Just Ain't Feeling It...

...nope, not at all. Typical huh? I get a few days to play in the Room of Stash and... Mr Mojo decides to take a break and disappears... I am sure that in his spare time he masquerades as The Scarlet Pimpernel! I hate it when I lose my Mojo... I have spent three afternoons this week attempting to make my Grungy Monday entry... this is as far as I have got;



Mmmm, not very inspiring is it? I faffed a bit and made a fluffy snippy flowery thingy for the front of the T'Pouch that I am supposed to be making... and a Grungepaper covered with Tissue Wrap rose... and the actual Pouch is done... as is the base of the tag... but where to go with this is beyond my limited creativity at the moment. I don't think it is helping that the pain in the back has decided to really make an appearance this week. Well, actually, it has gradually been getting worse since I had those stoopid injections but that was the chance I took. Anyways... tis nearly time for those New Year Resolutions. This years' went incredibly well for once... apart from the odd slip off the tidy-wagon, the Room of Stash has been kept in exemplary **snort** order. Oh but then there's the "make a card a week" ressie that...erm... went a bit awry by the end of Feb... I did manage to claw that back with the 30 odd cards I made for the show samples... so I can get away with that one I think. And the final one was to blog daily... well, I didn't quite manage the post a day that I had planned for but I have done 338 posts in 2011, so that isn't too bad! One of the ressie's for 2012 is to do 350 posts... well, I gotta keep it real haven't I? Right, tis enough of my witterings... am off in search of that cad Mojo ... I have got the rest of the 12 Tags still to make (oh yes, all seven of them!!!) so I may just have a little try at those, see if that gets him back! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

What Day Is It?

Cor blimey and thrice, how much Christmas pud is it possible to consume in just a few days! Well, I managed very well because Grim had got one of those "hidden cherry" centred ones from Sainsbury's and oh lordy indeedily, it was THE best Christmas pud... in the World (said in my best Jeremy Clarkson voice) However, it also weighed in at about three stone... and being as there are only two of us to eat it.... well, it has been much ...erm...loved... and still there's some left over! I might just try that Nigella recipe you know... she cumbles old pud into a bowl, sloshes in some booze, plops a load of melted choccy into the mix and then makes them into little truffles... oooh lala... yes, that could be a very good thing to do.



Anyways... I am all to pot with my days this week... for some reason I think it is Tuesday, although I know it isn't because poor old Grim is back at work already and that means it is Wednesday... which also means that I was supposed to be blogging yesterday but I got waylaid on the sofa, with an enormous box of choccy's and loads of Christmas telly to watch. To be honest, I am all festived out now... having eaten my bodyweight in turkey and sprouts and consumed faaar too much chocolate, I am so going to be payin for that next week with the zits that shall no doubt arrive in time for New Year!




Before I went off on my little Xmas blog break, I had been faffing with that lovely Tissue Wrap of Tim's and made a little spikey flower using the Tattered Florals die.. and cut the offcut pieces into thin strips to make a little nest for my bird - which is mountboard, covered with Tissue and die cut using the Caged Bird Alterations. The tag design is one of the 12 Tags from 2010 - actually I think that this one must have been my fave because I have recreated it so many times in the last year! Being as it is a Tim Tag, I am entering it into the Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge which is... tim Tags! CLICK HERE for all the deets. Well, that's all from me for today... I am working on some more gorgeous Tissue Wrap at the moment... and if it isn't nailed down, it will be covered in the stuff... needless to say, AlfieCat is moving about a lot... I can't get him to stand still long enough to cover his tail up (joke!!!) Right.... am offski to the Room of Stashly Messes (which is not quite the Doom of Trash but on it's way again!) So....what did you over do (or over indulge on) this Christmas... do tell do!!! TTFN

Hels x

Merry Christmas from Hels, Grim & AlfieCat...

Goodly Morning and Festive Felicitations to one and all! I thought I would pop on today and do a very quick post to say Merry Christmas to all of you lovely peeps who have supported me and this blog this year... and also I want to show off just how clever my little AlfieCat is....



