Three Fat Ladies...

...oooohoooohoooo, I have been waiting patiently for this one to arrive... three fat ladies... no not me reflected in a trio of mirrors (although that would be about right ROFL) No, indeedily and thrice, it is... post #888 in the random musings and occasional bursts of clarity that is indeed, Ink On My Fingers. I have managed to blog almost every day during 2010 - no mean feat when you consider that I am a shy and retiring type at heart and never really have a lot to say LOL Anyways... today is the last day of 2010... I have, all in all, had a goodly year. It started off with the usual resolutions to finish stuff before I start anything else, to eat less "nice" food and more rabbit food (nothing will ever persuade me that lettuce is as nice as a big fat cream bun) I was going to become more organised, and yes, I did achieve that... I know the exact date and time too... it was on April 20th at about 10am when I suddenly realised that those men who were taking all my stash out of the house and putting it into a gigantic, nay, ginormous pantechnicon, were infact, taking all my orderly packed and catalogued boxes of ink and rubber all the way up the M1 to the new Room of Stash. Actually, I have fibbed a weensy bit there because in fact, I had neglected to catalogue the box with the Xmas stash in it... remember mid October's lamentations of lack of Christmas stash and the ensuing moaning that issued forth until I indeedily found said festive goodies. Anyway, I digressed, as usual... as is my want (actually, what does that mean??? As is my want? What is that all about I wonder!)




So, apart from about a week when I didn't blog because the Room of Stash was in need of unpacking and the odd day when I haven't had anything new to blog, I think I have done rather well. I could say that I didn't actually keep to my resolution about the blogging daily but... aren't those old resolutions just there to be broken, after all??? I had thought about making some new ones, especially for 2011 - you know, some sort of realistic ones that are attainable, yet not too difficult to achieve should ones cravings demand being fed a caramel donut and a Vanilla Slice in the same week? Nay, in the same day! Oh ok, in the same hour!!! Where was I? Ah yes, resolutions. So, I am going to have a few - starting with this laptop here I am tapping away on. I am going to back it up once a fortnight - Grim bought me a fabby little whizzy device that is pink and made of rubber (NO! not what you are thinking ROFL) I am talking about an external hard-drive - actually, I think I shall shut up now as that just sounds even worse!! **how on earth I can be talking about a piece of computerly equipment and make it sound like I am talking about a little doodah from Ann Summers I will never know!!!**



Off I went at a tangent again... ah, resolution #2 - close to all women's hearts at the bong of Big Ben is the usual... must lose weight. Actually, I really do want to and I expect that you will all shout and tell me off when you see me smuggling in a sausage roll and a packet of Wotsits. *did you know, it is a little known fact but... you know that TV presenter who does the lottery show where you have to be in it to win it??? Well, apparently... rumour has it... he eats twenty packets of cheesy Wotsits a day and to get his lovely tan, he simply rubs his fingertips over his face... so they say anyways*




Finally, I shall make a definite resolution that I am going to blog every single day in 2011! Even if Grim wins the lottery and whisks me off to the Bahama's for a month and then takes me pony trekking in Katmandu, even if he insists on flying me first class to New York and giving me a limitless credit card for stashly spending... I will still blog daily! Speaking of Lottery wins... let me tell you about my good fortune yesterday! There I was, standing in the queue for the till in the local Co-op and my eye catches a Scratchcard - I never win a bean on these things but yesterday, I decided to gamble my £1 and asked the girl for a #3 card. Well, unbeknownst to me, she had got the wrong one and had given me a #2 one. It wasn't til I was back in Ferdy did I realise that I had a £2 card instead of a £1 card. I have to admit, I huffed a bit as I had "wasted" another quid. Well, I got home and decided to do the scratching straight away, using one of the Quarters that Ellen left behind to do the deed. Well, this here card has three games on it, the first one, you had a get a diamond symbol to win - whoohooo, I got a diamond on the last bit I scratched and won... £10! Then the next game you have to find a gold bullion bar to win... and.. guess what??? I got a gold bullion bar and won a fiver!! So, game #3 is there and I am nearly weeing myself that I have won twice and I just scratched at the card knowing that I wasn't going to win three times on one card. WRONG! There it was! Match three numbers to win... and I won another fiver! So, all in all, my huffing at wasting a quid actually paid up - bless the girly in the Co-op, when I go to cash it in, I shall say a BIG thank you to her.



I can't actually believe that I started typing this nearly an hour ago and so far, in my "round up" of 2010, I am still in April!!! It has been a big year for me and Grim, what with moving house and settling into a new area - we love love love it here btw. It's been a milestone year for me... turning 40! I love being 40 - it means that I don't have to be quite so serious about "life" and I have certainly learned to try and take each day as it comes and remember to have a laugh - well if I am going to have wrinkles, I may as well make them laughter lines instead of grumpy old frown lines LOL It has been wonderful to have sooo many lovely compliments and comments left for me here and I have made some lovely new friends along the way. Thank you all for indulging me and accepting that I do have a tendancy to waffle on... and if you have stuck this post right thru til now, bless ya... you deserve a medal ROFL Did you notice the pics amongst all this waffle??? I finally finished my 12 Tags of Christmas... hurrah and thrice and huzzah for the Duke of Distress and his amazingly wonderful inspirations... I have LOVED doing the 12 Tags again this year and next year, I promise I will get them done on the actual day, rather than a hundred years later ROFL Anyways... all that is left for me to say is... THANK YOU for reading my waffling and looking at my art and... HAPPY NEW YEAR and may 2011 bring all your wishes and dreams true. TTFN!

