Sunday Stamper - Week 165 - Waterloo Sunset

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all. Many thanks for the wonderful entries to last weeks theme... it was grand to see some newbies too! This week I was stuck for a theme... so I put a comment onto Facebook and I got some lovely ideas for this weeks challenge... anyways... the one that really got the old Mojo going was suggested by Barbara Macrae... HERE is her blog for you to have a nosey at :O)) So without further ado... the theme for this week is... SUNSETS. Now, you can interpret this how you like - I have chosen to use "sunset" colours and that fabby background stamp of Tim's. To join in with the challenge all you need to do is make a little something... it can be anything you fancy... add in some stamping and the theme... and then pop back here and leave a link to the place you are showing your entry so I can hop on over for a visit. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 6th August 2011.




So... my entry this week is a tag. I began to feel tag withdrawal symptoms because I hadn't made one since Tuesday! I have used Distress Inks - Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lippy and Fired Brick to blend the deep colours onto the tag base. I edged the whole tag with Walnut Stain and added a couple of little tabs so the tag fits nicely into my tag book.




Brolly Man was cut from mountboard and coloured with Vintage Photo and Black Soot Distress Ink... and I then embossed the brolly and his boots with clear powder. The background was flicked with water - then I set about the stamping.. using Monarch Orange, Vermillion and Black Archival Inks to create layers of stamping... using a waterbrush to colour the circles and the centre of the stars with Fired Brick Stains.




The Journal Ticket I stamped the sentiment onto was too big... so I tore the base off and stuck this to the edge of the tag... and then used Washers and Mini Brads to attach the rest of the ticket. I double stamped the "life" - using Vermillion and then Black Archival inks - I like the way the Vermillion has toned with the printed line on the ticket... fluke huh?




I added Idea-ology (I dipped the nib of the ... pen nib into Archival ink so it looks like it has been used!!) and some little washery bits that I got in QD in a bargain bucket - fab too because they have their own little compartment storage jobby too... I just popped some into a baggie and squirted some Rust Alcohol Ink into the bag - to make them...ermm... rusty! Well, that's all from me for today... I hope you like the new theme and thank you to Barbara for her inspirational choice! Thanks for looking... have fun getting inky! TTFN

Hels x

Scorchio!!!

...no, alas, not the weather... I know, we always seem to talk about the weather over here in the UK... maybe it is because we never quite know what we are going to get... I mean, take last night for example... it was "muggy"... by which I mean a bit humid... by the time I went to bed, it was "cool" and when I woke up this morning it was "muggy" again... and now?? Well it is just before midnight so it is bound to be cooler but... come on... woolly socks and a fleecy snuggler around me? At the end of July? Huh? Either I am sickening for something or... we are having a cruddy summer.




Anyways... all this waffle about the weather - which BTW, I hope is nice and clear for the wedding tomorrow - brings me nicely onto my project for today which is for The Artistic Stamper Creative Team... all the deets on how I made this card and the gubbins I used on it are HERE on the CT Blog... oh and while I think on... there's special offer on the Accoutrements I used too... mmm, these are my all time fave buttons int' world. So... back to the card.. yes, it is a card, it is ANOTHER card... which brings my total up to.... *pauses for dramatic effect & to quickly grab Card Basket for a quick count up lol* TWELVE in a week!!!! Hurraaaaaaah and thrice!!! I have it sussed you see.... well, I make no secret that I lurve to make tags... to the point that I now have... *another pause for effect which is, in actual fact, another quick grab of the (ahem....) two Tag Baskets I have...* , and I forgot to tell you!!! I went into town the other day (akkk, hate town shopping) but... I managed to get myself a LOVELY new basket for my tags... and.... it cost me only two pounds and 49pence! BARGAIN!!! **memo to self... I should have bought two!** Blimey, I tangented... where was I??? Oh yes, Tag Basket... quick count up... OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SEVENTY TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is including T'Pouches and Tag-Velopes too though.............




I have totally lost my train of thought here.... no, I haven't been on the Sherry either... no excuse is there really... well... let me read back and I will start again... Ah! YES! I like to make Tags... and... I have been remiss with the old cardmaking... so... problemo solved... make a card to the size of a tag...without the pointy bit on the top... so that is what I have been doing!! Whatcha fink? I am liking the size for a start... and I like the top fold... although I have done sidey folded ones too... and I just need to learn how to make a box for the tag/card/sizey/wotsit to go in if it is to be posted... cos you know, I do like to layer things up!! That piccie up there, that is... my new Tag Basket... they had one in black, one in purple (akkk) and the brown one... and they had a bigger one too... oooh, I could get one for my cards, and one for my Alterations and one for my Stains... In fact... I should buy several more as I can see they will be handy.


