Graphicus Challenge - April 09

Yet again I am in danger of missing the deadline!!................So glad I do not work in the newspaper industry!
The Graphicus Challenge for April is to use the colours Pink & Green and the theme is Blossom.........now don't ask me why it only occurred to me to do this last night because I don't have a clue!......LOL.......It must have been triggered by using the punches on this ATC a couple of days ago.............I was convinced I was going to be passing on this months challenge as nothing was popping into my head.........then this popped into my head...........and I had to have a go.

Anyways here is my entry...............

I used the outline of the winter tree glimmer screen as a template and splodged Adirondack acrylics (Terracotta & Espresso) onto the paper for a textured wood effect. Spritzed some pink glimmer onto it for the background (sorry can't remember what colour exactly as I mixed it with a bit of something else a while back!).........Punched out some small flowers from Basic Grey paper and added some Adirondack acrylic dots in the centres............Layered this onto a piece of Glenda's digital paper..........layered onto paper edged with DI worn lipstick added a sentiment made on the computer and attached with some pink ribbon.

Thanks for looking

xoxo
p.s. If you click on the photo the pink glimmer just about shows up!........Bit too subtle by half.....should have sprayed a bit more on but it was too late when all the blossoms were on!

ISMAKI - Challenge 27/04

ISMAKI has a sketch this week for the challenge.........the added bonus is to use the colour purple. I have made an ATC "Remember Paris"......sounds really romantic but have no personal memories as I have never been:(.............In my dreams I have though, and sometimes that can end up being better than the real thing..........although I doubt it in the case of Paris!! LOL

The stamped image in the oval frame is of the Arc de Triomphe (not sure if you can tell from just looking) and I stamped the Fleur de Ly's onto some HOTP paper. The oval frame almost looks as if it is covered with crushed velvet but it is actually Adirondack acrylic splodged on straight from the bottle and left to dry. Piano charm from QVC ages ago, circular sentiment my own design again using the scallop punch............you're all going to be fed up of this soon........I know I will be. LOL

Super sketch from Kianel and it gave me the chance to use two small flower punches that I hardly ever touch!!!

Thanks for the inspiration.

xoxo

p.s. I'm not exactly happy with this ATC perhaps it is the colour purple because the only other thing I wish I had never posted on this blog was purple too!! Having said that my Wickedly Gorjuss girl was purple and I like that!

My Guy Is Back!

There is no denying.....well not to me anyways..............that Robin Hood on Saturdays is just not the same without Guy of Gisborne aka Richard Armitage..........If Guy goes I go!!!!!!!!

But for now hurrah..........he was back last Saturday...........and just in case it is really true that both he and the sherriff are leaving I have had a bit of fun with my Serif programme and am posting the wanted picture on my side bar as a bit of eye candy for the future.

Ooh! It's like putting posters on your bedroom wall..........fun, fun, fun. Who did you have on your bedroom wall? I had mainly western wanted posters (no surprise there then!).....and movie/TV stars who played cowboys like Paul Newman, Pete Duel & Ben Murphy.
xoxo

Moth Man

Good heavens, two posts in one day........should have saved my gorjuss till tomorrow perhaps!.......The thing is.......if I don't post this now I will kick myself as Papertake Weekly challenge finishes tomorrow......I may even be too late now...not sure as this is the first time I've entered.....saw the sketch by Dawny at the beginning of the week and should have started earlier!!

I thought I would have a bit of a practise with my stamps and some masking for the main focal point using the Paperartsy stamps again that were the subscription gift from Craft Stamper Magazine and a moth stamp (don't know make).........I think it is a moth.....but perhaps someone out there will let me know! Background swirly stamp by Anna Griffin........The cord at the bottom believe it or not was a hair scrunchy (never worn LOL). Thanks for looking.

xoxo

Edit: Just posted and I'm number 100!

