Anyone Who Had A Heart...

...dum,duuum... tralalalaaaa... yep, am a-singing again!  Sorry I have been AWOL the past few days... I have not been feeling too well so I have hunkered down, took a few days timeout and enjoyed the nice warm weather and read a couple of books!  Now I am feeling a smidge better I thought I would show you what I got up to at Inspirations last week when I was there for a demo day.  As ever, I had a lovely visit there and it was fab to see so many lovely peeps who came to see me.  A special mention to Trish:  Trish came along to watch me demo and during the break for lunch she had a nasty fall and sadly couldn't come back and watch me finish this sample...  hoping that Trish is feeling much better now and is over her bump.

This is a lovely MDF heart shape which I covered with scraps of paper using the paper blocking technique (a fab way to use up scraps and HERE is the linky to the wonder that is Paula Cheney's website where I first saw this idea)   Once the heart was covered I cut away the excess bits of paper using a craft knife (and managed to keep all 10 digits!) and sanded the edges to neaten them up.   Next up came some texturing... using Dina Wakley's Birds stencil, I used Gold Pearl Texture Paste with a dab of Midnight paint in it to darken it slightly, applied the paste through the stencil and set it aside to dry.

The flower is a Die D-Lites Spellbinders Daisy... how cute is that flower!!! And how fiddly to make!!!  Thanks to the ladies who "beared with me" for this assemblage, it seems to take an age but we got there in the end!  Kind worth it I reckon as it is a super pretty flower.

Every bit of paper blocking needs some shading so out came my beloved Stabilo ALL pencil... it was actually Dina Wakley who introduced me to these little magic pencils and I wouldn't be without mine now... and I have scoured yonder t'internet and found the cheapest are HERE  :O)  I wanted to add a bit more dimension to the heart so I stamped two hearts and then stuck them to some cardboard packaging to give them a bit of "body" and cut them out, coloured them with Aged Mahogany DI and then popped them onto the heart, along with the sentiment, which is also a Dina Wakley stamp. 

Today I am in a state of much excitement and merriment... why???  Well, that would be because tomorrow is Friday the 13th!!!!   Oh yesh, I do loves the number 13, tis my lucky number in fact... and I loves this Friday the 13th especially as it is my birthday!  I shall be celebrating by dragging poor old Grim around several garden centres and nurseries, well, he did ask what I wanted to do... and of course, as it is my birthday I will be scoffing copious amounts of cake because, as we all know, cake on birthdays is calorie free... right?    I shall bid you a goodly day now and away to the Room of Stash for a little light inky and papery play... thanks for looking, have a grand day!  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

Sunday Stamper - Week 293 - Black & Gold

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for the lush orange entries for last weeks challenge :O)   The theme this week is a nice easy one to get the juices going... and as the title suggests it is... BLACK & GOLD.   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 8th February 2014.

My entry this week is actually my class sample for one of the projects that I am teaching  to 19 lovely ladies this weekend on my Middlesbrough retreat.  I am confusing myself already because I am scheduling this post (remember last week that Lionel Laptop refused to let me get onto yonder t'internet? didn't want to take a chance on being late again this week!)  Anyways, I have actually just taught this class yesterday (which is actually tomorrow because it is Friday now and not Sunday... yikes, confoooosing meself!!!)

I won't go into to great a detail on how the canvas was altered as that won't be fair on the ladies who have come along to the class.  You will be able to see the mahooosive rose though... that big one there is the new Tattered Florals die (about 5" across) and the smaller ones that look teensy are actually the regular Tattered Florals... all made out of cardstock to formed into the roses.  I loves making these ones as they just look so big and blousy!

I shall away now... it is still Friday and I have to get all my stash loaded into Ferdy and then get myself ready for the drive 'Up North.  Have a great Sunday and rest of the week.  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 289 - All I Have To Do Is Dream

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a VERY Happy New Year to you all!  Huge thanks for all your entries for the last challenge... I have a winner for the blog candy to be announced ... but more of that in mo!  Firstly, I am introducing you to the brand new theme for this week, in honour of the sad passing of Phil Everly, the theme this week comes from the song title of one of my fave Everly Brother's songs... DREAM.  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 then pop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  I keep getting asked about "how to see the gallery of entrants".  Well, there isn't a gallery, the way to see what other peeps' have been making is to simply click on their link they have left in the comments box.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via email - just email a small res pic to me or via Facebook, simply tag my name and I can view your entry.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 11th January 2014.

