Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
Have a wonderful day whatever you are doing.

XOXO Sioux

Another 12 days!

Well as I said on this post....I really loved making my 12 days of Christmas Advent calendar bags...so I did carry on and finish a full set of 25!! ;)

Bag 13

Bag 14

Bag 15

Bag 16

Bag 17

Bag 18

Bag 19

Bag 20

Bag 21

Bag 22

Bag 23

Bag 24

Bag 25

My sweetheart is loving having a little sweet treat every day ;)

It gives me a lot of pleasure!

xoxo Sioux

The Feast at Cana; serving the good wine: BARBERA D'ASTI SUPERIORE 2010Cascino Polsino at ...

What do you know.....my dearest darling has got himself a blog! ;)

If you would like to welcome him to blogland why not pay him a visit :)

Hugs xoxo Sioux

The Feast at Cana; serving the good wine: BARBERA D'ASTI SUPERIORE 2010 Cascino Polsino at ...: BARBERA D'ASTI SUPERIORE 2010 Cascino Polsino at Alice Bel Colle in Piedmont, Italy. My Beloved and I really enjoyed this wine. Hear...

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu to The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing my top three favourite makes from this year over at the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog today.

Curious about which three pieces I chose?......Well just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

I am also announcing that I am stepping down from the team after over 3 years of arty fun.

It was such a thrill when Jennie and Hels asked me to join the team...and to be frank it helped keep me sane when the world as I knew it fell apart on the death of my husband...
...at times it was a struggle to find the mojo to carry on and make my posts but somehow I always managed to pull it off!

Time moves on (scarily so for me this year), life evolves and now love grows and as some of you know, I have met the man of my dreams...
...he thinks I'm dreamy too ;)
...what could be better?

I need to now concentrate on us and making our wedding day next May the best day ever.
Wish me luck 'cos I'm going to be making all the invites, order of service, table decorations, oodles of paper flowers etc...etc...you know what it's like!!

So it's so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu from me to The Artistic Stamper Creative Team.

It's been a ball :)
What do you know...
...next May I become Mrs Ball!!!!

I'll leave you with this little ATC...it seemed to fit the bill ;) ROFL

Distress Ink swooshed background - worn lipstick
(how appropriate ROFL)
and wild honey
(well he is my honey...
...I'm keeping it to myself about the wild bit! ROFLIA)

Ball Bottle :) - stamped in Adirondack black and masked
(never thought I'd have such a special use for that image!)

The globe section of Round the World stamped in Distress Ink Vintage photo and masked
('cos of all the towns in all the world he walked into mine ;)

Calligraphic Mat 13 stamped in Distress Ink aged mahogany

The Silhouettes from T!m's Mini Halloween 3 set stamped in Archival and cut out with a little border as was the small label from the same set.

Date stamps from Dates A6

Ooh! Making that made me happy :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

xoxo Sioux

P.S. I'll still be blogging and making things with all the great stamps at The Artistic Stamper and entering challenges when time allows...and perhaps I will be able to find time to design some new stamps too...well....it's on my very long to do list!!! ROFLIA :)

Card Duo for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a couple of cards today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

"Anything Goes" for The Artistic Stamper

It was nice to see all the Christmas inspired creations for last months challenge, some were vintage, some cute, some arty :)
So..... how do you feel about the last challenge of the year....wow! Where did the year go?

"Anything Goes"

The challenge is an open one for this busy month of December over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)

I wanted to make something with "12 Days of Christmas" in mind, having seen similar things around the net...but please don't ask me where! LOL....suffice to say, if you have made something like this, thanks for the inspiration ;)
Oh! And sorry for all the images for those of you with slow Internet connections!

I made some paper bags out of ordinary brown parcel wrap, kraft coloured paper and to lighten the tones some in white and cream.
If using A4 sized paper you can opt to use a full sheet in which case you get a bag approximately 15.5 cm x 11 cm in size.
Cut the paper into A5 size and you get a bag approximately 11 cm x 7.5 cm in size.
Cut the A5 in half again and you get a bag approximately 8 cm x 5 cm in size.

I went for a combo of sizes for the different little treats I will be putting inside for my sweetheart ;)
   


So how to make the bag?
IMPORTANT NOTE
To get a great looking bag remember to crease ALL the folds well with a bone folder ;)

1. Take your paper and fold down the top edge for a thicker edge to later add holes/eyelets for the hanging string or ribbon later....fold over one of the shorter edges a little (it's not an exact science) and attach double sided tape (I find it less messy than using glue).

Fold over edge 1 to meet edge 2 and stick together.

Crease the opposite side.

2. Fold over each long edge and crease (this makes the side gusset and again it's not an exact science but approx 1.5 to 2 cm works well on this size of paper).
Turn the paper over and re crease at the back and unfold.

3. Fold up the bottom edge and crease...again turn it over and re crease at the back too...

...at this point whilst the paper is relatively flat you might want to decorate the bag front ;)...
...for instance on this bag I masked the bottom corner...
.

..and stamped the Santa from Mini Christmas 1 in Archival Crimson.

