Happy New year everybody. I know it's a bit late, but what can I say, I've been very distracted and busy, plus I've dreaded doing a post after seeing so many comments about blogger not letting you load pictures.  But I'm here now and it's 9am Monday morning so we'll see what happens and what time I finally publish this post! If you heard a loud scream about 9.15, that was me lol.

I'll be on Create and Craft TV next Saturday 19th at 3pm, I'm hoping to do some Arashi Shibori for a demo, but it really depends on if I can get the right size pipe in time, If I cant do it this time I'll do it next time though.  We have the mister now so that's what I'll be mainly demoing.

Lots of Polka Doodles and Studio 12 news for you.  Firstly the Studio 12 blog has been merged with the Polka Doodles blog so there will  now be S12 posts on Tues, Thurs and Sun, and the Polka Doodles challenge will still remain on the Friday, so lots more inspiration for you all in one place.  Next, and I'm a bit late with this one (haha who am I kidding, I'm late with it all), Nicky has launched her Digiworld Downloadables shop within the Polka Doodles shop, loads of fabby downloads to be had at very reasonable prices, you can't fail to be inspired by all the lurverly images and papers.

Also check out the Feb issue of Making Cards, I have a set of cards in there made from HOTP Colour Me papers which I bought from Stamps Addicts, I loved using them and they made some gorgeous cards.  Full details of how to make them and stockists for the stash are in the magazine, along with other gorgeous projects by all the other designers, Emma Williams has a really beautiful project this month. The lady is someone from the family although I'm not entirely sure who it is. It does have my grandmother written on the back but really not sure that it's correct.

 

And late again here are the Clarity Stamp show samples from the beginning of the month.

There is watermark stamping on this card, but you can't really see it in the photo.

As soon as I saw these house stamps, I knew I had to give them the 'Nikky Hall treatment'. Thanks for the inspiration Nikky.

 UTEE lollipops, made by pouring molten UTEE into a small cookie cutter placed over the stamped image

 

 Hmm, well they all loaded so I hope that means it will publish now.

Well how hectic has this Christmas run-up been.  It seems to have been far more stressful than usual, or maybe it's just me getting older lol. 

I made you all a little digi card using kits from Daisy Trail, I hope you all like it.

 

If you like your Digi crafting then check out the downloads over at Polka Doodles, there's some really fab ones on offer.  You'll find some gorgeous new stash in as well, including the newest CD Cherryblossom Lane launched on C&C this month and some very lush flowers

It seems everything is starting to either fall to bits or break down around my ears here at the moment, including my much loved (and worn to death) Emus. I was getting chilly tootsies and discovered a little hole so I stuck a plaster over it and it's working a treat, but it did look very bright and odd so I did a little distressing and doodling on it with my Copics.  It looks much better now don't you think?

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous new year.

Aaaaaarrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh .......................
Sorry I just had to get that off my chest.

I won't bore you all to death by rambling on about my particular problems, but lets just say it's been a totally crappy week.  In my grand plan for this month I would have finished all my work this weekend. Well we all know what happens to plans don't we?  Imagine one of them annoying buzzers from a TV game show that means you got a it wrong and that's whats been going off in my head at very regular intervals.  So here I am on the 9th December and I've yet to do my pressie shopping, well I have four which I managed to pick up when I've been out for other things.  That means I've still 99.9% left to get and for some reason Lappy won't recognise Microsoft office so I can't even get to my pressie and card lists because they won't open.  I am starting to panic I don't mind admitting. I still have loads of work to get done, fit in some shopping somewhere along the line and most importantly find some wonga to get said shopping with.  And don't even mention xmas cards lol.  Ah the joys of Christmas!

Don't forget to pop along to the Polka Doodles Challenge blog for some inspiration and why not even entre, you never know you may just win.

Enough whinging now, here are the samples from my Creative Expressions C&C show.  The stamps used are Steampunk Sirens, Vintage Vixens. Mini Swirls, Celebration Tickets, Texture plate and Hexagon Script. All the products used are available from Creative Expressions stockists.

 

 Stamps, Distress stains and inkpads, Cosmic Shimmer embossing powders, Tim Holtz Idea-ology, Creative Expressions brads and metal Embellishments, Wrinkled edge organza ribbon, American Seam Binding, Bakers Twine, Couture Creations Embossing folder, Foundations patterned paper, Kraft card, CE Dazzlers and Pearl PVA

 Stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folder, Foundations Patterned paper, Kraft card Striped Grosgrain ribbon, American Seam binding, CE Dazzlers and Distress Inkpads.

