Hello everyone, I'm here at last with plenty of pics for you to see.  I really don't know what happened to March, so much work and it flashed past before I knew it.  April has been a little bit calmer, but only a bit. 

This last week I've been doing some artwork with paints and inks and having a whale of a time with it.  I do love paints and inks, maybe that's why I took to Faux painting/effects.  It's a real shame I don't have more time to do it more often, I do miss it.  I would have loved to work for National Heritage/Trust restoring the old big houses, but alas I needed a degree which entailed being at Uni 5 days a week and with a morgage to pay I just couldn't do it.  If only I'd found it when I was younger.  Our careers advisers at school never gave us any information on jobs like that, all they ever banged on about was shop, office and bank work, none of which was I the slightest bit interested in.  Had I known about restoration of faux painting it may have been a different story.

I had a 50th birthday pressie to make for our friend Jez, it took me a while to decide what to do for him as it had to be something special that he could keep.  Inspiration hit when I was sat in the Dr's surgery, not quite as strange as it seems.  They have a few shelves of second hand books that they sell for charity, so that was what got me thinking.  Below is what I made, I was quite pleased with it, but flip me did it take a long time to do, even after ripping out about a quarter of the pages.  I don't think I'll be doing another one anytime soon.

 

 

 

 

I've also done a couple of projects for the Polka Doodles Studio 12 blog since my last post, both use Studio 12 stamps.  Nikky has loads of new goodies added to the shop website, it's well worth having a gander.  The first project is a wooden sign I picked up in Wilkinson's for £3, it's about 14" long so it was a real bargain.

 

A bit late now, but here are the Clarity samples from the April shows.

 

 

 

 

 

That's it for now. Have fun creating till I'm back again.

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.

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