Hels x

Curiously Scribbling...

...aha! I must be feeling a bit better because I had the urge to get inky this morning! Hurrah and thrice, I am over the worst I think... the Dr was very helpful yesterday, he told me that I have had Flu... I did tell him that I didn't think it was Swine Flu because I haven't come out in rashers (grrroan!) Anyways, I have got a viral thingy-wotsit in my lungs which is making the old crackles and pops sound like that... so I have been given a Ventolin Inhaler... hey, and no comments about me being an old puffer ROFL Anyways, I was sitting there this morning and I heard this pitifull sound... kind of a gentle mumbling and it was saying "Hels, Hels, we need you" So, I hastened to the Room of Stash and lo! There were all my rubber stamps, sitting there, crying and asking for attention... so of course, I had to indulge them LOL



I am entering this tag into the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge... hosted and devised by the uber talented Linda - if you click her name you can see her blog and all the deets etc are there. So, the theme this week is Scribble Stain Distress.... ooooooh! Yum! Only one of my favest techniques... so I got out the DI's and Re-Inkers and had a play.



The colours I have used are Crushed Olive, Chipped Sapphire and Tumbled Glass DI's with Bundled Sage and Brushed Corduroy Re-Inkers... mmmm, loving those colours together. The little watch is a piece of paper snipped from the Lost & Found stack and popped behind a fragment which I then hole punched with the old Crop-A-Dile... not one of my better idea's that... I thought that the CaD would have no probs getting thru a Fragment but it was tough and I nearly broke into a sweat doing that! Anyways... those stamps are a-calling me again so I shall away to tend to them while I have the energy LOL Thanks for looking... have a great day! TTFN

Hels x

Dr. Dr. Please...

... goodly morning, I am still alive - just - but alas (again) I am still on my sick bed and feeling grottier now than before, if that is possible! I have got an appt with the physician this afternoon and finger's X'd he will be able to tell me what is wrong and give me some potion to make me feel better too! When I phoned the surgery for the appt, I went straight into a queue and the nice lady who talks to you while you are listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons politely informed me that I was 28th in the queue!!! Part of me wanted to just put the phone down and creep back to bed but no, I am made of sterner stuff than that so I held, and held... and then held some more. Finally, I got thru to a real voice, you know what I mean, one attached to a real person rather than the disembodied one on the voice-over-to-talk-to-poor-suckers-who-are-waiting-one. You know what I mean...




Anyways, last week I missed the WOYWW phenomenon - I really missed hopping all around the world looking at desks but I just know that I wasn't well enough... So I thought to myself that I would do it this week... So, I just got the old camera ready and realised, my desk actually is almost the same as two weeks ago - now that is not good at all!!! Anyways, here it is, boring and unloved... poor desk, it is getting lonely sitting there unused. I hoped I would be able to remedy that today - you know, have a gentle crafty session but... I really do feel that crap that I really cannot.. be bothered!!! Shock horror and gasps!!! Anyway, all this waffling on ain't directing you to Head Inspector for Control of Sufferers of Messy Desk Syndrome... in other words, Julia (lol) If you click her name you will be whizzed off to see all the deets etc.



Oh and here is a card I made for MIL and FIL. I made it at the start of my illness and for some reason totally forgot to stamp music script onto the backing paper! Lordy lordy me! Anyways... I was using music on it to link in with the Sunday Stamper this week which all the deets are HERE - and there is a nice bit of Candy for one winner too... Right, time for action, do I go and make a coffee or do I sneak back to bed??? Ah, decisions, decisions! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Coughs & Sneezes...

... woe and alas... I have a lurgy... the dreaded one at that! Which is why I haven't blogged... infact, I haven't even picked up so much as an ink pad since a week ago, which is positively unheard of - I can't remember the last time I didn't make something everyday... and as for blogging, there I was, all smug that I had blogged nearly every day for a year... and then I was hit by this nasty bug. It started on Thursday morning and gradually got worse til I was sitting shivering and shaking on Thursday night. I slept Christmas Eve away - nearly the whole day in bed!! I managed to get thru Christmas Day - having a little Nanna Nap on the sofa helped - and I got through Boxing Day but today, I have resigned myself to this goodness-knows-what-dreaded-lurgy-type-ailment. Worse than the bubbling and crackling noise that my chest is making, and the sore throat that is making me sound like Darth Vader, and even more worse than the blocked nostrils is the fact that... I have lost my appetite!!! I fair forced my turkey down on Christmas Day and yesterday we had a "buffet" stylee tea and I couldn't even manage more than a chicken leg and a piece of cheese! That is when I know I am ill! So, I am succumbing to this thing I have got and I am off back to bed... well, I made it into the Room of Stash, looked at the mess and decided that bed is better... *quick, someone take my temperature... I am hallucinating now... bed better than stash... whatever next!!!*


Here is a piccie of my favest thing I made this year...


Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and got lots of lovely pressies and spent lots of lovely time with your nearest and dearest... Hopefully normal service will be resumed tomorrow and I will be inky and messy again... here's hoping! TTFN

Hels x

I Can Barely Contain...

