Ink on My Fingers

Sunday Stamper - Week 190 - I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles + Candy Winner!

2012-01-29T00:01:00.000Z

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Well, what a fantastic response to last weeks challenge! Thank you everyone for your lovely comments and entries... it sure does make it very rewarding to know that so many of you love this little old challenge! I have a very special guest theme setter this week.. more of that in a mo because I need to tell you who won the Candy from last weeks challenge. So, there were 77 comments and as promised, if you entered as well, I doubled up your number so you had two entries which made 94 in total. I have asked Mr Random.org to help me pick a number and he chose... # 31 which tallies with the entry from CLAIRE. Thanks Claire, if you could email me your addy please? Right, on with this weeks challenge.

As suggested earlier, I have a special guest setting the theme this week... let me introduce Kate who suggested the song title I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles and the theme... BUBBLES. As soon as I heard this suggestion I had to leap at it... love the song and love the theme! ** it reminds me of when I was a nipper and my Dad used to sing it to me... we used to harmonise... ah, happy days...** To join in with the challenge is simples, make a little something, add in some stamping and the theme and then pop back here to leave a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry. As ever, if you don't have a web place to enter, bung me an email over and your entry will still count! The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 6th February 2012.

So... that there pic is my entry - a little ATC sized chunky canvas that I have had kicking about for about 281 years... I got a bargain box full of them online and it is the last one.. and now of course, I need more... cos I have fallen back in lurve with the size.. humph! I used several Claudine Hellmuth Studio paints... mixing some together to get the right colours - I love how you can do that and they don't go all muddy! The colours I used are: Pastel Yellow (base), Dash of Red mixed with Dab of Yellow to get a vivid orange, Altered Orange mixed with a Dash of Red to get a gorgeous salmon pink and Teal for the colouring in bits.

I applied the paint using a spatula (and no, not the one I usually put my make up on with lol) so there are dragged patches... I like the rough look of that on the canvas. I added some stamping using Gesso (black and white) and Dylusions background stamps... I bobbed a smidge of Dab of Yellow through a dotty stencil using Cut & Dry too... forgot about that layer! I used Word to print out my words... using Adler font... and glued these on with Multi Medium. I stamped Wilbur (isn't he so cute!) and Puss Puss on copy paper, painted them in and stuck them down with Multi Medium too. I used an "All" Stabilo pencil (amazeballs for writing on ANY surface) to edge around the words and the characters and then blended the lines a bit with a fine paintbrush and smudged with my favourite tool... my finger!

Now, I have got an old bottle of Stickles and it is all finished... not a single smidge left in it because, I don't know about you but I am very stingy and I always take the stopper out of it and then cut into the bottle... there's looooads left in there you know. So, I saved the stopper bit and used the base of it to add "bubbles" in the black and white Gesso. I smidged some Black Gesso around the edges to close the design in and then finally... used Glossy Accents to fill up some of the bubbles... and voila, finished mini canvas... oh apart from the feet which are little Maya Road cotton reels. All of the goodies I used are available from The Stamp Attic... paints, Stampotique & Dylusions stamps etc :O)) (just sayin'!!)

Here are a couple of pics of the totally gorgeous creations that Kate has made as her entries... check out the CUTENESS of this little fella... as you know, I don't normally "do" cute but sometimes I just get swept away with the adoreableness (is that a word? Well, tis now lol) And then Kate has done an inky piece too... seriously... she is a talented gal... please do hop over to HER BLOG and leave her some lurve... she is my first proper guest setter... and I hope the first of many because... as much as I lurve this challenge I am kinda running out of ideas! Big thanks to Kate for this FAB theme!!!

So, if you have a song that you love and it can incorporate a theme... please just give me a shout... leave a comment or send me an email... there isn't a pressie for doing it... but you will be left with a warm fuzzy glow for helping out a batty old moo... me, that is, self confessed and all that... because, don't tell anyone but... I got all engrossed in my arty stuff the other day and remembered I needed to nip to the Post Office. So, off I went in Ferdy... and when I was walking around the shop I thought "blimey these shoes are uncomfortable"... to look down and see... slippers! Yes folks, it has happened, I have made the slide into old age effortlessly... no wonder people were staring and young children were pointing and laughing... thank goodness I hadn't still got my jammy's on!!! Right, I will leave you with that rather unsettling image and say... as ever... thanks for looking and... TTFN!

Hels x

Saturday Show & Hels... Pom Pom Tissue Wrap Flower

2012-01-28T02:58:00.002Z

...I thought it about time to do another Show & Hels... and I have been asked a few times this week if I could do a step by step on how I made the Pom Pom flower that was on here the other day. So... I have spent a happy couple of hours with the camera (apologies now for the rubbish photography and the yukky hands lol) Here we go... oh but before that... a little look at the finished tag... which I should add... I am giving away... more of that later on :O))

So... here's what you will need:

Tissue Wrap - either flavour work for the flower
Tiny Attacher
Scissors
Distress Ink & Blending Tool

STEP 1
Tear off a piece of Tissue Wrap to measure approx 20cm - it doesn't have to be an exact measurement... near enough will do :O)) Fold the wrap in half and then in half again.

STEP 2
Hold the folded edge of the strip in one hand and cut into the opposite edge - you need your snips to cut down about 2/3rds of the strip... and a couple of mm apart - again this isn't an exact measurement, remember the thicker the snips, the less fluffles you will get on your finished Pom Pom.

STEP 3
When you have snipped right down the length of the strip, wind it loosely around your index finger.

STEP 4
Using the Tiny Attacher (or if you have a baby Bambi stapler instead), staple a few times into the join to keep the whole layer attached.

STEP 5
Once the layer is fastened together you can ruffle the snipped bits out. You will see in this photo that the folded edges of the paper are showing. This will give you a less fluffled look.

STEP 6
Alternatively, if you would like a more fluffley look, snip along the top edge before you wind it around your finger and fasten... or if you have done the above step already and decide you prefer the fluffley look, you can just go in a trim it... tis up to you :O)) **don't look at that pink stuff on my finger... it isn't really there... I haven't really been using it on show samples ;o))**

STEP 7
Tear a piece of wrap off to measure approx 15cm and repeat the folding and cutting process. Once you have done that you can snip the edges off as before... or leave them if you want a less fluffley (yep that word again) Pom Pom.

STEP 8
For the final layer you need to tear off about 10cm of wrap. Once you have folded it (as before) snip off about a 1/3 of the length... this makes it easier and less bulky when you come to assemble them together. With this layer only snip half way down it, instead of 2/3... this makes it more pliable... any more than half way down makes it too flimsy.

STEP 9
*uh oh, those fingers again... you can't see them can you?* Once you have snipped along this layer, wind it around your little finger... the tighter this layer the better for assembling.

STEP 10
Using the Tiny Attacher (or Bambi stapler) staple in as far as you can... you will see that the staple doesn't fit right in... you just need to make sure it isn't going to come undone. *you still aren't looking at those disgusting nails are you?* Once it is secure you can then start to assemble your layers together... and you can snip down the size of the little one if you prefer a stubby look for the centre of the Pom Pom... that's what I have done with mine.

STEP 11
Not really a step as such... just a pic of what they should look like before assembling.

STEP 12
Use your finger to guide the little layer into the 2nd layer... the hole in the middle should make a snug fit - if it doesn't, don't worry... you can add a little glue :O)) Once you are happy with those two layers, open up the hole in the third layer and fit the other one into it... again, a snug fit but... glue if it isn't.

FINISHED - BEFORE INK
You can see that the layers all look nice and fluffley... and the middle is nice and stubby... like the middle of a daisy perhaps?

FINISHED - AFTER INK
I added ink to the ruffles using Spiced Marmalade and a Blending Tool... I concentrated the ink in the centre so it is a smidge darker... for the finished tag, I added Fired Brick around the longer layers.

TA DAH!

That there is my finished tag... now, I mentioned earlier that I would be giving this away... well I am! To be in with a chance of winning this tag is very simples... leave me a comment here... that's all! I will draw a winner at random and announce on next Saturday's post (4th Feb). Right... tis waaay past my bedtime... I got all engrossed in this at about 11pm and I am sitting here shivering now cos the heating has gone off and I am verrrry chilly! Thanks for looking... please do let me know whatcha fink! TTFN

Hels x

PS... I can't remember who asked... the music score I take my pics on... is proper sheet music... aquired from the popular online auction site ;o))

PPS... thanks also to ... Alison Horne... the thingywotsit from yesterday has a name! A Diorama!! How cool is that!!! x

A ThingyWotsit...

2012-01-27T09:07:00.005Z

...for the life of me, I cannot think of a name for this piece... I am sure that the style has some kind of proper name but.. I don't know what that is so.. it is... a thingywotsit! *which is the word I always use if I lose my train of thought... happens regularly lol*

So, I have had that Cabinet Card Alterations die in my collection for several hundred years and have still not used it... how very remiss of me! I was perusing my Alterations collection yesterday and spotted said Cabinet Card and made an exekertive decision to use it... right there and then. So I did! I cut several "frames" from cream cardstock - I have got the main die and the Movers and Shapers one that fits into the middle... making the frame cutting simples. I cut one frame from Crowded Attic paper and the back piece from the same paper - tis the one with the map - one of my faves! Next I glued the back to another back cut from cream card - making it sturdy and did the same with the front frame. Including the back and front there are 6 layers in total.

Next I cut some tickets, styled labels, mini Cogs/Gears and the mini Jalopy - all from cream cardstock and all Movers & Shapers dies. That little Jalopy... tooo cute! I smooshed a wash of Old Paper Stain over the front and back pieces... as soon as the Stain was on the paper I gave it a soaking with water, this just dulls the print down ever so slightly. Next I went in with Frayed Burlap DI and blended it all over the frames that are sandwiched in the middle (I know you can't really see them but I wanted it all to tone together) I used more Old Paper Stain for the tickets and label and then edged them with more Frayed Burlap (tis top of my fave colours at the moment!)

The tickets and label were stamped using Jet Black & Vermillion Archival ink... the little sayings for the tickets were stamped twice, once onto the ticket and then onto scrap in Vermillion, cutting out the main words and popping them onto 3D foam just makes them pop a bit more. The Jalopy was treated to a good coat of Black Soot Distress Embossing Powders so it is rough looking... as were the Cogs... but for those I coloured with Black Soot DI and then embossed with Vintage Photo Distress powder. Then... I pilfered a bit of packaging from some Grungeboard... and cut it into strips and glued these to the backs of the tickets and labels...

Once I had the components all ready, I started layering up the frames... and bobbed the strips of packaging in between the layers... so these are all "floating" and can all be moved about until they are where you want them... meaning you can change your mind so the ticket/label which is your fave can be put towards the front... and moved back again. The embellies are a mix of Idea-ology and charms I have in my stash... check out the mini Eiffel Tower and the ickle Penny Farthing... too cute! The finishing touch is my latest ... ahem... aquisition (!) I was mooching around that famous auction site the other week and spotted this really old date stamp (well, not that old cos it is 1972 onwards... but you know what I mean...) anyways.. I used Vermillion archival to stamp the dates... I like how they look like they are part of the paper design... a happy accident!

Anyways... I think that is it for how I made it. I am still non the wiser for a name for it. Any suggestions gratefully accepted! I had thought about popping it onto a card but when I held it up to one it looked a bit daft... so I just cut out an easel stand and stuck that on the back... a stand alone thingywotsit! Right... stuff to do... namely samples for the shows next Thursday... the old war wound is having a right old flare up at the moment so I am taking it easy... or at least... trying to! Thanks for looking!! TTFN...

Hels x

PS... don't forget, just a couple of days left to enter into the Sunday Stamper Candy draw... HERE are the deets....

Grungy... Ruffles...

2012-01-26T01:24:00.000Z

..isn't that just one of the best words? Ruffles! If you say it loads of times it sounds really daft too lol Anyways... Grungy Monday this week is focussing on the Cracklepaint Resist technique... see HERE for lovely Linda Ledbetter's blog and HERE for Tim's YouTube vid showing how to do the technique.

I had a little play earlier in the week and have already entered once... however, I don't know about you but for me, if I start to use something that I have been ignoring of late, I go a little OTT and end up making more than one thing with it... Cracklepaint is in my spotlight this week... and I had painted several tags with different colours - you know, just to see which ones I liked best. Some of my Cracklepaints had gone all thick and ikky... so I just walloped some water into them and stirred them up and voila, they are useable again! Hurrah!

