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Monday 31 March 2014

It's the Little Things..

Hi! I am running in quickly again to share a card I made featuring Arthur from the Arthur and Annie set by Tiddly Inks for Stamping Bella


My paper are a mix of MME, Basic Grey and Whiff of Joy. The sentiment is from a Tim Holtz sentiment set and I've stamped it with Archival Black ink. To embellish I added some flossed buttons. 

Thanks for popping in!
Sandie
xxx



Saturday 29 March 2014

Stamping Bella Bellariffic Friday - A Sketch

Goooood morning! This week's challenge for Stamping Bella's Bellariffic Friday was a sketch for you to follow. 


Here is my take on it. I stuck rigidly to the sketch with the exception of the sentiment. I have featured Bye Bye Boy and coloured him up with Copic markers. The papers are a mix of My Mind's Eye collections. To embellish I've just added some wooden stars. 


For a chance to win the monthly prize remember to use a current Stamping Bella image and email your card to Em by Thursday. 

Have Fun!!
Sandie
xXx

Friday 28 March 2014

La-La Land Crafts Inspiration Friday - Fence It In

Hi! I'm back again with this week's Inspiration Friday for La-La Land Crafts. Our theme is 

Fence It In

My card features Marci with Watercan and the dies I've used are Heart Banner, Water Lily & Wrought Iron Fence


Copic Markers
Skin - E000, E00. E11, R20
Hair - E23, E25, E29
Clothing/Boots - RV10, RV11, RV13, RV14. G20, G21, G24
Flower - Y13, Y15, Y17
Watercan - B41, B45


Check out the rest of Team Friday's creations over on the La-La Land Crafts blog and you can join in all the La-La Land Crafts fun by adding your creations to our Facebook Page and Twitter.
And if you are in need of more inspiration, we are now on Pinterest .

Encourage Imagination - Altered Tag

Howdy!! Busy busy BUSY week again and I'm just flying in with a quick tag I made last week (took me a week to get photos!!) 

My tag features Annie from the Arthur and Annie collection by Tiddly Inks for Stamping Bella. 


The papers are from Kaisercraft and I've layered them onto the tag, sanding the edges. I punched a hole in the top using my crop-a-dile and threaded some distressed seam binding though. For embellishment I added some feathers, pearls and large flower and mini tag. 


And now I am flying back out again to meet my little man at the pool for swim lessons!
Have a great day!!
Sandie
xXx


Monday 24 March 2014

Remain Creative & Curious - Mixed Media Canvas

Good morning! Popping in quickly with a little canvas I made recently. I started it at the Create with Kate craft event last weekend and have been playing around with it since. 


On the background I used a mix of Dylusions & Glimmer Mist sprays, drywall tape, stencils and stamps. Then I layered on some buttons, flowers, chipboard lattice, washi tape, chipboard butterfly/bird cage and chipboard letters. I Gesso'd them all and then sprayed them with more Dylusions.


 Taking a flat brush I added 2-3 layers of Silks 'Emperor Gold' acrylic glaze to the raised areas (buttons, butterfly, cage, letters, etc) and to the edges of the large flower. 


I added some Chit Chat stickers, sealing them with matt medium. 


And finally I added some crackling paint to the butterfly. Seriously cannot get enough of this stuff - LOVE IT!! 


 I am entering this into the Mixed Media Place Emotional Challenge which is Curiosity 

Have a creative day!
Sandie
xXx

Saturday 22 March 2014

Stamping Bella Bellariffic Friday - Bling it UP!!

Good afternoon!! It's a wet wet wet day here and there are hailstones, like you wouldn't believe, falling outside my window. They're quite fascinating to watch, but I am definitely glad I'm indoors looking out! lol. Sooo, as it's too icky to go anywhere I am catching up on some blogging. 

This week's Bellariffic Friday is Bling it UP! We also have a new Babe starting with us and you can check out the details HERE

My card today features LULU LOVES POPPIES. I've had this stamp for aaaaages and felt it was time she got to see the world again. 


