2013 - My Favourites!

..cor blimey and thrice!!! Did someone say "blink and you will miss it?"  Well, this year seems to have whizzed past in a blurry blur!  I am sure that time is speeding up you know, 2012 didn't go half as fast as 2013 has you know.  Anyways, as usual, every December 31st, I do a bloggy post with pics of a few of my favourite makes of the year.  So, without further ado, here are some of the said pieces:

 

With a nod to my most favourite designer in the world (said that in me best Jeremy Clarkson voice I did) this tag is all about Wendy "the wonderful" Vecchi.  It is no secret that I adore her Studio 490 as much as I adore the lady herself... if you CLICK HERE you can be whizzed off on the back of a giant Art Part to visit her inspirational blog.  I made this tag just before I jetted off to sunny California for CHA in January.  What a totes amazebobs experience that was too... *sad face* I am not going this time... but I will be avidly watching all the blogs and vids that will be about.   This tag sees lots of stencilled and spritzed backgroundy bits, Wendy's texture paste, Stamps, Clearly for Art and Art Parts... and a cool idea I dreamed up for the Embellish Your Art pieces... colour them with a Distress Marker and slap some Rock Candy Distress Cracklepaint over them... leave to dry and you get a really cool porcelain effect... smudge some Walnut Stain into the crackles and it looks like crazed porcelain... cool!

 Straight after CHA, I flew to Baltimore to stay with Ellen for a few days before heading home.  Whilst there, well, it would have been plain rude not to visit Michael's and AC Moore... so we did! *of course, I didn't spend a very lot of dosh there..... ahem... *  And whilst there I picked up the cutest 4" square deep edge canvases.  As it was also my lucky week and I had been gifted the new 490 Heart stencils, I had a little play in Ellen's studio... and made this for a Sunday Stamper (week 242) and it also shows my "word of 2013" which was "wish". 

Into February now... Another thing that ain't a secret is that my American BFF, the amazing Ellen Vargo, and I do like to have crafty Skypey sesh's... and this tag is actually the result of a Speed Recipe challenge... more Studio 490 goodies on this one... and I can see a theme of colourations starting here... mmmmmm

2013 saw me joining the Darkroom Door Design Team... how lucky am I!!!  I love all things Darkroom Door, the stamps are to die for and the designs are so brilliant... and also, the little card snips that Rachel has also designed co-ordinate perfectly with the stamps. On this piece I made some butterflies using the Wings set, stamped onto bookpages that had been stuck to Clearly For Art so when they were heat moulded, their wings fluttered.  The base of this papier mache board has been painted with Fresco Paints and I added some crackle stencilling and texture paste and the new DD crackle stamp too.  I am very happy to say... Rachel has asked me to stay on the Darkroom Door team for 2014 too!  Hurrah... told ya I was lucky ;o))

Aha, finally a change in colours!  This tag was made for Paula's Little Bit Crafty challenge and the theme was Kraft - another of my comfort zone colours... and yes, another Tattered Florals rose... Me? Predictable?  You bet!!!  I had a "crisis" a few years ago... making the same stuff all the time, questioning if I should change my style... but it makes me happy to make roses and to make tags and to use these colours... and crafting is all about being happy right?

And what happens when we ain't happy or we don't feel well?  Yip, Mojo's all around the world naff orf on their holidays ... and mine had done just that in May... so I gave myself a challenge. This is a surefire way of getting old Mojo back and juicy... so the challenge was to use fave colours (comfort zone for colours always helps Mojo come back too) And I had 45 minutes to come up with something.  This is what I made... Tim's then new papers, stamps, Distress Inks, Grungepaper diecuts and embellies... hurrah, happy tag! 

As I have already mentioned, I loves my Skypey sesh's with Ellen ... we have a good old natter and then get cracking on crafty stuff.  This one was an I Challenge Thee... which basically means we put our heads together and get a recipe... then we go for it.  Ellen's art is always so completely different to what I make too... which is great... two peeps, one recipe, two interpretations.  This one has Distress Paints drippily layered onto it and then some tissue stamping (this is MY FAVE stamp and it has GOT LOST this year... I am gutted, it went to a class and never came home *sob* and it is now not being made anymore!)  Stencilling using Wendy's gorgeous paste and lots of Treasure Gold and of course, the Word of the Year!

