Doodle Peek

Another quickie today........need to finish lots of other things!!!.....part planted front flower bed but too hot at moment so will finish later..............here is a little peek of the inspiration doodle that "My Cutie Pie" provided.

Be back tomorrow with a little something else.
xoxo

My Cutie Pie

Just a quick post to show a bit of digital work for a change..........a layout featuring "My Cutie Pie" Fitzgerald!

He has inspired me to really challenge myself artistically this past week.........I'll be posting more about that tomorrow............but only after some plants from the back garden find a new home in a new bed created today in the front garden.
xoxo

Friends Twinchie

It's the second week at Something Completely Different and we are still to make twinchies but the theme this week is a colour combo to use Pink and Green.

I realised that my twinchie last week also fitted this so decided to use the same background paper I had stamped with the idea I might make these into a picture or a card or something!!.......

however.....after I took the photo it looks like I have used gold as well!!.........Hey ho.......what is done is done.....

xoxo

As easy as "ABCDE"

This is the ATC I made for my first swap over at The Artist Trading Club. I hope everyone has received theirs now that I am posting this............mine arrived Saturday :) The theme was to include "ABCDE"......some included this all on the one ATC whilst others obviously made 5 different ones with one letter on each.........I have to say I find it challenging enough to make one design and re-create it 5 times.......never mind make 5 different ones!!.......................... Congrats to those who can.

I have included two shots as I wanted to try to convey the interference effect on the Paperartsy man..............this was stamped with black Versafine and then painted over with oyster H2O's...........I know this stuff will probably last ages but what happens when I run out?.....Panic!.....as they are going ,or have gone, out of business!!.......The red background was stamped with cranberry Adirondack and painted out with water and the butterfly/moth (not sure which!) was a mixture of DI and chalk on the wings with Adirondack acrylic - cranberry for the body. The old fashioned "Time Book" paper was a free download from Tim Holtz a couple of years ago........it was available as a workshop project sheet........not that there was any possibility of me going as it was in America........but hey! It was a freebie!!! Came in useful at last for this and I added the computer generated wording..............distressed a bit round the edges with DI walnut Stain......By the way............I kept this one as I had got a stain right in the middle of his eyebrows!!!

Here are the four great ATC's I received on Saturday

Chris Rollins

Love the image and stamping that has all been done on glossy card. Chris explains more about it on her blog.

Denise Long (sorry Denise..........don't know your blog link)

Love the background......I am presuming alcohol inks but I might be wrong........and to me it looks as if the moon is peeping out from a cloudy/misty night sky. Perhaps Oliver Reed is about to make an appearance as the "Werewolf"? Sorry..........I do have vivid dreams. LOL

Jaci Wright

Super six pack!! Just a hint of sparkle and I love the quotation "I don't care much for reality... I prefer art."........How true.......reality sucks!

Chris Rowe

Fantastic background..........again with Alcohol inks and I love that eye.....I can imagine almost anything looking at that!........also love the little white dots......just adds to the whole effect.

I adore each and every one and now that I have a little collection started I am going to have to make something special to keep these in.

xoxo

New Life - Tuesday Taggers

This is the first challenge at Tuesday Taggers and this is the first tag I have made since "Tag your it" finished...........how sad is that?.......Still I have had lots of other challenges to occupy me! LOL

The theme this week is New Beginnings.......so here is my tag.......not much waffle today as a cold that started about 10 days ago has left me a little jaded over the past couple of days but I must be feeling a bit better as I made this when I got home tonight from work........ :)

A bit of masking involved......used DI's for the background.........Archival ink for the black bits.........butterfly heat embossed with clear powder and a word brad that was a QVC item a while ago......I've never seen any since.......so even though I have quite a few left.........I am beginning to have that sinking feeling that comes when you want to be able to get hold of a special product but can't anymore!!!

Hope your Bank Holiday Weekend is an Arty one!! Have Fun, fun, fun.

xoxo

Something Completely Different

Alas................Monty Pythons Flying Circus is not returning to our screens :(..................no this is something much better :)..........a bit of twist on this new challenge site Something Completely Different..........The idea of "Something Completely Different" is to have a different challenge per month and a different theme each week - so that we can all have a go at something completely different to our nomal artwork........the DT team is Carol and Dawn who were part of "Tag your It" which I miss quite a lot..........and Gez and Ang.

