Forgotten Friday 60- Well Done to my Daughter!

Hi Folks, it's Friday again, and time for my Forgotten Friday post. Phew, this week has flown by! We have been up to Stoke on Trent for Megan's graduation ceremony, which took place on Tuesday. The weather was absolutely terrible on the day, it rained for the whole time. The grass was soggy, and it was such a shame, as the ceremony was held in Trentham Gardens, a really lovely setting. However, the students enjoyed their day, and the weather didn't dampen their spirits.

I hate having my photograph taken, but will suffer the anguish to have a picture with Megan. She looked lovely on the day, and we were very proud of her.

The following day, we helped her move house, just around the corner, as she is staying in Stoke to work for the time being. She is one of the lucky ones who has found employment after leaving University.

My Forgotten Friday project for this week was her graduation card. I knew exactly which stamps I wanted to use on her card, and they are stamps that I haven't used for five years, so I think that they qualify for this post very well! They are a set of Non Sequitur stamps 'House of Belonging', and are very apt for Megan particularly. She may not have realised in the rush of the day, but she reads my blog, and will understand from this post. Her dissertation in a nutshell, dealt with how women are regarded by society, by men, and by themselves. Whether the media, men, or even they, have allowed their image to become the way they are viewed currently. The background stamp reads "Be still woman, and know who you are" and the main image is of a young woman reading a book. I chose a very vintage feel to the card, while depicting a young woman of learning. I have also included a stamp from a Hot Picks Paper Artsy plate that has never been inked before.

I have used Distress Stains for the background, and second generation stamping for the words, so that they are not too overpowering. I have added some cream lace and ribbon roses in a shabby pink to match the background. The image is coloured with my faithful Polychromos and placed onto an embossed background.

Why don't you have a rummage and see what you have lying neglected in your craft supplies. If you make something, please leave a comment, and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

My first Show of the year!

Hi Folks, well I'm off to the Sincerely Yours Show at Thetford in Norfolk today, hoping to see a few crafty friends who are going as well. It's the first craft show that I've been to this year, so it will be great to see what has started to creep through from CHA. I'm going to Ally Pally next month, and that's where things will kick off properly, I'm sure. However, there's nothing like having a wander around stands of craft goodies and chatting to like-minded shoppers, is there?

Kay and Alfie will be there with the IndigoBlu stand, so it will be good to catch up with them too. I'm after some more Pan Pastels following on from making some samples for them recently. They are such a lovely medium to work with. This is another sample that I made for them, which may well be on display today:

This owl stamp is such a treat to work with. I've painted it with Distress Stains for this sample, using a variety of browns and oranges. I've used Pan Pastels for the background, and gilding flakes for the lollipop tree.

Well, I hope you are having a great weekend whatever you are doing, thanks for popping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 51- It's all about the Chemistry

Hi Folks, I know it's Saturday, but here I am with a Forgotten Friday post. My shoulder and arm have been very painful this week, which have affected my ability to do any crafting. I signed up to take part in Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry 101 Class, and decided to base my post project on that for this week. The items I needed to use were all neglected, so it qualified well and truly for my weekly ramblings!

The technique that I have covered is Distress Stain marbling, and you can learn all about it in Tim's class at http://www.onlinecardclasses.com/timholtz/class-info/ The classes are great, with daily videos and downloadable PDF files. It is great to sit down with a cuppa and watch Tim in action, picking up some tips and tricks along the way.

Anyway, onto my project! I have chosen to make tags, as that is what Tim has done. I made the first one, and then went on to make another one using the left over Stains, creating a much paler version, which I quite like. I never use Picket Fence Distress Stain, it sits there blinking at me in the drawer, so it has had an airing today. I've also got two stamp sets out, and inked them up for the first time, 'Artful Flight' and 'Shabby French'. These were sets that I treated myself to at a Craft Show at some point, put them with my other stamps, and never used them. There are some great stamps on these sets, and I think that they will get used a lot from now on. I also cut the tags out myself, using Tim's tag die, which is something that I rarely do, as I've been using all of my existing tags up first. So, all in all, I've had a good day using up my unused stash.

