you know and use any excuse to mention one of their songs! So, all you have to do to join in is make a piece of art...include stamping on it and also the theme...this week is a doddle easy one :O)) *saving up for next week LOL* Then, once you have blogged it, please leave me a link here and I will be able to call in and see you :O))




I have got inkier and messier making mine...I say inkier cos you should see the state of my hands after playing at Ally Pally all day...they are minging LOL I started off with a fabby little wooden frame which is about 6" square. I coated the bare wood with Gesso and then smoothed on some Terra (which is like a fine gritty texture paste) and some Ferro (which is like a gritty metalic paste) and then used the brand new and incredibly divine Cog stamps from The Artistic Stamper, )spritzed with water first so they release out of the Terra/Ferro) and randomly stamped onto the surface.




Next I used my heat gun and dried the frame...drying the Terra with a heat gun isn't necessary - it will air dry...but...when it is heated, it goes bobbly and warty *I have said this already I know but I did get a few mails about what it is and how it works*. I then painted over the top of the surfaces...applying it with Cut & Dry foam is the best way to do it so it doesn't overload in any patches.




Another zap with the heatgun and then I used Precious Metal paint...Silver colour...mmm, lush...again using Cut & Dry to apply this...then dried it again...and then very gently applied a little more black paint on the bobbly bits to emphasise them. The heart, face and clock embellies are made from a combo of clear and silver UTEE poured from the Melt Pot into moulds, made using Mold & Pour. The little clock is actually a mould of one of the new Idea-ology watch faces. I added some black StaZon to the UTEE pieces - using my finger to apply it cos it means more control... I think this just makes the whole piece pop a little bit. Finally I added some more Idea-ology to it to finish.




The centre piece is made from white card which I coloured with Silver and Marshmallow Glimmer Mists. I edged the whole card with Black Soot DI then smooshed the pad onto the craft sheet, spritzed with water and popped the large coggy background into it...then stamped straight over the card...dried with a heatgun and then used some more of the cog stamps for the background, using Black StaZon. The sentiment is fab isn't it? My fave font ever...and this was stamped, cut down and popped onto 3D foam for added dimension. The stamps, frame, Terra, Ferro, Precious Metal, UTEE, Mold & Pour and Idea-ology can be purchased from The Artistic Stamper...and I will be taking this piece to Ally Pally with me today if anyone would like to see it in the real.



Thanks for looking...have a brill day...again, if you are at Ally Pally today, please pop by to see me and Jennie - Stand #49 - where we are demo-ing incredibly divine Spray Mists by Crafty Notions..which are totally lushious! Oh, BTW, the challenge will be open til 23:00 next Saturday 17th April...and then there will be the biggy next Sunday. Also, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all your lovely comments on my blog...and apologise for not getting around to see you all during the week...that Packing Fairy has naffed off with my hat but not bothered to pack anything else up yet ROFL

Hels x

The Green Party...

...Oh-ho, I think I surpassed myself with daft titles this time...here in the UK the countdown to the General Election has started...to be honest, I'm bored of all the snipeyness that is going on...but I digress LOL Remember, I may have mentioned on the odd occasion that I was the UK Co-Ordinator for the UK/Europe Art Exchange for Gingersnap Creations??? Well, here is my last postcard...the theme was Party Time .. and I used green's...hence...the Green Party *ahem, I promise I will try to do better with the titles LOL*




The Distress Inks used were Scattered Straw, Crushed Olive and Forest Moss. The word is made up from Tim's Mini Cirque Alpha set...I loooove these loads... and the flower is made from Grungepaper and the Tattered Floral Alteration. The sentiment is by Mrs Vecchi and the frame is by Maya Road.




