Time Changer

TIO 107 - Time Changer (Victoriana, Steampunk, Hugo?)

Now, I know I have been notable by my blogging absence for the past couple of weeks, but I just can't seem to shake off this dratter cold and cough that I seem to have been plagued with for the past 4 or 5 weeks. It is really dragging me down. I don't feel like doing anything, least of all dragging mself out in the cold to get to my craft room. Anyways, I felt I really should get this last tag for 2011 done.

So on to my tag. I have painted the tag with pearl paint dabber then, once dry, I coloured it with worn lipstick distress ink and backed it on a slightly larger black tag. The clock faces in the background are a Hero Arts stamp and have been stamped in black archival, second generation inking. Over this I have added TH clogs, cut from black TH coredinations then sanded back a bit. The saying and the victorian man are from sets by Creative Expressions. Lastly, I have added black gross grain ribbon from my stash.

Short and sweet, pity really, I could have sooo gone to town on this theme. Never mind, perhaps I will have shaken off my cold by the New Year. Hopefully, you will all come back refreshed after the Christmas rush is over and you have had a chance to re-charge your batteries, raring to go with our next round of challenges.

Do pop over the the TIO blog and check out the entries by my uber-talented design team buddies, then suitably inspired, give it a go. We love to check out your entries. Just join in, have fun and please remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations.

Bye for now.

Wanda  x

Asian

TIO #105 - Chinatown (Asian Theme)

Wow, don't the weeks just fly by. I have done absolutely nothing in readiness for Christmas, apart from the toppers for half a dozen cards. I am a bit of a bah humbug abour it all anyway. It will be my son's birthday on Friday, and it would have been my eldest daughter's birthday on Monday 14th, so I like to get these birthdays out of the way then I just go full throttle in my preparations for the BIG day.  Anyway, I digress.

On to this weeks' challenge over on Dragon's Dream tag it on. The theme this week is set by Silvia (Barnie), and the film title she has chosen is "Chinatown" (an Asian theme). I decided to use a plate of stamps by The Stamp Man Non Sequitur - Samurai, for my main image. This is a fairly new set for me. The grasses are from another plate by The Stamp Man - Summer in the Orient. The blossom is a Clarity Stamp.

I have decided to keep it fairly mono in colour, so have inked the tag with Adirondack Butterscotch, having first stamped a screen stamp from the same stamp plate with versa mark, then the inked was brayered over.I know, it is hard (if not impossble) to see the resist stamping! The background images are also inked with butterscotch.

I tried stamping the sitting lady with a new glue ink from Indigo Blue then applying gold leaf, but it just didn't show up very well against the background, so I stamped her again on another tag, using black versafine, cut her out then mounted her over the original image. If you look very closely you can possibly see some of the gold leaf peeping through around the edges. I stamped her again on a piece of patterned paper, cut out the robes and paper pieced. I then coloured in the flowers on her robe with a green polycolour pencil. I also added a bit of colour to her face, neck and arms.

Lastly, I added an oriental coin, dragonfly brad and ribbons from my stash. Oh, and I mounted the tag onto a slightly larger black tag.

So there you have it. Fairly clean and simple this week.

I do hope you will check out the other samples over on the TIO blog, feel inspired then decide to join in with us dreaming "Asian".

I love checking out your work and I try to get round to each and every one of you.

Please feel free to leave a comment. I love reading them all.

Bye for now.

Wanda xx

Letters to Juliet

TIO #104 - Letters to Juliet

The theme, in the series of film titles, is set this week by my fellow design team buddy, AJ. She has chosen for her film "Letters to Juliet". A lovely romantic choice. Plenty of inspiration in the title, don't you think?

I decided to use a plate of stamps from Rubber Stamp Concept entitled "Venezia" (a lovely set), plus a lady from Sirius Hobby and script from Stamp Camp.

I decided to use my new winter distress inks on this one, so the colours are Iced Spruce, Evergreen Bough and Festive Berries, plus old paper and spun sugar. I have also used vintage sepia archival, on the small tag, and stazon cotton white on the black tag.

I inked the main tag with iced spruce with evergreen bough anf festive berries around the edges. I stamped the script on the main tag using iced spruce then stamped over it in evergreen bough with the balcony and gondola.

I inked the small tag with spun sugar then around the edges with festive berries. Then I stamped the lady using vintage sepia. I attached the scroll, a TH pen nib and a vellum rose (made with a spellbinders spiral blossom one die and festive berries ink).

I made a little vellum scroll, inking it with old paper and stamping on it with vintage sepia, then tied it up with narriw red ribbon.



Lastly, I attached the three tags together with the same narrow red ribbon as used around the vellum scroll.

And I think that is it!

We had a terrific response to last weeks' TIO challenge. You all seemed to love steampunk. So hows about a bit of romance this week for a complete change? How does that grab you? 

We hope you will pop over to the TIO blog for a bit more inspiration then that you decide to join us with your version of "Letters to Juliet". Please join in, have fun and remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations.

