Men!!!

...yes indeedily, I have had men on my mind this week! Well, three men inparticular, namely; Uncle Fester, The Beast and Jack, who are all residents of the Octopode Factory... where the Friday challenge theme is... MEN! And, I am incredibly honoured to be asked back to Guest Design again for this fab challenge. Now... I know I have said this before but... I was a snob when it came to "digi" stamps... thinking that a stamp is made out of rubber and you have to add ink to it to see what the image is. Ahah! My snobbery was well and truly dispersed when I first happened across these delightful digi's from the fair hand of Lily Chilvers, who happens to not only be an incredibly talented artist but also... get this... she just turned 18 yesterday! So... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Lily! And... if you do prefer to use rubber... Lily has now had some of her Octopodes made into rubberstamps... result!!! Anyways... HERE is a linky to the challenge blog... where you will be inspired I am sure, by all the gorgeous arty pieces from the Design Team :O))



So... Men! A very easy subject for me as I always seem to veer towards the more masculine things in this world we call creativity... the colours, images, themes etc... so I challenged myself... make something with a bit of colour.. and a flower... so I did! The shadow box is 8" square, so that means the centre piece is about 6" square. To get the little men images onto the cardstock, I resized them (I did make an emergency phone call to my IT guy (ahem... Grim!) but his phone was switched off... so I panicked and pulled a few hairs out whilst stomping about on the laptop... til I sussed it... tis easy really) Anyways, I have resized the little fella's and printed them out.. then cut them out.. then coloured them with Distress Stains and a paintbrush... and then got very busy with some Colorwash Sprays.



I used Red Pepper, Sunset Orange, Butterscotch, Stream and Sail Boat Blue... then whacked some Bronze PP Mists over the top and let the colours merge together before blotting off the excess. I added some circles and lines using a craft scraper and a bottle top and then set about placing the images onto the card. It was then that I sat and stared at it... mmmm, needs words... but what words? I was going with Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil and See No Evil... cos it does look like each of the fella's would fit one of these categories.. but the words ended up being too over powering... so I then though...aha, there's three of them... so.. the Three Wise Men idea was born. I used "This Charming Font" to make the words, printed and cut out and coloured with Pumice Stone DS.



The frame was easy-peasy... I wanted a contrast to the centre... so that stood out more... and being as I am rather partial to a bit of black and white, I set about painting the frame with white Gesso and Charcoal Black paint. Once it was dried, I used a little charcoal pastel stick and smudges around the white so it isn't so bright... and then went around parts of the images to add some depth. Phew.. I think that is all... Cor blimey... I had a whole heap of fun making this... don't forget to hop on over to see Lily and her DT to see the amazing art and all of the amazing Octopodes too.



Well, that's me for now... thanks for looking... have a lovely sunny day! TTFN

Hels x

Well... It'd Be Rude Not To...

...play with those new Distress Inks! Aha yes, much mirth and merriment in the Room of Stash today because... I feel better!!! I am still not 100% but I am 100% better than I was yesterday (when I spent most of the day on my death-bed, groaning and whinging....) First off... thank you all for your lovely comments yesterday... made me feel a whole lot better ... and the advice you all gave... worked a treat! But before I waffle off alarmingly about my visit to the Pharmacy, I shall tell you about what I have been up to...




Now, a few months ago I had a brainwave... it doesn't happen very often, so when it does, I tend to go all OTT and do lots of the things that I have had a brainwave about... and then they get discarded. Well, the other day I started to "do something" with said discarded piece. Namely a tag that I had used a mask on... and then layered Rock Candy Cracklepaint through the mask... tis a pretty technique... I can't remember if I have seen it anywhere else before... I think not but if I have... here's the credit to you :O)) So... the mask and Rock Candy combo tag was ready to be inked. I covered the whole lot with Milled Lavendar Distress Stains (much maligned in the Distress Pad range I know, but oh ho, the Stain is a must have... tis gorgeous... all lilacy and lush... I digress.....) So... once the base was thoroughly covered I smooshed some of the new Seedless Preserves onto my craft sheet, spritzed with Biscoti Perfect Pearls Mists and dipped the tag into it... drying, repeating... and then blending Gathered Twigs around the edges. I remembered to take a pic of the tag base before I decorated it so you can see how cool it looks...



Then I got all exciteable and made a 3d rose from the largest Tattered Florals flowers... colouring with the same Distress colours... then over stamping the text with Plum Archival (which, BTW, looks like it was MADE for Seedless Preserves... they are perfect together!) Once the flower was assembled I used a diddy paintbrush and slapped some Rock Candy Crackle onto it and let it dry... I don't think that the pic is doing it justice but it does look ever so pretty. The butterfly is a Salvage Sticker from the Crowded Attic set... popped onto cardstock, cut out, coloured with a Cut & Dry nib and more Seedless Preserves and then sploshed with more Biscotti PP Mists...




