Gorra Lorra Bottle... Make It! Take It! Challenge

...uh-oh! I am showing me age aren't I?  Remember the milk advert in the 70's?  Anyways, the reason I am waffling on about bottles is because this is the theme for the new Craft Stamper Make It, Take It Challenge which starts today.  CLICK HERE to see all the deets on how to join in and also all the super arty creations the DT have made too.

My project is a diddly little glass bottle that I bought about 251 years ago... can't even remember where I got it - in fact, I got three of them and they have just lurked in a cupboard ever since!   There are lots of different ways to alter a glass bottle... use papers, alcohol inks, paints... but how about using the fabulous technique from the one and only Wendy Vecchi?  Oh yesh, cover said bottle with her Black Embossing Paste! How fab this looks!  I opted to go for a very metallic effect once the embossing paste had dried... but imagine if you got some greeny colour paints and made it look like lichen and moss growing on the bottle! Oh the ideas are really popping now!  The paste was applied with a palette knife and to get the scluoopy (new word!) bits, I just patted the palette knife against the paste to make it peaky.  Once set, I used Florentine and White Fire Treasure Gold, applied with a brush, to add some metal effects.    The flowers are made by sticking some of Tim's new Wallflower papers to Clearly For Art blackout modelling film.  I stamped the flowers (from Studio 490 Live & Make Art set) and cut them out, edging them with Frayed Burlap to tone them in, gluing together and adding a little button to the middle.  I added some jute around the neck of the bottle and then used a little shield from Tim's Thrift Shop Ephemera, stamping the words from Tim's Little Labels stamp set.  The butterfly is also paper on Clearly For Art, heated up, shaped and then popped onto the bottle side.

Now I have two more of these bottles... so I am thinking I shall alter them all and have a little set of them to sit on a shelf somewhere in the house.   Don't forget to pop on over the to Craft Stamper blog to see the challenge details... there be a prize on offer too!  Thanks for looking and have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Craft Stamper - Make It, Take It Challenge

...tis that time again... oh yesh a brand new challenge over on the Craft Stamper blog... and the challenge technique this month is to use repeat stamping.  This is a fabby technique and perfect for jazzing up background papers and your own inky backgrounds too.  For my creation, I have made a tag and used Distress Inks and Archivals to make my background... here's how I made it:

Starting out with a Size 8 manila tag, I blended Antique Linen DI all over it and then blended Stormy Sky DI around the edges and in towards the middle, leaving some of the Antique Linen showing.  I then used Faded Jeans to blend a bit darker around the edges and finally used Black Soot DI to give the tag a frame.  Using a watermister, spraying water into my paw and flicking it at the tag, I achieved a nice bleachy splatty effect.  The repeat stamping was done using a really old PSX stamp I have - it was the second rubber stamp I ever bought about 271 years ago... and I still loves it.  I used Wendy's Cornflower Archival ink - this is perfect to go with Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans... however, I did a "second generation" print... basically, ink the stamp as normal, stamp onto paper and then onto the tag... this way the ink is slightly lighter and that is what I wanted as I didn't want the butterflies to be too prominent.

 
Adding in a smidge of black stamping around the edge always pleases my eye, adding to the "frame" of Black Soot, so I did a few impressions of the shabby diamond stamp using Jet Black Archival... and remembering to dry the ink too as Archival needs to be heat set to ensure no smudgey paw marks.  The big old butterfly is an Indigo Blu stamp, isn't it gorgeous!  That was coloured with the same DI's as the tag... and then pearls added to jazz his body up.  The sentiment is one of Tim's from Stuff to Say, stamped onto card, 3D'd and torn along the bottom for a bit of extra texture.  A few pearly swirls added a little bit of prettiness... and there you have it! 

 

Don't forget to CLICK HERE and visit the Craft Stamper blog... also, there be a prize for one lucky entrant too!!!   Today I am mostly going to be prepping for my class tomorrow at Neil Burley's Studio tomorrow... and also, playing with something *brand new* that will be launching at the Stitches trade show this weekend... ohhhlalaaa.. I am loving this new **********.... teeheee!!   Thanks for looking, have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

Make It, Take It... Ombre!

