Blog Candy

More blog candy at The Artistic Stamper - thanks Jennie :-) Jennie has also got some new people on her design team - talented people I know as I've seen their work in real life :-)

Something slightly different today

Well today I've had fun using alcohol inks, dominoes, beads & bits to make brooches. These are dinky small dominoes that I found in a charity shop :-)



The back of the domino.



This is another, slightly different, just a stamp on the alcohol inked background.

A couple of cards

I had to make a card for my friends birthday today, so being reminded of the lovely card I made during one of Maddy's classes at Sticky Fixers craft club I decided to do one on the same lines :-) The flower motif was made using ink's & embossing powder. The edge of the card was scalloped & then the holes were made with a cropodile. I used the swiss dots embossing folder & matted it onto the matching paper. The sentiment was stamped onto a circle punch & matted onto a scalloped punched circle. I used some of my new stash from Creative Treasures - the ribbon :-)

Again the photography is rubbish - the colours match much better than portrayed - the motif looks 'orangey' but is red!?

So I then decided to do one of the challenges on Crafts by Carolyn. A really nice challenge using Bingo Calls. I've gone for the 'Key of the door' 21 :-) The key is a mountboard die cut which I have alcohol inked.

Why can't you photograph Purple?

What is it about the colour purple? Why is it soooooo difficult to photograph? It looks blue/not purple when photographed!! OK I'm rubbish with the camera & it's not a top of the range but that is no excuse ............................. But I've tried :-)

2 cards for the purple challenge on Hels blog - they are purple Hels! :-)

Kick Start!

Well I've been kick started to finish a layout that I started a while ago - well I'd got some bit's & pieces together but not done much else! So this morning I saw the challenge on DewDropCraftz blog 'Items from Nature' & got to work!

We tend to go to the beach more in the winter months & I love beachcombing :-) I was on my own & how do you take a photo of yourself on your own? Yes I pointed the camera downwards & took a photo of my feet :-)

The stripey paper reminded me of deckchairs & I used pebbles & shells collected from the beach in the layout as well.

The shell motif's at the top & bottom are a stencil which I outlined for definition. Not the most conventional layout perhaps but I enjoyed doing it & it brings back happy memories for me :-)

DewDrop Craftz challenge

I've entered my pumpkin layout in the autumn colours challenge over in DewDrop Craftz blog here Nice challenge Nikki :-)

Another Baby Card!

This is my challenge card for Crafts by Carolyn - the tag challenge. I made another baby card!



There is a reason behind all the baby cards - a local shop sells a range of lovely baby/toddler clothes, presents for new mums, christening gowns, really nice toys etc The only thing that she doesn't sell is handmade cards. I pointed this out when I took my MIL to look & said that I made cards so was invited to take some down to show her. She hadn't been impressed by the cards that other people have taken her so I'm a little apprehensive about showing her mine ................................. I'm trying to pluck up courage to take them & show her. They are all bagged up nicely but I've never done this before so just keep putting it off & making more 'just in case I take them' cards! LOL

My Third Layout

This was done for a challenge at Sticky Fixers Craft Club. We had to include the word Passion or Passionate, 2 hearts & a button. Now passion/passionate usually brings to mind hearts & flowers & girly pink - but I went down a different route ...........................



The picture was taken in New Hampshire USA - a barrow of pumpkins & squash with such gorgeous colours & shapes. The leaves I bought in Michaels craft shop in Rhode Island & they were ideal for this layout - note to Calvin - they are not real :-) The colours of the leaves there in Autumn were gorgeous & I did investigate ways to preserve them but then found these wonderful substitutes. The buttons were from my stash of buttons - yes I used a few!

Maddy's favourite!

Why is it Maddy's favourite you may ask ......................................

Well it's Maddy's favourite when it's full of sweeties!!

It's the tin I keep in the car for our expeditions :-) It started out in life as a travel sweet tin. I then, after washing it out, alcohol inked it (& unlike Calv didn't put flames anywhere near my alcohol ink!!) I then cut out weety with my Go slim sizzix alphabet in mount board & used another alphabet for the S - I then inked the letters & used a white gel pen to do the x's & then stuck them on the lid.

