Inks and Powder

Blue skies and sunshine (but cold) here today after all the rain yesterday - mad when you think just across the Pennines 40 minutes drive away they once again are experiencing floods. Although one of the downsides of living so high up on the top of a moor means you experience high winds 💨and snow ⛄ the upside is at least you don't get flooded out💧⛆🌊!

Because the weather was so bad yesterday I spent a very nice cosy time in the craft space doing what I do best - making messy!

I have never tried hot glue embossing but continuing with my decision to try out new techniques and re visit old ones and after seeing a similar card to this on Pinterest the small piece of metal left on the desk from my card here seemed to say 'Use Me'! - So I did!

I ran the metal through an embossing folder and then dropped some Alco Inks on it and simply let them run.

Out with the glue gun! Confess don't use the glue gun a lot (cos I am VERY messy), but am really pleased that I only managed to get the glue where I wanted it and not all over everywhere else!
A few blobs, then gently heated again to make warm, added some gold embossing powder and heated again.
Once finished I matted it onto an off cut of gold card before putting on the card base and stamping the sentiment.
Another 'man' card I think?

Liked doing this technique so the glue gun is still out........😏😏

Metal

CAS Mix Up has the challenge of 'Oxidized Metal' this month.

I wanted to try a 'new to me' technique using ink refills on mirri card  - as I have tons of it which I don't use - but don't have many ink refills as I usually just buy new pads when they dry out!
When I went to find the refills I possess 2 were empty and the other had dried up! So it was back to a tried and trusted technique using a thin flexible metal bought when I was doing a lot of mixed media and now a little neglected.

I had it in my head to do a 'man' card too as I so rarely make them.

I took my piece of copper metal and dry embossed with a 'Cogs' folder  then used my clear embossing pad on it.  Gold, Silver and Copper embossing powders sprinkled on top. I re did this a couple of times until I got the effect I wanted.

Once dry I swiped a Stazon Ink pad across the top.

I fiddled about with layouts and frames for a while but in the end I chopped up my metal piece into 2 strips!
Simply matted onto black card before placing on the card base and stamped the sentiment.

To be honest I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed messing about with metal  - so whilst I had the metal pack out I embossed a couple more pieces and have made my hands very very messy using alco ink on them without gloves.....😒😒

As well as CAS Mix Up, I am also sharing my man card at
Rainbow Card Challenge - Magically Metallic
Sisterhood of Crafters - CAS

Ghost

If you are visiting and the title of my blog post has you thinking you will see friendly Casper 😱 then you are going to be disappointed!
Although there were several times during the course of the last week that I may have been happy to see the little white sheeted person 👻👻 - instead of seeing the inside of the waste basket with failed attempts.
I am enjoying being back in the swing of being able to enter challenges - and challenging this one was - for me.

I have though finally managed to make TWO fairly passable cards for this months CAS Stencil challenge of  'Ghosting' and here's the first.

The 'Ghosting' technique entails inking a piece of card, placing a stencil over it, spritzing with water (or rubbing with a baby wipe) to remove the ink and leave a 'ghosted' image.

Sounds relatively easy??
NOT!!

I tried several times with small stencils and tried both water spritzing and baby wipe method.

I had varying degrees of success before turning to a very large stencil and a baby wipe.

The background was inked in Seedless Preserve/Cracked Pistachio/Mermaid Lagoon (without doubt these are 3 of my very fave DI's)

The stencil is from AliExpress and a new purchase.

I found this metal die cut amongst some of my stash and it just seemed to fit.
The large purple stone was cut off an old jumper (I have quite a few of these!!).
The hardest part for me was the actual assembly of the card.
I agonised for ages about putting it in a frame and adding more die cut feathers - in the end I simply got frustrated and opted to just keep it as plain as possible.
Am sharing over at
A2S+M - Make Your Mark
MMM - Something New (Stencil and Technique)
Crafters Cafe- Include metal (my sentiment)

Thanks for looking today - I welcome all comments and hope that you are having a great day whatever you're doing!  x   

CAS x 2

A card for 2 challenges -
CAS Watercolour  is 2 years old! Hard to believe it's been that long since the challenge started but Happy Birthday! Their challenge this month is a colour one chosen by Bonnie - Orange/Green and Brown

and the lovely Mac is hosting the CAS Mix Up challenge - and the elements for that are Metal/Stamping/Your Own Choice. (So mine was Embossing!)  This card was never intended to fit the 2 challenges but I think it contains all the elements!