For some reason my camera is making it look like a fisheye lens....

Coincidentally, my Word of 2014 is Dream and I have been making this canvas for the past week... it is mahoooosive - the biggest canvas (12" x 16") I have ever tackled and I have to admit, I was really phased at first, doing something on such a big scale and all that... but, hurrah and thrice, thanks to the wonderful Craft Obsessions, my brand new Tattered Florals die arrived during the week... so that took care of the floral embellishment thing... ginormous paper rose!  Check out the size of it!  The little roses next to it are the normal Tattered Florals size rose that I make using the largest flower on the die.  WOW!  Here's the canvas before I got handy with the embellies...

Yep, fisheye... am rubbish at photographing stuff!

Oooh, before I forget... the winner for the candy giveaway from last week's challenge!  Well, there were 90 entries in total and I fed this into Random.org and he came up with the number 23... which tallies with the entry from LISETTE BAKER.  Congrats to Lisette, please pop me and email over with your addy and I will send your candy to you :O)

Moving on... and back to the gigantic canvas!   Now I bought this canvas about 261 years ago and it has been lurking under my desk gathering dust.  Last Saturday Ellen and I had a Skypey sesh but this time we just did our "own thing" instead of a challenge... and being as I was feeling brave *or stoopid* I decided to unearth said canvas and give it a makeover. This took me hours to do... I did take my time though, I wanted to make sure I got it exactly how I wanted it as it will be hanging up in the house... somewhere... when I find the hammer and nails.... lol

Of course, putting paint onto such a big surface had me shaking with fear, so I decided to go straight into my comfort zone and got out my gorgeous Kaisercraft papers (from Jones of Nottingham DT)... the papers are from the Art of Life and 75 Cents collections.  A spot of paper blocking... I know, I told you, comfort zone... and some texturing in the form of Wendy's lush 490 Embossing Paste and Tim's Layering Stencils... and then some stamping using Kaisercraft background stamps - I used Bubble Wrap and Diamonds and Wendy's Signature Designer Archival Inks in Potting Soil (bubble wrap) and Watering Can (diamonds).  I LOVE those Archival ink colours... and... exciting news... Wendy has 6 new colours being released at CHA next week... check out HER BLOG to see the colours (you will be needing them as muchly as I do!!!)

As mentioned before... the brand new massive Tattered Florals die landed on my doormat the other day... along with the new Garden Greens die too.  Now, as  you all will have probably sussed, I LOVE making paper roses.  I usually use the largest of the Tattered Florals (original size) die to make them... and sometimes use the Movers & Shapers Mini Tattered Florals too.  I made the new big rose exactly the same as I do the others... SEE HERE for a photo tut that I did yonks ago.  Make the big rose in the same way but cut a couple of extra petals so you can "fill" the gaps.. so cutting 3 and a half flowers is the easiest way.  I used the same papers to make them and then spritzed with Black Marble Dylusions and Red Firefly Cosmic Shimmer sprays.  The leaves are mountboard painted with Forest Moss Distress Paint.  Of course, I had to pile on the embellies - the word is made up from Grungeboard letters and coloured with Black Soot DI and the embellies have all had the Treasure Gold treatment, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Copper and White Fire being my chosen colours.

And there you have it!  I have finally altered that canvas... the big scary one!  And, I actually feel like making more of these big ones now... daring is my middle name (well, it isn't really ..it does have a ring to it though)   Right, I shall away... I have got tellybox shows on Wednesday so today I will mostly be making samples and getting all creative with the Melt Pot.  Have a great day!  Thanks for looking... 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

Sunday Stamper - Week 286 - All You Need Is Love

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Many thanks for the fabby numerical entries for last weeks challenge... I know I says this all the time but I do really appreciate all the entries every week, makes me smile biggly to see your interpretations of my little challenge.  This week the theme is... *can you guess it?* LOVE.  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 and leave me a comment with a linky to the place you are showing your entry so I can hop over and see your creation.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via emailing me a small res piccie (my email can be found by clicking on my profile pic *points left*) or via Facebook, simply tag my name in your upload and I can come visit you.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 14th December 2013.