I coloured her up with copic markers and added loads of stickles to the centre of the poppies to add to the BLING! I also added stickles to the Prima/Wild Orchid Craft flowers, along with some pearls, crystals & pins. 


Next weeks Bellariffic Friday challenge is this sketch

For a chance to win the monthly prize remember to use a current Stamping Bella image and email your card to Em by Thursday. 


Have a great day!
Sandie
xXx







Friday 21 March 2014

La-La Land Crafts Inspiration Friday - Pinspiration

Howdy and Happy Friday!! This week we have a Pinspiration photo over on La-La Land Crafts. 


Here is my take on it. I went really CAS using only an anchor and seagull from the Nautical Shadow Box along with Sailor Luka


I coloured Luka up with Copic Markers
Skin - E000, E00, E11, R20
Hair - C9
Clothing - B18, B29, B39. C1
Wheel - C3 through C9

Check out what the rest of Team Friday have created over on the La-La Land Crafts blog. You can join in on all the La-La Land Crafts fun over on our Facebook Page, where you can also post your own La-la Land Crafts creations. You can also find us on Twitter!

Thursday 20 March 2014

Uptown Girls Gift Cards

Hi!! Today is the first day in 2 weeks that I'm alone in the house. My Princess went back to school today and I'm already missing her, so to take my mind off of things I did a quick little project with some Uptown Girls from Stamping Bella. 

Wouldn't these be fantastic little notes to pass to girlfriends?!!


I used the Waltzingmouse Stamps Envelope and Gift Card dies to cut out all the pieces. 

The stamps I've used are Faith the Fairy, Opal the Optimist and Posh has a Present. I coloured Faith in very lightly with copics and added a little washi tape with a pearl to decorate the envelope slightly. 


Seriously, these are so quick and easy to make it's ridiculous.... they're also quite addictive! ;)

Have a great day!
Sandie
xXx


Crafting Ireland / Waltzingmouse Stamps Guest Tutorial - Recycled Gift Box

Good morning! I have a little recycled Gift Box project over on the Crafting Ireland blog today, featuring some of Waltzingmouse Stamps products. 


Supplies: 
Gift Box
Patterned Papers
Distress Ink & Sponge dauber
Embellishments of choice

Have a great day!
Sandie
xXx

Wednesday 19 March 2014

WOW! Embossing March Challenge - WOOD

Good morning! Popping in today with my take on the WOW! Embossing March challenge which is WOOD


I started with a cheap 4" wood handled paintbrush, from a discount store, and primed it with a few coats of gesso. Then I covered the handle with text coffee filter paper and finished it off with some clear embossing powder. 

I made some black and white flowers using Melt-It and some moulds and I embellished the front of the brush. 


WOW! products used: 
Embossing Powders: Clear Semi DullBright White & Ebony
Silicone Moulds: Daisy & Shabby Rose
WOW! Embossing Heat Tool

Have a great day!
Sandie
xxx

Monday 17 March 2014

Stamping Bella Bellariffic Friday - A Sketch

Hi guys! This week we had a fabby sketch to work with for Stamping Bella's Bellariffic Friday

and this is my take on it.. 



I used one of Mo Manning's stamps, and she's called Bye Bye Girl. She's been coloured up with copics, cut out with an oval die and mounted onto a scalloped oval. The papers are Love you Madly by Glitz Design. I added some chipboard elements and flowers to embellish. 

Next weeks Bellariffic Friday challenge is "Bling It UP!" 
For a chance to win the monthly prize remember to use a current Stamping Bella image and email your card to Em by Thursday. 

Have a great day!
Sandie
xXx

Saturday 15 March 2014

La-La Land Crafts Inspiration Friday - One Layer & Luck

Hi everyone! Today's La-La Land Crafts Inspiration Friday is themed 

One Layer with the option of a Luck twist. 

Yep, one layer.. hmmm... this was a tough one for some of my teamies, but this is what I came up with



My card features Leprechaun Luka...