Here is tag number one, using lots of greens and blues, plus Picket Fence Distress Stain:

Here is tag number two, using the leftover Stains, and I really like this pale version:

Both backgrounds remind me of eggshells, with the blotches, and the colours, maybe it's the manilla tags, I don't know. It is a look that I really like though. I will definitely be creating more of these. I hope that you have a chance for some creativity over the weekend. Don't forget to leave a link to your 'Forgotten' creations, and I'll pop along to take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Catching up

Hi folks, it's been a while since I've written a blog post, but things have been rather uncomfortable for me of late. I've really struggled since I had my teeth sorted out, and had to make a couple of trips back to the Dentist. Thankfully, everything is now on the mend, and although I'm not eating crunchy foods yet, I am getting back to normal.

I have had a frozen shoulder for the past few months, which has been really painful. It has kept me awake at night, and caused me a lot of trouble. Yesterday, I had a procedure carried out which hopefully will free up the shoulder socket, and give me more movement. It wasn't pleasant, and I have had two lots of physiotherapy since. I need to do four lots of exercises a day, and keep everything moving now, or the whole process will have been for nothing. Fingers crossed I won't need to have surgery and will be back to normal soon. It makes me very aware that I'm not getting any younger, as my body keeps giving me these signs that it is not working as efficiently as it was when I was in my twenties. Heaven help me when I get to my Mum's age!

In spite of the tooth trouble, and the shoulder problems, I am still managing to get some crafting done! I have posted details of a card using some great new Easter themed stamps from Chocolate Baroque over on the Design Team Blog today. It uses some great Spring colours, yellow and purple. I made the card while I was staying at my Mum's recently, and even cadged a piece of ribbon from her crafty stash!

While using this stamp plate, 'Baroque Eggs', I made another simple Easter card using one of the large eggs, which I stamped onto acetate, and foiled the back. Glenda sells some sheets of imitation gold leaf on the website, which are great for this. I used my favourite Memento ink colour at the moment, Cantaloupe, to colour the background, and stamped the large swirl in the same colour. I used some of Glenda's fab ribbon for the bow, and some lace from my stash to finish the card. The sentiment is from the same stamp plate as the eggs. It's an A4 set, and has some great images.

I can't eat chocolate, as it gives me migraines, but I love this time of year, buying Easter eggs for the rest of my family. Wouldn't you love to get an egg that looked like this?

I will try to be back on Friday with a Forgotten Friday post, poorly shoulder permitting. It may be something simple if I'm not up to much, so please bear with me if that is the case. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Favourite colour combinations

Hi folks, my last post was a scheduled post, so I haven't had a chance to say thank you for the lovely comments from you wishing me well for my tooth extraction. It went okay, the sedation kept me perfectly calm, which was just what I could have hoped for during an uncomfortable and tricky procedure. I am a bit battered and bruised now, but hopefully things will just settle down after a few days, and I'll be back to normal in that department, anyway! I'll be off to Hospital again for a procedure on my arm in a couple of weeks, as I have a frozen shoulder that needs treatment. It has been very painful for about four months, and the time has come to get it sorted out, hopefully. So, I'll keep you posted as to how that goes, but not in too much detail, lol!

Anyway, onto matters crafty now. Since I have been playing with Distress Stains recently, it has made me think about colour combinations, particularly when using the Distress family of colours. I am rediscovering combinations that I love to use; Barn Door and Wild Honey, Victorian Velvet and Antique Linen, and most recently, Scattered Straw and Weathered Wood. I really like this combination. I have used it on projects before, but most recently, used it for a couple of Indigolu samples that I'd like to show you.

The first one uses stamps from 'Grand Tour II'. I masked a triangle section of the background off, and inked it up with my two colours of Distress Ink, then stamped the background with the map from the stamp set, twisting it at different angles, to fill the space. I then dried this off, covered it over, and filled another triangle section. I repeated the processs until the background was covered.

I coloured a piece of white card with the two colours, working out roughly where the building would sit, allowing for where the sky needed to be, and then stamped the main image with Flitterglu, and added the gold gilding flakes.