And that piccie up there is the same basket, different angle... with the other basket... far toooo small..... Right... I better go and lay down in a darkened room now what with all this piffle and flapdoodle that has been issuing forth from my fingertips. BTW... Update on the zit/broken nail/lose 42 stone in a week scenario The Zit... mmm, still there... nails, nope, not grown back at all... 42 stone... well, of course I lost it all in one go and now I am a size 8 and clothes are hanging off my slender frame... ahhh well, a gal can dream....LOL Thanks for looking... have a very lovely Saturday what ever you are up to... TTFN

Hels x

I Was Going To Call This Post...

...Say Youhoo for UTEE... but nay and thrice, I am calling it Say Ouch For Clumsiness With UTEE... actually, that sounds rubbish, however, the revenge of the Melt Pot has struck again! I guess it isn't fair to blame the actual Melt Pot because really, it just sits there, getting hot and stuff... rather the operative should be blamed for being a clumsy-clot. So... it is my Bubbly Funk day and I have had this idea popping about for a while, so I thought to myself, I have a few hours to play, I know, I will get the old Melt Pot out and have a faff... and see if this here idea actually works.




All was going swimmingly, I had altered the box, got the colours how I wanted (and what is it with this Aged Mahog look on everything at the moment???) Well, whatever, I was happy with the colours, I had some Faux Porcelain paper roses already done, but the main thing I wanted to play with was... butterflies! I cut them from Crowded Attic (er...what else would I use huh?) using the Mini Butterflies Movers & Shapers... edged with Aged Mahogany ( I am so going to ban myself from using this colour all the time) and then gave them a dunk into the clear UTEE that was melted in ... erm... the Melt Pot.




Not difficult at all... no, bung them in, jiggle about a bit and then out they pop and go hard on the craft sheet - you know, AWAY from where I am working... ha! That is a laugh, when have I ever forward planned? Actually, I did once forward plan (for our wedding and it all went swimmingly but... I digress) So... hot little UTEE butterflies are sitting there, cooling down on the craft sheet.. but not quite quick enough... and believe me, when you accidently dip you little finger into boiling hot, molten lava like UTEE... it kinda smarts!


And they say, if you get a burn you should immediately put cold water on it... well, bearing in mind the mess that is the Room of Stash at the moment... and the fact that I have let things slip ever so slightly *for that read a very lot* Well, I just grabbed the nearest source of water... the paintbrush pot.. that was half full of phosphorescent water... and dunked said little finger into it... akkk... it is no good... I have a little blister in the finger now... and... I am a bit paranoid that dunking into such a pot of yukkiness may not have been the best move.




Well, that's all from me for today... I need to go and check the date of my last tetanus... I mean come on... a zit from hell on my chin, plus the broken nails... and now the third degree burn of the little finger... what else could happen? No, don't answer that, I do not want to tempt fate! Anyways... time for bed... a late one again tonight... hurrah and thrice it is Grim's last night-shift, back to normal **whatever normal is in this house lol** tomorrow.. phew! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Stylishly In-Formed....

...oh.... grrroan... my title making skills are a bit off skew this morning... but! I have done a little card for my DT piece for The Stamp Attic and all the deets etc on how I made the card are HERE...





I am sitting here, waiting patiently (ever so patiently, which is unusual for me) for the new Distress Stains to arrive... you see, I cannot live much longer without an Aged Mahogany Distress Stain. I love Distress Stains... I have been asked a few times why I love them so much and what makes them so special. Aha, you see, it is the whole concept... ink, in a bottle, with an applicator that controls the flow... but that can be squeezed so you can get a nice flood onto the craft sheet... and can cover a piece of paper, card, Grunge, in a matter of moments... those guys at Ranger are genuises...




