Just for Fun - New Technique

When I saw what I had to produce for the Just for Fun challenge I did kind of take a step back as I love techniques and was wondering what I could do, if I was being honest, and then I thought about Soot Stamping!  Never done it, shied away from it - so now was the time.

There are some gorgeous samples done by the Design Team and I just want to have a play at them all as soon as I can.  Anyway, back to Soot Stamping.

All the instructions said to use Glossy cardstock, hold a lit candle underneath letting the flame touch the cardstock.  They also all warned that it is easy for the edges of the cardstock to catch fire so the best thing was to do it over a sink.

Well, three or four attempts later and not one had caught fire.  The reason for three or four attempts is that although they turned out fine (I was secretly rather pleased with the results) I had problems when spraying with a fixative.  The first two went a bit "spotty" and so ended in the bin.  With the next two I just went for it and sprayed direct on the cardstock and stood with fingers and legs crossed.  Here is my card:

I quite like the misty quality, although it should be a card I upload around November time, and I felt the Alcohol Inked background paper gave it a lift and echoed autumnal colours too.  Ok, it's Spring!  I am just a wee bit early.

Hope you like my second piece of work since joining the JFF DT - I am having a great time and exploring new avenues.  See you next week!

ps  after several queries I realise I had not put any instructions up - all you do is (over the sink so you are near water and a receptacle to drop it in should it catch fire - remember mine did not) light a candle, taper kind is best not a fat display type one, and allow the flame to touch the cardstock, moving it about so it blackens the cardstock.  When happy with it blow out candle and carefully put sooty card down and then stamp on it with a plain, uninked rubber stamp.  Careful when you lift it off - any mark will show.  Then apply fixative to stop it rubbing off.  I first misted over it and that didn't work for me so the second time I sprayed directly on to the card - that was better.  Check when it is dry that it won't come off - if necessary give it a second coat.


Just wash your stamp in water - I used a toothbrush on mine.

WOYWW

Just a quickie as I am mega busy and out part of the day today - life is one long series of medical visits at the moment but I am sneaking in a visit to the hairdressers first thing this morning as I am sick sick sick of my hair - having it lobbed off!

So what is on my desk?

I have not been blogging since weekend because I have been busy trying to rehash my stamping room as I need room to store my VAGABOND when it comes.  I got rid of one of the holders in the window sill and all the other "gubbins" and now a lot of my Ranger stuff is there - more to hand!  All you can see on my desk is a card for a friend who has a birthday the same day as mine and a sneak peek at what I am doing at Elements this year.  

Here's the card anyhow:

Another view of my craft room:

Got some rails up for my punches - they were really getting out of hand and the oversized ones you can see top right took up a full drawer which now can house something else.  My tins with my unmounted stamps in are now only two high and therefore easier to access.  Don't know if you can see it if you click on the picture but the bottle cap stuck on the tin has a photograph of me when I was about 6 or 7.  Long time ago!

Yesterday morning I was up at 5.30 (can't be jet lag yet, surely) and sorting out my scrapbook papers.  I never use the nice ones which were in a box in a cupboard and so I now have them in the Costco bag and its contents are in a box.  They will be so much easier to get to now and maybe I will not put them back but use them.

Well, that's it for now folks, do hop over to Julia's blog and see what she has to offer this week, usually a good tale is told by our Ms Dunnit.  Then there are all the other blogs who link up and show you what is on their workdesks, some tidy and some downright busy!  Many a handy hint can be picked up too so don't delay - get there today!

Two Quick Cards

Had to make a couple of quick cards tonight as I have been chatting on the phone to friends today and realise that a couple of them need a bit of cheering up.  When I was in America Mary gave me two stamps - one of Wisteria and one of an Iris which both seemed very Asian to me and I wanted to use them.

This first card is very plain but there is a reason for this

I had a Brilliance background which I thought I would use and so I inked the Iris stamp up, first with Thyme and then with Violet on the flower.  The words are computer generated.

