Bleached through a mask

Good Morning!

Todays card is using the Cardinal Family Stamp set from Heatfelt Creations & the co-ordinating dies from Spellbinders.

The background is created by sprtzing bleach over a fretwork Mica Mask.

The Cardinals and ribbon are coloured with Aged Mahogany Distress ink, I used the same ink for the Doily Heart circle and to colour the bird on the button.

I also used the decorative Oval Window die from Heartfelt Creations to cut a mount to raise the Doily Heart Circle.

Thats it for today, I am feeling totally gross-not sure if I have stomach flu, head cold, both or The Plague, so will be spending the morning curled up on the sofa.

 The bunny rabbit has claimed the other sofa for herself and selected her cushions.
See why we call her Milly Posh Paws!

The bottle is nearly finished by the way....



Bottle it, part 2

Good afternoon to you!

I found time to pick my bottle up yestereday and do a little more on it, here's where its up to..

I stamped the Clarity Kingfisher and Branch in Versamark, Perfect Medium is just as good. Then I heat embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Aurora powder. (Darks & Metallics set)

THE BOTTLE GETS HOT SO I DID EMBOSSING IN 4 STAGES & GAVE BOTTLE TIME TO COOL INBETWEEN, OR THERE IS A RISK OF IT SHATTERING and/or BURNING YOURSELF.

Then I coloured using Cosmic Shimmer Watercolour Paints.

It is not easy to stamp onto a bottle with curvy bits, dust with talc first to help with static and help reduce slippiness of the bottle. If you are using Versamark/Perfect Medium and you slide around and smudge your image then you can just wipe it off and start again.

Some embellishing next I think....

Giveaway winner.

oooops I forgot to blog this last night!

The winner of the LOTV stamp is

 Minx

Congrats! Can you email me your address by 8pm Tuesday please.

Autumn Swirl from Heartfelt Creations

Its slipper day!

oh yes I can hear you say "You always have your slippers on Simms"

True, but its actually not naughty to live in them on Saturdays, so go right now and get those marabou piped kitten heels on-and the lads too if thats what floats your boat!

ooh but before you go skidding into the shoe rack, have a look at todays card..

Its another example of the stunning Autumn Swirl stamp set from Heartfelt Creations, available through Creative Expressions.

Unfortunately pics were taken before I got the new camera, need I say more...

I stamped with White chalk ink- I find it better than White Brilliance.

I glazed the leaves on the topper with glossy accents and then sprinkled a small amount of Cosmic Shimmer pastel glitter- I know you cant see the lovely effect in the dodgy pics!

If you dont like bright coloured glitters then I definitely recommend this Pastel set, you dont see pastels too often do you.

I also used some pearly dots, Spellbinders dies, Vintage ribbon.

The sentiment is from Claritystamp.

Ok now you can go for the slippers!

Enjoy your day, whatever your doing.

Happy Birthday message up to the clouds!

Happy Birthday Bah!

YES of course I remember, always.

xxxxx



Over the edge Die-cutting Tutorial

I was asked about this technique a couple of days ago, so this is for the people who are still unsure how to do it.

Please forgive the rushed colouring job.

 Position your cutting die over your image, framing the area you would like inside the frame.

Draw a fient pencil line around the OUTSIDE edge of the die

(i used dark pen so you can see it in pics)

Cut around the parts that are outside the circle, cut further into the image though-if you follow the lines of the image it wont show up later, for example, I have cut up her arms and both legs, this is so i can slot the die in place easier-you will understand when you do it yourself.

This pic is to show how far I have 'cut into' the image.

Slide the image into the die with the 'over the edge bits' above the cutting ridge. Jiggle your die around to the correct position- I moved mine above my line because i decided it was too far away from the little girls botty. When making your final adjustments for where you want the die to cut remember the cutting ridge is a couple of millimetres in from the edges of the die.

Now trim your excess bits off.

Now I need to turn her into a card or something!

Hope this is helpful.



Bottle it!

Helloooo!

