Nighttime... Playtime!

...teehee.... nighttime sure does seem to be a playtime for me.  As soon as the moon is up, I come alive, my Mojo starts zinging and I get all painty and inky in the Room of Stash.  I think I was a wampire in a previous life!    Anyways, last night I got all painty with some Fresco Finish paints, using a brayer to slap the paint onto the tag... am rather chuffed that I finally listened to my BFF Ellen, who has been saying for 462 years that I should try a brayer!  Well, I am always slow on the uptake!   Here's the finished tag....

And here it is before I decorated it.  Check out the stamping - that is using one of the gorgeous stamps from Wendy's Art Comforts stamp set, stamped first in Tree Branch, which is one of Wendy's new Signature Archival Inks... and then stamped again in Jet Black so I got a nice shadowy effect.  The texture is using Grungepaste mixed with a smidge of Little Black Dress paint and then spread through the Bingo stencil.  BTW, the colours I used for the background are: Butternut, Smoked Paprika, London Bus and Claret with a smidge of Squid Ink. 

Apologies for the rubbish photography, I couldn't get this one focussed for some reason.   Once I had the background done, I wanted to add some flowers (yip, for a change!) so I grabbed some gorgeous Kaisercraft blooms and hey ho, they are the right colours so no needs for colouring... those were popped onto the tag along with a couple of leafy diecuts and some embellies and then I stamped the sentiment onto cream card - this is a gorgeous sentiment isn't it?  Another Studio 490 stamp, from Garden Art.   I decided to leave the wordy background cream so it really pops off the tag.  And there you have it :O))

I had a grand old time getting inky and painty last night and have a few more backgrounds all ready for decorating... who knew the humble brayer was such fun!!!  Well, apart from our Ellen right?   I shall away now, packing up ready for my travels tomorrow to South Wales for my class at Dandie Craft on Saturday...  Thanks for looking, have a great day.  TTFN

Hels x

Favourites...

... I know, we shouldn't have them should we... but hand on heart, who can honestly say that they don't have "favourites"?  Thing is, I have so many favourites that I just think that everything I do in this arty bubble I live in is my favourite!  Anyways... the point of this waffle is to show what I got up to on Monday.  I was invited to teach a private class for two lovely ladies, Claire and Jane, 'round at Claire's house.  Gulp. Me, crafting, in someone elses home?  I was a bit scared that I would end up flicking paint and ink all over the place so before I arrived, I gave myself a good talking to.. "Hels" I said, "You don't have to be a mucky pup you know... "  "Don't I?" I answered myself...  "No, indeedily, you can be the cleanest crafter in the world *said in my very best Jeremy Clarkson voice* if you really try"   So, armed with lots of delish stash to play with, I arrived at Claire's, all ready to show just how neat and clean I can be.

Actually, I did manage to keep things relatively clean... I only got stuff on me, thankfully not on Claire, Jane, the cats, the floor, the walls... which is unusual seeing as you can usually look at my clothes and see exactly what I have been using on any particular day.  We had a wonderfully fun crafty day... altering a canvas with Distress Paints, yep, favourites...   Wendy's Embossing Paste, oh be still my heart, always a favourite indeedily... And lots of paper flowers... aha, more favourites... and embellishments... yippy-yi-ay, favourites.. and... Treasure Gold.  What more can I say huh?  FAVOURITES!!

The colours of DP's I used are Iced Spruce (fave!) Aged Mahogany (always a fave) and Victorian Velvet (new fave!)  Lots of watery drippage and then the embellishing bit.  I used a Crafter's Workshop stencil for my Embossing Paste bit... and of course, adding smidges of Treasure Gold really highlights the peaks and textures.  A big massive thank you to Claire and Jane for making me so welcome, feeding me delish food (why does it always come back to food with me huh?) and making the day so enjoyable!

Right, I shall away... today I am mostly die-cutting for my Ali-Craft class on Friday... oh and I didn't mention... I have a new arrival in the Room of Stash. Oh yesh, Ernie the EBosser has come to live with me!  Tis my Xmas pressie from Grim, I am soooo lucky! I have had a little play already and I am in lurves, it is sooo easy to use!  I will, of course, still use Victor because I loves him too but it just makes kitting for classes so much easier now, I can have both machines going at the same time!  Multi-tasking die-cutting!   Thanks for looking, have a great day!  TTFN

Hels 

It's Giveaway Time!

...cor! blimey!  Where did this week go???  One minute it was Monday morning and the next... it is now!  Anyways... as promised last weekend, I am doing a giveaway today to celebrate my bloggy birthday which was actually September 7th but being as I do like a celebration, I have drawn the whole bloggy birthday thing out!   So.  The Giveaway!  Well, I have this tag here for one randomly picked commenter on this post.  That's all you needs to do... leave a comment on this post!  Simples huh?   The giveaway will close at 23:59 on Sunday 15th September and the winner will be announced on Monday 16th September '13.

