Did You See It Yet???

...plllllllease say you have!!! I have hunted high and low, near and far (ok, well, not that far, actually, more nearer than farer but you know what I mean...) STILL no sign of that old scoundrel Mojo. And this is getting rather silly because I need him to be here! I have 101 jobs to do and deadlines to meet and all I am doing is faffing about pushing bits of paper hither and thither. Now there's a saying, hither and thither... what the chuff does that mean? I am hoping it isn't something rude!




Anyways... a couple of weeks ago, when I was all Mojo'd up, I made a couple of little jewellry pieces for Wendy's birthday.... the first piece is a handbag charm... I love these BTW - I can't pass a Next without whipping in and having a rummage to see if they have any new ones. I do like to make my own too and seeing as I have some of those rather splendid Steampunk Charms from Wendy to play with, I thought I would make something with them. Next came a bracelet... I wanted it to be a "wear everyday" kind of piece so there aren't any mahooisve dangly bits (now that really does sound rude!) All using Idea-ology and Steampunk Charms and Jump Rings... lots of Jump Rings.



So, what to do now huh? I have exhausted my supply of things made and not blogged... I have started about 682 new projects and chucked them all onto the "Started But Not Finished Pieces That Will Probably Never Be Finished" Chair. I have tidied up the Room of Stash again - took me all of five mins after my halo polishing the other day. I have sorted out the storage for Idea-ology. Oh and I sorted out my Colorwash and Perfect Pearls sprays... they now have a co-ordinating circle of paper stuck to the lid. I have re-inked my Distress Inks AND my Archival Inks. I have even sorted out my stamp collection, they were in baskets in manufacturer order, they are now in alphabetical order too... see, nothing is helping. I ate a kilo of chocolate (as advised to by several peeps yesterday) and have set about squeezing the subsequent spots that appeared overnight. I need help... like seriously hoooge amounts of help!! **not squeezing the spots I hasten to add... no... help finding Mojo!** Right, I have a pressing engagement with a box of Jump Rings that need sorting into size order and colour order... oh deep joy, the things I do for a distraction huh! If you see that old git Mojo, give him a kick and push him back this way please lol TTFN

Hels x

Did You See It...

...did you?? Please say you did cos then I will know where to look then. What am I waffling on about huh? Mr "I am off on holiday and I don't care that you need me" Mojo... yes, he has naffed off again, not even bothering to say goodbye! How rude! Today is a bank holiday, and yes, in time honoured tradition it is siling down.. so... I thought to myself "aha, a cunning plan, a day loitering in the Room of Stash getting inky... let the rain rain down outside!"



Best laid plans and all that! So... I have been faffing through my photo files on Lionel and found this ATC that I had made for my swap with Ellen whilst at Ellen's... hence the use of Dyan's fab stamps - alas, I haven't got a single set of these *sob* But I did make the most of them while I was away... it would have been rude not to lol



Apart from faffing with photo's and generally kicking my heels, I also started to watch The Cat In The Hat... but nodded off... I am turning into my Grandma... needing Nanna Naps in the middle of the afternoon! Must be an age thing lol Right... am off to search for that old rapscallion Mojo and drag him home by the scruff of his scraggy neck (can you tell I am in a sulk with him rofl) Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 156 - Red Red Wine...

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all. Many thanks for all those heavenly pearly sparkly creations last week. This week is an easy theme... and it be... RED. Now, this is another one of my fave songs... I shall stick my neck out and admit that the Neil Diamond version is my fave... but I do love UB40 lots. To join in with the challenge all you need to do is make a little something, it can be anything you fancy, add in the theme and some stamping, leave a comment for me here with a link to the place you are showing your entry and I can hop on over to see you. The theme will be open until 21:00 Saturday June 5th 2011. *akkkk, June already!!!*




So... this week's theme was literally chosen as I was naming my photo's... it was that bad! I spent all evening just faffing with tags and stamps and not really getting anywhere... nothing went right, so I have made a tag using the same design principle as several other tags I have made, funnily enough the old Mojo had gone AWOL then too!! I am hoping he comes home soon, I am lonely here in this Room of Stash - although I have a suspicion that he will be lounging on some sunny beach sipping Mojito's!! Anyways, enough about that old rascal and on with the tag...




