Thursday 19 September 2013

POE-fect challenge

This is my entry for a fun challenge for September over at the fabulous House of Bears blog  based on quotes



So this is a digital page based on a quote by Edgar Allen Poe........ 'I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat'

I used tubes to make this but the background paper I made a few weeks ago. Although darkened this down to blend in with the rest of the elements I used, it was actually made up of photos of wood planks, screws and a metallic blobby pattern on an old t-shirt  - only the blobby bits down front are showing though....

to see more about this challenge please visit The house of bears

Wednesday 11 September 2013

WOYWW #223

Hi everyone and welcome…

It's Wednesday - yippeee!... which means we go blog hopping around the world to see what you have on your desk, all thanks to the lovely Julia at THE STAMPING GROUND.

To join in the WOYWW fun aka 'Whats on your work-desk Wednesday' check out the info over at Julia’s place.

I've not WOYWWed for a few weeks - spent a lot of time trying to get my head around my new laptop with Windows 8 and re-installing programmes etc - say no more about that !

This is my desk this morning

Two projects on the go - some painted cogs drying - punched out on red fun foam (instead of having to paint an undercoat red first) this is just the first bit - lots more of paint and ink to add still to get the metallic effect I want.
Aiming to recreate my digital avatar I made of the steampunk owl.

Secondly I made a sheet of music yesterday which still needs to be aged/distressed. But first I took a photo of it and made it into a quick digi-paper design just to show one of the things I am going to use it for.





Also this is the first opportunity to show my lovely ATCs and things from SaraJ over in Alaska - from the ATC 4th anniversary swap - I love them Sara thank you x



Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your comments
have a lovely day x

Saturday 10 August 2013

Challenge #35 Lets Ribble

Well it's actually nice and cool here for a change today.
Maybe I should have waited til today instead to have made this card - not my finest hour - as I have been finding it almost impossible to get up to my craft room in all the hot weather we've had lately.

This card is for a fabulous challenge over at Artful Times  
to do a bit of ribbling.

I needed to make a Silver Wedding anniversary card and couldn't think of what to make (put it down to heat again LOL)  and thought of the white on White challenges a while back and voila!
Had a bit of problem getting photo - being white with a bit of silver - I think it looks a bit better in real life - honest it does... hopefully





Used a white A5 card and the first layer I stuck to it was using a large Martha Stewart punch down the side of a piece of A5 trimmed white card. Then added a little silver glitter glue.

Punched out various bits in white or silver card using various Marianne dies, small Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

For the bird on the branch I had a silver one and then punched one in white and cut out just the bird and stuck it on, then another silver one and cut out the wing to stick on.

The numbers I made on my computer and then printed and cut out.





Put the numbers and some parts of flowers through the ribbler.
Added more glitter glue to numbers.
Arranged he pieces and stuck it all down.


Thanks for stopping by x



Wednesday 26 June 2013

WOYWW #212

Hi everyone and welcome…
it’s that time of week again...Wednesday ... which means we go blog hopping around the world to see what you have on your desk, all thanks to the lovely Julia at THE STAMPING GROUND.
To join in the WOYWW fun aka 'Whats on your work-desk Wednesday' check out the info over at Julia’s place.




My desk is a bit more messy today as I'm working on a 90th birthday card and there are some white die cuts for a challenge piece that I've started to do as well. 




On the other part of the desk is a blue box I haven't looked in for a while and yippee! I found my stencil cutter that I'd been looking for, along with a glue gun, wood carving tools (err why do I have those?) and a glass/bottle cutting tool too.
I should have been born an octopus maybe with so many things on the go (as well as the digital pages I am making too and a 25th card still to make for July) I need so many hands.

OK that's my lot for now. Will try to visit as many desks as possible next.
Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day... Gill x

Sunday 23 June 2013

Out of a Hat Creations #65 Transport challenge

This is for a fabulous challenge over at Out of a Hat Creations about Transport - I needed to make some male cards, so this was a great excuse to play with this theme.



On a white tent style card used spiced marmalade and walnut stain distress stains and green intense pencil around edge.  Then layered a smaller piece of blue card.


Stamped onto to some patterned paper off-cuts I found.
Used Indigoblu 'Grand Tour 1' stamps coloured with Inktense pencils.



I printed and cut out some Dieselpunk cars (like the one on my blog heading) that I had designed and made myself digitally using Serif Craft Artist software.



Added some faux stitching with  black pilot pen.



Car is just a simple decoupage - only two layers.
Used Quickie glue pen and silver foil to highlight tyres and various parts of car and also on stamped image of car and girl on bike.
Cog die cuts on silver card are made by X-cut.

