Small Act of Kindness arty tag

I've been out for a long walk in the snow today, it's so nice to climb up high and see all the snow covered fields and hills. It's also good to get the heart pumping and get some fresh air. I took some pics maybe I'll add one at the end of this post.

We've been sent our new stamps for January from Creative Expressions and they're brilliant! We have the Special Sentiments and the Hearts Entwined stamp sets. There's so many things I can think of to make with these stamps, I can't wait to get started on them. Here's my first crafty piece. A painty arty tag.

I bought a book ages ago called Surface Treatment Workshop, it has 45 different mixed media techniques in it, and one of those techniques is using Vaseline. 

I painted the tag first in dark pink, then ran streaks of Vaseline down the tag. not in too many places.

then painted over the top. Wait for the paint to dry normally, don't use a heat gun, it'll only melt the Vaseline. 

When the paint is dry wipe off the Vaseline, don't rub it, as you want that distressed peeled paint look.

Then I stamped it with the ornate edges of a frame stamp on the Hearts Entwined stamp set, and some other texture stamps I have from my stash.

I painted some white acrylic paint with a dry brush down the tag to distress it even more.

I used some Aged Mahogany Distress ink through some sequin waste to stencil some little circles in the white areas of the tag.

I used a Wendy Vecchi flower stencil to push some moulding paste through the flower. I love using moulding paste, I like the texture it leaves on the surface. When it's dry it dries white so you can colour it with Distress Markers  they're are so vivid on the moulding paste, I love that! What a contrast.

I finished off my tag using the sentiment from the "Special Sentiments" stamp set and inked up the edges with more Aged Mahogany, I've also added some vintage ribbon inked up with the same distress inks. Oh and a Tim Holtz Listen token, with white paint rubbed into the word. 

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Here is one of the pics I took this morning in the snow.

I wonder if there'd been a bird disco here the night before!

Have a great weekend, I'm going to catch up on visiting everyone's blog, I've been locked away making millions of Wedding Invitation so I'm sorry I've been out of the loop for a couple of weeks, but I'm off to come and see what you've been up to. 

Michelle xxx

Black and white journal page for It's Crafting time.

It's been a while since I did a project for It's Crafting time, because Helen gave us a fantastic break over Christmas. I really needed it too, but I was itching to get my next project done for them, and my theme for this one was Black and White.

I chose to do a fab journal page, but I couldn't resist just a little smidge of colour, after all I adore colour.

I've gone all stamp and stencil tastic for this one. I'm loving the grungy look from the black and white theme.
I've used Tim Holtz background & butterfly stamps and 7 Gypsies Family and Venice clear stamps, on both pages.

The black, teal and orange paints are Adirondack dabbers, some I've used to stamp with and some I've splatted the paint across the page. There is something really satisfying about flicking paint, it feels naughty but it's allowed, and you have no idea where its going to go! The teal outline is from a my Prismacolour pencils that I got for Christmas, I love these, the colours are really rich,

I finished off the page by sticking down a photo of me and my son with washi tape. This pic was taken in 2006, my son was only 15 at the time, now he's 22! How time flies.

Have painty inky fun everyone

Michelle x

PaperArtsy Project No.4 - Calendar Journal

Now anyone who knows me knows that my two favourite muse's since I started this arty adventure are Dina Wakely and Kate Crane. 

Dina uses colours that I swoon over every time, I just love the way she combines colours, and her canvas's, & journal/scrapbook pages have me thinking..."Oooo I wanna do that colour combo" and Kate has this wonderful knack for spotting great new ideas and techniques, as well as making the most exquisite projects always guaranteed to inspire me.  

I spotted the Gelli Arts Plate ages ago, but was unsure about the results until I saw (and touched) some of Kate Crane's wonderful journal pages where she used one.
That was it, it was confirmed, I wanted to have a go.
The results are much more amazing with the naked eye.

Kate also got some carving rubber and made her own stamps too.
Something else I'm definitely going to have a go with.

One of my favourite trends at the moment is Calendar Art Journaling (Kate's 2012 pages).
Here's Kate's first blog post about Calendar Art Journaling, from December 2009.
The trend has been going for years but Kate's been involved in a bit of a revival right now.

It's such a great way of filling your art journal with gorgeous arty pages and recording what you were doing over the year. I can't tell you how brilliant it is reading it back, it makes me giggle every time.

Kate has introduced a great new Facebook group just for Calendar Art Journaling too, so please come along and join in the fun. 

I'm having an incredible start to the year being one of Leandra's guest designers for PaperArtsy. So this was inevitably going to feature heavily in my Calendar Art Journal.

Here are my pages for January 2013 below.

You can see the full pages on the PaperArtsy blog.

