Paper blocking is the way forward!

Hiya.

I hope you have all had a great couple of days and that Santa brought all you were hoping for? I have had a fab relaxing few days even taking time to walk on the local beach and Santa was a very good man to me this year, might have something to do with the list I made out for his little helper.  After last year I was so determined to not end up with another Take That DVD!

Well here is my final Christmas project for 2012.I didn't get chance to post before the big day............  I actually finished it just in time to be included in the festive decorations of Tuck Towers. I have really enjoyed making decorations this year . This particular project was made using paper blocking.  I love paper blocking  (thank you Hels) it is such a rewarding quick and easy technique and also a great way to use up papers that you have had  around for a while that you  just had to keep!  It wasn't until today that I noticed I had used the word Joy twice on the project............What is that that Tim always says "embrace your imperfections" guess I will change that for next years outing of the canvas but for 2012 it can stay put.

A wee  photo for you.

Thank you for taking the time to come and visit.  I would love you to leave a comment (at the top of the post).

Until the next time, take care

Sue

Products
Ranger/Tim Holtz
expresso/ black /red pepper/gold paint dabber
brushed cordruy distress ink and stain
festive papers
matt medium
grungeboard printer blocks/alphas
oval fragment, ornate frame, muse token,clock, game spinner, ticket, pin, numerals, glass vial
glossy accents



Others
Cosmic Shimmer glue
Canvas
Sand acyrlic paint
Modelling paste
Red Embossing powder
flower,string, green bow, pins

Christmas House!!!!!

Hiya

Well one week today and it will all be over!

It has been a busy couple of days in Tuck Towers as I suddenly realised that I hadn't brought one single present. Exit rather swiftly to do battle in the shops, I hate shopping, unless it is craft shopping obviously. But  I did made time to finish off something that has been knocking around on my desk for a couple of weeks, bit unfinished and unloved.

Many moons ago I was given a wooden house as a present and too be honest I really didn't know what I wanted to do with it.  I had an idea a while back of using it for a friend as a photo memory of her dog which she sadly lost.  Unfortunately we  lost contact and that plan had to be shelved.  So back into the cupboard of doom it went until a couple weeks back.

What did I come up with..............................as it is that time of the year, it had to be a Christmas House or should that be a Tim House.  It has really not turned out how I wanted it to as I was unable to find  the  bits and bobs I wanted to use inside each compartment. But a very nice lady called Jackie came to my aid over the weekend with some alternatives and I love it.  Thank you Jackie.

As I cannot make up my mind which photo I like the most (cluttered or uncluttered background) I have used both.  I am so in one of them moods tonight,  procrastinating far too much.

I have really enjoyed making festive bits and bobs this year which in past years is  not something I would normally do.  I have one more to finish before next week..............

Thank you for looking and I would love you to leave a wee comment at the top of the post, so I know what your thinking.

Take care Sue.

Products used

Tim Holtz/Ranger/Sizzix

Distress inks: brushed corduroy, gathered twigs
Black paint dabber
Idea -logy: clock, game spinner, placket, christmas tree, wreath. vials, tinsel twine
seasonal papers
noel & pine cone die

Other products
christmas baubles, metal star, ribbon bows,wooden sleigh, artificial snow, gold bells

A few more cards

Hiya

I hope you are all getting in the festive spirit.............................  I have been trying to finish a Christmas house project but I cannot find "just" what I am looking for to go inside, so might have to make do!  So don't like making do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So to distract myself I thought I would finish up a few Dylusions Christmas cards.

Here they are in a group shot

You just have to love Dyan's Christmas stamps. they can only make you smile.  I hope they have made you smile.

Thanks for looking.  I would love you to leave a comment (top of the post)

Until the next time.