The second one features a Mitzihuki knot - I used to do lots of these but have got out of it and made this one in America to show Mary how to do the simplest of them.

One of my favourite lady stamps, the Wisteria and a Kanji which says "Spring".  Again the words are computer generated.

Off to Vicky Stampers tomorrow so maybe something to show you when I get back.  

Busy getting one or two things done for Just For Fun so I won't always be last minute as I have a weekend workshop coming up mid April.  It is another 'Elements' with Paddy and I have to get to grips with an advanced clay technique.  Perhaps you will get to see lots of disasters and hopefully something good with polymer clay as I work my way through it.  

I've not forgotten my Alice project - just waiting for some charms to arrive so I can get on with it.

Now what was I doing?  Oh, going to bed.  Night night everyone.

Just for Fun Challenge - So Exciting!

Here's my mixed media piece for the Just for Fun Challenge this week.  You might see it when you go on the challenge because .... I have been asked to join the Design Team.  Yes, really, I have joined my dear friends Sam , Zoe and Von on Just for Fun.

Had I written this last week it would have been full of squeals and shouts but I have calmed down a bit since then, when Zoe sent me an email asking if I would like to join them.  When I got the email I immediately wrote back with a resounding "yes" so here is my first attempt at this week's challenge which is Mixed Media.

Basically it is a (Pound Shop) metal cigarette case covered in polymer clay and baked.  I remembered my very talented friend, Irene, doing one with some of her canes but when I came to do mine I just used some old clay - two years old in fact and still workable - which had to be stretched out to make it fit.  Hate to think what number of the pasta machine it was eventually rolled on.  

The top was a piece with some canes on when I first started doing polymer clay and the other piece is a scrap of Mica Shift which I did with the talented tutor, Alison Gallant, again at my first ever weekend of polymer clay.

Because the Challenge was mixed media I put some gemstones on the floral side and used some of Tim Holtz' Ideology range to decorate the plain side.  Then I cut out with my smallest Spellbinder's alphabet the word "time" in gold mirror card and stuck that on.  I am now wondering if that really is in the spirit of Mixed Media or am I simply loosely using it to fit the theme when in fact it just contains embellishments?  Still, clay is a totally different media to normal things so will keep fingers crossed it is justified.

All that you need to do is condition your clay and roll it out to the size of the cigarette case and "flop" it over (technical word) and it will stick like crazy.  Then you just trim it off and bake according to the instructions for whichever clay you are using.

Now, why would you want a cigarette case you are asking?  Because it makes an ideal holder for your business cards - and looks so much better than getting them from a poly bag.  Why not try to make one - you can embellish it as you want - even with mixed media - and enter it in the Just for Fun Challenge.  Think I might just do another one.  See you all there!

WOYWW

Think I have been in hiding since my encounter with the one and only Tim Holtz.  Truth is when I got home I had to finish my configuration box off, had to report to lots of friends about the two days away and had to make room for my purchases.  That was on top of the things I had brought back from America that were still requiring a home.  If you haven't seen what I did in the workshop with TIM HOLTZ look at the post below - I love it!

So now all you followers of Miss Dunnit you see before you a TIDY DESK!  All that is on it are a couple of atc's in the making.  Well, actually one is finished - that's the one for Vicky Stampers on Saturday where the theme is "Spring".  Used my usual "Is it Spring Yet" stamp with the little chicken but this time I have done a bit more and made an opening atc.  The inside of the doors were coloured with Distress Inks over a stencil and the outside has daffodils stamped on which have been coloured in using Distress Inks. 

Began two more atc's but these are unusual in that they are made of CLAY.  Yes that is right - they are clay atc's.  Wasn't sure what would happen when I stamped on them but it turned out ok although colouring with Copics when I had used Archival Ink was not a good idea.  Now I need to make some more clay atc's and then I can get on with this project I have in my head.  Something I saw done at CHA (sob sob I didn't sign up for this) which I loved and which I will not replicate but will use as a base for my own Alice project.

