INSPIRED BY GENIOUS

I mentioned yesterday, that I had made a tag inspired by Hels, it's this one.

I wanted a kick start to make something really nice and the tag that Hels had made did just that.
She was using new papers and stamps which obviously weren't tucked away in my work room, but it gave me the opportunity to use some lovely bits I already have - that's the name of the game anyway isn't it?
I covered a tag with paper from Tim's shabby vintage stash, gave it a watered down coat of traditional tan Studio paint and dried it. I smooshed some distress stains onto my craft sheet, sprayed them with water and pressed the tag into them. What an amazing effect this is. I even made another tag with the left over ink and that is just as lovely. I then used the sequin waste and dotty stamps from the Artistic Stamper, plus sable brown Stazon ink, to stamp over the top which I quickly wiped over with a baby wipe - after I had spent 20mins looking for the wipes - so much for the big clean up in January!!

How can you lose such a big box? It was actually staring me in the face in the cupboard above my head!
I then used black Archival to stamp Tim's swirl and the long words from his Stuff to Say stamps on the tag and then made a little matt with the saying on to sit over the top. I scribbled zig zags all around the tag and set it to one side whilst I made all the other bits.
Using Tim's flower ribbon and distress stains, I made the bit for the bottom of the tag and then ran the stains over 2 pieces of straight ribbon for the top. I then cut out about 7 flowers from Tim's tattered florals spikey flowers using his shabby vintage paper again, spritzed them with heirloom gold and edged them with walnut stain DI. The first flower is from my stash and is black card stamped with the sequin waste stamp. I rolled and bent the petals and held them together with a long fastener through one of Leonie's little wooden flowers.

Out came the box with my silicone glue to stick the flower down and all the bead pins etc. I fiddled with a couple of beads and made the 2 dangly ones at the top which are fastened on with one of Tim's mini safety pins.

I really enjoyed making this tag because I learnt some new techniques and the final result is lovely. I'm not taking credit for it because that belongs to Hels for sharing how she made her tag in the first place.
Got another to have a go at today so see you later - if I can concentrate on it instead of trying to work out the answers to Lindsay's quiz!!!!!!

HEALTH WARNING

Have you had a go at Lindsay's questionnaire yet?
Well this was me before I had a go.......

and this is me now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out of the 20 questions, I've answered 5..........
Beware, I have warned you.

(only kidding Lindsay)

I'VE STAYED UP 'TIL MIDNIGHT FOR THIS WOYWW

I think the clock thing this week has muddled my sleep pattern completely. I just can't seem to get the timing right at all. Actually, I am a night owl and have never really done the morning thing, so I suppose the BST excuse is a feeble one.
I had a bit of a craft day yesterday, spurred on by a tag that Hels had blogged. Didn't have the new 'goodies' that she had used on her fabulous creation, but I have some lovely Artistic Stamper stamps and, of course, rather a lot of Tim goodies, so my little piece was made up of those. I lurve it.

I have now laid out my next project which I hope to make today or tomorrow. So this is what my little workspace looks like right now.

Haha! some of the bits don't belong, ie the terra paints, but the rest does.
It's due to rain today so 'peg leg' and I are probably going out. He has been so busy checking over and re-newing bits on the motorhome ready for it's MOT. Some of the work involved getting under the van which is not a nice task. He looked so tired when he came in at tea time. A bit of good news though, he has a provisional date for his operation - 26 April. No letter yet but at least they have been 'jarred' into action - thanks to my phone call last Friday!!!
Ok crafters, I am going to bed now so that I can - hopefully - get up in time to link this post to our amazing leader of the Wednesday crafting phenomenon, what's on your worksdesk Wednesday. If you haven't joined in yet, have a look now at what you have been missing.

BLUE CANVASS

Had this little 4"x4" canvass for some time and wanted to make it into something 'nice'. I tried hard and came up with this.

You would not believe how long this has taken me.
The base canvass is covered first with Claudine Helmuth's traditional tan paint before being sprayed with Craftynotions walnut and delphinium inks. I used Tim's tissue tape around the edges and then randomly distressed everywhere with walnut stain and frayed burlap inks.

I sprayed and dabbed the flower ribbon with the same inks and left them to dry. The rossettes are the new mini ones cut from Tim's papers and layered on top of a grungepaper cog, again cut using Tim's gadget gears die. The wings are from the heart wings die covered in gold dabber and then rubbed over with pool dabber so that the blue went into the embossed areas which I had done after the gold had dried.

I made the tear drop bead and the pin at the bottom with the round pearl. The swirl is grungepaper cut with the elegant flourished die and then sprayed with delphinium and highlighted with beadazzles. The philosophy tag was covered with pool dabber and wiped over so that the colour only went onto the words.

