IS IT A MONSTER???

Have a look at this and decide:

Made by my 9 year old granddaughter from the little bit of snow that fell last week.
I'm sure it's her granddad!!!

WOYWW #191

Don't do early any more at least I don't get up early although I do wake at a daft time most mornings. So I am late showing our Julia and the world my empty desk once more.

There you have it, nothing, at least there's nothing going on. I made a birthday card 2 days ago - no Xmas card due for this week - and the only things left out from that are the 3 distress stains. I always clear away after one bit of crafting to make a clean start for the next. You can see some movers and shapers dies which arrived yesterday, 2 packets of paper flowers which I bought from the Range in Southport yesterday (a trip out for the day), a packet of nearly eaten chocolate raisins, heat gun and my phone which is currently on charge. The rest is always in the same place.
Thank you to everyone who was concerned about my health last week, that meant a lot and surely helped me get better. I am in a much healthier state now after all the pills etc. However I still have this awful feeling of despair as today I really must get the metal thing out with the electric lead attached and that weird shaped table and make creases disappear from clothes..................................

SO FAR SO GOOD

I've managed to keep to my Xmas card plan so far. Little red stars on my year planner indicate the week I have to make a card and so far I've made 3 - yippee!. At least that means 3 people will get a card this year LOL.

Just have to put a greeting on this one. Not the best of photos as I took it in complete darkness and keeping the camera still whilst it very, very slowly takes it's time to assess the situation is so difficult.
I'll try another:

That's better, you can see the 3D detail now.
No star on the planner for this week but I do have a couple of birthday cards to plan, then a week on Friday I am going to the Hobbycraft show in Manchester with my 2 girls. They are both more interested in sewing so the material stalls will be a must whereas I will be looking for a few bits on my list such as Blending Solution which I am nearly out of and my local store hasn't had in for months and months.
Right, I'm off again for another day of whatever comes along.

COMPELLING EVIDENCE

Did you read about the thief who was caught because the police followed his footprints in the snow last week? Well, I now have evidence of the bird food thief and the 'I am trying to eat your fish' thief. Want to see -

It looks like Mr Heron landed on the patio then walked right under my bedroom window, jumped on to the side of the pond, had a little wander there then flew under the gazebo to the other side and flew off.

How he flies between the small gap on the far side is some act because the fence panel there is 5' high with a bit of trellis at least another 1' and next door's shed is right next to it. Thank goodness this pond is 4' deep and the fish are at the bottom.

The other pond is netted so he has no chance of getting the fish in there either.
It's a gorgeous day today with blue skies and sunshine, still freezing cold but I understand it will be getting warmer and then all the snow will melt, not that we have much to melt. However, those who have mountains of the stuff face floods again. I feel so sorry for them and hope that won't be the case.
To end on a bit of brightness. I have been trying to grow a few crocus in the last few weeks. Have a look at these:

Brightens up the day eh?

Right, I'm off to speak to my friend from Devon now who has just rung up.

ATCs WITH ATTITUDE #32 - RIBBONS & LACE

This is such an exciting challenge for me because I have been asked to write a little bit to show how exciting and 'friendly' ATCs can be. Not only that, but we have the incredibly talented Guest Designer, Hels Sheridan taking part.
First of all, many congratulations to the winners from our last challenge. Don't forget to pick up your banners. Our sponsor for this fortnight is:
CDee Designs
who is offering 3 digis of the winners choice as a prize.
Ribbons and Lace is our theme and ATCs are our game. Have a read of our little promotion and 'oodle' over the amazing creation from Hels HERE.  
This is a sneaky peep at mine:

See you over at our challenge blog.

SUNDAY STAMPER - BIRDS

I'd already made the base tag but didn't know what else to do with it until I saw this week's Sunday Stamper challenge. The leaves down the side and over the top gave me an idea to use up some stash and this is what I made:

Not very inspiring I know, but it's jolly good considering how poorly I've been this week. The bird is a brand new species which lives in craft rooms throughout the world since it's discovery only a few months ago. It has been seen in many colours and can survive in most situations whether they be warm or cold. However, the unique thing about this bird is the fact that it doesn't eat........and you know what that means......it doesn't make a mess either!!!!!!