This particular tag started life with Milled Lavendar CP being roughly painted on it. Now, I have never really been one for the Milled Lavendar pad, being as it is a bit pale.. I lurve the Stain version and now I really love the CP version (and can't wait to get the PEN version!) Even though the CP is a light mauve colour, I decided to use Victorian Velvet DI to colour the rest of the tag and then went around the edges with Seedless Preserves. In all honesty, I haven't used Victorian Velvet for well over a year... why? I have no idea.. it is a stunning colour! I think I shall be revisiting my pink phase! The resist part of the tag was done using Pumice Stone DI and the large background on the Papillon set... I also used Pumice Stone and clear embossing powder to make the little butterflies pop off the background a bit too... they aren't too noticeable in the photo though... I could blame the light, the camera or just admit... I am a rubbish photo taker (can't even call myself a photographer lol)

What do you think of the pom-pom flower? It is made from Tissue Wrap that was cut into strips, folded over four times and then snipped into with my Tim scissors (nice and sharp to the point) and then wrapped around my finger and stapled to keep it fastened into a circle. As I went along I moved from index finger, to ring finger to little finger so each layer (there are 3 of them) is smaller and fits together nicely. I then ruffled the flower up and blending some Seedless Preserves over the top and use hot glue to fasten it to the tag. The leaves are cut from some printable canvas that I found in the clearout last week... cut using Tattered Leaves and coloured with Crushed Olive and Forest Moss Stains.

Right then... time for me to go and get inky again... I was tired earlier but have got my second wind so there's only one thing for it... hot coffee, Smooth 70's on the radio and me with a pile of diecuts and ink... ahhh, bliss!! Thanks for looking... have a lovely day! TTFN

Hels x

WOYWW... And The Winner Is...

2012-01-25T11:43:00.004Z

...ok, who did it? I know it was someone... fast-forwarding a whole week! I say this every Wednesday I know but still... this time next week we will be in February already! Anyways... Wednesday can mean only one thing! Time for the bloggers of the world to unite in a hoooge bloghop to have a nosey at each others desks/floors/cupboards... The phenomenon that is What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday... hosted and devised by Julia Dunnit... all the deets about this are .. HERE!

So... my Room of Stash remaind pristine = yes a whole week later and it is still spotless... I am still tidying away after each crafty make... and picking up bits off the floor... and cleaning my desks... ooh-hooohoo... I am a reformed character! **and will have to be careful, I may choke on this Halo lol** On my desk today is the finishing touches for a little folder book thingy I have made using those deeevine new 7 Dots Studio papers and some delish Stampotique stamps for The Stamp Attic... all the deets of how I made it etc are HERE on the Stamp Attic blog!

Right... on to business... WOW and thrice... thank you all for your lovely comments last week. I had 82 comments... and Mr Random.wotsit has picked #74 which belonged to a comment left by BECKY... congrats to you and please can you email me your addy so I can pop the book into the post for you? :O))

Right enough of my wafflings... busy day doing painty and inky stuff... hurrah! Oooh but before I go, a quick reminder that the Sunday Stamper is celebrating its 4th birthday this week so there's some candy up for grabs... **points up to the top sidebar!** Thanks for looking.. TTFN

Hels x

Do You Want To Know A Secret?

2012-01-24T16:55:00.003Z

...over on the Simon Says Stamp & Show blog this week the theme is to include a song title in the entry... all the deets are HERE. Aha, well, tis a simples on for me seeing as all my Sunday Stamper themes originate from song titles. And... Linda Ledbetter's lovely Grungy Monday challenge this week has the Cracklepaint Resist technique... the deets for which are HERE on Tim's YouTube channel and HERE for Linda's blog :O))

So, I made a tag... I know adventurous huh? Actually it is a bit more adventurous than normal for me because I managed to get the ickle sewing machine going again (after being banished to a shelf for the past few months because it made a weird noise and jammed.....) The song is "Do You Want To Know A Secret" by my favest band in the wholest widest worldest... The Beatles. The Cracklepaint of my choice was Milled Lavendar which is such a delicate colour... far to delicate for my big paws so I popped some Broken China, Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserves DI's over the top before stamping some nibs and a flourish over the top to make the resist.

I added a teensy tag to fit across the tag - making the "secret" bit... and stamped the word Dream in Jet Black Archival Ink. The little tag was coloured with the same DI's and overstamped with some Tim stamps and more black Archival and machine stitched onto the base tag. I made a little hole in the base tag and popped a Hitch Fastener through it and then used a mini paperclip to keep the tag-flap closed. I stamped another tidgy butterfly, coloured it and then stuck it on to be 3D'd.

The Ornate Plate also has some secret writing behind it... that is another Tim stamp, stamped in Coffee Archival and then the large butterfly (which was snipped from the Crowded Attic stack and coloured) was stuck over the top. I also added the swallow which was swiped with Picket Fence Cracklepaint and then squidged with Milled Lavendar Distress Stain.

I think that is it... this tag was actually born this morning at about 9.30am... and it has taken me ALL day to get it finished... you know when you have the idea there but nothing is making it right? Well, that is how today has been... I also have three other tags that have been Crackled... all in different colours... and all just sitting there looking dejected. I am going to go back to the desk of stash and try again... well, after I have got the tea on ... mmm, pork chops and roasties tonight... nomnomnnomnom... Right! Enough of my waffling already... Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Two Cards... Studio 490 Styleee

2012-01-23T12:22:00.003Z

...I have a confession to make! You know I always say that I am not really fussed for making cards? Well, ahem... I have started to really enjoy it! I know, I know, I keep saying that I will make a few cards a week and not *buy* any more. Well, this year is the year I really do revisit the old cardmaking hobby... and I can't think of any better stamps to use than my beloved Studio 490's. I have got three baskets brimming with tags... and whilst I keep saying that I will stick them on a card and use those... I don't. And... I actually butchered a crop of last years tags last week, pilfering the Idea-ology off them (my other ressie is to recycle more lol) Anyways... these here cards have been made using only the Studio 490 Dimensional Rose Art set.

Card 1 - Rosey Delight

I cut a piece of Crowded Attic paper to measure 5" square and popped it onto some grey Bazzill cardstock after blending Fired Brick DI around the edges and sanding them with an emery board.
I made another little mat in the same way and stamped the large flourish using Forest Moss DI. The little rose was made by stamping the rose flower stamp onto three of the little 2" square snips in the Crowded Attic stack - to see step by step on how to assemble the rose, CLICK HERE.

The sentiment is actually just one word, masked off from the larger sentiment using Post-It notes and Jet Black Archival ink. I blended more Fired Brick over the top, sanded the edges, snipped into the ends to make them pointed and popped this onto more grey Bazzill.

Card 2 - Flower Delight

I can't take any credit for this design... so I will let you know that the inspiration for this card came from a project in Wendy Vecchi's Book I, page 12/13. The base of the card is 5" square black cardstock. I cut a mat of cream cardstock and coloured it with Wild Honey Distress Stain and edged this with Vintage Photo DI. Then another piece of black card makes a mat for this. The squares are 2" in size and coloured with Wild Honey and Tumbled Glass Distress Stains... using a Wrinkle Free Distress technique. Two of the squares are stamped with the large background from the set using Coffee Archival Ink and one is stamped with the large flourish. The last square is stamped in Jet Black Archival with the sentiment... one of my faves!

The flower is the rose flower, stamped twice onto Grungepaper and coloured with Fired Brick DI. I overstamped the numerical background using Coffee Archival and folded the flowers to make them dimensional. I bobbed a little Idea-ology Foliage flower onto it and then added a strip of Grungepaper that I coloured with Forest Moss DI and added a couple of the leaves from the rose leaf stamp. The finishing touch was added with the Foliage leaf and a brad. All of the goodies used on the cards can be found at The Stamp Attic *just sayin ;o))*

Right... I have a bit of one of those days going on today... pain is not good at all... not sure what I have done to make it so bad, maybe all that cleaning last week *does that mean it is a good excuse to not do any? lol* And... I have to take Ferdy for his MOT... he hasn't had one before so I am keeping it all X'd that he passes... if you hear some very loud wailing you will know he has had a hiccup! Thanks for looking ... as ever... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 189 - My Eyes Adored You... Plus Candy!!!

2012-01-22T03:56:00.001Z

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Thank you all for your gorgeously golden entries last week. This weeks Sunday Stamper is a very special one... because... it is 4 years old today! Well, this weekend... but you know what I mean! So... I have a little bit of candy to giveaway - more about that in a mo. The theme this week is EYES. I am thinking anything that has a face basically, a nice and easy one :O)) To join in with the challenge is simples... make a little something - it can be anything you like, ATC, tag, card, altered art... pop back here and leave me a comment along with a link to the place you are showing your entry, I can then hop on over to visit you! If you don't have a blog/photo hosting thingy then you can enter by email... just bob a piccie onto an email to me and I will enter you into the draw too. Ohh, yes, the candy draw. Right... here's how to win: if you leave me a comment you will have one entry into the draw. If you leave me a comment and enter... you're name will be added twice. Please do tell your pals about the challenge and candy - you can copy the photo and stick it into your sidebar :O)) The winner will be chosen at random and announced on next Sunday's challenge. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 28th January 2012.

My entry this week is a tag - I haven't made a tag for over a week! I know!!! I am slacking! I did a resist using Snowcap Dabber and then inked over the top with Old Paper Stain... drying this and then blending Weathered Wood, Pine Needles and Stormy Sky DI's. The chaps... they are my fave old fella's - they were stamped in Jet Black Archival and cut out and coloured with Tattered Rose for the skin tone and Walnut Stain blending around the edges. I stamped the hand and gave this the same treatment, using Pine Needles and a waterbrush to add colour to the cuff.

I went with the "more is more" adage when adding the Idea-ology and embellies... well, why have a square inch clear on the tag huh? Check out the little bits of wire mesh... oh how I would love to tell you that I maded these myself... but... alas... I didn't! I bought them from goodness knows where about 273 years ago and they have been...ahem... hidden underneath a pile of crud, found when I was revamping the old Room of Stash them other day... result!

So... the candy! Here's a little list of what is included: Crowded Attic Salvage Stickers, 2x Scrapbooks in a tin, 4" canvas, four mini canvases, 3 Maya Road Chip books, Fired Brick, Antique Linen & Faded Jeans Distress Stains, Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mists (my fave), a few Idea-ology Word Keys, some Brass Charms, a few little resin roses (too cool), a pack of pretty Prima Flowers and some Maya Road Kraft Envelopes. Oh and... my tag for todays entry :O))

So, there you have it! Who'd have thought that this little old challenge would still be running four years on? I certainly never envisaged that it would be and I have to say... it has been so rewarding to host it for all this time. At the time of conception (ooh, that makes it sound really posh!) I was still working full time and the only day I didn't have to work was a Sunday. So, I thought... do a challenge on a Sunday and then you will always be able to set it. Well, there were a few close calls when I had forgotten about it and had the Sunday to work... I think that the latest the challenge was ever set was about 2 in the afternoon. I have met so many lovely bloggers over the years, there are a few stalwart regulars who join in, which is so lovely to see each week... I am honoured for every single entry I have ever had and I truly appreciate you all. *shall stop before I start blubbing lol* Anyhoo, I am always scratching around for a new theme... so if you have one that you would love to see here, please do drop me a line and I will sort it out. In the meantime... have a very inky Sunday... thanks for looking and...as ever, TTFN!

Hels x

Blonde Moment...

2012-01-21T00:01:00.000Z

Never let it be said that I don't own up to my...erm... idiocy. Well, Thursday night I really did "open mouth before brain was engaged" So, Grim is looking for his Passport, he needs it because he is off to see his pal in bonnie Scotland (I said that with my best Glaswegian accent) To set the scene... Grim is in his study, I am next door in the Room of Stash... Here's how it went;

Grim: I am looking for my passport... I might need it....

Me: You will deffo need it cos Gillian needed hers when she came to stay...

Grim: It is in here somewhere (sounds of rummaging heard)

Me: Well, I have got mine here, do you want to borrow it?

**and at least a whole minute before I realised what I had said..... **

Ahem... 'nuff said really.