Guess what???   This is my 1750th post!!! That is one heck of a lot of wafflingtons isn't it???  And I noticed yesterday that I have 1600 followers now too... THANK YOU ALL for  your continued support!  Makes me heart happy!  

Anyways, on with my entry for the challenge.  So, the theme was going to be something else... which it can be next week actually so I shalln't tell you now... but I started making my entry and I used this stamp from Kaisercraft and it just seemed the natural thing to do... use the song title in the stamp!  And as you know, I lurves The Beatles more than any other band in the world ever... so it had to be done :O))   This piece is actually a DT thingy for Jones DT ... my December kit is a bunch of beautiful Kaisercraft 75 Cents collection papers... and the colours and designs are just so me... perfect for a spot of paper blocking right?  I cut pieces of the papers up and then layered them onto a photo frame (this is one of the *sadly* discontinued RAM frames from IKEA, I have one left now... )  I always use Cosmic Glue to stick me papers down, in fact, I use it for most things but it works perfectly for the paper blocking technique.  Once all the papers were stuck down and trimmed up, I did a very light wash of Antique White Kaisercraft paint to knock back the designs a little.  A quick zap with the heat tool and then a roughly applied layer of Glue & Seal to erm... seal the papers. 
 

The centre piece is actually a perfectly sized element from the papers, I cut it out and added a smidge of stamping to it; I made a template of scrap paper so the stamping didn't over stamp onto the edge of the paper and kept within the bordery bit.  The stamp is Windsor from Kaisercraft and I used Wendy's fabby Potting Soil Archival Ink (from her Signature Designer colours for Ranger).  I stamped the butterflies again, cut them out and edged with Walnut Stain to get rid of the white bits around the edges and then layered them over the base image.  The word is stamped with Black Archival to make it pop.  Now, I have to say, I have always been a bit of a "stamp snob"... you know, always favouring red or grey rubber and whilst I use clear stamps, I am always left a little disappointed that they don't stamp too well, they squish when pressed or don't ink properly.  I can safely say that this is SO not the case with these clear Kaisercraft stamps... I have tried lots of them and they all give perfect images... and they are not expensive either! Result!    The flower cluster was made using more Kaisercraft, the paper flowers are Sage and I added Black Marble Dylusions and Antique Green Cosmic Shimmer sprays to them to add bling.  Then I popped lots of little bits and bobs onto the design and added touches of Treasure Gold to finish off.
 

So, what you got planned for today?  I am going all "domestic goddess" and cooking a Sunday roast... contrary to what I was saying the other day on the tellybox shows, I do cook other stuff other than sausages... not much else I hasten to add but I have this tried and tested recipe from my dear MIL and whilst perusing the butchery bit in Morries the other day I spotted a rather nice looking piece of Brisket... so we are having Slow Roast Beef in Beer for dinner... I am drooling at the thought... oh and I got meself some sprouts too.  Grim won't eat them, he says they taste like "boiled farts" ... not sure he actually means that, I mean really? Has he ever tried to boil a fart I wonder... I must ask him!  Anyways, on that delightful note *you can always rely on me to lower the tone lol* I shall bid you a very goodly day and hope that you have a nice Sunday roast to scoff too!  Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

The First Noel... **Plus The Winner!**

...I don't know about you but that festive feeling is creeping up on me early this year!  I mean, I am not at the point of contemplating Christmas cardmaking just yet... oh no, I usually leave that to the second weekend in December when I get all of a panic and go out and buy them (shock horror!)   However, since I bought the gorgeous Christmas Post papers by Craftwork Cards, I have been feeling ever so slightly Christmassy.  The other night I had cleared up the Room of Stash, done all my DT commitments, answered all my emails, done all my up-coming class projects... so that meant... I had some PLAYTIME!!! Yeeehawwww... I loves it when I get some proper guilt free crafting time and I made the most of it... making this piece for starters:

Using the gorgeous papers... and the offcuts that I always save, I popped them onto a 5" x 7" canvas, paper block stylee.  These papers really are lushness themselves and even the smidgiest of smidgy pieces is perfect to use!  Once the blocking was done, I used watered down Mushroom paint to blend all the papers together and give them a shabby look... and once this was dried I slapped a generous layer of Glue & Seal on to ...erm... seal (!) the papers, this not only means that they won't be affected by any water/humidity, it also means that if you make a boo-boo, you can just wipe it off!

