Shabby Chic House.... and winding down for Christmas

This little house of goodies was made with the Simon says Stamp and Show Challenge in mind, where the theme is "Projects with depth".
I used some leftover configurations boxes and put a roof on top using foamboard. The insides are cut from card and inked with distress inks, then stamped with background stamps. Some tissue tape around the edges to make it neat and you have a shell of a house to fill with goodies.
I used all sorts of things, little miniature bottles with real (evaporated) alcohol inside, game pieces, ideaology, springs, tape measure, an old earring etc etc.

This will be the last larger projects I'm showing on my blog for the year as I'm winding down for Christmas. I have a busy 2 weeks ahead with work, as I only get 2 days off over Christmas and have people over to cook for I have an awful lot of cooking, baking, planning, shopping to do. So I will concentrate on that and wind down my blog until the new year. I will be back with the odd card or post though I'm sure.

Tim's 12 tags of Christmas - another one.....

I have been seriously lacking inspiration to do anything yesterday. Imagine a whole day off in a room of stamps and no inspiration to create anything. Well, I thought I may as well make another Tim tag and see if it inspires me and I did end up making a few more Christmas cards and that so I guess it worked.
I don't actually have the holly die for this tag but instead I used 2 cut offs off the tree die as branches and one of the leaves from the tattered leaves die. It did the trick.

I am entering this into the Artistic Stamper Challenge - Christmas as well as the Pan Pastel Challenge - Tags.

Tim's 12 tags of Christmas inspired Christmas card

If you have been following Tim's tags you will know how fab they all are in their own unique way, and so many fun techniques to learn along the way.
There was one tag in particular that caught my eye and I thought it would make a great christmas card so I ordered in the supplies cause I didn't have the reflections stamps or the die but I see it as an investment. So once they arrived I got started. I made a bunch of these cards, the alcohol ink on acetate combined with the reflections stamps is genius. I think the tag/card design can be adapted for so many occassions as the acetate back makes the main feature you could just change the colours and theme. I now also want the other set of reflections stamps. Hope santa might get them for me.

I will of course add this to the endless list of inspiring creations on Tim's blog, it's great what everyone has created inspired by the tags. So many different ideas. Just WOW.
I am entering this into the Happy Daze Challenge where the theme is Christmas. Same theme over at The Artistic Stamper and their monthly challenge.

Another year, another 12 tags of Christmas....

It's that time of year again where everyone in the crafting world creates their own little interpretations of Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas. I like the fact that we can now link them all on Tim's page and you can see everyone else's tags. So many different ones, amazing!!! Unfortunately I won't be able to make every one due to a lack of time. I have even given up my forthcoming monday (day off = craft day) as I'm visiting a friend. But I'll try to make some tags in my spare moments before and after work.
So here is today's tag, love the canvas reindeer, fab idea!

I am entering this into The Artistic Stamper Challenge where the theme is Christmas.
And also The Happy Daze Challenge - Christmas gifts, cards and tags.

Craft Stamper Christmas Card Inspiration featuring Stampotique

Do you read any craft magazines? Do you keep them or maybe pass them on or throw them out after a while? Well I loooove my magazines and they are taking up a fair bit of space but every so often I find myself going through them again and again. And everytime I find new inspiration. Whether it's a project using stamps that I didn't have before but own now or maybe it's just something that didn't interest me before but suddenly it does. So I found myself looking through a Craft Stamper issue from a year ago and found a christmas hanging Kate Crane made using Stampotique and Tim Holtz stamps. I took that idea and created my own little christmas card collection. I used a different character and sentiment but I re-created the same background following her steps. I love them for their vibrant colours and crazy "Uncle Buck" character, he don't look like he loves christmas too much, hehe.

I am entering this into the "Backgrounds" Challenge at The Artistic Stamper.

Vintage Love Notebook

I have been playing with the old glimmer mists for a bit recently and one of my creations is this A5 sized notebook/journal. I used Tim's Kraft resist paper and sprayed it with mists, then went a bit crazy with the butterfly background stamp to create a more interesting background. Add corners. Tattered Angels frame with LOVE stamped on an old book page and some crackled wings. Bind, add fibers and done. Took a bit longer to make than it sounds but I really like it. It's nice and shimmery and vintagy in real life.