...and it's flat as flat can be.. lol. I stamped both the sentiment and image onto blending card and coloured it up with copics. Then I made a raised border all around the edges (at 0.5" on all four sides) using my scoring board. 


Copic Markers used - 
Skin - E000, E00, E11, R20
Hair - E95, YR27
Clothing/Hat - YG21, YG23, YG25, G24, G28, Y21, Y26, Y28, C3, C5, C7, C9.
Crock/Gold - C3, C5, C7, C9. Y21, Y26, Y28

Don't forget, you can join in all the La-La Land Crafts fun by adding your creations to our
Facebook Page and Twitter. And if you are in need of more inspiration, we are now on

Have a wonderful weekend. 
Sandie
xXx

Tuesday 11 March 2014

I'm back for the Party!!

Honey I'm home!! lol. My poor blog has been sorely neglected for the past few weeks while the craft room revamp took a lot longer than anticipated... and just as I get done with that, the flu decides to pay my house a visit :( However, while Princess slept today I got to work on my first projects in the new room. 

I missed out on playing along for the Waltzingmouse Stamps February Release and I am skirting in with some projects in the dying hours of the March Pajama Party. You can find all the challenges and details HERE


All of my projects are made to fit Challenge 1 - To Die For. I have used the new Gift It stamp set, Gift Card Envelope die and Gift Card It die set

First up is a card, on which I added the Gift Card Envelope to the front.



Inside I added the gift card. The background on the gift card has been stamped using the Pinstripe Mini stamp. I stamped the 'Breakfast in Bed' sentiment in Mustard Seed distress ink and then stamped it again, offsetting it slightly, so they yellow becomes a shadow. 


Next I made a trio of Gift Card and Envelope sets. 



The front of the envelope above has added texture in the form of translucent embossing paste used with a script text stencil. 

The last envelope is a little lot more detailed. I've added lace, ribbon, vintage postcard & stamp, flowers, charm, bookplate, wooden hearts and pearls. 

Inside of each envelope I added a gift card. 

Thanks for dropping by! 
Sandie
xXx

Friday 7 March 2014

My Workspace - Finally!!!

Hi everyone! As some of you may be aware I decided recently, in my infinite wisdom, that my craft room needed updating.

The room I'm in now used to be DS's bedroom and when I moved into it he asked that I didn't take down his Spiderman curtains, they were his gift to me, lol. After 3 years I felt it was time the Spidey curtains went! He's okay with that, he's moved on ;)

So this is how my room looked on a bad day.... 

... a VERY bad day...

.... a 'just torch it, it'll be easier' day.... 

....and on a good day!! lol

Let me just say that I could NEVER have anticipated the work I was about to face. EVER. I figured a couple of days taking stuff out, maybe 4 days to paint the walls and assemble furniture/storage and then a day (or 2 at most) to put everything back in. (I know you're laughing at me!)

So I bought 4 x 80ltr storage boxes - that should be enough to put ALL of my stash in while I got to work on the room, right?? Ya.... not quite!!

The rest of the stash buried my 4 x 80ltr boxes :/ 

I didn't take progress photos because.. well because 1) I didn't think of it and 2) progress was so slow that by day 6 I was losing the will.... but this is my end result. The room is narrow so it was impossible to get floor to ceiling shots on either side where my storage/desk are. I have linked up all the IKEA products I've used only because I figured it might be helpful if you are looking for storage solutions. If IKEA wanted to pay me for endorsing their product I would take it! lol, but they're not. 

So, here we go........

From the door 
Yay, no Spidey curtains!! The desk/table.. hmmm... I struggled with this one, and still do. I wanted to repaint it white, but then I thought that maybe the room would be just too white with white wall/table/storage. I'm still undecided so, for now, it remains untouched. 

Speaking of white walls.... and once I speak of it I never want to THINK about it again. Another one of my ingenious ideas - let's paint 3 walls white, and have a feature wall of teal on which the white Expedit will go. Sounds fabulous, right? 5 LITRES of white paint later I questioned my sanity. I did mention it's a small room, right? In 2 days I spent 21hrs painting.. yes, actual painting time of 21hrs... coat after coat of white paint. And you know what my white walls did?? They showed up the fact that my white skirting and white door were discoloured!! Off to buy more paint... 
When I look at the room now, it was so worth it, but at the time I was ready to call it a day. 