I am writing this whilst asleep... because I have to be up early in the morning to get to Ally Pally before all the shoppers get there... so, when you read this, I will be tucked up in bed :O)) Actually, thinking about that though...what if you read it at like 2pm in the afternoon...that means I have just fibbed...cos I won't be tucked up in bed then...I will be lurking around Stand #49 which is where The Artistic Stamper will be. You will be able to tell the difference between me and Jennie, for starters, I will be the one who looks frazzled and is muttering about cardboard boxes...and I will be the one who is too busy chopsing with everyone to remember to demo ROFL... I know I said it yesterday .. but if you are going to AP..please call by and say helloooooo *you have to say it just like that LOL* cos it would be lovely to meet up and put faces to blog's :O)) *uh...yeh, mine is a coffee, white, one sugar (I know, you all thought I was sweet enough) and don't worry about a cake or anything like that...chocolate will suffice LOL* Oh and before I go - today is the last day for the Sunday Stamper entry and being in with a chance of winning some candy...click HERE to see what I am waffling about...the challenge closes earlier tonight than normal...(21:00) 'cos I will be a-bed early again and need to schedule the new Sunday Stamper theme (mmm, shall I give you a clue about the new theme???? mmm, ... no!!!!!)post to write itself while I am asleep :O)) Thanks for looking...enjoy the sunshine and hope to see ya...

Hels x

My Heart Belongs to U{TEE}...

...Cor blimey, I feel like I have been away for a year...not just a day...sorry I didn't get on yesterday and come and visit... the packing has started in earnest now and I thought that it was bad last week..ha! This week is even worse!!! I mean, exactly how much junk can one couple accumulate over a few years??? We sorted out the garden stuff yesterday - and... I got sunburnt... on my shoulders... just shows I am a fair English rose LOL




A little frame I altered the other night was sitting there ready to be blogged yesterday and I just didn't get chance...so here it is today. It one of the teensy ickle ones like the one I did the other week. I painted it with ... wait for it... Traditional Tan paint and then spritzed with Walnut Gold Glimmer Mist...stamped a mini script image... and then whacked some Rock Candy crackle over it.




The bit in the middle is a mini stamp from Mr T'Holtz... which says Paris, which is in France... so how fab I could use the Fleur De Lys from the new Idea-ology charms... but it needed something to sit on ... so I made a little heart mould - using Mold & Pour - and then made some red UTEE using a base of clear UTEE and normal red embossing powder... poured it in, resisted the temptation to stick my finger in it to see if it was set (!) and then added some gold Krylon just to finish it off.




I am off now... to growl at some more boxes...I haven't started the Room of Stash yet... but I have thought about it...so that will have to do for now LOL Anyone going to Ally Pally this weekend? I will be on The Artistic Stamper stand (#49) helping Jennie out and hopefully getting some demo-ing in too :O)) Would be lovely to see you so if you do pop by, please say hi!
Right, gotta dash... that request I put in for the Packing Fairy to come and help fell on deaf ears... TTFN

Hels x

WOYWW &... Talented Friends...

...today is Wednesday again *so where did that week go???* ...so that means that the loyal followers of Mrs Julia Dunnit take piccies of our workdesks and then bravely show them on t'internet. Today is going to be one of "those" days... packing is coming along nicely - to the point that I never want to see a cardboard box ever again...but...I need to pack up the Room of Stash...and I cannot bring myself to do it!




I did start and pack all my wood mounted stamps...they are in 5 pizza boxes...don't worry though, I haven't turned into a Ninja Turtle and eaten 5 pizza's...I have been very cunning...and saved up the ones that I have been sent lovely stash in...* and no, it wasn't an excuse to buy new stash...really...honest!!!* they have fitted in there nicely and I have even remembered to keep one little pizza box open so I can grab one of those "can't craft without" stamps if I need to. Other than that...goings on on my mucky desk today are a little framey thing I am finishing off and a WIP for an upcoming challenge on the Gingersnaps...which reminds me...they have a brand new challenge today - I have been a baaaad girl and not had chance to join in with this one...but if you fancy a challenge, hop on over to see their blog...chock full of loveliness...the new theme is ... Growth. Speaking of which... an update on the Zit Fairy...she has been back again...I even tried to stay awake all night to catch her...but nope, she flitted in and out and beggared off before I had chance to thwart her... and this time...she went and brought the Bad Hair Fairy with her too...told you it was one of those days LOL