Gorjuss Maiden

I've been having fun doing this for the week 9 challenge at the Sugar Bowl. The challenge is to make a card for a man. Well that is right up my street...........I get to make quite a lot of cards for men for one reason or another...........however the choice of ready made bits and pieces is not always in my taste so I tend to make up my own.

If your man is a cricket fan...............then the choice is even more limited..............so here is my entry aimed at the cricket fan in your life celebrating a big year.

I used some of the K & Co papers from Lyndsay again and added a bit of some Provo Craft paper that had keys on it................beautiful paper and this is the first time I have cut into it...deep intake of breath!...........I must have had it at least 8 years!!!!!!!........adding my little dots stamp on the edges again.

I cut out the cricket ball from Bazzill card and hand stitched the seams with thread...............I then drew the cricket bails that sit on top of the stumps and cut them out so that the Gorjuss one could steady herself on top of the ball..........Gorjuss & bails coloured with DI's and Adirondack......The sentiment was made using my Serif programme as was the Ow Zat! circular embellishment that I then punched out with a scallop edged circular punch........The paper that looks like cork is my own design.

Thanks for looking.

Have a fabby creative week.

xoxo

Just Magnolia - Week #1

I did not think I would be entering the Just Magnolia challenge for quite a while........but thanks to a very very kind RAK I have managed it...............only just in time!!! So thank you........thank you..........thank you............it is the first challenge this week so was eager to have a go and I liked the look of the sketch by Donalda.

Me being me............I couldn't just have a complete stamped image...............and decided to chop my little lady in half............Oh! dear.........hope it did not hurt too much! LOL

I coloured her with a mixture of Adirondack and DI's and added a touch of Adirondack acrylic straight from the bottle for the flower centres............I've used some of the papers I bought from Lyndsay available here, and I added a little row of stamped dots all around............I can't believe I had the original stamp so long...............never used.............until I took my life in my hands and cut it up.........and now I find the little dots really useful.............I added a couple of Maya Road flowers and the sentiment was my Studio G letters stamped onto a piece of watercolour paper and chopped up...........Note to self..........must get a few more of those if I can...........they were only 99p!!!

Thanks for looking...............................I'm only just in time with this so apologies for not leaving some love on all your blogs, I'll try harder next week.

xoxo

Spring Clean

Yes you have reached the right blog if you are looking for ARTYJEN!

I've just decided to have a "Spring Clean" here and added my own design damask backgound.

I did like the cosy feel of the old one, but I felt like a change!

Lyndsays' Spring Clean

Lyndsay is having a "spring clean" of her own to sort out her stash mountain! If you go over here to her blog you can see the post and e-mail her for the list.

I'm glad I did, my parcel arrived today and there were lots of gorgeous yummy papers. Super prices too. Be quick as some things are very limited in stock as they say.

Since entering the Sugar Nellie challenge I've realised that I may have found a way to utilise my scrap paper stash. I have always done photo scrap booking, even was doing it before I knew it was called that!............and most certainly before there were any fancy papers around..................however I have found it a bit limiting as I don't have any cute kids of my own to scrap and only a couple of suitable photo's of our god daughter.....................there are only so many pages of holiday photo's you can embellish and no matter how much I love my cat.....................I don't want to be doing page after page of the same thing.

Bring on those scrappy cards I say!

xoxo

This is for the Birds - Stamptacular Sunday #2

There is a new challenge blog for a Sunday......................it is actually the second week but a girl can't join in all those great challenges every week.......I did get a bit stressey about all the challenges and thought..................oh no!....................not another one.......................but told myself "to chill take a pill"!!!.

My new outlook is............yes there are a lot of challenges out in cyber space........and even more each week it seems..........some I can join in and some I won't attempt in a month of Sundays!!!!!!!!! So when the challenge theme or sketch takes me I will give it a go...........or the prize on offer appeals:)............Although as I have said before..............as most challenges use Mr Random to choose the winner there is not much chance of me winning as him and me don't seem to be acquainted! LOL :)

Here is my entry for Stamptacular Sunday where the theme this week is "This is for the Birds". I could have used my Gorjuss girl who is sitting with a birdie but I have only just used her here and don't want to get bored with her:).............so the only other stamp I seem to posses with a bird on is the freebie from Craft Stamper Magazine this month so this is my ATC using a couple of Paperartsy stamps that were the subscription gift and my Studio G letter stamps.

