Daring Cardmakers II-Little Extra Revisted

Well I must say.........this latest midweek dare has got the old creative juices flowing. This is my third card for this one. Just a pretty simple one but I just love these colours together.

I was supposed to be doing some work today if you remember but I decided I would get some household jobs done instead.......seeing as how I seem to be the only one in our house who knows the meaning of the words 'clean' and 'tidy'. So I got a bit done then thought I might as well have the rest of the day off as by the time we had finished tea and tidied up it was 7pm gone. A bit norty really cos I won't be working tonight much........got a date with hubby and a DVD and he doesn't get in until after 10pm.
Oh well there is always tomorrow and it is only a few packs left to make up and then get everything packed.........and if I packed everything now you can bet your bottom dollar there would be something I need to use and I would have to unpack it all again........well I've convinced meself of that anyway.

I've got nothing else booked for a while so I am looking forward to getting my teeth into some new experiments......I may even go so far as to get out my sewing machine.
I am also going to be sorting out my stamps and getting rid of some as I do have way too many that I don't use any more. The same with my dies for my cutting machines.
Then once I have had a good sort out I think I may redecorate the room, replace the old carpet and try to clear the window ledges and put up some curtains ready for winter.
Hubby was going to sort me out a shed to use as a work room but that is another thing on the back boiler for now as he is tied up with helping a friend through the summer with different landscaping and fencing jobs...as if I haven't got enough jobs want doing here......lol!!!

Right I'm off for a quick bath and then I am going to veg in front of the telly and watch The Apprentice.

Bye for now
Sheila-x-

Daring Cardmakers-A Little Extra

Ooooooh those girls at Daring cardmakers are in sooooooo much trouble. The work I was supposed to do tonight went right out the window when I saw the 'Little Extra' dare. Just had to have a go at it as a couple of ideas popped into my head.

The first card is totally inspired by Godelieve http://www.stampingmathilda.blogspot.com/

who does the most awesome work stamping in white onto vellum. It's something I have never done because I don't actually like the feel of vellum....kind of a finger nails down a chalk board thing with me....lol!!! Anyway, I used the new Flourish set from TandaStamps and stamped and embossed the flourishes using Versamark and white embossing powder onto the black card. I then did the same onto a piece of vellum and cut out the flowers which were then attached with a spot of Glossy Accents and decorated with a tiny crystal.

Using a black Stazon pad I stamped the image once more onto vellum and cut out the flowers attaching them again with Glossy Accents and decorating with a crystal. The dots and writing are done by hand.

The second card..........well I don't know where that came from I really don't.....lol!!!

I have this huge pile of nasty pink card which looked lovely in the bright lights of the Paper Mill outlet..........didn't look so nice in the daylight though. So I thought I'd see if I could use a couple of pieces up and the rest they say is history......more like a mystery if you ask me.

It's all dye ink stamping using the spiders web from the new Tandastamps Set of Backgrounds. Grunged over with a black Stazon pad adding more to the edges to give a bit of definition.

The wording is done with my Dymo and set out onto a spare piece of card. I outlined it in black pen and then cut it out as a whole piece.

I feel so naughty because I spent all evening doing this..........but I didn't half enjoy it.

Apologies to anyone who has sent me an e mail. I can't access my mail box. It keeps telling me that I am not connected to the internet......which I most obviously am. I've tried everything I know to get into it and no joy so will have to wait for DD to have a look tomorrow.

Oh blimey it's half past two.........where on earth did the time go? Best go get some shuteye.
Night night
Sheila-x-

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

As you can see I have been ferretting in the drawer again. This time I found a piece of map paper and some travel themed cigarette cards.
Got the distressing inks out again for the map and grunged the cards with a Stazon pad in Timber Brown. Layered the cards onto some brown card and trimmed to leave just a tiny edge showing to frame the picture. Added some of the fabby gear die cuts and then die cut the letters from mountboard, distressed them by covering in ink and then spraying with bleach while the ink was wet. Once dried I added Glossy Accents.
It needed a little something so I drew the arrows onto some reddish brown card and cut them out.
I need to do some more prep work when I get home from the shop tomorrow ready for the weekend but after I have done I think I'll have another play and do something with a bit more colour in it seeing as I have posted three brown cards in row. Obviously just felt like being a grungy girl these past couple of days.......lol!!!
Well I am off to tidy up. If I clear the decks now I will be able to get the prep done quicker which gives me more time to play......eeeeeeh I'm not as daft as I look!!!
Night night
Sheila-x-
Edited.......I forgot to say that the layout of the card is based on a Becky Fleck sketch from April 2005. I need to practice with sketches as I am not very good at them so tend not to do them when they come up as challenges. Think I still need a bit more practice though.