Anyways... me whittering on about Stains.. is because I have used the Aged Mahogany pad a very lot in recent days... in fact, if I was only allowed one Distress colour ever again it would be Aged Mahogany... oooh, well, so long as I could have Vintage Photo and Antique Linen to go with it lol Which are the two inks I used on this card... and d'ya know what? I wasn't going to buy that Sewing Room Alterations die because I thought "oooh, I will never use it" (famous last words) and I had that dressmaking stamp set (can't remember the name) for several milleniums and had never used it... now, try stop me... and it also covers my "resolution" of using old Tim stamps and making cards! Right, best get a wiggle on, have some halo-polishing to do... oh and an afternoon with Harry Potter too... can't wait to see it and yes, I will be taking the tissues with me cos I have heard it is a bit sad.... thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

WOYWW... Tsk Tsk...

... and thrice Tsk... I have let it slip... again! I do have mitigating circumstances though... so I am sure you will be able to find it in your heart to forgive me for my sinful ways... what am I on about??? Well, today is Wednesday (which I have only just realised, hence my late posting lol) so that means it is time for the What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday marathon hop around the desks of this land that we call Blog. All the deets for entering etc are HERE... hosted and devised by the ever winsome Julia Dunnit, tis so worth joining in because, if nothing else, you get to see some cracking Rooms of Stash! (not to mention that there is always going to be a workspace worse than your own... not naming any names **whispers....Helen** or anyfink...)


So... tsk indeedily because both of my desks are showing signs of detritus this week... and the mitigating circumstances??? Well, first of all, the cat ate my homework... and then I had a power cut in the night and my alarm didn't go off... oh and yes, I had a flat battery... Haha, I know, those are rubbish (but I have used them before... shhh, don't tell anyone though) Truthfully, my desks are messy because... well, I have just finished off my samples for my new classes at The Stamp Attic (which are online to book now btw) and... I am lazy and didn't put away inbetween projects...



I know, no excuse what-so-ever... and I have some serious tidying to do. The thing is, I keep getting distracted... by a Green Woodpecker that has taken up residence in the Spinney - which is right outside my window... and he is sitting in a tree and I can't stop looking at him because he is a rather splendid creature... I keep trying to get a piccie of him too... but I swear, as soon as I open the slidey doory thingy on the camera, he looks at me and then darts off! I shall persevere though, I really want to show him to you! Right, enough of my waffling for one day... time for tidying... well, in a while, once I have watched Woody for a bit longer ;o)) TTFN!

Hels x

Grungy Rockin'...

...oooh lala indeedily, it is time for the new Grungy Monday challenge and I have had a lovely few hours faffing and playing with Rock Candy, which is the theme this week. To see all the deets about this fab challenge, do hop on over to see the lovely Linda Ledbetter... who has devised this grand challenge which is all about the techniques and cleverness that is the Duke of Distress... the King of Cracklepaint... Tim Holtz.


My tag is one of those "let's see if this works" things... I have these really coolio stencils that I got from Creative Expressions when I was at Ally Pally in April and I have just *ahem* remembered them... so I popped the diamond stencil over the tag and brushed Rock Candy Cracklepaint over the top...whhooothooottt, it worked!! I used Distress Stains to colour the tag once it had dried, stamped with Distress Ink and wiped off the crackley bits so the image is just on the un-crackley bits.... and then added some more stamping using Archival. The flower... mmm, the flower so didn't turn out how I wanted... basically, as I was in my "let's see if this works" mood, I slapped Rock Candy all over a piece of Kraft Glassine... and once it had dried it all started to flake off (yep, I hadn't factored in the shiny surface!) So... I slapped a load of Colorwash Spray over the top and then die cut the spiky Tattered Florals... and very carefully glued it together... well, it kind of works... just don't look at it too long cos the rest of the crackles will fall off lol

Tag before the stamping :O)

The leaves are Kraft Resist, Stained, Rock Candied and then Stained again... that worked at least lol Oh and the mini branch was Stained, Candied and Stained... and then the birdy was.. you get the picture... lots of Staining and Candying going on. The Foliage dangly was made by finger painting Trad Tan onto the metal and then adding Stains - again with the finger... what a lovely sight my paws are now!



Anyways... as I mentioned yesterday, Grim is on night-shift so I was in a flap about what to do whilst he was asleep in the day... well, I loved some of the suggestions and the one that really stood out was to go shopping... however, although I had thought about this shopping lark, I then decided to catch up on Corrie... I have three omnibus episodes to watch... so I sat myself down with a big bowl of cherries... scoffed the cherries and... woke up two hours later!!!