...my excitement!!! Indeedily and thrice! Today... when I got out of bed at 07.30am it was... snowing!!! Yippedy-yah! Aha, you see, I have been whittering on alarmingly for days about it not being fair that we haven't had any snow... well, we certainly got a nice covering this morning... and I was like a big kid, wanting to go and make a snowman and generally roll around in the white stuff til I was covered head to foot... until... I remembered... today is the day that the nice man from the fire place (not an actual fireplace - like the Floo Network... nope not that type) was due to deliver and install our new fire!! To say I had a mini panic would be a bit of an exageration... actually I was dreading phoning them to get the time of delivery thinking that the nice man would say... no can do. However, result! He said he would be here about 2pm and sure enough, there he was... with new fire and it is all installed and... the living room is... warm and cosy. AlfieCat has got himself a new sleeping place already - right in front of the fire (stoopid he is not LOL) Anyways... we had a bit more snow and then it got a bit warmer and started to go and bit yakky and then the temperature dropped so it is like a skating rink outside... needless to say, I haven't got any sensible boots so I think I shall stay indoors until it has thawed a weensy bit.




With the excitement of the past few days I have totally lost my old Mojo - I think it is in a queue at St Pancras waiting for a train to Paris... however, I did manage to get another Tim tag made - I liked this one - like the idea of recycling packaging. I do think it was a bit wastefull of Grungeboard and won't be doing this again - I shall just chop the bits off the main one next time and not layer it... I mean, what can I do with a snowman diecut that has not got a nose or a hat??? ROFL




Oh and an update on the Volly situation... phew, I got some!!! They are only piddly little things but I kind of like that cos that means I can eat double the amount and not feel guilty ROFL Anyways... time for bed... I have a busy day tomorrow and need my beauty sleep (hey, I know, I need more than a sleep for that but a girl can dream lol) Thanks for looking... have a FAB day! TTFN

Hels x

Pah! And The Battle of Mother's Pride

Indeedily Pah! I am saying that loads of times so I don't end up having to add funds to the swear box... mainly because... why is it... two days of shops being closed over Christmas causes major panic buying and fighting in a supermarket??? That was my afternoon that was... not me and the fighting and panic buying... no I was just a witness to all of that malarkey. So, being as I regard myself as supremely organised (ok, that is stretching it a bit but I like the idea of it ROFL) and I have sufficient cunning to go and get the shopping done today rather than when the supermarket will be busy on Christmas Eve, I thought I would go and exercise my cunning plan and see how it panned out.... Pah! And thrice PAH! And an extra Pah! for goodly measures! I left home at 1pm, collected my prescription, popped to the Chemist to get it filled, said to the lovely lady there that I would be back in half an hour as I had to pop to the supermarket... mmm, famous last words there. Firstly, I was just about to reverse into a parking space and some clod in a huge BMW off-roady-blinged-up monster truck, that very obviously is needed for the rough terrains of deepest suburbia, decided that he was going to ignore Ferdy cos he is ickle and a bit cute looking... so, I had to drive around the car park for about ten minutes looking for a space! That should have sent warning signals to my cunning brain, warning, you know, of impending doom in the shop itself.



So, Ferdy is parked and I am fighting with a ******** insert own swearword in as you like for that one shopping trolley that really does appear to have been run over by old clod boy in the carpark's monster BMW. Anyways, off I toddle with me wonky trolley and experience what I can only describe as living hell in a hot sweaty shop with several hundred deranged people, all of whom have young children that think it is highly amusing to swing from trolleys and bash into the old dear with the wonky trolley (that'd be me!!), whilst simultaneously nicking the Pick n Mix *yes, I actually saw a snot nosed boy dipping into the white mice... remind me to NEVER buy white mice Pick n Mix LOL* I got to the milk aisle to find not one single bottle, carton or even thimble of the stuff... so, I asked the assistant if they had any more milk... and his reply is very obviously what they teach them at charm school... he said "no, we 'aven', i' i' bizzeee n t' sno make us run art" Which, I think, roughly translated meant they didn't have any - or he didn't intend on checking for me at the very least. Anyways... that said, it was bizzeee, far too blinking bizzeeee (note the PAH! is silent there LOL)




Finally, I made my way to the checkout, minus the big toenail on my right foot after it was ripped off in the Battle of Bread Aisle. Yes, the fighting, thought I would save that til last... I have never been so utterly entranced in all my life... to see two grown women having a tug of war with a loaf of sliced white... seriously, it was a case of "I saw i' first" " No you diiient" "Yeh I dit" and so on and so forth... to the point that they actually split the bag open all over the floor, so neither of them got the blinking thing in the end!! I finally made it through the checkout and back into the carpark with my little chariot (by now I had come to love my little wonky trolley, it was quite endearing the way it wobbled and squeaked every so often) and realised that I hadn't got any bread, any milk or any Vol-au-Vent cases (which are a MUST at Christmas just incase the neighbours pop in for Sherry - not that that has ever happened but you can't beat a nice mushroom volly for breakfast ROFL) So, now I have to go back and do it all again... however, this evening I have hatched a very cunning plan indeedily... I am going to... send Grim!!! And the time I spent in there??? TWO HOURS!!! Really!!! TWO WHOLE HOURS!!! I had to have a little Nanna Nap when I got home, such was the trauma ROFL The pics here are my 12 Tags tag for Tag 9 (mmm, how many times can I say Tag in one sentance??) Thanks for looking... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! *whispers... pah! ;o))* TTFN

Hels x

Roses & Rosette...

