Adding Metal at Try It On Tuesday

The new theme at Try It On Tuesday is 'Add Some Metal' so I've gone a bit shiny today!
My first project went definitely 'pearshaped'! You will get to see it sometime, but as we were going away last week it had to be done before Wednesday and that just wasn't going to happen! So I did what I often do for something a little quicker- a tag!

 So - distress ink (Dried Marigold and Aged Mahogany) onto a tag then a damp sponge through stencil and a dab with a paper towel.

I used a music stamp to add flitter glue then metal flakes then spattered some gold and brown paints over the tag

I stamped the Crafty Individuals stamp and added distress ink, and also stamped the whole stamp onto a painted square of DecoArt media fluid gold paint

They were then put together on another piece of card and the tag was stamped with the whole image before adding the cut out!

Then to the embellishments, 

fairly easy - some flourishes stamped on, a couple of die cut shapes, some curled wire and some metallic fabric from a scarf I bought 2 years ago in France for 2 euros!
The bottom of the tag uses hessian(burlap)sprayed with Tarnished Brass distress spray stain, a combination of flowers,(given the inca gold treatment) and a die cut flourish

There are some 'brilliant' 'shining' examples on the Try It On Tuesday Challenge blog from the design team. I do hope you will be able to join us this month with your own 'bright' ideas!! 

I would also like to link this to 

Crafty Individuals challenge - Anything Goes.

Stamps and Stencils - Up,up and away with a twist challenge

Thanks for looking, Chris

Dreaming with an 'X'

Oh boy! When I saw the title of this challenge at Dragons Dream I had a panic moment until I read that Julie Ann wanted an 'x' somewhere in a word! The challenge is 'The letter x and the colour purple' - well you must know by now that I'm happy with purple in any of it's shades!
Once I knew the letter x could be anywhere I don't know what made me think of it but the word 'Elixir' came into my head - so now what??
Well, at that point my Mojo upped and left me in the lurch. I still had the word going around in my head but not a clue what to do! A few outings and I had only been in my craft room to poke at things - nothing came to mind - should I think of a different word?! Over Saturday and Sunday I decided to sit at my desk and prepare a few die-cuts….and that's when I thought of this(of course by now the place was covered in bits poked out of holes and lots of mess to clear out of the way!)

I started by rubbing a combination of purple shades of Distress inks over the tag and then used a water soaked sponge through my TH 'Rays' stencil. I wanted a bit of the 'Elixir' splashed over the corner of the tag - a little bit of runny black gesso, and then when it had been heat dried to make it bubble a bit I rubbed in a combination of magenta and aquamarine Inca Gold hoping it would make a shade of lilac(it did!) The bottle is an Artistic Stamper one that I've had for ages - doesn't get used nearly enough!I stamped it onto a piece of kitchen roll that I had been using as a shim - it had totally flattened it! The edges were torn and had just enough texture around the bits that hadn't been under a die!I coloured the bottom part of the bottle to give the impression of something being in it. A Crafty Individuals perfume label was stamped by picking out the edges with a distress marker and I hand wrote the label.
At this point I didn't feel it was finished so used a small text stamp around the edges.I also added some 'Brushed Pewter' Distress Stain to the lid and dried off the brush by painting over the bottom of the bottle.
I left it over night and then this morning gave the elixir something to run across the tag to 'cure'….some crackle paste tinted with Dusty Concord Distress!

So here I am on time again (it won't last!!) with my entry for Dragons Dream 180 "Letter X and the colour Purple" 

Thanks for looking, Chris

March - and already late!

There's so much going on this month and I'm already trying to catch up. We're at our caravan, going home today and I've been making THE wedding invitations. Well, some of the time, we have been out for some lovely walks and a trip to Kendal. 
We have an exciting trip at the end of the month and back in time for Happy Stampers too!! The hares are keeping an eye on the time so I'm going to be able to fit in those appointments and outings with friends along with all the other things(including the rest of the invitations)
I used Peacock Feathers Distress ink around the edge of the page then stamped with a water spritzed stamp to create a ghosting effect. I then used the same stamp and more Peacock Feathers to stamp in the middle

The clocks are from one of the Papermania travel sets and the larger one a Craft Stamper freebie,the hares are Alice Palace ones from Crafty Individuals. I made a bit of a hash of the lettering so had to redo on some smooshed paper.
I'm linking to Kate Cranes Kathrynwheel blog where you can find out all about the 365/12 challenge.

