Tuesday Taggers 19 01 10

The theme for this week's Tuesday Taggers is "Leftovers". I've only just started doing their challenges, and didn't know about saving things from Christmas for this week's, so I hope this will count.

I've made a card for my younger grandson for his first birthday next Thursday, and apart from the lettering, it's made entirely from the packaging from a set of children's reward stickers. Very plain and simple, but the bright colours will appeal, and he loves animals, so I think he'll like it.

Here's the original packaging:

And here's the card:

I think I'm safe posting it now - I don't think he'll be reading my blog before next Thursday! (Although [proud grandma alert!] he has been walking since he was 10 and a half months old, can say quite a few words and does great impressions of sheep and lions!)

PS. Is anyone else unable to see their followers at the moment? Since yesterday Blogger Dashboard tells me I have 39, but on my blog there's just a blank space where they should be. And I can't see anyone else's. I've had a couple of new ones today - thank you and welcome to my blog, but I can't see who you are! Please leave me a comment and say hello, so I can come and visit you!

PPS. When adding my entry to Tuesday Taggers I inadvertently put the wrong link in Mr Linky, & had to post another saying ignore the previous one. Hands up all those who looked at it anyway!

Allsorts Challenge Week 35 - Brown and Pink

Really had to think about this one, as brown and pink is not one of my favourite colour combinations. A bit too sickly for my taste. So I opted for scenic rather than soppy, hoping it might tone down the sweetness a bit.

I managed to use up a bit of old stash - the Stampbord, which I bought a few years ago and never did much with. I don't know why, it's brilliant for stamping on. I've got 64 small squares put away somewhere to make a chess board - if I ever get round to it!

Anyway, the background on the Stampbord is done with alcohol inks, and then overstamped with Versamagic. The border is a Martha Stewart punch, and the greeting by Craftwork Cards, mounted on a Nestabilities scallop circle. Stamps by Stampscapes (lake scene, heron, small rushes and birds on brown background), Clarity Stamp (trees on brown background), Art Impressions (flowers bottom left) and Craftwork Cards (rushes top right).

Tuesday Taggers

Here's my entry for this week's Tuesday Taggers. It's 10 minutes to the deadline, so details to follow!!

..........

Well, I think (I hope!) I made it in time! The theme for this week was "Tag it with birds".  I'm pleased to say that all the materials on this tag are from my bit box! The background's done with alcohol inks, all stamps are by Crafty Individuals.

Allsorts Challenge Week 34

The Allsorts challenge for this week is a sketch, by Emma. Since I still had the Hero Arts flourish stamp out on my desk, I thought I'd use it on this card too. This time I stamped it on glossy card with Versamark ink, which then resisted the Distress Inks I sponged over it. The four printed paper panels are old stash (very old! - from Provocraft pre-Cuttlebug!) and the butterfly, which I thought echoed the leaves in the flourish rather well, is Elusive Images from Graphicus. The sentiment is computer generated and cut out with Nestabilities frames. I coloured the punched flowers and leaves with Promarkers.

Well, that's two challenges in two days I've completed! It's unlikely I'll be able to keep going at such a rate, but I mean to do as many as I can.

New challenges!

Another of my crafting aims for the new year is to start entering some challenges. I didn't really have the time to do so last year, but I'm making a start here with a card for Tuesday Taggers. The theme for this week is "Classic Black and White".

The flourish stamp is by Hero Arts, and the butterfly and sentiment are Elusive Images from Graphicus. I used two Martha Stewart punches, the Simple Scallop, and the gorgeous new Pop Up Butterflies. The bonus with the latter is that you get lots of little punched-out butterflies left over, so I stuck a few amongst the swirls, having coloured them black with a Promarker. The sentiment was cut out with a Nestabilities frame.

Working to a brief like this is a bit outside my comfort zone, but it will do me good! I did enjoy the challenge.

Altered photo frame, and a Light Tip!

My altered photo frame is finished! This is what it looked like originally. I gave the frame and base a couple of coats of gesso, and then sponged the base with Ranger Acrylic Dabbers. I picked up some of the paint on a fine paint brush and dotted it on to give the effect of flowers.Next I stamped the frame with various Elusive Images stamps from Graphicus, and dotted a few flowers on there too. The butterflies and toadstools (also Elusive Images) were made with shrink plastic & coloured with Promarkers. The photo frame, which is about 5" tall, came from Hobbycraft.

Now it looks like this!