Now I had better get back to the kitchen. Jacket potatoes are in the oven but  I still need to prepare steak, onions, mushrooms and vegetables!

Please feel free to leave a comment (about my creation, not the steak, etc). I love to read all your comments and I will try and get to all your blogs and check out your work.

Bye for now.

Wanda xx

TIO #103 - Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Steampunk!

It is my turn to set the theme over on Dragons Dream tag it on  challenge. This round we are chosing film titles and I have decided upon "Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium" as my film title, with the emphasis on steampunk. Do you remember the film? So full of steampunk and old fashioned toys. I loved it!

Do you ever struggle with something, then suddenly get that "lightbulb" moment? Well, this range4of stamps from Creative Expressions (a wonderful set of 3 plates) has a light bulb then a saying that I thought just fits in with that lightbulb moment, so decided I must use it on my tag this week.

So my stamps are all from Creative Expressions, some stamped straight onto the tag and some stamped onto separate card, cut out and mounted, either flat or 3D. My tag has been embossed with a TH Sizzix folder, and inked with faded jeans distress stain, with a litttle black soot to give the raised design definition.

I have used scattered straw and antique linen as well on some elements. I have glazed the light bulb and clock face.

So that is my tag, short and sweet. Pop on over to the TIO challenge and check out the work of my fabulous design team buddies, then give it a go. Just have fun and remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations.

Bye for now. Love your comments, please keep them coming, and I will try my best to check out all your wonderful entries.

Wanda  xx

TIO #102 - Planes Trains and Automobiles

TIO # 102 - Planes Trains and Automobiles

First of all let me start by apologising for my log of posts this past week. I haven't managed to get round to anyone's entries for last week's TIO challenge. I have been feeling decidedly unwell all week. I thought I was shaking it off at the end of last week but not so. I have been fit for nothing. So please accept my apologies for being so remiss.

Luckily, I started this week's tag last week so only had to finish it off today.

Helen has set the theme this week, and her film choice is Planes Trains and Automobiles. She wants us to dream travel.

My stamps are from a set by Tanda Stamps. The main focal images have been stamped onto seperate card, inked with black versafine and detail black ep then cut and mounted 3D.  My tag has been inked with a selection of blue distress inks and some background images from the same Tanda set have been stamped in the same blues.

I have added a few TH travel adage tickets to complete my travel theme. Ribbon is cream vintage, inked with blue distress stain and overstamped in blue.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. Take a look at the fab samples by my design team buddies then please join us dreaming "travel".  Above all, have fun and just remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations. I will do my best to get around all your blogs and check out your entries.

Bye for now.

Wanda xx

TIO #101 - Angels and Daemons

TIO # 101 - Angels and Daemons

For our next round of challenges we have chosen film titles as our theme. Elizabeth starts the round with her choice which is "Angels and Daemons".

I am full of cold and not feeling up to par at the moment so not feeling very inspirational, so I just opted for Angels.

My stamps are all from Crafty Individuals, apart from the script which is from Stamp Camp. I have inked my tag with broken china and dusty concorde distress inks. I have overstamped with the same inks.

My main image is stamped onto another piece of card and I have cut round the flourish on the left hand side. I have lightly coloured the image with copic pens, added gems to the centre of the flowers, and added a gentle dusting of crystal glitter to the wings.

I have coloured the ribbon flowers with broken china distress stain, added an angel charm and lace, ribbon and strands, all from my stash.

So there you have it, short and sweet. Do pop over and check out the entries by my design team buddies. I'm sure you will find a few daemons there!

Do join in and show us what you can do. Above all, have fun and remember to use at least one real stamp in your creation. We love to pop onto your blogs and check out your artwork.

Bye for now.

Thanks for your comments.

Wanda xx

TIO#100 - Ticket to Ride

TIO #100 - Ticket to Ride

Wow, what a fabulous response we had to last week's challenge over on Dragon's Dream tag it on challenge. We were blown away by your fabulous tags. Obviously a popular theme.

The theme for this week's challenge is set by our leader Frankie, and she has chosen "Ticket to Ride", by the Beatles, as her song choice.

I decided to use a new stamp plate by IndigoBlu, Grand Tour III, for my main image, a hot air balloon. I got this plate and a crackle background for renewing my subscription to Craft Stamper while I was at Happy Stampers North West at Port Sunlight last Saturday.

I think the victorian gentleman is from a plate by Creative Expressions (I forgot to check). The tickets are from Crafty Individuals (smaller ticket) and Dimension Fourth (larger ticket).

I inked my tag with mustard seed and wild honey distress stains, then overstamped with the crackle background, using mustard seed and wild honey distress inks. On the right is a torn piece of tag, coloured with the same distress stains then put through a TH texture fades embossing folder, then I coloured with raised bits with vintage photo distress ink. The images have all been stamped with vintage photo distress ink.

The balloon and victorian gentleman have been 3D'd onto the tag for added dimension.

The tickets have been stapled together onto the tag. American seam binding has been coloured with wild honey distress stain.