...mwahahahahaaaa, I have made myself laugh with that title... mainly cos it has to go down in history as one of the naffest I have thunked up yet!!! However, it does lend itself nicely to my Hels' Tags of Christmas #3... which is featuring over on The Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog (or AS CT as I prefer to type LOL) All the deets on how I made it and how to be in with a chance of winning it are HERE.




Well, I have done a snow-dance in the vain hope that we will have a nice big fat fall of it... alas, nay, we have NONE at all! Seriously, just a few miles away from us and it is 4" deep - we had a smattering on Saturday and that was it! However, I am now starting to feel a bit relieved that we haven't had any when I see the news and the poor peeps who were stranded in their cars for hours on end... I so would not be able to cope with that... not only would boredom kick in but... what if... you know... you were desparate for a... wee-wee??? Or worse... for something a little more... erm... solid ROFL Oh dear, I think I will shut up now - it is soooo typical of me to lower the tone below the navel... Thanks for looking... have a FAB day! TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stampers - Week 134 - I Can Hear Music... PLUS CANDY!!!

Goodly morning Stampers and many thanks for all your FAB entries last week :O)) I have a bit of news for you all... but I shall keep you waiting for a little while longer whilst I announce the winner of my entry from last weeks theme... I have used Mr. Random.org to choose the winner, adding all the comments up, doubling them for those who entered and the number chosen is...

#28 - KAT - congrats Kat, please email me your addy and I will pop it into the post for you :O))




So, on with this weeks challenge which I am sure you have all guessed is... MUSIC. I know we have had this one before but I wanted to have a theme which could incorporate Christmas and beyond as this theme will actually last for TWO WEEKS, closing on Saturday January 1st 2011 at 21:00 By way of a thank you to everyone who has supported the Sunday Stamper this year, I have put together a little package of stash candy and have made another Hels' Tag of Christmas (pics below)... and... I am very honoured to be able to tell you that Wendy has kindly sponsored this challenge, so the winner will also win a £15 Gift Voucher for The Stamp Attic. The ways to enter are simples: make something (it can be anything) and include the theme and some rubber stamping. Once you have blogged it, leave me a comment here with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can hop on over to see it. As well as being able to enter the giveaway this way, you can also leave a comment for me on this post and click to become a follower. (if you aren't already) Anyone who comments and makes an entry will be entered into the draw twice. The winner is chosen at random and will win the Gift Certificate from The Stamp Attic, the tag I have made for this weeks entry and some alterable stash from me. The winner will be announced on Sunday January 2nd 2011.





My first entry is another upcycling of packaging project, using packaging from Idea-ology Philosophy Tags - totally inspired by Tim's idea on his blog. The frame is a cheapy Ikea one, which I painted with Jenni Bowlin Dabber Chili Powder, then once this had dried, I sanded it back. I used gold ink to stamp the music score and then went over this with a mini music score stamp, stamping in black to add definition. The middle bit has some paper circles and then bits and bobs popped under the packaging... adding a bit of vintage tinsel to the top and bottom (this covers a multitude of sins LOL) and then a mini bottle with some golden wings behind it as a finishing touch.





So, I have two entries for this week...I got a bit carried away when making my Tim Tags and made another Hels' Tag of Christmas! This tag is the one that I will be giving away :O)) All the deets on how I made it are over on The Stamp Attic blog... click here to see them.





I think that is all the info you will need for entering etc. I will be posting again next Sunday but seeing as it will be Boxing Day and I will be stuffed full of turkey, I will be scheduling the post to go on - and it will be another piece that fits with this theme. I have to say... I had a bit of a disappointment yesterday *one, two, three... awwwwww lol*... firstly, that snow I was raving about on yesterday's post... humph, turned out to be literally 2mm deep!!! Then... Pamela didn't win Strictly... *sad face* however, it was a cracking final and I am going to miss that show... whatever am I going to do with my Saturday nights from now on?? I guess I could just... make art!!! Thanks for looking.. have a FAB week... and I would just like to wish everyone a very ... MERRY CHRISTMAS! TTFN

Hels x

Day 8 and 880...

...posts! This is my 880th post on my blog... blimey, that is one serious amount of yakking I have done!! Anyways... I am still on catch up mode so have been faffing with tags and ink and stuff and have made Day 8 of Tim's Tags of Christmas. I have to admit, I don't really like this technique, never have, no matter how many times I try it, I just don't think it looks right... however, happy accident time.. the Flexible Flyer part of a stamp has landed on Rudolph.. .so that bit I do like!




OOOhhh, I have just looked out of my window and... it is... SNOWING!!!! Yipyah and thrice!!! Actually, it is the teensiest amount but it counts LOL And... I am getting excited about tonight too... will you be watching the Strictly final? I am and, I am going to vote for Pamela to win... this year is strange cos I usually have a favourite but I like them all... but I think that Pamela has had the best "journey" oh and... she is married to my favourite comic, Billy Connelly too!!




Anyways, whatever you are doing today, keep warm and enjoy the snow!!! Thanks for looking, TTFN

Hels x

Cards & Trees...

...well, actually it is card and tree - talking in the plural makes me sound like I am very organised... not yet... but getting there! So, I have made another card - I know, I have 842 left to make but one is better than none right? *also, I have ... erm... bought some.. don't tell anyone though will you? ROFL* The card is a quicky one, which is what the rest of them will be because once I have stopped waffling on here I will be away to make the rest (after I have descaled the kettle again and scrubbed out the bathtub) It is Friday today, which means my DT day for Bubbly Funk - all the deets about this card are on the Bubbly Scrumptious blog...