Before I assembled it all, I stamped some butterflies using DIs but they didn't come out very well. I then went round the edge with a Copic multi liner pen and added some rock candy crackle paint.
Considering I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I reckon it's ok. Another fun time anyway.
I think I will enter it into the Sunday Stampers challenge this week which is to use embossing folders which I did on the wings - Tim's Dot Matrix no less.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH

I've tried to be 'clever' and made an ATC with a different approach. It hasn't worked! but, it's not bad for a first - and possibly last - attempt. I am in complete awe at the incredible pieces of art I see over on Laura Carson's blog - Artfully Musing.  She is one of the most clever crafters I have ever come across. Her gorgeous ATCs are up for grabs every month and I was lucky to win one in January. She puts so much quirkiness into each one that you just cannot help but be 'gob smacked'.

Anyway, I would never pretend to be able to make cards like hers but she does inspire so I tried to have a go at making an ATC that looked different. Not sure you will agree I got this one right, but as usual, I had fun.

I want to put more detail down the side but as I haven't got a clue what to do, I've left it alone.
The golden arch is a peel off stuck to thick acetate and cut around the edges. I used a tape roller to stick it down as the glue is almost invisible. A few black sticky gems finished it off.
The background is cut from a 12"x12" K&Co paper.
The lady image is one that Laura had previously posted as part of her generous free downloads. I simply cut her out and added a bow from my stash. The metal corner is another little treasure from my stash.

The flowers are from a local trade store and were cream until I coloured them with a gold dabber and a red Copic pen. The leaves are punched from gold embossed card with a Martha Stewart frond punch. The beads are simply threaded onto coloured wire and the little metal flower is one from Leonie Pujol's ATC pack, again coloured with a gold dabber.

Nothing like I would have wanted, but it's ok - I suppose.

A GLORIOUS SPRING DAY WOYWW

This is my most favourite season. To see flowers, trees, shrubs 'springing' into life, plus of course, adorable lambs, just cannot be beaten. We have been away for a few days to the other side of the country, so have been lucky to see all this happening from west to east and then east to west. Fantastic.
This little chappie gave us a bit of a smile as he went on his way across the lawn of the Caravan Club CL we were staying on.

Can you make him out because the 'zoomed' in image will not load.
Anyway, we are home again  now and I guess it's back to crafting. I did manage to make 6 paper flowers whilst away......

but that was all. Both 'peg leg' and I caught up on some rest and spent most of the time watching the unfolding drama in the middle east and Japan on tv.
My little work area is therefore much as I left it.

An ATC layout - in progress - plus, some of the contents of a parcel which was in the greenhouse when we got back.

ie. some Studio paint, 3 pots of Terra, a knurling tool, a set of Artistic Stamper stamps and Corked Vials from Tim's Idea-ology range.
However, the worse bit of coming home is the fact that one of my settees is cluttered - with these......

As you can see, there are 2 now! both made by 'peg leg' from nothing to working guitars. He is currently practising hard and learning how to play again. I've had a sneak listen and he is getting better - don't tell him I said that though - but has a way to go yet. Still no hospital date so he may just become professional once more before his op. Here is a sneaky peek of him when he WAS professional - some 50+ yrs ago.

Well, it's only a little pic so maybe I will only be in a 'little' bit of trouble for showing it.
I'm off to have a look at what our leader Julia is up to now and hope to get round more spaces than I managed last week.

FLOWERS ON THE GO

There is a little 'sproggit' in the family whose birthday is next Tuesday, her 8th actually, so we decided to pop over and take her birthday presents. Beverley, in Yorkshire, is a lovely little place and the site we found last year (where 'peg leg' broke his hand and ribs) is our stopping place again.
The weather is lovely, the birds are many and singing their heads off and all the daffs are out. Perfect.
I decided not to pack a load of craft this time but just a few bits in  order to practice making paper flowers following the instructions that Hels put on her blog the other day.

I've used this Artistic Stamper flower stamp many times to make flowers, but no matter whether I use that or a die, I always struggle with the middles.

This time though, I cut the odd petal and the middles before sticking the parts.

Then I stuck one lot together without cutting the middles.
This flower is a complete version where the middles were cut before I stuck the petals together. I think it is much better.

Oh! that photo is a bit blurred, sorry. However, I think you can make out the middle petals and agree that they sit very nicely in the flower. I'm happy with that. Thank you Hels.

THE LAST WOYWW BEFORE SPRING

At long last spring is in the air and next Wednesday we will be a couple of days into it. This winter seems to have been soooo long, poor Scotland and Northern Ireland will agree with that considering they have snow just now. I, for one, will be extremely happy to see the end of winter as I have never been so cold for so long in ages and ages. According to some, the earth has moved off it's axis by about 2degrees giving rise to this dreadful weather and other 'out of the ordinary' happenings. Whatever the reason, I just want the sun back.
Anyway, back to today. I took a photo of my little workspace last night as I don't expect it to change much today - other things planned.