Anyways... my ailment... I went to see Mr Chemist and he was ever so helpful. He said... it looks like a dirty mozi bite.. or a spider bite... errrrrrrrrm... considering I have a bite on my tummy, I am dismissing that thought right away... I mean come on, I like spiders and all that but I draw the line at having one in my drawers lol Anyways, I now have been medicated and advised and apparently the bite is infected but being as I have a very big intolerance to antibiotics, it is a case of letting my body heal itself. Oh and it has also caused Cellulitis.... oooh, I am so attractive... Actually, there I was, standing in the queue at the Chemists and a little girl behind me said... "Ewww, Mummy, look at that lady's arm" And it would have been very silly and childish to turn around and say "I know, there are maggots in it you know" Ahem... I have a way with children you see......




Right... I have 101 things to do... all this lounging about this week has me behind with my commitments... and I am just wondering how on earth the Room of Stash has turned into a complete tip even though I haven't been in here... Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

WOYWW... Bitten...

...tis Wednesday already indeedily, which means it is time for the bloggers of the Crafty Blogasphere to show off their workspaces, desks, floors, messes, tidynesses... because it is time for the phenomenon that is... What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday... devised and hosted by Mrs Julia Dunnit.. you can see deets on how to participate (cor blimey, that is a big word for this time of a morning!) HERE. So... my desk is a right state. There are three WIPs on there... a tag book I started yesterday but had to stop (more about that later), a tag that I started yesterday (but had to stop... more about that again later...) and under that pile of papers is a shadow box that I started 281 years ago and still haven't finished it. Under my desk are my coveted Studio 490 stamps... you know, those fave stamps of mine from the amazing designer that is Wonderful Wendy Vecchi. Also on my desk is a big jar of mucky water... and it is the same one from last week... I know, I am a lazy moo. Also on my desk are those new Seasonal Distress Inks which are gorgeous... and my Distress Inks and Stains which are all colour coded and in colour order... I have to have them like that... I also have all my blending tools in the right order too... yikes, I am admitting my inner OCD there lol



Anyways... the BITTEN bit of the title..... well, I got bit. I don't know what it was... whatever it was it was very obviously dirty and manky and has made me proper poorly... which is why all the things on my desk are WIPs because I felt to ickky yesterday I kept starting stuff and then losing the old Mojo. The beastly critter bit me on the tummy - which is all red and itching but no where near as bad as the other place he gnashed me... which is at the top of my left arm... round the back so I can't see it properly. But, believe me, I have looked in the mirror and it ain't pretty. It is all swollen, sticking out like an orange, weeping yellow stuff and oh boy, it is so painful. I have been switching between hot and cold... been upset in the tummy dept (shalln't get graphic lol) and finally when I felt up to eating last night, I honked the lot back. So... job #1 for today is to get an appt with the Doc... hopefully he will be able to chop it off or something. Honestly, why do bugs seem to like gnashing me huh? And... why do I always react so badly? Anyways... enough of me whinging... tis time for me to get myself back to bed... I am in need of more sleep... goodness knows why because I spent about 83 hours asleep yesterday! Thanks for looking.. please do bear with, I will try to get to see you at some point... TTFN

Hels x

And... The Winner Is...

... all I can say is... cor blimey and... thrice!! And... a hoooge thank you of course to every single one of the 159 peeps who left me lovely kind comments on the Octocentarian giveaway... and my flabber is well and truly gasted at the amount of followers I now have!!! So... thank you!!!



Onto the draw for that there blog candy... There were 159 comments left so I popped this number in Mr Random.org... and yes, I still can't figure how to link the wotsit to the doofer, so I improvised and took a photo of the screen... hence the wavy lines. Anyways... number 68 was chosen which tallies with the comment left by FUCHSIA. So... congrats to Fuchsia, please can you email me your addy so I can pop the candy into the post for you :O))