On with todays piece of Studio 490 stylee art... another sample from the show last Saturday. This is the one that I clumsily broke during show 2... well, it had got a bit bashed on the way there and was looking annoyingly on the wonk. I was trying to shove the stalk bit back into the circle bit... on live TV... oooopsies. Well, I did try to blame Dave for it but you all saw it was me... I know that cos you told me you saw me do it lol!

Right... first of all I will say that this looks a whole lot more complicated to make than it actually is. Like I said before, if it is difficult, I wouldn't be able to do it... I don't do complicated. The base of the piece is an Art Parts Spool and I coloured it with Tumbled Glass Distress Stain - giving it a good coat, drying, another coat and drying again and edging with Chipped Sapphire DI. I cut one of the large leaf Art Parts in two and coloured them with Forest Moss DI and overstamped with Olive Archival and the large alpha background. The top of the Spool has the largest size Floral Art Part coloured with Wild Honey Distress Stain popped onto it.

The decorations are the other half of the large leaf, coloured as before and a Grungepaper flower with a sweet little Memo Pin in the middle. The Ornate Frame has one word from a sentiment stamped on it... stamping first in Vermillion and over with Jet Black Archival, I love this overstamped text look :O)) Finally, the ickle butterflies, stamped onto Grungepaper, coloured with DI's and then stamped onto Clearly For Art Clear and heated and shaped. I glued them together and then stuck them to some offcut strips of Clearly For Art. I love that they look like they are all of a flutter on the "invisible" stalks.

Right.. that's all for today.... it is actually Friday night really but I am scheduling this for Saturday morning... IYKWIM... I have had a lovely day in the Room of Stash with Caz... needless to say we got naff all crafting done... apart from one paper rose! Of course, I was my usual quiet self and Caz did all the talking... *ahem* I shall away now... my AlfieCat is after himself a cuddle (he's missing his Daddy!) Thanks for looking... have a FAB Saturday! TTFN

Hels x

PS... don't forget my little giveaway... deets are HERE.

PPS... and the Sunday Stamper tomorrow... new theme ;o))

**deffo off now!**

Bottling Up...

2012-01-19T10:50:00.003Z

... Not, indeedily, what they do in a pub of a morning... no, this is what I have called this Art Part piece... which has lots of bottles on it (ok, so my blog title is still rather dubious... am trying.. really!) So. My piece... is going to be my entry into the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge this week which is... "Anything but a Card" CLICK HERE for all the deets.

The piece is based on a large square Art Parts Frame, the base is covered with Crowded Attic paper which I gave the Wrinkle Free Distress technique and overstamped with the long border from Make Mine Mini Art using Cobalt Archival Ink. The bottles are Corked Vials that I wrapped snips of the paper around... and popped a Memo Pin into each. Notice the letters in the Memo Pins.. that is one of Wendy's FAB techniques... I mentioned it the other day and do head on over to her blog to see all her inspirational work... as well as the new stuff coming out at CHA in a couple of weeks time (ooooh, I cannot wait to get my mitts on it all!)

The flower is made from Art Parts and Grungepaper. The largest Floral was covered with Wild Honey Distress Stain and overstamped with Vermillion Archival Ink. The Leaves were coloured with Forest Moss DI - I purposefully didn't overstamp these with a pattern because I wanted to have flower pop more. The Rose in the middle is made from Grungepaper, coloured on both sides with Fired Brick DI and then overstamped with Gold Dabber.

See the Scallop Trim along the bottom? Well, that is actually two Trims together to make the shelf. The first one, which is underneath, was painted with Gold Dabber so the gold shows through the holes in the top one. The top one was coloured with Chipped Sapphire Distress Stain... and over stamped with Gold Dabber. Now, Art Parts are lush aren't they? But... if you make a bit of a boo-boo with the colour, there's not much you can do apart from paint it or cover it with paper. So... I always try the colour combo's out ... on the back! No one will see that unless you want them to... and then you can decide on the colours you want to work with.

Anyways... yesterday I posted some rather shocking pictures of the Room of Stash... and today I am going to go.... Ta Dahhhhh... oh yesh, I have finished it (well, apart from sorting out the shelf above my desk that is) It is tidy, clean and neat. I am not sure how long it will last but I have sat myself down and given myself a really good talking to and have extracted a promise that agrees to keep it neat AND tidy away after each crafty sesh.... Watch this space eh?

Right, time for me to get moving... am being lazy today and am still in my PJ's... best go and get dressed... Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

WOYWW... A Giveaway, Candy Winner & Nearly There!!!!!!!!!!!

2012-01-18T11:28:00.006Z

!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know!!!!!!!!!
How many exclamation marks??????
Actually, I will let you into a little secret - when I was at school (that be only a few years ago...ahem) I lurved English the mostest... I was one of those saddo swots that could recite Shakespeare and quote Mr Dickens. As well as my love for literature, I also adored the written side of it... and invariably would spend a happy few hours making up little stories and such like. My English teachers, Mrs Johnson and Mr Deith (poor bloke, we called him Dr Death and he was the nicest chap....) Where was I? Ah yes, my teachers... loved the red pen, the pair of them... loved using it... especially to write "so much punctuation is not necessary!" See how they used one for themselves though. So, when I write on here I have my own little part of the cyberworld to do as much punctuating as I like.... hence... !!!!!!!! at the beginning of the post.

Right... enough of the waffling... check out how utterly revolting that mess in that there piccie is... that is what the Room of Trash looked like on Monday evening. Stuff piled up all over my desk... all over the floor... all over the other desk... nightmare! So, being as I have set myself that New Year Resolution to be uber tidy and organised, I thought I had better get my btm in gear and get sorting.

This is a view of everything pushed back towards the back of the room... yep, piled up with crud and goodness knows what. Here's a bit of a confession... remember when we moved (nearly two years ago) I was on about the mass clearance thingy. Well, I had those "not sure if I need this bit of crud" things... which all went into boxes.. and were unpacked... and they were still "not sure if I need this bit of crud" items... so they were shoved into every available crevice and nook... ahem... last night they all went into the bin bag... or should I say... bags. All four of them at the moment... I have still got the other half of the room to do... so that is going to be more than 4 bags!

That there piccie above is the giveaway for this week. It is a little notebook made with Studio 490 Art Parts, coloured with Distress Stains, overstamped with Studio 490 stamps... and little Grunge flowers for decoration and held together with Idea-ology D Rings. This little book needs a loving home to go to... so... if you would like to win it, simply leave me a comment here.. I will pick a winner from the comments left and announce it next Wednesday.

Oooh, and ... I have a winner for last weeks Candy giveaway!!! Here's the candy... and I had 117 comments (thanks folks :O)) And... Mr Random-dot-wotsit chose #35 which is a comment left by CRAFTYMOP. Please can you email me your addy and I will pop the goodies into the post for you!

So... the above pic. Well, look at those gleaming surfaces! And look at the dust-free shelves (ok, ok, I fibbed about them being dust-free... they aren't ... at the moment... but they will be... in a mo... ok, later on... alright, alright, maybe next week lol) I have moved desk 2 so it is right next to desk 1... more space to spread out and I have no idea why I didn't put them like this when I moved in here... makes sense to have more space to spread right?

Well, that's more than enough of my wafflings for one day... best get my bum wiggling and get the rest of the tidying and clearing done.. I have to de-junk the paper stack now... mmmm, I may some time! Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Spinning Around...

2012-01-17T00:47:00.008Z

...oohahahaaa... tis always a bad sign when my blog post title makes me snort... spinning around... cos I have a spool to show you... ahah! Anyways... enough of me and my clever wordsmithery (ahem...) So... another show sample, this time featuring on of my favest types of Art Parts, the Spool. These are such fun to play with, really simple to put together and there are sooo many different things that you can do with them. As with yesterday, a list of ingredients for starters:

Art Parts - Spools, Florals, Leaves & Pocket Watches
Dimensional Rose Art, Live & Make Art & Make Mine Mini Art Stamp Sets
Gold Dabber
Lost & Found Paper
Clearly For Art - Clear
Grungepaper
Gold Dabber
Coffee & Jet Black Archival
Idea-ology - Tassels, Foliage & Memo Pins
Wild Honey, Forest Moss & Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Glossy Accents

So, to start with cover the two flat circles that will be the top and bottom of your spool with Lost & Found Paper... blend the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and then use an emery board or a bit of light sandpaper to smooth off the edges. Use Wild Honey Distress Ink to blend lightly onto the "stem" of the Spool. Ink up the long border from Make Mine Mini Art with Coffee Archival, carefully roll the "stem" along the stamp, picking up the design until you are back where you started; repeat at the top of the stem too. Cover teh insidey bit of the Pocket Watch with more paper, stamp sentiment onto more of the paper and mount on 3d foam and pop into the middle. Using Gold Dabber, pounce onto the frame of the Pocket Watch so it leaves little peaks and is textured... dry with a heat tool. Once completely dry, gently pat the Coffee Archival ink over the top of the paint... you will see the ink stick to the little peaky textured bits... this gives it a fab faux rusty look.

Stamp the large flower from Live & Make Art 3 times onto Grungepaper and the small one, once. Cut out and colour using Gold Dabber and the same technique as just mentioned. You will have fabby rusty looking flowers. AS with the "rose" tutorial, on flower one, snip out one petal and bring the two edge petals together, glue and clip together til dried. Repeat this technique on the next two flowers, cutting out two and three petals respectively. For the small flower, snip away just the one petal. Once all the glued petals are dry, snip the bases to neaten up and assemble into a layered flower, using strong glue to stick the layers together. Pop the centre from one of the spools into the middle of the flower, ddab with Gold paint and attach a little Idea-ology Foliage piece to the middle.

Finally, stamp some mini butterflies onto Grungepaper, colour both sides with Wild Honey Distress Ink... stamp more butterflies onto Clearly For Art, dry, cut out, heat, curl, glue over the top of the Grunge one and pop them onto the assembled spool. The ickle Memo Pin has been made into an Epoxy Embellishment. This is one of Wendy's techniques and I think it is fab... use a little punch to make little circles - I have punched out patterned paper for this... Pop a strip of red line tape (or the like) onto a craft sheet. Lay the Memo Pin onto the craft sheet so the back of the circle is flush with the sheet. Pop the punched out piece behind it. Now fill the Memo Pin up with Glossy Accents... leave to set completely... how cool!!!

Anyways... I am bursting to tell you all about yesterday!!! Cor blimey and thrice alive... we had the best time!!! We had a Groupon voucher jobby for The Bird Of Prey Centre - CLICK HERE for deets - and oh boy, what an experience it was. From start to finish the guy who was our "tour guide" was full of information, telling us the names of the birds, where they usually live, a little about the birds background, how old they were, what their temperaments were like etc and his whole demeanour just enthused and you could see that he truly loves his job - so refreshing to see and hear such passion for these amazing creatures. So... to start off with we went and met some eagles, yes, they were a little bit scary... and there was THE cutest owl EVER called Mikey... and a really snooty looking Lanner Falcon called Clyro who did this... just as I was taking his pic!

After meeting up with the scary looking Red Faced Eagle... although he wasn't quite as scary once he was sitting on my arm (!) much... we went off to the arena and got the chance to "fly" some of these most beautiful of Gods creatures... starting with a sweet and teensy little Barn Owl who LOVED me so much she pooped on my foot! Then came Disney, a rather bossy Owl who was more interested in showing off to start off with but she did come and land on my arm and made some really cute noises!

And then... the one I fell for... called Marshall... just have a look at his most beautiful face... and I learnt stuff too... I didn't know but if an owl has yellow eyes he is most likely a daytime hunter... and if they are golden they are most likely to be a night-time and crepuscular hunter. (I actually did feel ever so slightly chuffed that I knew that crepuscular meant dusk!) Marshall was really entertaining and he just lurved flying in for the little tasty snack of day old chick legs (I know, ikkk, but... tis nature ... )

And finally, here's Sniper. He is a juvenile Harris Hawk and he was really funny... he kept swooping off in to the nearby trees and then launching himself out ready to land on the gloved hand and have a little snack. All of the birds looked really happy and you can tell that they are so well loved and cared for. All in all it was a really grand day out... and all that fresh air... well, a little nanna nap on the sofa was called for!

