Spiral shell - Designs by Ryn.

Hello blog peeps!

I had a quiet morning on Sunday, and time to have a crafty play.  I made this card with the beautiful Spiral Shell by Designs by Ryn, one of my most favourite of Ryn's stamps.  The background was made with distress inks, I used the wrinkle-free method but rather than sweep the card through the ink, I just laid the card on the ink.

It was lovely to use Ryn's 'sea' themed stamps again, they are so cleverly and beautifully designed I never tire of them!  

Well, 2013 is nearly over, it's been an amazing year for me craft-wise, this time last year I didn't have a blog and didn't know much about design teams either!  I hope 2014 is as exciting, and I hope you all have a very happy, healthy and exciting new year too!  Thank you all for your support this year, I really do appreciate all your visits and lovely comments.  Huge hugs! xxxxxxxxx

Feeling patriotic!

Hello lovelies!!

 

I hope you have all had a super Christmas? It's nice to have a break from everyday life and chill out for a while isn't it? I've had my first post-Christmas play with both my craft stuff and with my iPad. So please excuse any mistakes on this blog, it's my first time using the blogsy app! (Many thanks to my friend Zoe Russell for telling me how to set it up!)

I made the background for this tag by brayering red and blue ink randomly over the tag. The stamps are Tim Holtz and the Union Jack is a Sizzix die.

I found the ribbon some time ago and was excited by how much the crowns look like Tim's crown stamp!

Well thank you muchly peeps for visiting and I want to wish you all a happy and healthy 2014!! Xxxxx

 

Posted with Blogsy

Pine cone tag.

Hello Christmas Crafters!!

I've been playing with my new tattered pine cone die, it's a bit of a fiddly job to be honest, but the final result is quite impressive.  I combined the pine cone and juniper leaf with the lovely sentiment from the Joyful Song set by Tim Holtz.  The best bit was making the little bits of snow with the splatter brush and distress paint!  It's a shame that the splatters and all the glitter doesn't show up better in the photo, it really is quite sparkly!

I'm entering this in the Country View challenge, Bah humbug!

If I don't post again before Christmas, I'd like to wish all my visitors a very merry Christmas and a healthy and happy new year!!  xxxxxxxx

Fun, fun, fun!!!

Hello everybody!

A fun post today... I've made a tag combining Designs by Ryn's Abstract leaf set, and Tim Holtz's Pattern pieces set.

I love finding different ways to make dresses to go on the dummy!

Some of you may know that I'm a teaching assistant in a primary school, well sometimes we have to do arty-crafty stuff like displays and in our class we also have a Wendy house.  This Wendy house is amazing, to date it has been turned into an observatory, an Anderson shelter, the crows nest on the Titanic, a Victorian workhouse.... and now it has been turned into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the wonderful Harry Potter books!!  It took my fellow teaching assistant (Karen) and I 2 days to complete and the children LOVE it!  Bless them.

What do you think?  We're really quite impressed with ourselves for making turrets out of old cardboard boxes and sellotape lol!   Thank you for visiting, big hugs! xxxxx

Tim and Visible Image

Hello lovelies!!

I've made this card to enter into the December Visible Image challenge, which is 'Christmas'.  I've used their lovely Xmas words background again, it's so useful!  The dies are Tim Holtz and I just LOVE them...

I swiped gold gilding wax around the edges of the deer and the poinsettia to add a bit of 'bling'.

Hope you are all getting into the Christmas spirit and getting excited now... not many 'sleeps' to go now lol! Thanks for visiting, hugs. xxxxx

Rhedd and Rosie - Let it snow!!

Hello blog peeps!!

It's time for another Rhedd and Rosie Challenge, and this time I'm judging the entries! :D  The theme for this challenge is 'Let it snow'.... very festive!
Here's my DT make for the challenge.....

I used an old Inkadinkadoo stamp on a watercoloured background, then coloured the snowflakes with a white uniposca pen.
As usual we have a lovely prize for the challenge winner, this time donated by Rosie....