That's it! Short and sweet, although it took a fair while to make as I kept changing my mind!

I hope this week's theme gets your creative juices flowing again. Pop over to the TIO blog and check out the entries by my fabulously talented design team buddies, then join in and have fun. Just remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations. I look forward to checking out all your fabulous entries.

Please feel free to leave a comment. I love to read them.

Bye for now, Wanda xx

TIO #99 - Whole of the Moon

TIO#99 - Whole of the Moon

The challenge this week on Dragon's Dream tag it on challenge is set by my team mate, Helen. Her song choice is "Whole of the Moon" by the Waterboys. It is a long time since I last heard that one!

It was easy for me to decide how to meet this challenge, having watched the wonderful Barbara Gray of Clarity Stamp at the weekend on Create and Craft. I had to record the morning shows as I was working and then watched them later in the day. while kI was watching I had a little play, as you do, as I new it would come in handy for this weeks TIO challenge. So thank you very much Barbara. I just love trees and can't resist a tree stamp, so this one had to jump into my basket the minute I saw it.

So, my stamp is the lovely split tree by Clarity Stamp. I first masked off the moon and set to work with my brayer and torn copy paper, using first sail boat blue and then denim adirondack dye inks. I then stamped the trees using black soot distress ink, adding a little shadow around the base of the main tree.

The snow was added using a Zig painty twin, using the white tip. I then drew a squiggly line around the masked area of the image using a millenium black fine line pen.

I added the "dream" ticket froma set by Creative Expressions. Made with white card inked with antique linen distress stain and edged with vintage photo, then stamped in archival black.

The chipboard bird is by Crafty Individuals. I painted it black, applied crackle, then a top coat of white, then decided I dididn't like it like that, so I added another coat of while and sprinkled glamour dust over it - much better (imho).

I mounted the artwork on a deep blue tag that had been stamped with the top of the tree using stazon opaque cotton white.

Lastly, the American seam binding was coloured with broken china distress stain (I haven't got denim yet) then over-stamped with the tree in black ink. I also added a piece of old gold ribbon to balance with the ticket.

I added a gem eye to the bird, then added another to the tag for balance.

So thank you very much Barbara for giving me this weeks tag. I just tweaked it about a bit.

Please do pop over to the TIO blog and take a look at the fantastic work produced by my team buddies. You can't fail to be inspired to have a go. Just remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations.

Bye for now. Thanks for dropping by, and please feel free to leave a comment. I love reading them, and I will try and pop on over to every one of your blogs to check out your entries and, of course, to leave a comment for you.

Wanda xx

TIO # 98 - These Boots are Made for Walking

A fabulous set of entries last week to Dragon's Dream TIO challenge, so thanks folks!

Now on to this weeks challenge, which is set by Silvia. She has chosen a song my Nancy Sinatra "These Boots are Made for Walking". Now you can use boots, shoes, flip flops, slippers.... In fact, any type of footwear you please. Just have fun in your dreaming and please ensure you use at least one real stamp in your creation.

Now on to my entry. As you can see I decided to take the song title quite literally and opted for boots. Not having an actual boot stamp in my collection I have resorted to clip art to get me out of this slight pickle.

My tag is made from a page from the TH Vintage shabby paper stack, over which I have repeatedly stamped a flourish by Rhonna Fahrer in broken china DI. The wording is a Papermania stamp set and the exclamation from a SeeDee's set.

The clip art boots have been cut out and then glamour dust has been added to the flourishes and tops of the boots. Sadly, the sparkle doesn't show up very well here.

A TH mini rosette has been added with black ribbon behind and glamour dust in the centre.

The feather, horse charm, tassle and ribbon are all from my stash.

 And there you have it! Short and sweet!

Now come on, show us how you are inspired by the song title. Pop over to the TIO blog and check out the work of my fabulous design team buddies, then have a go. We love popping over to your blogs to take a look.

Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to leave a comment. I love reading them.

Wanda xx

Friendly Plastic Weekend - Episode Two!

I thought I would show you some examples of work created by the lovely Liz Welch that I photographed over the weekend.

These are just a small sample of the beautiful masks that were on display. Don't they look fabulous set against the ancient stonework of the castle?

The handles and lacework are all made from friendly plastic!

And this one too!

I just love the tassel cap pictured above!

Well, that's it for now. I took lots more photos but will save them for another episode!

Bye for now. Thanks for stopping by.

Wanda xx

Friendly Plastic Weekend with the lovely Liz Welch

I have just had the good fortune to spend a weekend at Caernarfon Castle in the company of a delightful group of ladies being inspired by the very talented Liz Welch, ably assisted by the lovely Adrienne. Friendly Plastic is so versatile and can be made to look like metal, knitting, in fact anything, in the capable hands of Liz.

The weekend just flew by we were all having so much fun. Adrienne provided a wonderful buffet lunch on both days and flew up and down the steps endlessly keeping the kettle and crock pots topped up with water.

