Thursday 31 January 2008

Why are men so.....

annoying?? I was very pleased with myself yesterday having made lots of crafty things. Yet I showed my hubby the door hanger I made Abbi and he was completely uninterested. So I said don't you like it? And he said I have no feelings either way about it. How to make me feel great in one easy step. Men eh?


Made me think of this knife block we saw in Montmartre on holiday last summer. LMAO!




Wednesday 30 January 2008

Sunday Stamper!

Have also had chance to have a go at Hels (Pinkle) Sunday stamper challenge which was to get inky and messy with the theme of "love" This is what I've made.

I found a box that I bought in 2006 so decided to use it for the challenge. I painted it inside and out with gold acrylic paint dabber (and a paintbrush for the nooks and crannies). I used basic grey blush papers to decorate the box (I didn't want to cover it completely I like the gold showing too). I stamped using paperartsy stamps love you more in gold ink and embossed in gold on the lid. The house image was stamped twice on 2 different papers with red door and roof cut out and stuck over patterned paper. I used red ribbon round the lid and stuck a flower & brad over the join. A heart image was stamped on each side using stazon black ink. Thats it. Perhaps I will put some chocolate treats in it for my OH on valentines day (if he behaves himself)











Crafterama

My little girl is poorly today so I have had to keep her off school (which means I am off work!). She has been lying on the sofa all day bless her. She's still in her pyjamas and is watching a succession of DVD's (currently Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). So I have taken this opportunity to do some crafting and get stuck into a couple of projects. A couple of friends from craft swap forum have got birthdays coming up so I've made a couple of cards and also a little treat for Abbi to cheer her up a bit.


For this first card I used some basic grey paper as a backing. I took some white card and applied distress inks with a baby wipe in colours to tone with the backing paper. I then dried the card and stamped the lady image (Paperarsty) with black stazon ink. I tore around the stamped image and then inked around the edges with distress inks. Next I embossed some more white card with the cuttlebug birthday embossing folder, then coloured the card with the same distress inks as before. After it had dried I went over the embossed bits with black stazon. I wanted an inky messy look and I think that's what I got! I tore around a small section of the embossed card and inked the edges with distress ink. The picture and greeting were then adhered to the card. I attached 3 eyelets with my cropadile and tied some bronze ribbon through them. The whole card was edged with gold krylon.


I used the same basic grey paper as a backing for this card, then stamped this pretty lady (from paperartsy) on some contrasting paper using black stazon. I also stamped "my friend" on the same paper. These were mounted on contrasting cardstock and attached to the card. I took a white flower and coloured it with distress inks. I turned a yellow brad into a reddish brad by inking in red and embossing with clear powder. The whole card was edged with gold krylon.



I thought I'd play with my one and only Tilda stamp again today (she is lonely I really need to buy some more!). I stamped her twice - once onto white card and once onto patterned paper. I painted her using marvy le plume pens and cut her out. I cut her pinafore out of the pattered paper image and stuck onto the painted image. I used shabby chic (I think) papers for this card. The backing paper matches part of her dress. I doodled around the outside of the card and also a rectangle of pink bazzill (I drew round the stazon lid to get the shape). Tilda and bazzill card were attached to the front of the card along with a pink bloom and a birthday greeting. I added a couple of ribbons top left threaded through an eyelet.


Lastly was the treat for Abbi to make her feel a bit better. I hand drew a heart on some heavy weight cardstock, then drew round it again on the same cardstock so I had 2 hearts the same. I stuck them together to make a fairly sturdy heart and covered both sides with DCWV pocket full of posies papers. I used (for the first time!) a sizzix sizzlet die I bought last year at a craft show. I cut the little girl out of pink bazzill cardstock which is too thick for it unfortunately. I had to go round it with a craft knife to cut it out properly. As I didn't have coloured papers to hand, I coloured her in with marvy pens rather than cutting her out again in different colours. Once coloured I stuck her to the heart. I cut out letters using Quickkutz moxie alphabet dies to make the word sleeping and also some zzzzzzz. I glued them on and then glittered them. I also added a heart die cut and a bow die cut that came as embellishments with a craft magazine.



For the other side of the heart, I brought out good old Tilda, stamped again on white card and patterned paper. I painted her with marvy pens and cut her out, then cut the pinafore out of the patterned paper and stuck it on her. I glued her onto the card, then added "play time" (again using moxie dies) and glittered the words and the pinafore. Added 3 little flowers top left with jewel centres and edged it all in gold krylon to make the edges look neater. I added 2 eyelets and threaded pink gingham ribbon (free gift with a craft magazine) through to make a door hanger. Abbi loves it!