The leaves were cut using blue metal dies so maybe Marianne Dies? Anyway, I cut them out using some leftover watercolour card then coloured them with water soluble wax pastels, using the 3 colours that Bonnie stipulated in varying degrees of depth.

Another leftover piece used for the wood embossed background which I attached to the base card.
I used Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink for the sentiment which is from SU and cut out with a stitched die.
So CAS Watercolour sorted!   When I'd finished though I felt the card was lacking something but didn't know what.

Then I remembered some gold wire which I had - after spending 20 minutes on my hands and knees under the desk I emerged clutching the wire - which I remember saving and thinking it would come in useful.... have no idea where it came from.
I just added it around the sentiment and curled it round the top leaf  - am hoping that wire counts as metal but if it doesn't am sure someone will tell me!

Daisy Chain - Autumn/Fall
House of Cards - Autumn Colours
Use Your Stuff - Autumn
Crazy for Cas - Fall (in Love)

We've had some lovely weather today and same is forecast for tomorrow so we may get a day out and about to enjoy the sunshine! Hope the sun is shining where you are too. x

Flying High

Had a bit of a re-jig in the craftie space and a good tidy this morning - bet now I won't be able to find anything......

I've been messing about with inks again - this time Pine Needles and Weathered Wood with a bit of Fossilized Amber.
And am feeling quite pleased with myself as I have today (round of applause please👏👏👏) used two NEVER BEFORE USED Dies!!!

So after inking the main panel, I randomly stamped the cogs using Tea Dye DI and used the wire honeycomby stamp from SU Butterfly Basics inked in Versafine Smokey Grey along the bottom and right side edge.

The sentiment was a rectangle, but used the MISTI to re-position into a straight sentence. Looks a bit light here but is OK in real life!

The balloon die was rubbed with Pine Needles DI, then I applied a liberal helping metallic rubs in verdi gris and gold. Cut a piece of green vellum to sit behind it.

Finished off with the Never Before Used cogs die, and pewter, rust and gold rubs applied here too!
Matted and layered onto dark brown then Bermuda Bay card stock.

Challenges -
Stampin' Royalty #362 - Dies
OLLCB - Use Die Cuts
Cardz 4 Guyz - No patterned paper
TIOT -  Let's Get Messy
and I am also entering into this into #430 at Color Throwdown who have this gorgeous inspiration pic!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today. Appreciate any comments you might leave - have a great week! x

Saturday Dawns!

Another week just flown past!
Busy now getting sorted for the first of my 'duty' trips away this summer - we're off to Cornwall tomorrow for a game on Monday then on to Devon Tuesday, Gloucester Wednesday, Oxford Thursday and home Thursday night. Shall probably lie in bed all day Friday!

I'm told that you DO get used to the travelling about and it's quite exciting visiting all these different places and meeting lots of different people I think so although am a little apprehensive of my first 'official duties' am quite looking forward to it too.

Enough of the waffling - a shabby card from me to share today - made from a paper stack I won in a challenge win over at the Playground - (I still haven't bought any new papers you know - it's over a year - but why does the mountain in this room not get any smaller?????)

Anyway decided it was about time I got stuck into this new pad.
A really quick card this I suppose as I just let the pretty papers do the talking! Mounted onto dark red and cream cardstock.
A metal corner and a couple of pearls along with a scrap of lace and a tiny crochet doily with a paper flower as embellishments - and the butterfly was stamped in Versafine Sepia onto a scrap of paper - it's an Indigo Blu stamp. Used up another couple of sheets on the inside too!
So that's my post for today - thanks for having a look - will be popping along a little later to visit you all - in the meantime have a great day whatever you're doing! x
Challenges -
Craft for the Craic - Wings
Crafting by Designs - Flowers
Crafters Cafe- Feminine
2 Crafty Girls - Vintage
Dream Valley - Things with Wings
Rosey Hearts - Things with Wings
Kitty Bee - In the Garden