Some fabulous work was created by the ladies in attendance, inspired by all the lovely examples Liz had brought along.

Here is a look at my work from the weekend. I am just itching to do some more, which is in my plans for tomorrow, so watch this space.

This is a piece I stamped into with a clay squisher stamp.

This piece was created using the "knitting technique" demonstrated by Liz.

Another piece using the knitting technique.

The two above are samples of the ooze technique

This heart is made using a shape cutter and the ooze technique

Another heart, this time with black lace embedded into it.

And finally, a picture of all the pieces I created over the weekend.

I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and can't wait for the next one!

We also had a bit of drama at the castle on Sunday afternoon, but that will have to wait until my next post as galley duties call. Pop back tomorrow and there will be more piccies, including some of the drama!

Bye for now.

Wanda xx

TIO #97 - Mother

TIO # 97 - Mother

The theme this week on Dragon's Dream TIO challenge is "Mother", by Pink Floyd and is set for us by AJ who would also like to see some embroidery in our creations. Now, before I start I have to admit my embroidery is actually faux embroidery. I haven't done any embroidery for soooo long and left it too late to be able to take the time to practice!

I started by spraying some linen fabric with cherry blossom glimmer mist and desert moon endless sky moonglow glitz spritz. Then I overstamped with a swirly leaf stamp, I think it might be from imagination crafts but I haven't kept the packaging so can't be sure. I adhered the fabric to a tag and put an eyelet through. I stamped the words "mother" and "love" using black stazon at the top and borrom of the tag. Then, for the ingenious bit - I added my embroidery - with a teal blue stazon inkpad and some Anna Griffin stamps I bought absolutely ages ago! You see, where there is a will, there is a way. I cut the bottom of the tag around the scalloped edge, then added the lace. My tag is edged with timber brown stazon.

I searched through all my stamps for a suitable image, but drew a blank. So then I resorted to going through atc's that had been swapped when I was in the swap on the JS forum, and found this little beauty. She reminds me so much of my grandmother at that age. There was no name on the back of the atc so I can't give credit, nor do I know where the image is from.

I added some little flowers from my stash, together with a TH flourish and zig zag ribbon from my stash. And there you go, Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt, as the saying goes, done!

I must say I found this challenge quite - a challenging! Pop on over and check out the entries from my fabulously talented design team buddies, then show us how this theme inspires you. Above all, have fun and remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations.

Please feel free to leave a comment. I so enjoy reading them.

Bye for now, Wanda xx

Fashion

TIO #96 - Dedicated Follower of Fashion"

1. 

I don't know why I have a figure "1" just below my picture and I can't get rid of it. Grrrr!!!

We had a fabulous response to last week's TIO challenge, and really enjoyed checking out your entries and having a good old nosey on your blogs. You are such a creative lot! I seems you all really like the colour red, in all its shades. We were really blown away by your entries. Thank you all for sharing your talent with us.

This week is is my turn to set the challenge and for my song title I have chosen "Dedicated Follower of Fashion". I think it was by the Kinks? I know, really showing my age here. The song has been going round in my head for ages, driving me mad! It is not even a favourite of mine. Yikes!

For my entry this week I have started by covering a tag with paper from a TH vintage shabby pad, then I grunged it up with distress inks in pink and blue (sorry, can't remember which ones), I also threw sone PaperArtsy Fresco paints on there, then overstamped with little elements fashion stamps from Crafty Individuals. I edged the tag with Brilliance Silver and Cosmic Shimmer Silver ep.

The words are from a stamp plate by The Stamp Man, stamped onto some more of the paper and edged with sepia archival. The dress form is from another stamp plate which I stamped and embossed in silver and then cut out. Then I covered it with a coloured wet wipe, some netting, narrow ribbon and a flower and gem. Oh, and a litttle heart necklace.

The two fashion conscious ladies are from a new stamp plate by Crafty Individuals (I love their stamps), coloured with prisma pencils. The lady in blue is stuck directly onto the tag, and the lady in pink is 3d mounted. The flowers are cut from paper from the same pad and, once rolled, edged with silver rub n buff. I took an idea from the fabulous Frankie and rolled some blue wire to place under the roses. The lace was coloured with spun sugar distress stain as was the ribbon for the little bow at the top.

The bird in flight is also from Crafty Individuals, coloured with pink and blue fresco paints, then overstamped with sepia archival. The flourish is a TH die, coloured with the same fresco paints.

Please pop over to the TIO challenge blog and check out the samples by my uber talented design team buddies. Then let us see what you can do with this weeks theme. Above all, have fun and remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations.

Thanks for dropping by. Please feel free to loave a comment. I love reading them.

Bye for now, Wanda xx

Red Red Wine

TIO #95 - Red Red Wine

This is the challenge this week set by my teamie, Helen. I immediately thought of a set of stamps by Creative Expressions, well two sets actually - French Vintage and Vintage Labels, for my tag.

I coloured my tag with antique linen distress stain on a damp tag so the colour remained really light. I then stamped the script from the set in antique linen distress ink, then the other stamps using barn door and fired brick distress inks. The leaves have been stamped with black archival on dark green card.