I was honoured to take part in Ranger's Melt Art Mania this year... and here is the piece I made for my contribution.  I couldn't do a review of the year without a nod to the Melt Pot now could I?  I was lucky to be asked to demo the Melt Pot on Create & Craft and show and share with you all just how versatile this little machine is.  And judging from the responses that I have had from hundreds of you, you have all fallen in lurves with your own Melt Pots too.  Hurrah! Long live the Melt Pot!  It would be remiss of me not to mention my main inspiration for the Melty Art stuff I do... none other than Suze Weinberg.   HERE is her blog... and do check out her YouTube demo's too.  You will find yourself captivated by her amazing art.

 

June arrived and with it came some more classes at Birds in the Barn in Essex.  I loved teaching this, The Curio Shelf.  Seeing the fabby Studio 490 stamps, Art Parts and tonnes of Distress being used made me verrry happy.  I know, check out the colour... not blue or brown!!!  Daring!!!

This is another class sample for a canvas class I taught at The Craft Den in Sheffield.  I think this is one of my fave makes of this year.... more gorgeousness from the Studio 490 and plenty of texture and layering going on...

In September, I waved goodbye to the Snazzy DT.  I had spent a lovely year on the team and this piece is one of the final pieces I made for my weekly blogging.  I recycled an ancient old photo frame and bunged a load of ink and sprays and embellies on it...

Also in September saw the launch of my little Dinghy.  Lisa Pace (who is AWESOME) asked me (I know, me!! with all those amazing artists!!!!! no pressure then!!!!!) if I wanted to be part of a special thing she was putting together.  Called My Life in A Dinghy, she gave us a template to use a loo roll inner to make the dinghy... and then told us to go for it, design it in our style.  So this is what I made... and along with the Dinghy, also comes the tale of what life would be like on this dinghy.. here's an excerpt of my description... "At the bow of the dinghy there lives a very magic tree.  A tree that is so sought after, there is only one living in the world... and there it is, on my dinghy.  Now this tree has a very special and powerful elixir that can only be extracted by squeezing the berries on the tree... and any old Tom, Dick or Hels can't just go and squeeze the the berries, oh no, it has to be done by a Unicorn - and it just so happens that one also lives in the dinghy with me.  The elixir from this tree has many properties, giving the receiver a health beyond all, free of pain.  One shellfull of Elixir and you feel like you will never lose your Mojo again, like the whole world is coloured by Distress Inks and also, although I have yet to encounter this, it also gives the imbiber the most vivid imagination known to man!" 

Skipping ahead now to November... this piece just makes me smile... it is blue, it has flowers, it has bling and it has texture... and also.. it has Beatles lyrics on it.  Gotta be a fave of mine!


And finally!  I used to do a Top Ten but last year I got excitable and did a Top 13 as we were entering 2013.  This year, I have picked a Top 14... cos tomorrow it is 2014!  So here it is... without further ado, this is my most fave thing I have made this year... the photo doesn't do it justice but they never do really do they?  This was created during another of our Skypey challenges... this time it was to use Art Parts and Wendy stamps... Ellen's piece was totally different to mine (as it always is... ) but again, so wonderful to see two different interpretations.... 

Right... that is all from me for this year.  All that is left to say is... THANK YOU, each and everyone of you for all your lovely comments, support and for reading my wafflings.  I wish you all a very Happy New Year and I hope that 2014 is a perfect year for you!  TTFN

Hels x

Happy Christmas!!!

Gooodly Morning to one and all... and a VERY Happy Christmas to you all... may your Christmas bring all your wishes and dreams come true!  I have been busy supervising in the Room of Stash.  Oh yesh indeedily, a certain little AlfieCat decided he wanted to get Ink on his Paws and make Daddy's Christmas card.  He spent a little while mooching around Tim and Wendy's blogs and decided he wanted to make something similar to Tim's 12 Tags December edition... and add in their fabulous Frosted Film and Clearly for Art technique.  HERE is Tim's post and HERE is Wendy's *worth taking a glass of sherry and a mince pie with you when you visit cos you will be there yonks!*

So.  Alfie is a bit of an inky demon and a few weeks ago I took delivery of the new Tim Layering Stencils, Holly and Diamonds.  AND... they were still in their packets, unopened and uninked!  How very remiss of me but I haven't had a chance to sit and play.  AlfieCat is all for using up stuff that hasn't been played with yet and ripped open the packets and off he went, using Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain DI's to colour the base of the tag and filling his paw up with water and flicking it over the tag to add some distressy splats.  I did the heat tool thing to dry it, last time he went near one he frazzed his whiskers.  He then layered the Holly Stencil over the tag and used Forest Moss and Fired Brick DI's to colour.  Another zap from Mummy with the heat tool to dry the ink and then he layered the Diamond Stencil over and used Frayed Burlap to colour.