Relaxing Sunday

After a whirlwind (but brilliantly enjoyable) 36 hours across Friday and Saturday - I am having a 'chill out' day!Lovely pre-wedding meal at a fab hotel on Friday night, then a very early start Saturday morning for a civil ceremony within the stunning setting of St Georges Hall at 10am, followed by pastries etc back at the hotel before the newly married couple hopped into a taxi on the start of their trip to the Maldives.
A very small and intimate affair, just 7 of us altogether (them, us, the grooms 2 grown up children and a girlfriend!) -  it was all the more special for that. They're having two small celebrations with their respective families  who live a considerable distance away from each other when they come back!
So here's my share for today -

The papers are very very old - that old I have no idea where they're from!
The darker green piece is two off cuts and I just juggled about positioning it with it so that I got a larger piece to the right and little teen scrap peeping out from the left.
Used some scrap hessian for a 'rustic' feel (cheated a bit with this too cos it's in two pieces - the space is hidden behind the image!)
Highlighted the LOTV image with promarkers and matted onto green card then punched two holes and added metal eyelets.
String threaded through and tied using a metal rimmed clock button for the bow centre.
A tiny metal fish charm tied from the string and positioned onto the top of the sentiment (a freebie from TLC) which was printed onto Kraft then die cut. Two corners punched using the remanants of the die cut piece.
Popping into the Playground this week (been absent but have good excuses which I hope Miss will accept....LOL)

Other Challenges -
Di's Digi's - Green
Challenge Up Your Life - Masculine
Crafting When We Can - Hobby/Activity
Cardz 4 Guyz - Hobbies
City Crafter - Keys/Time

 Oh and of course I couldn't finish the post without a couple of pics from yesterday!

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Time for Tea

I go missing for ages then turn up two days running!
Had some 'me' time yesterday - chill out after a very busy couple of weeks - our holiday seems such a long time ago now!
So during my 'me' time I had a bit of a messy play in the craft space (I should have been doing the cleaning but hey - there's only us here! LOL).
A couple of inky things started then set aside, I mooched about in the paper mountain, pulled a few out and made two cards  mainly to satisfy my craving for frippery as I've been doing quite a bit of CAS lately!

The papers I think are from a Papermania pad? Anyway there's a couple more sheets now used up whoever made them!

The second paper layer was stitched onto the background. I added some cotton lace which for some reason reminded me of a tablecloth with it's pointed edge!
The image is of course from LOTV - love her turban (wonder if she's got a few rollers underneath?? LOL)
Machine stitched the main image onto some co-ordinating textured card and raised it up with 3d foam pads onto the paper doily and then fixed to the base card.
Dusty Concord DI used on the sentiment stamp.
Finished it off with some lilac shoestring ribbon which secures a little metal tea bag charm.
Inside co-ordinated to match (to use up ALL the paper!)

Challenges -
Use Your Stuff - Patterned Paper
Suzie Bees' - Layer It Up
My Besties UK - Tea
Path of Positivity - Happiness (is a nice cuppa and cupcake!)
Desert Island Crafters - Itinerary - No Flowers/Use Ribbon/Use Metal
Inky Chicks - Metal Embellie
Paper Nest Dolls - Anything Goes

Off out to the club again now then to another club this evening to support the other half and his band of merry men! Have a great day whatever you're doing and will catch up with you all later - thanks for visiting! x

Anything Goes at Vintage Stamping!