I used Traditional Tan paint and a piece of Cut & Dry to make some swishes onto the tag base... zapped with a heat gun and then used a concoction of Fired Brick and Antique Linen Distress Stains to colourize it. I then very lightly spritzed Cranberry Colorwash Spray over the top... I say careful because this stuff is seriously potent and it spreads as soon as water touches it... so... a tip from Ranger U... any Colorwash on your desk etc, wipe the excess up with a dry towel/kitchen roll first... then go in with the babywipe... cos otherwise it spreads big stylee... aha, you see, I did learn a whole load of goodness :O))



The stamping is from the gorgeous new stamps from the Duke of Distress... along with some Idea-ology and a frame cut from the Tag/Frame Alterations... cut in mountboard, covered with Clear Embossing Powder and then two layers of Queen's Gold Embossing Powder - which is THE best gold embossing powder and then I plonked some Black Dabber over the top to age it. Right then... definitely time for bed... I shall be on a hunt in the morning for that scoundrel Mojo, if you see him loitering with intent, just kick his bum and send him back to me please lol Thanks for looking... have a FAB holiday weekend! TTFN

Hels x

Simon Says.... Wendy....

...aha, the theme over at Simon Says Stamp & Show this week is to show some Wendy Vecchi stylee art. Well, of course, au naturellement indeedily, I lurve Wendy Vecchi and anything Studio 490 stylee... so I set about making a little something as an entry... and then... lo! I got a block! I know, how can I lose the old Mojo half way through playing with Art Parts and 490 stamps!!! But it happened, so, I walked away from the desk and sat and growled for a while, sulking in fact.




When I returned, the old Mojo was still being reluctant to show its face, so, being as I am a bit stubborn, I decided to crack on anyway and just enjoy myself with all the goodies I had assembled on my desk. So, Clearly For Art... love the stuff... can't get enough of it... and my little clear butterfly was looking rather splendid, stamped in Coffee Archival and all that. Then I had an attack of the sausage fingers and managed to wipe all the stamped bit off... so I was left with a rather manky looking butterfly. But! Layered over the top of a Grungeboard one, he looks kinda goldy in colour, so he stayed.




I had tried to do a bit of muted stamping on the base of the Art Part circle and bodged that too... it isn't very visible... so instead I just stamped a dictionary def. text in black Archival and that covered up that oopsie-daisy. I stamped the Spider in the wrong place, he is covered up by the Ornate Plate... all in all this is so not how I wanted it to turn out but... I kind of like it! The hand has a rather blinging bright diamond on it to go with the lacey cuff... I broke up an old brooch I got in a bag of junk from a car boot sale... I wonder if it is a real diamond, that would be cool, there are about 30 stones in the brooch lol




Check out the watch.... behind it are three Memo Pins that I have popped a 4, a 9 and a 0 behind and filled with Glossy Accents (thanks to the Wonderful Wendy for that idea!!)



I have to say... Art Parts... they have to be my favest bases to work on... I have used Distress Stains on them and corrr, they smell divine when the heatgun is drying the ink... like fireworks (mind you, I have always been a bit strange, I like weird smells, like diesel and plastic paddling pools and the inside of those big catalogues you get from Argos... told you, strange indeedily lol) So, this is my entry for the challenge... a whole lot later and a whole lot different than planned but nevermind, I had a whole heap of fun making it. Oh and I nearly forgot... all of the stashly goodies I used are available at The Stamp Attic... (just being an enabler ;o))


I best get a move on... I need to make the Sunday Stamper for tomorrow... haven't a single clue about the theme this week so be prepared that it may be a bit of a wacky one... or a repeat of one we have already had lol Thanks for looking... enjoy your Saturday! TTFN

Hels x

Al Fresco...