Then, because I had slept half the afternoon/evening away, I couldn't sleep last night... plus the fact I spooked myself... which is never a good thing... *the usual, in the house by myself and think that someone is hiding in the wardrobe scenario lol* **although, no one could actually get into my wardrobe cos tis full of crud and stuff to sort** so today I look like a sleep deprived old hag with zits... goodness knows why my chin has decided to revolt (believe me, it is) the only thing I can think of is that we are off to a wedding this weekend and of course, I want to look my best... and of course, the zits have appeared, as have the nails broken and my plan to lose 42stone in a week has gone awry (blame that Snickers bar!!) Anyways... best get a move on... I have an appointment with a sofa and more Corrie... zzzzzzzzzz Ta for looking... TTFN


Hels x

A Whole Lot Of Halo-Polishing...

...going on!! Oh yesh indeedily I am feeling rather chuffty tuffty because... I have been making cards again! I know... another three have been added to the Card Basket - yesh, indeedily again... the Card Basket...meaning I have a proper place to keep them too... whootwhooot!!!



Anyways... along with my card making resolution, I also said that I am going to revisit those "old" Tim stamps... and I have done it again... I know! Hence the halo-polishing! Actually, in truth, the "old" stamps are pretty gorgeous and so easy to use... and I think they are still current now, all these years later! This card saw a mixture of old and new... old stamps and new(ish) inks and papers - namely the Kraft Resist that I used to make the flower and leaves.


The base of the card was stamped using Snowcap Dabber and one of my all time fave stamps, the large harlequin... I love this stamp sooo much! So... I dried the paint and set about sploshing some Distress Stains over the top.. I used Wild Honey (I am now offically on bottle #2 now)... I dried all this and then used Fired Brick (cannot wait for the new Aged Mahog to arrive btw) and made some little dapples of red by dragging the Stain over the craft sheet and just wafting the card at it. This just picks up a few droplets and gives a really cool effect. The wings are stamped with Vermillion Archival (lurve this) and the flourish is with Monarch Orange (lurve this) and I did that clever double stamping thingy with black on one of the flourishes... oh and the sentiment... is a corker and I am so chuffed that I found it again... watch out to see it used a gazillion times shortly lol



Anyways... that's all from me for now... I am up late... waiting for Grim to get home from work... and then this week.... I have to make like a mousey cos he is going to be on night-shift. Now, I don't mind the old night-shift malarkey and when I was driving trains myself I used to rather like them (ok, so I did them, I didn't moan (much) and liked the fact that I always lost weight because I never knew when to eat but... ) So, Grim will be a-bed during the day which leaves me with a bit of a conundrum... do I: a) do my crafty stuff in the Room of Stash with the door closed and attempt to be mouse-like and stay away from hammers and such like... (although, knowing exactly how clumsy I am and how accident prone I am, maybe this is so not an option) or do I: b) take a load of stash downstairs and not creep about so much but then have to keep dragging my carcass (quietly) back upstairs every time I remember something else I need that is in the Room of Stash (which, believe me, happens a very lot) or do I: c) do a night-shift myself... and sleep through the day and stay awake all night so I can be as noisy as I like? Or do I: d) go shopping!! ROFL Ah, what's a girl to do huh? Anyways... enough of my ramblings... I have a date with a Melt Pot... oooh ahhh... a few finishing touches to be put on my samples and then... there will be dates and deets for my next lot of classes at The Stamp Attic... watch this space! (please!) Right... time to go.... thanks for looking (if you are still with me cos I am sure you have probably nodded off reading all that twaddle.... ) TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 164 - Back To Black

Goodly Morning Stampers, happy Sunday to you all. Firstly, many thanks for the fab creations that you entered last week, it was grand to see so many big and blousey flowers out there. Now, this weeks Sunday Stamper theme was making me think yesterday afternoon because I couldn't seem to come up with a new one. And then I heard the incredibly sad news that Amy Winehouse had died, aged 27. So, it seemed only fitting to have this weeks challenge as a tribute to her. For newbies to the Sunday Stamper... the Sunday Stamper always has a song title for the challenge title and the theme is linked in with it. I had a wealth of songs to chose from but this one just seems the most apt, also it is an album title too. So, the theme this week is BLACK. To join in with the challenge is simples, make a little something, be it what you fancy... add in the theme and some stamping and then leave a comment for me here along with a linky to the place you are showing your entry. I can then hop on over to have a nosey. The challenge will remain open until 18:00 Saturday 30th July 2011. **please note the early finish :O)**

