12 Tags of 2015 - March

Well, our holiday is booked but I have had to wait 2 days to get my hands on the computer where I had downloaded my photos ( or is that uploaded? Dunno!!)
So, my version of Tim's Tag - girly colours - I have been making a few bits and pieces for my Grandaughter so pink and turquoise again!!
I used Picked Raspberry and Tumbled Glass Distress paints here with just a tiny bit of Picket fence

I do love butterflies - truly, and so does my GD, but this new (to me) set - Classics 16 - not only has a pear on it but this really cute bird - I know I will be using this a lot!!!
I really loved making this, a really interesting technique (look here for Tim's Tutorial)and one to try in the future with different colours and pastes.I used a combination of Silver and some Aged Aqua Frantage
I rubbed some Picked Raspberry paint over the word band….

…..and on the little heart and the top of the pin

Errm - she may not get this as I've just noticed that the pin has MY age on it!!

Oh! and the holiday - not till June - we are off to France by train, stopping off in a few places before going to stay with my (ex)SIL and BIL! 

Entering late in to Tim's 12 tags of 2015 - March

Thanks for looking, Chris 

ps You can see my DT piece for TIOT here and there's another exciting day tomorrow - please call back!!!

Try it on Tuesday - They Who Have Wings

Good morning everyone, hope the wind didn't get you last night! Our new topic at Try it on Tuesday is a Spring-like - "They Who Have Wings", so plenty of scope if you join in! (this includes fairies of course!) The Design Team have included all sorts of winged creatures so please do take a look here.

I had my Grandaughter in mind when I made my birdhouse hanging

I coated everything in Paper Arstsy Fresco paint then a layer of DecoArt crackle paste that I mixed with PA Orchid and Snowflake Frescos -I wasn't too fussy about mixing thoroughly as I wanted a weathered look - then left it to dry

I rubbed some ink (Brushed Corduroy and Tumbled Glass) into the cracks and sanded some of it back

Next I made some faux wood paper to go on the eaves by painting craft card with PA Snowflake and then dry brushing with some brown distress inks and drew planks with a Pitt pen

Next my flowers - cut out of a patterned stiffish paper in oranges and pinks - rubbed inks over my mat - spritzed and ran back of flowers through it - went out and left them to dry naturally as that were a bit wet and I was worried they might tear! 

The ends of the petals had a quick pinch before layering them and finishing off with a stamen made from a cheap punch from Hobbycraft (I think it's supposed to be a snowflake!)The smaller ones are from a Papermania set of sunflowers - I just cut away some of the petals and turned up the remaining ones
The leaves are Petaloo that I've had for a while.

The house was randomly stamped with one of my favourite stamps from TH 

I added a ladybird onto the eaves and made her shine with glossy accents, a bee came along to the nectar on the flowers and a little bird is peeping through the hole

The back is some paper I got from HomeSense and the bird(who had his back stamped over and over with a text stamp to make feathers) is from my MAMBI paper from TKMaxx ages ago!

My GD hasn't seen this yet so it will go along with her Easter Egg next Sunday!

I do hope you will have a go at this challenge - any kind of project as long as it fits the theme.

Thanks for looking, Chris  

Strong woman!

Just a quick journal page - using my new Paper Artsy Lynne Perella set LPCO31.
I loved this stamp from the first time I saw it.
This is how the page started, using Jenni Bowlin paints(the colours have the most beautiful names) really creamy and react well with a spritz of water!

From here it was a case of stencils, stamps and doodles with part of a lattice die cut and some packaging from some new coffee cups.I stamped text over and over itself to make a pattern rather than to read the text.

The image was coloured in using Distress markers apart from the ruff - white Signo uni-ball
Lettering was done with good old medium Pitt pen.

We are back home now for a while so hoping to catch up a bit!!

Thanks for looking,Chris

Dreaming, just dreaming!

Toffee and lace….Mmmmmmmm! When I saw Julie-Ann's recipe this time at Dragons Dream TIO (Challenge 187) that's exactly what I thought! Couldn't get started straight away - appointments, meetings, outings….but when I finally got the time I couldn't find the stamp I wanted - Aaagh! what to use, rummaged and found this one - perfect!

I do love this image …….by Leonardo da Vinci …the stamp is one I bought at a show and have no idea whose! 
Painted my tag in Vintage Lace Fresco paint(how apt!)and masked her off, then dabbed Mocha Mousse(the nearest I have to toffee colour) through a TH stencil! The words - some from a sheet - Artistic Stamper I think, and then stamped up the Dictionary stamp and rubbed off the middle before stamping over the lighter words.
Inked the edges with was left on a sponge and added some vintage lace to make her shawl.
Thanks for a great recipe Julie Ann - I am putting this on view in my craft room to keep me calm!

Entering the Dragons Dream TIOT challenge 187 

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 303

I know I say this often but the weeks are flashing by!Julia provides the links to desks all over the world via her Stamping Ground blog and it is our duty to show all!! 
Here is my desk, taken on Tuesday evening in fading light! Nothing exciting that I can show you…two little secrets on the go…but you can see that I am being quite tidy!