The acrylic stamps were a freebie from Inspirations last week when I bought some paint dabbers. Nothing else happening. However, I have made progress on the wall hanging I gave a little peek of last week.

The words probably give it away.

I made all the pins and the leaves have been die cut from Tim's packaging of various items, using the tattered florals die and then coloured with alcohol inks.
I also heated them slightly to make them bend.

Ok, so I'm well ahead of myself and have made my piece for Julia's 2nd anniversary of this wonderful Wednesday phenomenon. But, you all know that 'peg leg' is awaiting a hospital date for his hernia operation, and I just wanted to be prepared incase it becomes a full op rather than keyhole so I can look after him.

Not sure yet whether to leave it alone or add a bit more. Plenty of time to ponder.
See you next week. xx

HANGING SIGN WISHES

After having spent yesterday doing that cl****ng thing - still can't say that word! I thought a bit of crafting would not go amiss today. Also, it's Monday which means a little help from your crafting buddies is called for. However, my helper today was not much use and simply left paw prints all over my card and paper.
So, I decided to make a card for some friend's wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks.

Made from some lovely shiny card stock rather than grunge, I simply cut the sign from that and the bracket from black card which I rubbed over with metallic wax. The sign is distressed with victorian velvet, worn lipstick, tumbled glass, chipped sapphire and wild honey DIs edged lightly with walnut stain. I then swiped both the red pads onto my craft sheet, spritzed them with heirloom gold perfect pearls spray and 'dunked' my swirl stamp into the ink before stamping onto the card. I dried it all with a heat gun and then stamped the word using victorian velvet.
The eyelets are WRMK. The sign is held in place simply with the wire which forms the stems to the paper flowers. I spritzed water on to the left over ink and again dunked my stamp into it to stamp the background on the card - there was also enough left to colour 2 little nestability tags. I used black 3D foam to attach the bracket but left the sign hanging.
Turned out ok me thinks.

PERFECT BEE

Oh dear, I think my ideas for headings are getting out of control. Anyway, today I decided to have a go at a couple of challenges.
The first is the Stampotique Designers Challenge - Animals, insects or birds.
The second is the Sunday Stampers - Nature.
This is my little ATC, made for both.

The background is created with perfect pearls, 2 layers of UTEE and stamped with the Stampotique Bee which I have highlighted with perfect pearls and stickles.
I enjoyed making this and it was so quick and easy.

THE POSTIE'S BEEN AGAIN

A little brown envelope brought me a wide smile this morning because just look at what was inside.

A tag and an ATC from the ever lovely Sheila. I love the colours on both these pieces and the embossing is subtle making it just right. However, for the life of me I can't work out how the tag was created. So Sheila, get on that computer and email me the deets 'cos I adore the background.
Perhaps the other delivery may hold a clue. I am 'itching' to use these.

I sent to America (Simon Says Stamps actually) as they were cheaper there including the postage - still part of my birthday and Xmas money - and having waited 3 weeks since they were posted, here they are in all their glory.
I'm just off to Tim's videos now to remind myself of their possibilities. Some lovely person loaded a professional one from the CHA show, which gives their use - and more.

WOYWW - BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

I'm very late this time in posting a photo of my work space. But here it is:

I'm in the middle of making the wall hanging you can just see at the left in front of my printer. I used all the DIs in the photo for the background and am about to add  interest using some stamps. I had hoped to use the big beads you can probably see, but by the time I had inked the base, they didn't match. A trip to Hobbycraft soon sorted that and I found some that are perfect.
For more interesting desks than mine, click here to be scurried off to Julia's, the lovely lady in charge of today.

TODAY I WILL LOOK FOR INSPIRATION

.....because I really need to make some exciting crafty pieces.
Having been to see the lovely Lindsay on Saturday, (I was equally lucky to see 'special' David too) I came home with the intent of making some crafty pieces ready for birthdays and even, Christmas! so that I was not in a 'tis' later in the year. It didn't happen. I did however, get on with a birthday 'card' (it's a wall hanging actually) for a special little 'sprocket'.
Lindsay had the ATC tower with her that she took to the Stitches show, so I got the chance to see it 'in the flesh'.

It looked really good as you can see and was a really fun project to be involved in. Both Sheila and Gez were at Dawn's too and that was another treat to see them both again.
Well, 'peg leg' has to have a medical this afternoon. Nothing to do with his operation - still waiting for a date for that - this time it's for his driving licence. He hits the big 70 this May and because our motorhome is 4.5tonnes in weight, his licence is not automatically renewed. Our doctor wants - wait for it - £117 to fill the forms in, so we've found another who is doing it for £67.90. That's bad enough. I tell you, this being retired has it's bonuses but it also has it's downside. Get saving for yours 'cos the pennies don't go very far at all. Good job I am a good 'planner'!!!!!!!! xx

THE STORY OF CHARLOTTE DOLLS

One lady from the Artsycrafts forum received this from an American friend. It is the 'history' behind the
Fractured Charlotte Dolls
which Tim has introduced through his CHA 2011 collection.