So, seven who years ago I began this blog!  I started it because I had a Photobucket (do peeps still have those?) and when I tried to type out how I had made something there were never enough characters left to write everything down (and you know my propensity for yakking right?)  My first steps into this world we call Blogland we relatively tentative... until I realised that there are lots of peeps out there who also blog and want to share the art they make.   Sometimes I will click on the archive label and go back through the years and see how my creations have changed.  One thing that has not changed is the waffle that always seems to accompany any post I do... well, like I always say, I have a captive audience and waffling away just seems to come naturally to me. 

Seven years ago... such a lot has happened in the past seven years... some good and some bad... I guess we can all say that though - all part of this rich tapestry we call life.  During the darkest days, when I lost my career to ill health, I used to creep onto my blog and pretend that all was good in the world... and to be honest, it really helped.  It was cathartic to just sit and type and be silly... and put out photo's of stuff I had made... that was the most rewarding and positive thing because I received so many encouraging comments it gave me a sense of purpose and took my mind off the nasty things I was experiencing in my life.  I have also made some very dear friends through blogging... that was one thing I never expected and I am thankful to Blogger for opening up this world of ours and making distances just the blink of an eye.

Anyways... enough of all my wafflings for the moment... I have 101 things to do today and sitting here clacking isn't getting any of them done.  First on the list is the Battle of the Barnet... oh yesh, I needs to do me hair (a job I put off for as long as possible because it takes 251 hours to dry the stuff) and then I have a very special project that I am working on... all will be revealed next week... let's just say... I am very honoured and verrrrry excited about it!!!  I shall away... have a brilliant day and as ever, thanks for looking!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 271 - Waterloo Sunset

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all... as ever, many thanks for the fabby entries for last weeks theme.  This week is another colour theme and I would like to see some... SUNSET/SUNRISE colours.  To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a Blog/Photo-hosty-thingy, you can also join in via Facebook (simply tag my name on your upload) or via email, attaching a small size pic so I can see your creation.  The theme will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 24th August 2013.

My entry this week and the goodies I used have totally inspired this weeks theme.  I love those Sunrise/Sunset papers from Finnabair for Prima and it is a wee while since I played with them.  The other night, after stuffing our chops full of BBQ deliciousness, me and Mary took a little trip into the Room of Stash for a spot of artyness.  Starting with a 6" x 6" base piece of board, I used up some of the offcuts from the paper pad (never throw anything away!) and created a paper blocked background.  After a very quick smudge of mushroom paint over the papers to blend all the designs together, I gave the whole base a good coat of Ranger's Matte Glue & Seal.  This is my "safety net" for what else I do to the base.  Because Glue & Seal is completely waterproof when dry, if I make a boo-boo with any of the next layers, I can wipe off what I have done and I haven't ruined the papers on the base.

I set about adding some texture with Ferro texture paste, using a Crafter's Workshop stencil... and once this had dried I used my Stabilo All Pencil and went around the edges of the paper blocks to give them definition.  Next up came the stamping... my fave Magenta "stalks" stamp which comes in so handy for a little border or filler image.  I use Jet Black Archival for the stamping - it needs to be a permanent ink because of the Glue & Seal and as ever, give the ink a zap with a heat tool to set it.

I made a big old flower bundle using white paper flowers that I coloured with Dylusions Sprays, Cosmic Shimmer Sprays and then a zap of Black Marble Dylusions to give them a nice metallic look.   I also gave the base a light spritz with the Black Marble because I do love that inky splatty look.  Assemblage was completed with the addition of some stalky bits I found in my stash and the ickle Prima birdy that I coloured with Treasure Gold.  A finishing touch of some Alpha Parts to make the word and attaching the mini hanger finished my creation off.

I am having a lovely weekend... I am in Durham meeting up with friends and today we are off to a crafty show in Washington... mmm, maybe I might see a few things I *need!*   Have a great day whatever you have planned and as always, thanks for looking!  TTFN

Hels x

Make A Wish...

...well, the word "wish" is my "word of 2013" after all... and surprisingly, I am not getting bored of using it all the time either!  Anyways... today sees another demo sample from last weekend... this time I have pushed myself and used cardboard for a base (ahem... quite!)

Lots of lushly Fresco Paints and Grungepaste through a new Crafter's Workshop stencil... I loves this new one lots!  I used the gorgeous Lin Brown stamps, stamping with paint (application is simples, a bit of Cut & Dry, half with one colour, half with the other and pouncing it onto the stamp moving the stamp around in a circle, so it is light in the middle and dark on the edges... easy peasy!)   Anyways... the flowers were stamped onto black card, I have seen Lin do this and it gives the flowers a real "pop".  The leaves were stamped onto cream card for a bit of contrast.  The letters are from the Vintage Market Alterations strip die... love that die lots (and I haven't got it either)  A smidge of Treasure Gold around the edges and over the stencilled bits... and a finishing touch with a butterfly (Studio 490) stamped onto Clearly For Art (clear flavour)  A few bits of rusty wire to add some swizzles to the flowers and for the hanging and there you have it... done!