Hmmmm - went out with Maddy this afternoon - maybe need to replenish the stocks in the tin :-) - The fairies ate them!

Second layout

So here is my second layout. My son was a member of the band Xi (formerly Aeon), he was the keyboard player until they disbanded late last year. They had been together for 11 yrs gigging all round the UK. I started printing out the pic of him (top right hand corner) & the ink was running out - it was supposed to be the main black & white focus picture but I liked the effect so it became a 'happy accident' & part of the layout :-)

I used Rockstar paper by DCWV and the matching ribbon & Rock and Roll tag & star. The guitar was given to me by my SIL in the USA (she is an ex radio DJ). I stuck small gems (diamond like) to highlight the Rock Star & Dream on the backing paper & popped on one of the bands badges too.

Think I got the achievement sentiment when I was in the USA & the box with the metal eyelet letters doesn't have a label on it so I'm sorry I don't know who made them.

So there you have it - my second layout.

First scrapping attempt

Thought I'd show you my first ever scrapbook page. I've managed to do 3 pages so far :-) but this was the first.



The title lettering was cut using the cuttlebug & sizzix alphabet (borrowed from our Craft Club Sticky Fixers) & the daughter/dad was metal lettering that I bought when in Oz a few years ago now - it's the sort that can be strung onto ribbon to make necklaces. I used coloured vellum over the journaling & under the title to balance & tore the edges for more interest.

Blog Candy

Thank you Maddy for pointing me in the direction of Natalie's blog candy. As Maddy says it's well worth a look! as is her lovely crafting :-)

More Baby Cards

As promised when I was on holiday a couple more of the baby cards.


The pram is a stencil which I chalked the outline of & then cut it out & mounted it on baby sentiment paper which I matted on plain dark card.



This one is a sentiment stamp which I stamped onto pastel patterned paper which I then matted onto the plain green card. The circle & scalloped circle are punches & the bear was bought with a few other baby bits when I was in Oz.

Calv is a star!

Calvin has really earned his helpful blogger award again just now! I couldn't get my links to work at all but he has just walked me through it & put right the bit that I was misunderstanding - so those of you who tied to click & nothing happened can try again now & get a result :-)

Thanks Calv! You are a star!

AWARD

I've recieved an award! Awarded by my friend Maddy for being a helpful blogger & taking her places to get her crafty stuff - a difficult job ;-)








What a lovely idea for an award - choose someone who either has inspired you or physically helped you to craft - Claire at artyfartymacks designed the award - What a lovely idea Claire! The idea is to pass it on to 2 or 3 people


So I pass it firstly to Calv - he inspires me with his lovely work & his humour & like a lot of his followers I wait with bated breath for Thursday - fruit inking day! wondering what wonderful creation he will come up with next :-) I also admire his honesty - we know all about his 'mishaps'!! Sometimes like all of us he has 'happy accidents' Thanks Calv.



Next I'd like to award Dyan from Art to the Heart in Harrogate. I love the goodies she sells & her designs & the fact that she was so friendly, enthusiastic & encouraging when we visited her both at the Harrogate fair & then at her wonderful Aladdins cave of a shop :-) Can't wait for a return visit (but my bank manager will hope I don't visit too often!!)

Maddy's Challenge

I've finished Maddy's challenge on Crafts by Carolyn

The PG tips altered box challenge.

I really enjoyed doing this :-) It's the only thing I've accomplished recently!

Cornwall

Well folks I'm on holiday in Cornwall & between keeping hubby happy with the sightseeing I've done a little crafting - had to bring some kit with me :-) So I managed a few new baby cards in between sleeping & sightseeing ................................... Here are a few examples :-





Have yet to find a craft shop in Cornwall - but I'm not allowed to look too hard! If I knew exactly where I'm going I may get away with it .................................... good job I bought some stash with me *giggle*

Will try to check in later in the week - no internet conection in the chalet so have to come over to the main complex to get the internet connection.