I distressed the edges of the tag and the label then coloured with fired brick. The flower is made from copy paper that had been underneath flowers when I had been spraying them. I just added a bit of fired brick and script using the same ink.

I have tipped the edges of the leaves and flowers with distress stickles. The wine glasses have been covered with glossy accents, and the wine botttle has been sprayed with crafters companion glossy spray.

So that is my entry. So pop over to the TIO challenge blog and check out all the other fab samples, then pop back in a day or so and check out the entries. We get some fabulous entries, so diverse! The main thing is, just have fun, and remember to use at least one real stamp in your creation. I look forward to checking out your entries.

Please feel free to leave a comment. I so enjoy reading them. Thanks for stopping by.

Wanda xx



Inspired by Peacocks

The CD Sunday challenge this week "Inspired by Peacocks". So I thought what better than Peacock Summer Party CD by Glenda Waterworth of Chocolate Baroque, who are this week sponsoring the challenge. I am very neglectful of my CD collection as I tend to just reach for stamps and ink when I am crafting, so I welcomed the opportunity to make use of these lovely CDs. I printed the bp on 160 gsm text and graphics and the peacocks on satin finish photo paper. I cut one peacock our using an oval nestie and then cut around the other so I could decoupage it over the oval. The oval has been inked around the edges using broken china DI as has my A5 base card. I have used glitter glue on the "eyes" in the peacock feathers. The border has been cut using an EK Success punch, then spotty ribbon from my stash added. The two curly corners have been cut using a die I have had for ages, and once in a while I remember it again and it gets another airing. So that's it! A short post as it really was quite quick and easy to put together.

Thanks for stopping by, and please feel free to leave a comment.

Wanda xx

Embossing

Rainbow Lady's Challenge 168 - Let's Emboss It!

 

Ok, I have taken another photo this morning and replaced it. It was driving me mad! I don't know why I posted it last night at all. Think I was tired and not thinking straight?

The challenge this week set by Rainbow Lady is to do some embossing. I had a play this afternoon with a Creative Expressions embossing folder, some Wow embossing powder in a lovely shade of blue and a Papermania backing paper, and this is what I came up with.

Once I had embossing the white card, I then gentle shaded the raised parts with blue DI, then set about cutting out all the little squares in the trellis. I laid that over the bp. Then I cut out a frame using nesties, and laid that over the top, first sandwiching some spotty blue ribbon across the panel. I added a little blue bow to one side.

I then stamped and embossed two large irises and one small iris and coloured them with prismacolour pencils before cutting them out. The second large one I only wanted the three top petals for layering. I stuck the flowers down using glue gel.

So there you have it.

Better get going. I hadn't noticed the time, and we haven't eaten yet - yikes!!! What am I like. 

Bye for now. Thanks for stopping by.

Wanda xx

Faux postage

The challenge this week on Rainbow Lady's challenge, well last Thursday acrually, is Faux postage. I actually created this yesterday but forgot to post until just now! Yikes!!! Anyway, here it is

My base is a piece of grungeboard painted with black acrylic paint dabber, then covered with TH paper leaving a small border all round. Then I had loads of fun making all the mini postcards and stamps, using a wide variety of stamps. Sorry, I didn't make a note of all the stamps I used, but you get the idea. Most have been coloured with distress stains and coloured pencils. I then punched two holes in the top and added ribbon to hang. I searched high and low for metal chain I know I have somewhere but had to give up in the end. I bet it will turn up today!

I am entering my wall hanging into the Try It On Tuesday Challenge which is to alter something.


Bye for now. Thanks for looking.

Wanda xx

TIO #94 - Bed of Roses - a little light metal

TIO # 94 - Bed of Roses, a little light metal

The next round of challenges over on the TIO challenge is Song Titles. Each design team member has to come up with a song title then we all have to create a tag around that theme. Cool Huh? The round is being kicked off by Elizabeth and she has chosen Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi, and is asking for a little light metal. I think this will be a popular theme. At least it is with me! It will have to go some to beat the record number of fabulous entries we had last week for Frankie's theme. some fabulous entries there were too.

Added to all this excitement, we have still more. Sadly, two of our design team, Zoe and Janet, have had to drop out owing to other commitments, so we have not one, not two, but THREE new design team members. You will have to pop over to the TIO challenge to see who they are, but it promises to provide you with some fabulous and very diverse samples to whet your whistles. So go on, pop over and take a look.You will be sorry if you don't. Then join in and show us what you can create. Just remember to use at least one real stamp in your creations.

Now back to my tag -

To start, I sprayed my tag with a light spritzing of water, then I coloured it with antique linen distress stain, blotting with a sponge to give texture. When the tag was dry, I coloured around the edges with distress ink in the same colour. I then set to work with my stamps. The stamps I used were TH Papillon and Mini Muse, Clarity Birds in Flight, and Artylicious Keys and Locks stamp plate.