Here is a little close up, this might give you a better idea of how nice it shimmers.

I'm going to put this in my Folksy Shop here.

My blog makeover is complete.... and a journal page

Welcome to my newly designed and improved blog. Things have changed a little around here, out with the old tired looking design and in with a new fresh design, all in white with a few splatters of colour around. I have been working hard on the new design and layout and hopefully it'll make it a bit more userfriendly and more pleasurable to read for my followers. I have also improved the presentation of my photos, been a busy bee playing with my camera and photoshop, so bear with me it's work in progress.

To get started I would like to share my first "real" journal page with you. I say real because before I have only done art journaling style things on canvases and decorated mirrors with it, but this one if actually a page in a book. But not an ordinary journal, no, this is a board book. It's chunky and durable and I won't lose interest in finishing it as it only has 10 odd pages or so. I hope to do one page every week - inspiration allowing!

I would like to enter this page into the following challenges:

Happy Daze - Explosion of Colour (Distress Ink and gold Paint Dabber available from the shop)
Stamp Man - Backgrounds
The Artistic Stamper - Backgrounds

So let me know what you think of the new blog. I will try to post every other day from now on, hopefully I can keep up. I still have to overhaul my website too, which is a little more work than the blog was. Laters!

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - Week 9

Only a few more calendars to go at The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge. I think this week's one is my favourite so far. I used some Tim Holtz paper which was already in the style of the theme - old paper and red lines.
The photo of me and my sis I used LOADS and I often have some cut out ones lying around my desk so I just grabbed them and the calendar just came together somehow. I added the wire instead of a ribbon, almost like another red line threading its way through the piece.

So there you have it, week 9 completed.

I have also decided that my newly styled blog will be revealed this weekend, I am yet to decide whether its sunday or monday, depends on how much i get done in the next few days. I am currently working on photos of new projects i have done and would like to share. set up a little "studio" in my living room today taking photos of everything, takes much longer than i thought but hopefully they'll be worth it. Until then.....

Configurations Box for Alter it Monthly November

The start of another month brings of course another Alter it monthly Challenge. As you may know the blog will be closing at the end of the year so after this I only have one more DT piece to show you. Very sad but the end of one thing is the start of a new beginning as they say.

This month the theme is Drawers, Doors and Scecret Compartments.

I used this configurations box and created some little doors using magnets and 2 of the small square boxes I put in the wrong way round to create drawers. Loads of little bits to discover here.

Now pop over to the blog to see all the other DT pieces and maybe you'll leave inspired to join in the challenge.

I'm off to keep working on my new blog, I'm currently fighting with Photoshop but it just doesn't want to do what I want it to. Mean!

More ATC's to share

Yes I have gone a bit ATC crazy again, I always do things in phases and I think I just entered another ATC phase.

This one is inked with distress inks, stamped, sewn, collaged. I just love sewing on card at the moment. Bought a few rolls of nice coloured cotton, now I just need to fix the light in my sewing machine, the bulb broke not long after I bought it. Oops.

This is being entered into the current Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge.

I'm off now. Ally Pally and my bloggy friend Kim Dellow are waiting!!!!!!!!!!!

Trapped butterflies ATC for Simon Says

It's ATC time at Simon says Stamp and Show and I haven't made any in ages. I like working on a small scale sometimes as you get to try many different techniques in a short space of time.
I have wanted to get out my sewing machine for some projects so I thought why not sew all over my ATC's. I made a few today. First up I'd like to share my trapped butterflies. They are loose behind the netting and can move around. When I saw those netting offcuts (used for wig making, my sister had some spare pieces) I just knew I had to make little sewn pockets of some sort and put things behind it.

This one was simple really, didn't stop me from faffing about with it for ages though. More ATC's to come so watch this space.....

More cards with Photos for Just Stamps Magazine

Once more I'd like to share some photo cards with you.
The one on the left is featured in the current issue of Just Stamps Magazine.

The one on the right is a recent variation of that card and will be entered into the Artistic Outpost Referral Program.

I just love the filmstrip stamp as it is so versatile, you could create this card with your own photos and have an instant personalized card for any occassion.
These are all photos of my dad when he was younger.