This little chappie (or chappess) likes to stay close to leaves where it happily sits all day long looking at it's surroundings.
There is some stamping on this tag. The words are stamped and there is a very subtle mass of dots all over the tag.
Well I now have to sort out why my printer has suddenly decided to eat paper. Bye.

WOYWW #190

190 woyww's Julia, that's amazing. Does that mean I've been round yours 190 times? well almost. I didn't join in on day 1 but there haven't been very many that I didn't join in.
Nothing of the crafty nature on my desk this morning:

except for the evidence that I have done some bits of crafting with the bag of scraps at the top right. There are 2 pairs of slipper socks - brand new - so I can walk on my new carpet with something on my feet instead of bare footed, then there are 2 packets of pills - penicillin and antibiotics. I was sooo poorly for a few days I could have sat out in the cold and snow and waited for a Polar bear to come along the pain was that bad. I have an infection that doubled me up. Also this bloomin' photodermatitis has flared so much, despite the 2nd lot of steroid cream, that the doctor is now referring me to a specialist. I did manage to finish off the tag I started which in all has taken nearly a week!!!!!
I need to get better because I don't do poorly very well. Oh darn, it's snowing again now.
A little cheer has been the sight of so many birds although not all in our garden. Thank goodness they are around. I was beginning to think the weather had taken it's toll. However, our new neighbour opposite has seen a fox and a hedgehog. It looks like we have a wild life zoo!
See you next week. Happy wowyww

I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT

Looking out of my craft room window is this site today. I can spy Blackie's footprints in the snow going round to the big trees at the front where both he and his  wife spend their time eating the hanging fat cakes. It's still snowing albeit lightly but the snow plough over on the BAE runway is working overtime.
I lost yesterday completely as I was really poorly. Hoping to know what was wrong when I go to the doctors tonight for something else. Saturday was a mixed day but I managed to play a bit with some inks and masks on a tag. Only made the background so far:

but will have another play when I have a minute. One discovery however was none of my Dylusions sprays work.........I suppose that means I will have to try and wash all the pumps in the hope that they are clogged and washing clears them - unless you know better.
Right, must away.

WE NEVER GET MUCH

SNOW in the NW of England, certainly not where I live anyway. This is it just now and it's turning to slush already:

1 little Primula braving the elements:

Winter Jasmine adding a bit of colour:

Having spent £23 on bird food this week, you would think they would come and eat it!!!!
As you can see, not much snow. I hope you are managing where ever you are and enjoying it all rather than having any problems.
I decided to make a couple of cards yesterday. This is one of them:

Simple but quite effective and just right for a man whose birthday is in a few weeks.
Right, as I've only just decided to get dressed, I better get something done.

SHE MADE ME DO IT

After receiving that gorgeous tag in the post last Monday, I had to have a go at making something similar myself just to have a go at some of the techniques. This is what I came up with.

I glued a page from an old dictionary to a size 8 tag and spread some traditional tan acrylic paint all over it with a bit of water and a piece of foam. Then I used a pallet knife to add a bit more paint to a few areas plus a smidge of black gesso before drying it all with a heat gun. I then distressed the whole tag with frayed burlap and walnut stain ink before rubbing some gold wax around the edges. When I cut something out of grungepaper, I keep the remaining piece and use it as a stencil which is what I've used to make the leaf.
I mixed some Terra with black gesso and applied it through the 'stencil'. This was left to dry on its own.

I had already stamped some swirls with black Archival on the tag and when the terra mix had dried I rubbed some gold wax over it to highlight the lumpy bits.
The butterflies were a bit of a challenge. I glued some more book pages to a piece of Clearly for Art, stamped a Tim stamp on the page side before colouring them with distress stain. I then cut them out and proceeded to heat them and form their shape. It's a good job the clearly for art is re-heatable because I just couldn't get the shapes right first time. I used Cosmic Shimmer glue to position them on the tag after giving them a good old spritz with some gold perfect pearls spray. A few sticky gems, a brass lady bird and a bit of ribbon finished the tag off.
I enjoyed the inspiration from receiving the tag in the post and am happy with my version.