Today our challenge at Vintage Stamping is 'ANYTHING GOES' so you can make anything you like as long as somewhere on your creation there is some stamping!
I made a 'Man' card!
Aren't I good??? LOL I am not a maker of 'man' cards really - I cannot make something and not put a ribbon, bow, flower or sparkly on it somewhere........... and 'men' don't like all that 'sort of stuff' do they??? LOL
But this one was something that I actually enjoyed doing for a change! 
 The papers are almost as old as me.. well not quite - but I've had them for years - so I dusted them off and used them!
The vintage hot air balloon stamp is from our sponsor and can be found here - the plate is full of brilliant male themed vintage machines so maybe now I will do more man cards!
I stamped the balloon image three times then  decoupaged. I thought about adding Glossy accents - may still do- undecided!
Matted the image onto black card and added a metal corner which I had rubbed over with 'Olive' metallic rub as it was a very shiny silver to start off with.
The script is from an embossing folder which has a large butterfly on it - Just tore off the butterfly and again rubbed over the card with some 'Gold' and 'Olive' metallic rub (as the black card lacked any depth), then sealed it.
The two Edwardian gentlemen is an old stamp which may be from Paperartsy but can't remember - likewise I have had the sentiment stamp for ages and again don't know whose it is.

Thanks for taking the time to visit today - and as you can make anything you want why don't you enter the challenge this time - you may be able to have a spendie on some new stash if you win!

Other Challenges-
Dragonfly Dreams - For the Boys
Ecletic Ellapu - For the Boys
Sentimental Sunday - Vintage/Steampunk
Corrosive Challenges - Metal
Fussy & Fancy - All about travel
Crafty Bloggers - Embossing
Simon Says Stamp - Journey
Incy Wincy - 3/2/1 - (3 stamps, 2 papers, 1 embellie)

Beer and Alcohol!

Some time ago I surprised OH by telling him he needed to drink more beer...... he obliged for a short while then decided that even for art's sake consumption had to be curtailed. No matter - I had enough beer cans by then.
The challenge at Less Is More this week is to use metal. My carefully stored stash of flattened and washed beer cans has been systematically used on various projects but there was the remains of one can left which was just big enough for what I wanted.

 Cut out the beer can with a leaf shaped nestie die.

Out with the Alcohol Inks! I thought about using shades of green but decided that although hopefully Spring is on it's way, I like Autumn colours better.

I used Butterscotch, Caramel, Sunset Orange and Red Pepper.

Leaf duly coloured, I turned it over and began to emboss the back with a metal embossing tool. Most of it was done freehand and I'm happy with the way it turned out.
Even the small bits of can left were utilised by cutting out the sentiment and two tiny corners -  not a scrap of can left!

I dyed the string with Distress Inks Dried Marigold and Tea Dye and used an Embossabilities folder for the woodgrain background.
As this was made using a scrap of a beer can I am joining in the fun at the Snippets Playground this week!

Other Challenges -
Cuttlebug Mania - Add Texture
SOS - Heavy Metal
CAS on Sunday - Masculine
Crafting Cafe - Embossing
2 Sisters - Embossing

So that's it from me today. Not quite 100% but feel much better than I have done and thanks to everyone who sent me good wishes. Have a great day whatever you're doing! x

Born to be Wild?

My man stash is seriously low!!!!!!
And the cards stash is as well........ LOL

Made this earlier in the week and it kind of just evolved with lots of bits which needed to be used up as they were getting moved about and no doubt would have ended up dog eared and tattered and then in the bin!

The stamp is one which I bought some time ago as I thought it would be useful for man cards - it's never seen ink until now!
I stamped it onto some dark yellow coredinations cardstock and matted it onto black.
The whole card is made on black cardstock - the hounds tooth backing paper is from an old paper stack which has long lost the front so have no idea who made it - wish I did 'cos the more I look at it, the more I like it... and perhaps may have bought another pad the same!
The cogs and wheels were all cut from black card.
The embossed piece was a scrap left over from another project and found it's way onto here for no other reason other than it looked a bit like a tyre tread??
(Well I thought it did anyway!)
I put two square black metal brads in the top corner.
The 'Route 66' sign was a download, topped off with glossy accents and I finished it with a metal spanner charm which has been in my stash since the year dot!
Now all I need is someone who likes bikes to send it to........

Challenges -
Delightful Challenges - Make it Pop (Lots of Layers)
Paper Playtime - Lots of Yellow
Cards for Men - Heavy Metal
Top Tip Tuesday - Dry Embossing
The Male Room - Anything Goes
Penny's paper Crafty - Dry Embossing
Oldie but Goodie - Boy/Male
LOC -  Use something Metal and/or LOC

Hello to my latest followers - thank you for following me!
Am off for a trawl through blogland now - and wish you all a great weekend whatever you're doing! x

On the Wings of Love.....