This is my last post for PaperArtsy for January, but wait!.... it doesn't stop there, there are more amazing designers being introduced every week. So check out the PaperArtsy blog tomorrow to see who the next designer will be. I'll be back for PaperArtsy in the second week in February, March and April too, so please come back and see what new projects I've made with their wonderful Fresco Finish paints and stamps.

Thank you for popping by and leaving me your wonderful comments

Michelle xx

PaperArtsy Project No.3! Have some me time? Yes please!

What a mad week I'm having......I'm really astounded by all the support 

from you lovely crafty people.

Thank you so much for all the amazing comments and showing me your inspired projects too.

I'm really touched, truly!

xx

If there’s one thing that makes me happy it’s seeing lots of lovely bright colour in a journal page and the Fresco paints are perfect for that. I love the striking colour contrast between Orange and turquoise, I'm sure this won't be the first time you're going to see this combination either.

Please pop over to the PaperArtsy blog for a full run down of the products and stamps I've used and more pictures of the whole page.

It's the weekend and I'm going to get very messy!

Hope you do too.

Michelle xx

PaperArtsy Project No.2 Some Gelli Plate action

Thank you all for the wonderful comments you left me on Monday on here and on the PaperArtsy blog.
It was all very exciting waiting for the post to go live, there was a lot of build up on Twitter.
I'm already quite an excitable person, but that just sent me over the edge!
Thanks though it was really funny guys xx

I've been after a Gelli Plate for ages, and well I must have been a good girl, because Santa left me one under the Christmas Tree!

I couldn't wait to whip out my Fresco's. 

(PaperArtsy's Fab acrylic paints)

There was paint everywhere in no time at all.

It was all experimental, doing everything for the first time. I'm glad I took photo's because those little happy experiments sometimes turn out to be little gems.

And this is one of those!

Please check out what I made on the PaperArtsy blog

There's lots of step by step photo's of the process too.

Project No.3 is up on Friday at 7pm UK time.

This time its an art journal page.

I'm having an incredible week so far :)
Shucks I love our crafty community
Michelle xx

PaperArsty here I come! Project No.1 and we're off!

The day is finally here.
I'm so proud to be able to announce my very first project as a PaperArtsy guest designer. 

I have had the best fun over Christmas, playing with all my new stash from Leandra.
It's so easy to be creative when your using good quality products too, those Fresco paints just have the best colours.

Here's a sneaky peak at my first project, it really is just a sneak.
To see more please click to see the PaperArtsy blog

It's something to keep your craft room that little bit tidier

Look out for project number 2 on Wednesday (7pm UK time).

I get down and dirty with the Gelli Plate, its my new arty obsession and a present I got for Christmas.

If you want to leave me a comment, that'd be nice, I love reading your comments.

Michelle xx

Exciting news!

I've been keeping this under raps since December and I've been bursting to tell someone!

But I can now reveal that I was asked to be one of the new guest designers for the PaperArtsy team, for January to April! I can't tell you how excited I am. I love their stamps and paints. Of course without any hesitation I said yes!

I found out just as I was going to bed too, so I was laid in bed with wide eyed excitement. It took me hours to get to sleep! I'm not complaining though. I dreamt of inky painty shinannigans.

So a few days later the postie knocked on my door and handed me a huge box filled with goodies. Leandra had sent me lots of stamps, paints, papers, wooden items to decorate and embellishments. I nearly keeled over from her generosity, I couldn't wait to get started on creating.

I only had the small matter of 70 wedding invites to make first, oh and I needed to get my first 3 projects to Paper Artsy in 2 weeks! It was all action stations over Christmas I can tell you. 

I've managed to finish 4 projects not 3 and they're going up on the PaperArtsy blog all next week, with a little sneak peak on my blog too at the same time. So keep your eye's peeled for lots of blog posts next week.

Leandra at PaperArtsy has come up with a great concept, instead of having a "design team" for the whole year, she's having 4 guest designers do a semester of 4 months. Each designer is doing 1 week out of every month to show their crafty projects. Mine starts on the 7th of January, that's this Monday. I'm on the team with some amazing people who will be revealed throughout the year, but along with me in the first semester is Linda Cain! I've been a mahoosive fan of Linda Cain for ages, she has the best imagination for altering things. There are two more designers for January but they've not spilled the beans yet, so I'll keep it under my hat for now.

So we have a nice new shiny blog button too for the 1st semester design team, I've put it on my side bar, so keep your eye out to see if you can find out who the other designers are.

Happy New Year everyone xx
Can't wait for next week
Michelle x

A simple Good Luck card

I'm feeling sorry for myself right now, got a horrible cold :(   So I think a bit of painty therapy might be in order for the day. Or a background day. I like making backgrounds in my journal, you don't have to think too much about it, just start picking things up and playing.