The fabby technique from Wendy & Tim is adhering Frosted Film to Clearly For Art... how cool is this!!  Die cut with the Tattered Poinsettia, Holly Brank and the sprig from the Tattered Pine Cone and then coloured with her Signature Designer Ranger Archival's in Fern Green and Geranium (and Alf added smidges of Olive to add a second tone of green to the holly leaves)  A zap with the heat tool from me to dry the Archival ink and then I did the next bit: flip the pieces over so the Clearly For Art is face up and heat until it starts to flutter... and then shape whilst still hot... once cooled, the Clearly For Art keeps it shape!  Don't like the shape? Simply reheat and reshape!  This technique ROCKS... seriously, you NEEDS to try it!  Just think, you could colour the die cuts with Promarkers/Copics, Alcohol Inks etc.  Once assembled, I added the bits of Idea-ology and the sentiment is one of Tim's Rub On's.  Alf then coloured the card base using Frayed Burlap and the Diamond Stencil so it carries the design through to the base... isn't he clever!!!???

Right, I shall away... tis time to open the pressies that are sitting under the tree.  I have no idea what Father Christmas has brought me this year!  Hope you all got some lovely stashly goodies... go on, do tell, whatcha get???  Have a lovely day everyone!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 288 - King of Wishful Thinking + CANDY!!!

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thank you for the fabby entries for last week's challenge.   This week sees the return of a fortnightly challenge - being as it is Christmas and New Year and time in our crafty spaces will be limited!  The challenge for this fortnight is... USE THE WORD WISH.   Also, I have some candy to giveaway to one randomly chosen entrant - my thank you to all my lovely Sunday Stampers for your entries this year.   To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here and leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via email (small res pic please) or via Facebook by tagging my name.  To be in with a chance of winning the candy, simply leave me a comment on this post - if you ENTER the challenge with a piece of artwork, you will be entered TWICE into the giveaway.  The theme will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 4th January 2014.

 The challenge theme is because during 2013 the word WISH has been "word of the year".  I have loved having this word as my special one... it has brought me lots of inspiration throughout the year and I will be a little sad to see it go... however, the word of the year for 2014 has already been chosen and I will be blogging about that at the end of December.

My entry this time is a papier mache board hanging that I have altered using the gorgeous Craftwork Cards Vogue Collection papers, using the paperblocking technique I lurves so muchly.   Once I had blocked all the papers, I did a very light wash of Mushroom paint over the top to tone the papers in to each other.  I good old coat of Matte Glue & Seal to ... yep, you guessed it... seal those papers and then I added a border around the edges using Black paint.  Once this had dried I got out my Stabilo All pencil and added shading to the paper blocks.  My stamping is the flourish stamp, randomly onto the edges of the base using Jet Black Archival ink.

Next up came some delicious stencilling using Wendy's Dreamweaver black paste and the new to me (hurrah, finally got this one!) "Three Flourishes" Studio 490 stencil.  I spread a nice generous layer of the paste over - I love this stuff... it is the same as the one in the giveaway too :O)  Once this had dried (with a little help from Mr Heat Tool) I started decorating the edges and stencilled bits with Treasure Gold White Fire and Spanish Topaz.  I wanted a bit of a bright colour on my design as the background was quite muted so I picked some gorgeous turquoise blooms from Kaisercraft and layered them up with white paper flowers and then coloured them with Stream Colorwash, Black Marble Dylusions and Ancient Blue Cosmic Shimmer spray for the extra bit of bling.  I keep saying this but I really loves the way spraying the Cosmic Shimmer over Black Marble gives a real metallic effect.  I added lots of bits and bobs of metal and resin embellies - all given a smidge of Treasure Gold to bling them up a bit (check out the ickle spark plug - how cute is that!!)

So, the Candy giveaway package is as follows: Wendy Vecchi's Signature Archival Inks: Watering Can, Potting Soil, Red Geranium and Fern Green, Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, Glossy Accents, Large Cosmic Shimmer glue and a bundle of metal charms too.  There will no doubt be a few extra bits and bobs making their way into the package too :O)  Remember, to be in with a chance of winning, leave me a comment on this post... and if you enter with a piece of artwork, your name will be entered twice.  Closing date/time for the Sunday Stamper is 21:00GMT 4th January 2013.  Entries received after this time will not be entered into the draw and duplicate comments will be deleted to make it fair to all who enter.  The winner of the giveaway will be announced on Sunday 5th January 2013.

Right then, tis time for me to get myself to bed!  I have still not got my voice back... I had a little bit of a croaky squeak earlier but it has gone again... boohoohoo!  Thanks for looking.. and thank you all for your continued support of my little challenge this year too.   Have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Silence is Golden...