CE  Stamps, That Special Touch Masks, Distress Inkpads, Ce Embossing Powder, Stripey Grosgrain ribbon, CE metal embellishment, CE Dazzler, Kraft Card and Pearl PVA.

CE stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folder, Washables, Foundations Patterned paper, CE Clear Embossing Powder, Black Archival Inkpad, Distress inkpads, CE metal Embellishment, CE Dazzlers, Wrinkled Edge Organza Ribbon, American Seam Binding and Pearl PVA

CE Stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folder, Distress Inkpads, Foundations Patterned Paper, CE Dazzler and Wrinkled Edge Organza Ribbon.

CE Stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folder, Distress Inkpads and Stains, CE embossing Powder, American Seam Binding, CE dazzlers and Pear PVA.

CE Stamps, That Special Touch Masks, Washables, Black Archival inkpad, CE Clear Embossing Powder, Distress Inkpads and Stains, Wrinkled Edge Organza Ribbon, American Seam Binding, CE Dazzlers and CE Pearly Swirls.

CE Stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folders, Distress Stains, CE Clear Embossing Powder, Wrinkled Edge Organza Ribbon, American Seam Binding and Pearl PVA.

CE Stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folder, That Special Touch Masks, Distress Inkpads, Black Archival Inkpad, CE Clear Embossing Powder, Foundations Patterned Paper, Washables, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, CE Dazzlers and Pear PVA.

CE Stamps, That Special Touch Mask, Spellbinder Die, Distress Inkpads and Stains, CE Embossing powders (clear and Coloured), Wrinkled Edge Organza Ribbon, CE Dazzlers, CE metal Embellishments and Pearl PVA

CE Stamps, That Special Touch Masks, Foundations Patterned Paper, Distress Inkpads and Stains, CE Embossing Powders (clear and coloured), CE Dazzlers, American Seam Binding, Pearly Swirls and Pear PVA. 

CE Stamps, Couture Embossing Folder, That Special Touch Mask, Distress Inkpads, CE Embossing Powders (Clear and Coloured), American Seam Binding, CE Dazzler and Pearly Swirls.

CE Stamps, That Special Touch Mask, Distress Stains and Inkpad, Clear Embossing Powder, American Seam Binding, CE Dazzlers and metal Embellishments.

CE Stamps, That Special Touch Mask, Washables, Foundations Patterned Paper, Kraft Card, Distress Inkads, Black Archival Inkpad, CE Embossing Powder, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, CE Dazzler and Metal Embellishments.

CE Stamps, That Special Touch Mask, Foundations Patterned Paper, Distress inkpads, CE Embossing Powders, American Seam Binding, CE Dazzlers and Pearly Swirls. 

CE Stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folder, Distress Stains and Inkpads, American Seam Binding, and Pearl PVA.

CE Stamps, That Special Touch Masks, Foundations Patterned Paper, Washables, CE Embossing Powders, Distress inkpads and Stains and Striped Grosgrain Ribbon.

CE Stamp, Couture Creations Embossing Folders, Foundations Patterned Paper, Kraft Card, Aluminium Ducters Tape, Black Archival Inkpad, Distress Inkpads, American Seam Binding, CE Dazzlers and Pearl PVA

 

CE Stamps, Couture Creations Embossing Folder, Washables, Kraft Card, Black Archival Inkpad, Clear Embossing Powder, American Seam Binding and CE Pearly Swirls.

That's all for now.  If I'm not back before Christmas I hope you all have a wonderful time. Dee xxx

I'm back, I should be working but I'm doing a little bit of avoidance (we all do it sometimes). My workroom needs a really good clean up before I can work and I'm really not in the mood for trying to sort it all out and put it away. I'm also feeling a tad jaded having woken up at 4 this morning sneezing my head off and feeling a bit achy, blurgh I don't have tome to be ill, it can just go away (polite version).

Thank you for all the lovely feedback from my C&C shows and welcome to my new followers, yes I did notice you there, thank you.  You will see I'm not a daily blogger, time slips away from me I'm afraid so I blog as and when I get some spare time, but there's usually quiet a few samples to show you when I do.

While I'm here just a reminder that you can gets lots of inspiration for the Polka Doodles blog, the Studio 12 Blog, Kuretakes blog and Creative Expressions blog, not to mention the lovely Hels Sheridan, Sue Wilson and Julia Watts.

I am as usual a bit behind and on this post is all the samples from my Kuretake show last week. Lots of alcohol inks ones, I could have done the whole hour show just showing you ways to use them (I do love them) and ditto with the Art and Graphic pens, sooo lush.  Seriously in my humble opinion they are one of the best on the market for both art work and crafting.  Kuretake have been making pens and inks for over 100 years and all their products are of the highest quality you can find.  If I didn't like them or I thought they were inferior I really wouldn't recommend them, they are well worth a try if you haven't used any yet.