Sunday 27 January 2008

30th Anniversary card

In a word - NIGHTMARE! My first commission for a card and it is for a man (1st nightmare) and it has to have a motorbike on it (2nd nightmare!). I have spent the last week stressing about this and am still worried she won't like what I have done. Hmmmm.

This is the first thing I have made in a week (I tell a lie, I started a small canvas but abandoned it for now as it wasn't turning out as I wanted). The trouble with me (as I'm sure with a lot of crafters) is that I often think a lot of my work is crap! So I've had a few days off.
I had a short deadline for this card so had to get cracking. It's A5 size black cardstock with the front covered in some love themed 7Gypsies papers. I doodled a narrow frame on black card with white sakura pen and then cut it out with a craft knife and adhered to front of card. Cut out and layered up the decoupage motorbike and attached to card. Embossed chipboard numbers 30 with red embossing powder and cut out Happy th and anniversary from red bazzill bling using my cuttlebug. These were glued on to the card. I used a love embossing folder to emboss the words "all you need is love" on red bazzill bling and mounted that card on black and then white card and attached top left. Finishing touch was some little stick on pearls in the top left and bottom right corners as 30 years is pearl anniversary.




Saturday 19 January 2008

New Papertsartsy stamps

I took delivery of my new Paperartsy stamps this morning and they are sooo gorgeous! I couldn't wait to play and thankfully my parents have taken the kids out for the day so I've had some time to experiment. Three Tim Holtz distress ink pads also arrived which were a bargain from ebay. I only have the three colours but I've had great fun seeing what you can do with these great inks. So this morning I have made 4 more cards. I'm sticking to cards these last few days as I've been asked to take some in to work. Fingers crosses that I sell some!


For the first card I chose some red/black backing paper. On some white cardstock I randomly stamped my new distress inks using fired brick, weathered wood and tea dye (the only colours I have) and blended them using kitchen roll. I then flicked some water at the card to give an aged look (I love this effect and this was my first attempt at it).
Next I stamped the tree in tea dye distress ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I also stamped the phrase and crow using black staz-on ink. I cut them out and edged with black ink pad, then mounted onto the card. Three black brads to the lower right of the card and some matching fibres down the left complete the card.


Card number two, and staying with warm colours. I chose a selection of co-ordinating papers for the background and layered them up. I also placed a ribbon down the left side of the card. I wanted to use the tree stamp again so I stamped using clear ink onto white cardstock and embossed with clear embossing powder. I then dabbed the tea dye ink pad over the image and blended it with kitchen roll. Again I flicked water over it to age it. I edged it with black ink just to make it stand out against the background. I then stamped Natures spirit in black staz on onto more aged tea dye background. Both were mounted onto the card which was then finished with eyelets and gold sheer ribbon.

I think this next card is my favourite. I chose a background paper and mounted onto the card blank. Next I stamped the wavy doodles down the sides of the card using black staz-on. I coloured some white cardstock with fired brick distress ink and you guessed it - flicked water at it! Got a bit bolder this time and it payed off because I got a completely random heart shaped white area (top right of "breathe the love"). I just know I couldn't manage that again!! I stamped the main image and breathe the love with black staz-on ink. They were mounted onto the card. Lastly I cut out a vellum heart and attached it with an eyelet and ribbon.


Last card for now. And actually I really like this one too! These stamps are just so fab I love playing with them. My only restriction is time! OK so more warm coloured paper for the backing to start with. Next I stamped and embossed the doodles strips down the sides of the card in gold. I ripped a strip of paler contrasting paper and attached it down the middle. Next job was to triple emboss a square of cardstock in gold and then stamp a heart into it with black staz-on. This was then mounted onto red paper and card and edged inblack. The words "love you more" were stamped and embossed in gold on some red patterned paper which was then mounted on contrasting paper, then red card. These were then mounted onto the card. The whole card was edged with a gold krylon pen and an eyelet and ribbons were attached on the top right.


After a lunch break, I made a couple more. Kids are home again now so no more crafting for me just now! Number 5 card was made using similar techniques to before. Co-ordinating papers layered as a background (some edged with gold krylon). I used fired brick and tea dye to create the background for the stamped images. These were stamped in staz-on and edged with gold krylon pen. The whole card was edged with krylon and an eyelet plus ribbon finish it off.



The last card of the day sees a colour change. I used Basic Grey Urban Couture papers as the background, then stamped the image and phrase onto white card (that had been coloured with weathered wood distress ink) with black staz-on. These were mounted onto beige bazzill cardstock and attached to the card. I added an eyelet top left and tied 3 co-ordinating ribbons/fibres through it. The card was edged with gold krylon. Would love to make some more stuff tonight but unfortunately I have to do the ironing! Life sucks!




