ATCs WITH ATTITUDE #28 - WINTER WONDERLAND

We have a very apt theme for this fortnight's challenge over at ATCs with Attitude - Winter Wonderland. After all, we are fast approaching the icy winds and snow time.
Congratulations to the winners and top 3 from our last challenge. Enjoy your success.
Our wonderful sponsors this time are:
Robyn's Fetish

Who is offering 5 digis to the winner
and
Beccy's Place

Who is offering 3 digis to the winner.
My ATC is made using Rag Doll with Love from Beccy's Place.

I printed her to ATC size, ie 2.5" x 3.5", coloured her and cut her out. I cut a separate pair of legs leaving a bit of card at the top so I could attach them using brads so that they could move. I used some cotton thread to attach her bag. The reason I made my card like this was to show you that ATCs don't have to be oblong bits of card. So long as you stick to the required size, they can look like anything really.
However, our theme is Winter Wonderland so I have put her onto one of the ATC sized papers in Tim Holtz' Holidays Past stash.

Please have a go at making an ATC for our challenge but if I still can't persuade you to do so, then you can enter your card at our sister challenge blog, Fat Pages with Attitude.

FIRST POST FROM MY PHONE

Just trying to get to grips with my phone which I got so that I could always blog on the go and not have to rely on spasmodic web signals from my ancient mobile web card. If this works I may just have won the battle, at least in part, there is the little point of including photos. But hey! I've only had it since Monday .

ATCs/CARDS WITH ATTITUDE DT CALL

please follow this link to find out more:
http://atcswithattitude.blogspot.com/2012/11/we-are-having-design-team-call.html

We are a friendly, fun challenge blog and need you............

WHAT'S ON YOUR WORKDESK WEDNESDAY #182

Just look at the number of weeks our leader of the world desk hop Julia, has been giving us the chance to have a good old nosey at other folk's craft spaces, 182, incredible.
It's such an eye-opening time to see the crafty work of others - given the time. I for one just don't seem to know the meaning of the word 'time' just now, not having any of it. Not done many Xmas cards for eg. done no Xmas shopping - a big NO NO for me - so must get cracking somehow. Oh my desk, well this is it this week:

My purse, empty of money!, my new distress stains -1 which is still in the post, my new phone, - getting to grips with it slowly, a new bottle of Cosmic Shimmer glue and a new (to me) set of Tim's Xmas stamps - no craft going on as I need the time!!!!
To top all this, my compter has a fault and is on a go slow. Oh !!%%&&*****
Right, a new day so got to get some of these backlog jobs done.

I'VE BEEN DRIVING IN MY CAR

and it went far like a star.......ok, I know those are'nt the words but all are true.
My little brum brum passed it's MOT -- YIPPEEEEEE!!!
I have a new headache now - how to use an i-phone. My phone contract is almost up, infact I am typing with one hand whilst holding my phone in the other listening to music until my old provider decides to answer so I can ------ oh! sorted.
Well, I can get sorted with apps now and the 2 going on first will be the Blogger app and Tim's app. I will be able to write blog posts from my phone and keep up to date with my craft stash. Sweet.
Anyone got any paracetamol??????

OH CHRISTMAS TREE....

I've just finished the Christmas card substitute for my hairdresser. Took a few days because I had no idea what I was going to do, it just sort of came together.

I bought a papier mache box which measures about 7"x5"x3" and began by sticking 3 grungeboard snowflakes to the inside back wall. I then covered all the inside with white gesso. Tim's snowflake stamp and a blue Brilliance pad added more little flakes just to take the bareness away. I also used a paintbrush to paint the Brilliance over the 3 grunge snowflakes. I then covered all of the outside with various patterned papers and edged every join with tissue tape.

I cut the lace border from some white card and the picket fence from grungepaper. The baubles were from my grunge stash, I just used paint dabbers on those and then stamped tiny stars all over them. They are glued to the top of the box simply by bending the grunge at  a right angle and sticking with Cosmic Shimmer glue. Infact, I used Cosmic Shimmer to stick everything except the feet to the box when I used E6000. I bought a length of batting, only cost £1.49 for a mtr and used that for snow at the bottom. the tree was from a pack of 4 which cost £1.99. DH cut me 5 tiny blocks of wood which I painstakingly covered with paper and tied that with string. boy was that difficult!
I cut the 2 mini snowflake rossettes and managed to make the larger one quite easily but the small one kept coming apart so there is rather a lot of glue on that one. Can you see the Red Cardinal? Had to have a little bird on the fence. I glued the parcels to each other and to the side wall for strength and then dribbled some distress stickles over them.