Here is a link to You Tube so you can go and listen to her beautiful voice... AMY **Edit... I am so sorry peeps - I have just been made aware of comments left on this You Tube video... I am disgusted that there are so many judgemental people who see fit to speak ill of the dead... please do go and listen to the song... just don't read the comments, they aren't worthy of being looked at xx**



So, my entry in another T'Pouch. I make no secret of the fact that my fave papers in the whole wide world are Avenue by Crate Paper... and I am a bit tight when it comes to using them... but this project just needed them... so I bit the bullet and cut into them.



The background of the tag and then card front on the pouch are done by smudging my Black Soot blending tool onto the craft sheet and spritzing with water... this gives a much more subtle Wrinkle Free Distress look rather than smooshing the pad direct to the craft sheet... and I then paired the black up with Aged Mahogany for edging and colouring the butterflies.



The big flowers are made from Avenue paper, using the Tattered Florals Alterations die and layering the spikey daisy up and popping an Idea-ology Accoutrement into the centre. The leaves are Tattered Leaves Alterations, again cut out of Avenue paper.




So... that is my entry for this weeks theme... I hope that you will all agree with my reasons for chosing this tribute to Amy Winehouse... I hope that now she has the peace that she couldn't seem to find on this earth. Right... enough chatterings... time to craft again... thanks for looking... big hugs for everyone.... TTFN

Hels x

Ticket To Ride...

...no, not the Sunday Stamper a day early, although it would be a good theme... however, the reason for the title today is... I have been playing again! And... *polishes halo* I have made another card!!! I know, three in two days!!! So... I while back I mentioned that I am neglecting my "old" Tim stamps... to the point that the folder very rarely gets to see the light of day. So... after sitting myself down and giving myself a good talking to, I resolved to use my "old" stamps more often.


The new set (well, the last release) of Tim stamps called Air Travel are rather splendid and go really well with the old set that has the big map and the Old Jalopy on it (can't remember the name and I am just too bone idle to get up and go and look... but you know the ones I mean I am sure lol) Anyways... one of the 12 Tags a few years ago had the Old Jalopy stamped, embossed and cut out of Grungeboard... so I did this... and added some Mica for the windows and a bit of Idea-ology for decoration.


The big map on Air Travel was stamped in black and then I used Distress Stains to colour the land and the sea and tore the map up to make elements and something to stamp the sentiment onto. Now, I have several (ok ALL) of the Tim Masks and I admit that I don't always use them because... erm... I forget to. I am nothing if not honest about my lack of memory.... anyways, what was I saying? (ROFL) The Compass Mask just so happens to be the perfect size for the Compass stamp... which I stamped onto the compass masked bit (bear with, this is going somewhere..honest) using Black Archival, then onto scrap with Coffee Archival, which I cut out, coloured with Old Paper and then gave a slap of Rock Candy Cracklepaint... once this had dried and crackled I dobbed some Vintage Photo Stain over the top... this seeps into the crackles and the rest wipes off! Fab huh!?



Right then... I have an appointment with some more of those "old" stamps in my collection... I have yet to think of a theme for the Sunday Stamper... I have got to the stage now where I am trying to make it a bit more interesting and I came up with a plan the other night... then promptly forgot it... this memory thing again... right... I have an appointment with some of those....... *just kidding* Thanks for looking... have a very goodly Saturday! TTFN

Hels x

Pretty Vintage...

...I am such a slack Alice you know because way back on Jan 1st I was full of "oh I will make loads of cards this year and never be rushing about for a last minute one" Hahaha... that lasted all of a few weeks... and then I decided, for reasons still unknown to me, that I needed to make several hundred tags. Which are nice to make and don't get me wrong, I do love a nice tag sesh... but it hasn't helped the card basket at all.


So... today is Friday which means it is my day for the Bubbly Funk DT. So, I decided to put right the wrongs of the resolution slip up and make a card... then I got so involved I made another one, straight away too... using the same basic stash I used on the first one. To see the other card in full, please CLICK HERE to visit Bubbly Scrumptious (oh how I love that name!)