The photo, by the way, is of the Black Water of Dee where it flows through part of the Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries and Galloway. That particular spot is known as the Otter Pool. We visited there a few years ago, and it's a most beautiful place. Do click on the picture to see the larger version.

During these dark and gloomy winter days, I've seen various people lamenting that they cannot get a good photo of their projects because of the lack of light. Here's a tip which might help. I use an energy saving high power (20w) daylight craft bulb in my desk lamp. It's made by the Daylight Company and is available directly from them or from Hobbycraft. It comes in bayonet or screw fitting, and although it's quite expensive (around £10) it's definitely worth every penny. It does have extra long life (claimed to last up to 8 times longer than a normal bulb - I can't verify that because I'm still on my first one, but I've had it quite a long time!) so really it's reasonably economical, and of course, environmentally friendly.

It gives a bright, white light close to normal daylight, so apart from the fact that it makes photography much easier, it's also a far better light for working under, meaning that your colours look natural and reducing eye strain. I might add that I have no connection with the Daylight Company whatsoever, but I do highly recommend these bulbs. I hope this information will be helpful.

Poppies

One of my crafting resolutions for this year is to try more non-card projects, and to that end I am currently working on altering a little photo frame like the one I gave away with my blog candy last month. However, I couldn't resist ordering one of the new Hero Arts stamps, the Poppy Background,  which was delivered yesterday, and I just had to make a quick card with it straightaway. I love poppies, and this stamp has lots of potential. I think it is going to become one of my all-time favourite stamps.

I stamped it with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate and clear embossed it, then coloured it with Promarkers. The sentiment, by Craftwork Cards, was also coloured with Promarkers. Before I stuck the picture to the card, though, I was tempted to use the back rather than the front! The Promarker ink soaked through the paper and it left an interesting image on the reverse, rather like pressed flowers (see below). I might have to do another one!

Hero Arts at one time was my favourite stamp company, but their style changed somewhat a few years ago and became a bit too cute for my liking. However, their new 2010 catalogue has some absolutely gorgeous designs. I foresee a sudden depletion in my bank balance!

The Stamp Man Blog Hop Winners!

The winners are announced!

H – Jill - Selection of Moonglow products - JulyeB
N - Janet - Choice of one of the new 3 Kay Carley DVDs - Charlotte
Y – Debbie - A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet - Susan
T – Michelle - 400 assorted round brads - Helen
O – Vix - Selection of Moonglow products - Cheryl
Y – Tracey - A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet - Stamping Sue
O – Avril - 400 assorted round brads - Wilma
U – Kay - Choice of one of the new 3 Kay Carley DVDs - Shairon
A –Teri - A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet - Laura
N – Emma - Selection of Moonglow products - Ginger
D – Lisa - 400 assorted round brads - Zoechaos
Y – Sarah - A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet - Sid
O – Christine - Choice of one of the new 3 Kay Carley DVDs - Brenda
U – Lynne - 400 assorted round brads - Julie Riley
R – PatR - Selection of Moonglow products - Lynne in NI
S - Lyn (blackdragon) - A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet - Sally H

If you haven't already, nip over to Jill's blog, because some of you need to choose your prize.

Congratulations to all the winners! I'm sure you'll enjoy your prizes, which were generously donated by Jill. Even if you were not one of the lucky ones, I hope you enjoyed the blog hop. I did, and am delighted that because of it I've found so many more lovely blogs to visit. And thank you very much to everyone who left me such lovely comments. Once again, a big thank you to Jill for organising it. It certainly brightened up the cold and icy start to the year.

Tidy start to the New Year!

The jigsaw is finished! It didn't take as long as I had thought it would, once I'd got all the edge pieces in place - and worked out that parts of the picture were not the same as the one on the box lid!

It was laid on a big piece of card, and by taping across the finished jigsaw with some low tack tape so it wouldn't move, I managed to bend it enough to get it through the doorway, and it is now residing on the spare bed until I can bring myself to break it up! This means I now have my desk back. Not only that, because I had to clear it to make room for the jigsaw, my desk is tidy! Here's the proof.

Look well, for you're not likely to see it like that again for a long time! Just got a couple of things to catch up on before I can start messing it up again.....

Last chance to take part in The Stampman Blog Hop!

The Stamp Man Blog Hop closes at midnight tonight! If you haven't joined in yet, you can still do it by starting from Jill's Blog. Lots of lovely prizes to be won, and fantastic inspiration to be seen on the blogs along the way. Still time to enter the Awards too.

It's been great fun, and many thanks to Jill for organising it. Looking forward to the next one!