I have popped in a piccie of what is above my desk ... I have a cork board and on it are various pieces of art that friends have made for me over the years... there is a Fat Page there from a lovely lady who sadly is no longer with us - she made it for me to commemorate the first time I met Mr T'Holtz *blimey that is 3 years ago!*... it is made up with lots of little photo's...bless her, she was a sweety, I don't know if some of you will remember her, her forum name was Cardmaker85... Also on there is a felted Stitchels birdy that Anne (Liverpool Lou) made for me, it is gorgeous... and above the board is the majority of a most beautiful piece of art that Dan made for me for Xmas last year - and no, you can't have it ROFL On top of the board is a canvas that Linda made...using my Stitchels designs and canvas and metal, another delish piece of art. There is a photo of my Grim, driving his train... and a photo of me and some American bloke I have met a couple of times (snort) Another Fat Page on there is by Andrea...I have so many of her pages now that I have my own book of her art...but this is the first one we ever swapped so it is on the board... I was a lucky lass and won a piece of Lynn's amazing art...which is on the board - tis the little fabric heart with a cherub on it...* wow I am so lucky to have such talented friends!* Spot the word TIM - that is part of a Fat Page made for me by Minxy - whom I had only just met at the time and it is another beaut... it is obscured slightly by another one of my WIP's that I had to bung up out of the way otherwise AlfieCat would have had his gnashers on them...he loves chipboard...but chipboard birdy's...he cannot resist... and...speaking about AlfieCat...get this...he has an appt with the *whispers* V E T today at 10.20. And guess what??? Despite the fact that neither I or Grim have mentioned the V E T this morning, he has slunk off to hide! I think he is under the bed...which is a pest because it means I have to drag all the junk out from under there to get him...and...how does he know!!!! Any animal psychiatrists out there, please tell me!!! Right, I had better go and get the little fella...tis just a check up today to see how his gnashers are after his op...he seems to be back to his old self again, which is a relief!
Until later....TTFN

Hels x

If Music Be The Food Of Love...

...play on! A little known fact about yours truly here... I love Shakespeare! I know, it isn't trendy to love Shakespeare now-a-days...nor is it because I am incredibly intelligent...far from it...but when I was about 15 I had an "Educating Rita" moment... *have you ever seen that film? It is one of my all time faves!* and I was studying Twelfth Night for my *ahem* O Level English Lit...hey, I wish I could say it was my GCSE but they were a distant thing in the future! Anyway, I fell in love with the works of Shakespeare and even now, I am a sucker for all things by the Bard... now did anyone see David Tennant as Hamlet... *swoons* Perfection or what! So, I am waffling away here and not even talking about the thingy I just made... This evening I had one of those moments when you hear a little voice from the Room of Stash calling... so off I went and mucked about with some mini canvases and some Terra and came up with this;




Instead of using the proper side of the canvas, I flipped it over and painted the whole lot with some Gesso - then I added on some Terra to the wooden bit of the framework...application with the finest tool known to a crafter... a finger! I heated up the Terra which made it go lovely and bubbly...then added some Silver acrylic paint - the best metallic acrylic for me is an Adirondack Dabber - and then I plopped some black paint over the top of this but didn't go right into the bubbley bits...I zapped this with my heat gun and then added some Silver Precious Metal paint over the top...again using the finger applicator. BTW .. it is a so and so to get out from under nails... be warned LOL




I set this aside to dry off completely while I got making some little Grungepaper roses - using the medium and small Flower Power stamps from The Artistic Stamper. I over stamped these with one of Mr. T'Holtz's music score stamps and then coloured them with Aged Mahogany, Fired Brick and Barn Red - so each one is a slightly lighter colour than the next.




Finally, I added on a little Adage Ticket attached in a mini clip and made a little mat to go inside the frame...again stamping over with the music score. It was a simple little piece and really fun to make, I love using Terra cos each time the effect is slightly different from before...and I just love the warty effect you get...mmm...warty, doesn't sound too pleasant... but you know what I mean!! Oh, I almost forgot to boast, I mean tell you... the Educating Rita moment worked...cos I got an A for my exam result...the only A I will ever get but I was well chuffed with that result! Thanks for looking...beddybyes time for me now....TTFN...

Hels x

Chantilly Lace...

...and a pretty face? Nah, not today...the Zit Fairy visited me during the night and zapped me with a couple of new ones...especially for Easter... see folks, that is whatcha get for eating tooooo much chocolate :O)) Anyway...Chantilly Lace! The title...remember yesterday I went to great pains to remind you all of that song Agadoo...and saying that I couldn't think of a song with Lace in the title...mmm, good old Grim came wandering in last night and said "Chantilly Lace"...that is all he needed to say...doh! There was me thinking I am a music lover and went and forgot that one! *although I do hold the record for guessing the intro of a song within the first few beats....aha, showing off again!!!*




Today I have a few more pages of the book I made for the Sunday Stamper...hopefully Mr Blogger won't be playing up and they will load up...Lionel the Laptop has been misbehaving this past few days too...probably cos I have been neglecting him cos I have been packing...argh...how many boxes!!! I haven't even started the Room of Stash yet!