Right then... enough of my wafflings... time for me to get off and resume the mammoth task that is clearing out and cleaning the Room of Stash... oh dear, I may be some time!!! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

A Golden Sample...

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000Z

...I know, another dubious blog post title lol Anyways, I am back with another sample from Saturday's show. This one is really simple to put together... I will do a description but will start with the ingredients...

Studio 490 Stamps - Live & Make Art & Dimensional Rose Art
Crowded Attic Paper stack
Rectangles Art Parts
Leaves Art Parts
Grungepaper
Gold Dabber
Clearly for Art - Clear
Vintage Photo, Forest Moss & Antique Linen Distress Ink/Stains
Jet Black Archival Ink
Olive Archival Ink

Start by giving the edges of your Art Parts a quick wipe over with a paper towel, this will remove any sooty bits left from the laser cutting. Cover the base and frame of the Rectangle Art Parts piece with Crowded Attic Paper (or your own fave!) Trim to the edges, blend Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges. Make a Wrinkle Free Distress on your craft sheet with the Stains/Inks, dip the frame and the base into this = dry them thoroughly. Re-dip to get little blotches on the paper. Sand the edges of the Art Parts.

Colour the Leaves with Forest Moss, zap with heat tool to dry... overstamp with Olive Archival and the large background of numbers (Dimensional Rose Art) Pop a piece of paper onto Clearly For Art Clear - use a good strong wet glue (Multi Medium is perfect for this job) Once dried, stamp the large flower from Live & Make Art. Cut out. Heat the reverse of the flower (Clearly for Art side) and mould the petals, gently blend a smidge of Vintage Photo over the curled bits to accent them. Stamp the open flower from Dimensional Rose Art 3 times onto the reverse side (canvas texture) of Grungepaper. Cut out and colour both sides using Gold Dabber. Dry. Now cut the flowers into petal layers to make a rose, assemble and glue onto the Clearly For Art flower. Stamp a sentiment on more of the paper and pop onto 3d foam. Put the pieces together as per photo :O))

So... there you have it... if you have any questions, please do just email me or leave me a comment. I had a comment yesterday asking if I have a video how to make the flowers... nope, I haven't... however, I will try and figure out a way of doing one (eeek) but I do have a picture tutorial on the sidebar over there *points to the left* so you should be able to get the gist from that. Right.. I am off to bed now.. I have a very important date today with some rather delightful and beautiful birds of prey and I cannot wait!! We will even get to "fly" them so they come back to gauntlet on your hand... oooh, how exciting!!! I will try and get plenty of photo's!! Thanks for looking... TTFN!!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 188 - After the Goldrush...

2012-01-15T00:24:00.005Z

Ahhh, Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! As ever, thank you everyone who entered last weeks challenge... it was fab to see a few new peeps joining in with the challenge. Without wanting to bore you lovely folk who have been doing the Sunday Stamper for a while, I thought I would have a quick re-cap on what the challenge is, how it is picked etc. The Sunday Stamper has been running for 4 years next weekend!!! WOW!!! **might have to have a little celebration for that!!!** Anyways... I originally started it up as a stamping challenge because there weren't many challenges around. Now there are loads of fab challenges out there, many of them with prizes etc. The Sunday Stamper is just for fun... if you have some free time and fancy having a little crafty time and sharing your creations with like minded crafters, this is the challenge to do. I do occasionally have some candy up for grabs... but like I said... just for fun... cos we all lurve to stamp! And... I have been asked a few times "what is with the song title?" Well... that is simples... one particular week, I think it was Week 3 or 4, the theme was Oriental... and I titled the challenge "Turning Japanese..." and some said "that song was in my head all day long..." So I thought aha! A song title that is also the theme... cool! And it has stuck. I do sometimes have a bit of a blank... and come up with some weird song that no one's heard of... that is usually the fault of Mr Google though. Quite often you will see a Beatles song title... because I lurve them... and try to get the songs in as many challenges as possible lol Also, quite often (mmm, theme here) I will say "this is my favourite song..." Yes, because I have hundreds of favourite songs... tis true, I am a fickle fish when it comes to favourites... everything seems to be my fave thing. Anyways... enough with the rambling on... hope you haven't nodded off! The theme this week is... GOLD. I nice easy peasy theme... and joining in is simples too: make a little something... it can be anything you like... include some stamping and the theme... pop back here with a link to the place you are showing your challenge - blog/picasa/photo-wotsit OR, if you don't have a blog and would still like to play along, you can email me a piccie :O)) The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 21st January 2012.

Right... on with the important bit... the stampy art! I was busy making samples this last week and this is one of them. It is made from Art Parts Spools... and here's how I made it: The Spool pieces have been inked with Tumbled Glass Distress Stain and dried. I then went around the edges with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink, blending the darker colour so it is nice and smooth using a blending tool.

I overstamped the flourish from the Studio 490 set Dimensional Rose Art, using a Gold Dabber to do the stamping. I cut a snip of card and coloured it with a very light covering of Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink - if you have a loaded blending tool of the colour it will be too dark, imagine rubbing the foam on paper to remove any excess so the foam is quite dry... this is how I did that bit of colouring.

The Butterflies from Studio 490 Make Mine Mini Art were stamping using Jet Black Archival Ink onto Clearly For Art Whiteout that I had coloured using Gold Dabber. Once dried and cut out, I heated up the butterflies and shaped their wings to they look like they are all of a flutter. They are popped onto some little snip strips of Clear Clearly For Art - I never waste stuff like that... comes in handy ;o)) The little fountains in the Corked Vials are Clearly For Art Blackout, cut a strip, snip into it to form a fringe, roll it up, carefully heat it, the strips then fall about when heated, once cooled they will stay like that unless you reheat it... and dabbed with Gold Dabber for an accent.

Right... that's me for today... enough waffling, I bet you have all nodded off! I had a fab day yesterday, my most sincere thanks to everyone who took time out to email, message, leave a comment here, Tweet etc... your support is amazing and I am muchly appreciative. If you fancy seeing some gorgeous Studio 490 art, click HERE to pop over to Wendy's blog... seriously, her art is divine... and you will also see all the new stuff comin soon.... *ooohalalala, I cannot wait!* If you fancy a little bit of retail therapy, click HERE to whizz off to The Stamp Attic which is chock full of Studio 490 goodies! I will be back again tomorrow with another Art Parts sample and a "how I maded it". In the meantime... have a wonderful Sunday and get inky :O)) Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Faster Than The Speed of Light...

2012-01-14T08:20:00.002Z

....don't blink, you might miss me for today I am Speedy Gonzales... arriba, arriba.... Anyways... I am whizzing on to make a lightning fast post with a couple of pics of sneaky peeky's of show samples....

Of course, there's lots of Studio 490 goodness... and some Distress and Idea-ology.. to see what exactly I have been using... tune in at 12pm and 6pm to Create & Craft (Channel 671 - Sky, Freeview 36 and Freesat 813.. or at createandcraft.tv)

I gotta dash... we have had a heavy frost and Ferdy is all chilly and icy. Ooh, and before I forget... HERE is the delish candy I am giving away... and I will be back tomorrow with a new Sunday Stamper theme... thanks for looking... TTFN!!

Hels x

Ssshhhh... Sneaky Peeky's....

2012-01-12T04:30:00.001Z

... this is probably going to be the shortest post ever seen on Ink On My Fingers... because... I am busy sampling (ooh, I sound like a DJ or somefink) I have had a splendid time in the Room of Trash (yep, still bad, getting worse by the hour... more of that in a mo....) Anyways... I wanted to show you a couple of sneak peeks of the samples that I have been doing... A whole lotta lovelyness in the form of Studio 490 stamps, Art Parts and Clearly For Art... mmm... yummy!

So... the Room of Trash. Well, yesterday was a right old hoot... many thanks for so many inventive suggestions for tidying this old pigsty... I have to mention the very first comment from Lisa... here's what she said

OK, I can make you the proud owner of a clean and tidy room with very little effort. Follow my instructions to the letter.....

1. Get a number of large cardboard boxes

2. Heave everything on the floor or not in it's rightful place into the boxes

3. Seal the boxes

4. Post them to me.

Voila! Well...... a girl's gotta try eh?

Lisa ;)

And Helen said this:

Your room looks fab as always. How about an "open house" and we'll come and help you - ahem - tidy it... Failing that, put on your red shoes, click your heels and....
Love your candy - thanks for the chance to win!

And Jacqui said this... which made total sense... and... goodly advice, don't photo the floor!

Sadly there is only one way - get on with it :-)) - though it'll just all come back again so not to be undertaken too often - the floors of most craft rooms are - i suspect - health and safety hazards - mine certainly is - but usually hidden from view in all photo shoots

And the most inventive from Viv's Visuals (honestly, this made me hooooot!)

Wot a nice tidy room Hels! I tidied my space and tidied away my mojo with it... so keep the mess is wot I say cos otherwise u won't be makin'anythin'! Alternatively, you could try leaving the lights off and wearing night goggles to navigate to your desk. Once sat in your chair you can just turn your back and then you won't see it....take night goggles of, turn on lights get creative. When bed time calls place said night goggles back on, give the SAS a ring (cos they're very good with ropes and extracting people from bombed areas) and they can come and rescue you.
Happy Days! x

And from Pixie Camembert (cool blogger name huh!!) who said this (brrrilliant excuse!)

Hi, Hels.
My method of organizing/straightening/cleaning is very simple. I go buy MORE stuff. I didn't say my method works...but it's my method and I'm sticking to it!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Sally in California
So... this was supposed to be a short post... well, it sort of it because I didn't do all the writing... I will just remind you that... I have some candy up for grabs... HERE is the post you will need to leave a comment on - winner drawn and announced next Wednesday 18th January...

And finally to Elizabeth ... thank you for your very detailed answer to my problem, I am going to do this as soon as I can... tis a fab idea...

Actually, THANK YOU to every one of you who made a suggestion/left a comment.. muchly appreciated!!

Am deffo off now, I have just looked at the clock, it is 04.27... yikes... I was supposed to be in bed an hour ago (Grim is on stoopid earlies so I go to bed when he leaves for work... I like crafting at night so it works well... but... ) Thanks for looking... and for all the funny comments yesterday... TTFN!

Hels x

WOYWW... An Unholy Mess...

2012-01-10T21:20:00.006Z

...dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh. I started off 2011 full of promises to keep the Room of Stash tidy... and I did make it almost through a whole year with it looking relatively clean and tidy and neat. And then disahhster struck... namely a very severe infestation of the worst critters known to man... yes, Messy Fairies. I am hunting high and low for a better excuse so indulge me do lol Anyways, the reason I am waffling on about my desk is because it is Wednesday which means it is time for us bloggers of the craft world to unite in a marathon blog hop... pop across to our esteemed leader, Julia's blog, to see all the deets...

Anyways... mid way through the marathon sample making bonanza and this is the state of my room... I know, it is disgraceful... but I can explain how it happened; ok, so, Christmas was upon us and I had...erm... neglected to make cards... so I grabbed loads of Xmas stash and set about making 50 odd in one weekend... which went really well, except... ahhh, ermmm... I then had to move very quickly onto catching up with the 12 Tags of Christmas... and then Mojo naffed orf and the Room of Stash was out of bounds... and then... well, I am out of excuses... the truth is, I am a messy moobag and I have let things slip!

My desk is a hive of Studio 490 activity - shows on Saturday at 12pm and 6pm - and the rest of the room is being ignored. Actually, it is very annoying in here at the moment because it is so messy... I had mooted the idea of taking my sample making to the Dining Room table... poor Grim turned a very pale shade of grey... so I quickly re-assessed that idea, I don't want to be making the poor lad ill with the thought of my stash ALL over the house do I? **although, he is so easy going he wouldn't mind... well, not much... really... lol**

Anyways... I won't have time to visit any of you this week... well, I might get a few visits done... so... as a thank you for leaving me a comment here I has some candy for you. There are some lovely charms and bits of Idea-ology, some Distress Inks, a Perfect Pearls Mists, a Maya Road chipbook and some ribbons... oh and a tag I made :O)) To be in with the chance of winning the candy all you need to do is leave me a comment here ..oh and you could tell me how you would go about clearing up this unholy mess (all suggestions will be gratefully received... if you have no idea where to start, don't worry... neither have I!!!)