Thanks for looking - must dash............Chris

Oops! VERY late calendar pages!!

Oh dear! I was already late when I took these these photos - as you will see I had already started to fill in days.
November was done by using Crafty Individuals leaf stamps along with Lavinia and Stampotique mushrooms

Here is the finished October page

I must remember to link this to Kate Crane's Kathryn Wheel blog. I have enjoyed doing this 365/12 calendar journal for nearly three years now.
Thanks for looking, Chris 

WOYWW 226 In a rush!

What's on my worktop? A bit of rushed activity that's what, so please excuse the rushed photo. Why the rush? - I'm off to Italy at the weekend and I'm trying to get a journal ready! So why am I at my computer showing you a photo? - because I just love being part of Julia's happy family of desk sharers(see here for details)
The desk

I'm using the last small moleskin in the pack along with some Crafty Individuals papers and pics, lots of inks, some stamps all of which are around my desk. At the back of the desk you will see my Kaisercraft letters(my fave at the moment)or rather you can see two sets propped up - one is minus the 'y' which went missing in action last week. Came back after lunch and - GONE!! - searched everywhere! Fortunately I was able to buy a new set at Happy Stampers at the weekend and if the missing in letter turns up I have at least a spare set (minus mr y) to take away to the caravan. 
The journal is open so that ink can dry - want a quick look?

A bit of masking, and monochrome stamping as well as the ghosting stamping with a torn CI page taped in. Still a way to go and I'll be back in two weeks to show you some more!

Off now to add some some more then to tackle the ironing - Rita's on holiday!!! 

See you later, Chris

January,February 365 calendar journal

Here is my February page. I know, I've got a bit of a romance theme here but why not?!
I love taking part in this challenge, hosted by the amazing Kate Crane at the Kathrynwheel - although I very nearly didn't - my journal went missing -  for days - I won't bore you with the tale, but if you want to read about what happened it's here

I used my favourite(for the moment) distress ink Picked raspberry dabbed onto my craft mat and rubbed on with a baby wipe - I don't think I've ever used a wipe to apply ink but I wanted a lighter swirly look. I then sprayed my stencils with water and dabbed them onto the paper and quickly pressed paper towel over to dry up the water - I love this effect! Then more stencilling by dabbing on PR again with a sponge. The dancing lady is a Crafty Individuals stamp(sorry don't know the number) and the rose is an old Elusive Images stamp with the buds stamped again at the bottom - I coloured this in using distress markers.

Here are my completed January pages

We are taking a break at our caravan at the moment, this is the first year the site been open all year round and now that hubby is retired it would have been rude not to come wouldn't it? There are only about five being used at the moment(probably more will come tonight) It is a very small site - none of that big entertainment centre nonsense and I'm being distracted by the birds right outside my window - Mr Robin pushing the others out of the way!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Under the influence!

I've been looking at the work of some very talented girls (Magda Polakow and Kasia Krzyminska)and find their work so different and inspiring! This is my take!

 Not my usual colours, but I started this background ages ago using a Dylusions mask and spray. I then saw my friend Pat's blog where she too has been influenced by these girls and which had me in my craft room yesterday - playing! The image - Crafty Individuals(CI148) was in one of my scrap folders and had been stamped onto mop-up paper. I used a Wendy Vecchi gothic text stamped onto some tissue paper to tone down the brightness of the spray and mixed gold and white acrylic paint through a mask to give some texture, some more scraps and bit of scraped paint and doodling and I thought - finished!

Ah! but then found some words in the Sunday supplement and added them, so then it didn't look quite right, so used a film strip punch onto the bottom of a kraft tag, stamped 'calm' and layered it with lace at the bottom - now it's done!