I used my Stabilo All pencil to add some shading to the paper layers and then set about getting covered in glitter!  I know!  Me! Glitter!  I blame that Tim bloke you know... I used to eschew all things glittery and turn my nose up at anything remotely sparkley.  Not any more... Oh ho!  The new Distress Glitters are LUSH! GORGEOUS! LUSH! GORGEOUS! Mmm, you get the message I reckon!  Anyways, I cut out the Noel from Grungeboard and slapped Glue & Seal on it and then popped Tarnished Brass Glitter over the top and allowed it to dry.  I then grunged it up a bit with some black paint...well, it has to be a bit grungey ;O))  I then cut out the Tattered Poinsettia using more of the Christmas Post papers and added Holly Branch leaves and branch using Distress Core-Dinations.  The flower was coloured with Fired Brick DI and the leaves with Forest Moss DI.  A few golden pearls and a snowflake finished off the canvas... and there you have it... all things festive!

Anyways, I guess that I should get around to telling you who the winner of yesterday's Bezel giveaway is... so, I had 81 comments left, thank you all!  I fed this into Random.org and he popped up with the number 26 as the winner, this tallies with the comment left by Patricia Youdell   Congrats to Patricia , please email me your address and I will pop your prize into the post.

That's all for today... as ever, thank you for looking... I hope you have a fabby day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 271 - Waterloo Sunset

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

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

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

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

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

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 260 - I Dreamed A Dream

Gooooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  WOW! Thanks for all the great comments and fabby entries for last weeks challenge.  I will do all the winnery bit in a mo... but first... this weeks new theme... which is... DREAM.  To join in is very simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping.  Pop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog/picassa/web-photo-hosty thing, you can also join in via Facebook (just tag my name on your photo) or via email (simply send me an email with a photo and a brief "how you made it")   The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday June 8th 2013.   
 

 

I had a whopping 218 entries for the giveaway... so, to be fair, I allocated a number in chronological order to each comment in time/date order they had been made and anyone who also entered the challenge had their numbers added in the same way too.  And, all in all, 218 entries, which was fed into Random.org... and it chose number 111 ...which tallies with the comment/entry left by JANET from Dash-Paw Blog.  CONGRATS to Janet, please can you email me and I will pass on the deets on how to claim your prize!

On with this weeks entry!  So, as you know, I do love a spot of paper blocking... and I also loves a lot of those gorgeous new Tim Holtz French Industrial papers.. ohlalaaa (hey, I went all Francais then!) they are beautiful... I actually love the "backs" of the papers as much as the front, the patterns are a delight to see.  Anyways, being as I am a bit of a demon for papers, I bought two pads in one go (I know, GreedyBomBeady is my middle name)... so I didn't feel quite so guilty for cutting into the pad.

The canvas is my fave size to work with at the moment... 6" x 4" deep edge so I can get my two tone painty thing going on.  The papers were layered up, I gave them a light wash with cream paint and then a seal coat of Glue & Seal and then set about embellishing.