This here is the card on the BF blog :O))

Anyways... there I was 02.12am and sitting on the edge of the bed feeling ever so grumpy because yet another night was ruined with this no sleep lark... so I did what any normal (humph) crafter would do, I went and made myself a nice cuppa coffee and then went into the Room of Stash. Now, bearing in mind it is the middle of the night and therefore I had to make like a mouse so as not to wake my sleeping beauty, I decided to make "something quiet" I mean, how hard can that be? No thumping and banging about with hammers and Dabbers and stuff... and of course, I have the super silent heat gun from Ranger.


Well, best laid plans of "Hels like a mouse"... all was going swimmingly until the pile of Tim stamps decided to come alive and slide onto the floor... taking several acrylic blocks and a tin of Fragments with them! Noise? Ha! Well, I sat there cringing, shoulders hunched and eyes tight shut, waiting for an appearance of the now not so sleeping beauty... but nay and thrice! It didn't wake him! Phew! Well, I so enjoyed making the first card that I decided to make another. Now, I only ever seem to make square cards, so I grabbed a piece of white card and made up one, my own sizing - similar to that of a tag *just can't get away from them there tags you know* I used the same stash and added a little Glassine flower I made... I cut rough circles out of the Glassine, scrunched them up, snipped into them, coloured with Aged Mahogany and then scrunched and assembled, using a brad to fix the layers together.




Anyways... enough waffling already from me for one day... I have a confession to make... I am a Cherry Addict and I need help! It all started a few weeks ago when Morrison's were selling a punnet for a pound... so I bought a few... and then the local Co-Op is doing three big punnets for a fiver... and last night... I ...erm... ate nearly three whole punnets in one sitting... I only stopped because I was starting to feel a little bilious... these cherries though... they are mahoosive, black and very juicy... and this morning... well, they are doing a revenge dance and... I really must dash...again ROFL Thanks for looking... enjoy the sunny day!!! TTFN

Hels x

It's Grungy.... Simon Says...

...cor blimey! Week 16 already of the wonderful challenge that is Grungy Monday. This week the theme is to have a Grungeboard (or paper) Extravaganza. Hosted and devised by the ever-gorgeous loverly Linda Ledbetter, all the deets about how to join in etc are HERE. And... as ever with Grungy Monday, the inspiration for the challenge and the techniques come from the one and only Duke of Distress, the Viscount of Vintage, nah and thrice, the Sultan and Stamping... Tim Holtz. If you click on his name you will be whizzed off on a giant Grungeboard umbrella to see his blog. As well as Grungy Monday, my other fave challenge is Simon Says Stamp & Show... which this week is asking us to show some Embossing. I have already joined in with this one but there aren't any rules about joining in twice.... so I have! :O))



So, I haven't made it a secret that my old Mojo waltzed off earlier this week, not even leaving me a note to say he was taking a break...the rotter. I have been sulking and moaning and generally making a nuisance of myself - all because I love my Mojo and I was missing him. Anyways... I was reading through my blog comments last night, as you do, and I had a lovely message left by Marita Souter... check out her blog for delights for the eyes..... So, I hopped over the Marita's for a nosey parker... and I was totally inspired by THIS piece she has made. I have "lifted" the idea of the birdcage and made a hanging piece - which I haven't made for a yonk and a half!




So, the birdy cage is the thing that the piece is made around... and I wanted to use the elements similar to Marita's... I loved the use of fibers around the top of the cage... and the Facet - you know what? I have a pack of those there Facets all neatly waiting in my Idea-ology box and I never remember to use them! So, I did! The fibers that I used have been lurking in my fiber tin for several decades and they are another thing that I never use... so I glued the end of the fiber to a piece of rusty wire and then wrapped them together and fashioned a nest, complete with pearl eggs. The wing is another Idea-ology piece and I punched a hole in the top of it. What with? I hear you cry! Well, it just so happens that a certain Japanese Screw Punch has arrived in the Room of Stash and I am annoying everyone by trying to punch holes in everything I find. **for everyone, read me and AlfieCat lol...mind you, if I am admitting to annoying myself I really am in bother rofl**




Anyways... the base of the hanging is a BIA cover by Teresa Collins - I have been using these covers as hanging bases for a few years now and it was lovely to revisit this shape as it is a fair few months since I last made a hangy piece. I covered the base with Crowded Attic papers (and yes, I am now needing my 3rd pad!) and used Trad Tan and Vintage Photo Stains to colour it. The embossing is on the strip down the middle - gold embossed script and Martha Stewart punched. Oh and more embossing on the Grunge flower & leaves and the birdy cage itself. All thanks goes to Marita for the idea for this piece... and also for getting my Mojo home and happy to stay with me too! So... I think a big hug for Marita is due!