"Come Fly With Me" one of my all time favourite Frank Sinatra songs.
xoxo

Sowing the Seeds

It has been a great Easter weather wise in my part of Devon. Lucky me has two extra days to go yet as I added a couple of holiday days on to the break. Been doing a bit of this and a bit of that. Planted some more seeds in the greenhouse to try and foil the slugs!!!..........I swear I could see my stuff disappear before my eyes last year and was left with very little to eat although one plant of perpetual spinach managed to make it through the winter and is still going strong.............So I sowed some parsley...broad beans...broccoli...swiss chard...mixed salad leaves...perpetual spinach...spring onions...radish...fennel...tall sunflowers...poppies and Chinese lanterns.

DH paced himself and managed to dig over the little veg patch we have over the course of 4 days..............only problem is he dug up what he thought was a bramble when it was in fact my solitary raspberry cane!! There were 3 canes but this is the only one that survived from the pack I bought from Woolies last year............No harm done in the end as the roots seemed to have come up clean and the stems had not been damaged so quickly planted it again.

Sounds like the "Good Life" I hear you say?...........I wish!!!..........Barbara Good I am not and am glad I don't have to rely on all this stuff actually coming up in order to get by........you would never think my dear departed dad was a professional gardener!!!!

Here is a picture of said veggie plot............yes I know........it still looks weed laden! The big green plant is the spinach and the tall lanky plant is the raspberry cane!

and the seed pots holding all the little miracles.............Did I ever mention I like Total greek yoghurt? Yum, my favourite, with a drizzle of Greek (has to be) honey.

Off to the recycling tip tomorrow (can't wait........not) to dispose of the mounds of green garden waste.

xoxo

Wickedly Gorjuss!

If you remember my post here you will no doubt wonder what I was up to and more to the point why haven't I shown anything by now!!

It has been brewing for a while and when I got my super fast delivery from Funky Kits of a Gorjuss Girl and Nellie I started to play.

Now...................if you have come to this post to see my card via the Sugar Bowl Challenge 8 can you do me a favour and read this post first?....................................I ask this because I don't want to shock you..........really I don't.

This is the first card I have done for this challenge so fingers crossed:)

Here goes

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Now you have read that post first haven't you?

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O.K. Then that's alright!

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So here is my Wickedly Gorjuss creation!

Erm.........................yes she is sitting on a coffin!! Oh dear............... I hope I won't be tipped out of the Sugar Bowl at the first attempt!! LOL.

I used a mixture of DI's, Adirondack dye ink and acrylics, mainly because I don't have all the colours I wanted in one type!!............Then I tried my hand at making some flowers out of the papers (HOTP Vintage pad) and I have to say life is too short to cut out all those layers!!!.......The background layer was from a K&Co Scrap Pad To Go, Maison.

I really liked using the sketch and will definately use it again in the future, thanks for the inspiration.

xoxo

What Am I To Do?

Well "You could have knocked me down with a feather!" as they say............Tag You're It has decided to call it a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....................soooooooooooo sad. If I had known last week was the last I would have made more of an effort with my *!$# purple tag............. I was looking forward to this week as I have some time off for Easter and what is more I even "tagged" (sorryeee) a couple of my holiday days on to give myself some space for a few challenges.

To make matters worse.......................... I went over to see what I might be able to attempt at Awfully Big Art Adventure and they are not having a challenge for Easter week!!..................What am I to do?

