It's Showtime!!!

Hurrah and thrice!!! Today I shall be returning to the old tellybox on Create & Craft with ScrapBerry's... show times are 2pm and 8pm and the channels details are Sky 674, Freeview 36, Virgin 748 and FreeSat 813 and you can also watch live online HERE on the Create & Craft website.  Oooo and before I forget, did you know that ScrapBerry's have a blog?  HERE it is... full of fabulous projects from the DT and also a monthly challenge too!  Please do remember to take a cuppa and a packet of biscwits with you tho, you might be there a-while all a-gog at the beautiful creations!

Here are a couple of samples I made for the shows - the first one is using the ever so pretty and gorgeous Summer Joy papers and bunny stamp... there are three stamps in the collection... I love them all (obviously, cos they are bunnies and they are so cute!)   This one is made using the 6 x 6 papers, Bunny is stamped using Archival Ink and then I used a waterbrush and Distress Ink to colour her in.  I added little flowery stamped bits - again watercoloured using DI's and shabbied up the edges with a distress tool and some Frayed Burlap DI.  The bow is made using the shabby ribbon in the kit and the wordage is also in the kit... a bundle of pre-printed shapes, sentiments and more bunnies.  Sir Alan Rabbit tells me he is rather smitten with this little bunny girl :O))

Next up is the Mechanical Illusion kit.   Right up my street because it is all steampunkery and a little bit brown (you know me, I loves brown!)   I altered a little papiermache bookbox...  I just covered it with papers, added some Distress Ink, cut out some of the "oddities" in the paperpack and popped them onto the box along with some of the resin stickers, which are totally fab and match prefectly to the papers.

I really must get a wiggle on and get meself to bedsies... I have been faffing about trying get the old claws to look halfway decent, tis funny how gardening and papercrafting really make ones cuticles manky but it is worth it... you should see the size of my cucumbers already!!! I will try remember to get a photo of them before I scoff them all up :O) 

I hope you can join me for the shows... oh and!!!  My lovely American pals will be pleased to know that I am going to be on Create & Craft USA on Wednesday!!!  HERE is the American website... all the channel details are listed on there: Direct TV is 85/222 and Dish Network is 221...

Right, bedtime!!!  Thanks for looking and have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Rose Garden...

*uhoh, I am singing again, this time I am warbling away "I beg your pardon, I never promised..." I shall shut up now otherwise that will be another earworm day!*   Thank you all for your lovely comments, messages and emails for yesterdays shows.  I had a lovely time showing you all the lovely new Dina products and today I am heading off to Inspirations in Preston to get ready for a demo day tomorrow - I will be using all the lovely goodies that were in the shows yesterday, so if you are in the area, please do pop in to see me :O)

This is one of the rectangle frames that I have used singularly.  The paint is applied with a brayer and I got all flowery making the roses - I used the Rosy Posey die and the fabby Couture Creations papers for them.  The sentiment is from the Rosy Posey stamp set - imaging that instead of a birthday card... something to keep forever.

I shall away... super speedy post today as I need to get on the road - oh the joys of the M6 - remember last time with the 841 hour journey to get home!  Eeek!  Thanks for looking, have a goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

..Sample Time!!!

Uh-oh!  Tis me and my earworm again... I have even done a bit of the "Hammer dance" too, put me old back out but it was fun whilst it lasted lol    Anyways... today be the day that I will be on yonder tellybox at 10am and 3pm.  I had a few comments from peeps saying they're not in the UK so can't view the programmes... oh yesh, indeedily, you can!  The wonders of modern t'internet mean that you can go to the WEBSITE and click on the "watch us live" button and voila, there is the show that is on air at that time!  Clever huh?  All the other deets for the channel are over in the left hand sidey bar.

Here's another sample I put together for the shows - this one is using some lush new Couture Creations papers (love the lime green and black and white, one of my fave combo's) and I did a wee smidge of paper blocking on this MDF frame... and then did a bit of stamping using Dina's fabby stamps.  I *love* that sentiment... tis so true!

Just a flying visit from me today as I am scheduling this to post... and I am  just on my way to the nail salon... actually, it isn't really a salon, it is our front room, a bottle of clear nail varnish and a craft scrubbie to try and get all the ink and paint off them... wish me luck!   Thanks for looking... have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

...Sample Time!!!