You will perhaps realise that I am a real "Alice" fan and at the moment am reading a book I bought at the airport in LAX which is telling the story of Alice Liddell Hargreaves, "now nearing her 81st birthday she looks back on a life of intense passion, great privilege, and greater tragedy."

Enough of my gabbing - it's time for you all to make your way to The Stamping Ground where you can seek out many a fascinating workdesk and perhaps pick up a tip or two along the way.  Me, I'll go back to my book - or should I get in my stamping room?

My Sir Tim Box is Finished

Well, it has changed a little.  I've moved the birdcage (I want to know where I can get those - they are gorgeous) and put the little bird close to it.  I might make a little bird to sit inside the cage so at the moment it is not stuck in.

I had a bit of a tussle to get this car stuck in - it just refused to stop rolling its little wheels.

I just love that light!  That's what made me do my ooh's and aah's as soon as I walked in the room and saw it in Tims box.  Lynne (aka Cheryl Cole) assured me I was going to get one for mine (love Cheryl).  Oh the excitement!

I really liked the effect of these grungeboard letters on the tiles - they look just like printers blocks, and I was pleased that my bottle top was "Root Beer" because Chas enjoyed that when we were in America so I was sure he would like the link he had to my configuration box.

I used my piece of wire netting rolled up in this box along with one of the light bulbs I just had to buy.

Think this was the first box I worked on and I really enjoyed doing it. The little pearls did a bit of a roll about but I managed to get them in the bottles - it pretty much fell into place quite easily and stayed the same throughout.

As I said before, I just love this birdcage.  I have seen them somewhere on the internet but certainly not in the UK  and what a shame we have just got back from America.  Not to worry.  Loved the tiny cotton reel and coat hanger and was thrilled when the addition of the buttons I had at home looked ok.

This is the main box and I removed the birdcage and put the pearl in instead.  This was because I wanted to feature my badge which I had worn (thanks Mark) for the day - to me it was something that would remind everyone of where I had done this artwork.

The label is from one of Tim's dictionary pages and features the plant 'sarsaparilla' - I quite liked the idea of using that rather than the label which I wanted to use on another bottle.  Just realised that you can't see the chain with the letter "N" on - sorry.

Now, just to prove that the back is decorated as well, here it is - and what is that you spy?  Yes, I got it signed by Tim Holtz himself. Something to treasure.

Like Alice's White Rabbit ...

... "I am Late" ... but with my posting about my day at Artsy Crafty which included a whole workshop with the one and only Sir Tim Holtz!

Set off Wednesday afternoon via the train to meet my friend Lorraine at Manchester Piccadilly - saw Freema when I got off the Bolton train, which was crowded.  Despite having reserved seats Lorraine and I sat with Freema in another coach, got a taxi at Milton Keynes (rip off - always ring for one - don't get the guys sat outside - £4+ dearer) and made our way to the hotel.

A little later, Lorraine and I met up, as arranged, with Janet and Wendy for a delightful Chinese meal at The Magic Wok and an evening of girlie chat.  (No, didn't ditch Freema she elected to stay and eat at the hotel with her friend, Kay)  I did take my camera along but was so busy catching up with the chit chat and eating that I forgot all about it until the food was gone.  Anyway, back to the hotel and an early night.

Thursday dawned at last - breakfast, registration at 9.30 (ooh what a fab shop! need to spend some monies) and before long into our first session with Lin and Leandra.  Now you will know from past blogging I love the Artsy Crafty weekends.  We always do some fab things but I also like meeting up with the Ladies.

This was my "Make" this time

Exclude the bar at the back

Sorry about the bar at the back - nothing to do with what I made but so eager to get posting I just took it wherever I could.  Here's the sample with one door closed:

A slightly different colourway to mine.  The ladies had worked so hard to get us to do this three hour workshop into two hours (well ok, two and a half) so a lot of the prep was done for us - thanks Ladies - you know who you are (special mention to Karen, Queen of Kits).  It was great to play along with the Tissue Tape, a roll of which I had bought in America but not used.

