Compendium of Curiosities week 12 Chipped Enamel

What a strange Sunday it is, bits of rain, then the sun tries to break through, high cloud, heavy cloud and humid in a way, but not hot.Well that's the English weather for you.

I have at last made my piece for the CCC at Studio L3, and Linda is now 1/3 of the way through the series, can you believe it?

This is a book cover for a notebook I am making for my daughters 30th birthday this week - (I can't believe my baby is this age already...... makes me feel so old.....). Anyhow I can only show you the cover at the moment as the rest is still to finish. I have the back cover made and the owire cut, but I want to make something of the inside covers and add a grungepaper tag to it. So still some to do.

For this particular challenge though I only need to show you this part, as it's the chipped enamel technique that this shows with the letter M. I have a tin of metal items from We R Memory Keepers and this was an ideal piece to experiment on. If you would like to know how to do it, turn to page 44 of The Compendium of Curiosities, Tim's book, it's a great one to try, so simple yet so effective to create some dimension.

I covered the boards with a DP from a stack, used DIs over the edges and then stamped in some places. I added a strip down the side with grunged edges and made a tag holder. I used a free image of an angel from the Graphic Fairy, cos that's what Maddie is. I used techniques I practised at Hel's workshop last week on the tag and added some buttons and stars, cos again that's what she is. A little bit of music paper and a little bit of sparkle and now I am happy with it.

I will show you the finished book later in the week, but for now enjoy the rest of Sunday and have a fun week.

Luv B xxxx

Challenges to have fun with -
Studio L3 - Chipped enamel
My Partner in Crafting Crime - Vintage
Think Ink 28 - Distressed out
Donna's Den - Layers
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Layers
The Creative Cottage - Celebrations
Stampavie - Anything but a card
Penny's Paper-Crafty - Birthday
Crazy 4 challenge - Books
Our Creative Corner - Letters or numbers
Stamptacular Sunday - Distress it

Starting School

Good morning everyone.

Just a short post today as I have got lots to make for DTs over the next few days, plus I'm making another book for someone special, more about that later in the week ..... and a  friend has asked me to make two of the little notebooks for her grandaughters (my first commission eh????).

So I managed to get this card finished, but actually it's far too big to make into an ordinary card, so I have left it as a board and made a stand to put it on.

This is to go with the little note book I posted yesterday for my grandaughter Ella. I used the same image and found some DPs that fitted perfectly with school things on.

Have a great weekend, hope you are getting the lovely weather.

Luv B xxx

Challenges  - haven't looked yet, but might get time later.

Distress follow up - School notebook

Hi All, lovely Friday here, blue sky, fluffy white clouds and sunshine. Beautiful.

Well I wanted to follow up my workshop session and I already had in mind to make a card (not finished) and a notebook for my 4 year old grandaughter who is starting school next week. I can't believe those years have flown by so quickly, but she is only 4, bless her, but quite grown up in her own little way.

So I have had fun making the covers using the same techniques as my tag book, adding a Maya frame painted with Eco-friendly acrylic paint then covered in rock candy crackle paint. I have used a freebie image from Frugal Crafter and coloured it using promarkers for the card, but here I cheated a bit and scanned it into the computer and re-sized it as the original was much too big. I covered it in glossy accents - but here I learnt a lesson - my copy paper is too thin really for the GA as the paper crumpled somewhat with the wetness.

 I have at last used my Zutter binder (had it for about 3 years - usually in my bookmaking I sew the pages) and I have added some paper clips and little sticky notes. You will also note I have added a charm with her pet nick-name, cos that is what she is, Cheeky Monkey.

Well I'm off to see my Mum and collect her shopping list.

Hopefully I can get back to make the card later.

Have a great day.

Luv B xxx

Challenges to have fun with

Crafty Ho's - Use school supplies
Incy Wincy - Back to school
Totally Stampalicious - Anything but a card
Creative Card Crew - Back to school
Stampavie - Anything but a card
Pixie Dust Studio - Back to school
Fussy and Fancy - Back to school
Simple Doodles - Back to school

Not distressing at all

Woo hoo what a great day I had yesterday with Hels at the Stamp Attic. It's the first time I have attended a workshop and would you believe it's the first time Hels has run one, but it was brilliant. The day focused around using distress inks and I made a tag book with 15 tags all made with different ways of using DIs so I can use it for reference when I want a background or to be reminded of a particular technique. The little book itself was fun to make and another new technique for me was to add the grungepaper clasp. THANKS HELS IT WAS A SUPER DAY and I am looking forward to the next one. Thanks also for becoming a follower, I promise you will see more DI work.