Have you heard the rumour??? Oh yesh, we have an Indian Summer coming on Wednesday... and apparently it is going to be 27 degrees... I for one am really looking forward to it because I am fed up with the woolly socks and fleecy clothes already... I am so not ready for Winter this year! Right... I got stuff to do so I had better get a wiggle on and stop waffling on here. Mind you, it would be incredibly rude of me not to give you an update on the Countdown to America wouldn't it? You see, it is now 17 days until I will be back in my favourite-country-other-than-England and with my American sister Ellen. Actually, that is a bit of a daft name to call her because I haven't even got an English sister... so really, I should just call Ellen my normal sister and have done with it. But, if I call her normal am I just asking for trouble? lol *mmm, maybe I should shut up now rofl* Anyways... all of that means it is now just 19 days until the Wonderful Wendy Vecchi Weekend at The Queen's Ink... here's a link to the class page... check out what we will be making!!! Seriously folks, I am almost swallowing my tongue with the excitement of it... me, in the same room as THE Wendy Vecchi... I mean, how on earth am I gonna remember to breath let alone use a blending tool! Actually, thinking about it... I will have to use scissors... erm... I am dangerous enough with sharp things when I am just normal... I think I better pack some Band Aids lol Thinking about it (doing a lot of this "thinking about it" today - I am going to be needing a lay down if I carry on like that) if I do actually swallow my tongue it may not be a bad thing.. being inclined to be a bit of a waffler and all that........ Right... I am deffo offski now... I can hear those Seasonal Distress Inks calling me. Again, thank you all for the comments and follows and support... tis very muchly appreciated.... have a grand day! TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 173 - Simply Irresistable

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to one and all. Many thanks for the gorgeous starry entries for last weeks challenge. This week I was hum-hawing about the theme so I just set about making something with the hope I could pop the theme in around it... and then I heard this song on Absolute 80's Radio... and it fitted perfectly. So, the theme this week is to... use a RESIST TECHNIQUE. It can be any kind of resist - the one I have used is paint - more about that later :O)) To join in with the challenge all you need to do is make a little something - it can be anything you like - include the theme and some stamping... pop back here and leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry... or, if you haven't got a blog and would like to join in, please do email me the pics or link me to your web photo album - which ever is easiest. The theme will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 1st October 2011.




So... my entry! Well, yesterday I took delivery of... the brand new Seasonal Distress Inks. There's a long and mind-numbingly boring story about me doing my normal "I don't need them" thing... and meaning it because they don't have re-inkers and I need re-inkers... and then me seeing the colours slotting perfectly into the Distress range and realising how dumb I would be if I missed out... but I won't bore you with that rofl.



I should tell you about the "how I made it" shouldn't I? But first... please indulge me do whilst I wax lyrical about Seedless Preserves... cor blimey and thricely... it is the most gorgeous colour and whilst I only really wanted Gathered Twigs, I am a fickle creature and my new fave has to be this heavenly purple.




Anyways... on with my entry... I painted the frame (a cheapy one from Ikea) with Traditional Tan paint... then sanded it back in places so the wood showed through. I then used a blending tool to apply Seedless Preserves, drying with a heat gun, applying a smidge of Gathered Twigs around the edges and then lightly spritzing with water. The centrepiece is white card that I stamped with more Traditional Tan paint and a Tim Holtz script stamp to make the resist. I then smooshed the new DI's onto my craft sheet, spritzed them with water and dipped the card into the inkiness... dried with a heat gun and then I wiped over the top with a damp paper towel to remove the ink from the painty script and reveal the resist. I love the technique, it has to be one of my faves.




The dress form is cut with Mountboard and coloured with... erm... DI's and the script was stamped with Plum Archival which is a perfect compliment for the Seedless Preserves. I made a big blousy flower embellishment using Studio 490 stamps and Grungepaper... colouring again with the same DI's and cut the Iron Gate OTE die from Grungeboard. The little butterflies are Salvage Stickers which were popped onto cardstock, coloured using a Cut & Dry Nib and then spritzed with Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mists.




So... have you got your set of the new DI's yet? And... if you have... do you like them and which is your favourite? Like I said earlier, I was a bit concerned about the re-inker thing but the pads seem to be extra juicy... so I am thinking that they will last a few yonks anyways... and hopefully by then, those lovely peeps at Ranger will have added them to the Distress range forever. Right... time for my bed... have a grand Sunday. I have some eBay stuff to do and some more stamps to list too... busy, busy, busy! Well, I am fund raising for my Cheesy Chester Cheeto fund for when I go to America... in... less than three weeks!! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

PS... nearly forgot to remind you... just a few more hours to enter into the Blog Candy Giveaway I am having for my Octocentarian followers... thank you ALL who have entered so far... wowzers! All the deets are HERE... winner announced tomorrow :O))

Bouncing Baubles...

...a few days ago I spotted an AMAZING idea that Annette had come up with for using the Sewing Room Alterations die... and having seen what she had done, I had a brainwave (don't worry, I was seated lol) and I have tried out the brainwave idea and... it works! To see the fabby things that Annette has made, please CLICK HERE... seriously COOL art!