*...der.der.der.der...deh.deh Sample Time!*  Oh dearily me!  Yes, it is that time again... you know, when I spend alllll day humming the same old bit from the same old song... MC Hammer's Hammer Time... feel free to join in with my ear worm :O)   Anyways, enough of MC Hammer and his baggy pants, let's move onto the purpose of todays post.  And that purpose be showing you one of the samples I have done for the telly box shows tomorrow (show times are 10am and 3pm and deets on how to view are over in the sideybar *points left*)

New stamps!  New stencils & masks!  Oooh, be still my heart!  In this world of craftiness and artiness there are a fair few designers whom I think are absolutely marvellous and Dina Wakley is one of those artists.  I was so lucky a few years ago, my friend Minxy paid for me to take a class with Dina -and poor old Minx missed it because she was in hospital :O(! - it was a great class and I learnt soooo much from Dina, she is a veritable mine of information and so sharing with it too. 

I was delighted when I saw that Dina has joined Ranger as a Signature Designer... and of course, that means new products.  And that also means that lucky me gets to use them for tellybox shows and have a good old play with her new stamps and stencils & masks.  I won't go into too great-a-detail in how I made this creation as I am planning this one to be my first demo, getting all down and painty and inky :O)

Speaking of demo's, I really should get myself a-moving as I need to get everything sorted, prepped and ready to be packed up.  I hope you will be able to join me tomorrow... thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Psssst....

....just a quickie reminder that I will be on Create & Craft today at 12pm for a two hour show with the Melting Pot, cute new stamps from Sam Poole, MDF shapes, paints and glazes.  I have got a sneaky peeky piccie of one of the samples for the show but Mr Blogger and Mr Laptop are currently not talking to one another so... unfortunately I can't show it to you!


Hope you can join me - all the channel details are over there *points left* and if you can't get to a tellybox, you can also watch online via the Create & Craft website.  Thanks for looking, have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Beautiful Heart...

...another sample from last Sunday's shows... this time an MDF heart.  I loves working with MDF, it is forgiving, sturdy to play with and also... such a lovely surface to make stuff on!  These hearts are part of a 6 pack and I just used my Crop-A-Dile to punch holes into the top to make the hangy bit.

Covered with more of the Teresa Collins papers (mmm, I keep banging on about these but I can't help it, I LOVE them!!!)   I wanted to make a nice background over the papers so picked pretty plainish ones, added some Frayed Burlap DI around the edges and then a smidge of Walnut Stain to darken it and then sanded to reveal the white core and making it look nice and shabby.  I used Black Archival ink to stamp the Eco image of the flowery leafy stamp up from the bottom and down from the top of the heart, zapping with a heat tool just to make sure the ink was set.  Stencilling with Distress Inks to add more interest and then the Small Polka Mask with Gold Pearl Texture Paste spread through to add the...erm... texture!!

The decorations are made from the smallest bloom of the Flora Grande Heartfelt Creations stamps - they are a bit of a fiddle to make as they are small but they are quite sweet... I made three, added in some leaves (Eco stamps) stamped in Wendy's Fern Green Archival Ink and then stamped a couple of moths (also Eco stamps) and popped those onto the heart with some embellies to decorate... and there you have it!

Today I am going to be pacing about, waiting for the phone to ring.. biting nails and pulling my hair out because... Ferdy is having major surgery today!!!  Oh yesh, he has reached the grand old age of 34,000 miles (wow! how many!!!) and is having his Cam Belt and Water Pump changed.  I hate leaving him at the garage, I know he needs it doing and I stupidly gave him a "human" name so I have gotten this strange attachment to him but...  all the same, I shall worry (yes, I am bonkers lol)  And, in true typical stylee, yesterday when I set off from home to drop him off at the garage, he failed to start!  Yep, first time ever, he coughed a bit, spluttered a bit and then the Engine Management light flashed a few times... huh?  Finally he got going (after a lot of revving and praying from moi and the light went out so I am hoping it was just a hiccup!   Anyways, to prove that I am not as bonkers as everyone thinks, I related this to the chap at the garage... you wanna know what he said???   These were his exact words... "well, he knew you were taking him to see me!"  See, not just me that thinks cars are either male or female!  At least he will get cleaned though... he is absolutely minging filthy dirty (thanks to all the rain/salt/mud on the roads and my inherent slatternly nature) and the nice garage chap will give him a spruce up *just hope they don't attempt to clean inside, it is a bit skip-like in there you know... well, it is my travelling "office" lol*   I shall away now... this post is being scheduled as I have my lovely Dad visiting us and knowing how we have a tendency to yak late into the night, I figured I would schedule something just in case I get sidetracked lol   Anyways...  have a goodly day and thanks for looking!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 294 - Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for all your fabby black and gold entries last week.   The theme this week is DIAMONDS - how you choose to interpret this is entirely up to you - add in diamond stamping, stencilling, diamond embellies, real diamonds ...   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 here to leave me a comment along with a linky to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via Facebook (tag my name on your upload) or by emailing a small resolution piccie of your creation to me.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 15th February 2014.