Right... time for me to go and get inky again... I will just say a hoooge thanks to everyone who took time to message me about this old back pain - again. I have had cramp for about 48 hours now and I am getting a smite cheesed off with it... it is from the base of my skull to the bottom of my tail and it is driving me nuts.... ah well, at least now the Mojo is home I have something to take my mind off it. Thanks for looking.... have a very goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

Simon Says.... WOYWW?

...no actually, he didn't but I am putting both jobbies together so it is my WOYWW for this week plus my Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge entry too... which the theme this week is ... EMBOSSING. Just quickly, for those of you who have just entered the Land of Blog, or have been hiding away under piles of stash, What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday is a phenomena devised and hosted by the Head of the Hoppers, Julia Dunnit... to see all the deets on how to join in with this mahoosive blog hop, please CLICK HERE.




Right... the SSS&S theme of embossing... oooh, I got all hot and bothered with my Melt Pot, heatgun and some embossing powder to make my T'Pouch (for those of you who missed my inane drivellings about this Tag and Pouch thingy, basically, I make a tag, and a pouch ... and call it... a T'Pouch) (which BTW is all Dan's idea, blame him lol)


So... I made the pouch, popped loads of Stains onto the base of it... then right around the edges I dragged my Distress Embossing Pad and then sprinkled Ranger Queen's Gold powder on (IMO THE best Gold powder ever made). I did the same once I had coloured the tag base too... so they match!


The DREAM is one of those Movers & Shapers that I bought 458 years ago and cut out the word and then put it to one side for later and finally got around to using it. I trimmed right along the edge of the word (thank you to Deb M for this idea) and then splodged a load of Distress Embossing Ink over the top... using Vintage Photo Distress Powder to coat it and then sprinkling a smidge of Queen's Gold on too, then heating up and melting....oooh, I lurve embossing!


Do you like the flowers? Well, I have made my own Faux Porcelain flowers before using layers of stamped flowers... but I learnt this fabby technique at Ranger U... basically, all those paper roses that I bought 974 years ago when I went through a cute phase (don't worry, it lasted all of 4 days)... so these little flowers are sitting in a drawer and this morning they got a hot bath... tis easy to do... melt clear UTEE granules in the Melt Pot, dip the flower in, give it a twizzel and then set aside to go hard **snort** I like the flowers as they are but I wanted to add in some gold so they tied in with the rest of the tag... so I sprinkled yet more Queen's Gold and heated gently so they have gilded bits.


Anyways... that is all from me for today... I spent about 13 hours in total *and this time I am not exaggerating lol* faffing about with this T'Pouch, and yes, I am posting this at the right time, not scheduling basically because... I can't sleep... Mojo has naffed orf so I am trying to coax him home but the old back is playing up mightily too so that made me all huffy and I couldn't sleep... crafting in the night is therapeutic though... it does nothing for the sacks under my eyes though so I am offski to see if I can get 40 odd winks now... thanks for looking!

**ooops, forgot to add the piccie of my desk!!!!! Here it is... in need of a tidy up... as usual lol**



Have a very goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

A Review!!!

... I know, I never normally do them but... on occasion I get an offer that is just way too good to say no to... so... here's the story. I got an email. Would you like to do a review on one of our products? I check out the link. I go... ooooh yesh please! Then I choose my product and give it some good use... and now I am going to tell you all about it. And... really, I am not just saying this to be nice or anything... I speak only the truth!



That there is the product in question. It is a daylight lamp from... The Daylight Company. So, I have had the lamp for two weeks now and have used it everyday... even though my desk is right under the window, the lamp has been fabulous when the days are dark and dingy (hey, we get enough of those!) I chose the lamp for what I wanted it to do... there are loads of different lamps on the website, this one is a mid-price range lamp... and whilst it isn't in any way cheap, I do think it is good value for money as the benefits I have found already have been good. Anyways... I have a few Q & A's... so here goes:


A General Impression of the Lamp: The lamp I chose is a Twist Portable, the reason being that I had a normal table lamp on my window sill... and I wanted to keep a light there but trial the daylight one instead - it is the right size, it is portable, meaning I can move it about easily enough... and... when the lamp is opened the top of it twists, making it a doddle to angle the light onto the desk or any place I want it to go. The beam from the light does go a long way too, it isn't just limited to my desk. Oh and it looks smart too... and it has a handle on the top of it making it even more easy to move about.