Here are my photos of each of the pages. Unfortunately, although I grabbed my camera and took with me, the battery died so I didn't get any of the activities during the day. I got one or two on my phone and will have to see if I can download them. A big hello to my workshop buddies if you have signed in, Val, Sue, Sue and Annette. It was a great group to work with. Hels has got some pics on her blog here.

Sploshy Spritz

Dainty Spritz

Rumple Crumple

Dip Dry

Control Water Colour

Bleach Stamping

Watercolour Distress Stylee

Faded Background

Painting Resist Part 1 plus sanded crumplies

Painty Resist Part 2

Perfect Misty Image

Clearly Resisted

Re-inker Shimmer Mists

Re-Inkers Splodged

Painting In

If you can get to Wantage fairly easily I do recommend you go to meet Hels and also take advantage of the great stuff that The Stamp Attic have got in stock, Wendy is lovely and so helpful. Needless to say I did take my credit card with me yesterday and I have some more goodies to play with. Just got to find some time now.

Must go, got to do some proper work today.

Luv to you all. B xxxx

MAWTT challenge 62 - In stitches

Good morning one and all

It's Thursday again and this week it's my turn to set the challenge at MAWTT. One of the things I have loved doing over the past few months is using my sewing machine again, so I thought I would set the theme of STITCHING and that can be real or faux. You don't have to have a machine, some hand stitching would be great and I have even got some rub-ons that give a stitched effect. If you don't have any of those then a pen will be fine. Just have fun with it.

Our sponsor this week is Digi Stamp Boutique  and they have given all the DT some stamps to play with this week so go check out the main blog to see the lovely creations.

I did give a hint on Monday to suggest what would be coming today so maybe you've already been able to think about this one.

My inspiration also came from the Sketch at Crafty Ann's as this layout gave me a real opportunity to use the sewing machine again. The lovely image from Digi Stamp Boutique is called 'Coco and roses'.

I have used promarkers to colour in the teddy and roses and I have distress inked the edge. The papers are a mix of a freebie from a magazine and a freebie download. I added stickles to the roses and bow to give a bit of sparkle and to the paper roses.

I hope you will come and join in the challenge with us.

I am posting again later to show you the fabulous tags I made with Hels at the workshop I went to yesterday. Come back and take a look at 15 different techniques we tried out.

Luv B xxx

Challenges to have fun with -
Crafty Ann's - Sketch
Alphabet challenge - R is for Roses
Bee Crafty - Anything goes (with a digi image)
Stamptacular Sunday - Pink
Cupcake Craft - Let's get digital
Daisy Doodles - Anything goes  must use a digital image
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Pink

Blog Candy

I don't own any of these so thought I would have a go. Check out Quixotic cards - here.

Here is another, this time for a new blog called Top Tip Tuesday.

Digital meets handmade 2

Firstly welcome new follower Tanja. I hope to see you across on your blog too but it wouldn't work for me earlier when I tried, but I will try again soon.

Well Teresa was right on my last digital meets handmade post when she said that because I like making this style of card, I would make more - here they are.

This time I have not focussed on the botanical theme but extended it to include more grungy, vintage elements and a wider variety of stamps and embellishments. Again there is a mixture of digital and handmade elements to these 2 examples and I think of them more as pieces of art than cards, but that's what is so exciting in creating something new isn't it? 

Hope you like these too Teresa.

I am  really looking forward to tomorrow as I have booked a workshop with Hels Sheridan at The Stamp Attic in Wantage and I am gonna spend the day playing with distress inks and make 15 tags with 15 different techniques - how cool is that?? I've even booked another in October, again with Hels, which is gonna be a mix of 10 second studios metal, studio 490 stamps, idea-ology and apparently alot of know how, oooh just can't wait.

Have a good week everyone.

Luv B xxxx

Challenges to have fun with -

Gingersnap Creations 68 - Red and black  - both of these include the colours needed

Creative Belli - Round and metal  - the first has a large metal dome which is not a brad

Flutterby Wednesday - Open  - the first one has butterflies on which meets challenge requirements

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Distressing  - both of these cards have been edged with distress inks

Paper Cutz - use metal  - the first one has two metal embellishments, including the star paper clip

Craft Your Days Away - With wings  -  the first one has butterflies on it

Stampin Sisters - use metal  -  there are 2 metal embellishments on the first card

Cupcake Craft - Let's get digital  - both of these cards have been digitally designed by me and embellishments added.