My entry this week is one of the samples I have made for todays tellybox shows.  I will be on at 12pm with Dean for a two hour Tool Shed and today I will be using lots of 3D stuff so you can see how easy it is to create nice bits of art for your home.  This frame is part of a pack of three that I have split down into individual frames.  The frame is paper covered, the gorgeous Teresa Collins for Creative Expressions papers, sanded, edged with Rusty Hinge Distress Ink and then cut up to make a piece for the middle that was coloured with more Rusty Hinge Distress Ink.  I overstamped the inky paper with a gorgeous diamond stamp from the show - Heartfelt Creations again :O)  using Wendy's Signature Archival Ink, Orange Blossom colour (which goes perfectly with Rusty Hinge, love this colour muchly)

 See, I am now a bit addicted to making these mahoosive flowers now and here's another one... and I will be doing a full step by step photo tut tomorrow on how to make them from the Flora Grande Heartfelt Creations stamp.  The leaves are also Heartfelt Creations, and yes, I cut them out!  A bit fiddly but so worth it as they are really pretty and delicate, these were stamped with Wendy's Fern Green Archival Ink.  A little pile of embellies hidden around the flower including Embellish Your Art and some metal bits and bobs finished off my frame nicely.

 
I really must stop gabbing and get moving... I have got a couple of boxes to pack up and pop into Ferdy so we are ready for the off in the morning.  I hope you can join me at midday and again at 5pm... all the channel deets etc are over in the left hand sidey bar.  Thanks for looking and have a great Sunday!  TTFN

Hels x

If I Were A Photographer...

...heeheee, if I were a photographer then you would be seeing perfectly poised and posed piccies but, I am not, so, you have to put up with these... erm... shadowy jobbies!   You know I said that I had some gorgeous Heartfelt Creations stamps onto tomorrow's shows?  Well, here's my FAVE!!!  Look at the size of this beaut!  It is a single flower stamp but stamp it four times, cut out petals, curl 'em, glue 'em together and this is whatcha get!!!  I LOVE this flower and actually, I am thinking it is my *new* favey flower!   I shall do a "step by step" tut on how I made it on Monday, seriously though, it is dead simples: stamp flower four times, cut out petals so you reduce as you go and you are left with 3, 2 & 1 left over for the middles.

Like the ickle stand it is sitting on?  Oh ho! These two (ooops, shouldn't have said that....) are on the shows too.. no assembling instructions needed, no glue needed, really simples!  I will demo one so you can see how easy they are.  I am thinking that maybe I could have a couple for arty stuff and then a couple as diddy little tables to hold little choccies and mini muffins in the Room of Stash... mmmm!

I made a bit of a boo-boo yesterday.  Crazy Old Bat Syndrome hit big stylee... I went off to the local Post Office yesterday afternoon as I had a couple of things to post (ok, that bit was a bit obvious but bear with...)  In our hallway is the little heap of shoes, I come in, kick them off and bung them under a chair (well, it is a smidge tidy)  So, being as I had a couple of things I needed to post and as time was getting on, I hastily put on my shoes and dashed off to the Post Office.  When I got home I realised why my feet felt "different"...   I loves my Birki's and have a few pairs... I don't think they are supposed to be worn like this though... mind you, I could be setting a new trend!!!

I shall away... I have samples to finish and demo's to get prepped in readiness for tomorrow.  Have a great day and stay safe and warm!!!  Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Sample Time!!!

...uh-oh... again, here I sit, waggling around on the chair singing "sample time" to the tune of Hammer Time.... I do it every time!  Now I have an earworm for the rest of the day.  Mind you, it is better than the song I woke up with that was embedded in my bonce, that was "Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo!"   Seriously, I worry for myself, my sanity and my dreams if that is the calibre of song I wake up with!!! EEEEK!!!     Anyways, today I am showing one of the samples I have made for Sunday's tellybox shows.  Now, as ever, all the channel deets/times and how to view are over there *points left* and I hope you can join me for a 2 hour 3d craft-fest at midday on the Tool Shed and again at 5pm for an hour of more 3d-ness.  This fella is SO cute!  I have had my beady eyes on him in the catalogue ever since I first started demo-ing the Pronty MDF and I am well chuffed that I have finally managed to catch him and put him into the tv shows.  He is THE perfect size, not too big, not too small... just right.