... know it was a song... know the next line.. (only the 2 of us together flying high) and the darn music has just been going round and round in my head the entire time I have been making this - but can't for the life of me remember who sang it.... will have to google it! (Wouldn't mind but I wasn't fussed on the song when it was released, so will someone please tell me why I remember it????!!)

Anyway - spent some time today finishing this - I decided a couple of weeks ago that I needed to practice more with metal so I suppose this might have been a bit ambitious - but - 14th Feb is fast approaching and although OH and I don't celebrate Valentines, it is OH's birthday! And this year is a huge milestone.... massive milestone.... gi-normous milestone... LOL

So to show him that I still think he is the best thing since sliced bread despite the fact that come the 14th he will be officially 'middle aged' - I thought I should practice my metalwork on this little frame to mark the momentous occasion!

Frame painted with Prussian Blue acylic paint. Blue metal put through the Sissix with the Swiss dots folder then sanded for the silver to show through and attached to frame, script printed onto pale grey paper. I didn't have any red metal to use for the heart so instead just embossed some thick card and coloured it with a red promarker and ran some black paint over it with my fingertip to tone it down a bit. I then edged it with a silver Krylon pen. The wings (a paperartsy stamp) were stamped onto the metal, the edges embossed with the herringbone tool and then shaped to mimic flight. The metal 'Love' charm I have had in my stash for ever and I just added some metal hearts into the corners of the frame.

Not bad, but more practice needed!

The Gingersnap Creations team has a challenge on a metallic theme this month so this is duly submitted!

Winter Wonderland

Another beer can! Basics are the same as the Winter Birds further down in this blog - a beer can ungrudgingly donated by the Other Half, the frame is the same Cuttlebug embossing folder. Wanting to create a 'cold' feel this time I used 'Sail Boat Blue' and 'Stream' alcohol inks with a silver mixative.

I mixed two different sets of beading along the bottom to try and represent varying shades of icicles. The snowmen image was printed onto canvas type card for texture. The greeting was in a pack of Christmas buttons and the pearly snowflake is from my stash with some fluffy snowy white fibres wrapped round it. I used the same fibres to make the hangers.

I have submitted this to Gingersnap Creation's, whose December challenge is 'Winter Wonderland' and also a very late entry into Theme Thursday's theme of 'Christmas Holiday Creations'.

More metal

Have no idea where the last week has gone..... I'd like to say I have been absent because I have been getting organised for Christmas but that is one great big fib! I have though made - a Xmas present (which I can't show you here cos it'll spoil the surprise), - another wall hanging from a beer can (which I'll post later) and - this small canvas. So I haven't been idle... just guilty of not finishing my Christmas Cards!

This was another dabble with metal (bought piece this time, not one of OH's cans!) and although I am reasonably pleased with it (and myself- LOL), there are a couple of things that need more practice. I am still struggling with getting the background completely smooth after embossing and stretching the actual design but I'm hoping that this is the case where 'practice makes perfect'!

The stamp and quote is by Elusive Images. I 'antiqued' the flower plaque by using acrylic paint, but opted to leave this (much used by me) quote bare. Both are mounted onto black card. I painted the canvas with a mixture of acrylic paints and cosmic shimmer powders. The 3 small metal 'studs' were in my stash and fortunately for me were a good colour match!

Winter Birds

I just HAD to make something out of the empty beer cans that OH has been obligingly supplying me with - it was a real labour of love for him as you can imagine - (lol!).

Inspired by Jan (and encouraged once again by Maureen re using alcohol inks) I completed this wall hanging this morning.

The beer can was embossed with the cuttlebug die and then coloured with alco inks (-Burnt Orange colour mostly).

The bird image I printed onto cotton fabric paper. I added some feathers and a couple of 'eggs'. The leaf arrangement on the right is made up of a large leaf that Maureen cut out and embossed for me (from yet another beer can OH donated - LOL) as I don't have a leaf die - (something else for the shopping list!) and two smaller fabric leaves and a couple of sparkly flowers from my stash. The beading at the bottom was a gift from Maureen and I thought it co ordinated well with the piece and finally I added an antique look chain to hang it with.

