Tagging along with the Dragons

Oh! What to do for this challenge at The Dragons Dream Tag It On? The challenge was the letter N and stencils. So many words came to mind, nest? naughty? notes? numbers? I had ideas for all of those words so why didn't I choose one of those?

Well, I was sorting out some stamps to take away with me (it's Woolfest weekend, up near Cockermouth in the Lake District)when I realised that the set I had chosen had a stamp with a necklace on it….so, any excuse to play with Paper Artsy Lynne Perrella stamps!

I used a trellis stencil to use the same technique as I used in my last post here, used darker colours though, Walnut Stain, Stormy Sky, Chipped Sapphire and Pumice Stone Distress Inks. I then used a smaller trellis stencil and mixed Stormy Sky and Chipped Sapphire on my mat to just put around the corners and edges.

Then the fun started, first I tried to use the large trellis stencil over some corrugated card - I got a series of odd looking dots using  Pansy, Inky Pool and Sky Fresco paints - so covered over with Irish Cream to try and get the card colour back - fail! So out with the make - up sponge and using blobs on my mat of Sky, Bora Bora, Pansy and a bit of Inky Pool I try to cover everything - at this point I kind of blank out and cover everything with Pewter …. and at last I'm quite happy!

I tried several types of paper and inks before I came up with what you see here, Watercolour paper and Pebble, Caramel, Stream and Denim Adirondaks and then around the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Marker. I coloured the necklace with a gold uni-ball and a copper pitt pen.

I cut around the image, including the Fringe! I then went into one of my scrap bags and fished out the remainder of some trellis die cut, some embossed card and some leaves from the Spring Greens die(actually the waxed paper I used to help release the paper when I first bought the die and it was a bit sticky!)I used some of the Chipped Sapphire on the back and stamped some text using Archival Potting Soil ink.

So, how do I get my 'N'? The other day I cleaned out my pencil case - I tend to throw all sorts in there and I remembered throwing out a little chain into my tiny waste bin (for tiny bits)that sits on my desk, of course it had gone right to the bottom but I found it and used brown alcohol ink to colour it. Then all I had to do was make an N with glue and stick it on - yes it was messy! 
As you can see here, I couldn't wait for the glue to dry before taking a photo as I have been out for the evening with some friends and I knew the light would be all wrong when I got home.

I added some darker brown for the eyes and some red lips using Distress Markers and I'm nicely in time to play along!

Linking to the Dragons Dream Tag It On Challenge 169 - The Letter N and stencils

Thanks for looking, Chris

Tim Holtz tags 2014 June...........except.....

it's not a tag! 

Oh! I started out with the intention of making a tag, even made several more backgrounds! You may have seen them on my desk on Wednesday...

This month Tim has used the watercolour monoprint effect which you can check out on Tim's blog here. 
Unfortunately, the time I had allowed to make a tag had to be used for something else! One of my close neighbours was involved in a road traffic accident, she spent the night in hospital but was allowed home the next day! The eye chart stencilled piece was not really suitable so chose my next favourite using 'dot fade'.
Using some of the distress colours I had used to make the background   I swiped the pad over some watercolour card, then stamped 'get', 'well' and 'soon',inked the edges and arranged them going down the stencilled piece I had cut. I used my trellis die on the faded pieces from the end and ran it through an embossing folder.

The stencilled piece I used was the second "spritz" piece so I then used the original piece to cut out some flowers from the Tattered Garland die and some leaves using Spring Greens.
I hope it cheered her up!
As for me, we are grabbing a couple of days at our caravan! Doesn't look as though I will get a chance to make the fabulous bow this time but I am definitely going to give it go sometime!

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 263

Time to show my desk again at the Stamping Ground, hosted by Julia, who thank goodness, is back home, (hope you are feeling better by the hour Julia!)
What you see on my desk in this close up shot - not deliberate, just happened to be sitting down. I was looking through the pile of (now) dried papers that I did yesterday evening, including the mop-up paper that I think I'm going to use soon!

If you look carefully you will also see some new crackle paste and paint that I bought on Saturday alongside a set of Lindsay Mason's Zendoodle mushrooms. We had a detour on the way to the caravan!! At the back you will see a clear pack of bits and pieces that I keep adding to for my GD's bag.
Now, the news on that front. My son is still not back at work, another week at least! He has had a really bad time of it, most of all because he still doesn't feel able to have GD home yet, although hopefully it will be this weekend as at last he has started to heal.

This however is my craft room, all set for a little visitor!

 New cupboard, which of course I can't get in to! The pile of stuff in front is going -soon! Can you also spot the bed - yes that's it under the black cover, (that cover is going too, but it came with the bed!!) On top is the treat my hubby bought me (using some Nectar points to help out), my own music system, and bless him, he has made  a stick with my own choice of music on it! No more quiet crafting for me!

Finally, a confession, you know those ATCs that I was sure were in the post, I found them yesterday in my shopping bag! I don't use it very often and had put them in intending to post them on our cinema trip, then didn't use the bag! Hubby saw it and hung it up in the cupboard!! They will be on their way today so huge apologies if you thought I had forgotten you!

Thanks for looking, Chris

LP lady in a frame!

Well…what else can I call it! Okay, I suppose I could call her LP lady in a recycled frame!

I used to have a postcard in this frame many moons ago - it had glass in it once! 

When I saw Kirsten Sheridan's fabulous Butterfly Shrine on the Paper Artsy blog this week I loved the way she had joined the TH die to make a background for her lovely lady(she is on my list of 'needs')and all those beautiful butterflies I just wanted to make a frame myself. I had some mop up paper towel….