As I sit here, in the Room of Stash, I am seeing a brilliant blue sky, which makes me want to go and do a spot of gardening... but!  It is blowing a hooley, the trees in the Spinney and bowing down so I figure I will only get radged with the wind blowing my hair about (little known fact, getting my hair blown about by the wind makes me reallly crabby!)  So, I shall stay in the Room of Stash instead.  I have lit a Yankee Candle (today's smell is Lilac Blossoms, my all time fave) and I shall have to make sure I get covered in ink and paint... and then perhaps, later on, I will actually tidy the Room of Stash instead of picking my way over several boxes and bags of stuff that needs re-homing. Then again, I might just carry on playing!   Grim is on a long old shift today *sad face* and won't be home til 11pm so I do have plenty of time to get tidied up (even as I write that, I know I am doubting it will happen lol)   So, I shall away... to tiptoe through my own handmade bombsite to the Desk of Creativity and see what happens.... Thanks for looking, as ever, have a fabby day!  TTFN

Hels x

J'Adore.....

...ooh get me, going all Francais!  That is about my limit for speaking French though... being as I am rubbish at languages (except English of course, although that has been brought into debate of late!)  Anyways... today sees another one of my demo pieces from Sunday at Birds in the Barn. 

The base is another bit of cardboard (no surprise there eh?) and a piece of gorgeous kraft coloured card that I used for the texture more than the colour on this piece.  One side of the card is textured, the other is smooth... cool huh?  Anyways, more goodliness in the form of Fresco Paints... some Grungepaste through a Crafter's Workshop stencil and then a whole lot of layering.

The beautiful tulip stamped in black was actually stamped onto a piece of tissue and then collaged onto the base using Glue & Seal (from Ranger)... I love how cosmetic tissue just disappears under the Glue & Seal... opens up a whole range of ideas for adding collaging to a project.

Today I am mostly going to be Nursemaid.... poor old Alfie has to go to the *whispers* V E T this morning... he is having his annual boosters and MOT and also... tis tick-removal-day.  The thing has not grown since I soaked it with Frontline... but it is hanging on in there.  I am, at the moment, trying to "act normal".... because for sure, he knows when he is going in his box.  Said box is still in garage and said AlfieCat is now skulking about in the bedroom... how does he know!!!   And... poor old Grim has had to go to the *whispers* D E N T I S T today... broken tooth :O((  I have told him that when you get to  a certain age, these things happen *not a lot of help am I?*   So, I shall be donning my nursey hat today and dispensing lots of sympathy... only for today though... cos tomorrow... it's my birthday!    And on that exciting bombshell, I shall away to squeal out loud in excitement!!  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

When A Box Isn't A Box...

...don't worry, I haven't gone stark staring tonto... well, not quite.  No, I thought very carefully for about 30 seconds about todays post title... believe me, that is a long time (I usually just type whatever comes into my head!)  Anyways, the box isn't a box anymore because I have been doing a smidge of up-cycling.  I seem to get a lot of cardboard boxes passing through the Room of Stash (all for work, obvs... ahem) and I am forever flattening them and bunging them into the green bin... so I decided to utilise all this free cardboard and use it for a wall hanging piece.  I saw Leandra from Paper Artsy demo-ing using cardboard as a base and thought "what a brill idea" so thanks for the inspirations to Leandra.

I used a Stanley knife (yep, I am very careful with that baby, it is sharp!) and a metal rule and cut a piece of cardboard to measure about 4" by 8" and then peeled away some of the top layer of paper from the cardboard, revealing the corrugations.   Next up, adding some texture... so I used a Crafter's Workshop stencil and Grunge Paste, I spread on a layer with a palette knife, dried it off and then popped the stencil back into place and spread another layer on as I wanted quite a deep stencilled effect.

Next up was a good paint application.  I used Fresco Paints... starting with mixing Snowflake and Mermaid together... pouncing this all over the piece with Cut & Dry foam... and then adding in Mermaid around the edges... a smidge of South Pacific blended lightly over the raised bits and then a smudge of Mocha Mousse around the very edges.  Once dried, I popped a little bit of Little Black Dress around the edges to make a frame for the design.  I loves my Treasure Gold and used Pewter and White Fire, applying it very lightly over the raised bit and around the edges of the base.  My floral embellishment is just a bunch of paper flowers, some have had smidges of Treasure Gold applied and some left plain.  The sprigs are Prima (had these years and never dared to use them before... duh? Use them!!!)  Alpha Parts for my word of the year... and a clear butterfly to finish.    I am entering this piece into the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge this week which is "Into the Woods"  *a musical I LOVE... I was introduced to this fabulousity by my friend Dan... if you haven't seen it... you needs to!*  Anyways... HERE is the link to the deets on the challenge... and my "into the woods" bits are the woody sprigs and the cardboard, which, after all, comes from wood originally!