Hope you are all keeping warm in this extended cold spell! Thanks for looking, Chris

I'l be making more of these...

...little sandwich bag flowers.I bought some brown paper sandwich bags from our local Lakeland shop, having read about how storing food in plastic bags altered the flavour of food - and since they are better for the environment anyway thought I'd give them a try - or will I? Looking for something different to stamp onto with paint I tried a bag to make a little bird atc. I could see that the paper would make nice little flowers so made a layered flower(with the tattered floral small flower die) using the paper which I had stamped with a script stamp.
Got a kraft tag out then went to the cinema to see Les Miserables(a fantastic, must see film - in fact may be a must see again film lol!)
Anyway, came back, chilled, watched tv and then got it into my head that the tag needed lace(Cosette's Wedding dress was gorgeous!)too late to start last night, but up early this morning and using Kaisercraft lace and music stamps and a little bit of Frantage shabby white embossing enamel, a Crafty Individuals quote(I think)stamped onto leftover waxed kitchen paper and lace and ribbons from my box I have come up with this

I must confess I didn't stop to think it through and maybe that shows? I just had a need to go with the flow... or follow my muse so I thought I'd enter it for the challenge here at Frilly and Funkie. Then got totally distracted with a bit of blog hopping and although I had originally thought I might enter it for Hels' "Dream" challenge this week I'd also like it entered into the "Lace Love" challenge here at Simon says stamp and show.

Here's the little flower in case you didn't get to see it yesterday

Soo! maybe, just maybe, Mr Mojo is heading back to my craft room - just to test I think I'll head back in there after lunch!
Thanks for looking, Chrisx

I can manage without you Mr Mojo!

Well, for now at least! 
I started this atc while just playing last week! So...got round to finishing it - the next day! 

I used waxed kitchen paper that was torn from the end when I lined a tin, rubbed over with ink, stamped Crafty Individuals leaves and my lovely wooden bird stamp using acrylic black paint and sat him on some mop-up paper

So, why is it making it's appearance so late? Well, disaster struck!... or at least, I thought it had! I was clearing my craft room of all the stuff that had been dumped in there over the Christmas holidays. While doing that I thought, Hmmm - time for a sort out of stuff I don't use, won't use! So two big boxes and a canvas bag were put in place and gradually filled up (paper, rubbish and recycle to charity)Hubby was on hand to remove the piles at the end of the day, so off some things went to the tip, charity shop and our communal paper recycle bin.
Friday evening I went to fill in the journal squares in my 365/13 calendar journal - horror!!!! nowhere to be seen! turned things inside out, upside down and back to front - I had moved a lot of things to new homes with new storage boxes - it must be in one of those - then worse still - last years was no where to be seen - tears dear reader, huge sobby ones - a whole year - gone!!! Sleepless night - it must have gone to the tip - or - maybe been picked up with old magazines and put into communal bin, so on with the rubber gloves and dive into bin, found our papers but alas no journal! So goodbye beloved journal, that's it, not doing any more calendar journals!!
But hang on! There is a happy ending! 'What?' you say 'surely not?' but having been out for most of the weekend I continued to sort out my "don't use, won't use", all of yesterday and this morning, just I'm coming to the end(well, of the easy stuff anyway) I pick up some paper that I was unsure about and Whey hey!! Whoop!, whoop! and a Hurrah! for that ... my two lovely, precious calendar journals - on my bloomin'  desk all the time, I had put quite a lot on there to sort through as a sitting job and they were my last thing to look at! Hubby was out this morning and I found them about ten minutes before he came home!He wondered why I was so pleased to see him!!!

Thanks for sitting through this rant, but I am soooo relieved!
and Thanks for looking and commenting too, Chris

Oh! and I'd like to enter this little birdy for
Anything but a Card challenge - Things with wings
and 
Happy Daze - recycle challenge

Autumn tag

I may have just mentioned that I love Autumn colours! I've had my inks out on my desk and while mopping up have made a few tags!
This one came from watching the leaves outside my window slowly fall off the tree.They reminded me of butterflies so I used a combination of stamps to make this one!