Thanks for stopping by and looking - Gill x

Wednesday 19 June 2013

WOYWW #211

Hi everyone and welcome…
it’s Wednesday once again (don't they come round quickly) which means thanks to the lovely Julia at THE STAMPING GROUND we go blog hopping around the world to see what you have on your desk.
To join in the WOYWW fun aka 'Whats on your work-desk Wednesday' check out the info over at Julia’s place.

So whats on my desk today? it's fairly tidy as just finished making a wedding card and also a birthday card for an eleven year old boy. Males are always hard to think of ideas for and for an eleven year old even more so - ahhh panic!
I wasn't happy with the one I'd previously made with a design of London, woke up early thinking about it so got up (at 5.30am yawn) to make another.
Desk also shows what I did with some excess rubber.





Printed out letters with black lines around edges onto card, which I made using Craft Artist software. Then stamped over top of each letter using black archival ink and sport theme mini stamps by Hero Arts and coloured with Inktense pencils.
Used See D's birthday stamp for a border and added some random splodges of Inktense pencils paint also.




cut off some excess rubber from a stamp and wondered if I could use it for anything.
So on two pieces I punched random holes and on the other I painted some structure gel.
Quite like the effects it produced when stamped, the picture not showing the one with the structure gel very well as it was more delicate. Going to have a play with some fun foam next.


OK that's my lot for now. Will try to visit as many desks as possible next.
Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day... Gill x



Wednesday 12 June 2013

WOYWW #210

Hi every one and welcome…
it’s Wednesday which means thanks to the lovely Julia at THE STAMPING GROUND  we go blog hopping around the world to see what you have on your desk. To join in the WOYWW fun aka 'Whats on your work-desk Wednesday' check out the info over at Julia’s place. 

So whats on my desk?  well there is an ATC as sadly I missed the WOYWW anniversary blog hop and although I sent some to people who I promised, I still have one left (at the front of my desk) if any one is interested I'll send to the first person that asks.

Further down below are some lovely ATCs and cards I received from Heather and Ria  which I just have to show you as they are so amazing - thank you so much for them xx




I have a wedding and a silver wedding anniversary card to make for July, so have just started getting some bits out to play around with.
I was playing with the Marianne butterflies I punched out - they work nice to make frames - that was just using 4 of them, but with more butterflies you can get varied shapes. 



I also have some new boxes and blank photo frames to play with. I decorated one box with some Tando Creative chipboard pieces that I recently won.
Over on the right is the tag and 2 ATCs given to me by Ria - aren't they gorgeous?



Far right is an IndigoBlu clock blank - but that's going to take a bit of planning first so I don't mess it up LOL. Also shown are the beautiful ATC and card from Heather and also some fabulous chipboard locks, which I will be saving for an extra special project - thanks Heather x


my lovely WOYWW 4 surprise from Heather

my lovely WOYWW surprise from Ria

the box decorated with rabbits and butterfly from Tando Creative


Thanks for stopping by today. Have a good week and happy crafting x

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Some Bunny Loves You

Well I am ashamed to say that I hadn't heard of Tando Creative  until recently - what?...I know, it's awful to think that all this time I have been missing out on these fabulous products.
I was very lucky to win some Tando mini chipboard pieces from a challenge over at Out of a Hat Creations -  thank you to both for these.

So here at long last is my first project, a wooden box, using just a few  'Tando minis -Rabbits' and a butterfly from 'Tando minis - Butterflies'



I primed the wooden box with gesso first, then painted it with a 'Soft Green' all purpose acrylic paint from Do Crafts.

Then punched out a frame on white funfoam using a Spellbinders die for outside and a Marianne die for inside. Inked the frame using lettuce and aqua alcohol inks.

Used the Marianne die on card too to stamp the words using Dovecraft alphabet stamps and inked it with shabby shutters and tumbled glass distress stains. 

Stamps used were from 2 sets by Elusive Images called 'Autumn hedgerow' and 'Nature table' and stamped with Stazon.



Flowers coloured with coloured pencils then glitter glue added over top.
Butterfly and Rabbits coloured with distress stains and alcohol inks and glazed with Glossy accents. I used a piece of wire saved from a bottle of wine ( which was covered with it) and made it into an antennae for the butterfly.



Glittered small bits of flowers too.



Used Glossy accents over the recess where the words are.


Once again, many thanks again to Tando Creative and Out of a Hat Creations for the lovely prize, they were a real pleasure to use
and such good quality x



Thanks for stopping by....happy crafting xxx


Tuesday 4 June 2013

Surprise again

 
 
Good morning - it's lovely and sunny here today hoping its the same wherever you are too....
 