Anyways... my idea was to make one of those paper baubley things that we used to have in the 70's... you know, they are flat, then you open them up and they are all papery and pleated... if that makes sense. Well, I used the Carved Ornaments Alterations Die.. cutting the larger of the baubles in mountboard and then loads of book pages... and then I set about folding them all in half...


Several yonks later, all the folding and gluing was done... and yep, they looked ok... but a bit boring... so I got spritzy with Colorwash Sprays (you should see the state of my hands lol) and generally covered the folded pages with colour... and then added some Perfect Pearls Mists to bling them up - that doesn't show on the pics too well though.




My fave one is the upside down one... next time I will cut the pages the right way... and the writing will be the right way up... I could get seriously addicted to making these... and have ideas for adding charms and bells and stuff to hang off the bottom of them. SO... thank you to Annette for inspiring me :O))




Last night I was faffing on yonder t'internet, as you do... when I became aware of being watched... you know when you get that feeling... that someone or something is watching you... well, I turned around and there was Lord AlfieCat Sheridan, sitting on my desk...and as I looked at him, he looked away. So, I turned back to look at the t'internet... and could feel him watching again... so I turned to look, he looked away... so this went on for about 10 mins, him looking, me looking, him looking away, me looking away... you get the picture... well, actually I did get the picture... here he is, looking nonchalant. He isn't allowed onto the desk because last time he went on there he knocked a full cup of hot coffee all over a near finished Art Parts project... which was ruined... I can't stay mad at him for long though, he has me wrapped around his little paw!




Right... time to go... got the new Sunday Stamper theme for tomorrow to do... ah yes, and... I have *ahem* something new in the Room of Stash today too... yes, indeedily and thrice... the new Seasonal DI's are here. I hate to admit that I did say that I wasn't going to get them... and then Ellen and I decided to share them because I am not fussed for the orange one but NEEDED the brown one... and the purple one was going to go on eBay. Well, the purple one is... LUSH! It is a keeper lol Ooohlalalaaaa... am well chuffed with it... tis a very regal purple!! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Paint & Sweeties...

...Wednesday this week was my last class at The Stamp Attic of this run... new ones are coming soon... am working on the samples right this very minute - well, not while I am typing obviously because Lionel Laptop would get all gunked up but you know what I mean. I had a lovely surprise the other day when I walked into the workshop - Wendy has put loads of my artwork onto the walls! I am so honoured... and it's amazing to see things that I have made up there on display!



Anyways... as promised the other day.... a few piccies of the class... and the sample of what we were making... which is the Fine & Fresco mini book, using tonnes of Paper Artsy goodies like Fresco Paints and Stamps and Metal on Card and such like.




The ladies all seemed to really enjoy themselves... and really embraced the paintyness of the class. Many thanks to Caz, Claire, Helen, Joan, Anne and Jan for making the day such fun. **and for saying the magic words I always make them say when I am taking a photo lol** As ever with any of my classes there's always lots of nibbles... like the biscuits (Maryland Cookies and HobNobs) and sweeties... this time there were Jelly Babies and Licquorice Allsorts... and this is how GOOD I am ... I only had ONE sweetie from that bowl... a black Jelly Baby *and I hadn't even snaffled some to have from the bag... nope, I am positively angelic!*



So... the new class samples I am working on at the moment will hopefully be done and ready for launching in the next few weeks... the class names are already over there... *points to sidebar*. I will let you know when the next ones are ready for booking. Right, I had better go and get back to the grindstone and get those samples done... ah, tis a hard life lol Thanks for looking... have a very goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

Car Maintenance...

... please don't laugh... it isn't funny... not at all... well, ok, upon reflection... maybe a smidgey bit amusing but... at the time I was SO not laughing. It all started yesterday morning when Ferdy hit a big pothole on the way to The Stamp Attic for my class. I cursed, as you do - well I do lol, but didn't think anything else of it... until lunchtime when I went to feed the parking meter so that Ferdy didn't get a ticket. Well, as I was walking back to Ferdy I noticed something black and plastic looking underneath the front of him... I thought it was a black binbag or such like, so, being a bit stooopid, I kind of leaned over, resting my hand on the bonnet and grabbed what I thought was something loose. When I pulled... it resisted... which is when I felt the most horrendous burn right up my back... akkk!! Turns out the pothole had caused the sill thingywotsit that hangs down under the back of the front bumper to come loose... but only on one side. To the point that it had dragged against the road for goodness knows how long... scraping away the plastic to reveal the metal jobby the runs along the top of it.




