Been Busy

Well, still got my Christmas cards to write and must get them in the post as cards have started arriving here.  This task has been hanging around far too long because I keep being side-tracked by other things that I want to do.  Must get some semblance of cleaning done today as well as baking - we are having visitors tomorrow.  Methinks a quick flick of the duster by himself is in order (dust is not helping my chest so I can't do it can I?).

Anyway, I have been trying (and the emphasis is on the word "trying") to do some of Mr TH's tags again this year.  I was so chuffed I did them last year and so pleased with the results but this year has been a different story.

I set off with such good intentions but had so little of the items needed to complete.  Improvise!  Definitely the word of the week is "improvise" - I have had to do.  Anyway, here are the first three:

There's a reason for my doing them on cd's - had an idea for displaying them differently to last year's but the shape and size is not proving easy to work with. Ah well, no time to start over so as I am improvising so much it is not that much harder to work in this way.

Apologies if you don't think they look at all like the Masters but I am trying my best.   I thought I had loads of TH stuff - just goes to show - help - I need a Vagabond and all of his dies!  Santa!

In the meantime will link it to Jennie - why don't you link yours?

Done Up To Number Eight

Yesterday I finished off compartment number 8 in my Advent House which has been the Project I have whittled on about.  Until I got the front of the House ready I did not want to upload it and yesterday Jo's parcel arrived with some tiny wooden decorations in which I can now add to what I had managed to find myself.  The ones Jo sent me are gorgeous - thanks Jo - what it is to have a friend like her.

It was Jo who first reminded me that I had this Tiddlywinks Kit perched high on a shelf (for the past two years) waiting to be assembled as she had found one done by the creative Lucy Edmondson.  Jo had downloaded a picture of Lucy's Advent House and was showing it to a group of us at Vicky Stampers because we are also in Katy's Corner along with Lucy.  Lucy has done a terrific job, not a clue where she managed to get all the tiny things she has included in hers but I decided that I did not want to look at it and be influenced by what she had done.  So I have kept away but will Google her and find it so that I can give you the link.

Back to mine - first of all I painted it with cream acrylic paint, smudged it with Rusty Hinge and my Gold Dabber, then assembled it. Next I cut small rectangles to fit in all the compartments from various pieces of Christmas paper just to fill it up and stop it looking so bare.  The idea I had was to do a different technique in each one but I don't know if I will come up with 24 of them.

Anyway, here it is:

Behind the laser cuts at the top I have put a piece of acrylic which has been dabbed with Alcohol Inks so that when I put the flickering candles (battery operated) it will shine through like a stainglass window.  Because you can see the little notches where the pieces slot into one another I decided that a bit of Metalwork was the order of the day.  

Two borders later, a bit of Alcohol Ink to tone it down and that was done.  A bit more laser cut stuff on the front, some Shrinking Plastic on the chimney and it was ready to start being decorated.

Day 1 - Just a plain stamped background with some pieces stuck over to represent a window pane.  The little girl and her cat is a wooden button that I happened to have (the number 1 covers the holes) and I sat it on a travel domino rug.  (These rectangles are approximately 1 1/2" x 1 3/4" - quite minute)

Day 2 - (sorry about the blurred image - taken 3 times - gave up) is a "bubble" background with some snowflakes stamped on.  The card with the number on has just some hand drawn holly on and one of those bubble things over the stamped number.

Day 3 - is an Alcohol Inked background with a stag stamped on and a die cut number.  It might have something else put inside the compartment at a later date depending on how many things I can get that are small enough.

Day 4 - Perfect Pearls over a Versamark stamped image and a tag for the number today.  Again a diecut number.

Day 5 - just some gold embossing - both for the holly down the side and the number.  I thought a bit of colour was needed so used my gel pens to colour the holly in a little.

Day 6 - shows a marbled background - you know the kind with shaving foam and reinkers.  The number is a style-stone I have had lying about for ages, thought it rather an appropriate subject for this project.