My other half appears to be delighted that I have taken to wanting metal to work with....... can't understand why!!!

I have submitted this piece to Gingersnap Creations whose challenge this week is to use frames.

A first attempt at something different

I stayed with Maureen on Friday as I had to attend the National Presentation then a meeting on Saturday morning. Maureens OH played taxi service for me (what a nice man he is) and once the meeting was over I got back to Maureen's as fast as I could so I could play messy before driving home!

Maureen is my tutor on all things crafty............. and having bought lots of stash at the NEC recently only just had room in the car for my evening wear after loading the craft stuff!

So.... Saturday afternoon, she gave me several tutorials on things I was unsure about including how to apply napkins as a background properly.

I was also itching to start with metal and after not having any success with a large stamped image (I kept creasing the metal whilst trying to emboss the design), I embarked on a smaller metal project using one of Maureens stamps. Metal bit finished I packed up and sadly had to come home! Where does the time go when you start crafting?

This morning I decided to finish the torn napkin background which Maureen had started yesterday.. during the tearing and sticking process I thought about using the finished metal piece on the background.

So here it is - The birdie image stamped onto tissue is the only bit of the project that I am not happy with as I think I used too much Mod Podge to stick it and it hasn't got a completely smooth appearance(didn't have any gel medium so reverted to Mod Podge) - I was scared to press too hard to remove some of the creases as I didn't want the design to disintegrate! I distressed the chipboard 'branch', added a couple of fabric leaves and gave birdie a sparkly eye.

I LOVED doing this... I am hooked I think! I love the cat stamp (another thing that I will now HAVE to buy - lol) and the quote 'You know you love me' just seemed apt for the bird to say whilst being stared at by Kitty looking for his dinner! Kitty has turned out quite well for a first try at metal I think although looks better when enlarged - so please click on it and have a look!

I now have a problem about how to display it..... don't know whether to just mount it onto a plain canvas background or what? Have tried various colours behind it but none seem right so am open to suggestions! Even though it is not perfect I tried very hard!

Have entered this into the Lots To Do challenge which has an open theme this week.

Metal Experimentation!

Maureen has been visiting! I have had a great few days culminating in a slap up meal last night and lots of laughs at the dinner table!

My purse however is somewhat lighter due to the craft stash that I was FORCED to buy when we paid a visit to a craft shop in Lancashire - I will not advertise it here but for those card makers amongst you, if I told you the 'ladies room' was decorated in pink complete with black chandelier and gem encrusted toilet brush you might be able to guess where we were!

Anyway back to the visit. I have never tried to do anything with metal before but the bold Maureen (who I think has tried EVERYTHING - lol) arrives for the designated 'crafting day' complete with metal tools and metal sheets in varying lovely shades, after me mentioning in passing that I quite faniced having a go but didn't know where to start. (She arrived with tons of other stuff too but more of that later).

So with the men packed off to the bowling green we proceeded to make a mess in the craft room (which I had tidied up especially!).

This wall hanging was inspired by a book called 'Images on Metal' and is the result of my endeavours - image stamped onto aluminium sheet and then edged with a 'dot' tool, the blue background paper is from my stash with a few more stamped flourishes added and stuck onto mountboard. OH had found 3 rolls of plasterer's joint tape during a shed clear out and I painted some of it with silver metallic paint, pegged it out to dry then used it down the left side adding a blue skeleton leaf, some seed beads, a couple of mosaic tiles and a silver filigree piece and metal word.

I really like this and am determined to do some more experimenting with metal, particularly as I was the fortunate winner of a recent give away in Craft Stamper magazine - 7 Paper Artsy Geometric Stamp Plates especially for using on metal - which arrived as a great surprise 2 days before Maureen did!!

I will post more details of Maureens visit over the next few days..... am off for a lie down to recover!! LOL

Mixed Media Monday has the theme of Metal this week so I have entered this into the challenge!