WOYWW #189

A bright, chilly, red-sky good morning to Julia and her followers aka the WOYWWers. I wonder what your weather is like this morning and if it's the kind that ushers you into your craft room. I made myself a Xmas card plan for this year so that I don't end up in the stressful mess next Xmas like the last one, meaning I have a card to make this week. Today, therefore, could be the day!
However, I was in the mood for tag making yesterday after having received a surprise one in the post on Monday. The inspiration 'oozed' and the remnants of making it can be seen, plus the nearly finished tag, on my little work space this morning:

The tag needs ribbon, my glasses are on my face while I write this, there's a pile of stamps - 2 lots recently bought - an embossing folder - bought only yesterday, my brayer which took me half an hour to trace yesterday, heat gun, a print out of some 'how to' instructions which I used to create my version of the said tag plus all the usual inks, glues, tools etc..
The carpet was fitted to perfection for those of you who wished me well for that episode last week - thank you - and the canvas now hangs proudly in the front room.
Right then, I shall go make a Xmas card and pop back next week for another little chat.

M COMES BEFORE S AND K IS AFTER.........

The carpet is down - lovely and squashy - so it was time to bring the furniture back in from the shed aka music room.
There are 5 drawers in the units - none of them mine I hasten to add - and 3 are full of CDs and DVDs, that isn't counting the 6 drawers in the telephone unit!!!! So we made a start at sorting them all out:

How it happened I don't know, but they all went back into 2 drawers. Just shows the mess they were in before. Also, the stand alone DVD player/recorder is now set up to play CDs on it's own without them playing through the tv as well. Plus the surround sound has been knocked off the other DVD player recorder so that we can play films through the tv and let it use it's own speakers. Such a faff all these years and now it's sorted.
OMG the postie has just brought me an absolutely wonderful surprise. A gorgeous piece of art from a friend who is living it up in the US at the moment. Thank you lovely lady, it's going on my wall right now.

CANVAS

I finished my little canvas for the front room a couple of nights ago at around 1am when I couldn't sleep. It turned out a little darker than planned and even though I had a go a lightening it I think the colour of the background is fine and it goes perfectly with the room. Once we get the furniture back in place today after having a new carpet fitted yesterday, then I will hang my little masterpiece.
It started off like this:

Punched, die cut, ripped, cut out bits of paper, card, tissue tape and ribbon:

I used Claudine Helmuth traditional tan paint all over the canvas before blending in 3 colours of paint dabber. I then rubbed my embossing ink pad around the edges and sprinkled copper powder over it heating it afterwards to add the luscious embossed detail.

I assembled loads of white paper flowers and spritzed them with as many red inks that I could. I used a brown Adirondak spray on the edges and tried to use my chocolate Dylusions spray but try as I did I just couldn't get the thing to work. One of my made up sprays of ink and perfect pearls decided to 'splodge' rather than spray hence the line of red dots and odd ones elsewhere, but you  know, it looks cool.

This photo has turned out a little light. The other 2 are more of the true colour. Once I was happy with layout
I used Cosmic Shimmer glue to stick everything down.
It's different to say the least and I am really pleased with the overall end result.
Now I wonder whether that glue will stop my rug 'walking' around the room on the new carpet???????
Think I'll enter my canvas in the Sunday Stamper challenge this week.

ATCs WITH ATTITUDE #31 - USE A SENTIMENT OR TAG

Another wonderful response to our last challenge despite the New Year festivities. Well done to the winner and top 3, grab your badges.
Our challenge this fortnight is to use a tag or sentiment on your ATC. If you would rather make a card then you can enter it at our sister challenge, Fat Pages with Attitude. For all the deets on this challenge have a look HERE.
The sponsors this time are:
Robyn's Fetish
and
Meljens

My image is called Primitive Birdhouse and is from Robyn's Fetish:

I sized the digi image so that the top of the birdhouse would stick out past the card. Copics were my colouring choice this time and I used a stencil to colour a mock sunburst. Some chit chat on 3D and a blackbird button added some dimension.

WOYWW and WOW!