...corrrr blimey... those Fresco Finish paints... lusciousness in a bottle or what!! Now, I have had a few colours to play with ... and I am soooo lucky because Wendy from The Stamp Attic sent me some more to play with for my DT thing. They arrived yesterday and I got playing straight away... trying different colours with the Crackle in the middle of them... this one is a rather lovely combo... Little Black Dress and Moonlight... subtley mauve... like I said... lush!!!


I love that Sewing Room die... you know, I said when I first saw it that I would never use it and wouldn't need it... ahem... famous last words... thing is, I say that about loads of stuff and end up having to have it lol



Right... time to get cracking on more crafty stuff that is waiting attention... you will be pleased to hear that my room is still impeccably tidy.. I have been clearing up after each make...oh and I have even been washing out painty Cut & Dry foam... and paint brushes too!! I know! Whatever next?? Baking?? No, that is taking this domestic goddess malarkey one step too far rofl... Anyways... thanks for looking... have a goodly Friday! TTFN...

Hels x

Oh So Pretty...

... a slightly different look for me I know but... I felt like doing something all romantic and pretty... naturally flowers feature in abundance - but then again, tis rare for me to make anything that doesn't have a flower on it. Tis Friday, so my day for the Bubbly Funk DT... Caroline sent me a lovely box of stash to play with... and in the box were two wooden icons. I had a little zap of inspiration hit me when I saw them... one is going to be all flowery and pretty and pastelly... and the other will be usual grunge and stuff. All the deets on how I made the icon are HERE on the Bubbly Scrumptious blog. That there is a little piccie of the finished article too...





I got a really funny joke on email the other day from Sam. It is hilarious and any cat owners will understand immediately... and dog owners will love what they read at the end... here it is:

HOW TO GIVE A CAT A PILL:

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm, as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb either side of the cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks whilst holding pill in right hand. Open cat's mouth. Pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Open jaw and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse in from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat firmly wedged between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand whilst forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler whilst rubbing cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail. Get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lay on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil, blow down drinking straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill is not harmful to humans and drink one beer to take taste away. Apply bandaid to spouses forearm and remove blood from carpet with soap and cold water.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbours shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, close door onto neck leaving just the head showing. Force mouth open with desert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer, fetch bottle of scotch. Pour one shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw t-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call Fire Department to retrieve damn cat from top of tree across road. Apologize to neighbour who crashed car into fence swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Using heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, tie the litte *^)$#*'s front paws and back paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining room table. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Consume rest of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to Emergency Room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes remnants of pill from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Call RSPCA to collect mutant cat from hell. Phone Pet Shop to see if they have any hamsters.

HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL.

1. Wrap it in bacon.

2. Toss it in the air.


Ohhhoooohoooo, this made me hoot... and I hope you had a goodly laugh too. Of course, my AlfieCat is the perfect patient and is the only cat in history that will sit still and just take his pill. My old cat Poppy was a beast to get a pill into.. one time I managed to wedge her mouth open and get the pill in... then she shut her mouth while my thumb was still in it... ended up losing the nail on that one!!! Eeek... Right... bed time for me... thanks for looking!! TTFN

Hels x

Full Steam Ahead Sir!!!

... I have always wanted to say that... so I just did lol So, I have some new stamps to play with... and I lurve them lots already... so much that they are probably going to become my new faves. They are the Steampunk set from THE Duke of Distress and they really are rather splendid... and I got them from The Artistic Stamper :O)) I was going to try and speak like a Victorian for this post but, by jingo, it is not as easy as one thought it would be... nah... I am better off speaking like me... even though you probably only understand every other word it is easier for me to waffle on... you know, in my own voice.