Right then... time for me to get back to the desk... how come I only ever leave myself about 8" to work in? Tis a crafters thing I reckon... we all do it...don't we?? Oh and ... before I go... a very out of focus sneak peek at one of the samples I have made ... it will be in focus on Saturday lol Thanks for looking ... have a jolly day! TTFN

Hels x

The Winged Queen... 490 Style...

2012-01-10T00:05:00.004Z

... ok, so it isn't the bestest title for a blog post I have ever come up with but... it describes my latest Studio 490 Art Part creation perfectly... cos...erm... it is all about The Queen... and... errr... she has wings!!! So... as I may have mentioned 753 times, I totally lurve everything about Studio 490, including my art heroine, Wendy Vecchi... if you haven't been to visit her recently, CLICK ON HERE... believe me.. there are goodies in store on her blog at the moment because she is doing reveals in preparation for CHA at the end of the month... I am reeaaaallly hoping that us Studio 490 fans get to see the new products quickly... otherwise I may have to win the lottery, charter a plane and get myself to the US of A for a shopping spree!

Anyways... as usual, I digress... I should actually be telling you about how I maded this creation... so... I will! Before I waffle on, I will just say... the majority of the pieces used are Art Parts... my fave things to play with! The base of the piece is a large square frame, I coloured the frame part with Spiced Marmalade Distress Stain and over stamped with a large flower background in Plum Archival ink. The backing board is coloured with my least favourite colour in the Distress range, Dried Marigold. (I have the pad and never use it) However... I am now smitten with the Dried Marigold Stain... it is so pretty! Anyways... I overstamped the Squolka Dot using Yellow Ochre Archival - they go so well together!

I added the Starburst to the base too... stamping with Plum Archival (and the hanging down stars - totally thanks to Gillian, I saw her stamp the stars that way and... erm.. copied lol) Anyways... I re-stamped the stars onto cream card, cut a few out, stuck them on and added Glossy Accents over them to make them pop. I added the sentiment in Jet Black Archival - looove that sentiment!

The Queen herself is an Art Part, along with her crown - I stamped the co-ordinating stamp over her and her crown and then used Brushed Corduroy to gently add colour to her face and used a Cut & Dry Nib to add red to her lips, pink to her cheek and green to her eye - all Distress Inks... oh and then a teensy little white dot to the eye so it looks like it is reflecting the light. I used a crown from the Queen's smaller sister and turned it upside down and made it into whacking great big eyelashes... coloured with Gathered Twigs DI and overstamped with Coffee Archival. Her wings are Art Parts - coloured with Mustard Seed Stain... overstamped with Yellow Ochre and the lace background... and then edged with Gathered Twigs DI.. I then slapped a lovely thick layer of Rock Candy Stickles over to jazz them up. The little flower on her crown is another Art Part... with a little Grunge leaf behind it and a gorgeous resin bloom that Ellen got me for Xmas.

I used another Art Part .. this time the hand... coloured with Brushed Corduroy DI, touched with a smidge of Coffee Archival so it has inky fingers... and then I used part of a sentiment stamp that says The Queen... oh and I added a smidge of lace and pearls to make it look more regal. Finally... the star border... has to be one of my favest Art Parts...coloured with Pine Needles Distress Stain, overstamped with Plum Archival... and the flourish above her crown had the same treatment. The hangy bit is straight from Wendy's inspiration - an Idea-ology D Ring with a snip of Grungepaper to attach it to the back of the frame... and there you have it! All of the goodies I used are available from The Stamp Attic... just sayin' ;o))

Right... time for me to get back to my sample making... am having a ball with Art Parts, 490 Stamps, inks and Grunge... the only draw back is the state of the Room of Stash... eeek, it is a right old tip. Oooh and I nearly forgot... I have had a bit of a clear out of stamps... and they are on eBay at the moment... HERE is the linky thing :O)) Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Grungy Glitter...

2012-01-09T13:21:00.004Z

...cor blimey and thrice alive indeedily... talk about a coincidence... namely, my favest challenge in the World ever, Grungy Monday, has just posted this weeks new challenge theme. Hosted by the delightful Linda Ledbetter, all the deets on this weeks challenge, how to join in etc are HERE. So... the GM theme this week is to use a technique learnt from the Tsar of Tags (ahem) Tim Holtz during his bonanza 12 Tags 2011. I just so happened that I was faffing about last night with a tag and decided to have another little play using Grunge, Glue & Seal and Glitter (I know, I don't do glitter normally but I rather like *ok, lurve* this use of it) The inspiration for this technique is HERE on Tim's blog where it shows you just how to do it!

So... my entry; the tag base was made by dragging a Snow Cap Dabber across it, drying the paint and then blending several DI colours over the top - I used Wild Honey, Broken China (memo to self, get a re-inker, the pad is verrrry dry!) Seedless Preserves and Aged Mahogany with a smidge of Walnut Stain to edge the tag. I used Aquamarine Archival Ink to stamp a fancy border across the top and some flourishes and then I set about making some embellies for it.

The butterfly is cut using Grungepaper and the Fanciful Flight Alterations Die. I just cut one set of the wings as I only wanted half the butterfly for the tag. The bottom layer of the butterfly had the technique treatment and I used White Art Glitter... mmmm, still not sure about the white so I used my finger to dab some Silver Dabber over the glitter to change the colour of it. I cut a frame using Ranger Metal and a lacey border too using the Lace Border Alterations strip and added Black Dabber to antique the metal. The sentiment is a Movers & Shapers Label, cut, coloured with the same Distress Ink and stamped with Jet Black Archival. I added a pretty little newspaper flower that I coloured with more DI's and popped a Pen Nib onto the butterfly for his body.

So... how fab that I had already made the tag and the challenge fitted perfectly... do go and have a look at the challenge, it really is a fabbydoodles one and this week it is being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp and you could win a $25 gift certificate! Cool, I want to win that :O)) Right, enough waffling for one day... I have an appointment with a lovely big pile of Studio 490 stash... thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 187 - Time Of Your Life

2012-01-08T00:01:00.001Z

Goodly Morning Stampers and welcome to a brand new year of Sunday Stamper challenges. Many thanks for all the fab entries over the Christmas and New Year festivities. Without further ado, starting this brand new year of challenges is the theme.... TIME. A nice easy one to get us started. To join in with the challenge is simples... make a little something and include the theme and some stamping. Pop back here to leave me a comment along with a link to the place you are showing your entry and then I can hop on over to visit you. If you don't have a blog/flickr/picassa and would still like to enter, you can email me a piccie of your entry... that will count :O)) The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 14th January 2012.

So... my entry... a tag... for a change lol! I am still a smidge low on Mojo so I have stuck to my fave/basic go to crafting things... namely brown Distress, Traditonal Tan paint and Tim's papers... along with some Kraft Glassine and Idea-ology thrown in for goodly measures. I started out by cutting some Lost & Found paper to cover a Size 8 tag. I made a wash of Trad Tan and water and used some Cut & Dry to smooth this over in patches. I gave it a zap with the heat tool and then added Old Paper and Vintage Photo Distress Stains... and once this was dry, blended the edges with Gathered Twigs DI. I scruffed the edges with a paper distresser and then rubbed Walnut Stain DI directly around the tag to close the design in.

A bit of stamping using Jet Black Archival and Coffee Archival - Tim's Mini Flourish and large number stamps... and a little "dream" sentiment to fit inside an Ornate Frame. I cut a Weathered Clock using Grungepaper, painted it with Gold Dabber, sanded it back and popped some Gathered Twigs DI over the top and smudged it over with my fingers... loooove this technique for ageing stuff. The flower is cut from the largest Tattered Florals using Kraft Glassine... scrunched, assembled and then lightly spritzed with Heirloom Gold PP Mists. I added a little border for the bottom by folding and scrunching a piece of Kraft Glassine and then snipping the ends into a V... and colouring some flower trim with Frayed Burlap Stains. I added some Idea-ology and that cute ickle glass bottle that has a drip of Ginger Alcohol Ink in it... and the paper clip that has been lurking in my stash for 351 years... I cut a mini clock from the Lost & Found papers, glued it on and then Glossy Accented it.

So there you have it.... a nice easy tag to start the Sunday Stamper off with. I have to admit that whilst the Mojo is in residence it is still reluctant to really come out and play and there's a project in my head that is insistent on being tried before I do anything else... so I had better go and try to make it... if I am gone a while you know that I have been pinned to the desk lol Thanks for looking.... Have a FAB week! TTFN

Hels x

Happy Birthday Tim!

2012-01-07T00:51:00.006Z

...did you know that it is a very special day today? Oh yesh, it is the birthday of the one and only Tim Holtz, he who is the Duke of Distress, the Sultan of Stamping and the Viscount of Vintage! Well, the lovely Linda Ledbetter who runs the Grungy Monday Challenge has given us a very special challenge this week... namely to make a birthday card for Tim. HERE are all the deets...

Well, as you know, I have been bemoaning the fact that my Mojo had jetted off to warmer climes for Christmas and I was getting a smidge concerned that I wouldn't be able to join in with this fab challenge... hey, I even had considered whipping off to yonder shop and buying a card! Imagine the disgrace! Anyways... at the eleventh hour, Mr Mojo (note how I am being polite about the old rascal now he is safely home - well, I don't want him running out on me again!) Where was I? Ah yes, the eleventh hour... Mojo returned and thankfully, I finally got a smile back on my mizgog face and ink on my fingers.

So... I had fully intended to make a card... you know, like a proper card... not a tag or owt like that. I had even sketched out a design... using cogs and Brolly Man and bright colours. Errrrm... I ended up with this concoction which is only just a card because I stuck the tag onto a piece of card... even then I think it looks better off the card... anyhooo's... I have got it made! Huzzah! There are a lot of pics because there are quite a few (ahem, ok, it is overloaded) embellies on the tag - I mean card ;o)) It is a shame my photography skills are practically non-existant because it really does look nicer in the real and you can see all the little extra bits that are on the piece and not showing up, no matter how many different angles I try with the camera.

This is how I made it: The base of the tag was coloured with Antique Linen Stain, I smooshed Frayed Burlap and Vintage Photo Stain onto the craft sheet, spritzed the tag with water, dipped, twisted, lifted and dried the tag, then re-dipped for some mottled splots. I then stamped using Coffee Archival and the large background on the Papillon set. This looked a bit too brown so I gave it a dusting with Biscotti Perfect Pearls... mmm, still a bit brown... so I went in with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and blended a few patches... and hey, it took off some of the PP's.... which looks lovely and grungy... you will have to take my word for that though... daft camera (or person holding camera lol) Oh... and I added a torn Journal Ticket to the left hand side - it is almost obscured now though lol

I used Jet BLack Archival to stamp the butterflies... I loooove those butterflies, they are so fab! And because I had hit on the butterfly theme, I cut out one from the Crowded Attic Stack and coloured it with Walnut Stain and Spiced Marmalade DI's and popped a little vial filled with Ginger Alcohol Ink to make a body for it. The Rosette was cut using more of the butterfly Crowded Attic paper, coloured with the same DI's and then assembled... and disahhhster... one of the folds split - ooops, forgot to put Tissue Tape on the back... so... I went with it and tore a few more so it is really shabby (goodness knows how it is staying together!) I added a couple of branches and then set about making a centre piece for it. There's a combo of 7Gypsies and Idea-ology cogs... and the middle is a little brass disc that I found lurking under my desk (nope, no idea how it got there, it is probably something really important though) So... I popped this into a Texture Fade, embossed it, sanded it and then punched a hole in the middle so I could add the other bits to it. The wing was painted with Snow Cap Dabber, smudged off, slapped over with Rock Candy Crackle and then splodged with Vintage Photo once it had crackled.

Now... have you seen Wendy Vecchi's amazing technique with glass, Glue & Seal and Rock Candy Crackle? HERE are all the deets. Well, I copied her technique and applied it to the ickle Light Bulb and Corked Vial... how stinkin' cute are they!!! Naturally, I had to make sure there was a crown in the design somewhere and there it is, sitting ontop of the Vial... for the King of Kraft (hhoooohoooo made myself laff with that one) The ickle birdhouse/birdy charm... well, I was faffing with Idea-ology as you do and I popped a Corner onto a Key Hole and it looked a bit like a birdy house... so I glued them all together and added a smidge of old lace to jazz it up a bit. The little flower is a piece of Foliage and has a hole punched in it so the charm hangs prettily.