Sue

Products used

Ranger
Dylusions Inks: London Blue, Cut Grass, Postbox Red, Vibrant Turquoise,Fresh Lime, Melted Chocolate,
Dylusions Stamps:Curious Corrin, Ruby Rainbow, Christmas Words, Cristmas Accessories, Christmas Borders.
Distress Inks: Brushed Cordroy, Old Paper, Antique Linen
Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold
Glossy Accents
Distress Stickles Glossy Accents
Stickles
Sticky Embossing Powder
Size 12 Manila Tag

Non Ranger

White, kraft card Stock
White Puff Paint
Cosmic Shimmer glue

You have to love Paper Patchwork

Hiya

Last weekend I had the honour of spending two days being taught by Hels Sheridan.  If you are not aware of the talent this lady has have a little look see at her blog.  http://pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/
The first day she taught a class on Paper Patchwork and the second day on Paper Blocking.  Both days were filled with so much more than the project themselves and the time flew by.  Hels is definitely a giver of information.and a really nice lady. I would definitely recommend that if you have the chance you take a class with Hels, you so will not regret the decision. I also got to spend time with my  pal Lou who is totally barking mad but a sweet kind beautiful person.

I have also now left my job of nearly 7 years.  It was huge decision to make and took a lot of time to get to the point that I was able to make the appropriate decision. What is next...............Not sure, time will tell.  One thing  I know is that I will not be working in a job that has any pressure at all and that's for sure.

I  am sponsoring  this months  CC101 challenge. This is a group I belong to and all members of the group have had to complete Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry on-line workshop.
I decided that the example I was going to use for the challenge was going to be one of the projects I started at last weekends workshop with Hels and finished off at home during the week. The theme of this months challenge is Vintage or Christmas.  My project combines the two elements.

Paper Patchwork - Christmas past

I just love this project .  Below is a list of products used to complete this little crimbo masterpiece.

Thanks for looking and if you feel like leaving me a few words please use the link at the top of the post


Products used
Ranger/Tim Holtz
Selection of Tim Holtz Stamps
Black Paint Dabber
Archival Black Ink, Frayed Burlap, Old Paper Distress ink
Pine Needles Distress Stain
Glue & Seal Matt
Clear Rock Candy Dry Glitter
Ideology Christmas Token, Fragment/Christmas Tree
 Pine cone die

Other Items
Square deep box frame
Sand paper
Treasure Gold Wax
Miniature Frame
Small Glass bottles
Cosmic Shimmer Glue

Dylusional Christmas Cards

Hiya

I hope you are all well and life is good. 

I have been trying to get some dreaded Crimbo cards finished.  This year I want to use the fabulous Dylusions stamps to create my masterpieces. I have to be honest I have had so much fun spraying, stencilling, stamping, stickling (lots of sssss there lol). So without further ado

Group shot

I still have few to do, but I have made a start, I have haven't I.....................

Products used;
Dylusions Sprays:Melted Chocolate, Postbox Red, Bubblegum Pink,London Blue, Vibrant Turquoise, Cut Grass, Fresh Lime
Dylusions Stamp sets: Christmas Words, Christmas Borders, Christmas Accessories, Various figure sets.
Inks: Archival Black, Distress Inks - Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Brushed Corduroy
Perfect Pearls
Stickle: Glue: Card: Embossing powder:White Pen

Oh and the best bit of news a project of mine was in December issue of Craft Stamper.  I was so happy to see my name in lights so to speak.

Thank you for looking and I would love you to leave a comment (top of the post) as I really appreciate feedback on my work.

Sue

Shrink Plastic & Trick or Treat Bags

Hi

As per normal life has been getting in the way of posting on my blog.  I won't bore you all with the deets.

I had a little play with making some  trick or treat bags using Tim's  bag die, Dyan Ink's, Seasonal TH paper and stamps by both of them.  Oh and not forgetting shrink plastic........Forgot how much fun playing with shrink plastic can be.  I am pleased at how they have turned out and I may make a few more before the big day, depends how my hand holds up.