Oh yes, he took time out from mousing and snoozing (not at the same time) yesterday afternoon to make his Daddy a Christmas card. Now, as you may recall, he took over the Room of Stash earlier in the year when it was Grim's birthday and made a really cool steampunky card... and yesterday he made a really cool Christmas card....



I had a few scraps of my fave Graphic 45 Christmas papers left over and he diecut them to make a couple of mini rosettes (he had seen Aunty Ellen do these and wanted to try them) ... and he cut some Grungepaper into holly shapes using one of Tim's Alterations. So, now AlfieCat has Ink on his Paws... and is walking about making noises about setting up his own blog so he can show off his crafty makes and dead mice.... not sure that anyone would want to see the mice though lol



Before I go, I have a very special Christmas message for you all from us Sheridan's.... CLICK HERE to view it in it its entirety......



Anyways... that's all from me for today... I hope your Christmas is all you wish for and you have a wonderful and peaceful time..... Thanks for looking... TTFN!



Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 186 - Do Anything You Wanna Do

Goodly Morning Stampers... nope, I haven't lost the plot and a whole day... this is the Sunday Stamper on a Saturday ... being as we will all be a little bit preoccupied with stuffing turkeys and opening pressies tomorrow. As ever, thank you all for your fabby festive entries to last weeks challenge... and... I have popped the amount of comments/entries into Mr Random.org and he picked the winner to be JACQUELINE. Congrats and please can you email me your addy! Right, on with this weeks theme which is, as the title suggests, ANYTHING. How simples is that?! You can make absolutely anything you like with any kind of theme... just include some stamping... and then hop back here and leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 31st December 2011.




So... I made a tag! I know, how strange for me to make a tag (not) I used lots of lush goodies on it, starting with the background which is a mix of Broken China and Stormy Sky Distress Stains, smooshed on my craft sheet with a smidge of Picket Fence Stain and then spritzed and dried. I did a bit of stamping using Chipped Sapphire and some snowflake images... and then dolloped a big old layer of Rock Candy Crackle over the top. Once this was dry, I rubbed Picket Fence Stain over the top so it sat into the crackles.




I had a major mishap with the bauble. Well, I know it is not unheard of for me to be injuring myself but this time I really went for it! I decided to cut the bauble (Alterations Die - Ornaments 2) out of mountboard... but... this got stuck inside the die blades. So, I used my Alterations Pokey Tool to try and get it out... and my hand slipped and said Pokey Tool shot off the end of the die and straight into my index finger! It wasn't only the tag that was blue I can tell you (more dosh in the swear-pot!) I now have a swelling the size of a melon... well, ok, tis the size of a big pea but... the bruise... ohlallaaa... and then to cap that off, I was pouring boiling water from the kettle into my hot water bottle and the water bubbled out of the bottle and all over the same hand! Well, at least the Pokey Tool injury got sterilised!




Anyways... I eventually cut the bauble from Grungeboard and followed the instructions for Tim's Day 1 tag.... Glue & Seal and glitter... and then made a little border for the bottom with some Grunge, an OTE die and some vintage tinsel.... and added Idea-ology to the tag to finish it. Anyways... tis time for me to go and start prepping the veggie and making stuffing balls... I love this part of Christmas, today is probably my favest day... along with Christmas Day and Boxing Day lol Anyways... all that is left for me to do is to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all.. may your Christmas be merry and bright! TTFN

Hels x

Simon Says.... Tim & A Tag!!!

Oooh, I had a lovely afternoon yesterday faffing with all things Tim Holtz and have made a tag for my entry into the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge this week which is make a Tim Tag. I still haven't got past Day 3 of the 12 Tags of Christmas.... I have die cut all the pieces I need and that is my "thing to do" this evening... well, Grim is at work and Alfie is entertained with the Christmas tree, I have got all the shopping done (akkk... Morrison's at 8am... with about 500 people with the same idea as me lol) so a little time playing is in order methinks :O))



I coloured the tag with Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Vintage Photo Distress Ink and sploshed a few dabbles of water on to it and then used the Crackle stamp and Vintage Photo to do a smidge of stamping on the background. I snipped some music score paper and popped this across the middle and then got all exciteable with Kraft Glassine paper.