Frozen Charlottes are a type of unjointed china doll popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name came from Fair Charlotte, a well-known American folk ballard attributed to 1860. The ballard tells the tale of a beautiful young woman who set out in a sleigh with her lover, Charles, on a bitterly cold night to attend a ball fifteen miles away. Her mother warned her to wrap herself in a blanket to keep warm, but:
"No, no, no," fair Charlotte said
And she laughed like a gypsy queen
"To ride in  blankets muffled up,
I never can be seen."

The couple rode off into the cold and, after travelling a mere 5 miles, Charles remarked:

"Such a night as this I never knew,
the reins I scarce can hold."
Fair Charlotte said in a feeble voice
"I am exceeding cold."
Away they rode through frozen air
In the glittering starry night
Until at length the village inn
and the ballroom were in sight.
They reached the door, Young Charles stepped out
And held his hand to her
"Why sit you there like a monument
that hath no power to stir?"
He called her once, he called her twice
She uttered not a word
He held his hand to her again
And still she never stirred
Then swiftly through the lighted room
Her lifeless form he bore
Fair Charlotte was a stiffened corpse
And word spoke nevermore.

Of course there was a lesson to be learned from this tragic tale, and many young girls who later played with Frozen Charlottes probably were warned:

Now, ladies, when you hear of this
Think of that dreadful sight,
And never venture so thinly clad,
On such a winter's night.

Most Frozen Charlottes ranged in height from 1 to 4 inches. the 1" sized dolls were commonly known as 'penny dolls' because they generally sold for 1ct. the popularity of Frozen Charlottes can be attributed, in part, to the fact that their relatively low price allowed children to accumulate a collection of dolls with which to play.

Sorry about the photo quality, I am having problems with my camera and must read the manual!

This is the larger of the dolls that Tim has produced.

Quite a story eh?

SPRING INTO ACTION

When we were preparing our configuration box at Tim's workshop, he asked us to remove 3 of the inside boxes. This was to create a large compartment in the middle. We could keep the ones we took out for further projects. I decided to use one of them to make an entry for the Artistic Stamper Design Team Challenge this month which is SPRING.

Before I stuck the papers down I stamped the inside one with peeled paint DI and Tim's Spring Sprung flourish stamp and the outside paper with the Artistic Stamper's stamp, mini chicken wire using bundled sage DI. All the edges are covered with tissue tape.
I then began to stick mini Prima flowers in various parts both inside and outside.

I used  multi matt medium for this as it's quick and efficient. The little chicken is wearing an Easter bonnet stuck using some very sticky double-sided tape, but again, she is stuck with matt medium.
I struggled a bit with the little rabbit peg and bunch of flowers and in the end I used double-sided tape for that too.

The flowers on the top of the box, plus the 'spring' wires, are glued on with silicone. This gave a bit of height as well as something in which to stick the wire.

Finally, I worked out where to place the silver beads (taken from a really cheapo necklace I found in a really cheapo shop) and glued those with matt medium.

What a fun little project.

ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER WOYWW

I seriously cannot believe for one moment that a whole week has gone by since the last WOYWW.  Surely our wonderful Wednesday leader, Julia, has altered the clocks or something. After all, I was all packed and ready to set off down south for the moment of a life time and there it is -or was - gone in a flash.
I do however, have proof that I had my moment 'cos look what I have on my little work desk now.

This is what we made on our Tim workshop, well at least we all made something similar. They will all have a little of ourselves tucked away in the compartments, mine is no different.
In the middle you can see WIM WAM (aka Frim Fram) who was my pram mobile when I was a baby - around 25yrs ago I wish. It was given to me by my God Mother who also had it as her pram mobile. He is around 120yrs old, hence the numbers beneath him.
The bottom left compartment holds a picture of my sons playing outside on a very hot summers day, splashing around in the water in a washing up bowl. Didn't take much to keep children happy in those days. Their ages now are 45, 42 and 38. Crumbs, I feel old now.
Mario put together dozens of little calico bags containing most of the other bits you can see, and the main elements were courtesy of Alain at Ranger.
To be honest, I didn't think I would finish this box as it's not really my thing, but now I have, I just can't stop looking at it. I even bought one of the little ones to make at some point which will  be appropriate further on in the year. The whole experience was magical. I said I wouldn't go again (we did a 680mile round trip) but you know what.........I would.