Here is my "Twinchie"...........first I have ever done and a bit different to my norm I think.............background inked lightly with DI WL.......overstamped with same using a scroll stamp then stamped circular motif in black.....both stamps Anna Griffin..........the angel and flowers are scrapbook pieces that come on a sheet that I got from the Exeter show last year and not used till now......my own word stamp "angels" and a die cut heart grunged a bit with some DI FB.

Thanks for looking.............hope you can join in too.........have fun and get yourself over there pronto to see what it is all about.

xoxo

Sugar Bowl - #10 "Take Two"

This is a first!!! Posting twice for the Sugar Bowl..........loved the sketch so much I had to have another go. My first one is here.

Different papers and colours and a pansy flower that I have a bunch of............they used to decorate a room..............but tastes change and quite frankly they were dust gatherers................and life's too short to dust!! LOL.........The papers were a digital down load from Designer Digitals by Mindy Terasawa.....it was a freebie (they do some every week) and I have just had a look but it is not available anymore sorry........ if you register you can then download the ones that are there.........they must retire the older ones......I have had it some time.............. They only send out e-mails once a week so don't think you will be snowed under!!........I very much like Katie Pertiet's work.........and many of the other designers there.

Thanks again Marlene.......can you tell I loved the sketch! :)

Hoping to plant some of my veggies in the ground this weekend weather permitting.........Yes some of them have actually come up!!

xoxo

Stamptacular - #6

It's been a couple of weeks since I was last at Stamptacular Sunday and I had been thinking of practising a bit more masking with my stamps and this sketch suited it to a T.....how could I refuse to join in? LOL

I love the look of all the great collage stamps you can get........I drool for quite a few!!.......and the other day I took a long hard look at exactly what is is that appeals and tried to recreate the look with the stamps that I have.

All the stamps used here did not cost me a penny!!!....ooh sorry.......I lie.....the letter stamps for the word "time" cost me 99p...what a bargain.....so much so that when I drove to the shop a couple of weeks ago.........hoping to get a couple more different fonts.............they did not have any left and did not expect to get anymore :(

The rest were either free from a magazine, part of the subscription to CS from Paperartsy or part of a prize quite some time ago (again Paperartsy)......I was itching to use the ticket stamp that came as a freebie with Craft Stamper this month......The papers were again from the wodge that I got from Lyndsay (SSBFL)........I realised after a while that the papers looked familiar and it turns out I have quite few of them already in some 6x6 pads.........it's the same old story............had for ages can't bring myself to cut them.........so using these is not bringing me out in a cold sweat in case I can't get anymore! LOL.................................The wording "is Relative" was computer generated.

Here is a bit of a close up of the main panel.....Thanks for looking and thanks again Stamptacular for the great sketch..........will really be using this often................off to practise some more.

xoxo

Double Dutch -

Over at the Double Dutch site this time round (they are every fortnight) the challenge is "Clear & Simple"....i.e. make a clear card.

This is not something I have done before............either a clear card or entered the challenge!.....Nearly entered the other week when you had to make a teabag holder...........managed to get round to making the teabag but never decorated it and missed the closing date!!! Typical.

Here is my card.........there are a few photo's cos' I couldn't decide which one looked the best!!! Not that easy to convey the transparency.

I made a 4 x 8 size card because the stamped image I had been sent by a special blogger friend seemed to need it............Stamped my Paperartsy (CS freebie again) swirly tree as a border all around the front with Staz-on blazing red.............it looks more like blazing pink to me though!!!

I used my little circular sentiment thingy again which says "from me" on the outside one and "to you" on the inside one......................It is a bit fiddly trying to get the right balance as to what goes where on a clear card.............I suppose the more you do the better you get though!..........The flower at the top is on the inside of the card and the flower at the bottom is on the outside with the sentiment circles strategically covering the brad legs.

