I've discovered

that I really like altering tins!

Now how did I discover this? I took part in an altered swap over on UK Stampers.

and no I'm not spoiling the surprise - this tin is not the one that is winging it's way via Royal Mail to the recipient as I type :-)

This started life as an Altoids tin - full of peppermints!

I covered the tin with paper & made the insert compartments from mount board which I coloured with alcohol ink.

I stamped the image & coloured with distress ink & Copics, then used Crackle accents on the clock

just love the effect :-)

on the hair I used bronze Glitter Gel giving it texture as well as colour

and I used Inka Gold on the key which was the same colour as the Generation embellishment

I stamped & mounted various words 

and added a little lace, flowers & the Generations embellishment  which was just the right colour!

I'll reveal the other altered tin as soon as the recipient lets me know that she has received it ......

2 more for Less is More!

Firstly I went red!

and white

and followed the sketch pretty literally 

and varied the depth if the image/number/letter

For the second I went pretty with lace & butterflies

The butterflies were punched & layered & popped onto leaves punched with my Martha Stewart branch punch

and added the sentiment in the middle.

Vintage Choice

This is my new creation in situ  in my hall

It is my entry for the Vintage Choice Competition on the UK Stampers forum

'Vintage Choice'. To be in with a chance to win we need you to make a crafty creation in a vintage theme with any colourway and use at least 2 of the following 6 items in its making:

Lace
Ribbon
Fabric
Pins
A Vintage Photo
Glitter

I started with a plain wooden frame

I forgot to take a 'before' picture! but this is the back of the frame.

I used my new pot of Inka Gold to colour the frame - it's lovely to use & gives a gorgeous finish :-) It's from the Craft Barn

I made the flowers from double sided 12x12 paper using a coil technique that I just came across whilst mooching round the web - can't remember where just atm but will let you know when I find it again as it was a well explained tutorial :-)

The image underneath the top of the photo is a rubber stamp stamped onto fabric using timber brown Stazon ink. Gives a different texture :-)

The watch was a piece given to me by my daughter for my crafting - think she will be pleased with it's use as she & her Great Gran were very close :-)

The background stamp, stamped in Distress ink - Fired Brick is by Lyndsay Mason & the stamp across the corner is from a Paper Artsy set

The butterfly is part of a necklace! & the key is from Calico Crafts & the lace from the Craft Den (apart from the butterfly & Paper Artsy stamp they are my winnings :-) )

The stamp is a new acquisition & stamped onto the same paper as the background & then cut out. The pin is from Charmed Cards & Crafts & I cut the length in half & added the beads which were from stash as was the diamonte buckle & the pearls.

The image of my Gran when young I copied onto photo paper 

to preserve the precious original.

I really enjoyed doing this project & managed to use everything on the list, apart from glitter!

Thank you's

Firstly a huge thank you to the Craft Den for this lovely package of goodies that I won on the Anything Goes Challenge Blog Hop :-) Do pop over & have a look - the current challenge is on the theme Here Comes Summer 

open until the 28th June

A Pearl & a Paper pen & bunches of blooms ...

Sparkly ribbon & packets of blooms ....

and a bunch of all this gorgeous lace!

I've already used some of the lace on this

Thank You card

which is winging it's way via Royal Mail to Sheffield ...

The rose background was stamped using a Lindsay Mason stamp.

The main image was stamped & then coloured using my distress inks

I used a piece of 12x12 paper for the left hand border & 

one of the butterflies (cut using my Martha Stewart punch) & also 

the matting of the sentiment. The other butterfly 

was punched from the rose background & the sentiment stamped 

onto a piece of this as well. I added a piece of the scrumptious 

lace between the 2 parts & a piece of red ribbon on the left hand side.

Inspired by Craft Stamper

This is the book cover that I made

inspired by the article in Craft Stamper's Jan 2011 edition

by Trish Latimer

To Die For

Trish suggested using not only the die cuts, but also the 'off cuts'

I inked them using various distress ink colours.

I cut out the birds from 12x12 paper & inked the edges then realised that more definition was required so went round it with a black pen.

I used a stamp for the sentiment which I repeated at various 

angles around the front of the book

& used the red yarn on the spine of the book

The swirl is the die cut piece as it is meant to be ...

The other decoration is this lovely lace material that I found, which I cut up & used the pieces from the brown piece of this gorgeous lace.

I think it all works well together to form a coherent whole.

Thanks Trish for the inspiration :-)

Happy Anniversary!

This is a card I made for friends who got married 

on my birthday 8 yrs ago :-)

I was privileged to attend their lovely wedding in Glasgow, 

though they now live on the beautiful Isle of Skye which I am yet to visit .

The traditional 8th anniversary is bronze

The modern is lace

So I used embossing powder with this lovely stamp 

to provide the 'bronze' & mounted it on brown bazil 

which showed up well on the white card.

I added the 'bronzy' metal embellishments

and the lace for the modern element to cover both :-)

and added the brown pearl strip to finish.

Happy Anniversary to Anastasia & Brian :-) 

& many happy years to follow :-)

It was TWINS!!

that my daughter delivered - 

the first set of twins that she had delivered! :-)

She is nearing the end of her Midwifery training

so I've made this keepsake Congratulations card for her

I used my Sizzix embossing folder, mounted onto the pink paper

(the babies were non identical girls)

I added the pretty lace

& stamped twins using my Papermania alphabet set

& finished off with the 2 handprints, one at the top & one at the bottom of the card which is a Kaiser rubber stamp from Australia

So congratulations to the new family

& to the midwife who brought them into the world :-)

The birthday card .... ..

Went for pretty with the card

I covered the numbers with the background paper & inked the edges & mounted them on the circles which were cut with my nesties & placed on top of one another.

folded over the corner & secured with a large pearl brad. Backed the corner with blue bazil card, & inked the edges

I added the blooms 2 toning & one larger contrast.

Added the pearl strip onto the gorgeous heart lace along the bottom.

and added the butterfly which was given the sparle round the wings with silver stickles

Not forgetting the Happy Birthday sentiment which was matted on the toning papers.

New Scrapbook Layout

Done to complement the layout of my Nan & myself (blogged Nov 08), this layout is my Maternal Grandparents & myself.




Again I used very simple hand journalling. I used one of my new stamps & white ink to subtly pattern the darker plainer paper.



Still wanting to add 'something' .............................. will live with it & decide at a later date what that 'something' is :-) Suggestions welcome :-)

Another card

A birthday card this time. Again using the velum paprer as a background - added some lace & self adhesive ribbon & petals with a pearl brad in the centre. Used one of the elements of the stamp set I got from Creative Treasures which i inked & stamped in different colours.