The Pinecones are made from Glassine that was coloured with a few different brown Alcohol Inks... and then I used Gold Metallic Mixative and coloured a whole sheet with it... then scrumpled it up and dragged a Walnut Stain DI over the top.. loooove this antique and shabby look. I used some of the Pinecone paper to cut a lace border for the bottom of the tag and popped some gems over the top.




The baubles are coloured with Red Pepper Alcohol Ink to make berries and the larger ones were coloured with Gold Mixative... simply popping them into a baggy, squirting in the ink and giggling them about... how fab are they!!! I added some bling flourishes and added Idea-ology to decorate the tag and finished with a little Maya Road Star.




So... are you ready for Christmas? I am feeling very chuffty tuffty with myself this year... for the first time ever, I have all the gifts wrapped, cards made and sent, food shopped for... bread in the freezer cos we always run out in those two long days that the shops are shut (ahemmmm... takes tongue out of cheek) and... most importantly... a clear desk and tidy room! I know! I shall have to give this old halo a polish you know! Anyways... I had better get moving... I have 9 Tim Tags to make... oh and... the Sunday Stamper is actually starting tomorrow being as it is Christmas Day on Sunday.... so the challenge will be posted in the morning. Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

The Last Post...

Well, it is my last post for The Artistic Stamper Creative Team today... I am leaving the team on 31st December after four happy years of stamping and inking fun. My post today is featuring a Christmas card that is one of my "designs" for this year... I always make three or four designs and then have a little production line on the go... and this one is no different. To see all the deets, please CLICK HERE and you will be whizzed off on a giant mince pie (no nibbling lol) to see how I made it.



I would just like to say thank you to Jennie for inviting me to be on her Creative Team all those years ago... it was my very first design team so this really feels like the end of an era. I also want to say thank you to all the team members whom I have had chance to craft alongside - I have made some very firm friendships and had lots of fun along the way. I shall say TTFN now before I become a blubbering wreck... saying goodbye is always so hard isn't it? Thanks for looking...

Hels x

WOYWW... It Was Tidy...

... honest, it was!!! I spent a couple of hours tidying away and throwing out and putting stuff back in its place... and then I made it all messy again! Well, who ever heard of a tidy crafter eh? Back in January I made a few resolutions and one of them was to keep the Room of Stash tidy at all times... and I think, over all, I managed... occasionally I have slipped off the tidy-wagon and the Room of Stash has become the Doom of Trash a few times. Why am I waffling on about the state of my room eh? Well... today is Wednesday which means it's time for the crafty peeps of Bloglandia to show off their desks/rooms/floors (you are so NOT seeing my floor, I have a reputation to keep you know lol) Head on over to Julia's blog and see what all this is about... I keep being asked "what are the black things under the desk?" Well, they are my beloved and most treasured Studio 490 stamps... and check out the ink pads in front of where I sit... all labelled neatly... they are my Archival Inks... and then I have the Distress Inks/Stains, also labelled and in colour order (I am so organised with that kind of thing... shame about the rest of the room lol)



Anyways... yesterday I was going on about those ickle Rosette Trees that the Duke of Distress was showing on his blog (HERE they are)... and of course, if I try something once and like it, I get very quickly addicted and have to make more... which is why I now have a small forest of trees... needless to say, they are all glittered which means that I am now all glittered... as is AlfieCat who has been assisting with the bow making, he is ever so clever, getting ribbon in his chops and hurtling off down the stairs... shame the ribbon was still attached to the reel... a very lot of winding it back on you know...


Right I had better get a move on... I am debating whether to do the "big" shop today... but I have lots of other things that I can be doing, like ironing and defuzzing the cobwebs (tis like Miss Haversham's dining room in the corners of my room!) Shopping? For Christmas? I must be mental... *no need to answer that one* Thanks for looking... Merry Christmas to all the desk-hoppers, it has been a fab year sharing all our crafty spaces, looking forward to 2012 and seeing more! TTFN

Hels x

Wishing...