...mmm, not so sure about that!  It seems that something has snuck in during the night and stolen my voice!  How rude!  The lack of crafty activity this week has mostly been due to the fact that I have felt really rough... and now I feeling marginally better, I have no voice!  I was sitting croaking and squeaking at Grim earlier and whispered "what if I never get my voice back!???"   He didn't bother to reply... he just raised his arms, waved them about and went "yeahhhhh"  The cheek of it!  Anyways... I am just popping in to let you know there will be a brand new Sunday Stamper theme tomorrow... it is going to be a two-weeker and there will some nice candy up for grabs too!

For now, I shall return to the Land of the Silent and feel ever so slightly sorry for meself!  Hope you all lurgy free! Why do I always get a bug at Christmas huh?  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 287 - Cracklin' Rosie

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all!  Thank you for the fabby entries for last week's challenge... and also hi to the newbies who joined in for the first time too!  This week is a nice easy theme... another of my fave songs and I happened to hear it on the radio the other day and it stuck in my head... so I used it for the theme this week.  So, on with the challenge, which is to USE CRACKLES.  To join in is simples: make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here and leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via email (small res pic please) or via Facebook by tagging my name.  The theme will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 21st December 2013.

So. Crackles!  A plethora of possibilities... use crackle paints, crackle mediums, crackle techniques... or do what I did and use a crackle stamp!  My entry this week is a veritable feast of Kaisercraft goodies.  Starting with the papers from the Art of Life Collection, cut to fit onto a Size 10 tag that had the bottom cut off and then re-attached with eyelets and string.  I LOVE these papers... so up my street colour wise and design wise too... perfick!

All the stamps I used are Kaisercraft, the Crackle, Sheet Music (on the band across the middle), the Diamonds and the sentiment which is on the bag of the mini tag.  The backgrounds were stamped with Potting Soil Archival (LOVE this one Wendy, thank you for inventing this colour!!!)  and the words and butterflies were stamped in Jet Black Archival.   Also, on the band across the middle, I popped some Walnut Stain DI'd Flower Trim that I slapped some Glue & Seal onto and then sprinkled Antique Linen Distress Glitter over.. I know, me, Glitter!!! Twice in a week!! Habit!!!

Because (uh-oh, Mrs Johnson, my English Teacher would be scribbling red pen all over this... starting a sentence with *because* baaad Hels!)  Anyways... because the papers are very vintage creams and browns, I decided to add some colour and chose red to be the "pop" I was looking for.  The butterflies are coloured with Fired Brick DI applied with a waterbrush... and the flowers (also Kaisercraft) were coloured with Black Marble Dylusions and Red Firefly Cosmic Shimmer sprays.  I added a few bits and bobs of metal and Idea-ology embellies and voila, done!  This is a DT piece for Jones of Nottingham... to see their website, please CLICK HERE.

I am all excited today!!! Oh yesh indeedily... for today I am actually going to crafty class and I will be a student instead of teacher!  I shall be venturing to Telford to the Clare Chervill class at Crafty Bunch... tis yonks since I did a class.. in fact, the last one I did?  With THE Wendy Vecchi 2 years ago when I was staying with Ellen in Baltimore!! YONKS!!!    Yesterday saw my very last class of 2013!  I am trying to work out how many classes I have taught this year but my old brain is on the blink and my diary is downstairs... I shall have to go and count them up.. must be very lots tho!   Whilst I love teaching and doing what I do, I am really looking forward to having a few weeks off "work" completely and being able to catch up on stuff around the house (yes, I mean those cobwebs!) and getting some *me time* in the Room of Stash too.  Anyways, whatever you are up to today, I hope you have a goodly one!  Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

PS.  Next weeks' challenge will be a two-weeker because of that thing Christmas getting in the way... and there will be CANDY on offer too :O)

Make It, Take It... Ombre!

..cor blimey, I don't know where this last month as gone to!  Today sees a brand new challenge over on the Craft Stamper blog HERE are all the deets for you.  The challenge is to use the "Ombre Technique".  I have to admit, when Trish first told me the theme, I was like "Errrm... okaaaay... what is that then?"   I have been doing this for yonks and didn't even know it had a proper name... but a proper name it does have and that name be Ombre!  I am trying to work out how to put an accent over the "e" but I am too stooopid so if you say Ombre, say it like you would say "ole" in Spanish.   The challenge also has a fabulous prize attached to it... two of Kate Crane's brand new DVD's... go for it... and good luck, hope you win!!!