A Little Bit Of Indoor Gardening!!!

Can't you tell it's a Bank Holiday Weekend?..............it's cold and miserable here so I don't much feel like going out in the garden or anywhere else for that matter.
So today I thought I would take a day off from doing stuff I have to do and have a bit of a play with some things I have had for a long time and never used. I have an office drawer set with five drawers stuffed full of background trial pieces and all sorts of things like vintage labels and little books of ATC papers so I thought I would set to and use a few bits as I have had some of them for years.
The card above is the result and I have to say I am quite happy with how it turned out even though it took me all morning to put it together after having the idea for it while doing something totally different yesterday.
I started off with a piece of ribbed brown card which reminded me of raked soil and went on from there layering a piece from an ATC book and then a piece of a page from a very old gardening book which was so dilapidated when I bought it that it was in a plastic bag to keep it all together. These were first distressed with some inks.
Next I mounted the seed packet image.........a sticker from Calico Crafts......onto another piece of the brown card and attached it on foam pads.
Then it was just a case of digging around to see what other garden related items I had so I made a hank of garden string secured with a staple from my Fastenater. The watering can is cut from copper sheet using a Wizard die and the trowel is a Quickutz die distressed with inks.
I also added a few small Prima flowers and dotted the centres with copper glitter glue and the letter G is a Hampton Art stamp from my Da Vinci alphabet. The rest of the word garden is my handwriting.
For a 6 x 6 card I seem to have made an awful lot of mess so I had best clear that up before I start anything else....lol!!! That's if I can concentrate with hubby fast asleep and snoring on the sofa in the lounge...........I swear his snoring would register on the Richter Scale it's so loud. Bless him!!!
Hope you are all enjoying the long weekend.
Bye for now
Sheila-x-

Daring Cardmakers-Working 9-5

This week it's my turn (Jo) and I'm going to dare you to use bits and bobs from the office for your cards.
It's been a while since I had a 'real' job - other than being a Mum and of course playing with bits of paper...Reminiscing... I would like you to make a card using some thing that you would normally find in an office environment. Such as... staples, paperclips, paper fasteners, file folders, library cards, hole punches, lined paper etc you get the drift.

Mmmmm........I didn't have much in the way of office bits and bobs. I know I have some paper clips somewhere.....but where they are is anybody's guess. I hope the Dymo tape and the tag will pass muster for this challenge.

I started by stamping all the images onto smooth white card and then painted them with Moonshadow Inks using Burnt Umber for the background piece and Ethereal Emerald for the other images.

The alphabet tape is by 7 Gypsies and I used a luggage tag which I grunged with Stazon, as a background for the greeting.

Well I have had a very busy day today. I had a pile of mountboard offcuts that were really driving me mad as they have been hanging about for ages. So I set to with the Bigshot and I have reduced it all down into shapes to use as chipboard pieces. I think I must have cut over 500 pieces so expect chipboard to be appearing quite a lot on my cards for the foreseeable future........lol!!!

It was a pretty boring job as I couldn't have any music on to with two night shift workers in bed. Funny how they wouldn't hear me if I shouted them to get up but they can hear my music no matter how low I put it on.

I'm finding it fascinating reading what everybody's favourite crafting item is. I have to say that I haven't the faintest idea what a stamp-a-ma-jig is. I'll have to Google that one and find out.

I have to admit to being a bad girl..........I have ordered a Cuttlebug. I did say that I wouldn't have one as I was using the embossing folders in my Bigshot but being the untidy crafter that I am there just never seems to be room on my desk to put the Bigshot for quick jobs so I'm thinking that the Cuttlebug will solve that problem................I am soooooo good at justifying my spending aren't I?

Time to go and soak my poor aching arms and shoulders in a nice hot bath I think and then I had better go and let hubby know that he still has a wife. I will sit and watch a film with him.........hope DD has something we haven't seen in her DVD library.

Hope you are all enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend.

Bye for now

Sheila-x-

10.000........Cor Blimey!!!