My second sample uses 'Grand Tour I' and the same colours throughout. I used Distress Stains to create a wrinkle free distress background. I created a strip of bicycles using the Flitterglu and gold flakes again. The little bicycle charm is an almost perfect match for the stamp, I was really happy about that. I stamped the word 'Travel' on the ribbon with Versamagic Jumbo Java ink, it's a great ink for stamping on fabric, and I have several colours in this ink for this purpose. The lady on the bicycle is a great focal stamp, and the details have come out really well, although the photograph doesn't really do her justice.

So, for a girl who loves purple, and working with bright colours, I am definitely finding my softer side at the moment! What is your favourite colour combination? Do you like brights, or the paler shades?

Thanks for stopping by today, Judith xx

Keeping busy

Hi folks, another scheduled post from me today. I'm finally off to the Hospital to be seen about having my tooth out. I had an infection flare up in my gum back in October, and it was recommended that my tooth should be taken out. It's only now that I'm having my consultation appointment! It's complicated, and needs to come out under a general anaesthetic, as the roots of my tooth are near my sinus cavity, and could be awkward to extract. I'd rather not be awake for the whole process anyway!

I made a card for my niece's 16th Birthday, using Distress Stains for the background again, I love using these at the moment. I've used stamps from indigoblu
to complete the card. The colours of the butterfly are not supposed to be realistic in any way, I just wanted them to match my background.

  

Here's another card sample from the latest Create and Craft TV show featuring the IndigoBlu stamps as well.

This features a spritzed background using Distress reinkers and water. I've coloured the poppies with Polychromos pencils, and then used Flitterglu and gilding flakes for the sentiment, and the border along the bottom.

The weather forecasters say that we are in for some cold weather this weekend, a good excuse to stay inside, wrap up warm, and get some crafting done, methinks. Anyway, have a good weekend, and thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 49- A little bit of Love WV style

Hi folks, it's Friday again, hasn't my blog been active this week! I've been writing my posts in advance, and then setting them up to post at designated times, as I've been busy making DT samples this week. I've also been struggling with a nasty migraine too, so I've needed to spend some time in bed trying to get rid of that.

My Forgotten Friday project this week is a bit of a cheat really, as it's actually my OH's Valentine's card. I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone this week. I was using neglected stamps and materials to make his card, so it qualified for the post. I have used Distress Stains to make the background, and before this week, these had sat completely unused for ages in the drawer. Now they are my best friend for colourful backgrounds. They are quick too. I have used Barn Door and Wild Honey for the background on this card. I used Wendy Vecchi stamps to complete the card, a great stamp along the bottom, that looks like a wrought iron fence, or upside down hearts, whichever way you want to look at it. I couldn't find my stamp positioner, so I just crossed my fingers and hoped that they would line up straight!

I stamped the heart and the sentiment onto Kraft card, after colouring it with Distress inks, the same colours as the Distress Stains that I used for the background. I added Glossy Accents to parts of the heart for a bit of interest. I used some paper string behind the sentiment, to give a more masculine feel than adding a piece of ribbon.

So, why don't you have a rummage through your stash, and make something with your forgotten and neglected items? Leave a comment and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look.

EDIT: I have chosen to take word verification off my blog for now, as I see that Blogger has chosen to put a new, very difficult to read system in place. When I have had to type this myself, it's really difficult to read. I don't want to put my readers through this. However, I know that in the past, this has opened me up to a lot of very strange commenters, so I am keeping an eye on things for the time being.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 48- Vintage Christmas

Hi folks, well I should have been at my Mum and Dad's house today, but the weather foiled my plans. We had a lot of snow overnight, and unfortunately, it just wasn't really sensible for me to travel.

We are tucked off the road, so this was our drive this morning. Hopefully, it will all disappear again in a few days, but at the moment, we are back to being covered in snow again.

It seems rather apt to be working on a Christmas card in this weather for my Forgotten Friday project! I have chosen an unused Crafty Individuals angel stamp, it's a really cute little image. I decided to go along the lines of vintage this week, as I've discovered a colour combination that I really like lately, which is Antique Linen and Victorian Velvet. Particularly when using Distress stains. Now I hardly ever use these, they really do get forgotten in my stash. I put the two together, as I had been using a brighter combination for something else, and loved these two. I made a piece of background paper using the wrinkle free distress technique, and then stamped another Crafty Individuals stamp, which is an angels definition stamp. I also stamped a music stamp from The Artistic Stamper.