Right... I think that is just about it... I know... War & Peace already! Well, I have two weeks worth of waffling to try and catch up on! All that "gonna blog daily" bumpf... well, I am seriously going to try from now on ... starting with a brand new Sunday Stamper theme tomorrow! All that is left for me to say is... Happy Birthday to Tim... and thank you for looking!! TTFN

Hels x

Pssssst.....

2012-01-06T17:31:00.002Z

... I am whispering this... just incase he over hears and decides to do another bunk but.... huzzah and thrice... Mojo has come home... well, at least, he is on his way! I felt a strange tingle this morning when I walked into the Room of Stash (that's sounds rude but you know what I mean) Anyways.... I am mid way through my first proper arty creation of my own devising since last year...well, I did do that tag but that was all Ellen because she had challenged me to use stuff and none of it was down to me...

I shall away before he decides to up and leave me again... but I will be back later with the results of the inky session which will hopefully be my entry to the fabby Grungy Monday challenge... ta for looking... TTFN!!!

Hels x

Challenge Ellen...

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000Z

... cor blimey and thrice, I am a lucky lass indeedily because when the chips are down, or rather, when the Mojo naffs orf, I have a lovely friend who will step in and try to help out... namely Ellen... her blog with all her lush art is HERE btw in case you haven't see her stuff before. Anyways... being a I am Mojo-less at the moment, Ellen set about giving me a challenge. It has become a bit of a tradition between us, this old Challenge thingy.. and usually it works a treat. Ellen chose some stashly bits we could use... and then we set off making our tag. We decided to do a simultaneous blogcast of our tags btw, so Ellen's will be on her blog now too.... Here's the stuff we could use:

Dylusions Stamps: Around the Edge, Basic Backgrounds, Quintessential Quotes
Giant Tag
Any colour Colorwash Spray
Perfect Pearls Powders - to make into paint
Gesso & Craft Scraper
Stencils
Rosette Alterations Die - any size
Embellies of choice
White Pen
Easel Alterations Die (if needed)

So... that there tag is my effort. Actually it is my THIRD effort. Now, I love those stamps and I love using Gesso and I love Colorwash Sprays... but mix all three together when the old Mojo has naffed orf... forget it. The first two tags were right holy shows, so bad they couldn't be resurrected ever. I have never been able to get the proper effect using a stencil, I always end up with more of the sprays on me than on the tag... so I used Gesso to squidge through the stencil.. worked a bit easier but still...messy lol

I am a bit chuffed with the way the Rosette went.. I sprayed some card with Colorwash Sprays, die cut it, assembled the Rosettes and then stamped and cut out loads of leaves and then glued them under the Rosette. Oh and... the words... I cut them into strips and used a Tiny Attacher to staple them on... I like the "pillow" effect, I did this by curling the strips of card thru my fingers, it made it just a bit dimensional.

So... there you have it. THANK YOU to Ellen for trying to get my creative juices going... sadly whilst it was fun to get inky, it hasn't lured that old rapscallion back yet... am still after rummaging through old stash to see if that sparks something! Don't forget to hop on over to Ellen's blog... her tag using the same stash is there for you to see! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Lack of Mojo Can Be Very Dangerous...

2012-01-03T17:47:00.003Z

...mainly because it means that I am distracted into doing "other things". Oh yesh indeedily, that old rogue Mojo has still yet to show his face in 2012... so in the meantime I have taken to doing things that I should have done months ago and are on the ever expanding "to do" list. One of the things that has been nagging away on said list is to do a back-up thingy on Lionel Laptop. Now, for those of you who know me, you will probably be already groaning and shaking your head... knowing just how computer illiterate I am. I mean come on, I can't even figure out how to do one of those linky things in a comments box, so anything more complicated is above my understanding... non comprendez and all that (see, I can't even speak French properly lol)

So... that old cad and rascal Mojo obviously means business this time. He has been away for about a week before... but this time it is 10 days and counting... which is not good... at all! So... being as I have hours of time to waste now that the fingers aren't getting inky, I decided to do a back-up thingy of all those photo's I took last year. I have got an external hard drive jobby that Grim bought for me (and I know if Grim reads this he will be shaking his head cos he knows just how truly stoopid I am) Normally Grim will do the deed of back-up for me... and try and tell me how to do it, to which I usually respond with "I can't learn it now cos it hurts my brain too much" or somesuch twaddle. Well, my IT Guy Grim is at work... so I thought to myself "How hard can it be huh?"

Famous last words huh!!! Basically, I plugged in the hard-drive thingy into the USB thingywotsit... and it popped up a message asking what I wanted to do. So far so good. So, I clicked on the "open up" option and then thought that if I just get all the photo files highlighted and then drag them to the hard drive it will do the trick. Errrrm... big fat NO to that. For what happened next made that icy finger of fate trickle down my spine. They all... DISAPPEARED!!! A mad panic... a scurrying about to try and find them... and then a cry for help on Facebook... thank goodness I have some very clever friends who told me what to do... namely Jane..thanks Jane... you are a star! Anyways... I found the files... put them back where they belong, copied them all to the hard drive... closed the hard drive (ok, only after Jane told me what to do again lol) and then I checked that they were all actually on the hard drive and... they are! Huzzah! I did it!!

So... for my sanity and peace of mind... a public plea... please Mojo, come home... I am sorry I abused you and made you make too many Christmas things ~(!)~ I have even resorted to rummaging under the computer desk in the vain attempt to tidy it out... eeek! Come home Mojo, I needs ya! Anyways... these here pics are a couple of cards I had made as samples using my fabby and most beloved Studio 490 stamps from my fave artist Wendy Vecchi. They are a couple of simple designs with a smidge of Idea-ology thrown in for goodly measures.

Right... I am off to lay down in a very darkened room (preferably one with padded walls, I need to claw back some sanity right?) Thanks for looking... oh and before I go... yesterday I had a lovely Skypey sesh with Ellen... and once she saw how Mojoless I am, she set about a challenge... which I did take up... and the first two efforts ended up shredded and in the bin... however, the third one was ok-ish... so we are doing a simultaneous blogcast at 5am for me and midnight for her (EST) All I will say is that me and stencils DO NOT get on lol Right... where's that darkened room........ TTFN

Hels x

Top Ten From 2011...

2012-01-02T12:52:00.006Z

... well, it was going to be my top 5 from 2011 but... I couldn't decide on a shortlist and top 10 of 2011 rolls off the tongue better. So, without further ado, here's what I am waffling on about today! Each year I have a set of files on Lionel Laptop; Jan thru to Dec and in those files are photo's of everything I have made over the year. Not all of the pieces have made it to the blog (some are too naff lol) and at the end of each year I like to have a nosey through them to see how my style has changed, you can see what influences me and my creativity as the months roll by. So this year I have decided to chose my fave pieces... and here they are (in no particular order, except for #1, which is my favest)

Number 10
This was the very first T'Pouch that I made... it was a Sunday Stamper from Week 158 and the theme was Steampunk.

Number 9
Another Sunday Stamper entry, this one was for Week 167 and was White Lines... more Steampunkiness here... I can see a trend...

Number 8
Oh say it isn't so... yet another T'Pouch, this time for a Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge... and the theme was Steampunk... see, more Steampunk, anyone would think that I liked this!!!

Number 7
Ah, something completely different! My BFF Andrea had just had her hall and stairs decorated and hinted that a nice 12" piece would look loverly on the wall... so, how could I resist! I made a big old shadowbox, filling it with stuff personal to her... oh and this was another Sunday Stamper entry - week 160 and the theme was Words.

Number 6
Is another Tag... yes, I do lurve my tags lol This one is all bright and happy lookin (I seem to lean towards more muted colours so it was nice to try something different for a change)

Number 5
Another overloaded tag full of Tim-ness, this was an entry for SSS&S and the theme was Tim Techniques...

Number 4
More tags and more Steampunkery... this one was another challenge entry, this time for the fabulous Grungy Monday

Number 3
The gorgeousness that is Seedless Preserves Distress Ink had arrived in the Room of Stash and literally everything was being covered in it... including this tag, which was combined with Rock Candy Cracklepaint... even the flower has a coat of it!

Number 2
This has to be one of my favest... it was a giveaway T'Pouch for my 4th Bloggy Birthday...

Number 1
and finally... this is my favest thing I have made... ever! It combines my love of all things Studio 490 and Idea-ology with my fave colour scheme... and it hangs on the wall in the living room... It was my entry for the 150th Sunday Stamper which was "All You Need Is Love"

So there you have it... thanks for looking... I am off to search for Mojo... he is still AWOL and I is getting desperate lol TTFN

Hels x

Ta Dah...

2012-01-01T02:04:00.005Z

And a Very Happy New Year to you all!!! I hope that 2o12 brings you much love, happiness, health and of course, inkyness lol So... I had better explain myself firstly... well, you know I said that the old cad Mojo has waltzed orf... well, he is still away! How rude! Anyways... being as I haven't got a single crafty thought in my head I soon realised that there was little point in labouring over something to make a Sunday Stamper for this week... so I made an exekertive decision and... I have decided to make last weeks theme of "Anything" continue on for the next week... so in effect, it is a two-weeker! I hope that you lovely folks don't mind... the Sunday Stamper will return next Sunday with a brand new challenge though.. that is a dead cert because even if the old Mojo hasn't come home, I will try and do something! So... seeing as Mojo is away on his jollies, I thought I had better get my fingers a bit inky and finish off my 12 Tags CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DEETS... I know, talk about leaving it to the last minute. Well, I managed to make tags 4 - 7 on Friday night and then spent the most of yesterday faffing about making the rest of them. There were a few nice surprises for me along the way of making these... here they are... with my comments :O))

Tag 4
Well, as soon as I saw this one I fell in lurve with it and I loved every single thing on it... especially using the Movers & Shapers in the snowman... I am going to use that technique so much from now on!

Tag 5
Honestly... I wasn't much bothered about this one... until I set about making it... it is such an effective technique - one that I do use but not enough! So... that's going to be in the vault to be used a-plenty in 2012.

Tag 6
Really... I mean there's always one that isn't a fave... isn't there? Well, this one was the one I liked least of all... until, that is, I made it. OMG! I absolutely LOVE this one and it is most certainly my fave. Believe me, those photo's do not do it justice at all! I did make a booboo and dragged the Walnut pad across the metal instead of blending it but I really like the vintagey shabby look it has given me... a most certain to be used very lots technique is this one!

Tag 7
Ah... well even though I hadn't made the tag, I did use this design on loads of my Xmas makes this year.. simple, classy and beautiful it is.

Tag 8
Mixing Steampunk with Christmas? I would NEVER have thought to do this... which is why I am sooooo happy that Tim is our esteemed leader cos that guy keeps coming up with these FAB ideas... gotta love him!

Tag 9
Well, I lurve the technique... and doing it as a "double" corrrr. I didn't have the right background stamp so I used a big Studio 490 stamp... lurve the colours and the effects.

Tag 10
Now, being as I am a lazy moobag, I have tried the image transfer technique and always thought it to be a bit faffy... but seeing as I have not a single smidge of creativity in me at the moment, I thought I would do it the proper way... and OMG again... yayayaaa... wow and thrice... the faux mercury glass is fantastic! And I tried to do faux mercury baubles... ahem... well, they are pretty if nowt else... bunging two large baubles into a baggy with Metallic Mixative in... cute!

Tag 11
I need to practise blending DI's onto Glossy card... my blending is leaving a very lot to be desired but it is a technique I haven't tried before and I do like the very retro plasticky look and of course, anything with the Melt Pot is going to be perfect for me!

Tag 12
I am such a dur-brain! A few months ago I sold off some stuff on eBay... and by accident listed the wrong Strip die... and sold off my Vintage Market alpha... errrm... and needed it. So... without that I improvised and used Grungeboard letters... well, they is okies I guess! I loved that whole wrinkly tissue wrap thing... am going to be using that a very lot too!

And here's a couple of pics with them together... couldn't get them all into the one photo... too cramped!