Anyways... I have news of my little predator.  Oh yesh, he has been up to his tricks again.  And, it is all our fault, we laughed at him the other day when he was trying to stalk a pigeon that was having a little rest on our lawn.  Alf hasn't really "got it" when it comes to the stalking of birds... he wags his tail, chatters his chops and wiggles his bum too much, they see him coming, laugh at him and then fly off.  That is until he decided to change tactic... and went for a baby Collared Dove!  And... to make things worse, he brought it home for Mummy.  Why he does this while Grim is at work is beyond me.  I was actually having a chat with Grim on the phone when Alf arrived, baby dove in chops and proceeded to run into the living room and dumped said dove on the rug... which I have to admit is where all his toys are, you know, like catnip mice... and sticks with feathers on (I know, it is my fault... I have taught him how to catch a bird!)   Anyways, Baby Dove was still alive... so I went to grab Alf, who promptly dropped the dove, which then flew into the hall.  In the meantime, I am trying to talk to Grim, slipping along the carpet on my knees with a rather cheesed off cat in one hand and trying to talk to Grim with the phone in the other... well, it was going to end up messy so I and ended up dropping the phone, letting go of Alfonse and rushing off after the him as he was in hot pursuit of the poor birdy.   I managed to grab Alf again, and, to his disgust, shut him in the hall.  I figured the poor dove would be dead... but no, it was still alive... so I held it for a few minutes (ok, more like half an hour) while it (and I) calmed down... and then released it back into the Spinney and Alf was then on lock down. For a day!  I have since seen said baby bird sitting in a tree so I am rather chuffed that I managed to rescue it.  And Alf?  He decided to adopt his full name for the next day... Lord Alfonse of Sheridan - oh he ignored me, huffed at me and even took a gnash at my passing ankles!  He has forgiven me since.. he knows which side his bread is buttered... not to mention who gives him food and snuggles!    Right, I shall away... thanks for looking!  TTFN

Hels x

Simon Says....

...I have had a few free days this week - what with the old jet lag catch up and all that - and I was mooching around my fave blogs and happened across the challenge that is Simon Says Stamp & Show.  This week they are asking for you to "show what you are known for"   Erm... well, I sat and had a thunk, and thunked a bit more... and decided that I didn't know exactly what I was known for.  Until the lovely Tracy Evans left me a nice comment saying "one of your trademark flowers"  Aha! Light bulb moment.  Yes, it is true, I do like to pop a flower or two onto everything I make.  So then I had a mooch through my blog and spotted that I am rather addicted to all things Studio 490.  There it is!  Studio 490 stuff and a flower!  So I whipped off to the *very tidy* Room of Stash and had a little play:

I was playing, as you do, with stuff on my desk and wondered what Rock Candy Cracklepaint would look like if it was popped onto Embellish Your Art pieces.  So I had another play and posted a photo of the result on Facebook and then decided to make another couple of flowers like this, so I did step by step pics... and here they are!  Here's what you will need:

STEP 1
Colour the EYA piece with Distress Marker.

STEP 2
Heat set the Marker until dry.

STEP 3
Blob Rock Candy Cracklepaint onto the flower and set aside to dry.

And there they are... I don't know if this will work with any other kind of marker... the Rock Candy reacts with the water based Distress Markers so they bleed a bit... I guess permanent markers will stay put... worth a try though!

Anyways... as usual, I have decorated the tag with lots of stuff... so I took a photo of it before decorating.  The background was achieved by layered scraps of book page over the tag, spreading a smidge of Traditional Tan paint over the top and drying.  Next I used Broken China, Evergreen Bough and Peacock Feathers Stains and coloured over the top of the tag and dried it.  Next I used the new Stencils for Art Diamonds and sprayed the new Dirty Martini Dylusions spray over the top.  I dried this and then used another Stencil for Art - Spots and Stream Colorwash spray to add more decoration to the tag base.  Finally, I added smidges of Black Marble Dylusions spray and a Crafters Workshop stencil.

I used some of my favourite Studio 490 Embossing Paste - Black flavour and added some stenciled flowers to the tag base and set this aside to dry.  Whilst drying I stamped the Art Part Phrenology Head with the corresponding Stampers Anon stamp and then coloured with Antique Linen Stain, dried this and then blended smudges of Barn Door DI for the cheeks.  The eyes are Peeled Paint Marker with a couple of white dots.  The specs and lips are Embellish Your Art pieces.  The Top Hat and Flower are also EYA - I added a little feather behind to jazz the hat up a bit too.  The Butterfly also had a smidge of Distress Marker and Rock Candy added to it and then I popped it onto the head as a bow tie.

Finishing touches are the flower - of course, I had to add a flower!  I glued some dictionary page to Clearly For Art and stamped out some flowers and leaves, cut them out and then coloured with Distress Stains... the middle is another of the EYA Rock Candied flowers and some Wordplay die cut letters covered with Black Embossing Paste spell the word ART.

