Samples and ..... yep more samples

Hi all, I feel a mega post coming up, so settle down with a nice drink and maybe a biscuit or two. There's Polka Doodles stuff, the long awaited projects from the Paper Artsy and Tim Holtz workshops and Cakes.

First things first here's my Polka Doodles DT challenge for last week.  Sadly I couldn't entre this weeks which was annoying as I had a fab project planned.  Maybe it will fit another one in the future. 

Like most of the Design Team I used the Alice in Wonderland stamps and papers (what a surprise, lol). I made some tags, but I just couldn't choose which one to use so I used them all.  I think the flying hats may be my favourite.  Which one is yours.  I had great fun making these getting really messy in the process, but it was all worth it.  These new stamps are fabulous.  I used inks which I spritzed onto the tags, and Tim Holtz Distress inkpads which I also used to colour in with. I also used some Fantasy Film and Fibre on one of them.

 

I used some Scrummie Blond Moments embossing powders on this one

A Dyan Reaveley (Art From The Heart) inspired one here.  I hope I've done it justice.

 Now for the sample cards I made with the Alice stamps and papers.

At long last I finally finished off my Tim Holtz and Paper Artsy workshop pieces.  Now I just need to find a suitable place to put them *sweeps arm across shelf with boring old cars on*.  You don't know how much trouble I'll be in if Colin ever reads this, lol.

We had to think of a word for the Tim project.  I came up with diddle!!!  I have absolutely no idea why that popped into my head, what a totally random word.  I couldn't do something normal like Dream, Inspire or Art now could I?  I have to thank Nikky for the idea of putting the truck vertical, sheer genius.  What was strange is that most people put their large space in the middle of the box, both Nikky and I put ours at the side.  I was in a world of my own ( I think I was still reeling form my random word choice) and didn't even notice till a while later. 

The following photos are courtesy of Bethan and Janet.  Thanks Ladies.

Just look at all the goodies we were given to play with.  And yes, we even got one of those spooky armless mini statues.  I wrapped mine up in the tissue tape Egyptian mummy styley and shoved it in the bottle, then glued the cork stopper firmly in place so it couldn't escape (phew, felt so much better once it was imprisoned lol).

Mr Holtz himself

 Janet

 Bethan

I have no idea what I was doing here.  Probably looking for something lost.  Yikes note to self, go on a diet, double chins really don't suit me!!!

The utterly fabulous Nikki.  Sorry Nikky I just had to add this.  I think it was taken just after she had stabbed a tomato and squirted seeds and juice onto Janet's meal and in her drink of coke.  This picture really sums up our few days away, lots of giggles and fun fun fun.

 Lovely inky, painty hands.  Mine were far worse than these!!!

I had an overload of cakes for my birthday, so grateful thanks go to Colin for 2 packets of cake bars, Nikky for delish cupcakes, Kate for brownies (of course) and Marilyn for carrot cake.  On the other hand, my ever increasing thighs, tum and backside do not thank you lmao.

Ta ta for now.

That damn cat!

Well here I am at 2.20 in the morning, wide awake and boiling hot.  The reason? My blunder busting cat has just knocked over a can of coke and I've had to scrub the carpet.  Just what I needed after only two and a half hours sleep last night and a belly and a half full of food today, grrrrrr. 

And the reason for over stuffing myself? Well it was my birthday.  I met up with Mum and Dad for lunch at Midhurst. They don't do snacks at lunch time, they have a proper dinner which I don't normally do.  Then OH took me out for dinner/tea this evening.  I seriously feel like a beached whale.

I'm sat here watching an episode of CSI for about the fifth time, but what else do you watch at this time in the morning, it's 2 episodes of Charmed on next and then passport control or something similar.  I'm well versed in night time viewing as I'm often awake.  But tonight I had been asleep till the cat decided to take a flying leap onto the wobbly side table and knock everything flying, and coke is a real bugger for staining the carpet.  I always though cats were poised and light on their feet.  Not so Baggings, when she sees an opening for my lap she launches like a bull in a china shop and if there's anything in her way, well, it's just tough luck.

 

Butter wouldn't melt!

I have some sample cards for Clarity Stamps to show you.  Barbara asked me to join the Design Team after a couple of people had to step down.  I enjoyed making these, although this month I didn't really have a lot of time so I only made a card for each set of stamps.  I hope you like them.

No good crying over spilt nail varnish

At last, a new post. I can't even remember half the things I wanted to say it's been that long. Oh well, I'll just wing it and waffle on for a bit and hope the old memory gets triggered and starts working again. I can live in hope can't I!

A little while ago I took off the word verification on the comments.  I know it can be a pain in the you-know-where, but I have been inundated with spam ever since and it drove be nuts, so I'm sorry to say that it.s now back on.

I had a fab few days away at the end of Feb with the lovely, very funny and accident prone Nikky (brains, artist and owner of Polka Doodles).  Seriously you wouldn't believe the trouble she gets herself into.  She really should write a book, it would be a fantastic tonic for anyone down or depressed, lol.  You just can't help laughing at some of her antics.  On our first night at the hotel she managed to knock her nail varnish on the floor.  It wasn't content to just land and spill a few drops, oh no, it had to roll round in a big loop leaving a shiny dark trail behind it.  So there we are, me on my knees scrubbing away at the carpet like our lives depended on it laughing so much I felt like my ribs had fractured.  The fabulous Janet (@craftmad on twitter) was there too and her friend Bethan.  Excellent and funny company the both of them, I had the best time ever ladies, thank you so much.

The reason for being away from home was the Paper Artsy and Tim Holtz workshops. Fanbloodytastic. It was so nice just to do something indulgent and just for me for a change.  I've been so busy for what seems like forever that I just don't get time to craft for myself anymore.  I got completely messy with the inks, paints and matt medium, and I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute of it and it was worth every single penny.  Of course Nikky, Janet and Bethan made it all the more special.  I don't have pictures of my projects because I haven't quite finished them yet, when I do I will show you all.  Also despite taking my camera I never got to take any pictures (shock horror).  Janet is going to send me some so I may just post some of those when I get them (assuming she lets me that is, lol).

I've a couple of Polka Doodles design team cards for you to see.  The first one is from last week and uses papers form the Sugar Birdies CD and  Jingle Jangles CD. The sentiment is stamped using the new sentiment stamp sheet, and I used the large scallop circles nestabilities for the large flower and a scallop circle punch for the 2 smaller flowers. Lots of screwing up of paper and very generous inking added some extra interest to the card.

 

The second card is for this weeks challenge and I used papers from the Love and cherish CD which I weaved behind a large circle aperture.

Now I have a few sneaky peeks of my latest projects.  They don't show you much but I can't reveal until next week, so I thought I'd tease you all a bit, hehehe.

A few cards from the March Making Cards magazine. The first ones used Kuretake's Kurecolor refill inks

 The one below uses the Polka Doodles Paper Boutique 3 CD.

And here is his royal cuteness Sammy looking all handsome...........

 

....... and naughty!

Take care all.