I am going to enter them in Hel's challenge this week and also CC101 challenge..

We don't normally have many kids knocking the door on Halloween for two reasons 1. When my baby boy was alive his bark was enough to frighten them off pretty darn quick. 2. As it is my birthday we are normally out for a meal around the time they come knocking.


Here they are in full glory

Thanks for looking and I would love you to leave a comment  (at the top of the post)on what you think of my little creations.

Sue

Loving the Metal

Hiya,

Sorry been quite for a few weeks, unfortunately I had to have an Op on my wrist and arm which put me out of action for 10 days or so.

I have a few heavy decisions to make over the next couple of weeks and combine this with not being able to craft it was beginning to bring me down.  I needed to loss myself for a while..........

 Never one to let things stop me crafting for that long , where there is a will there is a way

So what got me into the craft room.................. 26th Wedding Anniversary for starters

this was made using one hand, a couple of fingers and elbow and lots of pain killers.  I could not cut the card to make this into an actual card so had to make do with a Tag-card.  Not to shabby for one hand.


 I  then started the next project at the weekend when I had one and half hands ready to go to work.

I have had a dress-form on my desk for months and to be honest didn't really know what I wanted to do with it.  I  also had a package of Ranger metal tape sheets knocking around for a while.   Guess it was time to combined the two with a little help from some other bits and bobs.

 Here she is in all her glory.  The colour is just fab, not sure the photos do it justice to be honest.

Coloured everything with  3 different Alcohol inks.

 But the best bit of the project was this morning when  I tried the master latest tip .............. colouring Clear Rock Candy Glitter using Alcohol Inks. Doing this enable me to have the correct shade of bling for my base, boy did it work.   I combined Sail Boat Blue & Pool and a healthy sprinkling of CRCG  job done.

What did I use to create my Masterpiece

Ranger & Tim Holtz

Alcohol Inks, Sail Boat Blue/Pool/Silver
Paint Dabber - Pitch Black
Metal Sheets
Dry Clear Rock Candy Glitter
Sticky Embossing Powder
Clear Emboss It Dabber
Idea-olgy flowers & brads
Tattered leaves die
Texture Fades (Riveted Metal)

Non Ranger Items

Body Form
Dylusions Paint (skin tone)
an old brooch
metal - chain/ leaf/flowers/arrows
couple of pins
MDF base

I absolutely love it, hope you do too.  Would love you to leave a comment at the top of the page.

Thanks Sue.

RE-post for Ranger Give Away

Having to re-post this as for some reason blogger will not let me link up for a Ranger give away

This little master piece was for a challenge for the Facebook group that I belong to following completing Tim Holtz CC101 workshop.  The challenge was to use any of the colours from Tim's seasonal distress palette.  I chose the Summer release as I love the colours.  But me being me had to combine a touch of Dylusions, okay a lot of Dylusions.........

Wax on - Wax off

Hiya,

Been a busy couple  of weeks in Tuck Towers, with a few nice things happening and a few horrible things happening.  Got to love life's Ying and Yang.

I wanted to make a wax canvas as I haven't made one of these for a while. I  decided to use a set of stamps from the one and only Tim Holtz that I have had  knocking around for a while but not really used yet.  I wanted the project to be quite simple in design as not to take away the focus from these beautiful detailed stamps.

I love stamping on tissue and waxing onto a canvas, to me it is a bit like the first time you use embossing powder and see that magic unfolding before your eyes, still gets me every time. The tissue just vanishes, totally amazing.........  I used three different sized canvases to create this piece as I wanted depth. The theme of Love is a bit out of the norm for me..............................

So here we go with the finished piece.

Products used............
Ranger - Paint Dabbers, Melt Art Wax, Tim Holtz Classic #8 stamps and the heart from the Valentine set, Grungeboard, Gloss Accents, Glue and Seal, Ideology pieces

 and finally a flower and a wee bit of string!