Right, I shall away... I have got a day of ink in the Room of Stash - Grim is away to Norwich to see Luton Town playing in the FA Cup.... finger's X'd they will win... although they are most deffo the underdog!   Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

The Giddiest Kipper...

...blimey... and thrice!  Tis today! Already! That came around fast!  Oh yesh, I am the giddiest kipper in the world (said in my usual very best Jeremy Clarkson voice) because it is today that I am jetting off to the US of A.  It seems a long time ago since Ellen and I first met when she came to stay here at Sheridan Towers (makes it sound grand, it ain't... although I do have a very special Ellen Vargo suite here *aka, the spare room*)  Anyways, the first time Ellen came to visit we were musing about how fab it would be to go to CHA together.  And now it is actually happening!  I am posting this in real time - no scheduling going on here.  Be it because I am over-excited or a smidge nervous, I don't know, but I cannot get to sleeps so I thought I would do some crafting.

I had a few bits and bobs sitting on my desk that were rejects or experiments and I decided it was high time to use them up.  The rose is made with the largest flower on the Alterations Tattered Florals die, cut three times and inked with Seedless Preserves Stain (gotta love that colour!) I made it the day I got my new Stains which is a while back now and it was too big for the thing I was making... so it was bunged on the shelf of rejects... but you know how much I loves my roses and how much I loves Seedless Preserves so it was ideal for my creation today. 

The tag was done on Wednesday when Caz came to play - I was showing her how to use the Treasure Gold with a brush (thank you Leandra for her Demo at the NEC and sharing that with me).  The background was made using a Crafters Workshop stencil and the amazeballs Studio 490 Embossing Paste mixed with a smidge of Ferro to add some grittiness to it.  I heated it up to dry it so it went nice and puffy and then applied various Treasure Gold to it... and then gave it a buff so it went nice and polished.  To finish the tag, I added the rose, some Creative Expressions metal leaves (addicted to these too), an Adage Ticket with my word of the year inside an Ornate Frame (also Treasure Gold-ed) and some embellies to jazz it up.

Anyways... I shall away... I am going to try and get 40 winks before I need to "get up" = the alarm is set for 03.45!  I am all packed and ready, just the last minute bits to put into the case and once I have finished waffling here I am packing up Lionel Laptop into his case ready for the journey.  Grim has to work today :O(( and his booking on time is right when I need to be at Heathrow so he is taking me to the station here and then I am being let loose on the unsuspecting commuter travellers of London - I have packed light too!  I know, I never pack light but this time I have been very good and haven't packed 32 tee-shirts and 19 pairs of socks.  Plus, I am rooming with Ellen so I am going to be pinching her shampoo and hair drier so that is less weight to cart across with me.  Needless to say, there are several bars of Cadbury's nestled within the case... I must remember to declare those - unlike when I went to Ranger U and got searched at Customs going into America because I hadn't ticked the box that said "snails, food, grains"  I didn't realise that chocolate was food!  Well, I did, of course... but I didn't think that Easter Eggs counted rofl  Oh and last time I went?  Baltimore airport and the Customs guy (they never smile do they?) said "anything else you are bringing into the country ma'am?" So I said... "oh just my stash"   His face! Picture! Not a pretty picture either, especially when I started waffling saying "I mean my arty stuff, the crafty stuff I am bringing with me to play with whilst I am here.... " and then in a vain attempt to win him over I said "well, I am meeting THE Wendy Vecchi this weekend and taking some classes with her, I needed my scissors and pokey tool"   He just stamped my passport and waved me through... I think he then went off to lay down in a darkened room!  Which is what I really must do.  The plan is to be as tired as possible when I get onto the plane so I sleep for the 9h 30m I am flying so it feels like that leg of the journey is only five minutes... wish me luck!  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

PS... Tis... CHA... TODAY!!!!

Sunday Stamper - Week 238 - Everyday I Write The Book **PLUS GIVEAWAY**

Gooooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!   Thanks for your entries last week - very "heartening" to see so many lush creations :O)  This week the theme is a nice simple one to see us into the New Year.... and it is... WRITING.  To join in is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you don't have a blog/Picassa/Web-photo-hosty-jobby, you can also join in via Facebook or by email.    There will also be a giveaway this week as a thank you for joining in with my little challenge this year.  The prize is this tag that I have made for my entry this week and to win it, simples, just leave a comment and you will be entered: Leave a comment AND join in... you get entered twice into the draw.  The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on next Sunday's challenge post.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 5th January 2013. (wow, I wrote 2013 for the first time! yikes!)