Friday 18 January 2008

A few new cards

I have been having another play this evening and have made 4 new cards. Two of them continue the black/white/pink theme, using dovecraft papers and two of them use Deja Views papers that I got in the Craft Obsessions sale.

Card one uses dovecraft papers and my favourite stamp of the moment. I just love this lady. She is so beautiful and serene looking. She's stamped twice in black staz-on ink with part of the second image cut in a circle, painted with pearlescent paints (The Works) and stuck over the first image (a la craft stamper magazine). I added a rub on quote (from Lakeland) which took forever to rub on (I hate it when that happens!!!!). A white flower with a pink eyelet through the centre and 3 ribbons finish the card off.



Card two uses my other favourite stamp of the moment which is by Paperartsy. I "need" all of their stamps. This one is such a simple image but so effective when used. The card doesn't need much else. The background paper is by Deja Views and I have adhered a length of ribbon to the left. Happy Birthday stickers were added to a co-ordinating paper, the edges were inked and I mounted it slightly off centre to the right. Three eyelets with burgundy sheer ribbon tied through finish the card off.







Again for card 3 I used Deja Views papers. I stamped the Eiffel Tower (Tim Holtz) onto a piece of paper that co-ordinates with the background paper. Mounted this onto a burgundy colour and inked the edges in black. Added a "make a wish" sticker to the bottom left.









Card four uses the dovecraft papers again. I used the flower stamp and tried the Craft Stamper technique with it. I stamped it twice onto white card, then cut a small square out of part of the flower and painted it. 3d foamed it onto the card and added a rub on quote (from Lakeland) that was a bugger to rub on!! Again the card was finished with ribbons.

Thursday 17 January 2008

New BIA book

I've finally got some acrylic dabbers and some new stamps and as some blank coasters I ordered arrived yesterday, I decided to make a new BIA book so I could play with the dabbers and new stamps.


For the front cover I used acrylic dabbers in cloudy blue and hazelnut. The stamps are by paperartsy and the ribbon is from the range (a bargain £0.99 for 8 metres!!)








Page 2 background is acrylic dabbers in lettuce and snow cap. The pen nibs stamp is a Tim Holtz one and the word art came in a bargain grap bag from Katys corner. Page 3 background is cloudy blue and gold. The stamp is from Katys corner.



Page 4 background is gold and stream. The stamp is by Tim Holtz. Page 5 background is stream and hazelnut. The coin stamp came in the grab bag of stamps from Katys corner and the saying is a Tim Holtz.



Page 6 is a cloudy blue and hazelnut background. The ART stamp is as before and the flower stamp is a Hampton Art stamp. Page 7 background is gold and hazelnut (my fave). The lady stamp is by Hampton Arts and the word FACE came in the grab bag.




Page 8 is lettuce with the blank coaster showing through a bit in places. Stamps used are Hampton Art and Hero Arts.





The back page uses cloudy blue and hazelnut again. The stamp is by paperartsy. All pages were edged with gold krylon.

Tuesday 15 January 2008

A special card


I found out at work today that a lady I work with is going to be 50 tomorrow, so I decided to make her a special card. Continuing the black, white and pink theme I seem to have going on, I made an A5 card for her. It took me a while as there are quite a few bits and bobs done to it. I started with black cardstock to make the card blank, then doodled a white frame around the outside (I've seen this on a blog done in black and also on some tags today in Papercraft Inspirations mag) using white sakura pen. Next I used black & white doodlebug papers in different sizes to decorate the card. I used stickers to make the word happy and added a vellum birthday word, then punchd 5 holes in the top and tied 5 pieces of co-ordinaing ribbons through the holes. I also added 2 silver flower brads (and glittered the word happy as it doesn't show up too well). Three strips of ribbon were attached across the width of the card and the happy birthday piece of card was attached at the top right. Two squares of co-ordinating papers were mounted ot the lower right with chipboard number 50 stuck on. I just used black ink pad to colour the chipboard numbers. I placed 3 black brads next to the 0. I stamped a pretty lady twice onto white card (this idea is from this months craft stamper magazine), then cut part of her face into a circle and painted the eye blue, and the face pale pink. This was then overlapped onto the original b&w stamped image. I really love this effect. I mounted it onto the card and hey presto! Hope she likes it! Ooh forgot to say that I also filled in the petals of 2 of the background paper flowers with a glue pen and covered with fine pink glitter. x

Monday 14 January 2008

My first bind it all book

Don't faint! I've finally made a bind it all book!! I've had a really enjoyable evening to be honest. Have love playing with it. It has a black and white with a hint of pink theme as I love those colours together. The papers I used were by doodlebug and I have used a variety of stamps including Tim Holtz ones that I bought at a craft show in September and have only just used tonight! I LOVE them!! I'm just going to stick all the photos on without saying what I did with each page because to be honest it was pretty simple in technique terms and also it's late, I've got work tomorrow and I have a STINKING headache. Any comments appreciated :-)





























































































































































Sunday 13 January 2008

More Tilda cards

I stamped this Tilda in black ink onto white cardstock and embossed with clear embossing powder. I painted her with marvy le plume pens.