I made a rose from the Tattered Florals die (big flower) and used Fired Brick DI to make a little pop of red on the creamy brown base.  And went all out, gluing on embellies and generally having a ball... til I realised... erm... I didn't do any stamping!  WHOOPSIEDAISY!!!      I overcame that with some tissue stamping and a gorgeous Studio 490 script background stamp and some collaging with Glue & Seal... ok, so the stamping in minimal... but... well, I have had a busy week and I am ever so slightly dim... you gotta feel sorry for me lol 

And... another reason to shower me with sympathy is that... I have the mother of all sore throats... and I am getting every so slightly (ok, very...) worried... being as I have telly shows tomorrow and all that... and the old voice is kind of necessary.  I just hope I don't lose it (my voice, the plot was lost a long time ago lol) I don't think Grim would be very upset if my voice went, poor bloke would get a bit of peace... So, I shall be gargling TCP (no, I won't, I hate that stuff...) but I will be making sure I am all Tune'd up... I am keeping my inky fingers X'd that this is just a 24 hour thing and I don't start to feel rubbish too... cos at the moment, I wouldn't say I am ill... just a bit jaded.  Hey ho!  That is life!  Right, I shall away... samples and demo's to get prepped and sorted and of course, as ever, the Battle of the Fingernail will be taking place later when I try and get them from ink covered back to normal looking again!   Thanks for looking, have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 246 - You Raise Me Up

Goooodly Morning stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all.  Many thanks for the fabby entries for last weeks challenge, it was great to see lots of different interpretations of the theme.  This week is a *groaner* with the song title being loosely connected to the theme which is.... TEXTURE.  (I know, raised up bits lol)  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 with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog/photo-web-hosty thing, don't worry, you can also join in via email or on Facebook.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday March 2nd 2013 (March! Already!)

My entry this week is actually for a Pass It Forward group that I am part of.  You know, I love joining in with things like this because it means not only do I have an excuse to get inky and painty, it also means I get some lovely arty things from the others too :O)  Win win!   This one is a 5" x 7" canvas, which I paper blocked *addicted to that technique*  and then used some Studio 490 Embossing Paste and a That Special Touch stencil to add the "raised up" bits.  You can see that there's a lot of bling going on, that is the lushness that is Treasure Gold... I used Emerald and Florentine colours, just applying it to the bumpy bits of the texture paste and then I gave the centre of the canvas a liberal slap of Rock Candy Cracklepaint.  Once this had dried, I added a smidge more Treasure Gold, this time White Fire colour and then used my Stabilo All pencil to add shading around the paper blocked, erm... blocks!

The floral decoration are some plain white paper flowers (from Woodware) which I spritzed with Dylusions sprays and then added smidges of Treasure Gold to to jazz them up a bit.  The centre of the flower was sprayed with Cosmic Shimmer (can't remember the blue colour...) adding that little bit of sparkle.   The word is an ancient woody stamp I have, manufacturer long since rubbed off the side of it but it is one of my fave stamps... this was popped onto cream cardstock and edged with black paint.  Oh and the edges of the canvas had my usual cream/black two tone thing going on too.  Finishing touches were a couple of spritzes of Black Marble Dylusions and some embellishments.    I think the recipient, Sue, likes it :O)

Right, I shall away... I am scheduling this post tonight (Saturday) cos I am staying with Joan from the JoLLie StaMpeRS craft group and we have an evening of playing planned... oh and I am a complete do-nut... I have only gone and left my moby in my apron pocket... in the classroom... which is too far to drive back for... and I hate to admit this but... I am lost without it!  I know, I know, I am the one who is always saying "what did we do before we had mobile phones?"   Erm... I take it back!   On that *forgetful* note, I shall say... thanks for looking, have a fabby day... oh and don't forget to scroll back to yesterdays post with the giveaway!   TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 237 - P.S. I Love You

Gooooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy *it's nearly Christmas* Sunday to you all!  Many thanks for all your gorgeously festive entries for last weeks challenge.  This week I decided to move away from all things Christmassy... well, I know that some of you will be busy this coming week but for those of you who have a few hours free for a spot of crafting, I thought I would do a generic theme to whet your whistles.  So, the theme this week is... HEARTS.  The song is actually one of my all time favourites, you know, those feel good songs that always make you smile?  Well, this is one of mine:  HERE'S a link to YouTube so you can listen yourselves :O))  This song has happy memories for me, it was the very first cassette (oh dear, showing age!) that I got for Christmas when I was 6 years old... that was my very favourite Christmas, it is from Please, Please Me and whenever I hear that album I can remember me sitting in my bedroom feeling very grown up because I had my own cassette recorder!  Anyways... nostalgia aside and on with the challenge!  To join in is simples: make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog or photo-web-hosty-thingy, you can join in via Facebook or by popping me an email over.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday December 29th 2012.  *I can't believe that next week I will be typing 2013! Where did 2012 go huh?*