The inks I used for my stamping were antique linen and chipped sapphire distress inks and archival coffee. Some of my stamping is second or third generation stamping.

I cut my flower layers from gold metal, by Woodware, using PaperArtsy dies. I then set about making my flower using a fabulous tutorial by the very talented Leandra Frannich. Her tutorial can be found on her PaperArtsy blog. Thanks Leandra, I so enjoyed giving it a go.

I followed her instructions, colouring my metal with a pitch black paint dabber, which I rubber off very gently, then I used alcohol inks in stream and purple twilight. The leaves were coloured in the same way but using clover alcohol inks instead. The TH flourish was coloured in the same way.

I then added my metal elements to my tag and, voila! So that's my entry this week.

Here is a hanging I made a little while ago, but it seems to fit in with the theme. Well, it does have a lot of metal!

All the metal elements were cut using a selection of dies from TH and PaperArtsy. They were cut from copper metal and coloured with alcohol inks. The three sections of the hanging were coloured using Eco acrylic paint in blue, then I overstamped. Sorry, I can't mention to stamps I used as I didn't make a note at the time.

The hinge at the top was cut from grungeboard. Strong stuff!

That's it from me for now. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. Now go on, give it a go. Surely we have given you enough inspiration to get those creative juices flowing.

I love to read your comments and thanks for taking to time to leave one.

Wanda xx

TIO#93 - "Travel - Make a Getaway"

I can't believe how quickly this month has flown by. Here we are nearing the end of August. Just one more challenge then that's August put to bed.

I wasn't too sure which stamps to use for this challenge, set by our leader, Frankie, then decided upon a set called Vanezia by Ruber Stamp Concepts. It is the first time  I have used this set. I think it will be getting quick a few airings! We are blown away by the talent and creativity we are seeing in your entries to the TIO challenge. You keep coming up trumps week after week. Anyhooo, back to my design team entry.

TIO #93 = "Travel - Make a Getaway"

The tag was coloured with Eco paints, using Sheena's crackle technique. I then swiped over it with broken china distress stain.  Once this was dry I set to work with my stamps, Rubber stamp Concepts - Venezia, Creative Expressions - Tickets, and Crafty Individuals C1-307, and stazon inks in smokey grey and black.

I also stamped onto acetate with one of the images from the Venezia set and then adhered guilding flakes, Autumn Rose, on the reverse. I also stamped the work "Venezia" in the same way. Both were adhered to my tag.

I then stapled two tickets onto the tag. and two moulds made with ultra-tick EP and bronze and rose ep. Finally, I added ribbons from my stash along with a little bronze key, also from my stash.

I'm sure if you pop over to the TIO challenge blog you will be suitably inspired by the varied samples by my talented fellow design team buddies. Go on, give it a go, you know you want to. Frankie is speaking of making a sampler from this weeks entries. You might just be in it.

Thanks for stopping by. I love to read your comments.

Wanda xx

Child's Play

TIO#92 - Child's Play

Another week has flown by since the last TIO challenge. This week the challenge is set by Janet and she has chosen "Child's Play" as her theme. My problem was deciding which stamp to use. Having finally made that decision I set to work with a stamp by Sheena from her Little Bit Sketchy range. He is such a cute, cuddly little boy!

I coloured the tag with distress stains - broken china, peeled paint and wild honey. I only have five or six of these at the moment but NEED more! I stamped the child using black archival, and the birds, from Clarity Stamp with grey archival. The sentiment was also stamped using black archival. I then stamped the child again on a seperate piece of card and coloured in with prisma pencils, and paper pieced over the image on the tag.

Finally, I added ribbons from my stash, a narrow yellow ribbon and a polka dot pale blue organza.

Do pop over to Dragon's Dream TIO challenge, using the link above,  and check out the fabulous entries by my fellow design team buddies. They really are amazing. Then let us see what you can come up with. I bet you have one or three child type stamps in your stash. Have fun and just remember to use at least one real stamp in your creation.

Bye for now.

Wanda xx

TIO # 91 - It's a Horses Life

TIO #91 - It's a Horses Life

This week over on the TIO challenge, the theme is "It's a Horses Life" and it is set by my fellow design team buddy, Zoe.

I was able to use a set of stamps I bought a couple of weeks ago at a Craft Fair in Wrexham, from Stamp Addicts, Gypsy Caravan No 2, and Rural Scenery.

My background was created by swiping distress stains, broken china, spun sugar, peeled paint and wild honey across the tag, then dabbing with a wet wipe. I then edged with distress inks - tumbled glass and vintage photo.

I stamped the images in the rear with distress inks, shabby shutters and peeled paint. the main images have been stamped with sepia and black archival.

I have added a bit of shading to the main images with polycolour pencils.

Right, that's it. Short and sweet!

Below is another I made first. using the same tools but landscape this time. I decided it was a bit too busy so chose the one above as my design team entry.

Bye for now. Thanks for dropping by. I always look forward to reading your comments.