I have to admit that for the past few weeks my old Mojo has been having a bit of down time and I had to drag him kicking and screaming into the Room of Stash last night.  It is oft the case when I have a few days off that he sneaks off to hide.  Well, I wasn't having any of that so I set myself a challenge, you know, to tempt him home.   The challenge was to make a tag *yes, comfort zone but it is easier that way with Mojo, he is a miserable so-and-so when he wants to be*   Next on the challenge list was use some of the Treasure Gold stuff I got from PaperArtsy at the NEC and haven't really had a chance to play with.  I also had to incorporate some stencils and some texture paste.  *ok, ok, that is all my fave stuff isn't it?  So, erm... really?  A challenge?  Erm... nope, but it helped to whet the old Mojo's creativity lol*   I started by chopping off the bottom of a large tag - tis a size 10 I think.   I then used some of the lush Studio 490 Embossing Paste (this stuff is LUSH peeps) and mixed it with a smidge of Ferro because I wanted a grittier texture.  This was then smooshed though a couple of stencils and set aside to dry.  Tis worth remembering to clean your stencils immediately when you have used Ferro/Embossing Paste cos it dries really quickly and it does stick (oh-ho, there speaks the voice of the lazy moo who thought waiting til later was a good idea lol)

Once dried, which is only a few mins really, I used Liquid Leaf Silver, painting right over the top of the tag.  I then got my brushes and applied patches of different coloured Treasure Gold wax... a quick zap with a heat tool to make sure it was set and then a quick buff with a soft cloth.  Aha!  I am there, sitting, staring at the gorgeousness of the Treasure Gold and thinking "weeeelll, I loves it but... it is too "in your face" for what I want....."   So.  I got some Traditional Tan paint and using my most favourite applicator tool (my fingers) I picked up a bit of paint and kind of massaged it over the tag...  "Mmm, nice"  Says I. *the effect, not the masssaging, that would make me sound like a weirdo lol*   "But it over-powers the background"  A bit of head-scratching goes on and then I thinks "I know, I shall use a babywipe to knock the paint back a bit"   Which I did.  Which worked!  Hurrah!  Now, as many of you lovely folks know, my skills at photography are, for want of a better word, diabolical (actually, that is rather a better word, I could have just said "rubbish" like I normally do lol)  So, it is with regret that you can't really see how the paint has reacted with the Treasure Gold... I did try really hard to get an in-focus shot but...erm... I couldn't. 

Anyways... once I had the background just how I wanted, I added in some stamping (phew, for a moment it was nearly a "Sunday NOT-Stamper" this week!)   It is my fave script stamp of all time, from Letters To Santa which is a Tim Holtz stamp set.  It has to be my most used stamp, it just is totes perfecto.  I also added a smidge of script to the metal butterfly embellie which is from Graphic 45 - I love those butterflies so much and alas, I only have one left, I think I needs to go on a shopping foray to find some more!   I added on lots of paper flowers, all layered up, spritzed (a la Finn styleee) with Black Marble Dylusions and Teal Wash Cosmic Shimmer to add some more bling.   Check out the ickle star - that is an Embellish Your Art Studio 490 piece, I just added some Treasure Gold to it to tone it into the design.  Oh and check out the ickle Crow, he too is a Studio 490 EYA piece... how cute!

Right then, that is all from me for today... what a lot of waffling I did there eh?   Don't forget, just leave a comment and you are in the draw, leave a comment and also join in (ie, make something!) and you are in twice.  If you join in via email or Facebook, please do add a comment onto the post and remind me you have joined in that way so when the numbers go into the hat, you are in there twice too :O)    I shall away... I have been bitten by the crafty bug again after my little play and I want to go and make the most of Mojo being at home!   Thanks for looking... have a great week and... Happy New Year to all my lovely Sunday Stampers!  TTFN

Hels x

P.S.... 12 Days to CHA!!!!! *I actually think I am doing remarkably well by not waffling on alarmingly about my forthcoming travels... mind you, there's still time lol*

One Day Only Giveaway!

As I alluded yesterday... today I have a special giveaway for one randomly chosen entrant.  A few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to take part in a special promo for Homecrafts.  The remit was they send me one set of these fab reindeers for me to play with and one set to giveaway on my blog!  Well, how could I refuse?  The reindeers are made from papiermache and are really sturdy.  They are available in two sizes, 25 x 22.5cm and 20 x 17cm.   To be in with a chance of winning the set of reindeer, all you need to do is leave a comment for me here and click to follow my blog if you don't already.  As I mentioned, this is a one day only giveaway as I want to get the winner chosen and announced tomorrow so I can pop them into the post tomorrow or Saturday.  How simples is that!   The closing time for the last comment will be 23:59 today... any comments left after that time won't be eligable for the draw.  I will use Random.org to pick the winner for us.   It is worth popping over to Homecrafts as they have a wealth of crafty supplies on their website.  HERE is the linky to the reindeer page if you want to buy some anyway :O))

My reindeer was coloured with Gathered Twigs and Walnut Stain DI... and then I smidged a bit of Black Soot around the edges using Cut & Dry so I could get into all the nooks and crannies.  I then spritzed him with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mists and once dried, I dabbed some SnowCap Dabber along his back and antlers and then sprinkled Rock Candy Dry Stickles over so he has a snowy look to him.