Speaking of which (pardon the pun) a few weeks ago I met a lady whom I have been talking to online, emails and the like and she was really surprised when I started talking... she said... and I quote... "ooooh, you talk like a Northerner!" So, I sat there a few minutes and started wondering what she had thought I sounded like... because, you can't get someone's accent from blogs and words on the t'internet... which has now got me to thinking... when I read the lovely comments left here by peeps that I haven't actually talked to in the real, I read them in my own voice... so, if you don't mind, can you please leave me a comment and tell me what accent your voice is? Then, when I read it, I can read it in that accent. **Wonders if Hels is actually losing the plot here?**



Anyways... my tag... as I said, the new Steampunk stamps... I lurve them... and I lurve Distress Stains.. so I put them together... the Wild Honey/Vintage Photo combo is getting a bit over used methinks... so I am banning myself from using them together for at least...erm... a day (ahem) but even so... they are a goodly combo. The ickle ruler is a strip from the Crowded Attic stack, stuck to mountboard, cut, inked, hammered, I added an eyelet without an eye... can't remember what they are called rofl and some Idea-ology... and glued some Ball Chain on. The sentiment is also a Duke of Distress stamp... one of my other faves lol



Cor blimey! Have you had weird weather today? This morning was bright and sunny and then it went as black as your hat and thundered and lightninged... and then sunny... and now we are in the middle of a storm! I am sure I am a witch you know... whenever we are going to have a bad storm or the weather is going to be freakish, I always get heaps more pain... like my old bones know that it is going to be bad. Right... best go, I have a broomstick to polish (rofl!!) Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

WOYWW... Four Mishaps & A Halo...

..uh oh... yes, you read right... mishaps... yep, I have been at it again. I can only assume that at some point during my previous life I was actually a Bull... you know one of those that runs around a China Shop? lol So... today, Wednesday, nay and thrice the very last Wedsnesday of May indeedily! Wednesday's mean that the people of the world unite (ok, not everyone in the World cos that would be just soo many desks to visit) but... you get my drift... all devised and hosted etc by the lovely and very witty Julia... she of the Head Desk Inspector-In-Chief of BlogLandia fame. There are a few more pics than normal in my post today... and I promise I will try to keep the chopsing to a minimum cos I know time is of the essence and all of that lark... so... lots of pics... firstly, the truth behind the rumour that my Room of Stash is actually a perfect paradise of paper arts... this is what it was like yesterday morning...



I know, I am ashamed... you see, I have a very goodly excuse... I went away to that America place... and when I came home my room was trashed! Like seriously trashed... because, my dears, my AlfieCat had taken up crafting as a hobby... And the mess he made!!! And then decided that inking and stamping weren't for him... and he left the place like a bombsite... the nawty little tyke (blimey, I haven't used that word for yonks) had even left unmounted stamps off their sheets! Tsk Tsk Tsk indeed!


Ok, ok, what kind of a mother am I to blame my poor little Furbaby on making such messes, when, in actual fact, it was me, it's a fair cop Guv'ner and all that. I had an extra case on the way home from that America... with some stashly goodies from Ranger and au naturellement (blimey, French??? ) and a few stashly delights and trinkets from that Michael's place - please please please Mr Owner of Michael's, can you bring the stores to the UK!!! We need them!!!




Anyways... I took it upon myself to tell everyone that I was going to clean up my act... so I had to go through with it... plus the fact, it was getting a bit ridiculous, all that shoving stuff onto the floor and then catching AlfieCat asleep on a half finished project (that is true BTW, tis!! he was sleeping on the frame/canvas/teatowel combo in pic above) So... I started by sorting out inkpads and sprays and desk drawers and then got a pile of things I have made and set about bunging them up onto the bare wall I have been saving for this very thing... Well, I deliberated about waiting for Grim to get home and do it for me and then I thought "NO! I can do it!" Errrrm... famous last words.




What ensued can only be described as a catalogue of calamities that mean that I shalln't be operating any kind of hammery or naily device for a loooong time. First of all, I had all the pieces I wanted to put up in a pile... and one of them is a beautiful mirror that Kat made for me. It is gorgeous... and heavy... so I added two screwy hooky things to the back and put some wire through them. Aha, I am being DIY minded and clever, methinks to myself. Until, said wire, by which I was holding the mirror, undid itself and said mirror dropped, landing corner on, onto my foot. I was barefoot. Ouch #1. So, I repaired the wirey thing (thank heavens the mirror didn't break!) Next, I was halfway through the hanging of the arty things and I needed the loo... so I stepped backwards, only to remember that I had left the little tray of nails on the floor. Still barefoot... now hopping about with nails sticking out of the same foot that had already suffered an assault. Who knew nails were so chuffing sharp!!!