... well a wish at least... it is the title of my latest Christmas tag... made for my DT for The Stamp Attic... HERE's a link so you can see how I maded it... And a sneaky peek at what it looks like :O))


I have had a loverly day today... I have tidied the Room of Stash (I know, I did need to sit down for a day or two afterwards because it was that hellish in here lol) So... a nice tidy desk and lots of festive cheer... well, I got inky making that tag and... have you seen those totes-amazeballs trees on Tim's blog? Huh? How fantabulous are they!!! HERE is a link so you can see them. Well, I had a little play... and I couldn't find my old cotton bobbins... so I used one that is a smidge too big but... I love the vintageness of it... and ... I have a pack of 10 natural wood pencils somewhere... can I find them? No!! SO... I nicked a bit of twig from the Spinney and used that for the tree trunk... am rather chuffed with the au-naturelle look!



Right... I must away... I am cooking a nice pork chop roast with roastie spuds and veggies (mmm, sprouts for me!) and lashings of grrravy for tea... and I can smell it... and I dont' want to be giving Grim burnt offerings.... Thanks for looking.... TTFN... nomnomnomnomnom

Hels x

I've Been Stampbording...

...sounds like I have been doing some kind of physical activity doesn't it? Don't worry, I haven't ... but I did get myself a rather late night the other night because I got all involved with playing with Stampbord. If you remember, the main piece on the Sunday Stamper is made from Stampbord ... and I reminded myself how much I lurve to play with this stuff... and yes, it is a bit scary stamping right onto such a large piece... so I was ultra careful...



Anyways... my favest three (only three!) Santa stamps from the Duke of Distress are these ones... all the Stampbord pieces were blended with Old Paper DI... and heat dried... and then stamp with Jet Black Archival... and heat dried.... and then coloured with Distress Inks and Cut & Dry Nibs... and then heat dried... you get the picture I am sure... dry each layer before moving on to the next.




So... I kept the first two pieces pretty straight... and then got bold and did a stampy collage on the third piece. The circle measures about 31/2 inches across the middle and the oblongs (oblongs?how old am I? three?) are 5 x 31/2 inches... so big old pieces to goof up if I went wrong (am so brave lol) All of the Santa's have had the scratchy tool treatment to their hair and beards... and I am rather chuffty tuffty with them... now all I need to do is figure out what to do with these pieces!



Anyways... I am being a right old grump today! I went out at stoopid o'clock this morning and spent all morning either standing in queues, looking for parking spaces, listening to children whinging or slobbing their feet along in wellies (isn't that one of the most annoying noises ever!!!) and watching a very irate old man have a fit of apoplexy right in front of me... he was really shouting at the poor man in the shop and the poor man was apologising and all that but the old fella was really going for it... I was just waiting for him to throw himself on the floor and have a paddy! And all of this because... it is Christmas... for... two days! I know, mental behaviour or what! Right, I must away, I have shopping to unpack and presents to wrap... and only a few more days left to get that turkey rofl... Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 185 - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus... **PLUS CANDY**

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy frosty Sunday to you all. Many thanks for all the heavenly Christmassy entries last week, I am in a fair festive mood after seeing them all. This week I have some candy to giveaway... well, it is Christmas so it is my thank you to everyone who has participated with the Sunday Stamper this year. The theme, if you haven't already guessed, is SANTA CLAUS. To join in with the challenge all you need to do is make something - it can be anything you fancy - add in the theme and some stamping and then hop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry. If you haven't got a blog/flickr/photobucket etc you can email me a photo of your entry. To be in with a chance of winning the candy is simples... leave me a comment here and pop a pic & link in your sidebar back to this post ... and if you join in as well, your name will be entered twice. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Friday 23rd December. It is closing early this week because next weeks challenge will be a Sunday Stamper on a Saturday... I thought that we would all be a bit busy peeling sprouts next Sunday so there's an extra day to join in :O))


Right... on with my entry. Each year since 2007 I have made an 8" x 8" piece of wall art. I actually hadn't twigged that I was doing this until a few days ago when I was putting up my decorations and opened up one of the boxes and there sat all these pieces... and all of them are red! I reckon something subliminal has been going on there. Anyways... I decided to make another piece for the collection... I am going to see how long I can keep this up... by the time I am 60 I will have... erm... very lots of 8" pieces of wall art!