As ever, my fave techniques seem to come out all over my samples and being as I have the gorgeous Teresa Collins paper pad on the show (you know I loves that right?  what, you hadn't guessed?  teehee)  I decided that all those ickle bits and bobs of paper I have saved up because they are just too special to bung them in the bin needed using so I adapted the paperblocking technique... and guess what?  I found ANOTHER use for the Creative Expressions Clear Texture Paste!!!!   OH YESH!!!  You know I have used it to stamp with for a cool resist, use it on its own for fab textures, through a stencil, coloured with mica/paint/dye inks... as a collage medium to apply tissue... and... finally... as a SEALER!!! Oh yesh, my little old "wonder if..." nodule in my brain said that to me the other night... so I thought I would give it a try... and there ya go, PERFECT!!!

The flowers are more stunners from Heartfelt Creations and I coloured up some of the TC papers using Peacock Feathers DI.  Normally this kind of colour has me lifting my skirts and running for hills, scary bright colour that it is... but, as ever, it is Distress so it just doesn't frighten me 'cos it blends so beautifully and still has that muted tone that I loves so muchly.  You will also spy some Embellish Your Art and some Creative Expressions embellies... oohlalalaaaa, wait til you see what else I have on the shows too!!! *ya wanna hint?  Ok, remember the "owl clock" from last year? He might just have swooped back into stock ;o))*  Whilst I am a-waffle, check out what the uber talented Sue Wilson has been up to.  Oh yesh, our Sue has her very own die line for Creative Expressions that have literally just been released... she is a awesome designer, one day I hope to be able to create a card as good as hers are (think I will be waiting very long times for that though, I just don't have the co-ordination to make them so perfect lol)  Wanna see what I am going on about... CHECK HERE for Sue's blog and her special news!

I shall away now, today I am mostly up to my eyes in sample making for Sunday (erm yes, last minute Annie as ever, I blame the *bug* I had at the beginning of the week, fair did for me for three whole days!)   I shall sign off by saying... as ever... thanks for looking, have a fab day and I hope that the storms don't cause you any nasty damage!  TTFN

Hels x

Hazy Shades of Winter...

... I am a self confessed Winterite you know.  I loves nothing more than seeing chilly icy patterns on the windows, bright blue skies and spiders webs sparkling like filigree silver and hunkering down on the sofa with a nice cuppa and a furry warm AlfieCat sitting on me knee.  However, I have a complaint this Winter.  Plain and simple we have had not a single day like that!  Rain?  Oh yesh, deluges of it (mm, bit of an exaggerations but you know what I mean)   Everything is brown... and grey... and I figured that whilst I am writing my complaint to the Person In Charge of Weather, (known from here-on-in as the PICOW) *railway folks will totes understand where I got that from* I would show you a card I made for last weeks' tellybox shows... cos the colours match the weather (see what I did there... teehee)

Now, don't get me wrong, I loves the old muted beiges, browns and creams on my art... just not out of my window! (or worse, out of the car window!)  So, I decided that today I shall start up a petition to the PICOW... get Spring out of bed, wake her up, give her a good old shake and tell her to get out there sprinkling her bright green and yellow sparkles... and fast!   Maybe it is asking a  bit much being as it is still only January (just!) but hello?  Bright sunshine and frosty mornings have been non existant this Winter... so let's get onto Spring already... right?

I shall away now... mini rant is over but I am now wondering if you all agree with me?  Maybe we should all sign the petition and send it off... either that or maybe I should just go and sit and grumble... until March!   Thanks for looking, have a great day!   TTFN

Hels x

Oranges and...

...glitter!  Whatever next eh?  I have well and truly gone over to the Sparkly Side haven't I?  But then again, in my defence, Distress Glitter is rather delightful to use.   Here's another demo card from last week's tellybox shows.  This one uses Clear Texture Paste to hold onto the glitters and it was applied through the Flower & Butterfly That Special Touch mask.

I used several different colours on the main design so I got a nice light and shade look to the flower but if you don't want to have different colours, you don't have to... just use the one.   The little flower cluster was made using the Heartfelt Creations stamps on the shows, stamped onto cardstock, with Jet Black Archival, cut out and then coloured with Distress Inks with a smidge of DG in the middles using Glossy Accents to help them stick.

A short and sweet post today...  Thanks for looking, hope you having a great day! TTFN

Hels x

Sparkelicious!