So I hope you'll all join in with this challenge, I can't wait to look at all your seasonal snowy entries!
I'm entering this tag in the Country View challenge, Bah humbug!
Thanks for popping by!  Hugs xxxxxxxx

Simple stamping

Hello lovely peeps!

Just a very simple card today, but I like it!  I used the stars and dots from a Tim Holtz set, and the sneakers are from The Artistic Stamper.  Just right for a teenage boy!

Thank you for visiting, big hugs! xxxxx

Another Ryn and Tim combo!

Hello lovelies!!

I'm 'doing' Tim's 102 course now, (soooo exciting!!)  and in the first lesson he shows us how to do this eroded metallic technique.   I love using copper colours with aqua/teal colours, so this is right up my street!  It didn't end up exactly like Tim's, but even he said this technique doesn't always go quite right, so I won't worry too much about it lol!!  I decided to add Ryn's beautiful Candra moth to the tag, just can't beat a butterfly or moth for versatility!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, I hope you'll leave me a comment to let me know what you think! Big Christmas hugs to you all! xxxxxxx

Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2013

Hello blog friends!

I love seeing Tim Holtz's tags each month, and this month's tag is my most favourite!  I decided to play along with his challenge this month and make this tag, he gives a brilliant tutorial for each tag on his blog (timholtz.com) so it's easy to make your own.  The amazing part of this tag is the poinsettia, he uses Wendy Vecchi's Clearly for Art heat malleable plastic sheet covered with his frosted film, cuts out the poinsettia petals and heats them to shape the petals.  When the plastic cools the shape is set, it's great fun!!

Here's a pic of Tim's tag....


Christmas hugs to everyone! and thanks for visiting! xxx

A 'snow' angel.

Hello blog friends!

Well, have you all got your decorations up and your presents wrapped??  I haven't!!  Christmas has snuck up on me this year, but I'm not going to panic... ok, just a little!  I bought myself a prezzie, (I'm good at buying my own lol!) Tim Holtz 'A joyful song' set, I just love all the stamps in the set, so beautiful and traditional.   I think this angel with her arms held out makes it look like she's sprinkling some love or some glitter down on us, so I thought I'd have her sprinkling some frantage.... pretty!

I'm entering this tag in the Make it Monday challenge and the Country View challenge, Bah, humbug!
Thanks for popping by, I'd love it if you could let me know what you think of my snow-sprinkling angel!
Hugs, xxxxxxx

Rhedd and Rosie and Tim time!!

Hello blog buddies!

It's time for another Rhedd and Rosie challenge, and this time we'd love to see something made with your 'Old Stash'!!  This means use something that you've had in your stash for at least 18 months.  I've used my Tim Holtz adage tickets.....

After taking part in Tim Holtz's Chemistry 101 course, I wanted to try his 'Rusted enamel' technique... what do you think?  It's great fun to do! :)  Here's a close-up....

It looks like green embossing powder sprinkled over a brown base... but in fact it's green distress ink, then clear embossing powder (some flicked off around edges before heat setting) and then brown distress ink rubbed over the areas where the EP has been flicked off!  Neat huh?

Here's the fab prize up for grabs in this 'Use old stash' challenge...  wish I could enter myself!!

Well, I hope I've inspired you to play with your old stash and come join the fun at Rhedd and Rosie's challenge!  Thank you for visiting my blog, and many thanks to you if you have left a comment! :) xxx

Lavinia Stamps challenge time....

Hello bloggers!

It's time for another Lavinia Stamps challenge! and this time its 'Anything goes'..... so long as it's with Lavinia Stamps ;)  Here's my DT make for the challenge....

I've used PanPastels to make the background for the lovely dandelions.  I've also added wild grass and the flying ducks.  The little leafy stamp at the top is one of Lavinia's £1 stamps, bargain!!  I sprinkled frantage over the tops of the dandelions to look like pollen blowing in the breeze.