So, being a rather resourceful lass *ahem* I decided to lay down in front of Ferdy and pull at the rest of the sill, thinking that it would come away easily enough. WRONG! It was stuck fast... held on my hoooge clip thingys... and the bit that was flopping about wouldn't clip back on because the little tab things had been busted off. Needless to say, I did get a few "comments" as passers-by... erm... passed by. One chap was really helpful... he asked me if there was a problem with the car!!! How intuitive of him... ahem. *I mentally awarded him with the Award For Being Captain Obvious of The Day* Anyways... all was not lost because... I managed to fix it! Oh yesh indeedily... I used... my Tim Holtz scissors to cut through the plastic sill AND the metal thingywotsit that runs along the inside of it! Now that is what I call THE perfect tool... so, if you haven't already got a pair of the Tim Scissors, I urge you to invest in some... you never know when you might have to do a bit of car maintenance yourself!!! Unfortunately, whilst Ferdy is "fixed" my poor old back isn't and after a visit to the Doc this morning he has told me to "take it easy" and not to "overstretch" myself... aw shucks, that is my urge to Hoover and dust dampened then... (like I am bothered rofl)


The class yesterday was a really good one... lovely ladies who all really engaged in covering themselves in ink and paint... I will post the photo's later on... in the meantime I have just blogged my latest DT creation for The Stamp Attic... HERE. The pics on this post are little snips of the creation. I am embracing all things Hallowe'en this year... even if I am being a stick-in-the-mud and insisting on the apostrope. Right... time to go and rest up for a bit... there are some crumpets in the kitchen with my name on them.. well, not actually really my name on them because that would be far too weird... but you know what I mean... nomnomnomnom.... Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

PS... a quicky reminder... my candy giveaway is HERE... to celebrate my Octocentarian of followers... THANK you all for the comments btw... love them!!

WOYWW... WIP & Candy

...tis Wednesday already (again) which means today is the day for the bloggers of the crafty world to unite and show off their desks in the mammoth marathon that is What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday... hosted and devised by the one and only Julia Dunnit, all the deets for this blogathon are HERE. So, this week I have a messy desk... because I am midway through a special project for Hallowe'en and The Stamp Attic... which I had hoped to finish last night but alas... I ran out of time!


On my desk are some gorgeous new papers from Moxie called Midnight Dreary - they are scrummy and have cool names like Tomb It May Concern and Some Like It Haunt! I have been asked quite a few times... "what are the scallop things under the desk?" Well, they are my most beloved and prized Studio 490 stamps... just in the right place for grabbing and playing with. Anyways.. on Monday this week I put on some blog candy because I was nearly at 800 followers... cor blimey, I am now over 800 and very chuffed... so thank you for all the comments and clicks to follow... however, if you haven't seen the candy, it isn't too late to join in... all the deets are HERE... and joining in is simples... oh and I will be including international comments in the draw too :O))


Right I really must get my old carcass into gear, I have a class today at The Stamp Attic... I can't wait! We are going to be playing with Fresco Paints and metal and cool stuff like that :O) Thanks for looking... have a fabby day! TTFN

Hels x

Nearly An Octocentarian...**Blog Candy Giveaway!!**

... Cor blimey and thrice... I have just noticed that I have nearly 800 followers on my blog... so... I thought... how about a nice little giveaway to celebrate this mammoth milestone! I have searched for the "name" of 800... you know, like 8 is an octet and 80 is an octogenarian... but have come up with nothing... so.. I thought I would invent the word instead... so this candy is to celebrate my Octocentarian followers :O)) *don't worry if it doesn't make sense, it hardly ever does for me lol*




That there is a piccie of the candy that will be up for grabs for one randomly selected commenter... and the candy comprises of:

Distress Stains: Forest Moss, Spun Sugar & Weathered Wood
Distress Ink: Forest Moss & Walnut Stain
Adirondack Pigment Ink - Red Pepper
Adirondack Dabbers: Terracotta & Eggplant
A Rub It, Scrub It Pad
A bottle of Ranger Stamp Cleaner
Perfect Pearls Mists - Interference Red
Ranger Stickles: Tropical Tangerine, Mystic Green, Firefly & Glam Pink
Mini Papier Mache Valise
Mini Papier Mache Secret Book Box
4 x 4" square frame
Maya Road: Birdy Keychain, Mini Concertina Book & Fancy Edged Chipboard Book
Chalk White Seam Binding
and.... A tag, made by me :O)

So... to be in with a chance of winning this candy, here are the rules:

Click to Follow me if you don't already
Leave a comment for me on this post (letting me know if you are a follower already or have just become a follower)
Put the piccie in your blog sidebar with a link back to this post

The winner will be drawn at random, using Random.org, and announced on Monday September 26th 2011.