Here they are, in their un-altered state :O))

 
 I added some Ferro texture thru a Crafters Workshop stencil for a bit of detailing and cut out three mini Cardinals using Grungeboard and coloured them with DI's and stuck them together so it was thick enough to sit on his back.  The garland around his neck are some little berries that I got yonks ago, can't remember where from tho!   This altering took me about 30 mins... seriously quick or what!?  The larger one is going to be altered much more slowly, when I have a little more time to play... I have plans for him!

Right, I shall away... apologies for the slightly later than anticipated time of blogging, we are experiencing bad probs with our internet again... tis the trouble with living somewhere that doesn't have cable... and I am sure someone around here is doing a whole lot of downloading every night lol   Don't forget, to be in with a chance of winning, just leave a comment and click to follow if you don't already.  That's all for today... thanks for looking and have a good one!  TTFN

Hels x

A First....

...guess what???  I have just completed my very first commission!  Oh yesh indeedily.  A few months ago, lovely Joanne spotted a piece on my blog and asked if I would make her something similar... and she was commissioning me!  Get that!  A commission... am still grinning like a loon about it now!  Anyways... I have just handed my finished effort to Joanne... and I think it is safe to say that she likes it. (either that or she deserves an Oscar rofl)

Anyways, the base is an 8" square canvas, this is a shallow edge one, I would prefer a deeper one (ooherrrmissus) but for the life of me I can't find any unless I want to buy a box of 193 and pay through the schnozzle for 'em.  So, this here shallow edge canvas was painted with acrylic paints... a mix of Decoart and Dabbers, all applied with Cut & Dry foam so I could get some nice blending going on.  I painted the edges with Black Dabber (I have to say, I lurves Dabber's because they are matt when dry... I no like that they are in ickle bottles though... I always want bigger ones ...another oooerrr, but I am sure you know what I mean *snort*)   

As I have been heavily influenced by the artist genius that is Ania Dabrowska (click her name to be whizzed off to her blog on the back of a Prima Flower) it is time to admit that I have turned into a bit of a squirrel.  I have always been a bit of a hoarder (as my wardrobe, loft, garage, Room of Stash, shed, dining room... you get the picture... will confirm) and when I saw these new Prima embellies, I started my latest craze... hoarding bits and bobs that will go really well onto canvases and big projects.  The Prima lightbulbs are a fantastic idea... and they are really substantial too.  Oh and the Prima Gears too... mahooosive ones and ickle ones alike.  Check out Sam Poole's Creative Studio's for deets on these babies.

Whilst at Ally Pally last Saturday I did a spot of speed stash-shopping... literally 5 mins from the end I dashed to Paper Artsy (always a fave shop) and did one of those highspeed, gasping for breath dashes around the new Artemio embellishment range... those ickle studs on the canvas are actually brads, I just chopped their legs off!  And the metal butterfly is from Graphic 45... I am lurrrving those... wishing I had got two packs of them now too!  The flowers are again from my stash of paper flowers... I added to it recently, visiting Wild Orchid Crafts and nabbing some new paper roses and some plain white blooms, as well as the cute brass dragonflies.  The metal leaves are new from Creative Expressions (and you can get these in Sam's store too)  Finally, the words... the Imagine is an Artistic Stamper word, gotta be my fave ever word stamp, I love the grunginess of it... and the wooden "remember" is another Prima embellishment.  I guess all in all I wanted to make this piece a bit special... well, being as it is for a very special lady, I wanted to add a bit of lurve into it too... so a lot of my fave things are included on it.  Now I just need to figure out how to add some Studio 490 into the mix and I will be complete!

Anyways... I shall away... I am in my hotel room in Preston... scheduling this post because I am fair pooped.  I had a bit of a journey down here... setting off with plenty, plenty time to get to Inspirations to drop all my kit off and then have a moozie about the shop.  Best laid plans and all that.  There was an accident on the M6 - I was hoping it would be clear by the time I got to the site... nope, there was another accident in the accident bit so it meant the motorway was closed.  A quick (handsfree, Blue & Me) call to Grim asking which exit should I take to avoid the closure... and onwards I goes.  Until the exit I needed and there was a Police car there, closing the slip road.  Another accident had happened there!  I finally made it to Inspirations about 5.15pm so it literally was a quick hello, drop off the stuff, back in the car and onto the hotel.  Where I made a complete burk of myself.  So, I needs to use the facilities.  And the bathroom light won't work.  Grrr.. weeing in the dark is not the best fun right?  Anyways, I decides to pop the telly on to get the radio (tis freeview jobbywotsits) and I had a "no signal" thingy show up.  So, off I sets to reception to ask if I could get a light fixed and a telly that works.  The lovely lass on reception was most apologetic and offered to move my room... nope, I just unpacked, can't be bothered with all that... so she offers me free internet... I just paid for it.. and then she offered me a free breakfast.  Thank you very much, don't mind if I do.  And then she said "you did put your door key card into the slot on the wall?"  Errrm... "nope"  *I had the grace to blush*  She tells me that to get the power and lights in the room you need to insert card into said slot.  "Oh and btw" she says... "is the aeriel in the back of the telly?"   Turns out the aeriel wasn't in the back of the telly and yes, key card in slot on wall means I can wee with the lights on rofl   With that delightful image I shall say... thanks for looking... if you are in Preston today please do pop in to Inspirations and say hi, I will be the one with the red face and inky paws!  TTFN!

