valentine for a man

Cards for men! sends a shiver down your spine, doesn't it? lol
I have come to two conclusions regading cards for men.
1) they may as well be quick cards as they don't appreciate them anyway
2) the only cards they do appreciate are funny ones.

so bearing those in mind I have made this valentine card for a man. it was very quick to make. The collage image is from Inka (the collage image didn't scan very well,as these images are beautifully clear, I think I'll take a photo tomorrow, if it's light enough). And I think it's funny, even if no one else does. I saw this picture and the quote (and strangely the names) just came to mind.

don't you just think they look like a harold and a claudette? lol

EDIT TO SAY: I've added a better picture now

button fairy

The theme at wednesday stamper this week is "button dollz" I have to admit that I can't make my mind up about what I think of the whole button doll thing. They often look a bit freaky and their tails remind me of scorpions. but nonetheless I decide to have a go and see if I could make something I liked. I have stamped the fairy (Inka) onto shrink plastic, painted with pearlescent paint, and stuck the shrunken image to a button and then made a straight "tail" which I thought of more as a hangy bit. I also attached a tiny flower button, and attached a brooch back. I thought it could be worn as a brooch or a necklace (pin to ribbon). hmmmm I still can't decide if I like it but at least I had a go.

as you can't see the scale, I suppose I should mention it's less than 5cm long.

the photos are rubbish as it's dark. I could wait until tomorrow, but to be honest the days aren't a lot better at the moment! roll on spring!

for the inchie swappers

regular participants of my swap may have noticed that when I return the inchies, I blu-tack them to a background I have made. I was preparing the backgrounds for this months swap, and thought I would like to present them on the front of a card so that it feels like receiving a valentine card. however, now I've made it I'm not sure I want to cover it up. so I have to decide whether to stick them over it or inside the card.

The heart stamps (autumn leaves) were a very thoughtful present from one of the swappers. The text is by non-sequitur, the word by vap, the pattern down the side was a lace stamp from non-sequitur but was too weedy so I stamped over it with some flourishes from crafty individuals. the red ink is fired brick distrss and I went round the edge with a black marker pen

crochet

just to prove I really can crochet (I tell people often enough). I thought I'd show this little jacket I made as a gift for Kaz's daughter. I saw the patten on lion brand yarn (some of the best free knitting and crochet patterns on the web)And it was such a simple pattern I had to make it.
I originally planned to do it all in pink, but it soon became apparent that I would not have enough so I decided to use cream for the edges, sort of a bit "chanel" don't you think, lol.

p.s. did any knitters watch the golden compass movie and spend a good part of the time sat there working out the pattern to Lyra's woolly hat? I know I did! anyway, they have the pattern free on lion brand. (you need to register to access the patterns but it's all free)

Think monday, thank atc

I haven't taken part in TMTA for ages, but the theme this week is photo stamps. I love photo stamps. I usually use versafine on smooth (but not glossy card). versafine will not dry on glossy card, and although ranger archival is great, and does dry on glossy card, it's just much more hard work. I find it takes longer to get the stamp inked properly and I just don't quite like it as much. plus I love versafine grey so I had to find a way to use it.

this time however I was a bit more brave. inspired by Jo, I dug out one of the two pieces of stampbord (thanks shaz) that have been sitting in my drawer for ages, and decided not to be afraid of them any more, and have a go.

This ATC is the result. I have used distress inks for the colour and versafine for the black. I used a nail file to distress the edges, and scratched into the stampbord with my piercing tool.

The words and the circles are rub ons (thanks jo) and everything else is Inka stamps. you can click on the image for a larger picture.

hope you like it, please remember this is the first time I have EVER used stampbord, lol

She's back!!!

and this time she's holding a really big flower!!!

I needed to make a quick thank you card last night, so I thought I'd see what else this girl could hold. I found thse flowers in my local haberdasherers last week, aren't they pretty. in fact it's one of these flowers that is inside the jar in my last post.

I've stamped her in sepia this time (versafine) as it went with the background paper nicely.

The background paper is by papermania, and I cut out a flower for her to stand on so she didn't look like she was hovering in mid-air

miniature jar fairy

the story of this piece starts with a story of marmalade. while I was shopping I really fancied some marmalade, but I knew that if I bought a whole jar I would leave most of it, but they had some tiny little jars, so I got one of those. As soon as I held it though my mind wandered to jar fairies. I have made one before, although she was actually a pepperpot fairy.

so anyway, this jar is tiny, less than 2 inches high (and quite a bit of that is lid) so my main problem was finding a fairy small enough. but then I remembered I had this one from Inka stamps

I have put a really pretty hessian flower inside the jar. I have glued green fantasy fibre for the ground. glue and fantasy fibre- what a nightmare. it went everywhere. I also put some clear fantasy fibre inside the jar to look like magic trapped in the jar. I then glued a flower to the lid.

so the question is did I subconsciously buy the marmalade just so I could make the jar fairy?

you make my day...