..cor blimey, I don't know where this last month as gone to!  Today sees a brand new challenge over on the Craft Stamper blog HERE are all the deets for you.  The challenge is to use the "Ombre Technique".  I have to admit, when Trish first told me the theme, I was like "Errrm... okaaaay... what is that then?"   I have been doing this for yonks and didn't even know it had a proper name... but a proper name it does have and that name be Ombre!  I am trying to work out how to put an accent over the "e" but I am too stooopid so if you say Ombre, say it like you would say "ole" in Spanish.   The challenge also has a fabulous prize attached to it... two of Kate Crane's brand new DVD's... go for it... and good luck, hope you win!!!

So, what does Ombre mean?  This is the definition; Ombre: A graduation of colour from light to dark or vice versa.  Easy huh?  So, armed with some delish Paper Artsy Fresco Paints, I got cracking and made my entry.  The colours I used (from dark to light, top to bottom) are South Pacific, a mix of South Pacific and Bora Bora, Bora Bora, a mix of Bora Bora and Mermaid, Mermaid, a mix of Mermaid and Snowflake and then finally, Snowflake on its own.  I used Cut & Dry foam to apply the paints, dabbing them on to get a nice blend line.  The base is a piece of old cardboard, stencilled with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Texture Paste and the TST Foxgloves mask and paint applied straight over the top.  

Once I had the painty background how I wanted it, I got playing with embellishments.  I had already made some roses using the Posey Patch Heartfelt Creations stamps and Teresa Collins Creative Expressions papers, and I am usually such a bad person, any stuff I make for telly shows that doesn't get used, usually goes into a bag and gets dumped under the Desk of Doom. Not this time, hurrah, I remembered I had made them so I used them up.  Being as the papers didn't really "go" with the background, I grabbed a Black Marble Dylusions spray, liberally spritzed the ink over them and then got some Antique Blue Cosmic Shimmer spray and slapped that on too (teckernical terms that is lol)  I popped them onto the radiator to dry too... I love using my radiator to dry stuff... it is a more gentle heat and doesn't change the ink colours that a heat tool sometimes can.  The radiator is minging dirty mind, so I won't be drying a white teeshirt on it anytime soon... although...   I added metal embellies, some are Prima Mechanicals, some are Idea-ology and some are just stuff I got out of the Bag of Doomly Goodness (those who have taken classes with me recently will remember seeing the contents of the Bag of Doomly Goodness tipped out onto the table and know how much stuff is in it!)  Finishing touches are in the form of Sapphire and White Fire Treasure Gold to add a smidge of bling.  Oh and the leaves are the Heartfelt Creations Classic Leaf stamp I had on the shows on Wednesday.

So, what you got planned for today?  I have got my "to-do" list out again... starting with Morrison's (wish me luck) and then a mammoth task of sorting all my boxes out... re-packing for my class in Hessle tomorrow... and then I needs to sit and make some Christmas Cards... still not made a single one!! I know!!!!  Baaaad Hels!   Thanks for looking, have a fabby day!  TTFN

Hels x

Take It... Make It!!!

...oh yesh indeedily, today sees a brand new theme start over on the Craft Stamper Take It, Make It challenge.  Do you fancy having a little play?  There's a cool gift (I wanna win it! lol) for one lucky entrant and also... we teamies chose the Top 3 entries and the winner of that will have their creation published in Craft Stamper Magazine!  How brill is that!!!  Although I am a lucky DT member for Craft Stamper, every time I am published in it, I still do a little happy wiggle.... there is something so amazing about seeing something that started life in your head out there, in colour, in a magazine!   Anyways... as well as my entry, the fabby gals on the team have been making some seriously stunning art.... HERE are all the deets for you to see.  The theme this month is based on Paula Whittaker's splatter technique article in the November Issue.  I, being one to love a spot of a splatter, leapt at the chance to join in... and here's how I made my tag:

I used a Momma size tag, this one is a Size 10 (the size 8 being Bubba size and the size 12 being the Daddy size) and used Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Gathered Twigs DI's to blend ink right over the surface.  I then filled my hang up with water and splattered it onto the inky surface.  Once dried, I chopped a couple of inches off the bottom of the tag and then edged the whole thing with Walnut Stain DI to give a nice frame for the design.   Now, I was lucky enough to treat myself to some of Tim's Layering Stencils the other day... thanks to Jennie from The Artistic Stamper for the, as usual, great service!   I used the Splatter Stencil to add some...erm... splatters!  Using Frayed Burlap for starters and then smidges of Gathered Twigs to darken the outer bits of the splatter.