…... from making some backgrounds for another project I have in mind so decided to use the text stamp from the same set as the teacup lady I was using - LPCO14 - to stamp onto the  paper towel then tore it into strips and used multi medium gel to stick it to to the frame. 

I had already put to one side a piece without text on. This was used to put some honey comb die cut onto - the card used was from a TH stencil that came this week!

Stamped the lady and coloured her using Inktense blocks with colours mixed on my mat, cut her out and mounted her, and into the frame she went. Just to finish off I used the trellis die across the bottom and added some Spring Greens and some Prima flowers that have been in a box for a-g-e-s! The butterflies are from a box I bought in Waterstones a few years ago.

I attempted to use some Ferro Gold paste through a stencil but it's gone gooey on me so just rubbed some gilding wax around the edges of the frame.

She is going onto my little balcony where I know the sun is sure to fade her like an old painting! 

I am going to link to the Paper Artsy blog where there have been wonderful projects this week.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Fairies at the bottom of our garden!

When I had a playdate with my friend last week I realised that I had a Lavinia stamp that although I had had it for quite some time, I hadn't actually shown it to the ink pad!
The theme this time is 'add some beads or gems) - my original idea was to use acetate for the leaves to give a night time look but I wasn't happy with the way the acetate kept curling (should have used sturdier acetate)So, out with the Spring Greenery TH die.
I cut the tag with my new TH labels die out of some of the corrugated card I rescued the other week, stuck on some tiny scraps of napkin tissue with a music print then painted with Inktense blocks(can I add here - of creamy loveliness?!)to give a mossy tree look. I tore out a hole for the door to sit behind to give the impression of a hollow tree with a door for my fairy to go home to - and there she is - flying back after her evening visits - she is just becoming visible again after doing her magic without being seen ( the acetate for her was fine - stamped with Dove Grey Stazon Ink)

I stamped out some extra images so that I could cut out branches to go around the door and added gems to make leaves. I then added extra pebbles to make the path to the door. 
Now, the tree leaves, this was almost a "Disarster Dahling" (Strictly fans will recognise this phrase!!) - I added glue to the leaves and decided to sprinkle some of these…….

…..I have never, ever, seen beads spread so far and be so hard to get back again, despite using a large piece of folded card underneath!! (Static huh!)This is why some of the leaves have glitter on instead!! They were cheap enough, Nail Art, from B and M bargains I think, and I'm still finding them in very odd places!!

The title at the top refers to a song my Mum used to sing when I was little - a little bit like the U-tube clip here - definitely OTT!! I used to love it!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Entering in the Lavinia Stamp Challenge 6 "Add some Beads or Gems"

Card for a man?

I can do it …with a little help from my friend!!
I had a birthday card to make for my son's partner and, although I knew the date suddenly realised I hadn't made one and ….it's today!!!!!
So into the craft room, stepping over things I have ready for my GD, charity shop/tip, and set to looking for manly colours.
Decided on blue and brown - I'm so predictable!!!
My lovely friend Sarah allowed me to stamp some images the other day that I thought would be just perfect although in the end I chose just one of the set of three Smitten Moustache Monsters (see what Sarah did here)

coloured in with distress markers, stormy sky, frayed burlap and walnut stain

Bearing in mind that speed was of the essence - what on earth possessed me to make an easel card? I haven't made one of these for ages so had forgotten where the scoring went so had to chop it down a bit!!!

Here it is from the front - although he has gorgeous eyes I used some wiggly eyes that I found while sorting things out for GD.

I think he looks quite happy mounted on hessian!
Card now delivered - hope he likes it!

Edit - he liked it and said I got extra points for googly eyes!!

I would like to enter this in the challenge 'Only Men Allowed' at Country View Challenges

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 261

Just a little later then I thought I would be! My desk today is nothing to with me - I'm getting a craft bag ready for my granddaughter - she is due home this week - my son is a lot better (and thanks for your good wishes for him) and thinks he'll be able to cope with getting her to bed, walking her to school etc. although he has been told he will be off work for another week! He has missed  her so much (and so have we!), he and my grandson have had some male bonding time so it's not all bad I suppose!
Okay, the desk - link here to Julia's Stamping Ground to find the details.

 Some inks, pitt pen, water brush, glue, some die cuts(will add to these) boxes to store brads and bits in and as you can see I am using up some scraps to punch out butterflies - you can also see the little critter that chewed up in the punch! I know she's not eight yet but her crafting is coming on and she has requested a journal like mine!!! I intend preparing some pages for her and there are stamps to go in along with some other bits and pieces.
Now - ATCs!
These are ones I received at the crop

Debbie          Julia           Kyla
                              Minxy        Christine
      Debbie            Shaz         Alison H

  Zo                  Hettie         Lynda B
Maggie             LLJ 's              Belinda
    Elizabeth       not an ATC      Dolores

These beautiful sewn ATCs from Annie and Jo

These arrived in the post too from Laura and Helen

Thank you all so much!
I still have some to post I'm afraid as I see the last post will have gone again! If you have been promised an ATC you will get it  - promise!!!

Now, before I go and because I know "The Boss" is away do you fancy a quick film review? Hubby and I went to see Maleficent today - in 3D - fortunately short enough not to give me headache and well worth it for the special effects! It is a really good film(this from someone who isn't really keen on Angelina Jolie), an interesting twist on the Sleeping Beauty story! The time just whizzed by!

Just as it has now, sorry I've gone on a bit!
Thanks for looking, Chris