366 Journal and other stuff

It's that time again; time to post our pages for Kate's challenge.  On the ball this month!  After adding the fairies I thought I'd just add a few toadstools but then decided to do them all along the bottom - I preferred it when there were only a few.  Same with the tiny flowers, initially was only going to add a few but then added more.  The pages looked better with less toadstools and flowers but I thought it would be too much faffing to try to fix it.  The colours for May look too wishy-washy here, the background is PaperArtsy Fresco Haystack and Crushed Olive Distress Ink.

I went to the Stitch & Creative Craft show at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool last Friday with a couple of friends and met up with 2 other friends there.  I didn't buy a lot as we went to a big show at the NEC in March and I spent enough there.  I couldn't resist the fairy stamps even though I was adamant I wasn't going to buy any more of Tracey's (Lavinia Stamps) beautiful stamps.  Are you a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character when it comes to crafting?  I am.  I love grunge, steampunk and the like and lots of detail but I also like plain and simple and not so much cutesy but pretty; I love fairies.  At shows Tracey does lots of demos and she had some beautiful cards on display.  I don't make as many cards or do as much stamping as I used to as I'm doing a lot more needlework, but was inspired to use my Lavinia stamps to make a birthday card.

At the craft group I go to in Brighouse once a month we sometimes have a challenge.  Last month it was to do a challenge we found online (not to enter the challenge but to make something using the theme from the challenge).  I made this tag which I'd previously done the background on using monoprinting.  The theme of the challenge I liked was to use a mask.  I think you may just about be able to see a button mask I used towards the top lefthand corner.

Fabric tags; plus pic of Phillipa

I've made some fabric tags today; well they're not quite complete and they're not really tag-shaped!  Thought I'd tell you how to do them and indeed how to print other stuff onto fabric.  I coloured some calico with Koh-I-Noor waterbased dyes which are in a little palette like watercolour paints.  I got mine from Art Van Go.  I wet the fabric first then just 'painted' the dyes on.  When the fabric was dry I trimmed it so there were no loose threads then ironed it onto a piece of freezer paper; cut the freezer paper a little bit larger than the fabric.  The freezer paper enables it to be put through your printer - simples :-)  You need to iron the fabric onto the shiny side of the paper.  You'd think you'd be able to buy freezer paper in the supermarket!! but I've never seen any; if anybody knows of any supermarkets/food stores where it can be purchased, please let me know as I'm sure it would be cheaper than buying it from textile craft suppliers!  I believe you can buy it in supermarkets in the USA.  I'm going to glue the 'tags' onto tissue paper to stiffen them.  I printed some quotes onto the tags.  Now if you see the one attributed to Einstein you may think 'that's just not cricket'! but I think he was being jocular :-)

I've also received my saltdough dolly from the wonderfully talented Donna of Doings of Doone.  Her name is Phillipa, isn't she fabulous? I love her ;-)  This was for playing along with Pay It Forward  If you want to see how Donna makes these dolls check out the videos on her blog.

365 Journal for Feb plus Sunday Stampers

As always with my journal pages I'm happy with them till I see others :-/  These started life as a completely different colour - initially a creamy peach!  But after going over them several times I've settled on this.  Not too sure about the yellowy squares what do you think?  If anyone can suggest a better colour I'm happy to change them as I haven't written anything yet!  The stamps are Art Journey 'Writing'.  For more info on the 365 journal pop over to Kate's


The Sunday Stampers challenge this week is 'Sentiments'.  I've made a tag this week.  The sentiment is a Tim Holtz stamp as is the 'plant'.  A new challenge is set each Sunday by Hels and is open till 9pm the following Saturday.

Sunday Stampers - Santa

Hels theme for the Sunday Stampers challenge this week is 'Santa'.  I've made 2 tags and used 2 different Santa stamps.  The first one is black card which I inked all over with Versamark, then covered it all over with mica powders.  I then inked the stamp with Versamark, this lifts off the mica powder where you have stamped; I've sprayed this with a clear acrylic spray but you should be able to use a cheap hairspray to set the mica powders.  The snowflakes on this one I've had for a few years, they are a clear material which I covered with Jones Tones Diamante glitter.  For the other tag I used Adirondak Butterscotch and Ginger inks for the background and also inked over a Craftynotions stencil.  Both the snowflake and Santa stamps are Tim Holtz stamps.
NB I've realised the last sentence is misleading, only the Santa stamp with 'Believe' on is by TH the other Santa stamp isn't - I said stamps 'cos I was referring to the snowflake and Santa stamps on that one tag.

