Never Forget The Power of You ....

Here is what I made with my Studio 490 flowers ....A Tag Book which was in a parcel of pressies that my friend Ed sent me. There are five chipboard tags and five acetate ones, but I've kept the acetate ones for something else. As I said in the last post the only things I used were Grungepaper and Distress Inks; apart from the quotes which are stamped in black StazOn, the Life letters, which are ordinary chipboard and some buttons.
All the stamps are the yummy Studio 490 ones, which have been released in two sets of seven, the last set coming out from CHA earlier this year.

I read recently that someone found the Distress Inks a bit 'dreary'. Well I have to say certainly not. To get the bright colour on some of the flowers, I swiped the pad on the Grungepaper, sprayed it with water, dried it off, swiped again and dried with a heat gun. For some of the leaves I used the textured side of the Grungepaper, which I suppose is the reverse but which gave a really nice effect. I just love the Grungepaper - you can bend and shape it and it stays that way, but even laid flat, it is stunning. It cuts really easily because it bends and best of all - it doesn't tear.
The tags are on a book ring at the moment but I'll be adding fibres and ribbons later ....
Hope you like it ....
And a couple of close ups ....And - as if all this wasn't enough there is to be a third release of another seven sets in July!!!! You can get the stamps from the lovely Wendy at The Stamp Attic - let's hope she's getting the new release ......

It's Now Sunday .... And No Paper In Sight ....

After yesterday morning's adventure, the rest of the day passed without serious mishap .... the runner beans got planted out, the salad growbag planted with seeds, a bit of snipping here and there in the garden, a surprise invitation to a BBQ over at my daughter's in the evening. The only thing that did happen was that while I was out at said BBQ, a cat had had a bit of a scratch in my growbag. I was not impressed .... so there I was in the rapidly failing light rigging up temporary netting - so we will have to see on that one.

I thought I would share what I have been playing with for the last couple of evenings. Back in March, my son forgot my birthday and Mother's Day and by way of apology gave me his credit card (again lol), a fixed sum and said 'Get some stamps'. So (again) quicker than you can say rubber, I was on the phone to the Stamp Attic and got myself these absoloutely beautiful and gorgeous Studio 490 stamps, designed by Wendy Vecchi. Matt bought me my first three sets (some apology eh - everyone wants him - lol) and after getting them I simply had to add to the collection ......Here are some of the flowers I have made so far and, no, there isn't a piece of paper there. All the flowers are made from Grungepaper. All of these in the photo, plus a few more leaves, have been made out of 1.5 sheets of the Grungepaper, so when you consider that there are three sheets in a pack - it goes a long way. The only inks I have used are Distress Inks, so this is a high scoring project on the mess front - lol. I'm not getting everything I own out - just the three elements.
Be back later to share what I have done with them .....

Not Just Any Old Tags .....

Ever since I heard about Tim Holtz' 12 Tags of Christmas 2008, I was hooked. Then I found that there were 12 Tags of Christmas for 2007 - fatal. So with part Christmas presents from No. 1 son, part Christmas presents to myself and part what the heck spending, I now have all of the Christmas stamps, plus one or two (OK - maybe three of four) packets of goodies from the Idea-Ology range, all from Wendy at The Stamp Attic .....

The stamps are so lovely I just keep stroking them - as you do (a bit like we are with Anna Griffin papers). In fact, I love them so much that they and the Paper Artsy Egg and Nog plates have been given a Really Useful Box all of their own and not put in the bottom of the wardrobe in the spare room, along with the other Christmas craft stuff.
I decided that it didn't matter that it wasn't Christmas anymore - I would make them anyway - all 24 of them. There are some 'improvisations' but here are the first four ....(Thanks to my pal Ed for the bells on the first one ....)

More to follow soon ....

I Have Returned .....

The last few weeks have been really busy with one thing and another but I'm back (yes, I know I said that a short while ago - but this time I really am - lol).

Over the last few weeks I have been really busy with one thing and another but I am back - and yes I know I said that the last time but this time I am - really - lol.
One of the things I have been doing lately is making cards - loads and loads of them.
Right this minute I really don't care if I never see another Christmas stamp, pads of Christmas backing paper or anything remotely to do with a crafty Christmas. Although I will confess, I am waiting for the Tim Holtz Letters to Santa plate from the lovely Wendy at the Stamp Attic!!!
So why all this frenetic card making? Well, I have ventured out into the public arena with them!!
I haven't 'done' a Christmas Fair for a good couple of years and earlier this year, the confidence took a bit of a bashing, when a potential outlet to sell my stuff went pear shaped (she turned out to be a very nasty lady and I had a lucky escape). Anyways enough of that, spurred on by my daughter and my good friend Sue (you know, the one who hasn't got a blog but should have) I set to and Today was The Day .....
Here's a photo of one end of my table (the photo of the other end was all blurred) ....
What do you think of the stand? I was going to buy a couple of the cardboard ones but then I found these online and thought they would be much better - you can take the slopey bit off the back and hide them away flat under the bed or somewhere. You can't do that with the cardboard ones without risking breaking all the little tabs and where would I keep them!!!
Here's some pieces that I like - More than Words albums from Colour My World. I just love these and have quite a few now. These are Christmas and Noel ...

And here are some Paper Artsy Christmas Tags - just love these - aren't the green boots something else ....The Christmas Fair was for the local PreSchool and they also did their Nativity Play. That took me back a good few years I can tell you - lol. One of the angels suddenly started crying because she wanted her Mum, the PreSchool leader picked her up and the Mum threw the angel's comfort toy to the leader and caught her stright in the face with it. One of the Shepherds got 'stage fright' and wouldn't get out of his seat for anything or anyone and one of the Kings tripped over Baby Jesus laying on a pile of straw - just your pretty normal Nativity Play really. In all seriousness though it was great and gave you a nice warm feeling to watch.
The Pre-School did well and what will I do with my earnings? I'm off to visit Wendy in The Stamp Attic again, 'cos I'm going to make Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas for both this year and last year and they will be Just For Me - lol.

In My Pocket ...There is a Message of Love

The In My Pocket Challenge this week from Hels is a Message of Love ...
The stamps are from the new Paperbag Studios plate - Knowing, which I got a couple of weeks ago from The Stamp Attic; and the tied bundle of letters from the Oxford Impressions Plate - Travel Poste. And don't you just love Michael Buble ......
Here is the inside ... Hope you like it ....

For Wendy ....

Checking my emails at lunchtime today, as you do, (well yesterday really because I haven't been to bed yet!) there was one from Paperbag Studios who have brouight out a new plate of stamps - Knowing.
I whizzed off a mail to Wendy at The Stamp Attic to see see when she would be getting them (which would hopefully not be before next pay day!). We then spent the rest of the afternoon exchanging emails.
Wonder who was busiest - me or her!!!
So just to say thanks for making an ordinary Thursday afternoon a bit different, here's a little something for Wendy.
Enjoy ....

PS - can you see the difference in the photo - I've discovered the macro setting on the digi camera (with a little help from Stephen, the techno wizard, in the office!! Thanks to Stephen.