So, what does Ombre mean?  This is the definition; Ombre: A graduation of colour from light to dark or vice versa.  Easy huh?  So, armed with some delish Paper Artsy Fresco Paints, I got cracking and made my entry.  The colours I used (from dark to light, top to bottom) are South Pacific, a mix of South Pacific and Bora Bora, Bora Bora, a mix of Bora Bora and Mermaid, Mermaid, a mix of Mermaid and Snowflake and then finally, Snowflake on its own.  I used Cut & Dry foam to apply the paints, dabbing them on to get a nice blend line.  The base is a piece of old cardboard, stencilled with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Texture Paste and the TST Foxgloves mask and paint applied straight over the top.  

Once I had the painty background how I wanted it, I got playing with embellishments.  I had already made some roses using the Posey Patch Heartfelt Creations stamps and Teresa Collins Creative Expressions papers, and I am usually such a bad person, any stuff I make for telly shows that doesn't get used, usually goes into a bag and gets dumped under the Desk of Doom. Not this time, hurrah, I remembered I had made them so I used them up.  Being as the papers didn't really "go" with the background, I grabbed a Black Marble Dylusions spray, liberally spritzed the ink over them and then got some Antique Blue Cosmic Shimmer spray and slapped that on too (teckernical terms that is lol)  I popped them onto the radiator to dry too... I love using my radiator to dry stuff... it is a more gentle heat and doesn't change the ink colours that a heat tool sometimes can.  The radiator is minging dirty mind, so I won't be drying a white teeshirt on it anytime soon... although...   I added metal embellies, some are Prima Mechanicals, some are Idea-ology and some are just stuff I got out of the Bag of Doomly Goodness (those who have taken classes with me recently will remember seeing the contents of the Bag of Doomly Goodness tipped out onto the table and know how much stuff is in it!)  Finishing touches are in the form of Sapphire and White Fire Treasure Gold to add a smidge of bling.  Oh and the leaves are the Heartfelt Creations Classic Leaf stamp I had on the shows on Wednesday.

So, what you got planned for today?  I have got my "to-do" list out again... starting with Morrison's (wish me luck) and then a mammoth task of sorting all my boxes out... re-packing for my class in Hessle tomorrow... and then I needs to sit and make some Christmas Cards... still not made a single one!! I know!!!!  Baaaad Hels!   Thanks for looking, have a fabby day!  TTFN

Hels x

Very Exciting News!!! !!! !!! !!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!  My flabber is ghasted!!!  I am a right giddy kipper today!!! !!! !!! !!!  I have been keeping a lid on this exciting news for months now... and today is the day that I am allowed to tell you all about the next step on my journey through Art.  Oh yesh indeedily!!!!  !!!!  !!!!!  !!!!!!   *a few more exclamations cos I am all of an exclamations today!!!* (and pinching meself... is this really real???)   Well, yes it is!  So, what is this news?  I am very honoured to be able to announce that I will be teaching on a ScrapMap cruise that is sailing from Southampton on May 25th - 31st 2014.  Taking in Paris, France, Bilbao & Gijon, Spain, this is the *Ultimate* in crafting cruises.  And, I won't be on my own either... because these fabulous gals are also joining me on the cruise; Kaz Hall, Ranger Educator and uber talented Distress officiando.  Mel Heaton, Create & Craft regular and all round amazing papercraft artist.  And Jodie Johnson, Tonic's own genius Jodie who is also a regular on Create & Craft.  See, I told you it was the *Ultimate* !!!  *click on the gals' names to see their blogs too :O))*  And.. there will also be a shop on board, provided by my friend Carolyn from Pickwell Farm... told ya, the *Ultimate* :O))  All the details about the cruise are HERE

 
I have never been on a cruise you know... and when Jim from ScrapMap first asked me to do this, he said to me "Have you ever been on a cruise?"  My reply?  "Erm, no, but I have been on a boat on the Broads"   I mean really, like there is any comparison!!!!   But, I am used to moving about quickly - being a Train Driver soon gets rid of any motion sickness lol  Here's the "boat" we will be sailing on... Just a little one then!!!

As well as classes with us four teachers, you will also be using the very best crafting supplies, you will learn a plethora of techniques, get hints and tips from us on how to make your crafting really special... there will be a commemorative tote bag stuffed full of goodies worth over £100, special evening activities and... a private cocktail party... wow, I have never been to a cocktail party (diet starts tomorrow right?)

I cannot even begin to describe just how excited I am... but I will try!!! !!!  Imagine it is Christmas, your birthday, the eve of your Wedding, the day you get a new puppy or kitten and the day Postie is bringing your new stashly pressies... well, like that... but multiplied by a millionzilliontrillion!!!   And on that note, I am away to lay down in a darkened room, I so needs to calm down!!!   Thanks for looking, have a very goodly day!!! TTFN

Hels x

PS... I think this post qualifies for the "most amount of exclamation marks used in one post"  lol



 

Just Hanging Around...