All too soon the session was over and it was time for lunch - but wait ... Sir Tim was the next session - wonder what we are doing - will we be right in our assumptions?

Yes, it was a CONFIGURATION BOX!  Yeah, Hey!  We saw one or two people walking about clutching theirs as we eagerly awaited admission outside the door.  Yes, I am afraid Lorraine and I were early in the queue, but to be honest it was because where we had sat before in LL's class the lighting had been poor.  This time It "had to be right".  And who is this in the queue - it was Gayna, a friend from way way back who I rarely see - great to catch up and see photos of her ... four year old!  Enough of others ...

Well, here he is:

and that smile stayed all day!

You know, that guy never ceases to amaze me - he is so personable.  I remember last year being at the back of a huge huge queue at CHA waiting to get my greedy mitts on a free die he was giving away.  Even though the queue was massive, and he no doubt had to go and work on the Ranger stand, he stood and answered individual questions, had photographs taken and all the time he was patient with each and everyone of us.

Well, this time, busy as he was with the workshop, as groggy as his throat was getting (yes, he seemed to be starting with a cold - no wonder with his schedule in the UK), he still had time to smile, answer probably the same query over and over again, go and get something that someone wanted .... I could go on an on ... and pose for endless photos and sign endless items.  Nothing was too much trouble - and we had music - and chocolates!

Anyway, we each got a large configuration box - and a bag of goodies to put inside it - Big Screams!  I'll show you how far I am with my C Box later but here is what is left over from my baggie

Tons of Vintage Ephemera

Feet & Corners

But that was not all ... each of us got a little kit to use and keep (my Glossy Accents is missing from the photo)

Courtesy of Alain, from Ranger

Thanks Alain!

Just like the Artsy Crafty Staff had worked so hard putting kits together for us and doing some of the prep the peeps at Ranger had worked hard too.  All the papers we needed to fit into the different sized boxes had been cut and scored ready for us to just slot in.  Count my boxes and multiply by 200 and you have some idea of what was involved - remember to add more because there were spares for mistakes we might make.

Well we arranged, cut, swapped papers, glued, tissue taped and assembled and here is mine in it's still unfinished state.  Just three boxes to fill, corner pieces to attach and feet to put on (will no doubt post in all its glory when complete).

Oops, my car has fallen over my Charlotte Doll is missing and the darned photo is not focussed that well, but hey ho - wanted to get this blog up and running.

Time for another Tim photo?  Here he is with Alain and Mario:

And here is my favourite Essex Girl - Cheryl (aka Lynne) who always has a smile and a cheery word when we are on the Artsy Crafty weekends.  Sorry I did not get a photograph of Courteney, Leandra and Mark's delightful daughter, who sported the most terrific hair colour and style.

Now for some of the other contestants (sorry ... students)

And Tim had Prizes!

I didn't win (boo hoo)

All too soon it was time to go - where had four hours gone - I was sure I had only done about an hour!  So clutching my box, my bits and pieces all safely tucked away in my bag I made my way out.  But not before I had tripped, smacked and stood on Lorraine (my EX friend) who was now the proud owner of none other than Time Holtz's Pokey Tool.  I won't go into detail of how that happened but it is yet another example of a good company standing behind its products.

Down to the lounge where I met Anne who was on the Friday session, goodbyes said to Wendy and a sit down with a Diet Coke whilst we waited for our taxi to the station.  

Freema, Me, Anne, Lorraine and Janet

Two FAB workshops - a Great Day - Lots of Friendships renewed - Lots of Friendships made - and WHEN CAN WE DO IT AGAIN LIN/LEANDRA?

THANKS EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN BRINGING THIS TO FRUITION - FABULOUS!

Just one more for all you Timmie fans - this time he is signing something (got my box signed and my pinny - whoo hoo!)

Why no photo of me with him - as usual - I do not like the one of me.  Look at last year's from CHA - the best one ever and that's not flattering me enough.