My Workspace
I wanted it to be functional, with everything to hand, but not cluttered either. I think I achieved it. IKEA storage is just amazing. From the big Expedit unit to the little utensil containers, IKEA made this whole process so much easier. 
So, on the desk I have my printer, which makes me very happy. It used to be on the cabinet behind me and it was a pain to have to keep dragging cables out. I would love an wireless printer, but hey we can't have everything :) 
I also have 2 little storage towers. Not sure the pink goes with anything in the room but a girl has to have a  little bit of pink in her life, right? In those towers I have inks, tools (crop-a-dile, stapler, etc) and some random bits and bobs. 


For all my bottles of glue I got white Variera boxes. The plain white seem to be discontinued and in place of them they are stocking white ones with colours on the inside but they do have deeper ones in the Pluggis Series


These little Bygel containers are so great. They come in white, but also in a range of other colours too.  All you need is the Bygel rail to hold them. Great for twine, washi tape, pens, small tools, stickles, etc.. erm.. I think I have an irrational fear of some world shortage on Star Dust Stickles.

Above my desk - again, IKEA had the perfect solution for displaying some swaps & gifts - the Ribba photo ledge. On the ledge right now - from left to right - and altered paintbrush from Nicole, altered nested boxes from Delia, altered wooden S, in my favourite colour!!, from DeeDee and framed drawing from Cheryl of Sassy Cheryl. I have another altered brush and a couple of small canvases to go up there soon. 


The Storage
I'm sure everyone is familiar with IKEA Expedit. And isn't the IKEA website just great, gives all the dimensions of each piece of storage so you can measure everything up before you go. That way you KNOW it's going to fit when you bring it home..... except when you don't take things like skirting boards and built-in cabinet surrounds into consideration. Ooops!! Yeah.. cue much cussing from one husband while he ripped off skirting boards and architrave.. and that would be the freshly painted skirting and architrave!!..but.. see, it did fit after all, lol. 

And after I filled the BIG ONE, I needed more... Another trip to IKEA. Oh, and that jar on top? that's one of 6 I bought. There are 4 different sizes in the Korken range. I am using them for flowers, buttons & lace. The little one you can see beside the wicker basket.. that will be altered for a swap I'm doing. 

You can just about see my paper rack in the bottom left of the photo. 
.....and of course you always have to have hand lotion and nail oil on your craft table?? 

 There is still a bit of tweaking to do as far as where everything is placed within the units, but I will figure that out as I go along.  Here are some pictures of the way it is now... 

Distress Inks, distress ink markers, paints, canvases, journals, etc

Copic pens and refills, A4 card in the file folders. In the wicker baskets I have embossing folders, flowers and Nestabilities. 

Tags, chipoard & tickets

Spools of lace, twine & ribbon, boxes with charms & magnetic die cut storage. 

Alterables - chipboard albums, shadowboxes, wooden shapes...

DS tape, glue dots, foam tape. You have no idea how quickly I get through this stuff.

Distress re-inkers, WOW! clear embossing powders, WOW! Melt It and some glitters 

And now I have somewhere to hide the chocolate from my hubby. These will be travelling the miles across the ocean very soon.

So there it is. I am 95% done. I still have some small boxes left to sort through, and some boxes of supplies to finish packing up - which I am donating to the school. It's taken the best part of 3 weeks to get this far. It was definitely a lot more work than I had anticipated, but it's done and I love it. 

I know I am extremely fortunate to 1) have a room dedicated to my hobby 2) have the resources to be able to buy the things I needed and 3) have had so much help from my hubby with trips to IKEA and putting everything together for me. Hopefully, after a couple of days rest, and just enjoying looking at it, I can put my new room to good use and get back to doing what I love doing - making pretty things!! 

Sandie
xXx