...yipyah! And thrice!  Today is the day of my two tellybox Melt Art shows... I am on C&C at 3pm and 6pm - a slight time change to the last show, now being on an hour earlier than planned.  All the deets on how to view are over in the sideybar.  Today I have another sample to show you!

This one is a canvas board that I paper blocked using the gorgeous Teresa Collins Creative Expressions papers... I love how this technique uses up all the ickle bits of paper left over that none of us can bear to throw away.  Instead of the usual layer of Glue & Seal to seal the papers, I slapped a liberal layer of beeswax over the top of the papers... I love the muted and vintage effect you get from painting beeswax on stuff.

The flowers are Posey Patch from Heartfelt Creations and the leaves are also Heartfelt Creations and are on the shows!  Another thing you will see on the shows... a "back in stock" item ... oh yesh, we have Project Pans!!! Hurrah!!! As far as I am aware, all the products are now online on the C&C website if you want to get in early with your orders :O))

I shall away now, I have boxes to pack up and the most mahoosive zit on my chin that needs ten tonnes of concealer to cover it up... and with that delightful image, I shall say... thanks for looking... and... have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sample Time...

...and now I am singing "Hammer Time" lol   Goodly day and greetings from a rather chilly Room of Stash!  I have turned the radiator right down in here because... I have two Melt Pots cooking nicely and I was getting all hot and bothered last night... not to mention the lovely Yankee Candle I also have burning nicely.  It will be soon be warm and toasty in here though :O))  Anyways, enough waffle... here's a little schneaky peeky at a demo sample for tomorrow's shows.

I am on Create & Craft (all deets on how to view are over there *points left*) at 3pm and 6pm with Melt Pot Marvels shows.  These are my last two shows of 2013!  I can't believe how quickly this year has whizzed past... it seems only five minutes ago since we were all stuffed full of turkey and fighting to get the Christmas decorations back into the boxes they live in...

But indeed, another Christmas is fast approaching and I have done the sum total of nothing towards it... well, except the Stollen that I bought a few weeks ago that Grim put on top of the highest cupboard in the kitchen so I can't get to it without risking life and limb lol (he knows me too well, he does!)  Oh and Grim bought a Christmas Pud the other day.  But cards? Nope, not a single one made.  I feels I shall be rather busy on Thursday this week!  Anyways, I better get back to the Melt Pots... I have my demo's to prep and I needs another little play before I pack them up.  Thanks for looking... have a goodly day!  TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 286 - All You Need Is Love

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Many thanks for the fabby numerical entries for last weeks challenge... I know I says this all the time but I do really appreciate all the entries every week, makes me smile biggly to see your interpretations of my little challenge.  This week the theme is... *can you guess it?* LOVE.  To join in with the challenge is simples: make a little something - it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here and leave me a comment with a linky to the place you are showing your entry so I can hop over and see your creation.  If you haven't got a blog, you can also join in via emailing me a small res piccie (my email can be found by clicking on my profile pic *points left*) or via Facebook, simply tag my name in your upload and I can come visit you.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 14th December 2013.

Guess what???   This is my 1750th post!!! That is one heck of a lot of wafflingtons isn't it???  And I noticed yesterday that I have 1600 followers now too... THANK YOU ALL for  your continued support!  Makes me heart happy!  

Anyways, on with my entry for the challenge.  So, the theme was going to be something else... which it can be next week actually so I shalln't tell you now... but I started making my entry and I used this stamp from Kaisercraft and it just seemed the natural thing to do... use the song title in the stamp!  And as you know, I lurves The Beatles more than any other band in the world ever... so it had to be done :O))   This piece is actually a DT thingy for Jones DT ... my December kit is a bunch of beautiful Kaisercraft 75 Cents collection papers... and the colours and designs are just so me... perfect for a spot of paper blocking right?  I cut pieces of the papers up and then layered them onto a photo frame (this is one of the *sadly* discontinued RAM frames from IKEA, I have one left now... )  I always use Cosmic Glue to stick me papers down, in fact, I use it for most things but it works perfectly for the paper blocking technique.  Once all the papers were stuck down and trimmed up, I did a very light wash of Antique White Kaisercraft paint to knock back the designs a little.  A quick zap with the heat tool and then a roughly applied layer of Glue & Seal to erm... seal the papers. 
 