Corrrrr Blimey!!!  What a fab response to the tellybox shows yesterday! Thanks ever so much to you all for your messages, Tweets, emails etc  It warms the heart of my cockles to know that you enjoyed the demo's and the goodies I had picked for the shows.  My card today was made using the gorgeous papers and Heartfelt Creations stamps...I just love those browns and cream papers in the Teresa Collins paper pad... very vintage and very me :O)

This is a 6" square card base and I cut some brown Bazzill and a piece of the paper to fit.  I always like to edge my card/paper with Distress Ink, this covers up any white cores of the card and makes the edges neater and a little bit distressed.  I used Walnut Stain to do the inking around the edge and then stamped the Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur stamp in Black Archival. A zap with a heat tool to set the ink and then I set about colouring the image in using Forest Moss Distress Ink, squidged onto my craft sheet and then painted in using a waterbrush. I stamped the flowers again twice on more of the papers and cut out the little flowers, some are really teensy but I think it is worth the faff to have them on the card.  Once cut, I used Walnut Stain DI again and edged these and coloured the backs of the flowers... again, a little attention to detail :O)  I used Glossy Accents to dot into the centre of the flowers and then poured Black Soot Distress Glitter over the top and tapped off the excess. I LOVE the Black Soot... muchly!!!  I then added a piece of twine and a Fancy Key and couple of the Sparklers/Dazzlers under the flower pile.  A sentiment from the Thoughtful Sentiments CE stamp plate and a bit of bling in the form of the pearl swirl and there you have it... uno finished card!

I am blogging later than intended today.  This morning it was time for Ferdy to go in for his MOT.  I absolutely hate that hour long wait... whilst the mechanic man is prodding and measuring and revving and testing my little car... but... hurrah and thrice!  He passed!  I loves my car (and I loathes the thought of mahoosive repair bills... just think of all the stash you could get for that!!)  Then I spent the day cleaning (I didn't say the H word... hope no one is offended lol)   and tidying and sorting and putting away.   Anyways, I now have a stack of cardstock cut and ready to diecut for my retreat classes this weekend... tonight I shall mostly be cutting and kitting.   I shall away... to cut and kit!  Once again, thanks for all your lovely messages and kind support, makes me very smiley happy!   Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

What Is Normal???

...indeedily!  Today is the day that I shall be on yonder tellybox doing a couple of Creative Expressions Stamping shows.  Times are 11am and 7pm and all the deets on how to view the channel are over there *left hand sideybar*   So, what is normal?  Well, normal for me is a little bit dull, a little bit monochrome, a little bit brown with a little bit of blue thrown in for goodly measures.  I guess you are going to be a little bit surprised to see this creation from my own fair hand....

Customary to the trend I seem to have set meself for 2014 is the use of purple.  And pink!  I know, whatever next... glitter?  YOU BET!  Well, it is Distress Glitter after all so don't worry, I haven't completely gone over to the "sparkly side" ... just a wee bit.  This was created using a That Special Touch stencil - Fuchsia - love this one because I love fuchsia's and now I have my greenhouse, I am planning on have very lots of them so I can keep them over winter.  Also appearing on this card are some Heartfelt Creations stamps (yip, loves these too!) and Distress Glitters in Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade and Peeled Paint. I will be demo-ing the technique I used to get the multi coloured image so I hope you can tune in to see it.

I really must get a wiggle on... tis nearly midnight and I have to be up early to get to the studio's and as usual, my nails needs attentions and I really should be getting myself some sleeps!  Have a great day and hope you can join me on the shows.. don't forget to email in if you can as there will be giveaways!   Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Dandelion Butterflies

...cor blimey, I don't know about you but this year is whipping past super fast already!  Tomorrow I shall be on Create & Craft again with two stamping shows - times are 11am and 7pm and the deets on how to view are over there *points left*   I have been busily beavering away in the Room of Stash making some samples for the shows.

Today sees my fave of the bunch so far... this one I have called Dandelion Butterflies.  I love the word dandelion - and I loves dandelion & burdock too... Morrie's do a lovely diet version of it too.  anyways, enough of the waffles... this card has been made using the Dandelion stencil from That Special Touch... and some Texture Paste... and a bit of Distress Ink and a brace of 490 butterflies... and... something else!

Can you guess what it is yet???  Something very unusual for me you know... but I am on the turn!  Oh yesh!  Glitter!  Distress Glitter in fact.  Mind you, I did have a wee mishap yesterday afternoon... when my clumsy elbow knocked the Seedless Preserves pot off my desk... and onto the carpet below.   A few curses and bleepy words followed... because I had left the lid off!  Yikes, the Room of Stash actually got a vacuum!  Well, it has to happen every so often right?   I shall away... more samples to make and demo's to prep... hope you having a great day!  Thanks for looking, TTFN

Hels x

The Key of Life...