Of course there is is always this view too...

…the goodies I bought at Art from the Heart after the Dina Wakley workshop on Saturday(it would have been rude not to!!),

and this…..

...a belated birthday present from my friend Sarah!

We both had a great day and it was so good to have time to catch up each other's news on the journey!

Cinema report - may be the last one for a while unless the cinema give us more vouchers - the phone company has stopped doing the buy one get one free offer and we have had our last few visits courtesy of the vouchers - two for £10

Last weeks film - Suite Francaise was enjoyable, although quite sad! A love story with a twist!

Hoping to visit later today! Chris

Strange lady!!!

Sometimes I go into my craft room and just can't get started on what I went in for…today was one of those occasions! My journal is often a way to get in the "zone". I had a background that I started on Sunday after the day at Dina's workshop - and I found myself drawing a face - why?….I know not…..we didn't even look at any faces at the workshop! All I know is she helped me get on track to the things I had to do before we go away for a few days!
But who is she……..?

A very strange lady in a shower hat!!!
The bigger heart stamps are from a new Finnabair set I bought at AFTH, the small ones drawn - both linked by a bit of doodling!
Wondering…... dare I link this to Brenda's Visual journal at Bumblebees and Butterflies?

Thanks for looking, Chris

Never too old!!

Yesterday saw me up at 6.45 and on the road to Harrogate with my lovely friend Sarah! We had booked a days workshop at AFTH with Dina Wakley.
I hadn't quite counted on a 50mph limit for most of the way and we got there in the nick of time! 
What a day it was though - quite fast paced - and a lot to take in, but Oh Boy! I learnt so much! Fortunately I did little samples and wrote down notes in my little journal

Dina's table

Our table

Here are two of the little pages I made….

….and here they are now!

They are in my large Dylusions journal and I don't know why I don't use this more! I started them at the workshop - Dina asked us to choose two samples to add to our journals - and then couldn't wait to get started once I got home!
Of course the journey home couldn't start until we had been SHOPPING! Goodies to show another day!!


Thanks for looking, Chris

Scrap in my little journal!

Did you see the eclipse? It was cloudy here in Manchester but just at the right time we caught a glimpse! Never mind, the news bulletins seem to be full of pictures
I have been showing you how I used some scraps up that were in my pencil case!
This is another page I did while away at our caravan...

 This is the little pile I took some of the bits from….

This next page is using the buddleia stamp I bought the other week

Both these pages were mop ups of paint on my sponges - except on this one I added some brown to make and island - the trees are the tips of the buddleia flowers - I then drew around the flowers and paint to make a little scene.

I'm linking to Brenda's Visual Journey at Bumblebees and Butterflies! Its's just for fun and that's what I had here! This is what Brenda says..

 This is a blog party to share Visual Journal inspiration with each other.

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 302 (for bargain hunters)

It's been a whiz of a week and I can hardly believe we got so much done! I could tell you, but that's not what I'm here for - Julia and the gang at What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday want to see your desk in all it's glory - or not!!!
Mine has a treat on it

 As you can see a few bits and pieces out ready for starting something new - including a largish piece of water colour paper!
Dumped on top of that a new purchase - at a bargain price!

Ages ago I found a refill pack for this at TK Maxx for £3 - thought I  might buy the container but nearly fainted when I saw the price - £18! Last Wednesday we set off to the cinema, when we got there they had taken off the film we went to see and we couldn't go to the later showing as we pick up our GD! What to do?….lunch, then what?…shopping!! We had a wander around the Trafford Centre (for those abroad - a shopping mall)Bought some clothes in the M and S sale, popped in to the newly opened Lakeland kitchen shop - now I never go in there and come out empty handed(it's the law!!)and then hubby suggested we go across to Home Sense - across the walking bridge.
The first thing I saw was this! Grabbed it in double quick time then ended up buying paint brushes, paper, the little wooden embellies you see front desk and some rolls of fancy paper edgings, back left!! As well as that hubby also got some euros as the rate was very good! So our little cheap trip to the cinema(we have vouchers) turned out to be very expensive!
I now have two of these as hubby had a trip to town on Monday and brought me another back - I am going to be so organised!!!
I have found out by the way that Hobbycraft are also selling these at £7 (online, but may be in the stores too)So if you are looking for a bargain….

Now I must get ready, we are planning seeing 'Suite Francaise' today!

BTW if you want to see what I've been up to you can scroll down here!

Thanks for looking, Chris   

T is for ….coffee?

May I first say a big Thank you for the encouraging comments I've been getting - it means a lot!!
Elizabeth and Bleubeard at The Altered Book Lover invite us for tea each week - and I don't even drink tea - found (in a rather melodramatic way) that I am allergic to tea! I can drink some fruit teas but can't say I'm that enthralled, my preferred drink is coffee, especially now we have a coffee maker at our caravan (one that uses pods).
Last weekend I was using scraps to make journal pages in my little journal...