The centre piece is actually a perfectly sized element from the papers, I cut it out and added a smidge of stamping to it; I made a template of scrap paper so the stamping didn't over stamp onto the edge of the paper and kept within the bordery bit.  The stamp is Windsor from Kaisercraft and I used Wendy's fabby Potting Soil Archival Ink (from her Signature Designer colours for Ranger).  I stamped the butterflies again, cut them out and edged with Walnut Stain to get rid of the white bits around the edges and then layered them over the base image.  The word is stamped with Black Archival to make it pop.  Now, I have to say, I have always been a bit of a "stamp snob"... you know, always favouring red or grey rubber and whilst I use clear stamps, I am always left a little disappointed that they don't stamp too well, they squish when pressed or don't ink properly.  I can safely say that this is SO not the case with these clear Kaisercraft stamps... I have tried lots of them and they all give perfect images... and they are not expensive either! Result!    The flower cluster was made using more Kaisercraft, the paper flowers are Sage and I added Black Marble Dylusions and Antique Green Cosmic Shimmer sprays to them to add bling.  Then I popped lots of little bits and bobs onto the design and added touches of Treasure Gold to finish off.
 

So, what you got planned for today?  I am going all "domestic goddess" and cooking a Sunday roast... contrary to what I was saying the other day on the tellybox shows, I do cook other stuff other than sausages... not much else I hasten to add but I have this tried and tested recipe from my dear MIL and whilst perusing the butchery bit in Morries the other day I spotted a rather nice looking piece of Brisket... so we are having Slow Roast Beef in Beer for dinner... I am drooling at the thought... oh and I got meself some sprouts too.  Grim won't eat them, he says they taste like "boiled farts" ... not sure he actually means that, I mean really? Has he ever tried to boil a fart I wonder... I must ask him!  Anyways, on that delightful note *you can always rely on me to lower the tone lol* I shall bid you a very goodly day and hope that you have a nice Sunday roast to scoff too!  Thanks for looking... TTFN

Hels x

Orbs!!!

...you know that thing when you take a photo and when it is developed (oh dear, how old am I... *don't answer that*) when you get to see it proper, there are little orbs all over it?   Well, I have seen different theories, photographers say it is a light something-or-other... most of us think that it is a capture of a spirit around the subject of the photo.  I have to agree actually, I am a great believer in all that stuff.  Anyways, what am I waffling on about orbs for?  Well, it wasn't until I took the pics for todays tag that I realised I had created my own "orb" on my tag!  Check it out... (just under the "rr" of the sentiment)

What do you think?  Is it an orb?  Or just a little lucky splash of water landing on a Distress Inky background?  I am sticking with the orb theory, cos I can... like :O))  Anyways,  today's tag is my class sample from last Sunday's Hels' Tags of Christmas class.  In the morning the ladies created more or less what I made for the original, then in the afternoon they had a second tag to really play with... this is mine, slightly squished as it wasn't dry when I packed it into a box at the end of the class, so please excuse the dodgy looking pinecones!  The resist technique I used was done using Antique Linen Distress Paint - I just think it is fab that the DP's are waterproof when dried, so when you resist them, they don't budge at all... cool huh?

Afore I go, I shall announce the winner of the giveaway yesterday... we had 53 comments in total so I fed this into Random.org and he came up with the number 30 which tallies with the comment left by Jac777.  Congrat to Jac and please can you email me with your postal addy so I can pop the prize into the post?  My email can be found by clicking on my profile pic over there *points left*.

I shall away now... I have a new DT piece to play with today and of course, the new Sunday Stamper that will be here tomorrow.  A nice inky day ahead, bliss!  Thanks for looking, have a great day!  TTFN

Hels x

Giveaway Time!!!

...yes indeedily, it is that time again.  As a thank you for all the lovely comments and messages and emails and stuff, I am giving away this little piece of artwork that was prepped as a demo and I didn't get chance to do it live on air... so I finished it off at home and here it is.  To be in with a chance of winning the plaque, simply leave a comment on this post (click on the "inky thinkings" button at the bottom of the post).  The closing date/time for the giveaway is 23:59 GMT tonight, 6th December 2013. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on tomorrow's post.  In the event of the winner not claiming their prize in the next seven days, I will do a re-draw and a new winner will be announced.

I love these MDF Rectangular Plaques.  This one is the largest one and I painted it with a layer of Lake Mist Dabber... and added the edging in Pitch Black Dabber to give it a frame.  The stencilling is the gorgeous Fuchsia That Special Touch mask... I loves this mask muchly seeing as I am collecting Fuchsia's at the moment and now I have my new greenhouse, I can keep them over winter too!  Anyways, once I had popped the mask into position, I spread a layer of Gold Pearl Texture Paste through it and then allowed it to dry.  I tend to pop things onto the radiator to dry - I am impatient!  You can gently heat dry the paste, just make sure it has formed a "crust"  on top of it to start with otherwise it can bubble and distort.