Anyways... I got over that mishap and carried on with the wall stuff... and I finished it and I am ever so chuffed with it... there's a collection of my stuff up there, plus Kat's Mirror, Ellen's Drippage BFF Canvas and Gillian's beauty in blue Steampunk canvas. Isn't it all marvellously displayed and not at all too close together in parts (agree with me please, Grim said the four canvases were too close together... obviously that was planned... ahem!) Then came mishap #3... during which I actually lost a very lot of blood. Here is a moral of the story story... never, not ever, not even if you are wearing chain mail (sp?) gloves, ever, ever... attempt to catch a pair of Tim's Tonic Scissors that are falling off a desk... cos if you do, you will end up with a very lot of blood dripping from your finger. Let that be a lesson to us all... all I can say is that I have gone through three Steri-Strips and three BandAid's... and finally it has stopped bleeding! Above pic was taken (cackhandedly) cos I am after the sympathy lol



Anyways.. my Room is now pristine... and shiny and organised and packaging-less... and I am now going to find the Mr Sheen and a Duster and polish my halo... I made a New Year Ressy... keep the Room of Stash tidy... and I have suffered a slight abberation... and now I am back on the straight and narrow... I am keeping this promise for myself... I love just sitting here in my room and looking around, and opening drawers and not having to stand back whilst stuff pings out... and not having to shove my hand in whilst closing drawers, ramming it all back into place. Right... time for me to call it a night and get my aching, bruised and battered carcass to bed. I have a "thing" on today so I may be a little late visiting desks... I will deffo try to get them all this week though, that is my goal :O)) Thanks for looking.. oh and ... erm... sorry for waffling... I am just a trappy cow, can't help it rofl TTFN!

Hels x

Grungy Monday On A...

...Tuesday! I know! On a Tuesday instead of a Saturday... I am feeling rather chuffed that I have managed to join in earlier than normal with the fabulousness that is the Grungy Monday Challenge - devised and hosted by my lovely Ranger Sister, Lovely Linda Ledbetter. All the deets for the challenge are HERE... and please, do go and take a few mins to read what Linda has said on her post this week... kinda important for everyone. So, Grungy Monday's challenge this week is to use Tim's September Challenge from 2008.




Now, this is one of my favest techniques in the whole widest world... one I use all the time when I am making cards... but usually I use Distress Inks... although why, I really do not know because the first inky ink pads I ever bought were the Adirondack Dye Pads. Anyways, it was good to get back to this technique... so good that I got all carried away and made a tag as usual... and a card too!




The tag had to see some Distress Ink, so I edged with Old Paper and then got cracking with the Adirondack pads. They are very versatile you know... check out the seam binding ribbon... that is dyed with the pads too... I just squished them in a line onto the craft sheet and spritzed with water and then dipped the seam binding into it... cute!



I edged the tag with Pesto Adirondack ink too... just to tie all the colours in together... I used Cut & Dry to do this and just blended it a bit. The little pearls are attached to a Charm Clip (remembered the name of them!) and the butterflies have their antenae stamped in black in straight onto the card, I used Post It notes to mask off the body and then inked over... just the antenae get inky then.




So... I made the tag and still wanted to play, so I made a card too. The stamp is one of the very first Tim stamps I ever got... it is so old it is a woodie! I love it because it is really versatile and comes in handy for bold prints and also fadey background fillers. I inked the seam binding like before and then made a little mat for the sentiment.. just using the inkpads like a Wrinkle Free Distress to make them blend nicely.