...I was going to do another cheesy song thing again and decided against it today, my singing is even offending me at the moment lol   Anyways, another day, another demo sample from my Melt Art telly shows on Wednesday.  This creation was the main demo piece on the 5pm show.  As with the 12pm show, I decided to go with this new idea I have had... not making an "original" piece for the demo... you know, where I do the "here's one I made earlier" thing.  So, I prepped up this piece and just went for it.  I am still convinced it makes things feel a bit fresher...  

The base for this piece is a bit of cardboard that I ripped off some of the top layer to expose the corrugations.  Ooh, I likes that word... corrugations... it kind of rolls off the tongue doesn't it?  Anyways, once I had removed some of the top layer I set about colouring it with paint.  Starting with Mushroom Eco paint and then adding smudges of Cool Peri and Pool Dabbers applying the paints with Cut & Dry.  I also coloured a mini canvas in the same way so the piece had some 3d-ness to it.  A piece of cosmetic tissue, cut to size and then stamped with the Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossom stamps and a few CE Newsprint Flourish stamps, adding a bit of a background design.  I did the same with the sentiment... a single layer of cosmetic tissue and some flowers and swirls.  The tissue was applied with beeswax, I just love the way the wax makes the tissue disappear.. meaning you can get a stamped image perfectly onto the corrugations... mm, am so gonna be saying that word all day!

I made roses out of the Posy Patch flowers stamps and scrapbook paper and stamped and cut the Classic Leaves out and these were dipped into UTEE for the Faux Porcelain effect.  I dragged the metal leaves through the clear UTEE too so they get completely coated... loves this effect too!  The ickle Hat Pin was filled with Tropic Violet, Lapis Sapphire, Olympic Gold and Black UTEE.  If you use your Melt Pot lid as a template, pop it onto a craft sheet, draw around it, cut it out leaving a couple of flaps sticking up at the sides, you have the perfect way of lifting stuff in and out of the Melt Pot.  Placing the Hat Pin on the craft sheet in the Pot heats up the metal, then when you add the powders, they melt and you can swirl them around and make patterns... look at the colours in this...

I am back on the tellybox on January 21st... and I have a new-to-me product... you will be a wee bit surprised when you sees me using it you know... but I have to say... I lurves it!  Thanks for looking.. have a fabby day! TTFN

Hels x

A Million....

...Page Views!!!! *sang to the tune of a Million Love Songs by Take That... sorry about the whole changing-the-words-keeping-the-tune-thing I seem to be doing a lot of..... *  Cor blinking blimey and thrice alive!!!  I been mooching around Blogger this morning, you know, faffing about trying to get up the courage to actually have a jazzy background on me old bloggetty-blog.  And then I sees this...

Yeppo, flabber-truly-ghasted moment!  Over a million page views since I started this little patch of yonder t'internet I can call home.  Firstly, THANK YOU for all those page views! Sure made me smile mahoosively this morning!   Anyways, enough of that waffle... here's some more waffle about my tellybox shows yesterday.  Gigantic, ginormous, jumbo (wracking brains to think of more words that mean big starting with a J) thanks for your response to the Melt Art shows yesterday on Create & Craft.  I love doing the Melt Pot shows because each time there are more and more of you lovely peeps getting addicted to this little machine of magic.  I get lots of questions asked about the Melt Pot.. and I am happy to answer them, so if you are one of those crafters who own a Melt Pot that is languishing in the back of a cupboard, unloved, unused (and still in its box lol) please do get the little machine out and have a play.  And how do I know that a very lot of you are identifying with my description?  Well, cos I was exactly the same... then  Suze Weinberg was in the UK on telly over here in the UK and I fell in lurves with her and the Melt Pot.  Suze has retired now but she is still creating her awesome art, CLICK HERE for her blog... and do take time to go and watch her YouTube Channel vids too... she is THE Queen of the Melt Pot, I bow to her greater knowledge and I tell you what, I have been inspired soo much by her... and she is a gorgeous gal too... did I say I lurves her?

Normally when I do my demo's on the telly box I already have an "original" made.  But, I sometimes think it can look a little bit too prepared, not as fresh as I would like it to be.  So, armed with a big bit of "let's see if this works" I got together all the bits and bobs that would make something that resembled what I had in my mind... I do little sketches of projects all the time so I figured it would work, do  you do that?  When you sit down to make something, have you got an idea what the "finished" thing will look like?  I have always done it... I am interested to know how the minds of other crafters work... are you like me, with an idea of how it will look?  Or are you a free spirit with a "let's see where this takes us" kind of crafter?