I said I wanted to show you something I was altering didnt I.

As you will probably know, I dont do much altered stuff, mixed medium etc, but I thought I should have a play.

So, as a personal sacrifice I emptied a half bottle of Scotch (mixed with pepsi) so I could use the bottle.

This is the first bit.

I cleaned off the label and pulled off the metal cuff. When it was properly dry inside I squeezed a little Cream Acrylic paint with a drop of water and swished it all around. Then I added a couple of drops of pale blue and dark blue to the inside of the neck so it would just run down slowly, give it a little shake to mix slighly with the Cream colour. Turn it upside down and leave it overnight so the excess paint runs out and the bottle dries. 

Do you want to know whats next? me too, show you soon!



Black & White Easel

Hello!

Todays card is one of my samples from the JustRite shows on C&C last month.

I made a very similar one for my friend/neighbour/bunnysitter, it was her birthday on Sunday.

I used

JustRite Forever Friends stamps

Spellbinders Labels 20, tag trio, Labels 12

Basket Weave Touch of Mica Mask

Tied Together Embossing folder from Couture

Black Vintage ribbon

White Organza roses

Screw top Brads

Silver Cosmic Shimmer pearly glue

White gel pen

All available from Creative Expressions

Come back tomorrow to see something Im going to decorate.



A little Giveaway...

Evening!

Not sure where today disappeared to but suddenly its 11pm.

So I best be quick and tell you about the giveaway and get some shut eye.

This weeks giveaway is a cool stamp from Lili of the Valley

She is a good excuse to get the marker pens out isnt she, bit of sparkle for the wings...

As always there are no daft rules to be in with a chance to win, just leave me a comment. If you want to link me in your blog sidebar you are more than welcome to. 

I will pick a random winner on Friday/Saturday.

Good luck!



Homework winner!

Good Morning!

Ok I said I would leave the Claritystampers NW homework open for votes for a week, well its been a week.

Thank you so much to everybody who not only voted but left some really nice comments about all the little masterpieces, I know my ladies appreciate your encouragement.

So, who gets to choose themselves a new Claritystamp...

That would be number 3

created by our lovely Rae Dalal

She bakes nice cake too!

If your interested, our next meetings in Birkenhead are Thursday 8 March repeated on Sunday 11 March, there are a couple of places left.

Come back later for another post- I hinted at a giveaway the other day, and I wanna tell you all about my weekend!

Its not a Moroccan Snowflake, its Lilac!

Happy Sunday folks!

This one is a scheduled post, Im either running around the house trying to do 10 things at once, or Im halfway down the M6 on my way to the Trade show at the NEC.

Anyways, here is another of my Moroccan samples from the GC Blockbuster shows.

My first instinct was to make this a snowflake but in January? I thought you might throw heavy objects at me if I did...

So its a....  its a.....  its a nice hanging up thingy, yep thats what it is! 

Actually you could put a mothball in the back and make it an air freshener.  I do have another idea but not sure yet until I try it, let you know ok.

The sentiment is embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Aurora powder,lovely stuff!

The rest of the sentiment is 'Hope for tomorrow' but it wouldnt all fit so I just inked up the top part.

All goodies used are available from Creative Expressions.

Thats all for today, have a good one!

Maybe a giveaway tomorrow....come back and see.

Green, Black & White for a change.

Good Morning!

Its Saturday so have you got your slippers on? coffee in hand?

Well while your taking it easy have a look at another of my samples from the Heartfelt Creations tv shows I did for Creative Expressions.

This one is using the elegant Autumn Swirl stamp

I stamped around the edges of the Green background card in Black Archival.

Then I stamped white chalk ink onto velum, turned it around and coloured the leaves on the reverse with Cosmic Shimmer watercolour paint- I didnt want it too bright you see, I added some dots of Cosmic Shimmer pearly glue to the ends of the swirls.

I stamped my sentiment onto American Seam Binding with Archival, the spotty leaf was cut using an Autumn leaf die also from Heartfelt Creations, I then embossed it with a Mica Mask.