So ladies and gents, (I know there are a few gentlemen who craft out there!) if you have any Lavinia stamps why not enter this month?  The prize is a whopping £40 to spend on Lavinia products!!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, hope you are having a lovely weekend and as it's the first day of advent I'm wishing you 'Seasons Greetings' too! :) xxxx

Celtic Doves by Designs by Ryn

Hello lovelies!

Well this card took me a while to make!  I received the lovely doves from Ryn a few weeks ago, and I knew I wanted a sentiment stamp that contained the word 'peace' to go with them.  I found this sentiment at Clarity stamps which I'm really pleased with... but it took a while to arrive!  Then I wanted to make a soft 'sky' for my doves to fly in, so I made a watercolour background which gave me the white 'cloud' spaces I wanted.
I stamped and embossed the doves and filled in the lines with white uniposca pen.  The soft stamping at the top is done with a Chocolate Baroque edge stamp, some of the little circles I added glitter to.  A bow and a few pearls and my card is done!  Hope you like it! :)

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, I really do appreciate all of my visitors and the lovely comments people leave me, it makes my day when I see you have popped by! :) xxxxx

Designs by Ryn, hummingbird and leaves.

Hello blog friends!

I hope you've all had a good weekend?  I haven't had as much time to craft as I normally do... I've spent the weekend clearing out my son's bedroom, we are redecorating and refurnishing it for him.  What a lot of 'stuff' he has collected over the years lol!!

Anyway, I did get a little time to play whilst I was cooking the Sunday roast this afternoon...
I used the forest floor set and the sitting hummingbird from Designs by Ryn, both very beautiful stamps!  The leaves are amazing, you don't actually get a print of the leaf itself, but of the area around the leaf, cool effect!

I wanted to have a neutral background so that the little bird could 'pop' out of the tag with it's beautiful plumage.  I added gold pearl drops and made some spiral twists of copper wire to put under the button at the top....

I'll be entering this in the Make it Monday challenge in the morning.....
Thank you so much for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed your stay!  Big hugs if you left a comment, as always they are much, much appreciated!!  xxxxx

My Artistic Stamper stamp!

Hello hunnies!

Haha, I've used my new stamp that I bought yesterday from The Artistic Stamper!  A fabulous pair of sneakers.... As they are so trendy, I thought they needed trendy bright colours and some Tim Holtz stamps to go with them.  What do you think?

Aren't those sneakers fab??

I'm entering this tag in the Make it Monday challenge.

Well, I'm looking forward to a cosy weekend, the weather has been so horrid for the past few weeks that I'm in hibernation mode, that means eat, craft, sleep, craft, and eat some more lol!!  Hope you all have a crafty and cosy weekend too, big hugs xxxx

French rooster from Stampinback....

Hello lovelies!!

I'm a fickle thing.... I bought a fabulous new stamp from The Artistic Stamper today and was so excited and planned what I was going to make with it as I drove home.... then made a tag using something completely different!!   Here's what I made....

I used distress inks (Wild honey, bundled sage, antique linen, pumice stone and stained walnut) in the background, then stamped with Tim Holtz's background stamp from his lovely Papillion set in Gathered twigs Distress ink.  I used a chicken wire stencil over the top and then dotted some of Ryn's leafy branch around the edges.  The rooster is coloured with Neocolor crayons and then embossed with clear powder to make the colours pop.  (As usual the photo doesn't do it justice! )

I love this rooster from Stampinback, he's so handsome isn't he?!  I will make something with my new stamp.... watch this space lol!!  I'm entering this tag in the Make it Monday challenge. 

I hope you are having a good day, and thank you very much for visiting my blog. xxxxx

Rhedd and Rosie time....

Hello bloggers

It's Rhedd and Rosie time again.... this time we would like to see your Christmas projects!
Here's my DT make for the challenge, both using wooden shapes from our Sponsor this time - Craft Shapes Torbay.

I used crackle paint on the wooden star, then rubbed a little gilding was around the edges.