And finally.... a message... THANK YOU each and every person who has taken time out to leave me a comment and to join in with the Sunday Stamper during 2011. It certainly was an amazing year for me... being able to do the Tim class at Artsy Crafts in February was awe inspiring. Then having the priviledge of being able to attend Ranger U in May... and getting to visit Ellen for the first time (heck, my first visit to the US of A - which I have fallen in lurve with) Then being able to teach some more classes... and do some demo-ing... and the most wonderful experience when I got to visit Ellen for the second time AND... getting to not only meet Wendy Vecchi but also take part in her utterly amazing classes... memories I will always have with me! I have met some wonderful people through this thing called craft and through the Blogasphere. It has been a brilliant adventure so far and I don't know about you but I am going to stay on this journey because it is most rewarding and... above all... fun.

Anyways... enough of me being all deep and meaningful, I shall only get all soppy and start blubbing (flying snarlygogs are not a pretty sight lol) As ever, thanks for looking.... have a brilliant 2012.... TTFN

Hels x

Just Ain't Feeling It...

2011-12-30T16:47:00.004Z

...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?

2011-12-28T19:35:00.005Z

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...

2011-12-25T00:01:00.002Z

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

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000Z

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!!!

2011-12-23T14:01:00.003Z

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...

2011-12-23T00:01:00.003Z

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...

2011-12-21T06:39:00.003Z

... 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...

2011-12-20T17:23:00.003Z

... 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...

2011-12-19T16:54:00.004Z

...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

2011-12-18T02:09:00.005Z

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...

2011-12-17T17:43:00.004Z

...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....

2011-12-16T16:02:00.003Z

...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...

2011-12-15T02:17:00.003Z

... 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...

2011-12-14T05:01:00.000Z

... 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!!!

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000Z

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

And The Winner Is....

2011-12-12T16:00:00.002Z

Cor blimey, I am Mrs Forgetful at the moment... I had totally forgotten that I need to announce the winner of my card giveaway!! First off, thank you all for your lovely kind and generous comments... tis making my heart happy to read such loveliness! Anyways... without further ado... the winner is... Comment #26 from Sam. Please can you email me your addy and I will pop the card into the post for you :O))

No time to sit and have a natterings today, I am busy still trying to catch up with my 12 tags... blimey, where did the first 12 days of December get to huh! Right... best get a wiggle on... thank you all again... TTFN!!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 184 - The Christmas Song

2011-12-11T00:01:00.000Z

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!! Many thanks for the fab entries to last weeks challenge. This week, being as it is only two weeks to the big day, the theme is... CHRISTMAS. You can make anything you like as your entry, just add in the theme and some stamping and then hop back here to leave me a comment, along with a link to the place you are showing your entry, then I can pop over to see you. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 17th December 2011. This is one of my all time fave Christmas songs... HERE is a link to hear in on YouTube.

So... who stole last week huh? One minute I was on top of the 12 Tags and now I am lagging behind with nearly 8 (well, by morning it will be 8) to make! However, I have been nosying at them every day and have used some of the techniques that Tim has shown to make my entry for this weeks theme.

The frame is a cheapy Ikea one, painted with a mix of Espresso and Pitch Black Dabber, sanded back so some wood shows, painted with a generous layer of Rock Candy Cracklepaint and then once this had dried, I slapped some Frayed Burlap Stains over the crackles so they soak right in... and because I wanted a really shabby look, I picked at some of the crackles so they fell off... leaving rough patches. The centre is a piece of card, inked and Stained and overstamped with that gorgeous crackle stamp... I used Tim's Ghost Stamping technique of rolling the inked crackle stamp over the cardstock... it doesn't have a beginning or end this way and I really enjoyed trying this technique out. The sentiment was stamped and embossed onto cream card which I then coloured with more Frayed Burlap DI and edged with Vintage Photo DI.

The Holly Leaves... ooohalallaaaa, I loved this technique loads... covering Glassine with Alcohol Inks and Mixatives and then scrunching up... and I also used the red berries idea, popping Baubles into a baggy and adding Red Pepper Alcohol Ink. The Pine Cones... well, they aren't getting any better with practice but one of them is a double one... that was more luck that good paper twirling methinks though. Finally, I had a play at painting a Christmas Idea-ology Charm... using Bottle and Cranberry Dabber with a smidge of Gold and then embossed with clear powder... it gives a fab enamelled look! I have thoroughly enjoyed making this little frame... all thanks to Tim for his inspirations... to see the 12 Tags and all the techniques there... CLICK HERE and you will be whizzed off on the back of Santa's sleigh to see them.

Well, I think I am over the worst of the bug... thankfully! Thanks all for your well wishes... I really never ever want to get a bug like that ever again! Because I am so far behind with my 12 Tags, I think a day in the Room of Stash is in order, catching up and getting inky... whatcha fink? Sound like a plan? What have you got planned for today? And... don't forget, if you do enter the 12 Tags, you can also enter it here seeing as the theme is the same! Right... time for bed... thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

More Close Ups!

2011-12-10T11:13:00.004Z

...oh dear, oh dear... I am writing this from my sick-bed. (1,2,3...awwww) I have been struck down these past few days with the mother of all stomach bugs... I won't go into details, you might be eating your butties and there's no way I want to put you off! Anyways... I had planned to have a couple of days showing close-up pics of some of the samples I had made for the shows on Tuesday. Well, better late than never, here are three more...

This tag has a lovely inky background made by smooshing Antique Linen Distress Stains onto a wet tag, then spritzing some more water over and drying with a heat tool. The background script was stamped in Vintage Photo Distress Ink... this time I just gently rubbed the pad over the stamp so it isn't inky all over.. this gives a more random patchy effect. The flower was stamped onto cardstock that I had coloured in the same way as the tag and overstamped with the large Lace background stamp... again using Antique Linen Stain. Stamping with the Stains is easy; either dab the bottle onto the stamp, or as I have done for this one, drag the tip of the bottle over the top of the stamp... this gives a more even coverage.

The next card was made using the same inky technique as the tag... but this time using a smidge of Aged Mahogany too. Once the Stains were dry, I spritzed Cosmic Shimmer - Ancient Copper - over the top, spritzing from shoulder height so I got a really fine mist. I made a little sentiment for the Ornate Frame - this is part of a full sentiment that says Live Your Dream (on the card below) so I just masked off the two words I didn't want and inked the Dream word only. The little butterflies were stamped with Plum Archival Ink and once cut out, I edged them with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink, using a blending tool to do this.

This last card has again been inked in the same manner... but this time instead of spritzing lots of Cosmic Shimmer over the cardstock, I did a controlled Cosmic Stamping technique with the flower border. This is one of the demo's I did on Tuesday afternoon and to re-cap; ink your stamp ( I used Aged Mahogany Distress Ink) smoosh your Distress Pad onto your craft sheet. Give the Cosmic Shimmer bottle a really good shake... Spritz Cosmic Shimmer over the top of the ink on the craft sheet and then dip your stamp into it. You can then control where the Shimmers are going to land when you stamp onto your cardstock. I used an Art Part Leaves piece on this card, colouring it with Peeled Paint Distress Stain and overstamping using Olive Archival Ink. I hope that these details have been helpful :O)) oooh and before I forget... I am giving away this card ... if you would like to win it, please leave a comment HERE ... the winner will be announced on Monday.

So... there I was, wandering through St Pancras the other evening on the way to meet Grim, when a lady came up to me and said.... "Excuse me, are you Hels Sheridan?" I said... yes and she then went on to say how she had enjoyed the shows and followed my blog... so... HELLO!!! to the lovely lady and sorry I couldn't stay and chat some more... train to catch and all that! Right, I am off back to my sick-bed now... hopefully I will feel better enough to make the Sunday Stamper later... if not, it will be posted in the morning... promise ;o)) Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Close Ups...

2011-12-07T16:22:00.004Z

...cor blimey and thrice alive... what a day yesterday was!!! THANK YOU, again, from the bottom of my heart, for all the amazing Tweets, texts, emails, Facebook comments and blog comments... it is totally overwhelming and very muchly appreciated!!! And wow!!! All those emails read out on the show!!! You really are awesome, do you know that!! Anyways... speaking of emails... I saw that they went into the "spotty potty" (hey, I saw Magic Hands I did!!!) and that there was then a draw to win one of the samples made on my segment of the show... well, I actually had made two samples during the first show so... seeing as only one was given away yesterday and being as I already have my own sample here, I thought I would offer up this card for you... if you want to own it, please just leave me a comment and I will pick a winner on Monday December 12th.

So... wowzers, what a day! Did you hear me goof up? I could feel the giggles starting to build up after that little gem I came out with... "there's a bottle in the ball" Oh yes, indeed, not only did I say it once out loud, I went and said it again... oooops!

It was a really different kind of experience and all thanks goes to Dawn Bibby for making me feel relaxed and for helping me through my first shows. She is consumate professional and a very kind lady too. It was a nice feeling too... it is because of Dawn that I started this crafting lark... so it seemed like I had come full circle, if you know what I mean.. Julia did a cracking job with those Alcohol Inks... did you see her demo? HERE it is...

Anyways, those there pics are some close ups of the show samples I made using those divine Studio 490 stamps... and these pics below are pics of a pressie Grim got for me the other day to spruce up the Room of Stash... isn't it just TOO cute!!

It is a little battery/USB operated morphing Christmas Tree... I lurve it and it is making me a smidge festive... I think I should really go and get into the Christmas Spirit and have a mince pie and a little play at the 12 Tags that I have been neglecting! Right... best get a wiggle on, 101 things to do as usual... including a mountain of ironing! TTFN

Hels x

Just A Quicky...

2011-12-06T08:45:00.002Z

...before I whizz off to Peterborough for the day... I thought I would share a sneaky peek at some of the samples I have been making with the FAB Studio 490 stamps I will be showing today. The show times are 2pm - 4pm and 7pm - 8pm... channel 671 on Sky and 36 of Freeview... and I have been reliably informed you can also watch it online HERE.

Cor blimey and thrice... I really want to say a HOOOOGE thank you to you all for your support, encouragement and lovely kind messages... they all mean a very lot to me... Right, better get a move on.... thanks for looking... TTFN!!

Hels x

On The 3rd Day of Tagmas...

2011-12-05T00:11:00.003Z

... The Duke of Distress gave to us... THIS coolio design. Oh yes, I have been avidly following the 12 Tags of Christmas and have managed to get Day 3 made. I am rather chuffed that Tim used the stamp and Texture Fade on this one because I have both (ahem!) and hadn't really thought about how to use them... and now I know. I have to say, I have done the whole re-inker on felt thing before and never got it right... so this time I tried really hard and it worked! Fab!!

Anyways... Tim had used a Kraft tag for his... and I haven't got any Kraft tags... an oversight on my part and I shall be rectifying that shortly... however, for the purposes of this tag, I improvised. I cut a tag from my Kraft Resist pad and used that, flipped over and glued to a white card tag. I am not sure if they are the same colour but it looks similar if nowt else. I am loving Heirloom Gold PP Mists on kraft colour... cor, a new fave I reckon.

I wanted to make a bigger statement with the foliage so I used the Holly Branch Alterations and made some pinecones... aren't they totes-amazeballs!! (actually, I should apologise for saying that word, I have watched too much I'm A Celebrity lol) And... actually, they aren't made pinecones, nope, these are real ones that Miriam very kindly gave to me at last weekends class... bless her... I have used them all now already. Anyways... I should stop with the waffle and get on with making Tag #4... I have been busy making samples for Tuesday... you should see the state of my paws! I never ever break nails... ever. They are always decent looking and not stumpy and horrid... but... this past few days I have snapped most of them on my right hand... akkk... I wonder if I will get away with wearing mittens on Tuesday? Hahaaaa... Right... better go... thanks for looking... TTFN!!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 183 - What Is Life

2011-12-04T00:01:00.003Z

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all. Many thanks, as ever, for the gorgeous entries to last weeks starry challenge. This week I have chosen one of my very favourite songs by one of my very favourite men, What Is Life by George Harrison for the theme. The reason for using this song this week is because it was the tenth anniversary of George's death on November 29th 2001 and I didn't want that to pass without acknowledging it. HERE's a link to this song... it never fails to make me feel happy and I LOVE it!! I hope you like it too :O)) Anyways... the theme for this week is... LOVE &/OR LIFE. Tis an easy one, you could just use the word/s on your entry which can be anything you fancy, add in some stamping and then pop back here and leave me a link to the place you are showing your entry, I can then hop on over to visit. If you haven't got a blog or image sharing site, you can email me a piccie of your entry too (my email addy is on my profile). The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 10th December 2011.