The decorations are made from flowers stamped onto the lush Teresa Collins Creative Expressions papers... the flower stamps are from the Studio 490 Live & Make Art set... loves them muchly because they have so many petals, you can make them more 3d.  I added some hand cut leaves that I lightly coloured with Forest Moss Distress Ink and then bunged a few embellies onto the plaque too... the buzzy bee is an Embellish Your Art resin piece (how cute!) and the key is a Creative Expressions Assorted Keys embellie... and the ickle bottles are Glass Vials which I filled with Persian Dawn Gilding Flakes to add a smidge of bling.  The words are a combo of stencilled (Always from the Classic Words Stencils for Art) and the Be You is a stamp from the Art For You 490 set.

Right, that is all from me for today... I am tackling my "to do" list ... starting with the dreaded trip to Morrison's... oh how I love doing the grocery shopping... not!!!  Wish me luck, I thinks it might be a bit busy in there!  Thanks for looking... have a grand day!  TTFN

Hels x

A Bird In The House...

...and indeedily he is!   Cor blimey and THRICE!  What magnificent shows I had yesterday - thank you all for your support, the emails, Tweets (sorry, I am rubbish at Twitter but I thinks I managed to reply to you...) and messages too... you were all lurving the MDF blanks muchly.  And I do too... especially this 3D birdy house.  And why do I loves it?  Well, a lot of MDF/Woody things are already assembled, which is fab, it saves you the job... but that then has its own probs because you need to decorate it... and that can be difficult if the thing is already put together.  So, the cool thing with these MDF shapes is that you assemble them yourselves.. and it is a doddle to do too.  I wasn't kidding when I said about the chest of drawers with the dodgy front you know ;o))

The assemblage part of this bird house took place after I had done all the decorating... except for the roof, that was done once it was glued together.  Starting by covering the sides and front and back with the lush Teresa Collins Creative Expressions papers.  Remember not to cover the little insert tabby thingy and you won't have any probs with the assemblage.

I added some stamping to the sides using that gorgeous big 490 grass stamp... stamping with Flake & Glitter Glue and then gilding... and then burnishing to make it shine.  I did that on both sides and then set about decorating the front.  I used Jet Black Archival and a flourish stamp (loving those pretty flourishes) and stamped up from the bottom and down from the top of the front as I wanted the flourishes to pop out behind my embellies.

And now for the roof!  Well, I had this idea I would make it look a little snowy... so I slapped on a big dollop of Gold Pearl Texture Paste and patted it out so it was peaky... and then set it aside to dry.  Well, it did take a couple of hours to dry as that is a thick layer but I think it is worth it.  Just think, how pretty would that be if I had sprinkled glitter onto it too!  *wish I had now!!!*   

The flowers are stamped from Live & Make Art onto more of the TC papers and to make them more 3D I cut out a petal and pulled the flower around on itself to make it one petal less and more depthy.  (mmm, new word there!)  The ickle pearl was fixed in with Cosmic Shimmer glue - in fact all of the gluing is the Cosmic Glue - tis my FAVE!   I didn't have any leaves to play with so I mades my own just by cutting into the papers and then creasing them for more depthyness (mmm, another new word!)

On Tuesday night I couldn't get to sleeps... I was all exciteable (I usually am before a show) and I kept running through my demo's in my head... I can't switch off you see.  Anyways, that resulted in just 2 hours sleeps.  And I was up at stoopid o'clock to get to the studio's so yesterday afternoon, I got home and decided being as Grim is on nights and fast asleeps, I too will go and get some snoozles.  Which is what I did.  FOUR hours worth!!!  Anyways, after Grim had gone to work I was watching the tellybox and started to nod, you know that head dropping to the chest thing that is really annoying cos it wakes you up?  So I decided to stagger off to my bed and sleep. Which is what I did.. for nearly 10 hours!!!  And when I awoke this morning I seem to have had visitations from the *Goblin That Lives Under The Bed And Attacks With Mega Strength Hair Gel*... for my poor old barnet looks like it has, indeedily, been attacked with mega strength hair gel.  Also, the *Goblin That Lives Under The Bed And Attacks With A Sink Plunger* was also having a partaaaay too cos I look like my face is made of an inside out rubber glove... and with that rather gorgeous image, I shall bid you a goodly day and say... Thanks for looking!   TTFN

Hels x