So... my shadow box was painted with Fired Brick Cracklepaint... and once this was dry I gave it a rub over with some Gathered Twigs Distress Inks. Then I squirted a very fine coat of Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mists to add some Christmas sparkle. The insert is a piece of white card, painted with Glue & Seal and then I popped some Tim Tissue over it, coloured it with Picket Fence, Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap Distress Stains, edged with Vintage Photo and then glued into place with Glossy Accents... and then I realised it is slightly on the wonk... ooooopsie~daisies... don't tell anyone and I might get away with it lol


The focal point of the piece is a lovely big square of Stampbord. I loooove this stuff and am very tight using it... I am always filled with dread that I will get all cack~handed and fudge the stamping... so, I was uber careful and made sure that I was steady when I stamped Santa. I like to use Distress Inks to colour the Stampbord... and stamp with Archival Ink. The trick is to remember to dry everything thoroughly with a heat tool as you build the layers. I used Antique Linen, Peeled Paint, Fired Brick, Vintage Photo and Tattered Rose to colour Santa, getting into the fiddly bits with Cut & Dry Nibs. Finally, I used a scratcher tool to add texture to his hair and beard.



The embellishments are diecuts using Holly Branch and Tattered Banners Alterations Dies, Bazzill, Grungepaper and music score paper. The Grunge was coloured with Distress Inks and the Pine Cones were assembled and then edged with Vintage Photo. The little Reindeer is sitting in a Memo Pin... and ssshhh, don't tell anyone but... behind all of the holly bits, I used a piece of foam to build them up so they sit nicely over the edge of the box... I just covered it with more music score paper :O)) I want/need some of those mercury glass baubles... but... seeing as I haven't got any I tried to make my own versions using large Baubles and Silver Alcohol Ink Mixatives... mmm, not 100% that it works... but they are a pretty colour at least lol




And... here's a piccie of the Candy... included is; Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Forever Green & Forever Red Perfect Pearls Mists, Maya Road Chip Books, Wooden Word "Friends", Alterable plastic stars, Christmas charms and some 7Gypsies Journalling cards.



Right... I think that is it... blimey, that is one biiig explanation... hope you haven't nodded off! I had better go, I need to get to bed... another late night! Did you watch the Strictly final? I thought that Jason's show-dance was the best of the three and Harry was a very deserving winner... bless Chelsee though, she has a natural talent there... I should be a judge lol Thanks for looking... have a fabby week! TTFN

Hels x

Production Line...

...oh yesh and thrice... I have had a veritable bonanza today in the Room of Stash (still not tidied btw) but have managed to make a total of 42 Christmas Cards.. that certainly has to be a record for me... forty two cards **looks ever so slightly pleased with self**... two designs, lots of stamping, inking, colouring in and matting... then sticking to a 6" square card... thank heavens for heat tools and ATG's... they have made my life a whole lot easier lol Here's a pic of all of them together... a nice big old pile of them....




And here's design 1 - my favest Santa stamp ever... I know, he is gorgeous isn't he! He is from an old Christmas set from the Duke of Distress... stamped with Jet Black Archival, painted with Tattered Rose (best skin tone) Fired Brick and Peeled Paint Distress Stains and a water brush. Edged with Vintage Photo, matted onto Bazzill and then the card was stamped with a cute little vintage holly stamp (another one of Tim's) using Olive Archival ink.



