Merry Christmas

As it's Christmas eve I thought I'd show some of the few cards I managed for Christmas this year and take this opportunity to wish you all a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Sorry I've been a terrible blogger of recent. Real life gets in the way sometimes. And I thought I'd killed my blog! Was starting to despair with it as the background had shrunk and could read anything on it but seems to be well for now ;-)

I have a few more Christmas Card/tag photos from the lovely day with Francesca which will have to wait for another day.

Have a great Christmas holiday time.

Karin x

Card for Penny

I made this card for my forum friend Penny.

She has been so brave in facing what life has thrown at her and I've never known her to moan about it. Wishing you a speedy recovery Penny.

Paint Fusion Birthday card

This was my first attempt at paint fusion and I turned it into a birthday card for Kym, as I thought she might like the colours of the sweet peas. I've added a second photo where the colours are more true of the flowers but the first photo shows the shades of green of the leaves better.

I'm using my new phone for the photos now instead of having to borrow a camera, so I hope to update my blog more regularly.

Faux Rubbings

I'm following the art journal full of different techniques that Roni is producing. For full details please visit her blog. I'm a little bit behind and these are the first double page spread. I'm going to do some private journalling on these before I stick them down and they will going onto a black background. I found it best to use 80g printer paper for this anything heavier the rubbings weren't very clear so then I had to be careful not to over wet the paper. I really enjoyed doing this and will try it again in the future.

Thanks Roni for the challenge.

End of summer canvas (SSSC)

The theme on SSSC is anything goes so I'm entering this canvas for that.

Last night I saw a splendid photo that my SIL took of the ceiling of Winchester cathedral and she kindly let me pinch a copy to do an image transfer, now you might just spot in under the layers of paint and ink I got a little carried away once I got started ;-)

Inkjet printed image

Mat gel medium

Acrylic paints white, green & a tiny touch of brown

Vintage photo distress ink pad

Paperartsy Hot Pick 1006 script stamp

K&Co - Flora & Fauna Die-cuts

Martha Stewart stencil

Accent beads

I took this photo late this afternoon outside and the colours are looking a bit brighter than they do now! Normally the sun bleaches the colour a bit, very odd. lol

I'm back to work tomorrow morning after having the summer holidays off but I'm looking forward to a great weekend, hope you all do too!

Karin x

Play Day Canvas

On Monday I had a play day out with the lovely Francesca who I originally met at an ArtsyCrafts weekend a couple of years ago.

It was great to craft along with someone who enjoys the same type of crafting and being able to play with someone else's stash!

Francesca introduced me to Cosmic shimmer drawing inks. Oh wow, they're fantastic and definitely need to get some of those, I used them to colour the 7 gypsies collage tissue paper birds.

Sorry about the photo quality this was the best picture that I can coax out of my backup camera and it's come out a bit darker than it should.

Canvas

I was inspired to create this canvas board after seeing Donna Downey's week of Inspiration.

Using one of the images from Day 1 for image transfer, then lots of paint and inks along with masks and rubber stamps. I've finished this off with a couple of rub ons.

Originally I was going to add some embellishments but for me this piece is in a happy place.

Who's the lucky one?

Over on Grungy Monday the challenge this week is to use this Tim Holtz technique.

12 Tags of Christmas 2007, Day 7

I love how the background looks like molten larva. I went into distress ink frenzy, great messy fun.

Now you're most likely asking yourselves what this has to do with the title , unless your thinking only one lucky steampunk man will get the key but no that's not the reason.

I'm the lucky one as I won a wonderful prize from Linda on Twitter and these stamps are part of that prize. Thanks again Linda :-)

Papillon Tag

This week on Grungy Monday we've been challenged to do a dabber resist and perfect pearls. I've made my own sprays using perfect pearls and distress re-inkers from instructions Tim's March 2008 challenge. I've used my favourite Papillon stamp set and over stamped with Flourish and phrase stamps.

This also fits in with SSSSC where they want to see a flourish and I'd like to say a fond farewell to Wednesday Stamper, those challenges will be sadly missed.

Domino Dangly

I made this domino dangly for Francesca as a thank you for bringing me home from Artsycrafts. The domino was backed with paper and the fronts and sides dabbed with a few alcohol inks, I cut down a leafy charm and stuck that onto the the domino front and added further beads and charms.

I took these pictures in the evening so the lighting was poor.

The second photo gives a glimpse of the beautiful alcohol ink gold.

This fits in with the current challenge over on Happy Daze for Dangly things and also The Grungy Monday 13 using Tim Holtz alcohol inks.

Forum Birthday Card

This card is for my good friend Kaz, hope you had a good birthday moo. I've been saving this stamp for your birthday card.

Any back to the stamp it's another delightful stamp from the Cornish Heritage Farm "Little people" so unfortunately it's discontinued. I stamped onto very smooth card with memento ink and roughly coloured in with the Marvy le plume alcohol ink pens. These pens have a soft nib which are great for a watercolour effect but not so good with fine detail.

Papillon Box

When I saw the challenge on Grungy Monday I couldn't resist to take part, as it's my favourite Tim Holtz paint technique. I've combined this using one of my latest favourite stamps from Tim Holtz Papillon set which also fits in with SSSSC challenge.

Pine Box

Dabbers: Snow Cap; Sailboat Blue & Citrus.