The butterfly stamps are from a tinned set I bought ages ago from a Waterstones sale.I stamped them onto a piece of kitchen roll that hubby had left two fruit teabags on(guess who has instructions to do this every time now lol!), I painted Glue and Seal over them to give them a shine! The leaves are Crafty Individual stamps used with distress markers so that I could pick out the leaves I wanted.The dictionary page scrap was dragged through a mixture of Twinkling H2o's on my mat.
I then saw a beautiful tag on Julia's blog that she was entering into a challenge, followed the link to take me to Artful Times and saw that my tag would fit into their theme - 'Orange, Brown and White' so "Thank you Julia!"
Off for a bit of a family gathering now so I'd better get a move on! 
Thanks for looking, Chris

Autumn journal page SS229

Hels' Sunday Stamper challenge this week was Autumn/Fall, I haven't joined in with one of these for ages but I leapt to it straight away, unfortunately it's taken me until today to complete it and with a deadline to closing only hours away thought I'd better get on with it!!
Like many, I do love Autumn colours(as my camera would prove lol!)so I found this easy to get on with!

This part of the lyrics from 'Windmills Of My Mind' goes through my head often in Autumn so although Hels had thought of the Neil Young classic 'Harvest Moon' I'm afraid this is how I see this challenge(soreee!!)
I'm sure Stampotique's Mothfab would be one to colour her hair with the changing seasons, so with the help of some Crafty Individual and My Minds Eye leafy stamps I ended up with this!
Words were computer generated!
Thanks for looking, Chrisx

Art journal pages

I finally got time to play! These pages were started at about this time last year following an idea from Pat. I gessoed two pages then closed my journal and then opened it again and let it dry before colouring it(can't remember what with, but it was probably Neocolours II) They were done in preparation for our holidays, along with lots of other pages, but I never got around to using them. While sorting out the h-u-g-e pile of scraps and pictures I'd saved I found just the thing!

 When I was about 6 I had to go to Great Ormond Street Hospital. As we lived in Lincoln my Mum went to stay with relatives in Surrey. When I came out we stayed on a bit longer and one of the days we went to Brighton. There are no photos as my Mum thought I looked so poorly in them they were destroyed when she went through them in a clear out! Along with this magazine picture I have used some bits torn from a Crafty Individuals stamp, some shell stickers that came with a little journal last year and a piece of paper I tested paints on, the bunting is from one of my old college text books, painted with twinkling h2os.

This is just a bit of doodling around some magazine pictures with a very 'true' statement lol!


We are still waiting on solicitors to get a move on so that we can get a move on ourselves! The plus side is that we have had a chance to take things to our flat, do some decorating and be even more ruthless with STUFF!!! 


 My hubby retires today so life is going to be little different from now on! 


Thanks for looking, would love it if you could leave a comment, Chris

Balancing Act!

A bit of a strange week, had to say "bye bye" to a special piece of furniture which put me in an extremely bad place, then been back and to to meet plumber, flooring man, kitchen man(my son actually) and then searching for bath, tiles etc...

So what more could I do - a journal page! I've had some time to myself this week and I already had the background that I prepared way back last July. Used a magazine image, a jewellery catalogue I picked up in House of Fraser last year and some Crafty Individuals paper.


I also had time for something else inspired by a page in here

I bought this book last year in the hope that I would use it for inspiration, I'll be back to show you another time, for now off for another appointment!!


Thanks for looking and for your encouraging comments, Chris

So forgetful!

I keep forgetting to take photos of cards, I have made several cards in the last two months but only remember on the way to the post that I haven't got a record of what I've done!!

I must confess to making this in a bit of  a rush and it's definitely pearshaped!

This one was for one of my sons who now works for a bank and I used this image from a Graphic 45 sheet I bought at AFTH just for this image, which reminded me of how he used to look!!

I made a little concertina card for my sister-in-law.

I used Graphic 45 images along with Crafty Individuals stamps and paper, tissue tape, old dictionary definitions and a dress form from Craft Stamper with a bit of net!!

Been learning a few new things about blogger thanks to Dawn and I can now add new things to my blog -yaaay!!!

