Back to Basics!

These 2 little cards are a definite step back for me, almost to when I first started card-making! Although I wouldn't have used stamped images then - instead I would have cut something out and stuck it on. That phase lasted about 3 weeks I think! Then I discovered stamping via Glenda Waterworth on TV, then grunge, then Tim Holtz, Craft Stamper, Sue Roddis's wonderful Altered Art .... then I visited Paddy's Stamping Place and life was never quite the same again!
Anyway this week I wanted to make some cards for non-crafters who really don't appreciate anything too "out-there" so out came the glue and the pretty papers (these ones were free with a magazine) and the ribbon. I was pleased with the result - I think the colours work well. I may use the designs again, next time a bit more "from scratch" though. Let me know what you think? It would be easy enough to make the background paper with inks and stamps and get similar effects.

Sue's Book

OK so here is the card that I made using the Lindisfarne bricks as a background, sorry the picture is a bit blurry! It was for Sue Roddis, who had a book signing for her first book (of many I hope!) at Paddy's Stamping Place in Prestwich, Manchester yesterday. I went along and got my book signed - the book is published by Search Press and is called Handmade Decorative Books. (available from Paddy 0161 798 5115) It is absolutely brilliant, and I'm not just saying that because I consider Sue a friend, I would buy it even if I'd never met her! She had brought with her many of the actual books that she made to put in the book, and they are so great to see and to handle, if you get the chance, go and see them, and her, and buy the book! Even though it's about making books, the ideas would apply to cards, scrapbooks, altered art, mixed media work, all sorts of things.

For this card I started with a white card blank, and applied Vintage Photo and Black Soot Distress inks around the edges, then I overstamped with a gorgeous little border stamp from Elusive Images ATC plate in Black Soot. I dried this all off with a heat gun then gold embossed small EI flourishes in the corners. I used a Tim Holtz mask set called borderline, sponging the same inks over them onto heavyweight brown paper, then I embossed the calligraphic alphabet from the EI plate in black over the barbed wire part and tore a long strip out, then tore the border out and used that to attach to the edge of my photograph. I mounted both these onto my card. Then I took a black chipboard tag and edged it gold with a krylon pen, stamped 'congratulations' all over it (another EI stamp) and embossed in gold, then stamped the same onto scraps of the brown paper and embossed with black detail powder, chopped out rough shapes and stuck them on the tag. I finished the tag with a twist of wire from a bamboo fence panel, which is a bit of a "Sue" touch! Anyway I hope she liked it.

The last couple of days have been chaotic because I lost my diary on Monday and only found it last night - it was in the ironing basket, where it would have languished for months if it had not suddenly come into my mind that that was where I had put it! (After searching my house, work and car for the previous two days, driving everyone mad asking if they'd seen it!) Anyway, luckily I hadn't missed anything crucial, but it would have got nasty very soon as there was lots in there that I had not remembered!!! For example, I might not have realised that I've got a day off today, but as I have, I'm going to have a go at the latest RSS challenge now!

Little Houses

These are some houses I made at a recent Workshop at Paddy's Stamping Place in Prestwich, Manchester. The workshop was called "Down Our Street" and the tutor was Sue Roddis - I just love her quirky approach. She never does cute, but often does whimsical, which is something I aspire to myself but never succeed as well as she does! Have a look at her blog - Jabberwocky - by clicking on the link down the left of this blog. I'm sure you'll love it. We had a great time playing with these houses, everyone did something completely different. Sue had brought in lots of samples to inspire us, and they did. I managed to finish one on the day, and have been finishing off the second and working on the last today - it ended up being a boathouse, inspired by the heron! The door is made of broken up coffee stirrers, thank you Subway, Starbucks et al. There is a tiny drawing of a boat on the horizon - thats as near as I get to freehand! I couldn't find a boat stamp small enough. It's hidden by a reed, just as well!

The dangly key and lock are Tim Holtz's idealogies, most of the stamps are Elusive Images or Paper Artsy, but I also used a Tanda one designed by Jane Daffern which is polka dots, and the image is designed to be variable according to the amount of pressure applied - uneven pressure gives a fabulous uneven result. Clever Jane!

The last one has a little story attached - (for you Paddy) - the big bird is a cuckoo and she has just laid her egg (the top one) in the other two's bird house (nest house?). She's hiding on the roof so they don't know! the trim across the bottom is a little row of beaks, waiting to be filled. Sorry about that, but I like my little rationales.

Metal Magic

Well as promised here is a write up on one of the workshops I have been to in the last few weeks. This is an accordion book I made at a Sue Roddis Workshop at Paddy's Stamping Place. It was probably one of the best I've been to, the technique gives amazing results. There were about 5 of us there on the day, and we were all delighted with the end result. Sue has repeated the workshop, and is repeating it again in the New Year at Paddy's. The best example is on Sue's own blog, but here is mine. Both sides are decorated as you can see. We used Cuttlebug embossing folders and Elusive Images Stamps. The inks used were Stazon. We got very messy - great! Not great photos though I hope you can see what is going on