The top has a banner cut with the strip die and a mini poinsettia. I used some Prima leaves which I've had for yonks. The little feet are made from a large pearl bead and a flat silver charm.
I'm pleased with how this turned out and considering it cost around £1.50, I reckon it's a bargain too.

WICKED WEDNESDAY #59 - MYTHICAL CREATURES

I love the themes that the WW DT come up with each week, this one being no exception, especially when they pick me as a top 3 which happened last week. Thank you guys.
I pondered over what to use for my card this week so I waited to see the samples that the DT had made just so that I knew I was on the right track. My image is a stamp designed by my friend Lindsay Mason who is not only a freelance designer but is Ranger educated too. You can guess how wonderful her creations are.
Here is my little mythical chappie:

I stamped him onto cream card, coloured him with distress markers and very carefully - and fussy - cut him out. The background is 'one I made earlier' by mopping up ink from my craft sheet. I just scribbled the lines around the edge. I used 3D foam to stick little elfie down, stamped his greeting, inked over that and stuck that too.  It looks better in the flesh as taking photos yesterday was a nightmare as it poured down all day and hardly got daylight at all.
Well, hubby has gone to our garage and is having a go at the brakes on my car. The parts were only £50 so if nothing else is wrong then it's a cheap repair. Fingers crossed again. To add insult to injury, we are now being plagued by a heron who comes each morning to have a good look in our big pond. GO AWAY. You are not eating my fish. My finger is still sore under where my ring was (cut off 2 weeks ago - ring that is not my finger, lol), and now I have a bad bout of what I think is psoriasis. I think I'll rub myself out and ask Lindsay to draw me again!!!!
See you next week for another challenge.

GOODNESS ME

How on earth has this happened?? I was driving my car right up to the day before it's MOT was due which also happened to be the day we went away for a week. Take a look at this photo and try to work out what it is:

This happens to be what is left of the rear n/s brake shoes. They have disintegrated completely. Hubby is now removing the cylinder and then we have to go and get replacements.
Hopefully that will be it. Not a costly repair as the shoes are about £10 or £12 and the cylinder about £15, however, he is frightening me by saying there is a bit of knocking at the front end which could be nothing but again could be serious. I am prepared to take a chance with the MOT, but if they find a problem at the front which is a biggy, then my little car will go to car heaven, sobs.

WOYWW #181

Well now Julia, wonderful leader of the weekly desk snoop, I have a little surprise for you this morning. Known generally for having a tidy desk, look at it now:

It's completely cluttered and I can't move.
I've been busy decorating papier mache boxes, making a little gift card wallet courtesy of Hels tutorial, making my DT ATCs and challenge entries and generally having to do more work on the computer than when I actually went to work!!!
I now have another Xmas project which is just visible in the photo above. A red tree inside a box. It's going to be a little Xmas scene and will replace a card for my hairdresser who now expects something exciting each year. I made her a star card some years ago and she still brings it out each Xmas. Warms your heart to know you made something that bring pleasure like that. Whilst using some distress stains though, I now find that the dusty concorde one is now a lovely green colour. I've already had 4 bottles replaced by Ranger and now it looks like I will have to contact them again after I've gone through every one this time that is. Just ordered the 12 new ones so I hope they will be ok.
Well today should have seen my little car have it's MOT, but last night the rear n/s wheel ceased up so we had to cancel it. I need to get it done because I don't know whether this will be the decision time for it to carry on or be scrapped. It's now 15yrs old but still lovable. Just hope that my DH can get it done within the week so I know whether to cash in the tax disc, renew my insurance or whether to just sit and cry.......
Ok, see you next week.

ATCs WITH ATTITUDE # 27 - Autumn/Winter

Another 2 weeks have flown by which means it's time for you to make your ATCs and cards for our
challenge over at ATCs with Attitude.

Delicious Doodles are our sponsors this time and are offering 4 digis to the winner.

I chose one of their images for my ATC - Kingfisher in the Rushes - and decided to re-size it to conform to ATC measurements of 2.5"x3.5" so that I could cut it out.