Off to the HUGE ironing pile now, thanks for all you lovely comments, Chris

A journal page..

 a birthday card and a sneaky peek!
I started these pages some time ago in my little moleskine but it's taken me until now to finish it. I thought it would be just right for Dawn's 'inclusion/tags' journal challenge. 

It started out by being a mop-up page for a flower stencil to which I added some watercolour paint, flowers dabbed through a small flower that I had used on a card,some ripped leftover paper and some hearts cut out of some more mop-up paper(anyone would think I don't own any paper he! he!)I made the tag by swiping with distress stains and dabbing more paint through the flower shape and then turning it over to make a further flower shape. I was going to stamp the words but then decided that Sakura pens might look nicer(not sure about that tho')
I sent this card to a good friend the other day, I hope she liked it even though it was made from scraps!!

The stamped image is part of a Crafty Individuals stamp, which I stamped onto some more mop up paper using Adirondak ginger ink. This was then mounted onto  scrap of fabric from a bundle I bought in a sale, little flower cut out and then built up with more cut out flowers and all mounted onto a script stamp from Kaisercraft. A leftover peel-off(I've given loads away)and a coloured insert and I was quite pleased with this one.
I'm still battling away with sorting 'stuff' but took time out this morning to prepare a background for my 365/11 journal (see Kate's blog here)so here's just a sneaky peek at what I've started.

 Right back to work, I can't take everything!!!
Enjoy the sunshine!! Thanks for looking, Chris

Why do birthdays that all seem to come at once? This next 3 months sees a whole run of birthdays so I have been making cards like a mad woman! As none of them will have been received yet I'll keep them a secret for just a little while longer!
Of course while I had inks etc. out I have been making journal pages, I am finding journaling a relaxing thing to do and it gives me a push to get on with things. I kept coming back to this page - a few distress stains put on first then used up some of the inked baby wipe from the other day to dab through a stencil(Special Touch of Mica)

Over the days I have sprayed on Special touch of Mica (Rose) through the same mask, stamped, doodled, added scraps, cut hearts out of mop up paper and added a Crafty Individuals image.

I've added this image using my scanner, not altogether happy with this method but in a lazy mood today, my medication is making me feel queasy in the night and I couldn't sleep for ages.


I'm getting on quite well with the big sort out, took a load to the charity shop on Tuesday and some craft stuff to add to stash at craft club in Salford. We have both been looking through our cd collection and are making some cuts there too-small steps:) We should have at least till next Spring before we think of moving, just need to clear some stuff before we start to let people view this place with LESS in it LOL!!


I was looking at a video demonstration here yesterday by Chris Cozen and Julie Pritchard when my grandson arrived, he looked over my shoulder, then said "She's like you isn't she Gran?" - I wish!!! He was guessing what it would look like next pretty accurately too - I can see what we'll be doing in our next craft session!


I spent yesterday afternoon with my friend Tina at Abakhan in Manchester, picked ourselves a few bargains out including these at 17p each

At least I hope they're a bargain - I don't have anything in mind- I just loved the colours! 
We had great fun, mainly because Abakhan just is not wheelchair friendly at all and we had had to keep moving stands, boxes etc. with much giggling involved!!!(and yes I did put them back afterwards - well, most of them lol)


Off now to go and buy a birthday present, thanks for looking, Chris 

Three sided coin anyone?

I've got a dilemma, I'm going to a Kate Crane(yes,the Kate Crane!)workshop with my friend Sarah and I'm supposed to take a small journal.The thing is I don't know what to do....should I take one I've started already...or should I take said 'one I've started already' and turn it upside down and start from the back....or do I take a new one(I do have one that I bought as part of a special offer)? I'm also so excited that I'm not thinking straight at all and with de-cluttering, thinking we may have found our new home and having our decking re-vamped - it's now a lovely shade of green thanks to hubby and eldest son, I suppose come Saturday morning I'll grab both and decide when I get there!