That's all from me for today.. busy, busy with DT projects and such stuff... .so I am off to get inky! Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 172 - Gonna Make You A Star

Gooooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Thank you so much for all the beautiful and poignant entries for last weeks challenge... I especially want to point you in the direction of Jo's entry... which brought tears to my eyes... it is HERE for you to see. On a happier note... this weeks challenge is a treat for all us "ladies of a certain age" because I have chosen a rather fab song title to go with the theme STARS. And... because I think we all deserve a nice treat... HERE is a linky to the song itself, being performed by David Essex way back in October of 1974. Anyways... enough of the drooling and time to tell you how to join in... which is simples... make a little something - it can be absolutely anything you fancy... add in some stamping and the theme and then hop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry and then I can pop over to see you. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 24th September 2011.



So... my entry this week is a cobbled together affair... basically, I had every intention of making my entry on Friday... and then ran out of time... so this tag has been made in three installments, grabbing a few mins here and there... and yep, it shows lol I made a resist background of Tim's star strip border stamp... using Multi Medium to make the resist and then making a smooshiness of stains on my craft sheet of Picket Fence, Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge and Aged Mahogany.




I added some larger stars using Black Archival to stamp them... and then set about altering Brolly Man, who was cut using the Alterations die and Grungeboard. The brolly was inked with Black Soot Stains and then Brushed Corduroy DI... and I then stamped some stars onto the brolly... but they really don't show up as much as I would have liked... next time I will make the brolly lighter! The Iron Gate OTE die cut some Grungeboard and I inked this with Vintage Photo, covered it with a layer of Rock Candy Crackle and then used Walnut Stain Stains to go over the crackles once it was dry. The sentiment is another of the oldies but goodies woodmounted ones from the original collection by the Duke of Distress... stamped, cut out, layered etc.



I loved all the comments and answers you left for me on yesterdays post... it is very reassuring that it isn't just me who hoards bits and bobs because they "might come in"... so thanks for that :O)) Right then... time for me to get a wiggle on... tis nearly bedtime and I have a busy day today watching the British Touring Car Championship ... I am going to be indulging my inner petrol head lol Thanks for looking... have a FAB Sunday ... TTFN

Hels x

A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of...

... That! Actually, it is more like... Mean-Mr-Mojo-struck-again-last-night-and-fair-told-me-that unless-I-cleaned-up-my-act- he-was-leaving-home-and-never-coming-back! See what I have to put up with huh? Anyways... the truth is... whenever I make anything, be it a tag, card, T'Pouch, I always seem to make too many bits to put on whatever it is... and because I don't want to chuck them out, I keep them... and they take up space on my desk... usually in little piles, pushed to the edges... where they inevitably fall onto the no man's land that is the floor of the Room of Stash.




So... yesterday I told you about the latest "challenge"... namely, making "flat" cards. And I told you how unimpressed I was with the end results... well, all these little bits and bobs are hanging about on my desk and instead of ignoring them I decided to use them on a.... tag! And... the tag had already been inked - literally yonks ago and it hadn't turned out how I wanted so it went into the "reject tags that I don't like the background of but may change my mind and plus the fact, it is way too wasteful to chuck away a whole tag"....erm... pile. Actually the background is quite nice... although I have covered most of it up with embellies.


The Memories banner was actually made for last weeks Sunday Stamper but it just didn't look right on that tag so it went onto the "banners I have made and don't like and... well, you get the idea" pile. The Rosettes were cut 382years ago and have been sitting on my desk, un-rosetted because both of them had splits in them. So... I made a feature out of the bottom one, splitting it more so it is very...erm... distressed... the top one isn't too bad so that stayed intact and I just popped some metal bits and a UTEE heart that was a reject because it has a bobble on the front of it... but... now I like it! Weird how once upon a time most of these things were rejects... and now I have used them and they all seem to just work together ... SO... what do you do with the bits you make that you don't use... or make and aren't how you want them to be? Are you a thrifty crafter (like what I am *snort*) or are you super ruthless and bin all rejects? Do tell!