The photo really doesn't do justice to the colouring on this card. I used my Distress Markers for it all including the very subtle milled lavender wash.
Now then, January will be a very special month for our little challenge blog. As the name suggests, we are primarily an ATC challenge blog but because we also state that participants can enter cards into our sister blog, Fat Pages with Attitude, most seem to end up on our blog. In order to advocate the different ways an ATC can be presented, we are making January ATC month. Hopefully we will have a VERY SPECIAL guest designer for you who I know for a fact produces ATCs and art in a form that will blow your mind away. You may also want to call back just to find out a little about - me!!
Our theme this month is a really nice one, so have a go at an ATC and enter our challenge.

WW #58 - BE THANKFUL

So many ways of being thankful, that being the theme over at Wicked Wednesday ATCs this week. I decided to go with a sort of harvest card in the style of Tim's November tag.

I used a cream base card, stamped the grasses with embossing ink and added clear powder which I heat set. I then used various distress inks on the background and 'flicked' water over it to add some 'bleached' areas. I stamped the word thankful (a Hero Arts stamp) in black Archival and the background stamps with distress ink wiping away any ink from the embossed grass. I then stuck a little array of tiny leaves and an acorn to the bottom corner. Oh, and I roughed the edges of the card too.
It's a cutie eh?

WOYWW #180

Julia,  leader of the grande desk hop about, I wasn't sure whether to join in today as looking at my empty desk - again - is quite boring. But, I'm afraid life is getting in the way of.....life. See what I mean about my work area:

Not even a glass of wine on my coaster - just to note that I took this photo last night!!!! You can see my new Matt Cardle cd - The Fire. Before you ask, the MS punches are in their boxes so that I can hang them from hooks, Saves valuable space on my shelves.

The raised bit of space only has my Timmy Xmas stamps on and a bit of die cut grungepaper. All ready for Mr. Mojo to return and make some Xmas cards. Got a long wait at this rate.
So, after watching our Hels on the tele in a mo, I shall try and pop round yours.

ON THIS DAY........

We will wear our poppy with pride and

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM - EVERY SINGLE ONE

WICKED WEDNESDAY #57 SNAILS OR STRIPES

Guess what? I won the WW challenge last week. A $10 voucher for Stitchy Bear digis - and I've already spent it. So, THANK YOU once again to the wonderful DT at Wicked Wednesday.

This week their theme is snails or stripes. I knew at once what I wanted to do and whilst I haven't really used stripes, I have incorporated some lines:

2 snails having a fun game of noughts and crosses. The big snail is leaving 'slimey' crosses whilst his mate leaves 'slimey' circles. I wonder who will win?? hehe
Simple ATC. I just used a quickie glue pen to draw the board lines and embossed them with black powder. The snails were stamped in Archival and carefully cut out, coloured with distress markers and mounted on 3D foam on the base card. I also used a distress marker to colour the border. The circles and crosses were made with picket fence distress stickles.

A JOLLY GOOD DAY

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Bill one of my neighbours:

Bill is an octogenarian+ who still continues his passion with gardening, his own being a picture of perfection and glorious colour every summer. He has a greenhouse specifically for his phaleanopsis, moth orchid to you and me, and attends his orchid club regularly, winning prizes for  his amazing blooms. So, have a good day Bill.
Yesterday was a day out for the girls, my SD Paula and myself. We trundled down the M6, (actually we went in style in Paula's gorgeous new mini) only to make great time 'til the very end when we joined the miles of cars queueing to leave the motorway and actually  reach the car park. That bit took us just over half an hour!! They then made us buy a car park ticket - £10 - the robbing *******s.
Nothing was going to spoil our day however, so we just got on with it, as you do. Straight into the craft hall we went and straight into millions of fellow crafters (I kid you not) with the same intent, gorging on the array of crafty delights at every stall.
I found some Tim stash which I wanted  sorry I mean needed, really needed, then I found some beads, then some metal charms, then some clear embossing powder, then some embellishments, then .........