Hels x

Simon Says.... No Rules!

...Tis a very long time since I had the chance to play along with one of my fave challenges - the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge, all the deets are HERE for this weeks theme, along with all the totes-amazeballs arty stuff from the DT. So, no rules eh? Well, it just so happens that I took a few crafty minutes this morning to sit and play with a new arrival in the Room of Stash - the most gorgeous Holly Hocks stamp by Donna Downey for Unity Stamp Co. I have been lusting after this stamp for yonks and I spied it on that special auction site that always has goodies to be snaffled.



The stamp is a big 'un but... not too big, it fits perfectly onto my Size 8 tag and because the Hollyhock flowers are graduated they are smaller at the top, meaning it will fit on loads of stuff (I already have a little list of things to do with it :O)) I started off by using Mushroom Dabber thru a Crafters Workshop Chicken Wire stencil, just a couple of patches of it. Then once it was dried, I grabbed some Distress Stains: Barn Door, Scattered Straw and Dried Marigold, spritzing the tag completely with water and then pouncing the Stains onto the tag, where they meet the water, they bleed out. Once the tag was covered, I stood it up, let the Stains drip and then dried it.



Next came some more colouring - using a large floral stencil (think it is a CW one) and Forever Red Perfect Pearls Mist, spritzing right over the stencil and then drying off the spritzy bits. Once that was all neat and dried, I inked up the Holly Hocks stamp with Vermillion Archival ink and stamped to the left of the tag. A quick zap with a heat tool to set the Vermillion was the last thing for the background. To frame the whole tag, I lightly blended Black Soot DI around the edges, I think this just closes the design in.



I grabbed a bag of Prima flowers and rummaged to get a nice layered flower to pop onto the tag - using several different colours to make the layers. I then added some paper leaves, some wire twists and a couple of decorative pins to the flower and popped it onto a "banner" I made using Idea-ology Film Strip. Next came the word - an Adage Ticket, coloured with Fired Brick DI to make it match the rest of the design. I used an Ornate Frame for the ticket and then set about adding a few more bits and bobs for decoration. The ribbon at the top is recycled Sari Silk that my lovely friend Barbara gave me for my birthday ( LOVE THIS STUFF!!!) and added a Wire Pin, some pearls and a little File Tab to finish.



I have been in the wars again! I know! I can't go anywhere without sustaining some kind of injury. This time it was on Saturday when we spent a lovely day with Rich, Mary and Jerry the Springer (check out the pic below, isn't he just adorable!) Well, I managed to get right thru the day without hurting myself. And then the dusk came and with it the monster of all Mozzi's... which bit my ankle and made me feel as rough as a bear who's eaten a vindaloo! Goodness knows what it is in my blood that makes them like me so much... I have tried everything - I mean everything, to stop getting bitten... and nowt seems to work! The bite itself is a blister, size of a pea and as hard as a pea too. The swelling, right across my foot, up my leg and as itchy as... well, a very itchy thing! I hankered for a bit of sympathy yesterday so spent the day dragging my leg behind me *well, I have always been one for exaggerations lol* . It worked though... Grim cooked us a lovely BBQ (I keep away from BBQ's: too hot, too dangerous lol)


Right, I shall away... I have a Room of Stash that resembles a pit of dispair... I have been a very lazy slatternly lass this past few weeks and I have now run out of desk space, floor space, shelf space and chair space. Something drastic needs to be done... and soon! If I am not back in a few days you best send out a search party lol Thanks for looking... have a goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

Ruby Tuesday...

..ahaha, I am making meself laugh, never a good sign... why Ruby Tuesday? Well, it is Tuesday (for once I know what day of the week it is lol) and... I have some ruby slippers going on on my latest piece for The Stamp Attic DT. To see all the deets on how I made it, what I used etc... please CLICK HERE.



I am on a mission today... oh yesh, I spent yesterday lounging about watching telly - although I did do battle in Sainsbury's because we had literally no food in the house... and, more worryingly, we were out of Diet Coke, never a good thing for me lol Anyways... my mission today, after being a lazy old bag yesterday, is to make my Room of Stash sparkle again. I had thought about chucking a load of glitter all over it but then that would defeat the object... I need to tidy up... there, I said it. I may be some time... if you haven't seen me in a few days, send out a search party! Have a fun day... TTFN!!

Hels x