On the bright side I have managed to sow some seeds today..............Courgette (6 different types, love courgettes), Tomato, French & Runner beans, Mangetout, Corriander, Basil, Sunflowers dwarf, Nicoatiana Sylvestra and Hollyhocks!!!!! Still have some more to do tomorrow but my back is killing me from standing up too long.:(

I also managed to more or less complete my ATC's for this months swap over at The Artist Trading Club. Will take pictures tomorrow and will be chomping at the bit to post them as I really like my effort this month, but will have to wait obviously till I get the swaps back. Hey ho.

Hope the art is with you this Easter.

xoxo

Not so New Baby Part 2!

So here are some more pictures of the baby project I did following on from this post. Ran out of time over the last few days to post them!! As I said before the parents did not want anyone........and I mean anyone...........to know the sex of the baby so when I set myself a challenge to design some digital papers for this I had to bear in mind that the papers would have to be easily swapped around a bit at the last minute.


There are lots of tags for the parents to write on or paste photo's, decorated with a few blue epoxy stickers.


There are two slide mount type frames where you can slide in a photo, all inked around the edges of course!

A place to write those vital statistics!.........................And a double tag card that says if all really containing the picture that "Makes the Heart Smile" of little Alexander.

The back of the folder has a space for a CD so they can store extra photo's. That's all for now folks!
xoxo

Makes my Heart Smile - Inky Fingers

This is going to be a slow process I can tell but since Lindsay gave me this award I have been trying to pass this on without much success. Please don't be offended if I do not mention all the fabby people I visit in cyber space, but if you already have the award it sort of defeats the object really............or does it?.............I don't know............anyway............my fifth nomination is Inky Fingers . Cath's blog has some spectacular pieces on view and I like this particular attitude to her art...............quote "Can't see the point in having all this lovely, exciting stuff and then using someone else's background, when I can make my own.........." unquote.

I can't see this award there, I am sure she must have had it, but please go and take a look at her blog............and try to leave her a comment - she was a little shy.........heaven only knows why as her pieces are fabby.........- so she had the comments switched off, but has recently switched them back on.

If she chooses not to display this award that is fine.........I'd just like her to know that her blog does "Make my Heart Smile".

SSBFL to her.

P.S. Well that is the last of the first 5 nominee's. You won't believe how long this has taken!! Now I need to decide on the last 5, heaven only knows how long that might take...............and as I have said before....................please don't be upset if you are not included as you are the one's who probably already have this.

xoxo

P.P.S. I'd just like to say that I do not personally know any of my nominee's they are purely people who's blog I enjoy visiting..................in fact I don't know anyone in "real life" who shares my obsession and have just realised, whilst getting this together, that blogging is my only way to connect with people of a like mind. Sad or what?

Makes my Heart Smile - The Joy of Nesting

This is going to be a slow process I can tell but since Lindsay gave me this award I have been trying to pass this on without much success. Please don't be offended if I do not mention all the fabby people I visit in cyber space, but if you already have the award it sort of defeats the object really............or does it?.............I don't know............anyway............my fourth nomination is The Joy of Nesting. I love visiting Pattie's blog (afraid I am a bit of a stalker) and whilst it is not per se an arty "look what I've created" blog she has an arty way of displaying and integrating her photo's within her writing. It also never ceases to amaze me that I can read about her life in Mexico half a world away! She had a dream to live in Mexico and it came true..........I doubt that I shall ever even visit Mexico but it does not mean I don't dream that I might!!!

I can't see this award there, I am sure she must have had it, but please go and take a peek at her blog............and dream of Mexico! P.S. I particularly loved her RAB post - great idea.

If she chooses not to display this award that is fine.........I'd just like her to know that her blog does "Make my Heart Smile".

SSBFL to her.

P.S. Four down and one to go. Same time..............same place tomorrow.

xoxo

P.P.S. I'd just like to say that I do not personally know any of my nominee's they are purely people who's blog I enjoy visiting..................in fact I don't know anyone in "real life" who shares my obsession and have just realised, whilst getting this together, that blogging is my only way to connect with people of a like mind. Sad or what?