Design 2 features my other fave Santa - he who looks like David Bellamy - I think it is the nose, slightly busted and a big fluffy beard to go with it. He was stamped and inked in the same way... oh and the sentiment on both of the cards is a really old woodie that I have had for 391 years... stamped with Coffee Archival.


Anyways... I am feeling muuuuch happier now I have a few cards made... just another 20 to do and then I should be done. Don't tell him but... I need to make Grim's card yet... I usually try to make something really special for him... but last year I cheated and bought one... well, I read the words and they were perfect... I wish I had written them down because I could have used those again! Right... time to scootle off and get cracking on the Sunday Stamper for tomorrow... I have an idea what I am making... and of course, it is the Strictly final tonight so I will be glued to the telly... so the Sunday Stamper will probably be posted in the morning... about 8am I reckon :O)) Thanks for looking... have a fab Saturday evening... TTFN

Hels x

Making In-Roads....

...bhaaahhaaaa... that's me laughing that is... because... ooohlalaaaa and thrice, I have done the decorations! Yes, I actually did them on the day I was saying I was going to do them... no putting them off til tomorrow, cos as we all know, tomorrow will end up being Christmas Day in no time at all ... then I would be kicking myself for being a lazy moo. Anyways... the outside decorations are done... thankfully there's no competition here on the Close for who has the biggest, brashest and most spectacular display outside their houses... so a few strings of LED lights and a string of little lanterns fits right in. I have seen a smart little 3d train that would look perfect sitting atop the garage roof but... well, that's taking it bit far... isn't it?



Anyways... while Grim was outside doing those lights, I got very festive by flinging tinsel, bead chains and baubles at the Christmas Tree. Actually, that is a little bit of a fib because I am a bit particular about how the tree looks, so every single thing on it is placed "just so"... and woe betide I get it wrong because then I spent days picking at it and moving stuff around... me? control freak? never lol



I have a few very special baubles that I have bought over the years... there seems to be a theme though.. unintentionally I have picked birds and feathers... all very pretty and fancy which go with my favouritest bauble ever that I picked up for 49p in the sales after Xmas about 10 years ago... and it is still there, pride of place at the top. Oh and this is our little village... we have had this for yonks and each Christmas it comes out and sits there on the mantle looking pretty...



Anyways... enough about the decorations... guess what!!! I made... TEN cards last night!! Hurrah and thrice! They are all the same except for the papers... I am trying to use up all the scraps of paper that I have because I have too much old stuff... which means I can't have any new stuff til it has all gone.... and I am missing out on all the latest designs...



Right then... time for me to get back to the festive-desk and make some more cards... have a great evening... wrap up warm... tis gonna be a chilly one! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Colorwash Crazy...

... I am a lucky lass indeedily I am! This past three months I have had a special mini series published in Craft Stamper magazine... focussing on those delightful Colorwash Sprays from Ranger. Whenever I do a piece for Craft Stamper I always like to make an extra set of things, just incase the piece I submit doesn't fit in with the magazine... and these two pieces were ones that weren't used. The technique used is the one from Part 1 - Marbelling. I have to say, this is one of my favest techniques and even though it is a bit messy you can get some really good effects with it.


The colours I used are Sunset Orange, Red Pepper and Wild Plum... bright and vivid to cheer up a dull December day! You can really see the marbelling on the little ticket on this tag... and there are Step by Step instructions in the magazine on how to achieve this effect. The card was made in the same way... lots of bright colours again and I used the Sprays to colour some diecut cardstock and some seam binding too.