Black Gesso

Clear EP

Various Tim Holtz stamps

ArtsyCrafts “Fresco Lifestyle" 3rd Project

This project was called let's get plastered and had me sent to the naughty corner lol At first I wasn't too sure about the lock when others had more interesting shapes but doesn't it look perfect with the stunning flower border. I shocked myself in choosing brown for this project not only is that colour outside of my comfort zone I really do have an aversion to most shades of brown. The London Night is a scrummy purply brown and the mushroom is that beautiful pink beige of real mushrooms, very aptly named.

I thoroughly enjoyed this artsycrafts event there were so many people there from previous events to catch up with plus a few new people to craft and party the weekend away with.

If you want to see any more details have a look at yesterday's post with links to Lin and Leandra's blogs and shops.

ArtsyCrafts “Fresco Lifestyle"

Day 1- We created the fabulous these wonderful inspirational boards using grunge board letters & numbers, idea-ology, Paperartsy dyes and the fabulous Paperartsy Fresco Paints and Fresco Crackle.

Day 2 Morning. We learnt how to paint and blend paints onto glass and to complete these little bottles we made these fabby flower tops.

Day 2 afternoon project will have to wait until tomorrow. My camera froze and is refusing to work!!

Many thanks to Lin of LB Crafts, Leandra of PaperArsty who together create these wonderful events, special thanks to Karen for going beyond the call of duty and to everyone else that helped in setting up. Not forgetting the wonderful little elf that kept the chocolate appearing on the tables, water buckets refreshed and had the most thankless job of washing the cut and dry.

If you're thinking about going to Warrington there is still a couple of places left.

Forum Birthday Card

This card was for Jo.

Using a stamp that I finally managed to obtain .... the company sadly closed down last year and I missed getting any of their wonderful stamps.

Anyway, back to the card ... I roughly coloured in the stamped image using distress inks and finished it off with a Tim Holtz flourish and that been smothered in Inka Gold (silver dollar and cobalt blue also the Prima flower and attaching brad also had a touch of Inka Gold too!.

This time I remembered to take a photo before sending the card off! Recently most have been posted and in a rush have forgotten to take any pictures.

Altered Pocket Watch

This is the second piece that I've made from the Altered Jewellery Workshop/Tutorial with the talented Zuzu. I have really enjoyed making this even if I've had to wait a little before I could get started. I'm far too accident prone to be acting my shoe size lol

As always it's hard to get a good photo with metal. The main colours are from Citrus and Sailboat blue alcohol inks and the complete exterior of the watch has been treated to this scrummy ink combination.

Altered cover

This personalised sketchbook cover was created using silver side of TTS metal, various metal tools and black gesso.

Altered Domino Jewellery

I've signed up for an Altered Jewellery Workshop/Tutorial with the talented Zuzu and have had great fun altering Dominoes today!

Here's the first one that is complete, apart from attaching it to a chain. The photo isn't that brilliant as the embellishment at the top should be the same shade of silver as the metal one at the bottom. More to follow soon.

Forum birthday

This card was for Chris.

I love this Crafty Individuals stamps it so reminiscent of my teen years. ;-)

Art Journey Challenge #7 "You used WHAT??!!"

I used the netting that went around some oranges to help create the background along with distress inks, worn lipstick; vintage photo and glimmer mister pink bubblegum.

Then topped with an image and script from Art Journey stamps.

Artsycrafts special event with Tim Holtz

I'm still floating on cloud nine after attending the most amazing workshop with Tim Holtz.

Tim is such a wonderful, witty tutor the 4 hours of his workshop whizzed by so quickly but I achieved completing this box, apart from attaching the feet in that time.

Tim walked around the room explaining, giving tips and answering questions whilst also obligingly signing various item and having photos taken, all done in a totally unflappable style.

Mario king of kits was at hand with replacement bits and pieces for when things might go wrong.

Alain aka Mr Ranger supplied us with a great kit bag to use for the class which we got to keep afterwards.

I'm so pleased that I took my copy of Tim's book "A Compendium of Curiosities" which he personalised and signed for me.

I'm so grateful to Lin and Leandra for organising this tremendous event, of course it wouldn't have been an ArtsyCrafts event without one of their fabulous classes along with all their wonderful helpers, which I'll tell you about tomorrow.

Inchie for a special person

Stamped onto an acrylic inch with stazon then coloured in using promakers on the reverse, then sealed with seafoam embossing powder. Edged with gold pentouch. If you're wondering who the special person is, clue is in the stamp ;-)

Ball Chain Charm Bracelet

I've made a quick Ball chain charm bracelet to wear for a very special Tim Holtz Artsy Crafts event happening this Thursday. I got the idea from the super talented Lin Brown when I saw these on her blog

This was really a quick make, the beads are covered in the most delicious colbalt blue gloop (Viva decor Inka Gold) and so were my fingers for awhile ;-)

Forum Birthday Card

This one one was for Penny

Forum Birthday Card

Another forum birthday card this time for Carol.

Forum Birthday Card

I'm trying to get up to date with my blog. This is from December for my lovely friend Audrey!

Mermaid

Sorry I'm a terrible blogger. What ever happened to January!!

Hope you've all had a great start to the new year.

This is my first attempt at playing with Paverpol I started this mermaid back in the summer but she hasn't seen the light of day since then.

I took her into the garden whilst the dogs were out for a walk (the pup has totally destroyed the garden and not to be trusted) and took a couple

of photos to get an idea on how I want her to develop. I like her slightly alien look so I'm not sure whether I'll give her any hair yet or not.