The inside was decorated with a piece of my own design tartan paper and a mat and layer for a written sentiment in the future. The red mat layer for the tartan is fixed to the very back of the card to finish it off. Here is a close up of Tilda and the colouring...........I used the Cumberland pencils again but I also had a practise with an unusual colouring medium for Tilda's skin this time round as I am not totally happy with either DI tattered rose or my pink pencil............I bet you will never guess!!!............So I'll tell you..................black coffee...............yep the sort you drink..............not an ink colour................the skin areas have 1 wash all over........then another layer where you want some darker shadows........it will look a bit hard edged at this point but don't panic Mr Mannering!!!...........add a bit of pinkness at the edges and to the cheeks with a Tombow pen number 800 (or whatever water based pink you use) before a final overall wash with the coffee again which will soften any hard edges.................I think this is what I will use for now..........until I come up with some other hair brained idea!!!

Thanks for looking..................I didn't win the euro millions on Friday so it's work for me tomorrow :(

xoxo

p.s. I know my coffee idea may not be a eurika moment in crafting history........but I can honestly say I have never seen it mentioned anywhere...........apologies if you have already discovered this.

The Sugar Bowl - #10

The Sugar Bowl Challenge this week is to use a great sketch by Marlene and also to include buttons on your project..........loved the sketch and loved colouring my Nellie stamp with flower........I've only got this stamp and my Gorjuss girl with the birdie so hope you don't get fed up of seeing them as I can't buy any more for a while!

I found some more colouring pencils in a tin in the loft last week when I was sorting things for a car boot on Bank Holiday Monday...........I remember my mum bought me them for art when I was at secondary school (we had been told that we had to have a set of our own pencils).........I dropped art when we had to choose our exam subjects though...........I think there might have been a chance of being halfway o.k. if the teacher had actually taught us................all I remember is that those who were already fantastic at drawing seemed to be shown the most interest and the rest of us were left to wonder what was the point........or at least I did!......I sometimes think it might have been nice to learn more of the basics.

The pencils say Lakeland by Cumberland on them and I know my mum could not really afford them and drummed into me the need to not loose them or break them! The first time we had to do something with them in class everyone got out their pencils apart from one girl............who was a bit of the class trouble maker if she could get away with it type........................and I just knew at some point she would come and ask to borrow those precious pencils.........and she did.........even though I had butterflies in my stomach I was more concerned with what my mum had said........so I told her that if my mum could afford to buy me a set of pencils even though my dad had died and we had no money I couldn't see why she could not get her own as well and I refused to lend them out! Talk about shaking on the inside! Tried not to let it show on the outside! LOL.............that was the last time I remember her ever bothering to try it on again............so it was worth it.

Sorry about the life story! Do little insignificant objects bring back memories to you too?

Have an arty weekend.

I have another project on the go and would like to finish that one tomorrow so probably see you then.

TTFN.

xoxo

Just Magnolia - Week #3

I had to miss week 2 challenge at Just Magnolia :( ............so I was pleased to see a great sketch this week by Bev and wanted to have a go.

I've had some coloured pencils for a while that resurfaced the other day! So thought I would have a go at the baby oil technique of blending (instead of Sansodor which I don't have).............I was sceptical but have to say it works a treat........and believe me those pencils were real cheapies so I expect it works even better with "proper" pencils.

There is a story behind the card...........isn't there always! LOL............I had coloured Tilda and cut her out and done all the matting and layering and was about to fix her to the card when Oh! No!!! I had got a couple of black smudge marks on her..............(I actually said something stronger than Oh! No! that I can't repeat).................. and I was about to call it a day and throw it away when a solution popped in my head..........add some more smudge marks...........Yep....add even more smudges!!!..................now it looks as if she has been a bit naughty and got her dress all messed up...........It helps as well that the pink pencil I used for her cheek colour was a little too intense really and made her look a little flushed...............I think it works in the end as a "sorry I forgot" your birthday card.............I may like making cards but the amount of times I forget to send them in time is unreal! LOL

I had a go at decorating the inside as well......................seeing as if I have missed someones birthday they really deserve my best efforts.................I usually make a normal insert but as I used some digital papers for this I was not in danger of running out of a cherished bit of designer paper to do this.

The papers are available from Scrapgirls as a freebie called Refresh Collection here although I have had it a while and whilst my file says that is what it is called I can't actually see these two pieces of paper on the photo.......................anyways I like the papers you can get at Scrapgirls...............they really are designer IMO.

Thanks for looking.

xoxo

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