A Grungy Kind of Love...

...The Grungy Monday Challenge, hosted by the luverly Linda Ledbetter, this week has the theme LOVE. If you haven't seen the challenge before, do head on over HERE... it is a brill challenge, focussing on techniques from Tim Holtz and... it gets better because this week Simon Says Stamp are sponsoring the challenge! Cool huh? Speaking of Simon Says Stamp.. this week on the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge the theme is Anything Goes... so... I am entering this tag into that too :O))


The tag is a simple quicky one... I have had the new Mini Tattered Florals Movers & Shapers for a month now and apart from making one rose, I haven't done anything else with it... so I was itching to have a play... and being as the theme is love, I used some papers from the Shabby Vintage paper stack to cover the tag and to make the roses.




The tag paper is the grey one from the stack and I edged it with Aged Mahogany DI... and then sanded the edges... which is what I did with the roses too... forgot to say that lol I used some of the diamond patterned paper, cutting into it and then popping this across the bottom of the tag and then colouring some Trim with Victorian Velvet Stain and I added a few little brads to the middles of the flowers. I bobbed a piece of Film Strip under the roses to make a little banner... I like the extra texture that this adds to the tag.




Super speedy post from me today... I have some stuff to list on eBay and it isn't listing itself... thanks for looking... hope you having a grand day ... TTFN!

Hels x

Grungy... Ruffles...

..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

Do You Want To Know A Secret?

...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

Grungy Glitter...

...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

Happy Birthday Tim!

...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

Grungy...

Cor blimey and thrice indeedily, it is weeks since I had the chance to join in with my favourite challenge, Grungy Monday. Thought up and hosted by the lovely Linda Ledbetter, this challenge focuses on the amazing techniques and products from the one and only Tim Holtz.. or, to give him is proper title, THE Duke of Distress. This week the challenge theme is a technique on one of Tim's Tags of Christmas - the deets of which are HERE.


So... I quite clearly remember making this tag the first time around... and goofing it up a bit and not being 100% happy with it. Hang on, I am going to go and see if I can find it in the archive... brb lol Right... am back, how clever was I to do a label that says "Twelve Tags of Christmas 2009" aha, I must have known I would need it one day. Anyways.. here is the LINK to the post. A little known fact... is... I love a good "copy" crafting time. So, when Tim does the 12 Tags, I always try and copy them exactly. Tisn't easy sometimes because I might not have the stash I need... this year I have been like a squirrel storing his nuts (snort) and have been collecting loads of Christmas stashly goodies... I hope Tim gets chance to do the 12 Tags again this year.. they are the best!


My tag was made pretty much in the way the original was made... I just added one of those new Christmas Adornments (which I lurve btw) and a Christmas Muse Token too. I used my fave Santa... I call him Santa Bellamy because I think he looks like David Bellamy (for readers not of my age and not from the UK, HERE is a link to a piccie of David)




Oooh, before I forget... I have just posted over on The Stamp Attic blog... I have finally got my act together and got my class samples photographed... all the deets for the classes are HERE at The Stamp Attic shop... and... sneak peek pics and a few words about them are HERE on The Stamp Attic blog. Right... tis time for me to get a wiggle on... I have got my Christmas head on and I have a hankering for some tag-making. Thanks for looking! TTFN

Hels x

The Return Of Grungy Monday...

...Hurrah and thrice! The Grungy Monday Challenge has been on a break for what seems like a yonk and a half and yipyah, it has returned this week with the theme Hallowe'en. If you haven't heard about this challenge before, speed off on this link to see my lovely Ranger Sister, Linda Ledbetter... all the deets for the challenge are HERE. The challenge focuses on the techniques and products from the one and only Duke of Distress... and knowing how much we all love him, I am sure that there's more than just me happy to see the challenge return!




Anyways... my entry is a tag... nowt new there then! I did a quick resist using the Spider Web and clear embossing powder... and therein lies a lesson... always clean your stamps when you have finished with them... because tag numero uno ended up in the bin. I stamped, embossed, then dropped the stamp onto the tag... "ah, it is clear, it won't show at all" I says to my AlfieCat who happened to be supervising. Wrong! The clear ink left its impression and when I went to blend Distress Inks over the top it kind of smudged in and looked like nowt on this Earth lol



Never mind... I re-did it and used those GORGELUSH new Seasonal Distress Inks to colour the tag... I added in some Aged Mahogany and Wild Honey too... but wow, they are so bright and vivid... perfect for this time of year... ahem, that would make sense then! The skelington is stamped onto Grungepaper with white Dabber, embossed with clear and cut out. The papery bits are from the Seasonal Stash and the big spidey is a new Tim Alterations die... covered with Rock Candy Stickles. Not sure why I did that but I like him :O))



