Artful Times Challenge - Clean and Simple

It is very rare that I do my cards with a large amount of white space surrounding the image but when I started making a card for this challenge I could have gone on and on making more and more.  I so enjoyed myself.  I have no idea why I have not been joining in the challenges on Less is More, I used to but then I haven't been doing much lately. Think that is going to have to change - Chrissie, you are going to see more of me, I have decided. (fingers crossed I remember).

To start the ball rolling on here now that there is only Wendy and myself posting I made this card

Quickly followed by this one

Both of these were using Distress Inks for the background (background?) which I stippled on (aka Iain of Ali-Crafts).  The images were just stamped in black Archival Ink and then had clear ep on top.  The top one I used a piece of card with the squares already cut out as a kind of stencil and the bottom one I used masking tape (previously stuck to my jeans to de-stick a bit) in two strips.

The next three are also stamped in the same way but have a touch of colour on them - Twinkling H2o's. They are all cards from a pack which have a fancy border on the edges of them.

That's it from me folks so pop along to Artful Times and join in the fun.  Remember there is a £10 voucher from Oyster Stamps on offer each month for the winner but also remember to check the rules - MOST IMPORTANT.

WOYWW 261 New Desk in Utility Room??

Well, this is my new desk!  My Polymer Clay desk.  Have I done any yet?  Simple answer "No".  Went away on a workshop weekend and it has become a dumping ground for my work.  Or a display unit?

Yes, I have been on a Finnabair workshop - well three I suppose if you break them down.  Saturday saw me heading for Harrogate where I did the long canvas on the left with my photograph on it in the morning.  The smaller canvas with Finn's photograph on it was done in the afternoon.  I actually went on my own but met up with Karen from Vicky Stampers so we sat together and then Chris came in who I have known a long time from the good old days with Paddy when she had her shop.

Sunday was the journal and you can see both the front and back covers and next to it one of the pages showing my mother and grandmother.  That was a full day workshop and my friend Lorraine and her friend Rae were both attending so I had lots of company that day too.

I must tell you about the photos.  We had to take three for one class, one for another and one for another.  I didn't get the email about one of the singles.  In my mind I was putting my photo on a page in the journal.  The one you see of mum and gran was for the canvas but when I got there it was not suitable so we have ended up with me. I also ended up with one of Finn herself, but I like it so I am keeping that as a reminder of a lovely day and a great tutor.  I did not intend to have a canvas with me on it and now I need to try to get it off and replace it with something else but believe you me, it is well stuck! Thinking cap on ...

Anyway, if ever you get a chance to do one of these workshops do go along.  You will have such a super time, you will fall in love with Finn and her work and you will come back with hands full of colour.  But don't book on until I have had time to do so - again!

Now to stop 'twittering' and show you my lovely atc's received this last week:

from the left - Annette W's lovely gramophone and clock sleeve; Eliza's gorgeous envelope, card and matching atc; Jo's (Twiglet) gorgeous birthday cake and folded cover for it; Nan G's lovely words atc and brill cover and finally Annie's (Wipso) little patchwork quilt and fab verse.

Still a couple to arrive yet so hopefully in a week or so you will see them.  In the meantime dash off and have a good old nosey at the fab atc's others got in the great marathon atc swap hosted by the Queen of Desks - Miss Julia.  Thanks J for a wonderful idea which has grown and grown like Pinocchio's nose but for good reasons (like building friendships).

WOYWW 260 Congratulations Julia

Well, it is finally here, the day of ATC posting.  WOYWW's 5th Anniversary.  What a wonderful idea Julia Dunnitt had all those years ago to bring crafters from all over the world together, to forge friendships and share tips, desks, tears and happiness.  And for some lucky crafters - to meet up at a crop each year.  Wonder if I can organise a holiday down south next year and join in?

Now who will be below me in the list so I can get an atc off to them? I have sent some off already and not being sure if they have arrived I did not know whether to post a picture or not.  Decided - so here they are - just three  designs this time

Two different Indian themed

and one beneath the sea one

As you can see I did some pockets for the Indian ones but not for the sea ones then yesterday I found something I had made previously which worked fine for a couple of them and so they went off in their sleeves.  Who got them remains a secret!

They can both hold six atc's but I only did one

Would have loved to have made more but I have been really busy.  We spent ages tidying the garage last week and unearthed an old School Meals Table which I was given years ago for pasting on when decorating. Apart from the names underneath (kids!!) it was in good 'nick' but a coat of Hammerite on the legs put it into a different category.  Then a bit of vinyl tablecloth and the job "was a good 'un".

Mmm .. this will be good for my polymer claying - next job, clear out a craft cupboard in the utility room, make way for clay etc.  Big Big Job - its contents have to go in the craft room - well stuff has to have new homes.  To cut a long story short  - the ribbons all got sorted - and I got rid of the ribbon box. More room for paper crafting when they are rehoused.  Where?

Oh heck!  The boxes that sat on top of the ribbon box will take up as much room as the ribbon box did! Right, a coat of paint for the ribbon box!  Will they all fit back?  Threads and fibres need a new home - recycled recycle bin will do.  Yes they fit.  Now a quick tidy up and voila - more worktop space and a ribbon box that matches the room.

So now I have room to do more atc's should the need arise but I think Wednesday (you can see it is Tuesday night - it's dark out there) I might just try out that polymer clay table.

My polymer clay cupboard

and below, my new table brought in to the Utility Room

Can you see the drawer open on the left - that is where I keep my Pasta Machines now, the cupboard you can just see on the right is the one in the photo above and I have a sink I can use, a radiator to keep me warm, my oven is there and I even have a loo!  Polymer Paradise or what?  Wanna come and clay?

