Sunday Stampers - Week 213 - Dreamer

Well no crafting for a week whilst away at camp. It was a success as everyone came home safe and sound ... if a little tired. Weather not bad considering but very little sleep!  Hels Sheridan has chosen the theme of 'Dream' for her Sunday Stamper Challenge this week. I'm reminded of one of the little boys on camp who said that he couldn't get to sleep because he didn't have any 'dreams'. I thought this was so sad but don't worry - we gave him some of ours.

My entry this week is a bit 'dark & gothic'.  The lady looks quite ghostly - no idea why I chose this but just went with the flow! I began by inking up a white tag with peeled paint, iced spruce & antique linen then splashed with water for the watermark effect then edged with walnut stain. Next I stamped a Crafty Individuals music score stamp over the tag with Versa Magic turquoise gem - it just gives a hint of colour.  I then tore an aperture in some rough paper & stamped the angel (Crafty Individuals) through this then added the TH butterfly stamps. On the bottom of the tag I used Imagination Crafts black star sparkle medium through a Special Touch of Mica flower mask.  I'm not a huge 'bling' person but this sparkle medium is lovely to work with. It takes about half an hour to dry. Next I printed out the Shakespeare quote & adhered to a TH fragment - had these for ages but first time I've used one! I added some black ribbon & a silver brad then place the fragment on top.  Found some old chain & gem & key & added to the ribbon. Lastly I decided to remove some of the colour from the angel so dabbed a wet cloth over her - it makes her look paler  & more ghostly.

It's our 'Race for Life' tomorrow in Colchester so I shall be donning my raincoat & trainers and braving the elements & no I will not be running - a bit of a jog & a walk will be more than enough for me! Take care everyone. Sx

Sunday Stampers - Week 211 - You Gotta Pick A Pocket Or Two

Well I know I'm late posting this for Hels Sunday Stampers but I'm just going to do it anyway!! Apologies. I didn't want to miss a post but this ending up being another mad week with me working all week preparing for our Year 5 & 6 Camp next week.  I know, I know everyone's busy but you have to understand that I am the less organised type! Anyway yesterday was our Carnival Day which starts around 7a.m in this houshold as Mr Frenchy is involved in a busy 5-aside Football Event on the Green, Bar-b-q & general fun antics at the Football Club.  I came home half way through to make my card (nothing like being organised) & thought I would download the pics later. Well later was of course 11.30pm & missed the deadline!  Decided this morning to post it anyway but won't give the detail about making it other than it involved lots of Distress Inks, spritzing & stamping!! This is a bookmark card (in case you were wondering!) with a wee pocket to hold it in place.  Apologies for my disorganisation! Sx

Sunday Stampers - Week 210 - This Boy

This is a bit of a 'quirky' entry for this week's Sunday Stampers challenge from Hels.  With a 'male' theme (for Father's Day) I decided to try a technique we used at Sunday's 'Birds in the Barn' workshop with Linda Elbourne. 

I started by inking up a square piece of paper with peeled paint Distress Stain & allowed to dry. I have to say that it looked a mess but carried on regardless!! Using a 'Special Touch of Mica' small polka dot mask I inked through it with walnut stain then randomly stamped a PaperArtsy script stamp in Adirondack denim.  I stamped some PaperArtsy cogs in gold paint dabber & a 7gypsies clock in brown ink & ruler in black ink.  The birds (PaperArtsy) were stamped once on the card then again onto white card, inked with antique linen then cut out & placed on top of the original stamp with pinflair glue for dimension. I added some gold metallic ink to the four corners of the card & Adirondack Dimensional Pearls in Espresso to the cog centres & the crowns. Instead of stamping a sentiment (as the card is quite wacky/steam punk) I added a 'We R Memory Keepers' metal embellishment which says 'Imagine, Create, Dream'. Happy Crafting everyone...Sx

Linda Elbourne Workshop at 'Birds in the Barn'

How to spend a lovely Sunday?  Well I can tell you - at 'Birds in the Barn' in the company of like minded crafters. We spent the day making this lovely piece. Thank you Linda & 'Birds in the Barn' for a wonderful day.

This is the finished piece...

Sunday Stamper - Week 209 - Pretty in Pink

Pink, not a colour I use very often but it's good to get our of your comfort zone once in a while!  This was Hels Sheridan's challenge for week 209 of the wonderful 'Sunday Stampers'-check out her blog here, always inspirational.  Anyway this turned out to be another busy, busy week with me not even turning on my beloved computer for days!  Think this year is on double speed.  Thought I wouldn't make this challenge because of the lack of time and the fact that I was feeling out of sorts this week as it was 10 years since I lost my father.  10 years ... certainly don't know where that time has gone but it has been missing a wonderful man.  Love you Dad. 