So... today... yes, today is the day! Oh yesh, today is the day that I fly to America (yes, I have polished off the broomstick in preparation lol) I am rushing about like a loon trying to remember everything I need to take with me and... I have butterflies the size of Teradactyls whizzing around in my tummy. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind flying, not at all... I just get reaaallllly bored and end up clock watching the whole time. I am hoping for some sleep, a decent film and keeping my interest in my book to help pass the time. Thing is, I am always paranoid that if I fall asleep I will end up snoring and drooling and wake up with my head on the shoulder of the person next to me. Right, on that rather lovely image, I shall say... the next time I post I will be in America... with my BFF Ellen... and getting ready to meet my crafting "heroine"... the one and only.... Wendy Vecchi!!!! Eeeeeee, I had better get a move on... I still have to...erm... pack... well, the majority of the stuff is next to the case, it just needs to flip itself in to the case. Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Grungy Rockin'...

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


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

Tag before the stamping :O)

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



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



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


Hels x

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

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



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




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




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




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

Hels x

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

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



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




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



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

Hels x

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

Grungy...

...cor blimey and thrice! Another week has whipped by and it is time for another gloriously gorgeous Grungy Monday challenge. I know I say this every week... but... indulge me do... this challenge is devised and hosted by the lovely Linda Ledbetter (she is, believe me, really lovely, I know that because I spent Ranger U with her :O)) Anyways... the Grungy theme this week is based on THIS technique from the one and only Tim Holtz... and the deets are HERE about how to join in etc.



So... I had every intention of getting cracking on the new theme as soon as it was published this week because, let's face it, it is a few days (nay hours) since I made a tag and I was suffering withdrawal symptoms... and then... I got a better offer! I know! Better than sitting getting inky! I got the chance to leap (ok, I don't leap but imagine if I did) into the car and go to visit my lovely Mum & Dad-In-Law yesterday afternoon. I am all of a quiver because Grim has a couple of weeks off and I am revelling in the fact that he is home with me.... awwww.... sorry for going all gooey there lol



Anyways... a lovely afternoon spent with my in-laws and then home to a lovely chattering Skype session with my American sister, Ellen - who BTW has been making some extremely gorgeous stuff lately - do pop and see her blog cos it is nectar for the eyes.... blimey, talk about tangents and me waffling... anyways... I finally got stuck into getting inky around midnight last night and then the sleep fairy came and waved her wand and I had to give up half way through, something I rarely do with a tag! When I came back into the Room of Stash this morning I just had to sit and play because, of course, it would have been rude not to. So... the technique... I love this one, in fact, I hardly ever use it which is just plain wrong because it is a fabby way to get inkyness onto card or paper. Speaking of paper... I got all exciteable and decided to see if I could use the technique on Kraft Glassine... oh yesh indeedily, it works! More subtle of course because of the nature of the Glassine... buuuut, I love it! I used an eeny weeny flourish stamp to cover the Glassine with dabbered images and then went bonkers with the spritzing... And then zapped it all with a heat gun... coolio! I die cut the Glassine and made a flower using the Tattered Florals Die.




The colours I used are: Aged Mahogany with Perfect Gold, Tumbled Glass with Blue Raspberry and Wild Honey with Perfect Bronze... mmmm, lushness indeedily. I also used Snowcap Dabber to paint over the metal Foliage, gave it a zap with the heatgun and then gave the flowers a spritz with the colours... mmmm, liking this look! Oh and I used the Snowcap Dabber to paint onto the Nib and Trinket Pin... so it sits in the debossed words and once it is wiped off it looks like it should be there. The butterfly was made the same way as the technique, I just cut it out and edged with Black Soot DI before popping it onto the tag. Oh and I made a little banner to go along the bottom of the tag using left over Glassine and cutting it like a fishy tail on the ends.




Anyways, you might have been able to guess that I am ever so slightly (insanely) excited today... because... Victor MkII is arriving!!! OOOOhhh, I have been missing my Victor soooo much and today his replacement should arrive and I can once again cut things out of mountboard and Grungeboard... I am just too much of a weed to be able to cut it using the Bug. Right... time to get inky again... I have an urge to make stuff!!! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Grungy Alcoholic...

...that sounds like a tramp doesn't it? lol Weeeeell, this is my entry for the Grungy Monday challenge, hosted by the ever so lovely Linda Ledbetter, HERE are all the deets for the challenge this week which is based around THIS technique from the inimitable Tim Holtz.