..hubby made me a latte...

…and there I sat, journal, latte , view……..bliss!!

I hope your Tea Day has been as lovely as mine…my first outing as a member of a Design Team and time with my Grandchildren!
Thank you for the invite Elizabeth!

Thanks for looking,
Chris

TIOT Design Team

Hello everyone, I am so excited and honoured today to show you my first piece as a DT member at 'Try it on Tuesday '! 

The theme is 'Hats' and you can see the fabulous inspiration from the team here

I chose one of my favourite Lynne Perrella ladies from Paper Artsy.
I resisted buying this set for so long but she is definitely a lady with style and she has had several outings! 
Some of you may remember Gertrude Shilling in the 60's who used to attend Ladies day at Ascot wearing the most outrageous hats - one of which was a tea cup and saucer - I have never forgotten it!!
Here is my lady

I started with a Kraft card and used Vintage Photo and Aged Mahogany   distress inks rubbed on randomly before spritzing to blend the colours.

I then rubbed the ink pad over some corrugated card that was torn roughly to size and stamped parts of a floral stamp over the card using Aged Mahogany.

I stamped the image onto a piece of newsprint paper that I painted over with PA Snowflake Fresco paint to give her the palour that Elizabethan ladies used to have, then coloured her in using distress inks.

Used the ink pad again on TH Tattered lace, a corner die and a scrap of paper.

I hope you like her. The sentiment is from a set I keep at our caravan
Please pop over to the Try It on Tuesday challenge and I do hope you will join us in this challenge.

Thanks for looking,Chris

Double Dreaming in black and white!

One of my favourite challenge blogs is Dragon's Dream TIO ! At the beginning of the year they started to use colour as one of the main ingredients - this time it is 'White…and a number'! I really did find this a challenge and could not think of ANYTHING - totally blank! Then I saw the birds on the fence at our caravan and knew straight away what to do! 

Made a couple of cloud masks by tearing some card and then used Stormy Sky Distress ink and some splashing of water to make the sky.
The brick wall was some card run through an embossing folder and rubbed over with Aged Mahogany DI.
The birds are (I think) Lost Coast Design - stamped the feet onto the wall and cut out the birds! Drew on some graffiti including names for the birds and the number 2! 
This represents the rhyme that my Grandad used to baffle me with because he used to use two scraps of newspaper to represent the birds and could make them disappear and reappear! 
I hope this makes you smile!

Linking to Dragons Dream TIO 186 - 'White and a number' 

Thanks for looking, Chris

Scrap! (but it may not be what you think)

When we go away I almost always take my 'monster' pencil case - I try to fit in some crafty time - usually with an art journal! I do have supplies there but my pencil case has all my favourites in!

This is how I like it to be but it had become a bit of a quick storage for little scraps and was becoming harder to close - so, time for a sort out - it was raining on Friday morning so I tipped everything out and just put back in my essentials!
This is only part of what came out-

There were also bits of ribbon, twine, a button, a couple of small stamps and a lot of fluff!!
Now I know many of you would bin this but you know me better than that!
I had taken my smallest journal(31/2" x 4")with me so set myself a challenge of using up some of these scraps!
This is the first page

I used Distress ink to edge a mop up page that had also had some splashes on too! 
I then stamped on the butterfly and edged that. The heart was inked with some red Distress ink and stamped with another Kaisercraft background stamp.
Went round the edge of the butterfly with a B4 pencil and smudged it to make a shadow and added a chit chat sticker.

I am entering the That's Crafty! Challenge blog 'Wings 'n Things challenge 

and also linking to Brenda's Visual Journal at Bumblebees and Butterflies.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Bird card

I have used the set of birds from Woodware again to make another card.
I used a lattice stencil over the masked bird as I wanted to colour the bird on the card.
The turquoise hessian had a swipe of Snowflake PA Fresco paint to tone it down a bit! Gave the bird a bit of chopped down corner die to sit on!
Coloured with Distress Markers and posted to a friend - hope she likes it!

Entering in
Simon Says Monday Challenge - 'B is for..'

I am using this post to test scheduling so - fingers crossed!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Going green!

Last weekend while we we were at our caravan I looked at a couple of really tatty looking coasters and decided to give them a bit of a lift….only thing is forgot to take a photo of the before - they were rather non-descript beige with a couple of squiggly lines down them but they had become a little stained with cup marks.

I dabbed Paper Artsy Fresco Snowflake all over then added a made up colour of (I think) of Sky and Toad Hall. Then Crackle glazed them. When that was dry I rubbed in copper acrylic. Stamped with a script stamp and then with some leaves from a set I bought in France two years ago

The dragonflies were from a magazine set but seemed to look just right with the reedy leaves!
My lovely friend Anne has given more then a makeover to her coasters - take a look here

I would like to enter in the following challenges
Art with Heart - 'Go Green'
Country View Challenges - 'Anything Goes'
Anything but a card - 'Green with Envy'

Thanks for looking, Chris