THIS BLOG CANDY DRAW IS NOW CLOSED
THANKS TO ALL WHO TOOK PART
THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON MONDAY EVENING

I cannot believe that I have reached the 10,000 mark on my hit counter........but I don't think I will demand a recount......lol!!!
So this calls for a celebration and a bit of Blog Candy methinks. What do you say?
Yes?.......OK then.
What I will offer is for the winner to choose their most favourite card/technique from my blog, including any posted up to the closing date and I will make up a pack based on that card/technique. This will include card blanks, stamped images and a few extra bits. Unfortunately I will be unable to include any noxious chemicals. These will have to be added by the winner.
To win all you have to do is tell me.....
Your most favourite crafting item.
It can be an essential tool or a favourite stamp you keep going back to.....anything.
Leave your comments on this post only.Closing date will be midnight on Sunday June 3rd 2007.
Come and play......wherever you are in the world.





Todays cards are some that I have made using some paper from a DCWV pack and a very simple stamping technique using an Adirondack ink pad.
I get so involved sometimes with all the more complicated techniques that it is nice to do something quite simple and easy.
The flower and the car have just been stamped in Stonewash Adirondack onto smooth white card. I then allowed the ink to dry a little before taking a water brush and drawing in some of the colour from the outline to fill in the design.
If you don't have a water brush just use a damp paint brush.
The flower has been enclosed in a metal rimmed tag using the MM Tag Maker but you could just as easily mount it onto a square of silver card. I used ribon over the join in the papers and stamped a simple greeting using a Stazon ink pad in Midnight Blue.
The car has been cut out and attached with foam pads and the Thin Cuts Gear die cuts have been attached with eyelets and a piece of ribbon has been attached with a brad.
Have to say that I am pretty chuffed with how these turned out and I love these two paper designs which I also have in a gorgeous green that I am eager to use.
Well despite having had a sleep when I got in from work I am still pretty tired so I think I will go and have a read and then catch some more zeds. Got a busy day ahead so need to be on form.
Bye for now
Sheila-x-

Last Day of the Roman Stampfest!!!

That's it then..........I've had enough of stamping mens cards now. This is the last lot of Roman cards for now.

The first one is a very loose interpretation of the Retiform technique. The centre panel is coloured with Adirondacks in Stonewashed and Denim. The other panels are Stonewashed and Eggplant.

I don't know what you would call the second technique though maybe 'Stupid Woman Sitting Up Until 3am Cutting Out Half Inch Squares Of Card' would fit the bill.........lol!!!

The third card is a Sizzix tag cut from an alcohol ink background of Mushroom and Espresso. I then stamped the image and painted with alcohol inks and blending solution. For the mosaic tiles I cut tiny squares from funky foam using a square plier punch and stamped the colours individually using an assortment of Adirondack inks.

That's my bit done this week for workshop cards so I need to clear my desk now, have a good tidy up and then make a card for an order and a few cards for the stand at the local shop.

DD is doing tea tonight so I don't have to worry about that. Not that she does cooking..........her best friends are M&S and Tesco's Finest.......lol!!! So we are having cold chicken with fresh salad and Jersey Royals.

What with one thing and another I have got so behind with The Big Challenge on Carolyns so I will try and make some of the cards for the shop fit the challenge.

Catch you later

Sheila-x-

Friends, Romans and all that!!!

Just before I left work on Thursday the Elusive Images delivery came and the boss gave me two sets of stamps and asked me to have a play with them. I had forgotten about them until today so have had a quick play and produced the two cards above.

The first one is a Sizzix Super Scallop Tag which I have covered with layers of crumpled facial tissue using Mod Podge adhesive. I part dried it with a heat gun and then rubbed Adirondack inks over it......Butterscotch, Lettuce and Rust. Left it to dry while I went and had a nap and then stamped the images in Jet Black Stazon. I rubbed some colour onto the card blank and stamped the two pillars onto some dark terracotta cardstock.

The second card looks so much better in real life. I have stamped the letter plaque onto beige funky foam and coloured it with rub on waxes in a pale copper edged with gold. The coins are also stamped onto funky foam, waxed with gold and then I added some darkish brown chalk over the top as they looked a bit bright.

Fabulous stamps as usual from Elusive Images. They just stamp so beautifully.

Wasn't feeling well enough to go out today so DD went out for me to try and get me some black card. She came back without the card but she did get me some of those little clear stamp sets at £1.49. They are absolutely gorgeous so I'm chuffed to bits.........good job really as she got me fourteen sets........lol!!!