Right... tis time for me to say TTFN... I have to get myself to bed because I am Hitting the Bottle tomorrow! Noooo, I am not going on the lash lol.... I am going to The Stamp Attic for my Alcohol Ink class... I can't wait! Tis going to be a grand day indeedily! I have been and got some treats for the girlies... Jelly Babies (hands off the black ones... they mine lol), Licquorice Allsorts (hands OFF the ones that like tubes of white with licquorice around them... they ahem... mine...lol) oh and I got some Maryland Cookies... even though I do have to laugh... they are about as far removed from Maryland as I am from being a neatfreak... and I know this because... Ellen is from Maryland and she had never heard of them!! It was funny when we went to Morrison's though... they had a special offer on them and there was Ellen, taking pics of the biccies... much to the amusement of some rather surprised looking shoppers... just about the same as me taking photo's of the stacks of Cheesy Chester Cheeto's in the Giant store in Baltimore... ohhahahhaaa. Which reminds me... did I tell you that I am going to Baltimore? I think I may have mentioned it... the odd time or two... in... 26 days!!! Oh dear, I have gone off on one of my waffles again... I really am offski now... thanks for looking... oh and don't forget to tell me... do you save? or do you reject? TTFN!

Hels x

Flat Funky Friday Friperies...

...flipping flip and the flippers! All those F's first thing on a Friday! So! Friday today (already - who fast forwarded the week huh?) .. which means it is my day for the Bubbly Funk DT... I have altered a canvas using some Alterations and of course, Traditional Tan paint. Here is a little pic... the rest of the deets and pics are on the Bubbly Scrumptious blog :O))




Anyways... the "flat" part of today's title... well, you know that I have a tendancy to...erm... over-embellish the things that I make? Well, last night Mr Mojo decided that I was allowed thirty minutes to make two cards. Why do I do these things to myself? I would have been much happier sitting there for a couple of hours and making just the one but... a challenge is a challenge... and I would never have heard the end of it from Mr Mojo had I chickened out. So... seeing as I only had 30mins for two cards, Mr Mojo decided I couldn't use ANY embellies, not even a scrap of Seam Binding... but I was allowed to use Rock Candy Crackle and Glossy Accents (Mojo has a tendancy to allow these ickle things) I used Scattered Straw Stains to cover the card base... spritzing with water for the mottled look. Then stamping a script with the same Stain... and blending Pine Needles around the edge... then stamping the sprigs in Pine Needles... and then adding the little harlequin bits... stamping the butterflies in Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick DI... then stamping the sentiment... STRAIGHT onto the card... not even a little mat to 3d! I then slapped some Rock Candy over the butterflies... and sewed around the edges... which I kind of goofed up and made the machine jam... thankfully it is out of surgery and back to normal now (I should have known it was only a matter of time before I busted it!) This card took 12 minutes to make... not bad... cos I now had three mins more for the second one...




Card #2... same again... NO embellies... but... I was allowed brads... but only ickle ones! The base was made by smooshing Stains onto my craft sheet... I just grabbed them randomly and added Picket Fence and swished the card through it... wow! Loving this "stormy" look... which needed birds... so they were stamped in Black Archival... and Glossy Accented. I added the sentiment and then attached it to the card base but it looked SO boring... so I added more text at the bottom of the card just to break up the boredom lol I finished this card with about 90 seconds to spare...



I am not 100% sold on this "flat" card thing... I can't help but view the cards and feel the urge to add embellies... they need some ribbon, some metal - I can't remember the last time I made something that didn't have Idea-ology on it... and as for the flowers... they both NEED flowers... but... I did it... I stood up to that big bully Mojo and did as he requested... so that means that now I can go off and make something ... and I can load up with stash. Anyways... tis time for me to go and play... I have had a flash of an idea.. and I need to go and grab it before I forget lol Thanks for looking... have a goodly day! TTFN

Hels x

Simon Says...

...cor blimey and thrice, how long since I joined in with the brill challenge that is Simon Says Stamp & Show??? Too long!!! Anyways... I have spent a few delightfully inky hours making a T'Pouch for my entry for this weeks challenge which is Steampunk. If you haven't seen this challenge before, do head on over to the blog to see all the amazing art by the Design Team... truly inspiring!



Anyways... that there pic is my entry... the T'Pouch...which reminds me... I did a quicky tut the other day with the "how to" make one of these... HERE are the deets for that :O)) SO.. the T'Pouch... made from white card and coloured with Distress Stains. I was having a smooshily fab time with Distress Stains yesterday afternoon and did a bit of mixing with Picket Fence and Milled Lavendar... it goes a gorgeous milky lilac colour... but I wanted it a bit darker so I added some Dusty Concord into the mix... and then once this had dried I added some Black Soot.