I'm really loving using all my Tim Holtz stash at the moment! :)

The next card features the lovely Xmas words background stamp from Visible Image, I love it! 

Craft Shapes Torbay are offering this fab configuration house worth £14.99 as the prize for this challenge, how good is that eh??

You can enter the Rhedd and Rosie challenge by clicking HERE.

I'm entering my red and gold bauble card in the Visible Image challenge, 'make it sparkle'. 

I'm also entering this in the Make it Monday challenge.

Thanks for popping by, hugs if you have left me a lovely comment, I do enjoy reading them all! :) xxxxxxx

Snowflake tag.

Hello blog friends!

I've made a snowflake tag today.... I used the beautiful Celtic Stars from Designs by Ryn.  The background was made with the watercolours and salt technique, then stars stamped on the background with salty ocean distress ink.  I inked and embossed a star with white embossing powder, then rubbed distress ink colours over it and cut it out.  There are little crystals in the centres of the snowflakes/stars, shame they don't sparkle on the photo!

I'm entering this tag in the Make it Monday challenge.
I hope you are enjoying getting crafty for Christmas too!  Big hugs and thanks for visiting. xxxx

Designs by Ryn - Ornate leaf

Hello blog friends!

It's my Aunty Christine's birthday today (happy birthday Christine!)  and I've sent her this card....

I made the background with the watercolour and salt technique.  The rose is a stamp from my Stampin' Up Fifth Avenue Florals set.  Those lovely leaves are Ryn's Ornate leaf set, aren't they pretty?

Thank you for visiting today, I hope you like my Aunty's card and I hope she has had a fabulous day!  big hugs to everyone....   xxxxxxx

Ryn and Clarity... Tim style!!

Hello all!

Hope you are having a great day, I'm happy as Larry today with the sun out at long, long last!!
I've made a card (yes, a card!!) using the lovely sketched shoe from Clarity Stamps, along with the Feminine sentiment.   I've made the shoe 'leopard print' with the fab leopard spot texture stamp from Designs by Ryn.
The background I made with distress inks and stamps from Tim Holtz.

I'm entering this card in the Make it Monday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, big hugs if you have time to leave me a comment, I really love reading them all! xxx

Remembrance....

A post for Remembrance day...

Happy post!

Hello blog friends!

I had 'happy post' today.... Tattered Poinsettia die from Tim Holtz!!  I always order my dies from Country View Crafts, best prices online and FREE delivery, can't get better than that!  and I only ordered the die yesterday.... fabulous service, well done CVC!

Anyway, on to my first play with the die...   I coloured my tag with peeled paint distress ink, then stamped the lovely Xmas words from Visible Image and embossed in gold.  The poinsettia has been coloured with fired brick and peeled paint distress inks and then sprayed with Spray and Sparkle, shame it doesn't show up well in the photo....  I tattered the edges of the tag and then rubbed gilding wax around the edge.

I'm feeling festive at the moment, I'd love to get out the fairy lights to cheer everything up indoors cos this horrid weather this week makes everywhere seem dreary and dark!

I hope you like my first play with the poinsettia die, I'm entering this tag in Visible Image's challenge this month, which is Make it Sparkle!  I'll also enter this tag in the Make it Monday challenge on the 11th.

Thanks for visiting today, enjoy Christmas crafting all of you! :) xxxxxxxx

Designs by Ryn and Tim!

Hello lovely peeps!

I've enjoyed making this tag with my beautiful stamps from Ryn (www.designsbyryn.com) and various bits from Tim Holtz.   I used Ryn's new Reed leaf set and her Candra moth.  The background was made using distress ink and a dictionary stamp, then I swiped the edges with antiqued bronze distress paint.  The clock was distressed in the same way.

I'm entering this tag in the Make it Monday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, big happy hugs to you all! :D xxxx

Rhedd and Rosie challenge time again!

Hello bloggers!