4. Open up the tube and the long edge will have three creases.
Fold the middle crease into the bag and the two outer edges will now meet (crease)

5. Fold up the two bottom corners and crease both on the front and back again...

6. Open up the bag bottom and manipulate the folds to look like this...

... fold the flaps over each other and, using double sided tape (or glue), secure one flap to the other. Punch two holes through all layers at the top for the twine handles and add some decorative eyelets on some if you like.

I decorated the bags using a variety of stamps from Mini Christmas 1, Snowflakes, Scrabble Tiles, Katy Fox, Music Background, Grungy Greetings 1, Our House A6, Icicles Border, Crowning Glory, Journaling Mini words and Journaling words 2 (cut apart letters you require and assemble together for the word you want....very liberating ;)) and T!m Holtz

To keep some sort of co-ordination between all the bags I stamped all the red images in a mixture of Archival crimson and plum (lurve that new colour)....all the green images in Archival fern green and all the black images in Archival black, stamping some onto red card stock and cutting out. All the white elements were stamped in Versamark and embossed with white.
Small fancy die cuts were used as a base for the numbers cut from Wanted Sizzix die and the paper borders from a mixture of the same red card and some white.
Bakers twine made the handles.

Bag 1

Bag 2

Bag 3

Bag 4

Bag 5

Bag 6

Bag 7

Bag 8

Bag 9

Bag 10

Bag 11

Bag 12

I will put my "sweet" little gifts inside and pad the bags with some shredded paper...
...just to stop any sneaky peeking ;) LOL

Well....I enjoyed making those so much I might just go on to make a whole "Advent Calendar"!!!

You really must take a look at the "Anything Goes" creations the rest of the team have made.

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Anything Goes"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, scrapling, Advent item ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until December 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Further designs in cyber space

Here are a few more links to some gorgeous creations using my stamp designs

....thanks for wanting to create with them everyone :)

Dot (all the way from Australia!)
Jennie
Helen
Buttons
Jennie
Crafting at SG

Dance stamps available here from The Artistic Stamper :)

And one of my own favourite pieces using the dancer.
It was made as a pass if forward gift for WOYWW.

Come back tomorrow and there will be some crafting on show here for The Artistic Stamper

xoxo Sioux

My designs spotted in cyber space!

I'm rather preoccupied at the moment...so sorry for the lack of creations and blogging but what a thrill to see other stampers using my rubber designs!

Here are a few links to some gorgeous creations.

....thanks for wanting to create with them everyone :)

Anesha

Hels
Jennie
Craftytrog
Helen

Dance stamps available here from The Artistic Stamper :)

And one of my own favourite journal pages using the dancer.

xoxo Sioux

Season's Greetings for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Carpe Diem for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Romantic Austria Part 2

On our first full day in Zell (it was a Sunday), we decided to take it easy and have a smooch around the lake side and the town.

Our hotel was only 5 minutes from the lake (if that) so that was where we headed first walking from one end of the town boundary to the other.

Stopping for our first beer of the day along the way!

...and admiring the view :)

Heading into town it was very quiet (a bit of a bonus really as the last time I was here (many moons ago) it was heaving with people!)

Admired the buildings

and then SF decided he really, really needed some lunch ;) and something typical of the region ideally....I thought to myself that could be a bit tricky!

Now if I tell you that he does not eat meat at all (although he loves fish so not a strict vegetarian) ...you might see why I thought it might be tricky as the Austrians do love their meat meals ...but in all our time there it was a revelation as there was always something very tasty to choose.

After a brief look see at some of the menu's at different venues...
...(some of them had a bit of a cue) ;)...

We chose this place as there was a wild mushroom special of the day (foraged from the woods)...

SF really fancied that idea and when I told him the translation that swung it!

Herrenpiltz - otherwise known as Steinpiltz - Boletus edulis technical name -

and in English translates as Man Mushrooms :)

Wow! they were fabulous, aptly named I think...very meaty if you can understand that? LOL

I had a warm potato salad with pumpkin seeds and bacon served with garlic bread...although I gave over half the bread to SF!

Talk about scrummy!!

SF was dying to try some strudel so that's what he did (I was being cautious and just had a couple of spoonfuls of his ;))

We then thought it might be a good idea to walk off some of the calories just consumed and headed off to walk up the hill to where one of the cable cars start from.

Whew! It was a bit of an uphill road and I got a bit hot.....so when we got there we had to get some water and went to sit outside and admire the view.

After we had cooled down a bit we set off back down the hill to town :)

Passing lovely flower balconies...

...and wood piles on the way....YES...we both like wood piles!!! ROFL

Went back to the hotel, swam...enjoyed the different jacuzzi jets in the pool...fabby ;)
Changed for dinner,

relaxed...went to look at the lakeside sound and light display with dancing waters, lasers and a super classical music score...

then went to bed fairly early...ROFL...
...we had to get up at a ridiculous time for our day trip to Salzburg....honest!!! :)

xoxo Sioux
More Austrian delights to follow.