So... the tree! Well, when have you ever known anything go normal and easy for me huh? In time honoured tradition, I got Grim to get all the boxes and baubles and tinsel and stuff from the loft and put it in the living room. Yep, all present ('scuse the pun) and correct. So, I started off yesterday morning at 6.30am (Grim is on earlies so we are up at stooopid o'clock) assembling the tree. I don't have real ones - as much as I love them, they don't love me and always drop their needles, no matter how much hairspray I waft at them or no matter what is says on the label about being a "non drop" tree. Anyways, I digress.. so, I assemble the tree which is easier said than done... took me nearly an hour to get it all together and neat. So, what comes next? Yep, the lights. Are you thinking... aw, they didn't work? Nope, not that... what had actually happened is that Grim, bless him, had put the lights up outside last weekend (when I should have been putting the tree up - there is a moral of the story here, I can feel in my water LOL) So, I go to put the 120 and 80 strings of lights onto the tree... and can't find the 80's. Aha, lightbulb moment, they are hanging off the front of the house. Well, I got all huffy puffy and couldn't find the old lights to use so I took myself off to bed in a sulk - thing is, when you are sulking it usually helps if someone sees you... Alfie doesn't count cos he just sleeps and ignores me. So, half an hour of huffing and sulking later, I went back downstairs and started the tree... I actually quite like it... but the lights are the old ones and are really yellowy... but hey, the moral of the story is... when your hubby is putting up lights outside, put up the tree at the same time, then you will see that the lights you need are actually missing!!! LOL



Anyways... the tree is done! Hurrah and thrice... and I have got my lovely special baubles on there... each year I buy a "special" bauble... there has been a gamut of birdy's recently... and this years is an owl.. he is a bit naff but I like him (mmm, says a lot about my taste!!) here is a close up pic - oh and ... sorry for the rubbish pics, I had to take the flash off cos it didn't show up the yellow lights LOL And... it is as dark as a badgers bum here today - am anticipating snow.. I looooove snow and want a huge heap of it so I can make a snowman!!!




Oh and yes, I had a few Q's on my last post... Caz said... she would send me her ironing to do as a diversion from making Christmas cards...send it on over Caz, I am a saddo and LOVE ironing!!! And ... Butlersabroad asked why I have two towels in my room... aha, that is cos I use them to wipe up ink and clean off my stamps - and one sits on my knee when I am crafting so it catches all the fiddly things that I always drop lol Oh and yes, before I go... have you seen the Sunday Stamper this week??? There's still time to join in and I am giving away the frame I made... deets are all HERE :O)) Right, I am off to do a snow-dance now... and to scrub that tub... those cards will make themselves won't they??? Thanks for looking... keep warm!!!

Hels x

WOYWW... That Didn't Last Long...

...*hangs head in shame* Oh dear, nay and thrice, it is... a total mess again... yes, indeedily, I have been far too busy polishing my halo to notice that my...er... Room of Stash has once again decended into being... a Room of... TRASH! I know, I was all "look at me, aren't I neat?" for a couple of weeks but they always say that a leopard never changes its spots... and it seems that should apply to me right now.




I have to say, in my defence, that I am amidst all the mess and detritus of a marathon Christmas card making session... for I have made a vast amount of cards... actually, I made one, got huffy, chucked everything onto the floor and proceeded downstairs to watch the telly ROFL But, as excuses go, it isn't that bad. Really. Is it? Anyways, I am waffling on about the state of my room because today is Wednesday which means it's time for WOYWW - hosted by Julia, Inspector in Chief of the Control of Messy Crafters. CLICK HERE to see all the deets, the links and what it is all about. I have to go now, so I am keeping this short, for a change... mainly cos I have a... erm... Christmas tree to put up and decorate. I know, I know, I said I was doing that on Sunday, oh and on Monday too... I am ever so good at avoidance tactics now you know. I am deffo doing it today though.. really, I am... after I have had a bath, cleaned the bath, descaled the kettle and rearranged the tins in the cupboards... see, avoidance tactics... if there was an O Level (O Level! Please! How old am I!!!) in it I would get an A. Actually, I would probably get a U cos I would avoid that too ROFL Thanks for looking... have a FAB day! TTFN

Hels x

Improvisations...

...aplenty!!! Now, all those 12 Tags of Christmas and I was lucky enough to have most of the stuff I needed... but, I haven't got a glue gun, I haven't got any Adirondack Color Washes and I haven't got any of that thick foamy stuff that the Duke of Distress used to make custom stamps from his Alterations dies. So, first things first, the Color Wash issue - and let's face it, if He uses it and We haven't got it, it does fast become an "issue" doesn't it? (please say yes otherwise I will think I am bonkers LOL) The easiest option would be to buy some... but seeing as I have never needed them before and they have been around for yonks... and knowing my certain... erm... clumsiness with all things inky and stainy, I just knew that getting some would be taking altering to the nth degree (ie, my carpet!) Anyways, I decided to try a Mini Mister with a bit of water and a good old squeeze of Re-Inkers in it... and yes.... it works! Well, the colours aren't as vivid as they could be but I like the effect... so I have saved myself dosh (well, there had to be a first time lol)




So, with the Color Wash issue resolved, I then moved on to the Glue Gun issue. Now, I have to admit, if it is hot, I tend to get the odd burn or blister so have never ventured down the Glue Gun avenue (actually, is there an avenue named Glue Gun? I doubt it ... bear with please!!) It just so happens Grim has a Glue Gun and he keeps it in his garage... anyways, I mentioned to Grim that I needed a hot glue gun... and sort of adopted a slightly moronic expression **nowt new there then!!** in the vain hope he would trust me with it... and he did! So, the poinsettia on Tag #7 was "go" Which is what this 'ere tag is... #7 of 12 and yep, I am still behind on them but I am having the best fun playing.