Oh, tell you what, just look at the photo instead.
Paula bought loads of goodies too, buttons, material, charms etc. She makes incredible soft furnishings, felt animals, decorations etc and is one of most neat sewers (does that say sew-ers and not the smelly things down a hole??) that I know. The alpaca stall had us both left with mouths open though. The things on there were just adorable, but so pricey.
I had a very quick catch up with the uber talented Hels saw Leonie on the C&C stand, met David from Craft Obsessions, (one of best on-line shops we have), got a hug from Amy Shaw and saw Leandra working her usual magic. The crafts for Christmas was a bit different than we both expected. Being a craft show, we thought there would be Christmassy things to buy and make, but instead, there was a stall selling garden loppers/shears, one with meat pies, another selling sausages, a man making willow trays etc. plus several clothes and bag stalls. That part was somewhat disappointing.
So after several hours that seemed to pass in a flash, we walked and hobbled (guess who did what) back to the car to sit (AT LAST) and have our butties before facing the dreaded M6 northwards through the traffic jams. Actually, being in a posh little car made even that journey a pleasure, for me at least, who just sat there and enjoyed every single minute of being chauffered - rubbing my blisters most of the way!!!!!!
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Paula for taking me. I had a blast. Mwah xx

WOYWW #179

I'm up a bit earlier this week in practice for a very early start tomorrow in order to travel down the horrid M6 to the NEC show. I wonder whether our leader of the Wednesday desk hop, Julia will be there or any of you fellow woywwers. If so, give us a wave.
I've actually been crafting my little heart out this week although some of my work has been on the computer and to do with my DT slot. However, I've made Tim's tag, a couple of ATCs and am now working on a birthday card which I hope to finish today. So this is the state of my desk:

Obviously taken last night but it is still the same this morning except for the banana. I ate that! Lots of distress stains and ink pads together with a few leaves, die cut from the Autumn strip die. The rest is probably the same as always.
Right then, I'm off to start my travels and hopefully leave a few comments, that's if Blogger doesn't play up like it has for the past 2 days making my life so difficult.

12 TAGS OF 2012 - NOVEMBER

Another wonderful tag from Tim for this month. I adore the Autumn colours although not the season. I much prefer it when everything is springing into life rather than going to sleep because the awful cold is coming.
I had all the distress inks and stains plus the strip die, but that was it really, so another compromise which I think has worked really well.

I think the squirrel has his eye on that acorn but he had better wait a while because the glossy accents aren't quite dry!!
The leaf stamp is from Tim's Falling Leaf collection, the word is a Hero Arts stamp, the chicken wire stamp is from The Artistic Stamper and the gingham stamp is from Wendy Vecchi.
Another fun project which has given me a great idea for a birthday card I have to go and make now for an elderly male neighbour. Thanks Tim.

WICKED WEDNESDAY #56 - HEAD COVERINGS

A bit of magic for this week's WW challenge. What better than to find a gorgeous cuddly rabbit in your top hat?? I stuck lengths of satin ribbon to the base card, found a top hat image on the web which I printed off and cut out, added a bit of glitter for some bling, swiped a red Stazon ink pad over some silver mirri card to make it pink, rubbed a 'magic' rub on over it then clipped a little rabbit peg behind the hat which I stuck down with 3D foam.
What fun.

ATCs WITH ATTITUDE - USE A SENTIMENT or TAGS or ANYTHING GOES

This fortnights challenge can be found HERE and boy oh boy is it worth taking a visit this time round.
Our challenge blog has been completely re-vamped and we have lots of news for you plus the chance to be a Guest Designer.
The original DT have now been placed into separate teams for ATCs and Cards, so if you want to have fun making ATCs you will enter your cards into ATCs with Attitude and if you prefer to make cards, then you can enter your art into our sister blog, Fat Pages with Attitude. All this will begin to take place properly from our next challenge. Come and join us, we're waiting for you.
I had the opportunity to showcase an Anything Goes ATC this time:

One of my usual 'splotchy' backgrounds and a metal flower. I glued the metal sheet onto some card and ran it through my Vagabond firstly in an embossing folder and then I die cut the tattered flowers. The lovely colours were created with alcohol inks and embossing powder. I stamped the sentiment onto card, embossed it and cut it out very roughly. A bit of wire and some beads gave the finishing touch.
Now then, as usual we have some super prizes courtesy of our sponsors but you have to enter to be in with a chance of winning. I'm waiting for your lovely ATCs.
May I also ask you to be a little patient with me whilst I try and make changes to my own blog. I thought that with all this excitement with my DT blog, it would be a good time to move on a bit myself.

HOME TIME

Back home today. Beautiful weather and scenery all the way. It's nice to go away but always nicer to come home even when you take a home with you....
I just had to share this with you:

Wouldn't you just have the most incredible fun driving around in this Volvo - on the road of course, not the back of the pickup truck. Fancy having that registration plate, it must be worth a fortune.
Gave me a laugh anyway.