Die Cut Dreams - Soft shades vintage  -  the backing designs for these cards were created using very pastel colours and they are both vintage in origin.

New Baby Card

Happy Bankholiday Monday to you all. If you are blogging and crafting I can only assume the weather where you are is not that good.

Anyway - I got a text last Thursday morning from a second cousin (well I think that's what you call your cousin's child????) to tell us that his partner had just given birth to a new baby boy. We knew he was on his way and that he would be called George but I hadn't thought about a card for him. I had seen a great sketch at CCEE stampers that gave me the impression of quilting so I used it to make this card.

I used papers from my box of bits and printed the fab horse which was a freebie from Becky's Place and coloured it in with Promarkers. I used a nesties die to cut it out and edged it with tumbled glass and faded jeans before hitting the whole thing with the sewing machine. Boy was I pleased with the result. The sentiment I made in Word and printed onto some of the patterned paper. Even if I say it myself - it's not bad eh?

Hint - check back on Thursday for more sewing and be prepared for the next MAWTT challenge.

Hope you bankholiday weekend has been going well. I had hoped for at least and end of summer feel to the weather , instead it's been more like mid autumn. Can it improve to an Indian Summer we ask????? Hope so.

Take care. Luv B xxxx

Challenges to have fun with -
CCEE Stampers - Sketch
Kah Wink E Dink - Birthday
Part Time Tuesdays - Birthday card for a child
CRAFT challenge - Milestone birthdays  (Being born has to be the first milestone doesn't it?)
Pixie Dust Studio - Stitching
Meljen's Designs - Happy Birthday
Paper Makeup Stamps - Birthday Card
Crafty Emma's - Anything goes

Digital meets handmade

Hi Everyone

Yet another post from me today, you can tell I haven't had to work this week can't you?

Some of you may have this paper, but I have loved it for ages and not wanted to use it. I just love the design, mixing different media, it really attracts me. I also came across a post by Betsy Veldman at Moxie fab World where Betsy talks about a new trend of botanical collage.

The materials she shows and two cards she made inspired me to experiment and I came up with these.

I really like them, I know I still have a long way to go, but I enjoy playing in photoshop and mixing images together, which is what I have done with the papers and butterflies (and these are all freebies I have downloaded from the net by the way). I have then pieced papers together and overlapped them , printed over the top, coloured in with promarkers and added my own embellishments.

  I have kept to the botanical theme for these two, but I think I will experiment more with other styles and stamps.

Hope you likeeee.  B xxxx

Woo Hoo blog awards are running wild

Well another blog award this week, how lucky am I ??????

Thankyou Kathy for choosing me for this lovely blog award, what fun.

To qualify for this award I need to nominate 7 more people to give it to and tell you 7 facts about me. So, here goes  -

1. I love cats and have two of them. Since Ken and I got been married we have had 3 pairs of brothers, all male. Oh boy are they independent.
2. I have two fabulous kids, both left the nest and my son is married and we have 3 gorgeous grandaughters. (You will have seen pics if you have been following for a while).
3. I have 'retired' from teaching, having been a headteacher for 18 years I'd had enough stress and feeling tired so now I work part time as a school improvement partner. But with the new government that role could disappear by Easter. Oh well retirement could be on it's way.....
4. Ken and I got married on a Wednesday. An odd fact but I don't know anyone else married on that day. And it was a full white wedding.
5. Summer is my favourite season, I just love being warm.
6. I come from the St.Ives area in Cambridgeshire and have recently 'found' old school friends. Anyone else know that area?
7. Finding blogging and my art again has been great this year. I spend every hour I can playing and experimenting with paper, stamps, inks, colour and just anything I can get my hands on. My little office cum craft room is overflowing, goodness knows what will happen next. Oh well never mind.

Right 7 great bloggers to pass this on to -
Lisa, Heidi, Hazel, Shell - all my MAWTT team buddies who are great to be with and sooooo supportive.
Chris, Annette and Juls - who constantly keep me going with their encouragement.
Thanks girls.

Have a great end to the week especially if the weather improves.

Take care. Luv B xxx