Sunday Stampers - Blue, Red or Blue + Red

Each Sunday Hels sets a new theme for the Sunday Stampers challenge.  This week it's to use Blue, Red or Blue + Red.  I've made a tag 'cos I find it's fairly easy to think of something for a tag when lacking inspiration.  Made a scrunchy flower out of tissue paper and popped a fabric covered button in the centre.  Not waffling too much 'cos I want to get my effort posted and am out later ;-)

Sunday Stampers - Blue

Check out Hels' blog for more info about the Sunday Stampers challenge. Last Sundays theme was Blue.  I couldn't decide what to do for this then remembered I had one of the little tag books that I won some weeks ago on Hels' blog.  I started off with gesso on the base and stamped things into it for some texture - but you konw how these things go sometimes; you haven't totally decided on the end result so now most of the texture is hidden.  I sprayed with the Altered Originals Sky Blue then when it was dry sprayed the same again through a stencil.  I decided on just simple stamping and have used 3 of Tim's minis.  Did you spot the deliberate mistake?  hehe  If you haven't seen the mini stamp with the skull on you may not notice as it's not really clear here, but that one is upside down.  I will rectify it but wanted to get my entry posted.

x

Sunday Stampers - Numbers + Linda's last tag

I've done another tag for the SS challenge over at Hels, just for a change LOL This is one I'd coloured a few days ago with Adirondak Colour Washes.  I'v added some 7 Gypsies paper and houses from Dyan's downloads.  The 3 is from Tim's number stamp in the Fairytale Frenzy set and the last 'snap' is We R Memory Keepers - I've added one of my almost ubiquitous felt flowers hehe.

I know Linda's already left for Ranger U but I hadn't done my last tag till today, so I'm still posting it.  I'ts not really wonky, I was just holding it at an angle when I took it.  The metal is coloured with alcohol inks after running through the Big Shot using a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Do you like the pink Statue of Liberty? I'd like to say I did it like that to tone with the metal but actually the colour ink cartridge has run out :-/ but I thought it worked well anyway hehehe.
Edited - Have changed the pic for Linda's Countdown tag so it's no longer wonky but have chopped a little corner of the roof off :-/

WOYWW June 16th

I thought I'd show what's on my sometime other workdesk AKA the dining table.  As you can see it gets as messy as my craft desk.  I've got a few things on the desk that need altering slightly.  The rubber gloves are there 'cos I've been doing a bit of free machine embroidery and as you have to move the fabric yourself it makes it easier to grip and move the fabric round.  The fabric piece is for a project we are working on at the cloth doll group I'm a member of.   My free mahcine embroidery skills are sadly lacking.  I keep practising but when I do something like circles a few go fine then the machine just cuts right across one of the circles - I'm sure it does it on it's own!  And I get a few angles in the stitching and when did you see circles with angles! but heyho.  I've just done a kind of random stitch on mine but even that has anlges when it was supposed to be nice curves!   So now if you want to show us what's on your desk pop over to Akela Julia's then dive in, it's just for fun :-)

Have decided to post my tag for Linda's countdown here ;-)  I've used some lovely green felt with a  bit of free machine embroidery round the edge (as I said above doing circles is not my forte :-/ so if you're experienced don't look too closely hehe) the number 2 is free machined too and I made the flowers out of the rainbow organza.  Just to say in my defence here though I made the mistake of doing free machine embroidery on a small surface - not easy!
It's a glorious day here, hope it is where you are ;-)