On Sunday I went too AFTH for a fab workshop with the amazing Dyan.  The lovely Donna was in attendance along with a few other ladies, (17 in total) I met up with Deb's who was a blast and exactly how I imagined her to be.  I had arranged to meet up with two friends from Scotland Mandy and Heather who I haven't seen in a while and it was great to spend the day with them. We need to do that more often.

The project was an Art Journal  made from scratch which I love very muchly. It has lots of pockets and tags and places to hide stuff you don't necessarily want people to see..............I have started to mess around with it this week, think it might become a work in progress.

Thanks for looking and I would love you to leave a comment at the top of the page.

Sue x

Dear Santa........................

Hiya

Ever since I clapped my little eyes on the Christmas Dylusions stamps I knew I had a project in mind for them.

A few weeks back when I was in my "trap" phase I coloured a RAT trap with  Red Distress Stains and other than stamping and stencilling it has been sat on my desk, just waiting for inspiration to hit me......................

Well it hit.....................Please meet my latest wacky project

 Yes it is a rat trap note holder for Christmas.  I had some much fun creating this little bit of madness.

Products used

White card stock

Dylusions Inks
Postbox Red
Melted Chocolate
Fresh Lime
Cut Grass

Dylusions Stamps
Christmas Words
Christmas Borders
Christmas Accessories
Further Around the Edge

Dylusions 
Stencil

Tim Holtz
Seasonal Muse Tokens
Jump Rings
Clock stamp
Barn Door Distress stain
Fired Brick Distress Stain
Black Soot Distress Ink

Ranger
Glossy Accents
Black Archival Ink
Gold Dabber Paint

Other
White card stock
Cosmic Shimmer Glue
Clear embossing powder
White Puff Paint

I am going to enter this into Hels Sunday Stamper challenge for this week as there is a fair bit of green on it and that is the criteria for this week.................

Also entering these little beauties into the cc101 for August, love them very muchly.

Thanks for looking in, would love you to leave a comment at the top of the page.

Sue

It's in the bag......................

Hiya

Is it a gift card bag or is it an different Christmas card or is it the start of an advent calendar?????

Today I thought I would have a go at making something for SSSS challenge.This week it is anything goes..........

I have been thinking about using Tim Holtz Sizzix Paper Bag die for Christmas bags to use to put gift cards into as I find the cards that come with gift cards are a bit bland and seem as if you haven't really put much thought or effort into the present.  When actually that is probably not the case at all.

So with that thought in mind this is what I came up with.  (sorry the photo is not the best)

I was sitting there as you do staring at the finished piece and thought ..............Now this would make a really different Christmas card.  You could make the bag up and pop a card inside.

So with that thought in mind...............(not a great card, but you get the idea).

Then after a little more reflection I thought that with a little bit of work you could make up 24 of these bags and decorate them to use as an alternative to an advent calendar, you could hang them on a small tree that you can buy these days and fill them with your favourite goodies......................

Products used

White card stock

Sticky back Canvas

Grungeboard

4 White eyelets

Red ribbon

Tim Holtz Paper bag die 

Broken China Distress stain and ink pad

Picket Fence Distress stain

Fern stamp from TH Retro Holiday

Reindeer movers and shakers sizzix die

25  - movers and shakers sizzix die

Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink

Seasonal Muse token 

Thanks for looking in, would love you to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Sue

Way too long.

Hiya,

OMG I haven't blogged for a very a long time.  Life just gets in the way I guess.  Must do better

So what have I been doing in the creative part of Tuck Towers.Few cards, a couple of gift bags, a couple of wall art projects, a couple of albums and a mirror that I altered  So off we go with some of them...........

Okay.  I went to Ikea a few weeks back looking for cheap frames and this little beauty was on a sale stand can called out to me.  Now I am not a lover of the colour brick red so it had to have a make over.....