I have been nominated by Kaz and Kirsi for the "you make my day award" it means alot, as after all that's why we do this.

I've had a long hard think about my nominations. and here they are (in no particular order)

Jo Capper-sandon - for being a constant inspiration and a very good friend
Monkee maker- for making me laugh on a regular basis (warning I think this woman may be unhinged, lol)
Nancy dooren, not just for her beautiful work, but her generosity in sharing images
Audrey Hernandez- for the beautiful inspirational work
Inka Heaton - for making my favourite stamps, lol, and her regular giveaways on her blog
Louise Granlund- for her lovely work, but also for doing great things with inchies!!
Nancy Maxwell James. for showing us what we can do with vintage images
Suzan Buckner- just because I love what she does- outside the box doesn't even come close!!

and finally Galina and Deb for being great, consistent forum friends and having wonderful unique styles of crafting.

thank you all you wonderful bloggers, blogland is a better place for having you in it. I hope you pass this award on to 10 other bloggers that make your day for whatever reason.

This week I am mostly...

...making this little girl hold things! I love this stamp from Inka stamps. I think her hands are just crying out to hold something. so as well as this one and the flower one, I have also done an easter one which I will show another time.

This weeks wednesday stamper theme is keys. This made me think of two things
1) ooo I can make her hold a key! lol
2) I need to make a new home card for a very good friend who is moving house shortly.

There is also a bit of a trend going around the blogs of triangles, so not one to be left out I had to have a go!

The background paper is papermania with some silver embossing round the edges, nounted on silver card. The words are done with a dymo on white card and rubbed over with silver ink.

turning my creativity upside down

This card was a different way of working for me. I usually start with a main image and work from that but for this one I started with the background.

I wanted to create something simple and pretty as it is for my nine-year old niece Sasha. so I made a simple background by tearing a rectangle out of copy paper and using the frame as a mask. I stamped over this with a music stamp, but kept the frame in place and dabbed the same ink around the edges with cotton wool.

I then sat and looked at this background for a long time. I tried a few images and nothing seemed to work. then I felt I wanted to use a button and a punched flower, which I placed over the corner and sat and looked at it some more. then this little girl stamp from inka just popped into my head wearing a party hat, so I used that (I stamped the girl in grey to make it a little more subtle). then I saw it!!! I had to put the flower on wire! perfect for any little girl I think. The wire is cheap floristry wire, which is strong. I attached it to the back of the flower with silicone glue and made a hole in the girl and attched it to her back with more silicone. I then added Sasha's name using a dymo label maker and plain white card which I then rubbed over with the same ink I used for the background.

January's Inchie swap

I'm announcing this a couple of days early in a feeble attempt at being organised.
The theme for January is LOVE. I have chosen this as, if all goes well, the swap should be returned to you in time for Valentine's day.

This swap is open to anyone, whether you've taken part before or not.
if you are new to this swap or to inchie swaps in general ( or indeed new to inchies), here are some rules and advice,
An inchie is a 1" square piece of "art" (I use the term loosely)
you can use any media you like. I generally use paper collage/ stamping. but we have had fabric ones, and painted ones.

for this swap you make 9 inchies (regardless of how many people are taking part). Keep one of them for yourself and send the other eight to me (email me for my address, you can email me through my profile) with a stamped addressed envelope (with a "large" stamp) if you are based in the uk. if you are sending from outside the uk, send a self addressed envelope (with no stamp) and then an ATC or a small gift, and I will cover the cost of postage.

The closing date is 31st January. please email me, or post a comment on here when you have posted your inchies off, and then I will know to expect them (or indeed wait for them)

you do not need to mount your inchies, there are no rules to their presentation, just make sure they won't fall out of the envelope.

write your name on the back of each inchie (and any other details you want, if you can fit them on!!)

you will receive a random selection of eight inchies back.

please ask any questions in the comments. and have fun creating these miniature works of art.

Deb's birthday card

I have to admit that I did this one in a bit of a rush as I was worrying about it arriving in time with all the pre-christmas post, so I sent it a good week early, and would you believe it, it arrived the next day!!
So I'm sorry it was a bit of a rush Deb.
The main image and the feather are by inka, the background paper is by paper mania. I love that little girl she is all dressed up ready to party, so I thought I'd add that as a quote. I've used moon glow powder to emboss the feathers and moon glow glitz spritz to the white card.

just a gift tag

This one was never meant for blogging. I was just wrapping my husband's christmas present, and as we only buy each other one present I like to make it look nice. So I thought I'd make a quick tag, but by the time it was finished I was pretty pleased with it, so I thought I'd pop it on here.

I asked him to put a similar effort into wrapping mine! and yes he has! he's wrapped it and stolen one of my quick tags for it!! for him that's effort, like most men he just doesn't do wraping!!