For some reason I am feeling all natural and am grabbing the cream and brown tones at the moment... could be that I have overdone the greens and reds for Christmas ... and I think that beiges, creams, browns and golds are my comfort zone... and there's no harm in snuggling into your comfort zone every so often is there?  So, I have a little pile of those FAB papiermache hangy things from PaperArtsy - I loooove these, they are the perfect size, they are smooth and they are dimensional.  This one I altered is the larger of the two sizes.  I started by bobbing a smidge of Black Dabber around the edges of the board and then glued some of that favourite Lost & Found Hallowe'en papers that I have been gabbing on about for a while now.  Paper blocking is so easy... really, it uses up all your little odds and ends and by giving it a quick smooth over with a smidge of Traditional Tan paint you can tone all the papers in together.  Once the Trad Tan was dry I gave the whole piece a good coat with Ranger Glue & Seal (think this has to be one of my FAVE products ever!)

Once the Glue & Seal had dried - which is a matter of minutes - I got out another old favourite, the Magenta stamp and stamped along the bottom of the board using Jet Black Archival.  You will notice if you stamp over paper blocking that because the levels are all different you will get some parts of the image missing... don't worry about that... because after drying the Archival ink, I used my Stabilo All Pencil and smudged shading along all the edges of the papers - this means that any gappy bits in the stamping are filled in.

I then laid the Studio 490 Heart stencil over the board and used another fab fave product - Studio 490 Embossing Paste (black flavour) and using a palette knife, spread the embossing paste over the heart... and then made some little peaky bits.  Whilst that was drying, I used the Tattered Florals Alterations die to cut three big flowers from the same papers and then assembled a 3d rose.  By now the embossing paste had dried so I got out yet another fave product, Treasure Gold... I used my finger to lightly smudge Onyxite and Brass Treasure Gold over the textures on the heart and around the edges of the board.

The finishing touches are the embellies that I loaded up onto the heart... and my final smidge of stamping - using Alpha stamps, I stamped out the words and cut them down to fit and blended a smidge of Gathered Twigs around the edges of the card to tone it in.  Blobs of silicone glue stuck everything in place and once dried, I added some May Arts silky ribbon to the hangy bit.  And there you have it!   I am loving those colours so much I might just have to go and make something else now!

Right, that's all from me for today, except to say... I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I hope that you all have your dreams come true.  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

P.S... 19 days to CHA!  *teehee*

And Finally....

...I got it done!   Finally, after much faffing and fiddlediddling I finished my canvas!  Oh yesh, indeed and thrice, it is finished... I am telling myself that because I really want to keep on adding to it and I am forcing myself to walk away from it.  Actually, it is just another excuse to not make Christmas cards! Last year I prevaricated until about 15th December and then did a mad frenzy of batch making and this year, L'il Miss Smug inside me was "ha, I am starting Christmas in September, you ain't catching me out again......"  ERM... wrong!  I am well and truly catched out... to the point that I am, shamefully admitting, thinking of nipping to the local supermarket and buying a box of cards!  I know!  I have tonnes of Christmas stash and just no Mojo to make cards!  

Anyways... forget about Christmas... see, more prevaricating (hahahaaa) and on with the canvas.  So, a few weeks ago you may recall I travelled up to Rochdale to spend the weekend with the lovely ladies of the JoLLie StaMpeRs craft group.  This was our Sunday project, a big old canvas and some fancy papers... and a bit of imagination.  The thing I loves most about this technique is that you can use any kind of paper and it really doesn't matter if it is trendy, new etc... this paper is actually an ancient Basic Grey collection - I thinks it is Stella Ruby but I might be wrong... and it is yonks old... and I just chopped it up, layered it on and then got messy with some Texture Paste and paints and stuff and then got all excitable with the embellishments.