Right, having listened to my waffle I think you need a treat - I certainly got one when this little beauty popped through my letterbox all the way from Australia.

Thanks Annette - love it - and the folder

Now pop along to see Julia and follow the links for the biggest atc swap ever - want to join in, just show us your table, link your blog and away you go.  Details on Julia's blog.  Go on, you know you want to join in the celebrations!  Happy 5th Anniversary!!

Challenge 56 - Artful Times - Owls

This week we are asking you to include an owl somewhere on your project be it a card or something else.

I decided to use shrink plastic again and made a teeny weeny pair of ear rings.  You should be able to judge the size (if you are in the UK or familiar with the pound coin) from the photograph below.

I just got some cream shrink plastic and using Coffee Brilliance Ink I stamped my little owls.  Left them overnight to dry.  Then I cut them out carefully, put two holes in the top and shrunk them down.  A couple of jump rings, some ear ring fixings and voila!  All done and ready to wear.

Wondering what the other members of the Design Team have made?  Pop along to Artful Times and follow the links from their pictures to their blogs.  Enjoy - and have a lovely weekend.

WOYWW 259

On of those scheduled posts that try to make sound as if it is Wednesday when it really is Tuesday evening.  Not pulling the wool over anyone's eyes if I try, I just cannot craft at midnight these days.

Here is my desk

The white sheet in the foreground is my up to date glimpse of my atc's.  No kidding!  I have put the cardstock out read for beginning.  Some books on the left, some cards ready to be sent out and that is about it.  I did intend getting the first stage of my atc's done (Masterboard) but 'thinking' is as far as I got.

There you are, short and simple just as Julia likes.  Why not join the Mistress of Desks and see what others have linked up to her.  Join in, there's time for you to make some atcs to swap.

Apologies but I have been watching "Happy Valley" - gosh, what a cliffhanger tonight.  Anyone else watching it?  Got a damning letter in the TV Guide this last week as boring - I ask you?  I hope it's up for an award before too long and I remember to vote for it.

WOYWW 258 - Thanks Annette!

Well, had a lovely time away with my friend but not got around to blogging it yet.  Just had to show you my desk, yes, the parcel (empty) still sits on it (*more later) but the rest is rather staged -  sorry, but I think you will like it.

My Flat Susan Book from Annette

Can you begin to imagine how I felt when I saw the parcel and, knowing what was inside, opened it. Just look at those tiny drawers, they held all kinds of bits and pieces and that book in the middle ....

That's the tiny book fanned out on the right of the photo, oops you can hardly see the Australian Flag just against it, sorry.  Now I will show you a selection of the pages, not all of them, for fear of making this blog too long for you all on a busy Wednesday.

Look at all the bits and pieces I can journal on

It is jam packed with goodies to work on

Don't you just love those rosettes

Gorgeous papers and stamping by Annette

Love how some pages have bands across

and some have pockets

In fact on some pages there are pockets on pockets.  Lots of journalling so I will have an abridged version of Flat Susan's antics when her adventures are over.  Just in case you don't know who Flat Susan is here is a link to her blog. And just in case you signed up for her adventures she is still going around. She has finished her trip to America almost (with Darnell at the moment) and is then going on to Oz and Spain before landing back here in the UK to begin the final stages of her journey.

I cannot thank Annette enough for this beautiful piece of art that she has made.  The idea came from the fact that I asked each participant to make a tag to send to the next person.  I asked that they include a photograph of this tag on their blog post about FS's adventures so that I could copy it for myself. Annette came up with the idea of making a book to keep them all in - so that is where her idea was born (and boy am I glad she did, I have always admired her work and now I have some - chuffed to bits).

Sorry this has been a long post Julia but I felt sure 'peeps' would love to see what I got from the uber talented Annette. Now for my desk as it is at the moment

Yes, the parcel is still there  

* We have been busy tidying the garage since I got home, a couple of hours each day and then I can hardly move with the aches and pains in my back - hence a slow job - no crafting etc.  But heck - you got a treat seeing my lovely gift above.  Just had to share.

Pop along to Julia's to see what others have been up to but get a cuppa first, you are in for a treat.

Artful Times Challenge 55 Mail Art

A challenge is something that makes you have to think - right?  Now I hope this is a challenge for you all but not too difficult a one that you cannot think how to do it.  We would love lots of entries.

In Somerset Studio they used to have lots of decorated (hand-stamped) envelopes at the beginning of the magazine.  I don't get it anymore so have no idea if it carried on or not.  Anyway, here we are asking you to decorate an envelope.

I recently had a birthday and I got a card with the envelope also stamped and coloured with the same little owls that the card contained.  It was so nice to see and so I am hoping that when I send something out in the envelopes below they give as much pleasure to the recipients as Renate's envelope gave to me.

This one is similar to some I have done before using my Alice stamps and colouring in with Twinkling H2o's.

You will see I have left room for the address to go in the centre of the envelope and for the stamp to go in the top right hand corner.

With this one I masked out a rectangle for the address and one for the stamp before commencing colouring with Distress Inks all over in Mowed Lawn and Picked Raspberry.  Then I just put random stamps over the top, leaving the masks still in place.

There's lots of ways you can decorate an envelope.  it doesn't have to be all over the front as in mine above and you could use magazine pictures cut out in a careful collage if you don't want to rubber stamp.  Go on, you know you want to try.

Pop along to Artful Times and see what the others have done on their blogs - do leave a comment if possible, we love to receive comments just like you do.