Wanda xx

Family Outing

We went out for a meal to an Italian restaurant in Prestatyn last weekend to celebrate by daughter's birthday. Here she is pictured above, with my grandson, Jamie.

The picture above shows little Louis, my daughter's youngest, Sophie, Jamie's girlfiend, and Ellisha, by daughter's middle child. Not sure what Louis is doing there?

The picture above shows my son, Alex, in the foreground, and my son-in-law, Pete sitting next to him. They look content after their meals, don't they?

Louis, concentrating very hard on something.

Jamie, in thoughtful mode.

Louis, ready for mischief.

It was a lovely meal. We will certainly be going there again. Louis was as good as gold, considering he is only three. I took a picture of my OH but, as he was sitting right next to me, it looks as though he is about to eat me so I decided to leave it out!

By for now.

Wanda xx

Haute Couture

I made this card for my daughter's birthday recently. It is very similar to one I made some time ago, same colour scheme, but this time I have added flowers, made with a new to me Marianne die. I am finding it really relaxing making flowers.

The image has been coloured with copic markers. The backing is made using swiss dots embossing folder, with broken china distress ink gently rubbed across. I have also inked the mat with my main image in the same way.

A few pearl gems, ribbon from my stash, and voila - a card!

Thanks for stopping by.

Wanda xx

Nature's Bounty

TIO#90 - Nature's Bounty

The theme this week on Dragon's Dream tag it on challenge is set by me, and I have opted for "Nature's Bounty". It struck me that we are surrounded with all nature has to offer at the moment, from fruit to vegetables, and I noticed whilst walking to the post box the other day, that the blackberries are nearly ready for picking. There is an abundance of locally grown produce available at the moment. So I thought it would be an apt theme.

We are really impressed with all the fabulous entries we have the pleasure of checking out each week on your blogs. So thank you so much for dreaming along with us.

Now, on to my entry. As you can see I have opted for blackberries, from a Joanna Sheen stamp plate, and fungi from a Graphicus (now Chocolate Baroque) stamp plate. The sentiment is from a Sheena stamp plate.



I have stamped the berries and foliage using Whispers Markers, and the remainded with sepia archival. I have coloured my tag using broken china and scatered straw distress inks, and gone around the edges with vintage photo DI. I have coloured the images using aqua markers, which I have scribbled onto my craft sheet then spritzed with water so the colour is not too intense.

The fungi has been stamped on a separate tag, cut out and 3D mounted to give some dimension.

Lastly, I have plaited some twine and threaded this through the top of the tag. I would have preferred to use rafia but can't, for the life of me, find it. Isn't that always the way with these little used products?

I hope you will feel inspired by the design team entries to give it a go and show us your interpretation of "Nature's Bounty". Just remember, you must use at least one real stamp in your entry.

Bye for now. Thanks for stopping by. I love and appreciate your comments.

Wanda xx

Gossamer Felting

A couple of weeks ago I atttended a super workshop at Stitch It in Llandudno with my friend, Elizabeth. I made the gossamer scarf, shown below. Firstly, we learnt about all the products that are available for felting. We then had the daunting task of deciding on our colour schemes. Now, to anyone who knows me, it will come as no surprise to learn that I am the queen of indecision. However, on this occasion, I found the decision making process relatively easy. I opted for pale blue with a smattering of pink. Not my usual colour choice, but I decided I wanted to do something different.

The day just flew by. Once we had laid our main colour of merino felt tops out onto the clear plastic sheet, three layers with a bit of cross-hatching, we then laid down our chosen quantity of contrast colour in various types of silk wools, giving our work as much texture as we wished.

The next step was to spray the peice liberally with soapy water, then lay another piece of clear plastic on top. Then the work began, firstly with pre-felting to start the binding process, then the felting, then we washed and rinsed our scarves.

Definately something I will be doing again. I have since watched a u-tube video where the lady demonstrating used bubble wrap instead of clear plastic, and rolled the work up, firstly from one end and then from the other, rolling the work about 100 times from each direction.

Bye for now. Thanks for stopping by.

Wanda xx

TIO#89 - Pressing Matters

TIO #89 - Pressing Matters

My, how the weeks are flying by over on the Dragon's Dream TIO challenge blog. The number of fabulous entries seems to be increasing week by week. This week the challenge is set for us my the very talented Helen and her theme is "Pressing Matters". She is looking for embossing of any kind, and, of course the use of at least one real stamp.

For my entry this week I have used stamps from TH Papillon and Mini Muse stamp sets. I have coloured my tag using Spun Sugar and Tumbled Glass distress inks, edging my pieces with Broken China and Victorian Velvet DI's. I have stamped and embossed the Papillon text using Magenta Twinkle WOW embossing powder. The embossed section to the right uses the Butterfly Vine embossing folder. My butterflies are also from the Papillon stamp plate and have been embossed using the same ep. The sentiment on the small tag is from the Mini Muse stamp plate and has been embossed using Magenta Twinkle WOW ep, over a spun sugat DI base.

The flowers have been made using new to me dies, I think they are Marianne, from TH Vintage Shabby papers.