I can't seem to get the tint off this photograph so it looks a bit orangey. This Tilda was stamped onto pale pink bazzill cardstock in a burgundy ink. I then clear embossed it and painted with pearlescent paints from The Works.





This one hasn't photographed that well. I stamped her on black card using white inkpad and then clear embossed image. Painted her with pearlescent paints from The Works.

Saturday 12 January 2008

First card with new Tilda stamp

The Tilda stamp I ordered arrived this morning - great service from funkykits.co.uk as I only ordered it at 1am yesterday. I couldn't wait to play with it so I've stamped it several times on different coloured backgrounds and painted them. I have only made a card with one of the final images so far. This is it.

Friday 11 January 2008

I dream of having wings


















I made this page earlier this evening. I am very pleased with it as I tried doing some doodling myself instead of using rub ons. It turned out better than I was expecting. I just love the papers in the once upon a time range. I have another one ready to start tomorrow.

For this one. I placed co-ordinating adhesive ribbon across the width of the page, then mounted the photo on some bazzill card. I added K&Co rub on stitches around the photo. Next I cut a flower out of pink bazzill bling and doodled on it in white sakura pen and added some glitter glue. I then spent a fair amout of time doodling the area underneath the flower. Next I wrote "I dream of having wings" on some bazzill card again with the white sakura pen. I cut all the letters out and stuck them on the lower half of the page. I added a basic gray rub on word "believe" to the right of the photo and lastly added more doodles around the title.

Thursday 10 January 2008

SNOW!

Ok, a non-crafty post. Just thought I'd add a pic or 2 from the snow we had last week. It didn't last long but we had fun while it was here!























This is snowcat!

3 ATCs

Today I went to The Range. I didn't buy much really, but did get some bargain ribbons, new papers and 2 new stamps. I've been playing with one of the stamps this evening and have made 3 ATCs with it.


The first one, I inked some plain white card with brown and burgundy ink pads. Next I tore a sheet of my new paper and stuck to the left side of ATC. I stamped and embossed the flower randomly over the ATC in gold embossing powder.

I then cut out a square of red bazzill card and embossed the whole square in gold. Next I stamped the flower on the square in black staz on ink and edged the square with black staz on too. I stuck it on the ATC at an angle, then punched holes in each corner of the ATC with my crop o dile and set gold eyelets. Finished it off with burgundy rik rak ribbon and the word flower hand written in gold pen on a small rectangle of red bazzill card. This was my experimantal ATC this evening and it didn't work out how I wanted.



The 2nd ATC I like better. I covered the whole of the ATC in paper, then tore a strip of red bazzill bling card and edged it in gold ink pad. I attached it diaggonally across the ATC. Again I random stamped the flower stamp on the ATC and embossed in gold. Then I took a square of card and embossed the whole square 4 times in gold, then stamped the flower into it to get a debossed image. I attached it to the ATC at an angle and then punched 2 holes on the left hand side and set gold eyelets. Finished it off with bu
rgundy sheer
ribb
on and stuck the word flower (written on a rectangle of card) at the bottom.



ATC number 3 goes away from the red
theme. I stuck some spring themed paper onto the ATC. Next I stamped the flower onto some different patterned paper in black ink and clear embossed it. I cut the flower out and attached it to the ATC on the right. I cut out a pink butterfly from the spring paper and stuck it on one of the flower petals. It was finished off with a black eyelet and green ribbon, the whole ATC was edged with green ink and a "Flower" sticker was added.

Bedroom door names

I did these for the girls ages ago (probably about April/May time) but thought I would put them on here. The Tiaras are actually shaped cards from Craftwork Cards. I just cut the back off them. The die cut letters to make up the names are also from Craftwork Cards. They were very easy to make. I just added the letters, added pretty girly embellishments, used purple 3d paint blobs around the outside of the tiara and then glittered the letters.
Unfortunately the colours haven't reproduced very well in the photos. The tiaras are a pearlescent lilac colour.