Feeling Tattered...

...yep, that be me...but more of that in a mo!  But ... that also be the canvas I have to show you today.  So, last month, the one and only Duke of Distress (aka Mr Tim Holtz) issued forth a challenge... he said "make something using the Tattered Florals die".   Well, never being one to shy away from a challenge I decided that because the Tattered Florals die is my most beloved and used die from the Alterations collection, I would, indeedily, join in.  After all, it is a challenge and Mario (Mr BTS) also had hinted there be prizes!  Well, I had this planned out and sketched three weeks ago.  I know!  Three whole weeks.. that is 21 days of having the sketch sitting there, waiting to be made into something real.   I knew I would be coming to this canvas in dribs and drabs because of work commitments.  What I didn't factor in was my stoopid war wound flaring up and rendering me unable to even sit and make a rose!   And.. the deadline for the challenge has been and gone... alas, I didn't get it finished in time but... I rather like it so thought I would share it anyways.  (plus, being as I have been crippled with agony for the past week or so, I ain't got 'owt else to show you lol)

So.  My usual paper blocking (addicted.... to see the original genius who invented this technique CLICK HERE... her name be Paula Cheney and I have a craft crush on her art and genius ideas)   Anyways, paper blocking with some Bazzill Aged papers and then a nice coat of Mushroom Eco Paint to blend the papers together.  The next coat is my "safety net" layer - using either Multi Medium or Glue & Seal not only gives the papers a coat of protection, it also means that if you goof up any spraying or stencilling you can wipe it off and not make the papers yukky.  I used my Stabilo All pencil to add black lines to emphasise the layers of paper and then gave the canvas a smidge of a spritz of Black Marble Dylusions spray.  And, because of the sealed layer, if you do goof this bit up, simply wipe it off with a babywipe and try again.  Good huh?

Next came the die-cutting... those Tattered Floral roses I make are my fave... I love the big and blousy nature of them (ahem, bit like me right?)  I made three big roses from the largest flower on the die and then 3 smaller roses using the smaller flower on the die.  If you have not made roses like this before or are struggling, there's a photo tut in my left hand side bar.   Now, you all know I am a disciple of the Goddess of Embellishing, the one and only Ania Dabrowska (HERE is her blog) and I just took delivery of lots of her new embellies (actually, ok, I got the whole lot - stamps, stencils, papers, the lot... well, I sent those pixie fitting shoes back... the refund was well spent lol)   So, I used one of the new stamps that is also part of my Snazzy DT pack this month (HERE are some of the gorgeous creations from the other teamies)  I stamped the dots in black Archival and then heat set it - we got that sealed layer remember... and Archival needs heat setting on anything that is shiny or waterproof.  Next I set about adding leaves, cut from the Tattered Leaves set and then came the fun bit... the embellishing!

Now, I make no secret of my "word of the year" which is WISH.  And because I plan to hang this canvas in the Room of Stash, I figured that this word would do very nicely, so I die cut the letters using Grungeboard and the Word Play Alterations die... then painted the letters black and gave them a good old coat of Glossy Accents - which fits in with the Sunday Stamper this week ... and there's candy for an entrant too... deets HERE if you fancy a chance at winning some nice stashly goodies.    I used Florentine and White Fire Treasure Gold to add blingy metallics to the embellishments... check out the butterfly - that is a Graphic 45 metal butterfly, stamped using another of Ania's stamps using Black Archival and the little nut in the middle is an Engraver (Prima) embellie and it says... ART! Pretty cool huh?  Anyways, once it was all assembled and dried, I bobbed two Screw Eyes into the back and added some wire so my canvas can hang nicely in the Room of Stash....   I just wish I had got it finished sooner but.... 

So.  This old war wound has been getting me down for a few weeks now and countless phone calls to get an appointment at the Dr's finally paid dividends today when I actually got in to see him.   Seems I am in the middle of a "crisis" at the moment... because it is a degenerative disease, it means that I poddle along coping with the pain levels for a while, then it gets worse, I feel more pain, I then get used to the worsening pain and so the cycle begins.  This time though... I swear, sitting, standing, laying down, walking... you name it, it has been a.g.o.n.y!   Well, the Doc has said that it is another "crisis" and he has given me some more meds to take with the cocktail of meds I already take.  I have taken two so far and within about an hour of the first one, I felt able to sit and finish the canvas!  Yay!  I admit, I do feel ever so slightly squiffy... which isn't going to help me when I need to drive but if I can get the pain back in its box, I will be able to work around that.   Anyways, enough of my wafflings on about negative stuff... and onto the positive... I am getting myself ready for the Four Day Deal starting on Monday (yep, 1st April, I am not even contemplating any April Fools' = I am fool enough lol)  If you haven't seen the sidebar, I am doing a special Melt Pot thingy on Create & Craft.    Should be good!   Right, I have kept you long enough with my ramblings, I shall away to get some more art made before the pills wear off!  Thanks for looking... have a great evening... TTFN

Hels x

I Thank You....

...Today sees a brand new theme for this week over on the Gingersnap Creations Blog...and the theme is Thankfulness.

I made two cards for this challenge...one is a "reverting to type" card ... very much in the style that I make general cards to send out or give to Charity. The other is a bit more my style "now" cos, as you will see, it is featuring my fave Studio 490 stamps.