Anyways, if you didn't see my demo for this creation, how I made it is simples:  pop some scrapbook paper onto some cardboard. Add a strip of torn paper. Pop a piece of paper onto a Nestaboard shape.  Add some stamping using StaZon and then set about altering it with Beeswax.  Painting beeswax onto the surface of the paper gives it a really lovely vintage appearance.  The flower is a pile of the Tattered Blossoms images, layered up and dipped into clear UTEE for the Faux Porcelain effect.  Same with the leaves, stamped in Fern Green Archival (this is my FAVE green every... thank you Wendy Vecchi for inventing this colour archival!) and dipped into the clear UTEE.  The Hat Pin had a die cut bit of card, stamped with another Tattered Blossom and coloured with Dried Marigold Distress Marker and then filled with more clear UTEE.  I added Saffron Yellow and Azure Blue Melt Inks to the clear UTEE to make green and then I dragged the little metal leaves through the UTEE to fill in the spaces between the veins... I LOVE this effect muchly.  And there you have it!


Right, I shall loves ya and leaves ya now... once again, thank you for all your visits over the years... I am still grinning like a loon that my blog has had sooo many hits!  Thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Tic Tac Toe

...today is the day! Oh yesh indeedily, my first tellybox shows of 2014 are today at 12pm and 5pm on Create & Craft... all the deets on how to view are over there *points left*     A yonk and a half ago I used to make these "tic tac toe" designs on an 8" square base with 2" square tiles.  And you know that "if you like this you may also like...." thingy at the bottom of all my posts?  Well, one popped up from 2008 and it was this style... and it got the old cad Mojo all a-gog!

So, being as I am completely out of 8 x 8 canvases, I decided to improvise and cut some mountboard to size.  I also cut some 2 x 2 mountboard tiles too whilst I was at it.  Then I got all painty with Adirondack Dabbers and coloured the bases and then set about altering them.  Five of the tiles have a napkin collage on them, using beeswax as an adhesive is so cool (or hot lol) as it kind of "melts" the napkin so it disappears and leaves the design behind.  The other four tiles have the Tattered Blossom Heartfelt Creations flower stamped onto them... I then used Distress Markers to colour the flowers (oh my, I loves this set!)  I seem to have gone all purple since new year - not me personally though, mind you, it felt so cold last night my feet could well have been blue!  Anyways, back to the art... I gave the base and all the tiles a nice layer of beeswax... I love beeswax, have I ever mentioned that??   I stamped some more of the flowers onto Teresa Collins/Creative Expressions papers and cut them out, glued them and then dipped them into clear UTEE in the Melt Pot to faux porcelain them... I loves a faux porcelain I do!  I added some embellies - using Majestic Purple, Tropic Pearl and Black UTEE's and pouring them into a Media Mixage Bezel and two Hat Pins - I removed the pins from the Hat Pins by twisting the pin around in a pair of pliers... they are nice and bendy so them do come apart quite easily.

I must away now... it is nearly 2am and I am just about to get my old carcass into bed... early start in the morning but I never sleeps right the night before telly shows so me not going to bed before now is normal... good job I am a night owl!  Hope you can join me today ... and don't forget, if you have a question, do please email in, we will get as many asked and answered as possible.  Thanks for looking, have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

Just Hanging Around...

...yipyah! And thrice!  Today is the day of my two tellybox Melt Art shows... I am on C&C at 3pm and 6pm - a slight time change to the last show, now being on an hour earlier than planned.  All the deets on how to view are over in the sideybar.  Today I have another sample to show you!

This one is a canvas board that I paper blocked using the gorgeous Teresa Collins Creative Expressions papers... I love how this technique uses up all the ickle bits of paper left over that none of us can bear to throw away.  Instead of the usual layer of Glue & Seal to seal the papers, I slapped a liberal layer of beeswax over the top of the papers... I love the muted and vintage effect you get from painting beeswax on stuff.

The flowers are Posey Patch from Heartfelt Creations and the leaves are also Heartfelt Creations and are on the shows!  Another thing you will see on the shows... a "back in stock" item ... oh yesh, we have Project Pans!!! Hurrah!!! As far as I am aware, all the products are now online on the C&C website if you want to get in early with your orders :O))

I shall away now, I have boxes to pack up and the most mahoosive zit on my chin that needs ten tonnes of concealer to cover it up... and with that delightful image, I shall say... thanks for looking... and... have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sample Time...

