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

CCC Week 11 Blended Batik

It's Friday and the weekend starts here. Mind you I haven't had to work this week so it's been great having time to catch up after our holiday. I can't believe we had thatday when it was up in the 50's and now it's rained nearly every day since getting home, but at least my garden didn't suffer too much while I was away.

I wonder if you spotted a sneak peek at this yesterday, as I was adding the photo ready for today I pressed the wrong button and instead of saving it I published it, but managed to get it back again, so off we go again............

Well I have missed taking part in the Compendium Of Curiosities challenge, but experimenting with the blended batik has made up for it. What a great technique. If you haven't tried it I do recommend you get hold of TH book and have a go at all the different things and pop on over to Studio 3 to see what wonderful creations other people are posting. So much inspiration out there. This week Simon Days Stamp and Show has a week dedicated to all things TH, so I was even more inspired to create this.

So here it is, I love the colours I have used and I have kept the layout very simple as I don't want to detract from the batik piece. The butterfly is from a necklace I picked up last year in primark. The clock is a TH salvage sticker with Idea-Ology game spinner and the ticket is the alterations die. Contact me if you want to know how I altered one of them so I could mount it on another colour. The batik, when viewed horizontally reminds me of an old wallpaper frieze. The stamp is a large foam one from QVC. (Please excuse the picture, I am experimenting in Photoshop and can't find a way to get different coloured backgrounds or soft edges  -  can it be done I ask???)

Have a great day.

Luv B xxxxx

Challenges to have fun witn -
Studio 3 - Blended Batik
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Tim Holtz Inspired
Create your days away challenge - With Wings
The Shabby Tea Room - A little bit of metal (the butterfly)
Crafty Cardmakers - Video inspiration, Lady GaGa (I hope my butterfly fits here with the mesh effect)
Inspiration Avenue - The power of words (I thought this card would be good for someone who has been poorly and will have a slow recovery, then it needs to be one step at a time)
The Craft Den Anything Goes  - Time
Flutterby Wednesday - Anything goes so long as there is a butterfly, fairy or angel on it.
ABC Challenge - B is for Blue
Paper Cutx - metal

MAWTT challenge 61 - Autumn

Happy Thursday everyone

Right I am now back in the driving seat after having had a wonderful holiday with the family, with one day in the 50's. We were sweltering and I had a dip in the pool at least 6 times that day.

It seems to have taken me ages to both catch up with everyone and get creating again. But I have 2 cards today and both fit the MAWTT challenge where the talented Heidi has set the theme. Hopefully we are not at the end of summer yet but of course we are all beginning to think about autumn and all it brings. So Heidi is challenging us to use the theme/colours of autumn for our projects this week and to include a recipe - she would like to see 3 flowers, 2 papers and 1 ribbon. I have used these and in my first card I have also added 3 leaves.

I have used papers I downloaded free from the internet. I do recommend you go and take a look at The Shabby Princess where there are a huge number of digi sets that are absolutely free, they are gorgeous and whether you are into handmade or digital crafting they are well worth saving.

I used the 'Shabby Fall' set and overlaid the words onto the harlequin paper for the background and also used a paper with masked leaves on it. I added a ribbon from my collection, three skeleton leaves and Herbanella stick-on flowers. The edges have been glittered with gold stickles.

I needed 'Thankyou' cards this week so both can be used to give to friends. One for looking after my cats while we were away and the other to an old school friend whose party we went to on Saturday night.

This is my digital card where I have used the papers, elements and digital stamp to create the whole card. I then added another layer as decoupage to the birds and added stickles and sakura glitter pens to give it some more dimension. The silhouette perched birds was a freebie from Blackleaf. The papers and elements were from The Shabby Princess and the sentiment from Raindrop Echo.

Hope you like these. They are different to what I was doing before I went on holiday, but I have got to get myself back into the swing again.

Have a great end to the week and a fab weekend.

Luv B xxx

Challenges to play in.

Inspiration Avenue - The power of words.    Mine are all to do with autumn and what the season brings.

Mark's Finest Papers - Harvest.  Although not literally a harvest card this does use the colours and

                                                  words associated with harvest.

The Tree House Thursday Challenge  - Fall colours.  Fits perfectly.

Special Event 12th September

There is going to be a very special event at OSAAT on the 12th September when we will be hosting a charity challenge for the awareness of autism and especially one little boy called Cameron. There will be lots of prizes for this one and even some blog candy might be available. So keep watching here and the OSAAT challenge blog for more details.

Luv B xxx