My entry this week is totallly inspired by the frame that Tim Holtz did on the first day of the 12 Tags using the Tattered Pinecones. I used a 6" square shadow box, painting it with Fresco Finish paints, adding crackle glaze and then a mix of white and blue for the top layer. The colours really don't pick up properly on the photo's... electric light isn't the best to try and get pics of something that is shiny lol I used Coredinations cardstock to cut the Tattered Pinecones and leaves, sanding them before rolling them up. HERE's a link to Tim's video on how to make the pinecones... and on it he shows some double ones... so I had a crack at those too... and am chuffed with the big blousey rose look they make. I used Metallic Glaze on the edges of the petals to add some more bling to the piece... and Picket Fence Stickles over the wooden frame...

The stamping is on the background cardstock I made... this is just plain white card that I painted with the same colour tones and then overstamped with a script background using Faded Jeans Distress Ink. I made a little centre for the Ornate Frame and stamped Love using Jet Black Archival ink.

Tis a quickie post from me today... I am still sample making ready for Tuesday, which reminds me... I have had a few comments and emails asking what time the show is. As far as I am aware it is 2pm on the Dawn Bibby & Friends programme... am very excited... and a smidge nervous too! Thanks again to everyone for your overwhelming support and kindness... like I said before, it means a very lot to me :O)) Anyways... I had better get a move on... I have planned a quick inky session making yesterday's tag... I think I have the goodies I need for this one... whooohoooo!! Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

A Balloon & Bambi...

2011-12-03T08:57:00.004Z

Ohhhlallaaaaa... I love getting surprises and yesterday when the doorbell rang, there stood a chap with a mahooosive box... which was as light as a feather! Having taken delivery of said light as a feather box, I was in a rush to see what was inside... and nope, I haven't ordered anything (honest, I haven't.... well, apart from one thing but that is a Christmas pressie so it doesn't count lol) Anyways... imagine my surprise when I opened up the box and out popped a big balloon! Isn't it fab! And how kind... it is from Joanne... what a wonderful surprise Joanne, thank you SO much, I love it... it made me smile very lots and... the choccies in the box too... mmm, nomnomnomnom... Here's the balloon, it is a helium filled one and has a little anchor on the end of the string so it doesn't float away. AlfieCat isn't even bothered by it... I would have thought that he would have gone a bit bonkers with the string but nope, he is being as good as gold... I think he is saving his energy for when the Christmas tree goes up!

Anyways... hands up who is having a ball with the fantabulous and wonderous 12 Tags of Christmas from the one and only Duke of Distress himself, Tim Holtz! (click his name to see what I am on about!!) Yesterdays tag... ooooh, I lurve this one... covering Grunge with Claudine's Sticky Back Canvas... brrrrilliant i-deer (ahem.. grrroan) My brads at the bottom went a weensy bit wonky... not sure how I managed that but never mind...and I think I overdid it with the PP Mists too lol Tis all a learning curve though... I mean, I had never thought to colour one patch of the Kraft Resist card with DI's... how lucky are we that Tim does all these techniques on a tag for us to learn... so... THANK YOU Tim!

Right... I had better get a wiggle on. I had to take Ferdy to "hospital" yesterday... he has been making really baaaad noisy, like a screeching metallic noise from the back wheels. Well, Mr Mechanic has said that a piston had stuck in the brake caliper and it needed releasing, Ferdy needed new pads and then he should be ok. Anyways... Ferdy has been restored to good health (hopefully) and Mr Mechanic has some dosh towards Christmas so I had better get over to the garage before they shut! Thanks for looking... oh and don't forget, a new theme for the Sunday Stamper tomorrow! TTFN

Hels x

The First of Advent Means Tags & Books...

2011-12-02T00:01:00.000Z

...yipppeeeeee... tis finally here!!! After a year in the waiting, it is time for the amazingly wonderous event that is Tim's Twelve Tags of Christmas! So... I prattled on alarmingly yesterday about it being Day 1 and how I was off to camp outside Tim's blog to wait for the first tag to post... well, I may have expanded the truth a weensy bit. What I did do was watch Mario's Tweets from BTS (behind Tim's shoulder... actually I think it is supposed to be behind the scenes but I like my variation) Anyhooo's, there I was waiting and waiting and eventually the Sandman came and got me and I went off to sleepland. Next thing I knew it was gone 10am and I had one of those niggling things... you know, in the back of my mind... like... I know there's something I should be doing but I can't remember....

Well... what a fool I am... I had forgotten, well, not actually forgotten completely, no it had just slipped my mind ( I am blaming the Sandman for that) so I hot footed to Lionel Laptop to see what gorgeous creation Tim had come up with for Day 1. Wow! Tis a stunner... I have had to improvise a weensy bit because I didn't have the Kraft Core - so I used blue card and Frayed Burlap over it to make it a bit Krafty. Oh and I didn't have silver glitter... akk, I really do not "do" glitter... **although AlfieCat now does look rather sparkling and fetching lol** but I did find some white stuff... so I slapped that on and once it had dried I used my finger to smudge Silver Dabber over the top... and it worked!!! Sort of... I can't wait to see the next installment... if you are wondering what I am waffling on about... CLICK HERE to see Tim's blog, his tags and his inspirations!

So... being as it was the first day of Advent yesterday, I figured I may as well pull my finger out and finish my Book of Advent that I started in my class on Saturday. I have made several of these little books over the years and have never kept one for myself! I have been saving some Cosmo Cricket Be Good papers for yonks (they stopped making them...booo) ... and I decided to go mad and cut into them because I do love them so much and this book will be brought out year after year... they have been put to goodly uses at least.

Well, I suppose I had better get a move on and get back to Twitter and see what marvels Mario will be posting from behind Tim's shoulder... I can't wait to see today's tag... tis exciting!!! Oh and... if you are looking for some goodies to buy for your tag making, I have been reliably informed that The Stamp Attic has a web page dedicated to the tags HERE and... there's a special on the new Idea-ology cases too... bargains!!! Oh and... each day Wendy will be uploading all the ingredients you need... how kind!! Right... am offski... Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

A New Month... A New Challenge...

2011-12-01T00:01:00.000Z

...Cor blimey and thrice alive already! Who did it... go on, own up... it wasn't you was it... fast forwarded November and made it December already!! I say it every month but... time seems to be going a whole lot faster than it used to and I know you are going to say it is an "age" thing... but it can't be because I am only 24 *see Hels' nose grown very long* Anyways... enough waffling about time and all that... because... being as it is the first of the month, it means it is time to announce a fresh new challenge over on The Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog. This month we are focussing on all thing Christmas... a doddle of a challenge at this time of year yah? All the deets on how to join in are HERE and, as ever, there's a prize up for grabs for one lucky entrant.

So... another ickle snippet of info... during December for every order placed at The Artistic Stamper you will receive a little pressie... which is THESE fab stamps. I have used them on my entry for this months challenge... and here's how I made it: The frame is one of those really expensive (ahem) ones that come in a three pack from the Swedish Furniture Shop. Painted with Pitch Black Dabber and then sanded back in patches to show the wood again... which was then blended over with Gathered Twigs DI. (I know, I shouldn't have favourites but I can't help it... Gathered Twigs is my all time FAVE brown from the Distress Range... poor old Vintage Photo has been cast aside and can be heard, sobbing quietly to itself)

The insert for the frame is manila cardstock... I stamped the icicles using Snow Cap Dabber, rubbed Weathered Wood Stain all over the card, sploshed some water onto it and held the card up while I dried it so the water went into rivulets (cool word!) Then, I used Faded Jeans Stains to add some ink to the snowflake background, spritzed Forever Blue Perfect Pearls Mists onto my craft sheet, dipped the stamp into this and then stamped onto the card... ooolalala... I love the splashy look of the snowflakes. Then... I used Biscoti Perfect Pearls Mists, spritzed right along the top of the card and held it up again... more rivulets which I dried with the heat tool... and here's the pic before I added decoration to it.

I used lots of Alterations dies to make the embellies... starting with the Vintage Noel... which I cut from manila card, I pounced a Silver Dabber over the word and then used Silver UTEE to emboss it. I used a Jet Black StaZon and a bit of Cut & Dry foam to apply a smidge of black around the edges, just to age it and make it more of a pewter colour. The Tattered Pine Cones had lots of Picket Fence Stickles slapped onto them and the leaves had Rock Candy Stickles spread onto them. Finally, I added the little leaping reindeer, he is an Idea-ology charm, he was coloured with Caramel Alcohol Ink and popped into a Memo Pin... now, it could just be me but... I think that with his little loop on his back, he looks like a carousel pony... mmmm, just me then? lol

SO!!! Tis December 1st... and... that means... 12 Tag of Christmas time again. If you haven't heard about this amazing event, HERE are all the deets on Tim Holtz's blog... I wonder what amazingness he will dream up this year? Whatever it is, I am sure that everyone will be whipped up into a frenzy! Right, time for me to go and camp outside Tim's blog and wait for that first tag to make its debut... I heard a few whispers that it could be either 7am or 8am UK time... ohlalalaaaa, I better get a few zeds in before then then... (then then??? What an amazing command of the English language I have.....) Thanks for looking... have a great day! TTFN

Hels x

Thank You!!!

2011-11-30T15:59:00.003Z

Wow! And Thrice WOW! I just wanted to say a HOOOGE thank you to each and everyone of you who left me the most amazing comments on yesterdays post... I am totally overwhelmed!! Thanks also to you helpful peeps who advised that you can actually watch the shows online... how cool is that! Anyways... I have been beavering away in the Room of Stash *actually that sounds a bit daft because to beaver away you would think that dams were being built and such-like and I can assure you, I haven't been dam building, or lodge building either, which, apparently, is where a beaver lives... I will stop now because I am even beginning to scare myself* Where was I? Ah yes, Room of Stash... making samples.. here's a sneaky of a few so far :O))

So... a few samples made and lots more to do...and my mounting excitement that it is December 1st tomorrow which can only mean one thing... yes, it is time for the start of this years Tim's Twelve Tags of Christmas!!! I am going to stay up all night because I want to see the first one posted... and I have no idea how to change our time into Tim's time or, indeed, what time it is... Well, obviously I know what time it is like now... no what I mean is the time that it will be posted... all I can say is that... I CANNOT wait!!! Anyways... I know it is now time for me to stop with the waffle and go in search of Mr Mojo, who waltzed out of the door about an hour ago, muttering something about a picket line... I am hoping he got confoosed and meant Picket Fence... not that he is going on strike! *oooh, topical comment or what!!!* Right, am offski... again, THANK YOU EVERYONE... means the world to me!! TTFN

Hels x

I Have Some... Exciting News...

2011-11-29T00:01:00.001Z

...ok, so... I have some very exciting news... where to start is the thing though... I mean, me? Lost for words? Never! Well, ok, today maybe! I am beyond excited because I am about to embark on a new creative adventure and I am now able to tell everyone about it now, which makes it easier for me because I have been about to spontaneously combust several times in the past few weeks because I wanted to say something.... and now, with things set in place and a definite date, I can talk about it... I didn't want to jinx it and all that.

So... I am very honoured to say that I am joining Creative Expressions as a Demonstrator... starting next Tuesday, December 6th with two shows on Create & Craft TV. And... there's more excitement because... I will be bringing Studio 490 on to UK shopping telly for the first time. Now, this is something that I am so proud to be allowed to do... you all know my passion for everything Wendy Vecchi and Studio 490 along with all the lovely bits and bobs that go with this fabulous range! Obviously I am a bit nervous as I have never done anything like this ever... but I had a screen test and loved every minute of it so hopefully the excitement of playing with the fabby products will mean that I don't end up camera shy and waffling on alarmingly...

Anyways... that's my news... I just wanted to share it... and to say thank you to every single person who has left me a comment or message for the past few years where I have been a bit in the wilderness after losing my beloved career as a train driver... believe me, this blog became my outlet when those days were dark and things seemed ever so bleak for me. Your support means the world to me. I am hoping that this new adventure is the next stage of my "journey"... and of course that I don't goof up on live telly... can you imagine? Right... time for bed... as ever, thanks for looking... TTFN!!

Hels x