I feel like I should be standing up now and saying "My name is Hels and I am an Alcohol Ink addict" ... you see, I do rather love Alcohol Inks because not only are they versatile and come in amazing colours, but also... don't tell anyone but... I love their smell! Don't get me wrong, I don't make a habit of sitting and sniffing the ink bottles but when I am using them I do like to cop the odd whiff lol



So... my tag, cut using the ancient and falling from together Cuttle Bug... thank the lordy above that I didn't get rid of it when the now deceased and dispatched Victor Vagabond - I am waiting on my replacement arriving so Claude CuttleBug will have to suffice... anyways... the tag, cut out of Glossy Card and then attacked with various colours of Alcohol Ink. Then blended and then "flicked" with Blending Solution so it looks like raindrops to compliment my Brolly Man friend there with his..erm... brolly! He is made from Grungeboard and coloured with Stormy Sky DI. I naffed up the brolly cutting out part, hence the broken stem and jaunty angle... I rather like that though, it looks like he is in a storm.. or has wind lol



I also overstamped the background with a little speckle stamp and paint dabber... namely my fave blue paint in the world... Spice Tin from Jenni Bowlin's range for ... Ranger! LOVE that colour, tis lush indeedily. The seam binding was coloured with Alcohol Ink and scrunched but it didn't stay scrunched for long... wondering why it does with Distress but not Alcohol... probably something scientific that would go right over my bonce if ever anyone tried to explain it to me.


As well as getting inky with this tag, I also got inky with some Studio 490 stamps, Art Part and other stashly goodies for my DT piece for The Stamp Attic... all the deets and more piccies are HERE on the blog... Right, time for me to get a move on and get inky making tomorrows Sunday Stamper... thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

It's Grungy Monday...

...time again! Yeehawwww!!! Tis time for the Grungy Monday challenge again and this week my lovely Ranger Sister, Linda Ledbetter, has pulled a fantastic technique out of the archives of the one and only Tim Holtz. HERE are all the deets of the challenge.... and HERE is the link to the technique on the Duke of Distress' blog.




Now, I have never tried this technique before... and I had to do a couple of dry runs - mainly because I couldn't get the embossing right. No matter how many times I did the whole ink, stamp, sprinkle, heat thing, I just could not get it to go right... I know! Who knew embossing could be such a pain in the bum! The first three efforts were, for want of a better word, cack! The embossing powder was over cooking and soaking right into the paper... so when the Espresso Dabber went on, it just looked like seven shades of... erm... poo!


Finally... I got it sussed... I was holding the heatgun too close to the paper and spending too much time trying to melt one patch of it. I have been embossing for 832 years and have never had a problem before... so I am blaming the new heatgun I have (ahem, a poor workman always blames his tools and all that) it is a lot more hotter (oh how my English teacher would cringe if he read that). Anyways... enough waffling. This tag is TOTALLY inspired by the tag on the technique by the Emperor of Embossing... you see, I have the papers! I know! Not often do I get chance to use up papers that have been lurking in my stash for 284 years... but yep! Yeehawwww indeedily because I just knew that one day I would use those Wanted papers from Crate Paper. Actually, I did use them eleventy-hundred years ago when I made a card with them.. but alas, they have been neglected. So, now I know this technique, I will be using it... again... and again... and again!



So... I copied the tag Tim made... cheating I know.. but sometimes you know you just see something that is perfect and this design is that. I love to make stuff that has pockets, layers and pouchy things... and the pouch at the bottom of the tag is a FAB idea... I used the new Pennants On The Edge die to make that... I thought that the diamond shape tied in nicely with the rest of the design... and of course, because I can't seem to make anything that doesn't feature a flower and Idea-ology I got stuck in with that too. I tell you what, I loved making this tag... I had the best fun, even though I mucked it up several times... and I now have an idea to challenge myself... to use this technique on loads of different papers I have... nay and thrice, I could make a series of tags... oooh, you see, one nugget of inspiration lodges in my bonce and there is no stopping me...




Well, I have waffled on enough for one day... apologies for the shortest post ever yesterday (if you haven't seen it, I am giving away a tag on it :O))... and for no post at all on Tuesday... you see, these new meds are playing havoc! Not only was I walking around like a zombie and falling asleep at the drop of a hat, I was also suffering with the mother of all headaches... like 52 hours worth of headache. I think I am starting to get used to them now but on Saturday I have to up the dose again! Eeeek!!! I wouldn't mind if they actually were making a difference but they aren't... at the moment... guess it may take a while, who knows. Anyways... I have waffled on even more now lol Time to get inky again... and painty... more tags to make lol Right... offski... thanks for looking... have a grand day... TTFN

Hels x