It's time for another Rhedd and Rosie challenge, and this time we'd like you to create something with 'Birds and Blooms' on it!   Here's my DT make for the challenge.....  You can enter by clicking HERE

I've used Tim Holtz's bird cage and tattered florals dies.  The flourish stamp is from Indigoblu.

Here's the prize for this challenge....  I'd love to win this pad myself lol!!

I'm entering this in the Make it Monday challenge.
Thanks for visiting, hugs if you've left me a comment too! :) xxx

Tim Holtz all over!

Hello blog friends!

I've had fun with my Tim Holtz stash today!  I made the background with distress inks and bronze distress stain over the top, gives it an aged and muted sheen, lovely!  I used the Classics set of stamps for this tag, I love Tim's juicy pear and the dragonfly stamp is beautiful.  I stamped the dragonfly onto acetate and then put stickles under the wings to add a bit of sparkle.  I hope you like it!

I'm entering this in the Make it Monday challenge. 

Thank you so much for popping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit!  Big hugs if you left me a comment, I really enjoy reading them and appreciate every one! xxxxx

Looking out from an underwater cave!

Hello everyone!

I've had another play in my art journal... an underwater theme this time, all with beautiful stamps from Designs by Ryn!  I'll list them at the end of this post for you.  The background is made with dylusions inks.

The edges of the cave are actually black, but unfortunately they look a sort of brown colour because of the light when I took the photo.
Here's a list of the stamps I used from Designs by Ryn:

Butterfly fish
Rising bubbles
Seaweed set
Kelp
Seahorse
School of fish

I'm entering this page in the Make it Monday challenge.
Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed looking at my pictures!  big hugs to you all xxxxx

Lavinia time again!

Hello lovely peeps!

It's Lavinia Challenge time again... and this month we'd like you to make something with 'hot, bright colours!'

Here's my DT make using Cherry blossom, bamboo and birds in flight stamps from www.laviniastamps.com
Don't forget the amazing prize is £40 to spend in the Lavinia online shop.... go for it!!
To enter your project click HERE.

Thanks for visiting.... have a nice day! :) xxx

Stormy skies....

Hello bloggers!

Whilst cosy indoors yesterday, out of the storm, I made this card which I think gives the impression of stormy skies and swirling wind!  I've used Fiddlehead set, trickling water and raindrops from Designs by Ryn.  I've also used Tim Holtz's umbrella man.  The background is a swirl of lots of blue-toned distress inks.

I'm entering this in the Make it Monday challenge!

Hello and thank you to my new followers, and thank you all for your lovely comments recently, I really do appreciate them! :) xxxxxxx

Ooooh, I'm lovin' this deer die!

Hello lovelies!!

I'm having so much fun playing with my Tim Holtz Christmas stuff at the moment!  I've made another tag using Tim Holtz Reindeer Flight die, Memory box Precious stars and Visible Image's Xmas words background.  I made the background by swooshing the tag through a mixture of Frayed Burlap and Antiqued Bronze distress stains.  Then I stamped the xmas words in gathered twigs distress ink.  The antiqued bronze gives a lovely muted shimmer to the background.  Not sure you can see it on the photo, but I went round the edges of the reindeer with gold wax, messy stuff but it does look good!  I hope you like it, I sure had fun making it! :) xx

I've entered this tag in Visible Image's October challenge.

I'm entering this in the Make it Monday challenge.  Thank you for visiting! xxxxxx

Christmas Tim Holtz style!

Hello crafty peeps!

I was sent an email from YouTube which included a video from Jann Gray (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SJMy10Aaxk&feature=em-subs_digest).  In the film Jann gives a tutorial on how to make this fab Christmas card!  I love the crackle paint in the debossed flourish, mmmm, think I'll be making a few of these to send out this year! :)

Wonder why I'm humming 'the holly and the ivy' to myself now lol!!  I always get excited about Christmas in October, then by the time it arrives I'm fed up with it all!
Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you'll leave me a message!  :) xxxxxx