80th birthday card

This is the eightieth birthday card that I've made for my wonderful mother-in-law (who is offically the nicest person in the world)
I wanted to make her something special, that celebrated her age but also showed that she is young at heart.
I took a square card and drew a big 80 on it, and cut out the bits, I then put this onto backing paper, drew round it and cut out the paper to match. The paper is from a papermania 6"x6" pad and the white flowers at the bottom are already on it. I used this little girl from Inka, which I love and seemed perfect for my theme. I then echoed the white flowers with punched white flowers which looked too plain. so I stamped on a swirl that I found in the hero arts alphabet set I used for the words. I then freehand drew around the flowers and around the word to tie it together. added a few ribbons, and decided to leave it at that. I hope she likes it.

Christmas Cocktail Brolly

The theme at this weeks's wednesday stamper is Umbrella. This immediatly made me think of those little umbrella's you get in cocktails. As we are coming up to christmas I thought it would be nice to do a festive version, which then also led me to think about using them for the place settings at the christmas table. (last year I made wine glass charms)

so these were easy peasy. cut a circle of card, cut a wedge out. colour with distress inks, stamp holly, name, add some red glitter glue and some moonglow spritz, then edge with gold acrylic paint. when it is dry (or nearly dry in my case, ahem!) glue edges together and glue a cocktail stick in place. unfortunately I couldn't find any cocktail sticks. I'm sure we have some, we can't have used them up, we don't have cheese and pineapple on sticks THAT often, lol. I reckon the children might have taken them to make something (where DO they get that from). So Anyway I used a lollipop stick instead (from those double lollies)

Nellie's birthday

I made this for my friend Nellie's birthday. I decided to make a hanging rather then a card. I have used an Inka clown stamp (love that stamp) and then the background is a mixture of Inka, paper artsy and river city rubber works.

Believe in your elf

I made these little 3"x3" hangings for some of my best crafting buddies. so I was able to do what I really wanted rather than normal cards. I made 14 of these but they still only took a couple of evenings. They are not all the same as I have varied the background papers and some of the colours.

I had had the idea of "altering" the invoke arts quote "believe in yourself"in this way for quite a while, but it wasn't until I picked up the little hat stamp in a studio g clear set that it really came together.I tried the hat on various stamps but this little girl from Inka just seemed to fit it the best.

All of the background papers are from a blonde moments christmas pad that I got last year but never really got used.

I'm not sure why I photographed it on pine cones,that's just the mood I was in.I'm not sure if you can actually see the ribbon I've used to hang them,but it's green.

ooo it's such a nice feeling

when you get a piece published.
I decided to enter a piece for stampers sampler "change of heart" challenge, where the heart had to be something other than paper/card. I had the idea of stamping onto denim and adding a little love tag in the style of a levis tag. I thought it would be a good card for a man for valentines.
to go with the red I added the red strip of card and then some stitching done with a seeDs cross stitch (yes one little stamp repeated).

I posted it off and then thought "what have I done? that card is far too simple for stampers sampler, take ten maybe but not stampers sampler"
so I kind of put it to the back of my mind. Imagine how delighted I was to find that they had published it, in the take ten section of the change of heart issue of stampers sampler. exactly where I think it belongs.

It's always an honour to be published in the stampington publications as these are where I often get my inspiration from.

I've a bit of a confession about the main stamp. I bought it from asda (supermarket). it was originally a rose in a heart, but I didn't like the rose at all I just liked the heart with the stitching. so I mutilated the stamp and cut the rose out of it.

things I like about stamping

There are so many things I like about stamping. I love the way you can make a stamp look different depending how you use it. I like how you can make things complicated or keep them really clean and simple.

but at this time of year there are two things about stamping I especially like.

it gives me the ability to make 32 christmas cards all the same in under two hours
and I don't run out of any consumables apart from a bit of card.

I made these christmas cards at the weekend when I realised that not only had I not started writing my cards, but I really hadn't made anywhere near enough. so these cards are the result of panic.
The swirl is from Inka and I stamped it with versafine3 times without re-inking. The dove is also by Inka, and I have glittered that. The words are from a christmas set by rubber stampede.
these have to be the simplest cards I've made in a long time, but needs must!!

as the main image is a bird I am entering it for Daring cardmakers this week

saturday stampers

The challenge this week on saturday stampers this week is to create a christmas piece without using any christmas imagery or words. this coincided with a similar challenge on a forum.
I decided to make a set of christmas decorations using curtain rings. I had just received these gorgeous inchie children images from Inka, and thought they would work. I decorated the rings with thick gold embossing powder and made a little collage behind with a music stamp, some gold mesh and some gold "zuzu" paper. the words are taken from invoke arts quotes.
They were to be sent to Deb, so I decided I wanted a box to put them in. I found this mint tin in my "drawer of things that might be useful" and decorated the front to match. The little girl is from Inka, and I made her a bit christmassy by painting her dress red and then painting some glitz spitz spray (first time I'd tried applying it with a paint brush)