I have a class tomorrow morning which I must go and get ready for. I know one of the ladies has a look at my blog before she comes and she usually knows what we will be doing in the class by what I have posted...........P.......this week I am keeping you guessing but you will be glad to know that I have it all planned.......ha ha ha!!! See you later.

Right I am off for a bath before I do anything else.

Bye for now

Sheila-x-

Forgot to say........sorry about the scans being so terrible. I am using Windows Picture Gallery at the moment as my Print Shop Photo Pro was incompatable with Windows Vista. As soon as I get a new programme things should improve hopefully.

Stamping Through The Night!!!

Couldn't sleep last night so I made three cards for the third challenge of The Big Challenge over at Crafts by Carolyn forum. It had to be three men's cards so I started off with the fishing card using my favourite set of stamps from Rubbadubbadoo. I seem to be having a bit of a thing for my Adirondacks at the minute so the background is Stonewashed, Lettuce and Denim rubbed on with cotton wool. The birds have been stamped in Moonlight White Brilliance and then on the circles I added accents with a white gel pen.......another current favourite.

For the motorbike card I used a spotty background stamp and a paisley background stamp both Stamp n'Stor by Sunday International. The spotty one is coloured with Red Pepper and Cranberry Adirondack and the paisley has been chalked with black chalk around the edges.

The motorike is by Clarity Stamps and has been stamped in Stazon and then coloured over with the Red Pepper and Cranberry ink. The chain has been secured with brads.

For the VW card I first coloured some pieces of card using Ancient Page in Palm Leaf, Redwood and Light Brown and then stamped in Onyx Black Versafine.

The stamp is Anita's.

I do love doing these challenges and wish I had the time to do all the ones posted every week.

Off to see what the next challenge on the list is and see if I can squeeze a bit of time to do it. I should really be sorting out cards for workshops but you never know......some of what I do could be workshop cards if I use the right stamps.

Catch you later

Sheila-x-

Daring Cardmakers-Starting From Scratch

This week's challenge has been set by Tracie and we have to make a card using no purchased or pre assembled embellishments such as blooms, buttons and brads etc.
Playing safe I decided to go right back to basics and have made everything myself on this card.
The background papers are hand drawn with the help of a ruler for the lined one.
The colouring has been done with Adirondack ink pads in Stream and Lettuce for the background papers and Red Pepper and Cranberry for the embellishments.
Accents have been added using a white gel pen.
What a brilliant challenge. I had a great time doing this one.
Thanks Tracie

Sheila-x-

Testing, Testing.........123!!!

Just testing adding images with this 40th birthday card. I did make this a while ago but had to use something that I rescued from the old computer until we get the scanner and printer hooked up to the laptop.
Although I have lost quite a bit of stuff, it isn't quite as bad as I first thought it would be so I am very relieved.
First day back at the shop today since last Tuesday. Had a fab day and came home as usual with a bag full of stash as there had been deliveries while I was away.
I got some more Oriental sets in the Habico clear stamps so I can't wait to play with those. Actually I think that apart from a couple of stamps I bought all Oriental ones today.........I really have got the bug bad now. At one time I didn't like that style of card at all.
June 2nd I am doing a private class for some ladies in Stockport and I was going to do the cards I did in Devon but I need to tweak that a bit and design a couple of new ones as I over ran on both days. I may just alter the technique rather than design totally different cards though.
Well I am totally whacked now as I have spent this evening clearing all my workspace and the floor ready to start cutting all the class packs and packing my bags again. Once that is done though I can start to play again for a while until the next demo.
I'm off for a nice relaxing bath now and a read of me book.
Night night
Sheila-x-

Daring Cardmakers-Beautiful

I really wanted to do the Daring Cardmakers Little Extra earlier in the week but didn't have time so today I have mixed business with pleasure and made this card which is a sample for the demo area next week.

I've taken a piece of DCWV paper and swiped around the edges with a Versacolour ink pad in Bamboo and then done a bit of light grunging with a Stazon ink pad in Jet Black.

The TandaStamps image has been stamped onto the same paper then made into a metal rimmed piece by using a MM Tag Maker.

A Dunelm bloom has been used as the background and then I added a spotty Prima Flower.

The doodly stuff is hand drawn.

Well I had a fab morning in town. I don't usually do the whole Saturday morning in town thing because I'm not much of a browser. I know what I want and woe betide anybody who gets in me road...lol!!! On my own I can do our local big town in half an hour and be home before I know I've even gone.