Happy Birthday - TYI Challenge

Tag You're It is celebrating their first anniversary of blogging challenges. The theme is, naturally, Happy Birthday!

Here is my purple offering.

The base tag was stamped and embossed with clear powder using a sentiment stamp that was a freebie from Debbie Moore when she did a theatre demo at the craft show that comes to Exeter.
It stamps really well, crisp impression..............Inked the flowers with DI - Dusty Concord and added the dots stamp on them as well as the background. Pearl brads are Dovecraft I think, but don't quote me on that!! I used Adirondack acrylic........Eggplant.........to colour the small greetings tags along with the cord and hand wrote the sentiments (can't you tell LOL).
I really like doing this particular challenge for a number of reasons, but the main one is the freedom to use any of my stash!! Don't get to play every week and have not been joining in that long, but just like to say thanks for the challenges each week and the great inspiration from the DT.

xoxo

Makes my Heart Smile - Stempelmagie

German first for my next nomination...............................

Dies wird ein langwieriger prozess, aber ich kann sagen, seit Lindsay hat mir diese auszeichnung ich habe versucht, dies ohne viel erfolg. Bitte nicht beleidigt sein, wenn ich nicht alle erwähnen, die Leute, die ich besuchen fabby im Cyberspace, aber wenn sie bereits über die vergabe art niederlagen das objekt wirklich ............ oder ist sie ?............. Ich weiß nicht, trotzdem ............ ............ meine dritte nominierung ist Stempelmagie ( Stamping-Magic), Tanja aus Burgdorf in Deutschland und in ihrem Blog hat eine fülle von anregungen zu sehen.

Jetzt machen Sie sich keine sorgen, dass sie kann nicht verstehen Deutsch ......... sie nimmt so viele große Schritt für Schritt Fotos, die Sie einfach die anweisungen. Ich mochte diese ein Bierdeckel Kalender. Es scheint sehr beliebt zu machen, was mit Bier Matten über den Kanal.

Ich kann nicht erkennen, diese auszeichnung gibt, ich bin mir sicher, dass sie gehabt haben muss, aber bitte werfen Sie einen blick auf ihr Blog und vielleicht verbessern Sie Ihr Deutsch an der Art und weise, wie ich versuchen zu tun. Sie können auch ihre Seite zu besuchen andere nette Menschen anderswo in Europa. Wenn sie sich nicht um diesen Preis ist in Ordnung, dass ......... ich nur wie hier zu wissen, dass ihr Blog hat “Macht mein Herz Lächeln”.

P.S. Drei und zwei nach unten zu gehen. Kommen Sie morgen wieder für die nächsten kandidaten.

P.P.S. Ich möchte nur sagen, dass ich nicht persönlich kenne keinen meiner Nominee's sie sind menschen, die rein Blog Ich genieße .................. Besuch in der Tat bin ich nicht weiß jemand im "richtigen leben", die meine leidenschaft und haben nur realisiert, während sich diese zusammen, dass das Bloggen ist meine einzige Möglichkeit, um eine verbindung mit den menschen wie ein Geist. Traurig oder was?

P.P.S. Ich habe Google Translate für das so machen ihn, wenn er schlecht in der deutschen!!!

Now in English.................................

This is going to be a slow process I can tell but since Lindsay gave me this award I have been trying to pass this on without much success. Please don't be offended if I do not mention all the fabby people I visit in cyber space, but if you already have the award it sort of defeats the object really............or does it?.............I don't know............anyway............my third nomination is Stempelmagie (Stamping Magic) Tanja comes from Burgdorf in Germany and her blog has a wealth of inspiration on view.

Now............don't worry that you can't understand German.........she takes so many great step by step photo's that you will easily understand the instructions. I particularly liked this one a beer mat calender. It seems to be quite popular to make things with beer mats over the channel.

I can't see this award there, I am sure she must have had it, but please take a look at her blog and perhaps improve your German along the way. You could also use her site to visit other nice people elsewhere in Europe.