Day 7 - Alcohol Inks on acetate (Lettuce & Butterscotch).  Some behind the birdcage and some in the back of the compartment.  The stamp used says "peace as fragile ..." and the number is one of those that has clear gel over it.

Day 8 - the last one for the moment - is a Distress Ink background (Rusty Hinge and Tumbled Glass) and I have used a little bell I had with a diecut number on it.

That's it for the time being.  Now to decide what to do with those goodies Jo sent me and think up some more backgrounds.  Will post in about a week with the next ones.

Am now including it in the Christmas Countdown Challenge on Created By Hand Challenge Blog thanks to Robyn.

Don't forget to check out Lucy's gorgeous Advent House and whilst you are there look at her other amazing work.

It's Wednesday Again!

Time is going much too fast and I am going much too slow.  Do not seem to be getting anywhere, doing anything and am way behind on Christmas.  In fact today I got my family cards off to Australia - a day late - and it was pure luck that I realised I must be near the final posting date!!

Am not in the mood at all for the festivities, by now the tree is usually up and dressed but I don't think that is going to happen at all this year.  Might manage one or two little bits but that will be about it.  Must get some ingredients for a Christmas cake (what now?) and douse it in spirits to try to make it seem as if it has been soaking a while.

Anyway, spurred on by the posting of international cards I got what I had made out and began sorting through, deciding who is going to get what.  Sorry folks - that is all that is on my desk today.  Bet when I begin my snooping around on everyone's desks in a short while I will find that they are full of festive cheer and far more organised than I am.  What am I on about?

Take a trip over to The Stamping Ground - see what Ms Dunnit has been doing and then click on some of the links below her posting. Surprising what goodies you will find.

Am hoping I can upload some photos of my project tomorrow - all depends on my skill with the camera (that's a laugh).  Hope all you WOYWW'ers are having a great day - thanks for visiting.

And The Winner Is ....

The winner of the Lisa Pavelka DVD is ..... drum roll ....

Sam21Ski

Please let me have your addie and I will get it in the post to you. Well Done!  Hope you enjoy and look forward to seeing some of the techniques in the dvd on your blog!

Not sure what the weather is like in the rest of the country but it is pretty bleak here - freezing fog seems to be the order of the day again.  Looking out of the window I cannot see very far but where the snow has been taken off the ground it is black ice by the look of things.  Trust me to have an early morning appointment!

Well, I am getting on with my project - not enough to show you anything yet - and because of my not being able to go to Vicky Stampers I haven't got the things Jo brought me back from Germany so am trying to find things to use.

Did some flowers (per LB) but cannot find my hot glue gun so held up for sticking the layers together so cannot show you those either.

In the meantime here is a birthday card I made for a friend who had a birthday last week.  yes, it is using that same image again!

It's a middle step card and I have two images of the same young girl which I was able to use and then a scenic one for the back step.  The paper is some my friend Alison bought me - gorgeous isn't it?  I used my felt tip pens for the centre image but my Promarkers for the other two.

Tutorials - Bookmark and Tea bag Holder

As promised here are the instructions for the Bookmark:

Bookmark:

4" x 4" piece of cardstock
2 3/4" x 2 3/4" pce of cardstock/heavy scrapbook paper
Small pce of cardstock for image
Scoring tool of choice
Double Sided tape
Ribbon
Rubber stamp
Any embellishments.Punches etc to decorate

• Take your 4" square and mark half-way down on three sides.
• Make a fold (use stylus or Score board of choice) between marks on two sides (ends up like a house shape when folded).  Put ds tape on back to hold down. 
• Take your 2 3/4" square of cardstock/heavy scrapbook paper and cut in half diagonally (point to point) to make two triangles.  Put one of these triangles over the back of your bookmark to hide join.
• Put other triangle on the front and then decorate.

Tea Bag Holder:

Pce of cardstock 3 1/2" x 7 3/4" and one 2 1/4" square.