This morning though I really did enjoy it and got a few bargainous things too which is always a bonus.

From Poundland I bought two packs of four flexible chopping boards A3 size in pink, green, blue and yellow I bought them with the intention of using them as messy mats at classes but looking at them you could actually die cut shapes from them to make embellishments. I shall be sending somebody back to town tomorrow methinks.

They had nothing crafty as far as I could see apart from some pretty nasty scrapbooking kits and only a couple of those. The best ones had obviously gone.

From Home Bargains I bought the cutest garden tool set which came in one of those tote bag things with pockets all around the outside. It's in yummy cream and green and I swear it used to belong to Mary Poppins.........you should see the stuff you can fit in it....mega bargain.

Also from there.......packs of four coasters which are fab for altering....49p.

I resisted buying any new clothes from Evans which wasn't too hard considering the appalling collection they have in. Who in their right mind could think that anybody over size zero would look good in a denim mini skirt that was no more than 10 inches long. All the tops were either too short or made from that awful fabric that clings and shows every lump and bump. Everything was absolutely hideous. They must think that us plumptious ladies are so desperate for clothes that we'll buy anything.

Well not me matey.........I'd rather get the machine out and make me own ta very much.

Well back to work now then.

Bye for now

Sheila-x-

Daring Cardmakers-Wings

Unfortunately I don't have time this week to take part in the fab challenge set by Jane at Daring Cardmakers as I have a pretty heavy workload. So I have had a dig around in my files and found this Christmas card.
Now any of you who have this stamp will spot that the picture is actually back to front and this is due to the Packing Tape Lifting technique I learned from the fabulous Trish Bee.
The stamp was inked with Stazon and then wide packing tape was placed across the area I wanted to lift and smoothed out to make sure all areas were covered.
After lifting the tape off it was carefully attached to a piece of white, very fine ribbed card and trimmed.
The colouring was then done with a weak solution of Alcohol Inks.
I love this technique and would like to play with it some more when I have some time.

Well I am just off to town to pick up some essential bits for next week and get a bit of fresh air.
Due to various spanners being thrown into the works my preparation for next week is not finished so no trip to Cheshire unfortunately. That will have to wait until I come back from Totnes.
Have a lovely weekend
Bye for now
Sheila-x-

Completely Barking!!!

That's what I have decided I am.........2.30 am and I have just finished the card below for the workshop tomorrow. I need another one but I need my bed more so I am going to do the second card at the shop tomorrow morning as the class is in the afternoon. I've used the Wax Paper Resist technique to make the burgundy paper and layered it over some 7 Gypsies script. The shoe is one of my new Clarity Stamps and has been stamped twice, cut and layered.

Got a bit behind due to an upset stomach after eating tinned spaghetti.......stupid, stupid thing.....forgot it didn't agree with me. It's years since I ate it.

Sorry this is so short but I need sleep.

See you all tomorrow

Bye for now.

Sheila-x-

A Pearly Pain Up The Rear!!!

Eeeeh I've been having trouble tonight what with one thing and another.

Needed one final card for the workshops next week and had one all planned in my head........could I get the flipping thing to come together right?........Big fat NO!!!

So I have had to change my plans drastically but am very happy with the card that I produced after all that faffing about.

I wish I had thought of this one first as I could have saved myself the fiver I spent on black gloss card which was what was planned for the other one.

So that is trouble two nights on the trot......what with last nights problem with the electricity going on and off..........that was very wierd. About four or five times in a row it clicked off and then straight back on again but it was long enough to switch the computer off and it got very frustrating.

Had a fab day at work today as there was a delivery that contained stamps. Needless to say I now have a little pile awaiting my return from Devon.......I daren't have them until I come back as I will just want to play with them and I don't have time.

I think I shall be glad when all this stuff is packed and I can't do any more. The constant stamping etc is giving me really bad pains in my hands which is worrying me a little as I have never had that before. Mind you my right hand has never been the same since I injured it some time ago when I was using a Silent Setter. I was pushing quite hard to set a particularly stubborn eyelet, the tool slipped and I smashed my knuckles on the edge of my desk. It makes me wonder if I broke a bone because some days I can barely bend my middle finger.

Well I had best clean this mess up that I've made......it looks like the aftermath of a police raid in here now...then I have three orders and a class for Thursday to do before I can go to bed. Looks like it will be a late one tonight........lol.

Bye for now

Sheila-x-