Tonight I have been playing with stamps and punches papers and tags, after rummaging through a box I keep previously made backgrounds I came across this tag, over at Lets Ink it Up their challenge is diecuts/punches and some stamping. This challenge finishes soon - very soon so short post for this one!!!!!

Here is what I came up with

The background was made with Tim Holtz mask and sprayed with shimmer mists which I over stamped with sentiment. I stamped the owl in brown  twice and cut him out layering second layer onto pads, newsprint papers were punched with border punch and
flowers were punched using flower punch, twine was twisted for his perch and added to the large flower.
Supplies Stamps Stampin' Up! Punch Bunch, one touch of nature Ink early espresso, DSP paper stack Subtles, newsprint, Brads subtles collection; Punches ;Mask Tim Holtz

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Less is more!

Today I realized that I had some birthday cards to make and post all in the same day!! organized me - never you would think that I would have a stack of cards made for such occasions, well I have but when I sort through them there is nothing there suitable!!!!!!!   So with time not on my side I thought keep it simple which will be quick as all I need is a colour combo and I'm off - ooooooooh no not today mojo has deserted me mind blank - so off I go to blog challenge land to get some inspiration and I found it at Less is More where the challenge this week is a sketch using a DL card.

My card was created using cuttlebug embossing folder and Stampin' Up! products.  Main card is crumb cake
which I ran through the embossing folder, I then cut a strip of baja Breeze and added Marina Mist Ribbon  before attaching to card, next I stamped image onto whisper white card, I wanted a layered look so I punched out the centre with the image on which left the stamped scallop image which I then  punched out with the scallop circle, then a second scallop  from Baja Breeze card, then added the previous punched out scallop to this one and added circle with design to this  on pads.  Lastly I added Happy Birthday to the bottom of the card in Baja Breeze - photo not really showing this very well
Phew takes longer to explain than it did to make lol, I really enjoyed making this card with its simple but effective design, time ran out on me but I intend to make some more and add them to my stock of cards it really was a quick one to make. I made 2 and they are now wizzing through the post - I hope!
Stamp Sets used Stampin' Up! Punch Bunch, So happy for you.

bye for now

Butterflies and more Butterflies

Hi everyone,

Firstly I must say thank you for all of the messages and comments left for me on my last post, I really do appreciate them.  It has been a terrible time and we are starting to get back into everyday life again.  For me crafting helps, and   after suffering withdrawal symptoms on a Monday after the CC finished I couldn't wait for  Monday Morning to come around this week - Yeah Grungy Monday has started and the lovely Linda  over at Studio L3 has given us our first Challenge, phew I felt I had been holding my breath all morning and as always it was worth the wait.  The idea is that Linda will set us a challenge every week for us to be inspired by the work of Tim Holtz.  The first challenge is to be inspired by one of Tim's 12 days of Christmas  Tags 2008 Day 10   not sure what I 'm rambling about click on the link to Studio L3 and be transported to the the details and to see some amazing work, come on over and join the fun.

 Here's mine
I have made my tag using my New Tim Holtz stamps Papillon, I love this set and knew as soon as I saw it they were destined to live with me as I love butterflies.

I used DI's, as I don't have any reinkers to make spray, I cut a tag from card and attached paper from TH Paper Stash Vintage Shabby - you are truly honored as this is the first time I have cut into these fabulous papers, only managing to stroke and admire them until today!! I chose a grey spotted page option and this was cut with TH Tag Die,  using the flourish mask I followed the instructions on the link, then I used the  big stamp in the set to stamp over everything  in pumice,  the butterflies were stamped on a strip of a different paper from same pad in pumice and  the edges cut with on the edge postage die, and I also used the strip - at bottom of tag - that is cut at same time oooo I love these edgy dies.  My Butterfly is a grungeboard die cut which I stamped with the large stamp again and embossed in black before painting with Cosmic Shimmer Paint which has given a subtle pink tint - so subtle you can hardly see it in the photo but it's there!  My flower is inked with Victorian Velvet and scrunched while wet. I also added some stickles glitter to the edges and petals.
Not sure why but the photo shows the flower looking quite brown, in real live it is shabby pink - honest.  Lastly I heated some ribbon with my heat gun and added to tag.

Hope you like my take on this weeks challenge, here is a close up of the butterfly.
Thank you Linda for leading us in these challenges I feel we are in for Fun Fun Fun on Grundgy Monday.
Items used TH Paper Stash Vintage Shabby, Stamps Papillon, Alterations Dies, Tag, On The Edge postage and tattered flowers (small flower used), DI's Victorian Velvet and Pumice, Ribbon Stampin Up!


It's raining so I had better rescue the washing and then introduce myself to the hoover and do a bit of H********k!!!