Then... I noticed that Tim has been making custom foam stamps .... and..... I need one for one of the tags... eeeeeek... what a to do! I have not got any of that foamy stuff and I know not where to get it. So, I am sitting there feeling ever so slightly miffed that I have been well and truly foxed... when all of a sudden a huge flash of lightning appeared, zapped me in the bonce and I had ... an... idea!!! (fear not, I was seated at the time) Why not try to use... KlingON!!!! Tim has covered his foam with Wondertape, which is effectively what is already stuck to KlingOn, so I thought I would give it a try... and wowwwweee, it works! A treat! So, I am no longer foxed and very much in the running for actually finishing the tags now! Yipyah and thrice! Here is a piccie of two of the stamps I have made so far - I can see this being rather addictive. I am polishing my halo as I type, I am multi-tasking now too, feeling rather smug at all the dosh I have saved with my improvisations... mmm, what to spend it on now then!! LMSO




Have you seen the Sunday Stamper yet??? I am giving away my entry, all the deets are HERE if you would like to enter into the draw... don't be shy, tis open to everyone and if you join in with the challenge too, you will be entered twice :O)) Anyways, enough waffling from me for one day... thanks for looking... have a goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

Hanging About...

...flipping 'eck, it is... less than two weeks to the C word now and I have just had a mini panic that I still haven't made my cards yet... erm... think I will have to cancel all activities this week and get stuck into them... either that or buy some LOL So, instead of making cards I have been making a Christmas door hanging... using Paper Artsy stamps and Grungepaper... all the deets are HERE and all the stashy bits are available from The Stamp Attic.



I am going to change the habit of a lifetime now... and keep this post reaaaaaally short.. mainly cos I have those cards to make and I.. erm... *coughs* didn't get round to putting up the tree and the decorations yesterday so they need doing today... see, I am really good at avoidance tactics... thing is, you can only avoid stuff for so long before it has to be done.. so I am steeling myself and away I go to get covered in glitter and tinsel... thanks for looking... have a goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stampers - Week 133 - Script For A Jesters Tear

Ah, goodly morning indeed stampers... first off... THANK YOU all for your lovely lovely entries last week and a very special mention for Hazel who entered an amazing amount of times... if you click on her name you will be able to see her gorgeous creations :O)) So... on with this weeks challenge... as the song title suggests, the theme for this week is... SCRIPT. Tis easy to join in with the Sunday Stamper, all you need to do is make a piece of art, include the theme and some stamping, leave me a comment here with the linky to the place you are showing your entry and I can hop on over to have a gander... now, this week seeing as it is coming up for Christmas, I am doing a giveaway as a thank you for all the lovely comments I have had this year. The giveaway is two-fold... first of all, I am giving away my entry for this week... and the second part is another Hels' Tag of Christmas which you will be able to see more deets and pics of HERE on the Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog. I will tell you all about how to enter later on... Oh and before I forget... this weeks theme is open until 21:00 Saturday December 18th '10



So, my entry this week is a total copycat of an idea from The Duke Of Distress... he had it on his blog the other day - and I loved, loved, loved it so much I had to copy and make one myself... and what a lovely project it was indeed! The frame is painted with black dabber and then sanded back to the wood in parts... I incorporated this weeks theme by stamping a script in black StaZon all over the frame - it is subtle but I liked the look it gave... kinda old and worn out (bit like me LOL) The middle of the frame is actually made up from a Philosophy Tag packet which had a piece of card popped behind it and then I cut out 12 circles from the Seasonal Paper Stash, placing them behind the raised bits of packaging and then adding some trinkets and Idea-ology to them.




To brighten up the frame a bit, I spreaded (!) some Traditional Tan paint onto my craft sheet and then used the bitty dotty stamp to add some splodges... in my head they were woodworm holes... in reality they are more like earthworm holes, but hey, I tried LOL





So... the giveaway... here is a peeksy-boo at the tag I am giving away - all the deets are HERE. To join in with the Sunday Stamper giveaway, all you have to do is leave me a comment here, add a linky/pic in your sidebar or on your blog back to my blog and, if you aren't already, become a follower. And... if you enter this weeks challenge, I will add your name in twice into the hat. To be in with a chance of owning the tag, all you need to do is leave a comment on the post over on the AS Creative Team Blog... all the deets are over there anyways for you :O)) I will post worldwide... and... a few bits of stashly goodies may just find their way into the envelope too ;o} The winners will be announced next Sunday, 19th December '10



So... did anyone watch Strictly??? Or the X Factor??? We have been out all evening at Grim's works Christmas meal... I am stuffed fatter than a porky piglet (why do I always have that chocolate mint with my coffee, I am sure it is that that tips me over the edge ROFL) so we have Sky +'d them both... so once I have posted this I am off to flop onto the sofa and watch them... looks like I will be getting a late night... oh and tomorrow... or today should I say... is... D Day... yep, Decoration day... the day I dread all year is upon us, I have to unpack (yaaaak, hate unpacking) all the baubles and tinsel... I have to chase AlfieCat away from said tinsel, I have to test the fairy lights and, I don't know if you do this... but... I always look away and then squint at them - just incase they are busted and I need to go and buy more... tis that dread of the mess a tree makes and then the "what do I do with the ornaments?" dilemma... still, it looks pretty and... it is worth it when the living room looks all sparkly and festive. Anyways, enough of the waffling from me... thanks for looking... don't forget to leave me a comment :O))... and... happy Sunday! TTFN

Hels x

Philosophically... Sticky???