You should see my desk... I have all the Adirondack inks I own all over it... so that means that I am still being a slut and am not tidying up after each project... which is starting to get very annoying because I am having to shove everything onto the floor or other desk before I can start a new project... and I know I have said that I am going to tidy up... well, today I am. I have made an exekertive decision... tidy away all the stash and stuff before starting anything else. I will take a pic before though.. and print it out and put it above my desk to remind me that slutish behaviour is not conducive to letting the Mojo flow lol I am off... to get... tidy!! Thanks for loooking... TTFN

Hels x

Fine & Fresco 490...

...cor blimey, did I ever say that I lurve all things Wendy Vecchi? And that I love that new PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint? Am sure I did at some point... well, what better way to spend an evening that playing with two of my favest things.



I used PaperArtsy flower dies to cut some Metal on Card into flower shapes and then coloured these with Fresco Paint... using Cut & Dry to apply it... it goes on a treat to any surface... and I am sure it is magic because if you paint card, it doesn't make it buckle and if you paint metal, it sticks! Clever stuff indeedily.



So... the flowers were ready to be stamped... usually I would use the Hot Pick flowers but I fancied something a little different so I used some of thoese fab backgrounds from the 490 range... stamping in Coffee Archival and then drying with a heatgun. The base of the tag has been crackled and then overstamped with a 490 script, stamping with Distress Stains... Dusty Concord in the this case... but the Stains go marvellously over the paint... just give it a whizz with a heat gun and it is set... see, magic and clever!



Oh and while I am on the Fresco 490 roll... I shall show you a snippet of a little DT piece I made for the Stamp Attic... all the deets are HERE... I made a bottle! Well, actually, I didn't make the bottle, Mr Diet Coke did that but... I did the jazzing up of it. Anyways... I shall love you and leave you.. I have an appointment with the Room of Trash today... yes, I still haven't tidied and yes, I am going to do it... really, I am... I know I keep saying it but I shall... my halo has slipped ever so slightly and it is choking me a bit lol Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 155 - Diamonds & Pearls

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all. Many thanks for the fabby entries to last weeks challenge. This week the new challenge theme is... DIAMONDS & PEARLS. To join in with the Sunday Stamper all you need to do is... make a piece of artwork, it can literally be anything that takes your fancy... add in some stamping and the theme and then leave me a comment here with a link to the place you are showing your entry. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 28th May 2011. Apologies for the late posting of my entry this week... more of that later!


So... my entry is a quick and simples tag made using clear embossing resist and Distress Stains. The sewing pattern stamp (and oldie but fave from the Duke of Distress) was clear stamped and embossed onto the tag base and then I splodged Wild Honey, Broken China and Vintage Photo Distress Stains over the top. I took care when drying the Stains because I didn't want to remelt the embossed image. The dressform was cut from mountboard covered with Crowded Attic papers... using the Sewing Room Sizzix Alterations die. The little cotton card (now I know this has a proper name but I can't remember it lol) was cut from the same m/board and I threaded twisted twine around it and added a little fancy pin. I used Vintage Photo Distress Stains and Ink to tint the colour of the dress form... splodging them onto my craft sheet, spritzing with water and then dipping and drying... then edging with VP Distress Ink.



I don't know about you but my fave part of creating a tag (or anything else for that matter) is the embellishing bit... and the Idea-ology stash comes in really handy for this bit... I got the little metal coat hangers yonks ago but haven't used them as a clip yet... so I coupled it up with a Thingy Charm Wotsit (brain is nooooot workin!) and popped a little stamped ticket onto the clippy bit... another fave stamp from the Duke of Distress. The pearls on the top of the tag have been joined by part of a broken handbag charm that I found on a train (no matter how I am trying to construct this sentence it still sounds like the handbag was broken... see, told you, brain not working lol) Oh and the diamonds are across the bottom of the tag... a strip of them... bought in Michael's... and now I wish that I had bought more as they are seriously coolio and easy to whack a load of gems onto something without the fiddlydiddly picking up individual ones with tweezers and then seeing them ping across the Room of Stash!