It was our anniversary on Tuesday and my son who was staying with us went off with my grandson for the night to go camping(in his words "to leave us lovebirds on our own"!!)It was nice to go out and not feel guilty about leaving them with baked beans on toast he!he!We found a lovely pub, 'The Lunesdale Arms' in Tunstall near Kirby Lonsdale and had a fabulous meal in peaceful surroundings! 


I didn't have much time for crafting other than make fish and sharks with my grandson - lots of shiny stickles involved(a very aptly named product where my grandson is concerned!!!)

I did however complete a journal page that I'd already started.One night I went out onto the decking and looked up and through the stars could actually see the Milky Way - I know....small pleasures, but it inspired me to make this page.
The background was a very bright pink but by the time I'd added Weathered Wood and Faded Jeans distress stains and let them move around before spritzing then mopping up, then dabbing Corduroy Distress ink around a star, sprayed everything lightly with Silver Perfect Pearl spray and stamped with some spotty Kaisercraft background stamps I was happy enough to add a Crafty Individuals image and add some words and a bit of doodling!


So, tomorrow we are off for a couple more viewings to confirm (or not) whether we are actually going to make a decision!!


Thanks for looking and Thank you too for your comments, they are much appreciated, Chris     

Oops!...

...I'm just a little late this month(we've been away again)with my pages for the 365/11 journal challenge, organised by the talented Kate Crane (if you want to know more about the challenge click here)
Here are my July pages completed..... 

and here are my August pages ready. I've 'sent' Mort and the twins(you didn't know Marci had a twin?LOL. I think she may be called Darcie!!)to the seaside. Sorry about the reflections but weather here is awful for photos.

I used Crafty Individuals stamps along with a (very old) freebie from Craft Stamper for the shells etc.coloured with Cosmic Shimmers and Perfect Pearls, and of course the brilliant Stampotique characters Mort had a pincurl and Marci. The beach huts are the product of a woman with too much time on her hands(lol) cut individually and coloured using NeocolorsII.


Looking forward to a few seaside days myself this month - weather permitting! Have fun yourselves! Chris.

A SCRAP BOOK!

or rather, a book made from scraps.I don't know how I manage to get so many scrappy bits of paper OR worse still why I hang on to them! I mean, some of them are really the tiniest of scraps and although some do end up in the bin I often end up putting them into a little box until the lid won't fit!(if I'm honest I don't just have one scrap boxlol) Sooo here is the result of my latest clear out. No theme, just a folded book of scraps although I have done contrasting sides.

                      The front and back cover

The oranges and greens

The purples and pinks

There is room in the middle for some post-it notes - if only I can remember where they are! 

There are quite a few Crafty Individuals images here and I used a combination of Kaisercraft, Paper Artsy and Artemio stamps to help the scraps out!!

At least it's kept me quiet while hubby is still recovering, hopefully he will be back to work next week!

Thanks for looking, Chris

A TRIO

This title just about sums up this post. I tried yesterday, and tried, tried and tried again but whatever I did blogger just wouldn't even recognise me. Couldn't post, couldn't comment, when I eventually got to sign in still couldn't do anything - same again this morning UNTIL....lightbulb moment - try another browser YAY!!!

So here is what I wanted to say yesterday! I did eventually get away at the weekend, only overnight with hubby, and it did rain some of the time but I feel refreshed! Of course seeing a view like this from my door helped!

 A lot better than my usual chimney pot views at home!

So, feeling much better I set to with a new stamp to make what?

A Sympathy card!!!

  Just stamped and embossed, bit of ribbon and Craftwork cards sentiment.  Then a 'Thinking of you' card.

Stamped onto patterned green paper from a magazine, layered onto Crafty Individuals paper punched with MS punch, ricrac and Craftwork cards sentiment.

Mmmmm, bit depressing considering my good mood, soooo...

stamped and embossed onto Crafty Individuals paper, coloured with Tombow pen then mounted onto more free paper, flowers punched from more Crafty Individuals paper and this looks a lot cheerier and will be used as a notecard to a friend!

The stamp is by Paperbag Studios that I bought from Happy Daze here
It arrived less than 24 hours after I ordered it!
Off now to make a special card for a friend!
Thanks for looking,
Chris