Tag No. 1

Well here is tag no. 1. Although I should be busy typing up P&C minutes and putting the calendar swap together that I'm hosting. I got just a tiny bit excited when I saw the first tag. So I dropped what I was doing and gathered my supplies, got busy and so wanted to show off what I'd done that I didn't even wait for the Picket Fence Stickles to dry before pulling out the camera. All of the stamps, chipboard flourish, inks, stickles etc sold through Kaszazz. If you would like to know exactly which ones, feel free to email me.

Thanks for looking and I hope that your fingers are getting inky.

Season's Cheers!

Tim and his 12 Tags of Christmas 2009

Yep Tim Holtz is doing the 12 Tags of Christmas yet again. Check out his blog every day for a chance to win the products used to create that days tags. I'll be attempting each days tag and I hope to upload my effort everyday. If you would like some of the tags that Tim uses, I have some. Click on the Email me link and we'll talk turkey (I'm happy to swap tags for ATC's, ephemera etc).

Have fun and get your fingers inky.

Collab Book

I love the stuff Linda B does, all that texture and colour. Go check out her blog if you haven't already, Linda also does some great youtube technique videos. I had great fun one day, watching the vidoe and pulling out all this stuff that I had tucked away in my room (you know the stuff that you buy coz you'll use it one day! - don't laugh, coz I know you have some too..!).

Anyway, having been suitably inspired, I set about creating my pages for the arty_oz yahoo group 2009 Collaborative Book Swap. All 16 pages (easier than the 32 pages required last year!). So, I started off with a home made transparency, then set about creating the base page with texture paste, golden paints, tissue paper and rub'n'buff. I've added some 'Autumn Leaves' Gold Foil to the urn in the centre of the transparency. Attached the tranparency with brads and hey presto, I was done! Then I read the requirements for the swap and realised that I had forgotten to add a stamp image. Took me several weeks and lots of stamp searching amongst my hoard to discover the perfect stamp to use...also solved the problem of deconstruction by placing the stamped imaged smack bang in the middle of the urn on the front. Used Stazon and an image by Paper Forest Designs Artistree range of stamps.

So that swaps posted now for the Jen Crossley Frames Swap.....

What have I been doing?

First up was a day class at the local art shop, State of the Art in Glen Forrest, were I joined 6 other lovely ladies in a Fabric Sculpture Class using a brillian product called Paverpol. The class was run by Brenda Sinclair-Jones of Wraptureart. Lots of fun getting messy and using our fingers to create these lovely sculptures. What I love about this product is that it seems that if you touch the sculpture the fabric will move, however the Paverpol sets hard and you can even put the sculpture outside (after a curing time of 3 weeks).

Next up was a class at Scraptivate with the awesome Jenny Crossley. Another wonderful bunch of ladies to spend an afternoon with creating the wonderful little etched book that you see below. All up an artfull week and hubby didn't even spruik his usual comment of 'What's the point?".

Distressed Clock

Hubby decided that we needed a clock in the lounge room. So I got out my Kaszazz Clock kit and the new scallop chipboard shape and came up with this. I used Tim Holtz Distress inks, Kaszazz SB paper, Rub-on flourishes and Kaszazz Stamps. I've also completed a mini clock using the Scallop Chipboard shape and have submitted this to Kaszazz for approval for a 2HW Customer Event.

I am running the clock shown above as a workshop. If you are interested in taking part, please leave a comment with and I'll get back to you with details. Sign ups by Sunday 5th July for the July 14th workshop.

I'm being artistic - what's it look like I'm doing?

So, there I sat on the bed, doodling away, having a little me time. Moore River holdiay with the kids and Hubby's family (He's 1 of 6) both of his parents were there plus all the grandchildren (9 in all) as well as a couple of older cousins. Makes for lots of noise! People kept popping in a asking 'What ya doin?' Needless to say that by the time 10 people had asked the same question and I'm sure someone asked twice, I was a litle irritated.

I did manage however, to get something done. I don't keep an art journal on a regular basis but sometimes the mood strikes me and I'll do something. Of course, I had come prepared, Art Journal, Water colour crayons, aquwash pen, black gel pen.

This is what I came up with....


This one has wording written in amongs the flowing lines. I had been reading an article about the different ways to hold your hand bag and that you could match your style to your favourite celebrity - oh pleeeeassseeeee!!



It still feels strange to come home and not have Tess around. Although I'm sure the kids are not missing their 'dog poo' duties.

Thanks for visiting.