So... tardyness abounds for me today... mainly because no matter how many times I try to schedule stuff and think I am all clever and organised... the best laid plans etc get in the way. Yesterday was a very special day indeedily for Grim.. it was the day that his beloved Luton Town were in the play off final against AFC Wimbledon- a win securing them a place back in the Footbal League where they belong. So we made the trip on the train to the City of Manchester Stadium... I was even excited... I know, I know, I never really liked footy but... live with a man who has only missed two home games in the last 38 years and it kinda rubs off. *oh yes, one of the home games missed was because of me... a long story for another day perhaps* Anyways... it was not to be... no goals during normal time so it went to extra time... still no goals... so it went to penalties... and Luton lost. *sob* So... the long train journey back home... made even longer because we were now about an hour later than planned... and then, alas... an hour delay on the train because of a track defect... akkk... finally getting home at 11pm. I had planned to finish off the piece I had started for my Sunday Stamper entry when I got home... but as we were 2 hours later than planned and because my back had just about given up the ghosty, I went to bed... so... this 'ere tag was made at speed this morning... and the theme was plucked from the recesses of my brain once I had finished it! See, nowt like a bit of forward planning eh? Anyways... I hope you like the theme... tis a nice easy one. I am off to do some eBay listings today... best get a wiggle on! Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Saturday Show & Hels... Alcohol Ink Drip Technique...

...aha, today is the very first Saturday Show & Hels... I know, I know... my play on words idea is getting worse lol. I learnt a plethora of techniques at Ranger U so I am going to be blogging a tutorial every so often to share all the goodness I learnt. Today I am focussing on using Alcohol Ink on metal, each step has a photo and I have taken the base technique and made it into a tag. Here's the finished tag...





The Ingredients:

Ranger Alcohol Ink - various colours
Ranger Metal tape stuck to cardstock
Sizzix Alterations Texture Fade
Blending Tool
Heat Gun
Black Archival Ink

STEP 1
Emboss your metal tape on card using a Texture Fade (or the like). Take the lids of several colours of Alcohol Ink in preparation. Gently drip the different colours onto your embossed metal card... try not to flood the area you are dripping the ink onto - if you drip too much, either dry with a heat gun or gently blow onto the ink. You will see the ink start to pool into the recessed parts of the design, you can add more ink/colours once the first drips have dried. I have found that bright colours work really well for this technique but there is nothing stopping you just using a couple of contrasting colours.

STEP 2
Pop a piece of felt onto your blending tool... using just the corners/edges of the tool, gently blend the colours together, this will give you a smoother finished look. Try not to pound the tool onto the colours as this will just mix them up and they could go muddy. You can now add extra little drips of ink onto the design, blow onto the new drips or use a heatgun to dry them so they don't start moving your base colours around too much.

STEP 3
This is entirely optional and depends on how you want the finished look to be... but I do like to add a little bit of black ink top just highlight the texture of the design. I have found the best applicator for the ink is my fingertip, you get a really good feel for the design and you will be less likely to overload the black. For this you will need to use an Archival ink pad because it is oil based. An inkpad like StaZon doesn't work with Alcohol Inks as it is solvent based and will just remove the ink on your metal. Once you are happy with your black ink, use a heat gun to dry the ink before sticking your design to you main project. (believe me, black smudges and fingerprints kind of ruin the over all look lol)



So... once you have done all of that you will have a lovely bright and textured piece that you can then add to a tag, card, ATC etc. I have turned mine into a tag, here's a very quick description how I made it: Drag Snowcap Dabber around the edges of the tag and dry. Use Black Soot Distress Ink to colour the tag. Over stamp the whole tag with a script stamp and Black Soot DI. Dry with heatgun. Use a damp paper towel/cloth to remove the ink from the white painted areas. Use Multi Medium to stick the embossed card to the tag. Tie jute/twine around the tag. Add embellishments - I die cut and embossed a metal flower and lightly inked it. Ta dah... there you go!


I hope you found this helpful and you understood my waffling. I would love your feedback... and if you try this technique, please do come and tell me... I would love to see what you make! Right... that's me for today... thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x