The wooden buttons were painted with Green Cosmic Shimmer watercolour paint, the picture doesnt show the lovely shimmer as It was taken ages ago before I got my new camera.

The ribbon, twine and wooden buttons are also Creative Expressions.

Oh, incase you were wondering, I secured the velum with the brads and used cosmic shimmer glue under the leaves so it wouldnt show through.

Thats it for today.

Im off to Burleydam Garden Centre for the opening of their new Craft Centre, its full of goodies for Cardmaking, sewing, scrapbooking, cross stitching etc...



Its Captain Sam Ahoy!

Morning gang!

Yes Im early today, I just wanted to remind you that the Talented Sam Poole is on Create & Craft at 10am & 2pm today with her fantastic new Nautical themed stamps, the sneak peeks have got my creative juices flowing- I am looking forward to getting my hands on them for sure!

Check out Sam's blog for pics and a cool knot tying tutorial!

Black & White Greetings from Paris

Good Morning.

Todays card is another of my samples using the JustRite stamp sets Greetings from Paris, Kindness & Labels 20 Spellbinders.

 These stamps are so crisp and clear,very nice to work with!

 I like how the border stamp can work with the single Fleur de Lis stamp to go around corners.

I stamped the Cafe Paris tag and masked it off, then stamped the various Postcard stamps, then inked black over some copier paper to give the illusion of the postcard edges.

I also used Crinkle edge organza, bakers twine, Silver Cosmic Shimmer pearly dots, all available from Creative Expressions.

Speaking of Creative Expressions, Sam Poole is back on Create & Craft on Friday with her fantastic new stamp sets- I neeeeed those for sure,they look great.  The shows are at 10am & 2pm subject to change.  There are some sneak peeks on Sam's blog.

Thats all for today, see you soon!



Clarity Homework to be marked! Please vote.

Hello All, I need your help with this, its the homework from my Claritystampers Northwest ladies. 

The winner will get a Clarity stamp as a prize, but I cant pick, soooo, can you please pick a fave and leave a comment, I will count up and decide the winner in 7 days!

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

Number 4

Number 5

Number 6

Number 7

Number 8

Number 9

Number 10

 

Number 11 

Number 12 

Number 13

Creative Expressions, ooh la la!

Good evening gang!

I was supposed to be having a day of rest with no work of any description....

does a little blog post count as work? nope didnt think so!

So while me and Amber watch 'V' I thought I would show you another of my JustRite samples I made for the Creative Expressions shows a couple of weeks ago.

 This is using the Greetings from Paris set, I love how the postcard stamps are all separate so you can use them separately with ease.

I used Wild Honey, Black Soot & Fired Brick Distress Stains for the postcard and tag. 

The background was embossed with the Cog Mica Mask and a couple of colours of Cosmic Shimmer Ultra Thick Embossing powder.

Oh look its those Foliage & Spiral Blossom Spellbinders again- I wasnt kidding when I said how much I love those!

I also used Labels 4 and a Grand edgy.

See you soon!



Pink & Heartfelt

Good Morning!

Today's card is using some lovely Heartfelt Creations goodies from Creative Expressions-Posy Patch stamps & dies, Ornate Scene window die,

This one got a little battered because its been in a box for a while.

I had some pink tissue paper from a gift and thought it would be nice as flowers!

I added some Cosmic Shimmer pearly dots, Organza rose and some pins.

The sentiment is stamped onto a Parisian?? accent- its very pretty whatever the set is called, I must try to remember them better.

Thats it for today, im racing against the battery on my laptop!

Have a lovely weekend.

Moroccan Triple Easel.

Good morning.

I thought I would how another of my Moroccan samples today, I am back on Create & Craft at 10am & 4pm today with the Grand Calibur Blockbuster, I have a couple of new demo's for you, so hope you can join us!

 I used the Moroccan Spellbinders, Heart circles & Fanciful Flight.

The sentiment is from the Thoughtful Sentiment Stamp set from Creative Expressions.

Have a good day!