Card 1




As I said, my old faithful Brush Strokes stamps feature on this one, I just love the Brush Butterfly, it has to be my most stamped stamp ever ... I have used it so many times it is looking rather grubby and a little bit shabby but still gives a great impression. I used Distress Inks and the watercolour technique with the Fuchsia stamp and then added a Penny Black sentiment. The butterfly is jazzed up with Dewdropz and I added some to the side of the card too.


Card 2




Did I ever mention that I just love Wendy Vecchi's stamps and her style? I may have done on the odd occasion LOL Here is a card I made...Wendy provided all the inspiration behind this one...I made a little background piece of card ... stamping with Distress Inks, backing with Bazzill and then using a Maya Road frame for the sentiment, to which I hung a little flower charm. The big flower is made from Grungepaper (what else eh?) and the centre is from an old bracelet that has been butchered in the name of ART LOL

Thanks for looking...enjoy your day and have fun with this great challenge :O))

Hels x


PS 'Scuse the rubbish pics, I am sure my camera is on the blink ROFL

The Turtle and the Mouse

My very first Christmas card of 2009!!! One down, 200 to go LOL

The Gingersnap Creations team are being sponsored by Cornish Heritage Farms this month and I was over the moon to receive the cutest Christmas stamp ever...so I had to play immediately and make a card using it.




The image, called Turtle Sled actually launches today so you can buy one...I hugely recommend you do...cos I had such a great time with this one...and have used it more too! :O)) I used ProMarkers to colour the image, and even though the stamp is cling mounted, those clever peeps at CHF put a colouring guide in the pack...so I copied it LOL The little sentiment is also from CHF and is on their new Friendly Kritters Holiday Expressions plate




The paper is Basic Grey which I made a fancy border on using a Martha Stewart punch and cardstock by Bazzill and then a Prima fancy poinsettia flower to garnish!

Thanks for looking, have a fab day

Hels x

**apologies for the wonky photo's...something is seriously wrong with my camera...either that or I need to take more water with it ** ROFL

The Last Santa's.....

Morning all,

Here are the piccies of the final few card designs I have done for this year. I cannot believe that we only have a few more sleeps til Santa!!! Where does the time go eh?

I stuck to the same kind of theme right through my designs this year - mainly because it has been easier to do multiple versions of the same design and I really wanted to be able to send out handmade cards...I didn't want my pain to take over and stop me being able to do this!

For this card, the stamps are by PaperArtsy and the holly image is from the Tim Holtz Collection. Once I had stamped the Santa, I coloured him using watercolours and then layered up some mirri card and Bazzill for the mats. The holly was stamped using Olive Green StaZon and the berries are made using Ruby Slippers Stickles.





This one is made using this lovely Inkadinkado image, coloured with watercolours and then the border made as before. I added dots of Ruby Slippers to the holly wreath on Santa's head.





And finally! I borrowed this stamp from Andrea (thanks hun!) stamped him in black and then watercoloured him...the border is as before....yes, boring but effective!




Thanks for looking peeps. There will be a Sunday Stamper tomorrow with a little bit of Blog Candy to win too, so please pop back in if you have time :O))

Hugs Hels x

The Blue Santa.......

Morning peeps,

No, he isn't being all naughty and blue, he is actually blue, yes, really, he is blue instead of red!

I used some glossy cardstock and alcohol inks to make a background plaid pattern and then using the Tim Holtz Collection stamp of Santa from a couple of years ago, I stamped using Versafine ink.




Once the ink was dry, I cut out the image and layered it onto silver mirri card and then onto blue Bazzill cardstock.

I used the little holly stamp which is also from Tim's collection and made different borders on the cards.





I used silver Stickles to emphasize the holly berries, well, blue holly, silver berries, nowt unusual about that really LOL

Thanks for looking.....oh, BTW, I have finally made ALL of my Christmas cards, written them and posted them!

Am off to be smug for a while now :O))

Hels xx

PS - you can see some green on the photo's...that is my camera reflecting in the mirri card LOL

A Blue Christmas

Evening peeps,

Another Christmas card that I have made, this time a blue one:

I used a small piece of heavenly embossed paper, cannot remember who made it though, sorry - I removed the little strip from the bottom of the paper and didn't make a note of the manufacturer!!




I matted this onto silver mirri and blue Bazzill cardstock. I then stamped the snowflake swirl (Inkadinkado) using silver embossing powder to get a nice finish to the image. Next, I poked holes in the stamped image and threaded some fine silver wire thru the holes and added seed beads to the wire. I did this twice and then added a little silver snowflake button to one of the snowflake images of the stamp. I added little blue gems to the dots on the design and then matted this onto silver mirri and blue Bazzill. I got the idea for the wire threading when I went on a great craft weekend with The Card Studio - we used this stamp on a card we made in the workshop and used the wire threading technique then - I just elaborated a bit and used a few beads to make it look pretty :O))





The sentiment is by Penny Black, isn't it a lovely saying? This was then added to the card - matted as the others were. Finally, I used another piece of thin silver wire and poked a hole through the top of the card, attached a snowflake charm which I bought from Scrapz and then added more seed beads to the wire and secured it with a silver brad.

Thanks for looking and don't forget to read yesterday's post...Blog Candy up for grabs :O))

Hugs Hels xx