If she chooses not to display this award that is fine.........I'd just like her to know that her blog does "Make my Heart Smile".

SSBFL to her.

P.S. Three down and two to go. Come back tomorrow for the next nominee.

xoxo

P.P.S. I'd just like to say that I do not personally know any of my nominee's they are purely people who's blog I enjoy visiting..................in fact I don't know anyone in "real life" who shares my obsession and have just realised, whilst getting this together, that blogging is my only way to connect with people of a like mind. Sad or what?

P.P.P.S.!!! I used Google translate for this so blame him if it reads badly in German!!!

Makes my Heart Smile - Rosie's ATC Exchange

This is going to be a slow process I can tell but since Lindsay gave me this award I have been trying to pass this on without much success. Please don't be offended if I do not mention all the fabby people I visit in cyber space, but if you already have the award it sort of defeats the object really............or does it?.............I don't know............anyway............my second nomination is Rosie's ATC Exchange. Rosie is one half of the team that produces the Big Art Adventure challenge blog on Friday's. Her personal blog features some thought provoking and memory jogging ATC's. I particularly liked this one called "take your wings and fly".

I can't see this award there, I am sure she must have had it, but her ATC's are so lovely I don't know how she has the heart to swap them!

If she chooses not to display this award that is fine.........I'd just like here to know that her blog does "Make my Heart Smile".

SSBFL to her.

P.S. Two down three to go. Come back tomorrow........same bat time.........same bat channel!

xoxo

P.P.S. I'd just like to say that I do not personally know any of my nominee's they are purely people who's blog I enjoy visiting..................in fact I don't know anyone in "real life" who shares my obsession and have just realised, whilst getting this together, that blogging is my only way to connect with people of a like mind. Sad or what?

Not so New Baby!

Just been looking back at some older posts and realised I never did get round to posting my project for my friends new grandson. That is a scary word......."grandson".........it dawned on me that I too could have been a grandmother by now............even if I am a couple of years younger than she is.............if I had had any children in the first place that is!!! I am NOT old enough to be a grandmother.........at least not in my head.

Anyway I digress...............here are some pictures of said project which uses all my own design papers created digitally and printed out. Obviously being me I could not leave it at that and added a bit of inky grunge to it so it ended up being not your traditional "cutie blue for a boy type look" but the parents seemed to like it so that is all that matters.

I was really pleased with the faux tortoiseshell effect on the spine created with alcohol inks on some shiny black gaffer tape from the DIY! And yes that is my blogger background (slightly modified) used on the cover.

The inside had lots of different tags in layers. This idea came from the now defunct Craft TV site where I would have directed you to go to see how the original was done but I can't so sorry for that. I had to make the whole thing from scratch because I could not find anywhere to buy a CD mailer like they used on the web show...........well it was American!

I will post a couple more pictures tomorrow as I am running out of time!! Sir Alan is calling.

xoxo

Makes my Heart Smile - Artiphy The Heart

This is going to be a slow process I can tell but since Lindsay gave me this award I have been trying to pass this on without much success. There are so many great people with amazing blogs that most of you already visit so I have tried to include the odd one that might be new to you.

Please don't be offended if I do not mention all the fabby people I visit in cyber space, but if you already have the award it sort of defeats the object really............or does it?.............I don't know............anyway............my first nomination is Artiphy the Heart.

I can't see this award there, I am sure she must have had them, but the art is just amazing. The recent circus post is "tingling".

If she chooses not to display awards that is fine..............I'd just like here to know that her blog does "Make my Heart Smile".

SSBFL to her.

P.S. have got four more "Make my Heart Smile" nominee's lined up to post. One per day............then I need to start choosing the last 5!!

xoxo

P.P.S. I'd just like to say that I do not personally know any of my nominee's they are purely people who's blog I enjoy visiting..................in fact I don't know anyone in "real life" who shares my obsession and have just realised, whilst getting this together, that blogging is my only way to connect with people of a like mind. Sad or what?