Tess

My beautiful Girlie. Steve and I bought Tess not long after we got married in 1994, Tess was 8 weeks old. Today we had Tess put down, she was 15. I wanted her to go whilst she still had her dignity, before she suffered too much pain. Tess had lost a lot of weight, her back legs were getting weaker. It was an easy decision but a hard one none the less. We will miss her barking at the kangaroos (whether they were there or not), tripping over her (as she loved to stand right behind you) but most of all her being there whenever we came home.

Rest in Peace, Girlie.

And now for the craft room

Well here it is, some of the photos were taken before I started hauling all of my craft stuff in to the room, a process that is still continuing as I sort through what I've got (lots) and find where I'm going to put it all so that it all flows nicely. I'm sure I'll rearrange the products several times before I'm happy with the flow. I've also yet to bring the central work table in. I know that this will seem to make the room a little smaller but it will be nice to be able to sit down and spread myself out.

I'm grateful for a supportive hubby who was happy to add a main bedroom, lounge, wir and ensuite to my craft room!

I'm looking forward to holding my first Kaszazz workshop in my craft room, I'm running the Bella Stationery Set Workshop on Tuesday 5th May. If you're interested in attending you can post a comment and I'll get in touch with you. Thank you to those ladies who have already booked. The workshops are something that I've been wanting to run from home for many years.


Here's to many happy hours spent doing arty farty things in my wonderful room.

Inkurable Stampers - Alphabet Challenge

A late entry but hey, better late than never right?

I've stamped Lucy's Stamps (exclusively sold through Kaszazz) Paisley Border Large with Ancient Page Coal Black ink and hand drawn the beak and legs with a black gel pen. I've added small rhinestones for eyes and coloued in the hearts on the 'birds' with lime pastel fluid chalk ink and an aquash water brush. I've then made up 'Tweet Tweet' using Lucy's Stamps Old Type Writer Letters stamp set and stamped with Lime Pastel Fluid Chalk Ink. Images are stamped on to white card stock then mounted onto Limeade Bazzill Basics on Lakeshore Bazzill Basics A5 card.

Next post will show my new craft room - the cupboards, shelving and benches are being install today - yipee!!

Nearly there and something different

So, we're getting there, busy painting doors and frames. All the flooring is done and the wardrobe install is next week. The picture below is taken from inside the craft room looking out to the new lounge with the original part of the house in the background - and yes, I do like a splash of colour here and there.

The photo above shows the craft room floor, it's called Wine and Fruits and it is by Parador Flooring. If you'd like a better look at it go to the Carpet Call website and click on flooring. This laminate has writing all over it, just like old fruit packing boxes have been laid down. I figured that if I drop something on the floor and I'm not able to get it off it's not going to matter much and will just add to the overall effect.

And now for something a little different. As most crafters do, I'm an avid follower of Tim Holtz's blog. Tim has added a video demo section to his website amongst these is a video showing a new technique using Alcohol Inks. As soon as I saw the video I new that I wanted to try this on glass wear and the following is what I have played with so far.....a bowl from Ikea

Check out the detail and patterns here....
And even a wine glass....I'm working on a set of six.

Lots of inspiration to be had here and my family and friends can expect to be getting something glass and inked for any birthday that's coming up.

Thanks for visiting, I know that's it's a long time between drinks here...however, building an extension does take priority. Cheers!

Inkurable Stampers Challenge - Soot Technique

Now that the kiddies are back at school (hooray!) I've got sometime on my hands for a little creative exploration (big words there Gen - ED).

I often check out whats going on at some of the challenge sites, Inkurable Stampers being one of them, it's Aussie to boot.

So here are a couple of enteries for Feb - Soot Technique.


With this one I spritzed the card with some distress ink/perfect pearls mix then did the soot technique. Tim Holtz clock stamp, Collections image, found clock hand (thanks to child no.2 who has a great understanding of my strange passion)and a Big Ben clock face transparency (source unknown - less I incriminate myself!).

Plain white gloss card, soot technique then stamped with an Above the mark stamp then a Collections image. I've even started on a set of atcs featuring the rest of the rhyme - keep coming back for updates.

On the extension front - painting, painting, painting and a little more painting!! I have given a deadline for completion of 7th March 2009. It's out there now so I've got to do it.

Thanks for visiting, love lots, hug many and smile!

Cheers!

Scrappindipity/Lorri Lennox Blog Giveaway

The talented Lorri Lennox is holding a blog giveaway to celebrate her birthday. Thanks Lorri and Happy Birthday for the 5th Feb.