No self respecting tag would be repleat without a smidge of stamping... so I brought in the very first Tim Stamp I ever bought... and this one was also signed for me... oh yesh, the very first time I met the Duke of Distress I mithered him to sign a stamp for me!  It is a woody too and although I loves my UM stamps, I do loves my original woody's.  The stamping was done using Jet Black Archival so it "pops" more from the background.   I added some more splatter using the plastic tube thingy from the inside of Cherry Pie and Black Marble Dylusions sprays.

I piled up some plain white flowers and sprayed them with Melted Chocolate and Cherry Pie Dylusions and then once assembled together, I added splats of Black Marble Dylusions and then some jazzyness with Red Firefly Cosmic Shimmer sprays.  Finishing touches with metal embellies and a sentiment and voila, one splattery tag!

Today I shall mostly been scaling the dizzy heights of Ironing Mountain... now, I loves a spot of ironing but this lot has been lurking around since we came back off hols.... well, I have been ver, ver busy since we got back *my excuse, sticking to it lol*  and I also have three episodes of Wentworth to catch up on, guess that is my afternoon sorted!   I shall away now... wish me luck, I may be some time!  Thanks for looking, TTFN

Hels x

Fancy a Challenge?

...I do love a good challenge you know... and when the lovely Trish Latimer asked me if I would like to take part in the brand new Craft Stamper Take It, Make It challenge which starts today, I say "oh yesh"  ... especially when I found out what the theme is for this one.   If you have already received your latest copy of Craft Stamper (July 13 issue) you will have happened across an amazing technique and project from Birgit Koopsen.  Check out Pages 30 & 31 to see her fabby step by step pictorial and stunning creation.  Skip across to HERE to see the new challenge post and artwork from some of the other Craft Stamper DT... and have a play, there's a prize in it too!  The Design Team will also have a look at all your gorgeous work, and choose their Top Three..... and the overall Winner will get published in Craft Stamper magazine! Yep, the winning entry will appear in the UK's number one stamping magazine! Did you see our first winner in print? Jo's stunning card was featured on page 59 of the July issue..... that could be you!

I have never heard of this kind of technique before... so I decided to follow Birgit's step by steps... and they are really easy to follow... and I made a bookmark (I know, I am a copycat!) the only difference is that I made mine and cut it into a heart shape.  My stamping was done with StaZon and I used a Stampotique Grass stamp for the background, a Darkroom Door butterfly and... the FAB new free cover stamp from the July issue of Craft Stamper, designed by Visible Image.  I love the sentiment, it is very special to me because that is what my lovely Dad said in his speech at our wedding.  He is a man of few words is my Dad... but when he does speak, you can guarantee he will come out with some pearls of wisdom.... bless!

Yesterday was... A.MA.ZING!  Seriously, I have THE best day.  Not only was I thoroughly spoiled... I also felt very much loved from all the lovely messages, Tweets, texts, emails, cards and lots of hugs dispensed by my *boys*.  We went to the Garden Centre yesterday afternoon and you know what garden centres are like, they have lots of goodies inside that aren't necessarily plant related... like some gorgeous nougat... (nomnomnomnom) and some Yankee Candle votives to add to my collection.  I am a bit of a Yankee addict you see... I spend sooo much time in the Room of Stash that I usually have a candle burning when I am in here (most days)  And... my fave smelly ones were all there at the garden centre... so they kind of fell into Grim's basket (teehee)  

 

 And... you will be relieved to hear that my nagging and sulking paid off, Grim got me a big bag of seed for the birdies!  And... he also got me some new plants for our summer tubs.  One is a fuchsia I have been after for yonks called La Campanella.  It is a dangly one... what is the word?  Oh my poor old brain has gone for a snoozle... well, it is one that dangles its branches over the side of the pot... you know what I mean!   Grim has very kindly sorted my new phone out so I can now take pics, do yonder t'internet thing and text... I still need to find my way around it but... I LOVES it!!!  Here's a pic I took on the old phone (not sure how to get the pics off the new phone, I needs Grim here to show me how to lol) my pressies.   TRAILING!  that is the word lol

Look at Mr Rusty Cat.. isn't he just the cutest! His tail is on springs too... keeping me amused

Today I am having a day playing in the Room of Stash, I have a few DT projects to get finished and then... I am going to play with my new Susan's Garden dies that I got yesterday.  Hope you all having a good day... tis time for me to inky so I shall away and say ... Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x