Ooops in my excitment to get the h*******k done (not) I forgot to link this tag with the Stampman Challenge - Anything Tim! 2 in 1 means I manage to play over there this time too, time usually runs out before I get to play!

Bye for now

Fly Free

Hello everyone in blogging land it has been nearly a week since I have made anything crafty, we were away last weekend making the most of the lovely sunshine but the bubble soon popped as we returned to the sad news our dear friend had lost his courageous battle with cancer, it was such an unexpected turn of events.

 Last night however I just felt the need to craft so with nothing in mind I went to the room of craftymess!!! and this piece evolved. Everything I used was to hand on my very messy desk after I had cleared a space big enough to craft in hence the size of the project I suppose!!! lol. So today I would like to share this piece with you,
 I used TH DI victorian velvet wild honey scattered straw and milled lavender for the background and Alterations caged bird die, also Tim Holtz stamp plate, flowers were paper ones which I inked and spritzed with water and crumpled them left to dry and this gives the shabby look to them which I am liking very much at the moment it seems to be my thing!!! for now anyway.

I will be entering this piece into the following challenges
Simon says Stamp and Show a Word
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog - Spring
Sunday Stampers - Die cuts




Thanks for stopping off to read my blog

 Today we say goodbye to a dear dear friend with a service to celebrate his life.


Bye for now

Upcycle and Doodle

Brown, Green and Doodles

Last night I had and an urge to make ATC's as I have really negleted these little beauties for far to long  - sooooooooooo card cut and items collected my mojo just disappeared.......eeekkkkk don't you just hate it when this happens - off I went to browse blogland and yipee I was inspired again twice - yes 2 different ATC's were jogging around in my little grey cells.  Now I must warn you those who love ATC's I appologise for the 2nd one all will be reveiled later all I will say get the tissues ready as you will need it to mop up the tears - of laughter or crying at my efforts.!!!!!  You have been warned ROFL.

Enough rambling my 1st one was inspired by the tutorial over at Hels blog for her lovely roses and also  Sunday Stampers for the challenge this week is Brown.  In keeping with my on going upcycling of packaging I used for the backgound paper from the idea-ology packs which has a lovely green swirl going through it,  I used the free stamp from Craft Stamper Mag to make the roses, these were stamped onto Tim Holtz papers from the retro paper stack  - following the tutorial which is supper clear - thanks Hels - I got very sticky and after I had prized my fingers off the glue pot I had three reasonable roses - not upto your standards Hels but I tried!!!!! I put TH vintage photo distress stickles onto the petals , sentiment is from TH stamps plate.Pearls were in my stash - the little rose was made with only 2 flowers.  Thanks for the tutoriall Hels - me thinks I need to practice more though. lol.


Now for my 2nd - if you can stop laughing long enough to read this part I will tell you how it came about.  Over at Gingersnap Creations Petra Berendsen introduces us to Small Scale  Doodling, now I know lots of you doodle, well I do when I'm on the phone, or bored!!!! but when it came to trying this I can't tell you how hard I found it, so taking on board what Petra said I thought I would try it with a stamp - and yes I did find this a little easier  so this is how this little ATC came about.  I really enjoyed doodling inside the flower petals larger doodles will need a little practice.  A few of you have shared your doodles on blogland and what I have seen so far have been fantastic, sometimes it is good to go outside your comfort zone and I have, most definately, but it was fun and thanks for looking at my efforts, I can't believe I was brave enough to share!!!

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Metal Bird Lucky again

OMG!  I have been picked for Home Page Artist over at Gingersnap Creations for their Challenge GC91 Crowns Oh wow I'm  speechless  - how much excitment can a girl take - lots and lots ROFL.  Click on the link to see some amazing work and great challenges.  Got to go have to make hot chocolate to celebrate!!!


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HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY MONDAY

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge Final Prize - I've Won!!!!!!!!!

 Woooooooooo Hooooooooo  see me running round crying and screaming - well not now because finally I have stopped long enough to type this post and tell you and here is piccy of the prize I have copied from Linda's blog hope she didn't mind lol.

 th

OMG look at all the gorgeousness, my favourite stamp - man with umbrella and it is signed by Tim Holtz  I can't wait for postie to arrive, well worth having everything crossed for 35 challenges - Thank you Tim and Mario for the generous prizes you have given and of course to the lovely Linda who has led us through each challenge can't wait to see what she has for us next. Click Studio L3 to see what the next journey is.
Thank you to everyone who has left a comment on my blog I hope to see you all on Linda's next journey. I can't sit still any longer sooooooo excited will be back later

Bye for now

Metal Bird .......