Pce of patterned paper/vellum 6 1/2" x 7" and one 2 3/4" square

Scoring tool of choice

DS tape

1" circle punch (optional)

Cropadile or small hole punch

Pce of narrow ribbon (approx 8" long)

Stamp and ink to decorate

• Take your piece of cardstock 3 1/2" x 7 3/4" and, on the horizontal, score at 3 1/2" and at 4 1/4" - fold both score lines and burnish.  Set to one side.  This is your cover.
• Take your 6 1/2" x 7" piece of patterned paper and with the 6 1/2" side to the top of your Scorboard, score at 1/2" and 3 1/2" - fold your score lines and add ds tape to the 1/2" piece.  Remove tape liner and fold one side underneath to make a sleeve.  Burnish well.
• Put the folded side to the top and score at 3 1/8" - turn 180 degrees and score again at 3 1/8" - fold both score lines.
• Punch a half circle (or cut a "V") centrally at the open top of one side, line up and punch/cut on other side.
• Add ds tape to the spine and fix centrally on the cardstock cover.
• Punch small holes in the top of the cardstock cover and add ribbon to close.
• Decorate front as desired and put two teabags inside.

Easy Peasy, lemon squeezy.  Both projects were courtesy of SCS so thanks go to them and their originators.

Unfortunately I had to pull the plug on my going to Vicky Stampers as this bug I have is not getting any better and I decided not to run the risk of infecting anyone else with it before Christmas, just not fair to risk that plus the fact I feel so lousy.

I had made a little piece for the front of Jayne's hat (theme: Glam), got some bows and things for Lynne's and started decorating my own.

Here's mine - not easy to see but there is a line of dancers stamped on it, the centre piece is a pair of old ear-rings, not a clue where I got the dollar charm and the others are things I picked up in Vegas (my theme) - oh plus the feathers and jewelled bits at the top.

This was for Jayne

She loves pink

Am just hoping someone takes photos of the finished hats so I can direct you to somewhere to see them - was a brilliant idea of Paul's to do this and so sorry I won't now be taking part.

Was Really Stuck

I had to get a card off for a young man who is not into handmade cards.  Normally commercial cards are the order of the day but as I have not been going out I had to set to and make one.  Tough if he does not like it - at least I tried to get the card there in time for his birthday.

Deliberated for ages which image to use and finally came down on this one (Paperartsy - what did you expect from me?).  Did a bit of Distressing with Rusty Hinge and Tumbled Glass on a piece of white cardstock and then stamped the image over with my Archival Black.

For some reason I decided to tear around the image and then rummaged around for some blue card to mount it on.  Not quite the "Everton Blue" that I had hoped for but near enough.  A bit of hole punching, cord threading down the side and it was ready to go on the main card.  Last but not least a nice big sentiment and it was off in the post to hopefully get there for his birthday.

Am keeping my fingers crossed I make it to Vicky Stampers tomorrow as suddenly on Wednesday evening my nose started streaming.  Not a clue what is wrong with me, this is going on for far too long and I want to feel well for a change.

WOYWW

It's that time of the week again when we show off what is on our desks and head off over to The Stamping Ground to link up with everyone else.  Wonder where I will be in the list this week?  Didn't manage to get around to a lot of peeps as I was not that great last week but I hope I did, at the least, visit everyone who visited me.  Tried anyway.

Nothing to show you really as I have been trying to get a project started - it's kind of "well on its way" which I am hoping to disclose later in the week or early next week.  You might see a peek of it behind my off-cut stash.

As you can see I have my trusty Cuttlebug out and am at the moment cutting some Paperartsy Flowers out  because I saw the most gorgeous flowers on Lin B's blog.  Boy, is she the Queen of Metalwork or what?  Can't wait to get going with them

The two wooden magazine holders are where I house my cut-off bits of cardstock.  As you can see they are arranged in colour families.  When they get too full I throw the small bits out - never ever in a million years will I use them all up.  Why save every piece?

Just behind them you might catch a glimpse of my Project and if you look to the left of them you will see some bits that are going to be part of it.  They are at the side of my cd case with my dies in.  Love that CB one on the top that I got from Oyster Stamps.

Well, must go as I need to get a shower and set off for the hospital at 8 am - just hope the roads are ok to travel on.