I made this a couple of weeks ago for a friend and only just got it up on the blog. It's a nice simple card that says it all. Sometimes those are the best.

Lovely sparkly Stickles on the butterfly.

Now I'm going to crawl into a corner.........ahtissue....sneezing and coughing. 

Can't see the Christmas for the Trees!

I was at Art from the Heart on Saturday for an art journaling day with Dyan Reaveley. We had a great day singing Christmas songs and being creative. Everyone made these awesome trees and we swapped them with each other and put them in our journals. I love all my trees. Can you guess which one is Dyan's? I rounded the bottom of one tree and then after sticking it in the journal I realised that this was Dyan's tree! It was pure coincidence that I cut that tree to the same design as the trees that Dyan designs! AND it was the only one I did on the page. Mad that!

I think this is my favourite journal page I have done so far. It just makes me happy looking at it.

Made with Dylusions inks, stamps and stencils

I was at Art from the Heart the week before too, (see my previous post) we made a little bird house with Marie McCarthy, some bunting with Kate Crane and some 3D stars with Dyan. I've finished my little projects and put pics on Facebook, but I thought I would get them on the blog too. So here they are, I really enjoyed my day there making these lovely little makes below.

We made these in Marie McCarthy's class 

We made this bunting with Kate Crane

We made these 3D stars with Dyan.

There is something so satisfying about making and finishing small projects like these, it's quick gratification, and you have something gorgeous to hang up and look at.

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas? I've had an amazingly craft-tastic Christmas this year. I must've been a very good girl because I got all these!

I think I'm going to be very busy.

Oh can you see in the bottom left hand corner is an arty bag, then a little journal with "123" on the cover, and a tag next to it? Well this was made by my wonderfully imaginative friend Mell Cooper.  

And I got another little gift from the equally talented Gemma Mags.  Gemma made me a bracelet and gave me a little owl stamp too. Thank you so much Mell and Gemma. xxxxx

I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store!

House warming canvas for my number crunching friend.

Thank goodness it's Friday! I think most people will be finishing work today and having a well deserved rest for Christmas. It feels great doesn't it?

I've made this canvas for a friend who moved away a couple of weeks ago. Her career is in numbers and her other half is just as nerdy too. The pair of them wouldn't look out of place in an episode of The Big Bang Theory. They won't mind me saying that because its a bit cool and trendy to be nerdy these days. Her other half specialises in probability mathematics hence the "probably" at the end of the quote.  I just know the pair of them are going to love it. 

I tore up some pages from a maths book, I found the ones with lots of equations on and covered the background of the canvas. I then painted over the scraps of paper with gesso, blue, yellow and green acrylic paint. I started adding layers of colour using number and pattern stencils with distress inks.

You can see the equations on the scrap paper under the letters. I like this. I've stamped numbers and texture stamps for even more layers too.  The letters are inked up Tim Holtz Grungeboard, I've used London Blue Dylusions inks and cosmic shimmers to give them a lovely deep blue colour. I've edged a few of them with some white paint, and stamped a honeycomb pattern with metallic copper acrylic paint on the letters and on the canvas. 

I used Tim Holtz flower stamp along the bottom of the canvas with yellow and orange archival ink, but I've also stamped paint too for some strong vivid colour.

It's in the post winging it's way to my friend right now.

I hope she likes it?

I'd like to wish everyone who comes passing by or leaves me a comment a very Happy Christmas.

I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to say something nice or just coming for a visit.

Thank you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Have a great Christmas

Keep Calm and Sparkle On Tag

Michelle is officially on holiday from work! I just love putting my "out of office" on! Let the frivolities begin, but before that though is the small matter of 70 odd wedding invitations to make for a friend. Then I can relax for Christmas.

I've been a good girl all year, I think there might be lots of crafty goodies under the tree for me........eeeeeeeeee.

Anyhooo enough about that, lets get back to the "work" I would rather be doing 24/7.

Here is my next Creative Expressions DT piece.

My inky embossed tag.

I've used the "If the Crown Fits" stamp set.

I've also used: -

London Blue Dylusions Inks

Flourish embossing folder

Cosmic Shimmer spray - blue

Vintage ribbon

Adirondack Dabber - Pitch Black

Tim Holtz Distress ink - Chipped Sapphire 

Tim Holtz distress markers - Fired Brick

Cosmic Shimmers - mica powder (on the flourish)

Stickles glitter glue

A text stamp

Art From the Heart Preview day December 2012

What a brilliant day at Art from the Heart (AFTH) today, lots of arty friends, happy smiley faces and some cheeky inkyness. It's not just a class, it's not just an art shop, it's home and its family.  Su Corrin asked me today "how does AFTH make me feel?"   It makes me feel like I belong.   In the non arty world no one understands just how much being creative is such a huge part of our lives. When I walk into AFTH I don't feel like I have to explain my obsession, everyone just understands and encourages you to buy that shade of green ink, that's in between the other two shades of green ink you have!