Journal of Imagination for Just Stamps Magazine

The latest issue of JUST STAMPS - EINFACH STEMPELN is in the shops, German shops that is. And I'm delighted there is quite a few pieces of mine featured this time round.
For the Shabby Chic theme I made a small bound notebook and also this larger journal. Although there is much stamping on the journal it is a favourite of mine.

The journal is available for purchase in my Folksy Shop.

Stamptember @ Simon Says Stamp and Show

How cool, a whole month dedicated to stamping, not that I make an exception the rest of the year but you know, it's a good excuse to spend even more money on new stamps and boy have I been spending money in the past few weeks. I should save a little for the upcoming Ally Pally Show.

So I have been putting aside little bits for this printer tray for a while now. Everytime I made sth special or sth I just really liked I made a note for it to go in the tray.

I used some of my favourite stamps and photos, tried different techniques and inks and paints. But my favourite is the centerpiece, the photo f my mum. I just love it. I made it in the style of a card I made and that was published in the recent Stamper's Sampler. So it doesn't just remind me of my mum but also of my craft achievements. Double special!
There's pictures of my dad and my sister too, little sayings, a rusty birdcage, a bird Wendy style, grungblocks, a grungepaper rose etc. Lots to discover and a celebration of anything crafty, just right for Stamptember. So I am entering this into the Simon says Stamp and Show Challenge.

Simon says Stamp and Show a tag.....

It's tag time at Simon says Stamp and Show and I've given myself an extra challenge this week. I am at home at my parents house at the moment and my mum has a limited stash of inks (how am i supposed to work with just 6 distress inks?!?!? HOW?!?!?!) and stamps and stuff. So I thought thatll make it that little bit extra challenging. I made this little birdie tag after one of Tim's christmas tags last year.

Distress Inks, shimmer mist made up the background with a Tim letter mask that I inked through. A sideways tree with fibers for a nest. A keycharm and some random little leaves.

Dreaming Dolly Keyring

It's another altered art themed week at Try it on Tuesday.... well it is until midnight tonight, I am a bit late with my entry this time, but nevertheless I created this little dreaming dolly keyring.

The theme is Dreams and it's sponsored by The Craft Barn.

I've not made any keycharms in ages so it was about time. I love them really full of little charms and things. The silver charm reads "Follow your dreams".

I'm trying to resist....

....chocolate that is, but it never works.
So over at The Stamp Man we are playing with resist techniques.
I made a notebook cover with kraft paper, hence this whole thing turned out a bit dark. I stamped the cover (front and back) with some spills and splatters and embossed them with clear powder, then spritzed the whole thing with different glimmer mists.
I didn't aim for the whole smudgy, dirty look but as it says on the cover - EMBRACE IMPERFECTION.

Tim Technique - Water Stamping

Over at Simon says Stamp and Show we are using fabulous Tim Holtz techniques this week. Always a favourite.
So I inked up some card with distress inks and water stamped into it. It's important you get a fine even mist all over the stamp. Too much water can make it runny (see top right corner of the card) and you can't see the image that well. I find that bold images work best although the flower here came out ok.
Give it a go it's great fun and so simple.

LOVE-ly cards

With my first craft fair fast approaching I am trying to have plenty of cards available in many different categories and styles. I seemed to be lacking love, wedding and anniversary cards so I got making some.
I love working with my new Paperbag Studios stamps at the moment, the images are just so pretty.

Also I can't seem to stop making random stamped collages and then using snippets of them in my cards.

I am entering this into Hels Sunday Stampers Challenge, the theme is LOVE and to use things we love, well, I love anything Tim Holtz and especially my distress inks as you can see below, I also love my Paperbag Studios stamps so plenty of love from me.

Vintage Butterfly Mirror

As mentioned before I'm making a lot of stuff for a craft fair at the moment and this is another piece I'll be displaying there. I used an Ikea mirror as they are so cheap and everytime I head to Ikea I stock up on a few of these. I covered it with Tim Holtz Kraft Resist paper which then got white washed and distressed with some distress inks, especially round the edges. From another sheet of the same paper I cute some butterflies and sprayed them with perfect pearls mist and stuck them on with foam pads. Gold corners and letters stuck on and it's done. It's very easy but looks lovely and old and vintagy. I may have to flick through the paper pack again and see what other papers may work well for use with the mirrors. I'm entering this into the Simon says Stamp and Show Challenge where the theme is distressing!