Today is D day at Chez Sheridan... yes, time for us to get the old Christmas tree decorated and for Grim to wobble about on a ladder putting lights up outside... well, I say wobble about... he doesn't wobble at all... but because I will be there holding the bottom of the ladder for him and, knowing how easily distracted I am, there's a fair chance that might happen this year lol





I don't know about you but I can't seem to get into the festive spirit... the 12 Tags usually kick-starts it but... I am still lamentably so far behind with them I fear I won't ever get them done. And, I have just done a quick Christmas card list... and I need to make about 70 cards in two days... I can see that I will be doing super quick ones... why oh why do I always leave it to the last minute? I recall the "I am going to get them all made by the end November" promises I made last December, when I was in the same position and hastily licking envelopes (yak, don't you just hate that taste!) so they got into the last post before Christmas... all help will be gratefully received by the way... so if you find yourself without a thing to do you could always help me out lol


Right... better get myself to bed seeing as I have a busy day ahead.. oh and... we went to see Grim's Mum & Dad yesterday and... we have presents... and... they are wrapped... and... I reeeeeally want to give them a squeeze... I am soooo bad, I don't want to open the present... no, I have the patience to wait til the big day but... I wanna know what is under that wrapping paper... I think I will go and sit on my hands... only another 10 days to wait... (argh, 10 days..... yikes, I haven't even got the turkey yet!!!) Thanks for looking... have a fab day! TTFN

Hels x

WOYWW... Oh The Shame Of It...

... you see, there I went... getting all smug because I had gone for nearly a whole year with only a minor mishap with NY Resolution #4, which was to keep the Room of Stash neat and tidy... and not to allow it to slide into the mire that is the Doom of Trash. Well, I can hold my paws up and admit that ... erm... I have ... ahem... let things slip a little bit of late (ok, they have gone and done more than slip, they have rushed headlong into this hovel-like room) So... yes, it is very shaming but... I am seeking absolution... I have tried to console myself with platitudes and excuses and nowt seems to be working... so I thought that if I admitted it to all you WOYWW-ers you would say "nooo, it isn't untidy... it is a bad camera angle" or something like that. So... whatcha fink? Actually, if you are new to Bloglandia you are probably wondering what on earth I am waffling on about... well, over on Julia's blog, there's a fantastic phenomenonywotsit called What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday... where to bloggers of the craft world unite and show off their gleaming studio's, neat and organised shelves and... ok, most of us are messy, untidy and never can bear to part with a single snippet of paper. CLICK HERE for all the deets :O))



Anyways. I do have a couple of brilliant cast-iron excuses, I mean reasons... well, first of all, I went out for the day and AlfieCat decided to have his Christmas party in here and let off all manner of party poppers and silly string... and then I got sick (that is actually true) and I couldn't manage to even pick up an inkpad let alone do anything with it (milks it for sympathy) and then I have been doing a special thingywotsit for a pal and I have been (don't tell anyone... ) scrapbooking! Oh and then... I had the bright idea to sort out my Idea-ology papers... and then got a bit sidetracked looking at yonder t'internet. And... the jar with the paintbrushes... honestly, it has been cleaned out since last I showed the Room of Stash ... it has... really... I know the water looks like some strange kind of alien liquor but it isn't ... and I am just about to clean out those brushes... I am.. in a minute... I will ... really..........

Right... time for me to stop with the waffle and start with the tidying up... this time next week it will be gleaming and glistening and neat, and tidy, and orderly, and... and... well, ok, but a girl can dream yah? Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Show & Hels... SnowCap Alcohol Ink & Kraft Glassine... Plus A Giveaway!!!

Goodly Morning! Cor blimey, who has been fast forwarding this month already?? I can't believe that we are nearly half way through December already! Anyways... tis my day for the Artistic Stamper Creative Team today, and as is usual for this time of the month, I have made a tag to giveaway. To see all the deets on how to win the tag, please CLICK HERE. You may have noticed that in the title of this post I have said it is a Show & Hels... well, it is! I was planning on doing a Show & Hels on Saturday, as is the norm... however, having been near deaths' door for 48 hours (ok, not quite that close but feeling it lol) I didn't get chance... time to rectify that, so we have a Tuesday Show & Hels instead. Before I crack on with the pics for the Step by Steps, here's a sneak peek at the finished tag that is being given away... and on it are some of the diecuts I have made using this fab technique.