Right enough waffle, here are the samples

Very inexpensive silver baubles, apply the alcohol ink with a felt applicator.  You can leave them as is or add peel offs, stickers or glitter/stickles for extra decoration.

Art and Graphic pens used directly onto rubber stamps.  The same stamp and pens but all four stamped different ways.  the 1st one I spritzed the stamp before I stamped it and you get a love watercolour effect.  The 2nd I spritzed the paper with water before I stamped, then when it was dry I over stamped it to add the detail back in.  The 3rd I stamped then went in with a damp paintbrush and pulled the colour out.  The 4th I stamped then spritzed with water.  I used Creative Expressions stamps.

Art and graphic pens used on a gift bag.  I drew a small swirl with the fine point nib, then went round that with the brush tip, just laying the tip on the paper to get the petal shapes.

Art and Graphic used directly on the rubber stamps then I've pulled out the colours with a paintbrush.  I made a wash but scribbling on a non porous surface and adding a bit of water for the heart and the same for the splatters which was done with an old toothbrush dipped in the wash and you run your finger across the bristles.  You can use a poky tool, lollipop stick etc if you don't like getting dirty fingers.  Tatty Button stamps used

Art and Graphic pens used as water colours, scribble on a non porous surface and add water.  Creative Expressions stamp used

Art and Graphic pens direct to the stamps, and scribbled onto a craft sheet, spritzed with water and the card swooshed around in it to make the lovey soft backgrounds.  Creative Expressions stamps used.

Art and Graphic pens used to watercolour the main stamped image, and direct on the stamp for the boarder with the colour pulled out.  Creative Expressions stamps used

KureColor inks (alcohol inks) applied with felt applicator and stamped with using a stazon inkpad.  Swirls are Creative expressions and the Santa rubber stamp is an old stamp and I can't remember who by now.  He has popped up recently with a couple of companies though, Inkadinkadoo (clear) and possibly DoCrafts (clear)

Alcohol inks on clarity cardstock after it was embossed. The coating does crack and the ink seeps into the paper fibres giving a shadow effect.

 Alcohol inks on Acetate and glossy card (inside card).  Spellbinder dies used.

Alcohol inks on embossed glossy card, mirri card and a coloured bottle top. Creative Expressions stamps

Lots of layers on here, glossy card, distress inks first then background stamping (use waterbased inkpads and dry) then stamp and emboss the main image with clear ink and powder, then apply alcohol ink and use blender on cotton buds to clean the ink off the embossed stamp, then repeat stamp round with permanent inkpads.   Creative Expressions stamps and the harlequin stamp is Dimension Fourth

Lots of layers here too. the same first three stages of above, then work out where you want your main image and  drip a few drops of blender onto the piece and stamp your main image with permanent ink.  Then over stamp to your hearts content. Creative Expressions stamps.  Oh and before I forget, one of the matted layers is Tim Holtz Glasiene paper, screw it up and flatten back out then apply the alcohol inks, both sides look amazing, I used the wrong side because I liked all the coloured creases.

 

Alcohol inks on Clarity and Glossy card for some variation. On the main image I inked with distress inkpads and repeat stamped a leaf with the same inkpad.  The fem is clear embossing powder that I've cleaned the alcohol ink off with the blender.

KureColor pens (alcohol ink pens)  Colouring and blending with the pens.  Don't forget to stamp your image with a water based inkpad.  Polka Doodles stamps (one of my faves without a doubt, and I'm not even a character stamper normally)

Kurecolor pens for an antiquy feel. HOTP papers and the stamp is old and I can't remember by who, could be stampers anonymous though

 

Alcohol pens on the angel, the diecut text and on the wooden embellies (glittered after).  DCWV paper and Polka Doodles rubber stamp. this isn't one of my fave cards I must admit, I'm really not a bright pink lover, but if you like pink and alternative xmas colours it could be for you.

Alcohol pens used with a Joanna Sheen stamp (sooo cute, I love this image).  Spelldinder and sizzix dies and Polka Doodles digi papers and tags.

Alcohol pens on the image and the die cut trees. Polka Doodles Stamp, 7 Gypsies papers, spellbinders and sizzix dies.

Alcohol inks on a silver gift box and glossy paper for the daisies.  the top piece is embossed with a Couture Creations folder but you can't see it that well in the photos.

 

Phew that's it for now, next time I'll post all the samples from the Creative Expressions shows, I had fun making them too.   I do love my job despite any moaning lol.