My name is Hels and I am... a.... Holtz-aholic!!!! LMSO OOOOhhhhh, who is loving the 12 Tags of Christmas??? I certainly am but... alas, I am still waaaay behind on them for the simple reason that I have been far too busy making my own versions of them LOL *which reminds me, there is still time to leave a comment HERE for me to win the first tag I made... just saying* Anyways, The Duke of Distress, the Valedictorian of Vintage, nay and thrice, the Sultan of Stamping... well, he always is a total inspiration for me and this years crop of tags have been no different... so I took lots of different elements from his tags of new and old and put together this one :O))




So, I LOVE the Tissue Tape rosette... heaps and heaps, to the point that I have been sitting a-fiddling with all things tissuey for the last few days and ... made... a jumbo rosette! This is actually three, in graduating sizes, stapled together and then inked with Brushed Corduroy and a smidge of Wild Honey Distress Inks. Birdy is made the Tim way (see Day 3 on his blog for the deets) and I added black Enamel Accents to make an eye and a wing decoration thingy-wotsit.




Moving on... the title of today's post... mmm, what on earth am I on about this time??? Well, last night I was tripping the Skype-fantastic with Ellen and we were talking about Idea-ology, like you do (when you are a total Holtz-aholic) and I said that I was running short of Muse Tokens... and then I admitted why I am short on them... because, being a complete numty, I just ordered what I thought was a packet of Philosophy Tags and a packet of Muse Tokens... from two different shops like. Well, I have taken delivery of them and... yep, you guessed it... two packets of Philosophy Tags... and... erm... I didn't really need them anyway because I sat and counted them up and I have *ahem* 49 of the beggars. So, after me and Ellen had fallen about laughing at the overstocking issue, I said to Ellen, I have a new pack of Word Sticks too... and yep, I counted those and I have... 31 of the beggars!




Here is a piccie of them all... now, I know I am quite capable of using a ton of Idea-ology on one tag but I think it is going to take me a wee while to use all these up! ROFL Well, stocking up is a good thing, isn't it??? Oh and... I still need Muse Tokens cos I can't make yesterday's tag until I get a new pack - the only ones I have left say Courageous and I don't think it is possible for a snowman to be courageous... is it???




I have a very important job to do now... yes, it is that time of year when Grim puts up the outside lights and I really need to go and help (for that read, stand about pointing upwards and sort of holding onto the ladder, whilst being unsuitably dressed in slippers and no overcoat) Gotta dash, I can hear the ladders being put up as I type!!! Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Curiously Candy Says Simon On Day 6...

...right then... you know that I lurve the Compendium of Curiosities challenge... and I lurve the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge... and I lurve the 12 Tags of Christmas by The Duke of Distress.... well... all that said, I have got myself lovely and inky and messy and have taken some of the elements from last years and this years tags and made my entry for both of the challenges... cheating to combine them? Probably but... hey, I am behind on my Tim tags so I am hoping to be excused on the grounds of devotion to the 12 Tags... oh and because I am being so tidy I am practically angelic (ok, that is pushing it a bit but a girl can try ;O))




So... the theme for the CCC is... Rock Candy Stickles... all deets are on Linda's blog... and the theme for SSS&S is a Show A Holiday Message. This 'ere tag I have done is practically groaning under the weight of Rock Candy Stickles but do they show up on my (not so) brrrilliant photo's??? Do they 'eckers like... so you will have to believe me when I say... I did use nearly a whole bottle on the tree, the snowflakes and the deer!




The deer actually was made last year! I know, doubters of the "never chuck anything away brigade" would be eating their hats to see such goodly use being made of a left over! I made a host of cards last year featuring old Rudolph and this one was a left over. He is made from card which is embosssed with Distress Embossing powders but apart from that, I can't remember how he was made... what I do spy though is a very neat snippy job done around his horns... no, they aren't horns are they??? And now I have said horns I cannot for the life of me think what they are called ... bums...it will come to me, I am sure LOL




And... because I am in a tag-alicious mood, I also made Tag #6 from the 12 Tags... I tried to make it the same as the original but one thing I wasn't going to do was cut out a branchy tree from Grunge just to use a couple of snipped bit for Bambi's horns... you see, there I go again... horns!!! They aren't horns... and... I shall say it before anyone else does... I seem to...erm... have a thing about... horns LMSO Anyways... cos I am soooo stingey with my Grunge, I instead overlapped the smallest piece possible so it went onto the hoofy bits and bottom of the legs of Bambi's brother so that is actually what Bambi's horns are made from... yep, the legs and hoofy bits of the other deer... I am quite sure that I could have explained all of that very quickly and quite simply but you know me, if there is a waffle worth waffling, I will waffle it.




Actually, I am getting a bit concerned because... I am doing that "avoidance" thingywotsit again... you know, where you have a "job" to do... and you do loads of other stuff instead cos you are putting off the "job" Well, the "job" I have to do it... *pauses for dramatic effect* I have to... make my seven hundred and 94 Christmas Cards... in the next... FIVE days!!!!!