Does It Fullfil the Description? Oh definitely... it is exactly how they describe it on the website... actually, one thing I have noticed... it has a nice long cable on it so it can be plugged in quite a way from the place it is going to live... but not too long as to trip over it or get chair wheels caught up in it.

Eye Strain? Colour matching? Eyestrain...well, I like to work late into the night so I am used to using a table lamp and a whole lot of squinting... with this lamp I haven't needed to flick the big light on to colour match inks/paints/cards etc... and even though it is on the other side of the room to where my trinket boxes are, I can quite easily pick out brads, jumprings etc without the need of an extra light. And... no tired eyes... I was a bit sceptical, I will be honest, I thought this daylight thing was a fad... but no, I am happy to admit I was wrong... it really does help the eyes! I need corrective eyewear... basically I wear contacts all the time and find that towards the end of the day they are getting a bit scratchy to wear - I have noticed that I haven't needed to take them out so early since using the lamp ... that may be a coincidence but I don't think so.

Is it Robust? Well, it isn't flimsy, but then again, I wouldn't want to drop the lamp - but I wouldn't want to drop any lamp really. You need two hands to open the lamp up, one to hold the base bit and one to do the lifty uppy bit... but apart from that... yep, pretty robust!

Do I Like the Design? Actually, I do! During the day it is folded down and just sits there nice and neat and once it gets dusky, I can open up the lamp and the light comes on as soon as it is opened - so no need to do any extra switching on bits.

Main Benefits? Where is It Used? Right, the main benefit for me is that I can see properly to work at night without the need of the big electric light - which I hate because it is too bright and harsh. So, I can sit nice and quiet in my Room of Stash and craft away happily. Oh and it is used... in the Room of Stash! (Craft Room/Hobby Room to any non-crafters)

Treatments - does it help? Well, I am not sure about this one but... it does do a very good job of adding a little bit of warmth around my desk... and I am sure in the winter this will be a bonus! What do I like most? I think over all it has to be the fact that it is bright without being harsh, it means I can be nice and snug in my room without squinting to see if I am matching colours up and that it is portable, so I can take it anywhere with me.

Any Dislikes? No! That was simples!!

Marks out of 10: It has to be a 10!

And... as I said at the beginning, this is an unbiased review... I speak as I find and if it had been below expectations or not as good as I would have liked, then I would have said so. Anyways... this a link to the page that will interest crafty peeps... HERE.

Thanks for looking...

TTFN Hels x

Grungy... Scraping In Under The Wire...

... cos I am sooo late with this weeks Grungy Monday challenge entry... mainly because I have been swanning about (pardon the pun) on a river... anyways... without further ado... deets for the fab Grungy Monday challenge can be found HERE on my lovely Ranger Sister, Linda Ledbetter's blog. The challenge this week is inspired by the technique from The Duke of Distress - all the deets are HERE on his blog.



So... when this was a challenge on the Compendium...erm... challenge (ahem) I had "issues" with it. I don't know why but I just cannot seem to get the top coat of ink to look right... so, this time I used Scattered Straw on the base and then Vintage Photo on the top... and I still didn't like it so I bunged some Black Soot on and that calmed it down a bit.




And... feeling rather adventurous, I also did the same tech on the Old Jalopy - which was cut using Victor II *which is a complete darling and I love him more than I loved the original Victor** out of mountboard. The base is Pumice Stone and the top is Black Soot... and the extra 3d-y bits are Black Soot which was then clear embossed.



So... I don't normally do an extra post on a Sunday but today is special because I really wanted to have another go at this tech and had I left it til the morning it would have been too late - a new challenge will be posted tomorrow and I am so getting straight onto it! Anyways... enough waffling from me (again) for a day... have a goodly evening... we are going to watch the final of The Apprentice... my ££ is on either **Tom, Jim or Helen... or Susan ROFL **nowt like sitting on the fence lol** TTFN!

Hels x

**ooooeeeee, well that result was a turn up for the books!!!!**