I missed last week's WOYWW as I wasn't well at all but I'm back this week and feeling much better although still not 100%.
I hope our Julia, the leader of the world desk hop, kept away the sniffles over New Year and was able to celebrate along with all of you fellow crafty folk out there. It was a quiet one here, once again, because this was the second Xmas and New Year in a row that both my OH and myself have been ill. Not looking forward to these times any more.
So then, the WOW bit. This blog post is my 1,000th....... hip hip hooray to that girl. Can't believe I've found that much to say, I'm usually shy and retiring!!!!!
Right then, my little workspace this morning:

I'm having a go at a canvas for my living room. I played around with it yesterday trying to get the layout right and the next bit is to test the spray inks and perfect pearls 'made up' sprays I have and pick the right colours. I want to keep to browns and red with a bit of gold if I can. It's my last chance to play because we are having a carpet fitted on Friday so apart from a trip to the hairdressers tomorrow, time will be spent on trying to clear the furniture out. Goodness knows where we will put it all but the fitters will work around the sofas it seems.
I shall away then and get something done. Happy woyww.

NOT SURE ABOUT THIS

Should I resurrect my Crafting Buddies blog?? I didn't get much response despite ending up with about 26 followers. So many crafters have pets who at some point 'help' them with their projects and for those who don't - I am one of those now - there are always things in the garden.
I'm not really looking to start it up again, it's just that we have a new 'beastie' to entertain us at the moment and I don't really think it is welcome despite being quite gorgeous. If this video uploads you will see what I mean - just don't blink:

No wonder there aren't many birds coming down to eat, there's nothing left for them!

NEW WALL DISPLAY

I only have very limited wall space in my tiny craft room so I have to display my favourite items in turn.
As it's a new year I thought I would take everything down and start again. Nothing can be too bulky because there is a light pull in the way and I hang all my Tim tags on hooks from the ceiling.
It looks like this just now:

Back to that timetable and list of what to make for birthdays and Xmas this year.

ATCHOO, COUGH, COUGH

I believe it's 2013!! I wouldn't really know if it wasn't for the fact that I had to mark up my new year planner. You see, since New Year's day I have had a rather rotten cold which I still can't shift but has improved slightly. The conundrum here is, do I blame my hubby for passing on the cold he had over Christmas, or, do I blame my son-in-law who came bearing gifts for me on my birthday but who also felt like he had a cold coming on - which did in the end and he was rather poorly - or, do I blame my step-daughter (his wife) who visited us around the 14th December and subsequently came down with a very bad cold.
WHO IS TO BLAME????
I managed to come up with a plan of action to make Xmas cards throughout the year so I don't end up in the same mess as this time. Trouble is it means making at least 3 cards per month and as I want to make 'nice' ones, that may be a struggle. I did make one however. I also had a little tidy of my big cupboard:

All my Alteration dies are now readable and not stacked on top of each other making them easier to use. Suppose this will only work 'til I attack the list of new ones from Tim's next releases - have you seen what is coming out??

These are the 2 shelves above the last 2. The gorgeous deers I won from Hels on my birthday by the way are there ready to be decorated at some point throughout the year.
Apart from the little bit of sorting out and a very lot of coughing and spluttering, I have been trying to get to grips with a new DT roll I have within ATCs/Cards with Attitude. I've put a lot of work into this little challenge blog over the past few months and hope you will all join in our challenges whenever you can throughout 2013. Abbie, the owner of the blog will be as thrilled as me and my fellow team members to have you play along.
Right, I'm off for some sort of throat soother - is it too early for a glass of something??

12 TAGS OF 2013 - JANUARY

What better way to start 2013 than to join in with Tim's tags of the year once more.

Once again I've had to compromise, but hey! that's the name of the game isn't it?

I don't have the clock embossing folder but I did have a piece of card which was embossed with it, given to me by Hels when I attended one of her workshops last year. Neither do I have any vial tickets so I made my own out of paper. Also, I don't have the January calendar stamp so my ribbon is not stamped. Other than all that, my tag turned out well and I am pleased as punch with it.
It took my mind off this darn cold that greeted me this morning too..........