I need a plan, and I need one quick!!! See, here is another tag I have made... this one is for my Bubbly Funk DT so all the deets and bigger pics are over HERE. And... check out the Tissue Tape tree... that sprang into my mind the other night after making the rosette from Tissue Tape... oooh, that pleating is really therapeutic... and also an incredibly good way to avoid the "job". Sitting here waffling on is so not getting me to bed, getting me to sleep and getting me up early in the morning to get cracking straight away with the cards... actually, I am now considering... buying a pack... stooopid isn't it??? I can sit and make tags with Christmas themes but the cards?? Mmmm, I should really do as my old school report used to say... and... do better!! ROFL Thanks for looking... have a fabby day! TTFN

Hels x

Giving It Away...

... yes indeedily, I am giving it away again... giving what away? Well, today is my day for The Artistic Stamper Creative Team and I have been so excited about the 12 Tags of Christmas and the amazingly wonderful (erm... can I gush anymore??? LOL) designs by the Duke of Distress himself, I have been inspired to make my own tag - a Hels' Tag of Christmas lol - with a few of this years techniques on it... so, if you would like to be in with a chance of winning this tag... please CLICK HERE to see the post over on the AS CT blog... also, if you leave me a comment here too, I will enter your name in to the draw too :O)) *that is if you like the tag and would like to own it LMSO*




So... in true fashion, I am still lagging behind on the proper 12 Tags, however, I am waiting on... erm.. supplies arriving (;O}), so I actually can't do anymore at the moment... that is my excuse and I am sticking to it LOL I made a right hash of Day 5 - mainly because I haven't got the label jobby or any Peeled Paint Cracklepaint... so I improvised... I have the Baroque thingywotsit so I cut that and then cut out a big piece from the centre and tried to resize it. I have got Shabby Shutters crackle... so after three years of trying to reconstitute it because it was thicker than me... well, the result isn't that great but the general idea is there LOL




I am LOVING the enamelly porcelain effect on the metal numerals... in fact, that is about all I do like on this tag ... this is the third attempt - Santa didn't stamp properly the first time, then the sentiment was wonky ( I despise any stamp that defies me and stamps wonky... so this one is most hated at the moment ROFL) and finally, I thought I had it sorted and got all the way to the assembling stage and realised Santa was too low down... and he is very red of face, if you look at Tim's you will see that his is perfect... obviously... so I am having a mini strop and might even re-do this one... again... or maybe I will just go and eat some chocolate and stop being so anal ROFL




Anyways... tis time for beddiebyes methinks... or... should I just creep on over to my incredibly tidy desk and make a... Christmas card??? Nah!!! Another tag, yes! A card... no!! Thanks for looking... don't forget to leave me a comment over on the AS CT blog too for the tag winnery thingy... TTFN

Hels x

WOYWW... Empty Desk Syndrome!

...tis true! That is what I am suffering from! I know, I have waffled on alarmingly about how empty the old Room of Stash is now that Ellen has gone home but seriously, I have some very strange symptoms and according to Mr Google, I am suffering with Empty Desk Syndrome... a little known ailment... in fact, I actually made it up, but don't let on to anyone will you :O)) but what it means is this... last week, desk #2 was busy and happy and being used... this week it is back to storage duties and is looking after my finished 12 Tags tags that I am still behind on...



Oh and ... I am... polishing my halo too... because... you can see... the Room of Stash is still ... spotless! I am a changed person! I have developed...*dah, da, dahhhhhh* tidying skills... don't worry, it isn't contagious or anything like that but I am actually still putting away stuff before starting a new project! Honest, I'm not just shoving it all onto the floor for the photo's... really, it is... tidy!!! *can't say how long it will last but... I am trying... very ROFL*




Oh and I just remembered... last week (actually the past few weeks) I have been asked... "what are the pile of scalloped things under the desk?" They are... my most prized and treasured crafty possessions, the ones I always turn to when I am feeling Mojo-less... they are my Studio 490 stamp sets by Wendy Vecchi - I haven't got them all... *whispers* yet... and rumour has it there are more sets on the way in January... cannot wait!!!



I am still well behind on the 12 Tags - having spent an evening cutting out Grungepaper poinsettia's for a different project (they are all heaped on desk 1) I decided to make Tag #4 - which, BTW, is remarkably simple and I even managed to get that stampy, inky, removery thingy sorted on the Facet... well, truth be told, I tried it, mucked it up, took off said ink with Blending Solution, tried again... repeated all of the above... tried again, threw said Facet onto floor in a huffy puffy moment... then decided that reading the instructions on the Duke Of Distress' blog may be of assistance... erm... it helped... and I managed it... first time LOL The trick, aparently, is to stamp with archival and DAB it off... not swipe it off like what I was doing... genius... that is Mr Holtz for ya, true genius!




Anyways... all this waffling... tis supposed to be a short post on a Wednesday... and if you are a bit confused why I am going on about my desks, well, it is all because of a lovely lass called Julia who started off this whole hop-around the desks of blogland... all the deets and links etc are HERE (which is Julia's blog) Haven't tried it before?? Join in, do! It is FUN and... it is rather satisfying to hop around Blogland and nosey at other peeps' workspaces... sometimes I see some right old messy ones (you know who you are LOL) and sometimes there are some really gorgeous spaces that make me have storage envy, nay and thrice, room envy!!! Check it out... go on, you know you want to LOL Thanks for looking... have a very goodly day! TTFN

Hels x