Design Detail

Here we are Week #35 and the last, final, end of the CC Challenge and this week fittingly we are using the final technique in the book on page 67.  I have managed to complete all of the challenges Whoooo  Hoooooo :-() and enjoyed the whole experience.  All hail to our leader through this journey the lovely Linda and of course the King of grunge and all things Inky Tim Holtz who has allowed us to share his wonderful techniques from his Compendium of Curiosities book and for all the wonderful prizes.  I still have everything crossed just in case I am lucky in the draw!!!  This has caused problems crafting and I probably will be stuck like this forever - how a girl must suffer for her craft LOL.

I have to say this was the hardest challenge for me don't know why perhaps because the ideas didn't flow but as I gathered some of my favourite things.......... thats a song ....sing along with me ......lol; ok sorry I get distracted and float off the subject frequently..... together I was away and my last page came together quite quickly,flower is made with tattered flowers die, DI used victorian velvet and vintage photo, pink sherbert dabber used on tag, texture fades embossing folders used for background and metal. 
I have linked things together that mean something to me for the whole challenge....K is for King of Grundge....Tim Holtz   who's book has made this journey possible and 35 for the challenge week we ended on, also the inspire tag is just what the challenge has done...inspired me and lastly Enjoy the Journey.. I certainly have.   Hope you like it.  I will try to leave a comment on as many blogs as I can this week.


I have met some lovely talented people along the way and I thank you all for your visits to my blog and for the lovely comments left along the way.  How will we survive Monday mornings without the lovely Linda - has she something else up her sleeve for us? well it has been hinted at so we will have to wait and see!!!

As I have used metal on the design so I am joining in with the challenge at Simon Says Show  Some Metal and also at Gingersnap Creations where the Random Redhead Challenge GC91 is Crowns and I think this will fit in perfectly.

All items used were Tim Holz except for the metal not sure where I got this and the card is co-ordinations


Phew long post

Bye for now

NATURE and SWIRLS

I have made today's card with a Nature theme which will fit in with the Sunday Stampers challenge for this week. I also took some inspiration from the article by Joe Firth-Young - Painted Mini Book in the April Craft Stamper Mag for main image and put my own spin on it.  First I painted gesso over a book page which I stuck onto card and left to dry overnight - I know how patient was I!!!! lol. Then DI inks shabby shutters, dried marigold, scattered straw were used for the background, I like the look this gives where the page is showing through but by painting first the text is pushed into the background; this was then cut with Nestabilities die, stamped with Organic Grace stamp set from Stampin' Up! in black.

Now I always seem to reach for swirls when I'm making backgrounds and as Curls and Swirls is the current  Stampman Challenge  I reached for my swirls stamps by Creative Expressions for the background piece of card, firstly I stamped in Cajon Craze Ink SU same colour as the card  and over stamped a smaller swirl and embossed in gold, swirls were added to the bottom strip also.  The flower was cut from book pages with the tattered flowers Die TH and inked in same DI's before spritzing with water and scrunching up and leave to dry if you have the time or use heat gun which is the way I went, lastly I rubbed over embossing ink and used .gold embossing powder  I love the way this technique makes the flower look very shabby.

Thanks for looking and don't forget if you pop over to my blog please leave a comment it's nice to hear from you

Bye for now

SPRING TIME

Dimensional Collage Fragments

Recycling seems to be where I'm getting my inspiration at the moment my  last piece of work  was using recycled plastic packaging and now  I have been playing with corrugated cardboard paints and inks and made this hanging. 

Over at Studio L3 the CC challenge #34 this week set by Linda  is Dimensional Collage Fragments on page 63 of Tim's CC book, I can't tell you how I have completed the fragment those are the rules....... although I can tell you that I stamped the group onto a book page then onto a flower sticker from the ~TH retro paper stack which if you look closely you will see on the dress of the girl and waistcoat of the little boy and then I mounted this onto the stamped picture for colour, I also used parts of other flower stickers in the collage the rest of the technique was from ~TH book Compendium of Curiosities.  All images stamped behind the fragment are TH.  Pop over to Studio L3 and have a look at the great art there.

For a place for the fragment to sit I drew around a small dinner plate onto corrugated packaging and peeled away some of the layers and then using TH paint dabbers in green and pink and splashed some colour around, I wanted some bright colour for Springtime and to tie in with the colours in the stickers I used in the fragment.

My inspiration for the layout came from Inspirational Card Sketches  ICS, I loved this weeks sketch and thought it  was just right for this piece so I am joining in there, pop over and have a look at some great inspiration.

Also joining in at  The Cheerful Stamp Pad
Materials used: Tim Holtz, Stampin' Up! Martha Stewart Punche

Bye for now