These pages were made the same way as the others...I used an On The Edge Alterations die on some mountboard...thru my Bug...the plates I used were B Plate on the bottom, then the die, then the mountboard and then my B Plate that I use for cutting...and it works a treat...however, I am sure each machine is a little different, so please don't just take my word for it..I would hate your Bug to break! The pages are coloured with Distress Inks and I added some Lace stamping (the Artistic Stamper new ones!) and some Tim Holtz collection stamps and then added some flowers made from Grungepaper and Grungeboard which were cut using the Tattered Florals die. All of the stash used on the pages can be got from The Artistic Stamper..and if you are quick, there is free shipping til the end of today!




Today is a Bank Holiday, which means that I can disappear to the Room of Stash and catch up on some creating...I need to get this done asap cos I have to pack the flipping room up...soon! Am still waiting for the Packing Fairy to turn up to help me, I mean, there is a Zit Fairy so surely there is a Packing Fairy too???

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 98 - Agadoo!

Morning Stampers...thank you to everyone who joined in with the birdy theme last week...it was lovely to see so many new faces too :O)) This week the theme is tenuously linked to the song title...I bet you are wondering what on earth is she doing this time??? Well, the theme is....LACE...and cos I can't think of a song title with lace in it...we have Agadoo...by Black Lace LOL *remember way back in the 80's when we all pushed pineapple and shook trees..and then went on to grind some coffeeeee? * This week the Sunday Stamper is very kindly sponsored by Jennie from The Artistic Stamper...so we have some candy up for grabs and the winner will be chosen at random after the theme closes next Saturday at 21:00. The winner will then be announced on next weeks Sunday Stamper post. To be in with a chance to win, all you need to do is either make a piece of art that incorporates some lace..you can use lacey stamps, lace embellishments or even make a lace up part to your art... also include some stamping in your art and then leave me a message here with a link to the place you are showing your entry...I can then hop over to see you :O)) Or, you can enter by popping a link in your sidebar back to the Sunday Stamper - and if you don't already, click to follow me :O)) If you do both of these then you will be entered into the "hat" twice...which means double the chance of winning!




For my entry this week I used some old mountboard off cuts which I turned into fancy edged pieces using the new Tim Holtz Alterations "On the Edge" dies...and then used my BIA to make a fastener for them.




The pages are coloured with Distress Inks and then stamped with a variety of Lace Stamps from The Artistic Stamper and also some Tim Holtz collection stamps.




The front cover has some little Grungepaper roses on it...which were made using the Artistic Stamper's Flower Power sheet, medium size flower and overstamping with a small lace stamp.



The larger flowers on the other pages are made from either Grungeboard or Grungepaper covered in an old book page...then scooted thru the Bug with another of the Alterations Dies...this time the Tattered Florals..and again, Distress inked. I added on some Idea-ology bits and bobs and some old lace to the binding wires as a finishing touch...check out the cool Book Plate..this was made using Claudine Hellmuth Studio's Sky Blue paint..dabbled onto the metal and then dried...then sanded over...a fabby tip I saw in Tim's new Compendium of Curiosities.




The Candy that is up for grabs consists of all the new LACE stamps from The Artistic Stamper, which can be found if you click here All of the fabby products used on this piece are available from The Artistic Stamper...and as a special Easter gift .. they are offering FREE shipping on all orders WORLDWIDE!!! Cool huh? As well as the fabby lace stamps there will also be some KlingOn for you to mount them onto .. and I am adding in a big bar of Cadbury's choccy as an Easter pressie...I figured a bar of choccy is more than an egg...and easier to post too LOL

Thanks for looking and I hope you have fun with the new challenge...I am not uploading all the pics of the pages of the book cos Blogger seems to be playing silly beggars and I am getting as many pics on now as I can! Hope to be back later with the rest of them :O)) Have a great week everyone....TTFN

Hels x