I do love to over-embellish stuff... I have been doing it for years - if you check out some of my old tags you will see how much Idea-ology I can bung on one thing... and now that Prima and Artemio have started bringing out even more embellies, I am, so to speak, in embellishment heaven.  I started out a few years ago with a compartment box for my Idea-ology... then the Duke of Distress added more to his line... and another box appeared... and then there was more... so I got another box... and now I have... FIVE boxes!  I know!  I am a bit of a neat freak (don't laugh, I am ... sometimes) and I like each thing to have its own little compartment.  However, with the Prima stuff, I have Really Useful Boxes... and bung it all in there... I am loving those Zippers... just how cool are they!  And the ickle birdies!  So... Tweet... ahem *groan*   I used Treasure Gold wax to colour some of the resin embellies... and added smidges of it around the edge of the canvas to tie it all in.  The stamp has got to be one of my fave ever stamps... a real "go to" word... by The Artistic Stamper... fab isn't it!

Anyways... I shall away... I am scheduling this because we have an early start today... we are away to visit Grim's Mum & Dad and they live on the other side of the world... ok, Norfolk, but it is a beggar to get to... there are no motorways you see... all A roads, all of them usually full of lorries and tractors... so early starts are necessary.   Oooh, I nearly forgot... my friend Caz is having a bit of a giveaway... her clever son has made her a proper website HERE it is... and she is doing a giveaway... do hop over to see her, the website is looking fab and the candy is rather nice too...    Right, am away... thanks for looking... have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

On The Block...

...It would seem that I have become a smidge addicted to this paper blocking technique that I found HERE a couple of weeks ago. Yep, totally addicted. Mainly because it is collage, it uses my patterned papers that have been very neglected of late... and it just appeals to my inner control freak and I can add loads of layers and grungyness too.


This here piece is a 5" x 7" canvas board and I used some papers that have been nestling quietly amongst my paper stash... the Graphic 45 Hallowe'en in Wonderland pad. I have only used these a couple of times because I hated the thought of cutting into them... but time has come to be ruthless. I know I can't be the only person who buys papers and then is reluctant to cut into them... can I? Then I thinks "what's the point of having a stack of papers that I never use and will eventually be so old that I won't want to use them?" So. I cut them up! I used Cosmic Shimmer glue to stick the layers of paper to the board (tis the BEST glue) and then gave the whole thing a wash with watered down Traditional Tan paint (the BEST paint!) The darker lines around the edges of the blocks are done with a Stabilo All pencil (the BEST pencil!!) and I used a babywipe and my fingernail to smudge the lines up, you could use a charcoal pencil just the same though. Adding some texture to the piece is my fave bit, mixing DecoArt Texture Paste with Trad Tan paint and then smooshing through a Crafters Workshop stencil... love the effects that gives.




Another neglected crafty item in the Room of Stash is my Stampotique collection. I haven't had chance to play with these for a yonk and a half, so I inked up Heart Throb and coloured him with a waterbrush and some Distress Stains. The little Bat is from the Hallowe'en Cube, he is coloured with Pumice Stone and Bundled Sage DS. The sentiment, makes me LAUGH everytime.. makes me think about me in the morning, I am soooo not a morning person. Anyways... I you can see I didn't embellish the piece, not a single smidge of Idea-ology/metal/charms/beads etc... I am forcing myself to be "clean" and not layer so much stuff on.. not sure how long that will last but I will try... a bit lol All of the goodies used on this project are available at The Stamp Attic... take a trip over there to see the mahooosive range of Stampotique stamps that Wendy has in stock... HERE are the deets :O)) Ooh, and while I think of it... Wendy has been playing and has made an amazing tag... tis on her blog HERE... go and take a peek, tis LUSH!!!





I am feeling icky today so I shalln't stop and waffle (a tad of gastric flu has come to stay)... that there pic is (nabbed from Grim) the Olympic Torch passing by yesterday. Oh yes, two hours, in the pouring down rain... but it was worth it for the atmosphere alone.. all the schools in the area (ok, both schools lol) had all the little ones lining the route too and they were all cheering and making a racket which just added to the specialness of the occasion - oh and, we got a free bottle of Coke too from the sponsors vans that passed by just before the Torch (freebies... mmm hahaaha) Anyways, I should get a move on... as ever, thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x