Linda's Countdown, Tag 3

I was planning something a bit different for today's tag but it didn't work :-/  So back to inking and stamping.  Again I've used colourwashes on this.  Sometimes the colourwashes can be a bit dark which may be fine but if you add water in some way it makes them lighter and brighter.  I wet this tag all over before spraying with 3 colour washes and let the colours run.  I've used Raisin, Butterscotch and smidgen of Lettuce.   The aeroplane (stamped with Archival Maroon), case and postal stamp - on the bottom half 

(stamped with Pumice DI) are from a set of travel stamps by Artemio (couldn't find a name on the set), this pic isn't very clear 'cos I just scanned the acetate sheet.  Bon voyage stamped with Studio G alpha stamps, the wings are German Scrap; coloured with alcohol inks; I used Anita's clear gloss on the case and little tag and the little border on the bottom is metal cut with a MS punch and coloured with alcohol inks :-)

Check out Linda and Anneliese's blogs for more 'Countdown Tags'.

Linda's Countdown Tag 4

I'm up-to-date now with my tags for Linda and Anneliese's countdown.  I've cottoned on to the fact that people are including appropriate numbers in their tags to denote which day it is in the countdown :-/  Well I knew Linda was but have realised other people are too.  I've just put a ring round number 4 - as you can see hehe  I've used Adriondak ink for the background for a change.  The stamps are Tim's and the flower is a Robo file ;-)

Linda's Countdown Tags - 6 + 5

Linda and Anneliese are off to Ranger U in less than a week now - lucky girls ;-)  They thought they would mark the countdown by making a set of tags.  It's just for fun but I thought I'd join in.  I've gone for mainly simple colouring and stamping in monochrome with these two with just a little embellishment - sometimes that's all that's needed :-)  I've used Tumbled Glass DI on the rose one.  The rose (Grungepaper) and corners (which I just cut out of card) are painted with Jacquard's Lumiere Metallic, Pearl Blue.  On the other I used Dusty Concorde DI.  The heart I cut out of card and triple embossed with Sweet Orchid Iridescent embossing powder (it's not UT but the colour was right) from the Blonde Moments range at Art From The Heart and stamped with a PaperArtsy mini stamp and the flourish from the Art Journey 'Writing' set.  The large 'snap' is from We R Memory Keepers ;-)

Linda's countdown tags 8 + 7

In case  you're new here check out Linda's blog for an explanation of the countdown tags.  As I started late I've had to do 2 at a time - well I didn't have to but as I wanted to play along I wanted to catch up, and now I have ;-) so here's my effort for 8 and 7.   I've been using the Adirondak colour washes quite a bit lately and am really loving them.  I've used a stencil and some of Tim's number masks on the time one and more of Tim's masks on the bird one.  I've used some of the felt flowers I'd cut using Tim's Tattered Florals die which were initially meant for my felt vase.  I'd cut one of the larger flowers up and put little tucks into some of the petals to make the middle layer here
:-)

Linda's Tag Countdown - 10 + 9

In case you didn't know Linda is off to Ranger U in just 8 more sleeps ;-) And if you didn't know, where've you been?!  She and Anneliese (with whom she is going) decided to mark the countdown with 10 tags.  I'm a bit behind so am just now posting 10 and 9 (should be number 8 today) but hopefully I'll catch up tomorrow.  It's just a bit of fun and I do love making tags.  If you popped by on Wed you will have seen these 2 before completion.  I coloured the backgrounds with Adirondak colour washes and as they can be a little dark I'd sprayed the tags with a little water first.  On the one with the flower I then used a Heidi Swapp mask and oversprayed with a Crafty Notions spray but for what I wanted the colour was too deep so I washed a little off.  The lace for the flower was white and again I used Adirondak butterscotch colour wash on it.  The leaves I cut using the Robo.  I've stamped with Tim's stamps apart from the dotty one which is from The Artistic Stamper The wings on the Stampotique girl are German Scrap the crown (which I cut down a bit) is Grungeboard.  I tried stamping the numbers and butterfly onto the tag but 'cos I'd embossed it, using a Cuttlebug folder, it hardly showed up, so I stamped onto a layer of paper napking then glued it on using Mod Podge went over any remaining white bits with the colourwashes.
 ;-)