The ribbons and gems on the butterfly bodies are from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by. I always love to read your comments and to check out your entries. Pop on over the the TIO blog and check all the fabulous design team entries for inspiration then let us see your take on this weeks theme.

Bye for now.

Wanda xx

TIO#88 - Look to the Skies

TIO#88 - Look to the Skies

The challenge this week, over on Dragon's Dream TIO challenge,  is set by Elizabeth who has decided we should all "Look to the Skies". Well, this conjures up all sorts of images in my head. I thought about planes, birds, kites, but then settled on balloons. They look so serene and peaceful, don't they? Hardly a sound is made as they pass over. I would just love to go up in one, but wimp that I am, kI have never dared! So I decided to make them the focal point of my dream.

Firstly, I stamped and masked off my three balloons (Clarity Stamps), then I spritzed my tag with a mixture of Cosmic Shimmer Mist in Mango Blaze, Sticky Fingers mist in Frost, and Moonglow Glitz Spritz in Dessert Moon Endless Sky.

I then inked around the edges of my tag with Shabby Shutters, Mustard Seed and Tumbled Glass distress inks. Next was the rest of the stamping, some script  (Stamp Camp)secondary stamping in a couple of places in Archival sepia, then the trees (Clarity Stamps)at the base in Olympic green archival, with some secondary stamping for depth. The birds (Clarity Stamps) are stamped in black archival secondary stamping. The clouds, also secondary stamping are by A Stamp in the Hand.

I then distressed the edges using a TH distresser then ran around the edges with black archival.

The strands, disc with "F" on it, and TH "Journey" tag are all from my stash.

Do pop over and check out the samples from my super talented design team buddies, and check out their blogs. You are sure to be filled with inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by. I love to read your comments.

Wanda xx



Picking Flowers

Here is a card I made today for my grand daughter's birthday, which is tomorrow. I had intended to go with pink and blue, but somehow I ended up with green and lemon! Now how did that happen? Image coloured with copic markers. Not sure where the backing paper came from. The flower centres were made using dies then these were mounted onto flowers from my stash. The sentiment is stamped in black and cut out using a nestie. Ribbon from my stash.

Sorry it is such a short post. OH has just made me a hot chocolate!

Bye for now.

Wanda xx

TIO#87 - Project Tim Holtz



The challenge this week on Dragon's Dream tag it on challenge blog is Project Tim Holtz, set by our leader Frankie. I have purchased a couple of the mini series of TH stamps recently so decided, of course, that I would use those.

I decided to opt for the TH dabber resist technique, so I fished out the only white I had which is, in actual fact, pearls, and repeat stamped the flourish from one of the said sets. I left this to dry then, as I don't have any of the stains - yet, I used a glimmer mist in Cherry Blossom and a cosmic shimmer mist in Ocean Sunlight on my tag. I then edged it with tattered rose and broken china distress inks. I stamped a couple of images using the same inks, then over-stamped in black stazon. I stamped umbrella man in black versacolour then embossed in black. I then mounted him on the wire so he is high wire walking. I distressed the edges using the TH paper distresser, then edged in black stazon.

The vintage seam binding has been coloured using the same distress inks, then stamped in black stazon using the harlequin design. I added the ribbon then finaly I added the ball chain with the token which says "believe".

I hope you approve of my take on a TH project. Must go the steamer has just pinged!

Please do pop over to the TIO challenge blog and check out the fabulous entries by my design team buddies. They really do produce some amazing work. Then give it a go - show us what you can come up with. We love to see your entries and we try to comment on each one. Just remember to use at least one real stamp in your creation.

Bye for now. Thanks for dropping by. I love to read your comments.

Wanda xx

Age of Chivalry

TIO #86 - Age of Chivalry

The theme this week over on Dragon's Dream TIO challenge is "Age of Chivalry" and is set for us by Janet.

I have used a stamp set by Tanda stamps for all of my images. The knight is stamped onto metal using black stazon, then cut out, andf 3D mounted onto my tag. I have used DI's in pumice stone, putty and black soot for my background and have stamped my images with the same DI's and black stazon where I wanted more emphasis.

The fleur de lis and crown have been cut using TH dies and a nestie for the larger fleur de lis. I have then run the die cuts through my cuttlebug using a script embossing folder. Sanded the raised script then brushed over very lightly with black soot DI.

Finally, I have made the rossette, using a mould and ultra thick EP, to which I have added bronze and gold EP. I have brushed over the raised areas very lightly with old gold rub and buff, kbut have to admit this isn;t showing very well in the photo. I thought the rossette could signify the war of the roses. Not sure if I have the right era in history though (not my strong point!)

That's it for now. A cup of tea calls. Do pop over to the TIO challenge block and check out the entries by my super talented design team buddies. Then let's see what you can come up with. We love popping over to your blogs.

Bye for now. I love reading your comments so do let me know what you think of my entry. And I know my fellow design team love to receive your comments too. Even more, we love looking sat your entries.

Wanda