Anyway, back to the card-I managed this very quick card made out of scraps.  I have this huge box of scraps where the lid hardly fits on now so decided that I must start using up these bits.  I can't throw anything away!  I had been using this lovely stamp (Imagination Crafts) in the week & when I went to clean it up I grabbed a scrap of card to remove some of the wet ink.  When I went to chuck it away I couldn't!  How daft is that?  It is very, very rough & not at all like the perfect version but I actually liked it so simply cut it out, distressed the edges with worn lipstick & mounted onto an odd piece of black card.  I found this lonely piece of wood textured card (luckily pale pink) & edged in walnut stain & mounted onto a white card.  I cut a banner shape out of a pink patterned paper & stamped the butterfly (Creative Expressions) onto the same pink paper & spritzed them both with a combination of Perfect Pearls Biscotti & Pink Gumball.  I have been using the powdered Perfect Pearls so that I can mix them up & use more than one at a time.  Next I  edged the banner with walnut stain & added a gold staple (mistake, I though it was going to be silver) from a long forgotton EK Success craft stapler (Fastenater).  I stamped it with a sweet, old wooden stamp (no name on it).  Lastly I found this lovely brass key & added it to the butterfly.  I feel I should apologise for this simple, scrap card but I do quite like it!  I must do my blog hopping now to see what has been made this week.  I think I need a holiday - oh, I've just had one!!  Just more time then ... Sx

Sunday Stamper - Week 208 - Her Majesty

For the Jubilee weekend Hels Sheridan has chosen the theme of Red, White & Blue.  Had to think about this a bit as I did a 'Jubilee' tag a few weeks ago.



For this card I began by scanning  a copy of an original newspaper article of the Coronation. I cut out a 5.5" section & spritzed with Perfect Pearls Biscotti to give the paper a bit of a sheen, inked the edges with walnut stain DI then mounted onto black card.  You can't see much of the article unfortunately.  I then cut out 3 1.5" strips of white card, covered with TH calendar tissue tape & inked with barn door & chipped sapphire DI & picket fence distress stain. I tore the ends & stitched onto the strips with red, white & blue thread. I inked up some plain white card with the same DI's on both sides, spritzed with Biscotti then cut out a Spellbinders flower die & curled the card to make the flower.  Next I stamped the word 'Celebrate' in Momento Paris Dusk & cut out into the banner shape.  I edged this with barn door & chipped sapphire & spritzed with the Biscotti. I placed the flower on the right side & mounted the word banner onto foam & placed beside the flower. I stamped the three crowns with the Paris Dusk & also spritzed with Biscotti, added some gems then mounted onto the white strip with Pinflair gel to give dimention.  Lastly I attached two gem hat pins behind the flower.

What a great weekend of celebrations this has been.  Yesterday I sang in a Choir (our first performance)for the celebrations at Frinton & then in the evening we had a big party on the green here with a band, lots of dancing & a bit of drinking. It was a great day. I hope you have all had a fun time, even with the rain! Sx

12 Tags of 2012 - June

I think the only problem with doing the '12 Tags of 2012' is that it highlights how quickly the year is whizzing past!  It's June already-cannot believe it. Anyway back to the tag. I just thought 'wow' when I saw Tim's new tag & it incorporates a photo so just up my street.  I just love old photos which is probably why I have such a huge collection at home. It's going to take me years to catalogue them all but that's fine - I just love it.

I followed most of Tim's instructions but as usual made a few alterations as I didn't have all of his goodies. I'll just mention them.  I moved the tissue tape from top right to top left. Found an old paper clip embellishment & added a 'C' for Clive. I didn't want a flower so made a rosette out of scrap paper & added a We Are Memory Keepers 'smile' embellishment which I thought looked quite 'vintage' photo. Would you believe, no silver paper clips in the house so I used a white one & added a diamond gem to the top. The rubber stamps I used were TH Visual Artistry 'The Journey' & 'Lost and Found' (thank you Mary for lending me this one!). I had some old metal numbers so coloured the '5' in Snow Cap & the 'Adorable' was an old one I found in my box. I think that covers the differences. The photo is my husband Clive (hence the letter 'C') taken in the garden where we live when he was about 5 years old (hence the '5'). I just loved colouring this photo. He told me that he was sooo happy with this dressing up kit.  He looks so cute & he reminds me of the 'Milky Bar Kid'!! The metallic star embellishment also reminds me of a 'Sherrifs' badge - what a coincidence! Sx