...and now I am singing "Hammer Time" lol   Goodly day and greetings from a rather chilly Room of Stash!  I have turned the radiator right down in here because... I have two Melt Pots cooking nicely and I was getting all hot and bothered last night... not to mention the lovely Yankee Candle I also have burning nicely.  It will be soon be warm and toasty in here though :O))  Anyways, enough waffle... here's a little schneaky peeky at a demo sample for tomorrow's shows.

I am on Create & Craft (all deets on how to view are over there *points left*) at 3pm and 6pm with Melt Pot Marvels shows.  These are my last two shows of 2013!  I can't believe how quickly this year has whizzed past... it seems only five minutes ago since we were all stuffed full of turkey and fighting to get the Christmas decorations back into the boxes they live in...

But indeed, another Christmas is fast approaching and I have done the sum total of nothing towards it... well, except the Stollen that I bought a few weeks ago that Grim put on top of the highest cupboard in the kitchen so I can't get to it without risking life and limb lol (he knows me too well, he does!)  Oh and Grim bought a Christmas Pud the other day.  But cards? Nope, not a single one made.  I feels I shall be rather busy on Thursday this week!  Anyways, I better get back to the Melt Pots... I have my demo's to prep and I needs another little play before I pack them up.  Thanks for looking... have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

A Bird In The House...

...and indeedily he is!   Cor blimey and THRICE!  What magnificent shows I had yesterday - thank you all for your support, the emails, Tweets (sorry, I am rubbish at Twitter but I thinks I managed to reply to you...) and messages too... you were all lurving the MDF blanks muchly.  And I do too... especially this 3D birdy house.  And why do I loves it?  Well, a lot of MDF/Woody things are already assembled, which is fab, it saves you the job... but that then has its own probs because you need to decorate it... and that can be difficult if the thing is already put together.  So, the cool thing with these MDF shapes is that you assemble them yourselves.. and it is a doddle to do too.  I wasn't kidding when I said about the chest of drawers with the dodgy front you know ;o))

The assemblage part of this bird house took place after I had done all the decorating... except for the roof, that was done once it was glued together.  Starting by covering the sides and front and back with the lush Teresa Collins Creative Expressions papers.  Remember not to cover the little insert tabby thingy and you won't have any probs with the assemblage.

I added some stamping to the sides using that gorgeous big 490 grass stamp... stamping with Flake & Glitter Glue and then gilding... and then burnishing to make it shine.  I did that on both sides and then set about decorating the front.  I used Jet Black Archival and a flourish stamp (loving those pretty flourishes) and stamped up from the bottom and down from the top of the front as I wanted the flourishes to pop out behind my embellies.

And now for the roof!  Well, I had this idea I would make it look a little snowy... so I slapped on a big dollop of Gold Pearl Texture Paste and patted it out so it was peaky... and then set it aside to dry.  Well, it did take a couple of hours to dry as that is a thick layer but I think it is worth it.  Just think, how pretty would that be if I had sprinkled glitter onto it too!  *wish I had now!!!*   

The flowers are stamped from Live & Make Art onto more of the TC papers and to make them more 3D I cut out a petal and pulled the flower around on itself to make it one petal less and more depthy.  (mmm, new word there!)  The ickle pearl was fixed in with Cosmic Shimmer glue - in fact all of the gluing is the Cosmic Glue - tis my FAVE!   I didn't have any leaves to play with so I mades my own just by cutting into the papers and then creasing them for more depthyness (mmm, another new word!)

On Tuesday night I couldn't get to sleeps... I was all exciteable (I usually am before a show) and I kept running through my demo's in my head... I can't switch off you see.  Anyways, that resulted in just 2 hours sleeps.  And I was up at stoopid o'clock to get to the studio's so yesterday afternoon, I got home and decided being as Grim is on nights and fast asleeps, I too will go and get some snoozles.  Which is what I did.  FOUR hours worth!!!  Anyways, after Grim had gone to work I was watching the tellybox and started to nod, you know that head dropping to the chest thing that is really annoying cos it wakes you up?  So I decided to stagger off to my bed and sleep. Which is what I did.. for nearly 10 hours!!!  And when I awoke this morning I seem to have had visitations from the *Goblin That Lives Under The Bed And Attacks With Mega Strength Hair Gel*... for my poor old barnet looks like it has, indeedily, been attacked with mega strength hair gel.  Also, the *Goblin That Lives Under The Bed And Attacks With A Sink Plunger* was also having a partaaaay too cos I look like my face is made of an inside out rubber glove... and with that rather gorgeous image, I shall bid you a goodly day and say... Thanks for looking!   TTFN

Hels x