Anything Goes - Week 2

The theme for the Anything Goes challenge this week is 'Lace and pearls', using the colours cream and pink.  I've used a stamp from the 'Art Journey' Precious Moments' set and an Anna Griffin flourish.  In case you can't tell, the tag is cream with some pink paper on one side (wasn't sure it showed as cream)  I'm glad the rain had stopped for a while so I could take the pic outside, I do find with my camera the colours are much truer that way x

Anything Goes - week 1

There's a new challenge blog - Anything Goes.  This is the first week (well the end of the 1st week really, new challenge tomorrow).  The theme is "Wings and colours - Blue, Brown and Yellow".  I'm not sure about the beads on this but was struggling to think of something yellow to put on.  And though one of the colours looks a bit peachy it is in fact Vintage Photo
:o)

Sunday Stampers - Letters

I'm quick off the mark this week with my entry for the Sunday Stampers challenge.  The theme this week is 'Letters'.  I've used DIs to colour the background of the tag and just used a very cheap plastic alpha stencil for the letters.  I've used one of the Crafter's Workshop stencils at the bottom of the tag.  I've sprayed Adirondak 'Raisin' colourwash through both stencils.  I really like the raisin with this background.  I've added a Stampotique image and a little metal embelly (which was included in the stash I won a couple of weeks ago from Hels).  Why don't you pop over to Hels place and join in, the only requirement is that you include the theme of course and some stamping.  And while you're there check out her blog which has fabulous work to delight the senses and to get your juices flowing ;o)

Sunday Stampers - Ripped or Torn

If you like taking part in challenges why not pop over to Hels to find out about the Sunday Stampers challenge.  Each Sunday Hels sets a new challenge based round a song title.  All you need to do is include the theme and some stamping in your artwork, otherwise you're free to do anything you like :o)  The theme this week is 'Ripped or Torn'.  I've made a tag, just for a change LOL.  I've used a piece torn from a book and then coloured the background with DIs.  I've added a flower from my Tim Tattered Florals die, using my brand new Big Shot hehe, and a Stampotique image; her wings are German Scrap. The 'Eyes' stamp is a PaperArtsy mini and the heart is from Dyan's Downloads (afth) Finally added a little bit of doodling each side :o)

Sunday Stampers - Gold

Check out Hels' blog for the Sunday Stampers weekly challenge.  Each Sunday there's a new theme always based on a song title, this week's theme is 'Gold'.  I've used a tag that I coloured some weeks ago.  I made the gold framey thing by impressing an Anna Griffin stamp into Efa Plast modelling clay which can be cured in the microwave.  I painted it with Lumiere Metallic Gold paint (the colours of these paints are incredible and can be used on fabric).  I stamped a Tim Holtz stamp in the centre and used Rock Candy crackle glaze round the edges.   I've used four flowers each folded in half.  Can't remember whether the metal thingy below the bird is a Tim one or 7 Gypsies
Hels is having another candy giveaway for the Sunday Stampers - see pic in my sidebar :)

Distressed Tag - Tag It On

I'm joining in the Tag It On challenge over at DragonsDreams this week the theme is 'distress it' and I really have ;)  I've used DIs and Tim's stamps for the background and added a flower and a metal dragonfly which I've also distressed.  I tore the tag a little near top right and added 2 staples.  I distressed it using sandpaper and the edge of scissors.  There's also some Blogaversary Candy up for grabs - see pic in my sidebar :)

Sunday Stampers - Silver

I did finish my entry for the Sunday Stampers some days ago but have been having probs with Trojans and screen freezes.  I'm hoping it's sorted now!  The theme for this week was Silver.  I used 'silver' metal sheet which I embossed with a Cuttlebug folder, coloured with black alcohol ink and sanded.  The bird is a wooden one which I'd stuck those tiny beads onto for something else but wasn't happy with, but coloured over the beads with silverleaf pen.  I also used silverleaf pen on the chipboard letters.  The little floral spray is a piece from a lightshade thingy - I think when I saw it it was just kind of arranged around a light as it can hold it's own shape, but I've got it wrapped round a lamp.  If it looks a bit funny here it's 'cos the leaf is mesh so you can see the metal underneath :)