I added some lace, some seam binding, and a crochet flower that I have been hoarding for an age, as it is so lovely. I am improving my crochet skills, along with some of my blog buddies, so I could crochet some of these if I really put my mind to it. The swirl on the Kraft background is another Crafty Individuals stamp.

I have plenty of room to add a sentiment to this card, to personalise it at Christmas, but I'll do that nearer the time. How are you all getting on with your Christmas cards? I know it's only February, but you know how the time flies, I am determined to keep going throughout the year this year.

Anyway, why not have a rummage through your stash, see what items you have forgotten or neglected, and make something with them. Leave a comment on my post, and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Dandelion Fairy

Hi folks, it's not often that I post on a Saturday I know, however, I had a rare chance to make a tag yesterday, just for fun. It wasn't for a challenge, or a swap, just a bit of relaxing time.

I stuck to my comfort zone of a Distress Ink background, as I wanted to achieve a certain colour. I used Old Paper, Mustard Seed, and Crushed Olive, blended and then spritzed with water. I used three stamps by Clarity stamps, available from Chocolate Baroque  which I stamped in Versafine ink. I stamped the verse in Onyx Black at the top of the tag, followed by the fairy at the bottom in a darker green. I stamped the individual leaf around the edges. I then coloured a piece of scrap card with the same colour Distress Inks and stamped the fairy and the leaves again. I cut the top layers of the fairy's dress out, and highlighted the stems with Glamour Dust. I highlighted all of the remaining leaf stems with a white pencil.

Just a quick note also to say that I have posted my latest project on our joint blog Some of you will have seen it already, as you follow both blogs, but if you haven't, please pop over and take a look. The details of how I made it are all over there.

Thanks for stopping by today, have a great weekend, whatever you are up to, Judith xx

Stamping Contrasts

Hi folks, well it's not such a sunny Sunday here today, but it's a welcome change, as the garden really needs a bit of rain. Yesterday was very humid, but it's a bit more pleasant today.

I have two cards to show you today, both using Tim Holtz's 'Papillon' Stamp set, which I loved as soon as I saw it. I love butterflies anyway, but the background stamp is just fabulous. At my card class last week, I wanted to get the girls to use white embossing in their cards, so we based our cards on this technique. We chose three colours, and blended our backgrounds, after embossing the background stamp. We also coloured the butterflies with the same colours, and decoupaged the butterflies. We used some Kraft card, and chose a stamp from the set as our background stamp, this time using a Versafine ink in a matching colour, (I used Majestic Purple), and then I matted everything onto red Bazzil card.

I haven't added added a sentiment, as this card could then be used for any purpose, a great store cupboard card!

My second card has a lovely shabby, vintage feel, which is exactly what I wanted. I firstly created my background, using a Linda Brown technique  using Paper Artsy paint, which you apply to white card sparingly, and dry with your heat gun. I then used Antique Linen and Spun Sugar Distress Stains, and blended them with a baby wipe over the top. When these were dry, I stamped the big Papillon background stamp down my card, using archival ink.
I then embossed and refined my metal shapes in Pearl metal, and painted them using Vintage Lace Fresco Finish paint. I rubbed over a little bit of black paint dabber, and wiped off the excess to age them slightly. I cut the wings from sticky back canvas, coloured them with Antique Linen Distress Ink, and stamped a Crafty Individuals script stamp over the top. I coloured the Ideology ribbon and flower trims with Spun Sugar and Antique Linen Distress Stains, before spritzing them with water.
I then assembled my card, adding a computer generated sentiment, and a heart charm. I had seen this sentiment on another blogger's card ages ago, I've looked so that I could give credit to her, but can't find the link. So my apologies for that.

This card is going to a very special person, and I hope she has a lovely Birthday!
Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you have a lovely weekend, whatever you are doing, Judith xx