I always find making mens card so difficult. This one was for my husbands birthday on the 3rd -
he said not to bother making one but since he does all the cooking and never moans about all my crafting stash I buy - it was the least I could do LOL
 
 
 

 
I started by cutting up a sheet of patterned paper from a collection called 'Sucerie' but have no idea from the box who it is made by...I think possibly from a code on it that it could be by Brenda Pinnock (apologies if not).
I cut the paper into 8 different sized squares to fit on my blank card and then stamped on them.
 

 
 
Stamps used: message stamp in circle by Paula Pascual, Keys by Prima, Hinge from an Anna Griffin set....also used 'Antiques' by Andy Skinner, 'Vintage Illusion' by Creative Stamps and 'Bird Print' from urban collection by Papermania.
Put some foam pads on one end of hinge and some little to gems to accent it.
Used glue pen and gold foil to highlight parts and X-cut large rectangle parenthesis die and flowers nesties to layer the message on to.
 
  
Here are some more digital layouts made with the new kit from Algera Designs 
The digi-kit is called 'Surprise' and I made the layouts using Serif Craft Artist as its so easy to use
and so easy to alter colours of things and do all sorts of other effects and blending of papers.
papers blended and some elements colours altered using Serif Craft Artist software
 


I recoloured the flowers, heart, swirl and bow to match the band of colour on the hat
Lots of recolouring here - but it was so easy to do with the software


 




Thanks so much for stopping by and looking x
 

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Time Flies...

I don't know where the time has gone since I last posted a couple of weeks ago.
Have had to do some gardening stuff as next week have men in cutting down some trees and putting up new fencing.
Spent last Friday moving my craft room around - its no where finished yet as just using the existing furniture at present, but I think at least I now know the layout of what I want.
Where I had a makeshift desk before, the afternoon sun was in my eyes so not very ideal.

Its a horrible blustery day today so going to make up for missed time and probably do a couple of posts today..or maybe this will just turn into an extra long one - sorry.

Last week when I was gardening I snuck in a quick dig-scrap page when having a coffee break using a lovely kit called 'Autumn Delight' by MLDesigns and I thought this was ideal to show off my lovely little feathered friend.



Also I found time to have a quick experiment for some male cards.
I always have trouble thinking of ideas for men and boys.




Next below are some digi-scrap pages I made with the latest kit from
Algera Designs called 'Projection'

 



 


The image used on 'Star Quality' page was from 'the Graphics Fairy' and all others from 'The sum of all crafts' other than 2 of my own photos on Christmas and 4th page down.

I loved using this digi-kit as it has so many useful elements in it and could be easily used for both female and male themed projects.
I made the pages using Serif Craft Artist software and some items have been recoloured and effects added.

For details of 'Projection' kit and other Algera Designs click here

In between gardening, my lovely husband also found some time to make these or this?
You could slice it up or tear it into rolls.
It has Stilton on top and was very tasty along with the homemade he made too- yummy!



Thanks for stopping by... sorry for the long post today..
have a lovely day x

Wednesday 17 April 2013

WOYWW #202


Hi and welcome - unless you are here via the  Stamping-ground blog you may not know that WOYWW is  ‘What’s On Work desk Wednesday’ and involves lots of blog hopping fun by lovely folk from all around the world. All this is thanks to the lovely Julia over at Stamping Ground, so for more info and to join in the fun do check them out.

So whats on my desk?


 There's a small journal where I'm just finishing off some doodling.
Had a sort out recently and found some forgotten things to play with like the fancy free stencil from a magazine, an iridescent medium (now used on my MOO-mania number entry) and some Fimo glaze - no Fimo but sure it'll be handy.
Two new stamps not tried out on the left - one is that lovely 'IndigoBlu' blazing poppies that I've seen on  lovely inspiring projects on so many of your blogs. 


 

this is my other usual little space on top of the cupboard. In front is the card that's going to be for my Great Niece who is soon to be 2. The lovely card and ATC at the back along with the goodies on the right was a lovely gift/prize from The House of Bears - thank you again.


Ted at back (he's a bit shy sometimes) with the lovely card from The House of Bears
and a fabulous wooden file folder crying out to be decorated soon. They were so pleased with their prize they wanted a picture for their album.


This is the card Ted instructed me to make for Podgy and The House of Bears


Lots of other fun this week playing with a  lovely new digi-kit from Algera Designs called 'Romantique'.
I added a free Tube lady to layout and applied some effects in the software to change to this greeny tone.


That's my lot for now - Thank you for you visit, will try to get to as many desk as I can soon... have a lovely day... Gill x