So... the technique is colourizing Kraft Glassine with SnowCap Alcohol Ink. During the 12 Tags, the Duke of Distress was using Kraft Glassine, coloured with green shades of Alcohol Ink and then die-cutting the Glassine to make gorgeous holly leaves... oohlalalaaa, I love the look of this and being as I have a bottle of SnowCap which I hadn't tried, I thought I would give it a go. If you look at the bottom of the tag, there's a snowflake border... and at the top of the tag there's a couple of snowflakes... well, these have been cut from Glassine that has had the SnowCap treatment. Here's a list of the stash you will need to do this technique:

INGREDIENTS:
Kraft Glassine
SnowCap Alcohol Ink
Metallic Mixatives - Gold
Non Stick Craft Sheet
Heat Tool
Blending Tool
Felts
Blending Solution
Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Paper Towel/Inky Binky



STEP 1

Shake the SnowCap ink really well, you should be able to hear a little ball rattling around inside the bottle... if you can't hear it, tap the bottle sharply onto your desk, this should dislodge the ball and make it rattle. It is important that the SnowCap is really well mixed before you use it as the contents do separate when not used. Apply three generous squirts of SnowCap onto the felt on your Blending Tool.



STEP 2

Apply the SnowCap onto your Kraft Glassine; you can pop this onto to the paper in exactly the same way you would apply other Alcohol Inks. Make sure that the coverage is pretty even.



STEP 3

Once you have covered the whole sheet, use a heat tool to dry the ink... because the Glassine has a coating on it, the SnowCap will sit on top of the paper until heat dried. You will see as you apply heat to the paper that is goes very shiny, this is the coating on the paper melting slightly. As soon as the heat is removed, it goes back to matte.



STEP 4

Give the Metallic Mixative bottle a really good shake, this too has a ball inside the bottle to help agitate the contents. Pop three drops of the Mixative onto a clean piece of felt on your Blending Tool. You don't need much Mixative as it is really concentrated.


STEP 5

Dab the Blending Tool onto the Glassine... you can add as much or as little as you prefer - you can also use different Mixative colours to suit your own tastes too :O))



STEP 6
Pop a little bit of Blending Solution onto your felt... covering your Mixative dots so they bleed out slightly. Apply these in a dabbing motion onto the Glassine... you will see that the gold dots on the Glassine blend in more... if you prefer a more splotchy look then use less Blending Solution. If you find you have used too much and the Glassine paper is showing through, simply add some more SnowCap over the top and heat dry again.


STEP 7

**You will see on this photo that you can't really notice the Mixative that has been blended... it is there, I just couldn't get the angle of the camera right to pick it up** Shake your Metallic Mixative bottle up again... the contents of the bottle do settle quite quickly. Shake drops of Mixative over your Glassine - like popping vinegar on chips (ooh, chips, who said chips lol)



STEP 8

Use your heat tool to dry the surface of the Glassine, the Mixative will bubble every so slightly, this is normal.



STEP 9

Once your Glassine is completely dry, scrumple it up into a ball. This is going to add lots of lovely crackles and peaks to the surface. You may see some of the SnowCap going a bit powdery and coming off... this is normal, depending on the thickness of the coat of SnowCap.


STEP 10

Open the Glassine out flat and use a paper towel or cloth (see my disgusting dirty inky binky there!) to wipe off any dust that has settled onto the Glassine.




STEP 11

Apply your Vintage Photo Distress Ink directly to the Glassine, it will collect on the peaks in the scrumples... you don't need to press on very hard and I did notice that some of the white had collected on the ink pad, I just wiped it onto some scrap paper and it came back to normal.


STEP 12

Using a heat tool, dry the whole piece of Glassine. As before, you will see that as the heat hits it, it goes shiny - wet looking... and as soon as the heat is removed, it goes back to matte... this is normal :O))



IDEAS FOR USAGE



I have used my Glassine to die cut lots of different shapes... you could also use it to make a ruffle or a flower or a banner border... the choice is yours!


I hope that you like this technique and find it helpful... ooh and before I go... if you leave me a comment here as well as over on the Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog, I will enter your name twice into the hat to win the tag. Right, time for bed already.... thanks for looking... and... as ever... TTFN!

Hels x