Here are a few pics of what we got up to today, and some crafty bits a bobs.

Kate's looking very impressed here, but can we take her seriously with those tasselly boppers!

Sandra has an alternative technique for inking up her bunting! Whatever works for you Sandra.

Kate's demonstrating her bunting we made in her fab class, can't wait to finish mine off.

Here's a closer look at Kate's bunting, isn't it cool?

We made a hanging bird house and heart in Marie's great class.

And we made amazing hanging Dylusions stars in Dyan's class.

Of course I couldn't go to AFTH without having a little spending spree, here's my haul.

Dyan was demonstrating the art of folding valleys and peaks for the star, but the star seemed to fall into it's own valley between two peaks!

Here's is the lovely Sandra and Dyan, Love Sandra, she makes me laugh so much.

Dyan is holding a Christmas card I made for her. It says "Dear Santa I've been an angel all year!".

 When I've finished off my little projects from today, I'll get them up on the blog. Can't wait to show you how fab they are. Bye for now xxxxx

Inky Stampotique Christmas cards

I've been looking like a Blue Meanie all week at work with very blue inky fingers, I just couldn't get it off. (anyone got any tips on how to get it off, I'd love to know? Water takes some away, but not all)

But look what came out of that blue inkyness!

Some wonderful Stampotique and Dylusions Christmas cards.  These are for my Brother and my Son, both captions apply to both, mmmm now I've got to choose who gets what.

I love the liquid pearls on the fairy lights, they look so bright.

 This was Kate Crane's idea from one of the preview day workshops. 

And doesn't he look cute? I think he does.

I've used London Blue, Vibrant Turquoise & Crushed Grape Dylusions inks, and Dylusions Christmas sentiments. The Stampotique stamp is Tangled enthusiasm.

Only 2 more days left at work for me, I can almost taste the Christmas Dinner.

Are you wearing an invisible crown?

Time for a non-Christmassy crafty project, it's actually a refreshing change right now. A little bit of calm in a sea of Christmas bedlam. This background was made from the "If the crown fits" stamp set from Creative Expressions. I love the versatility of these stamps, I can think of loads of ways of using them.

You can really see the white snow cap dabber paint stamped with the flourish stamp here.

I've used: -

Tattered Rose, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo Distress inks

Adirondack Dabber - Snow cap 

Tim Holtz flourish, Roman Print stamps

Gold florist wire

Crochet ribbon

Pink glitter

Bow charm

Santa is it too late to negotiate?

Only 9 more days left at work and counting! Can you tell I want it real bad?  I have the Stilton crock chilling, the grapes in the freezer and the vintage port waiting on standby. Oooo I can't wait. What's the best thing you like about Christmas?  Is it the time off work, the food, the family, or anything else?

I'm setting aside a day to make my cards on Sunday too....I'm looking forward to making them for my friends and family. I'm going to use my Stampotique and my Dylusions stamps this year, good job I bought some more Dylusions inks, I was running low. I'm gonna re-use my bottles on making some Dylusions shimmers though, get some mica powders in there! Bring it on.

Below is a Christmas card I made from a sketch we were given from It's Crafting Time. They have a great selection of Dyan's stamps, inks, stencils and her fab new journal. Here I've used the inks, the stencils and the stamps.

I've drawn the sides of his face and his nose, he looks like a 'What No' Christmas. Can you remember those 'What No's' from the 80's? They were everywhere.

Hope you have a great weekend

Masquerade, flooding & Christmas.

Boy have I missed the blogging world. I've had two weeks of bedlam at home. There's been flooding, spring cleaning, making a Thanksgiving dinner (for my American friend), and putting up the Christmas decorations. All of which are not conducive to crafting and blogging!   I'm happy to report though that all is done, I have no more jobs on my to do list, and that includes all the presents and wrapping. So all I need to do now is sit back and wait for my time off work and then its crafting galore! 

We've been sent our new stamps from Creative Expressions, I've used the Masquerade stamps below to create the mask on the journal page below. I was obviously in touch with my darker side with this one.

I drew the girl's face and used my Caran D'ache watercolour pencils to colour her in. I've also used Stampers Anonymous Classics & Papillon stamp set with a Big & Juicy stamp pad, to get the mixed ink colours.

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This was my poor back garden in the floods from last week!

I just watched the water get closer and closer to the back door.

Now it's an ice rink, and it's comedy watching the cats play on it!

After that came this!

Much better don't you think. Look at Felix getting in on the action. He's a right ham for sneaking in on the shot. I have my bunting up and my candle too. It just looks so cosy and warm.

Time for mulled wine and a Christmas film......probably Polar Express...love that.