Amazingly, Milled Lavendar and Black Soot were the two Stains I wasn't going to bother getting... I thought that the Black Soot would be a bit OTT and the Milled Lavendar pad is one that I hardly ever use... how chuffed am I that I decided I NEEDED the whole set huh? VERY!! lol After making an inky background for the T'Pouch and the tag, I did a bit of background stamping with Snowcap Dabber... but this was really pale so I went over the top with Black Archival... the white still shows through and it actually looks darker... if that makes sense :O))




The stamping is a combo of Studio 490 stamps and those Steampunky ones by the Duke of Distress... I love that sentiment... and the chap with the box Brownie... I added some metal bits and bobs... oooh and look at the ickle bottle.. it has rusty screws in it... cute! The key dangling is one I picked up in an antique market in Chesapeake Bay when I was staying with Ellen in America last time... I could have spent a forrrrtune in there too... they even had an Underwood typewriter... but it would have cost me several million-squillion quids to get it back to the Room of Stash so I just had to stare longingly at it... and then walk away.



So... yesterday afternoon... the men came to put the sealy layer jobby onto the path in the back garden... and AlfieCat was confined to barracks... not wanting him to paddle through it and get it on his paws. Well, I strolled around to the post box and on the way back I was chased by a little black and white kittycat... she lives over the other side of the Spinney and is often seen lurking in the back garden... anyways, I said hello to her and gave her a bit of a pet... and then carried on to the house, noticing that she had disappeared behind me. Next thing, I am in the kitchen and I see her prancing up the just sealed path... so I nipped out and managed to pick her up... straight into the laundry to wash her paw-paws... the seal was drying but I don't know what's in it etc. So... there I am, holding a cat that has now decided she isn't all cute and cuddly and is, in fact, a right little monster. Then... I hear hissing... I turned to look... and as soon as kittycat noticed my attention wasn't on her, she bit me!!! And the hissing? That was AlfieCat who had puffed himself up to three times the size *he does look silly when he does that because his head stays the same size, so he looks like a big fat lump with a pin-head* and he was giving me and kittycat the Eye of the Muckergee.... eeeek... I quickly dried kittycats paws and out she went... in the meantime, the hissy-spitty AlfieCat is getting ready for the biggest strop ever! Honestly, it is like having a toddler lol I am just about forgiven for bringing another cat into the house, although he is still glaring at me every so often. Anyways... that's me for today...Thanks for looking... time for inkyness again... TTFN

Hels x

WOYWW... A Winner and... A Birdy Cage...

... aha! A whole week has whizzed past in the usual blur to bring us safely forward to another Wednesday... which means only one thing in this world we call BlogLandia... yes, time for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday... or WOYWW as it is more commonly known. Actually, I call it WOYWUHW... that's how I say it... do you say the letters or are you a lazy bones like me and string them all together? Well, I know what I am on about... which does help... sometimes lol Anyways... WOYWW is hosted by the effervescent Julia Dunnit... pop across to see her blog and have a good read, she is a wordsmith extraordinaire which makes reading her posts ever so fun....





Anyways... that there piccie is my desk... as of 08hundred hours this morning... a box with Idea-ology waiting to be picked at and then tidied away... and Sebastian Sewing Machine, who now lives permanently on my desk... poor old ATG gun has been demoted to the floor of all places! There's a gaping hole under my desk... my Studio 490 stamps live there and at the moment they are all over the floor too... cos I was playing with them yesterday and inadvertantly forgot the "#1 rule of the Room of Stash... which is to tidy away every night before going to bed... ahem... I will do it now... I will... honest... well, after I have told you about the winner of my Bloggy Birthday T'Pouch... that there is a reminder pic of it... so... ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN COMMENTS!!!! WOWZERS!!!! Thank you one and all for your lovely comments and sentiments... loved reading all of them and if I haven't got back to repling yet, please do bear with... am getting through them ;O)) So... 111 was fed into Mr. Random.org and he said #89 which tallies with a comment from Caz Newton... so... congrats to Caz and please can I have your addy so I can pop the T'Pouch into the post for you?



Moving on... Frankie has been busy and hosted a Bird Cage swap... and today is the day that we show what we made... yes, I know, I goofed and showed mine a little early but... I did make two so... here they are together!



Right... enough waffling and prevaricating... there's a room to be tidied... cards to be made... blogs to be hopped and... if I stay here much longer I will end up boring you all with the fact that it is now less than a month until I jet off to the US of A to spend time with Ellen and to take some classes with THE Wendy Vecchi... I know... I am doing you a favour by going now, otherwise I could be boring you all silly with the level of excitement that is bubbling up inside me and my nerves about having my case ransacked again by Border Security... but I won't so I shall just say... Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x