 I sanded the mirror back to the natural wood using a big boys sander (dont tell the other half that I was playing with his toys). I then applied LOTS of Tim Holtz Distress inks in various shades of brown, in-between each colouring I dried with a heat gun to access if I had found the colour I was looking for. Most of the embellishments bar a few are from the main man Mr Tim Holtz.

What next........
My friend Katy came up for the weekend to stay and we  went off to a workshop on the Saturday at AFTH that was taught by the lovely Sandra.  The project was a lovely little album with lots of pockets and places to add photos etc.  We had a great day and once the weekend was over me being me had to pull the whole thing to bits and start over again having learned from my mistakes.  Katy thanks for a great weekend by the way.  Katy's blog can be found here http://postcardsfromtheattic.blogspot.co.uk/.  If you have never been to AFTH have a look see here http://www.afth.co.uk/  Great shop and a amazing place to learn new stuff, a trip to this fab little piece of heaven is food to my soul.

Here is some shots of the finish project.

I decided that I would like to make another album again with lots of places to put "stuff"..............

At the start of the workshop I really didn't like these papers by the end of making these two little albums I am hooked.


Wall art
This is a canvas for the wall, with billions of layers with lots of distress ink around the edge.  The photo doesn't really pick up the detail but the whole piece is sprayed with a perfect pearls glimmer mist and the outcome is very pretty.  The layering is not really my style and it is pink, but I did fall in love with it whilst playing,.....

.

Well that's me for now.
Thanks for looking and I would love you to leave a wee comment.

A long time coming.

Hiya

Been mia for a while.  Not been feeling up to sharing the love lately. Due to many things of which I will not bore you with as this is a crafting blog not a moaning blog.

 I have been making a bit of this and a bit of that when I have been feeling up to it and now I am going to share with you all............... LOL.

This little master piece was for a challenge for the Facebook group that I belong to following completing Tim Holtz CC101 workshop.  The challenge was to use any of the colours from Tim's seasonal distress palette.  I chose the Summer release as I love the colours.  But me being me had to combine a touch of Dylusions, okay a lot of Dylusions.........

Following on from my mousetrap piece of art I just had to up the ante and create a rat trap piece of art.  Colour are distress with a touch of paint dabber and various little bits and pieces that were added along the way.

This card was  inspired by watching Finnabair on a live stream she did a couple of weeks back for Prima.  Really nothing like her work or as good but after watching I just had to pile some bits and bobs together and create something i was so hyped.  If you have never seen her work click the link below NOW, she is totally amazing .http://tworzysko.blogspot.co.uk/ .

These little babies have been made over several weeks of my being off work.

 Top two are using Tim's Spring Seasonal distress colours, a Wendy Vecchi stamp to create the flower, a touch of ideaology, tissue tape and a couple Tim stamps and sorted.

The next two are using Ranger glossy card stock and Alcohol inks, love how the backgrounds turn out.A couple of Tim's die cuts, touch of ideology, job done. ( I was in my less is more mood when I did these).

.  

I hope you enjoyed these little creations.  I would love you to leave a wee comment as I love to know what others think of my work.

TFL

Sue

Art Therapy

Hi ya
A quick post from me today.  

Yep was definitely an art therapy moment for me in making this project.

I created the following little piece of art for the SSSS challenge http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/.  As this is the last week Linda will be on the design team I thought I should at least enter a little something.

Excuse the cup behind the project! Shame you cannot see the net behind the bird cage skirt.

Products used

Tim Holtz
Tissue Wrap
Distress stain and inks (browns) Mainly brushed corduroy
Grungy board letters and printer block squares
Die cut  - wings
Vintage button
Die cut  - bird cage
Die cut  - body form and cotton reels
Ranger espresso pain dabber
Ranger glue and seal

Wendy Vecchi 
Art Part Square and border


Others 
Net
Pearl
Brass clock.
Cosmic Acrylic Glue

Thanks for looking.  Love you to leave a comment.

Sue