Skinni and ATC

Another beautiful day I made these last night after watching the TENNIS ALL DAY bliss and so many fantastic matches. I had been watching the historical match between Isner and Mahut for two of the three days. Also some great matches with Federa, Nadal oh I love it and it's been thrilling (more than I can say for the silly FB although DH is looking fwd to Sunday) and is really enjoying England beating the Aussies in the cricket again (sorry my Aussie viewers xx). Any way I have a very hard to keep secret, I am so excited more about this very soon!

Here is the close up of my Skinni over at SCD this month is Skinni month ant this week is blue & white these are 5x3  or 3x5 pieces and I love them this is my first and I think  am a wee bit late this week oh well I did enjoy doing them and I am also going to use this for the Gingersnap creations (GSC) who have a challenge for shades of blue.

I was enjoying playing with he blues so much  made an ATC as well I have use a Tim Holtz die cut with some  scrap material to make the flower and added some DI so shade it up a bit

Here's a close up I have been playng with some of Tim's DIs on my craft sheet adding water then putting card stock in drying and then added again then drying then putting through the cuttle bug to dry emboss then more stamping, I put some versamark on a stamp then some DI and then stamped I then added some clear EP and heated (these techniques were used on both the skinni & the ATC) I just then added the flower and stamped some images on white card stock and added these as well and a bit of ribbon, buttons and some deco glitter and Bob's your uncle (as they used to say) hope you like these and they give you some inspiration to create something  to. Love Dawn xx

Items Used:- Inks, Tim Holtz Distress Inks (DI) versamark. Stamps, Crafty Individuals. Cuttle Bug Emboss Folders (EF) and clear Emboss Powder (EP) Stampin Up Card Stock (CS)

Bird Shrine

Oh My It's Sunday already, and I'm picking up the little man tomorrow for another week of joy and exertion lol. I am hoping to do some crafting but I don't know how much or if I will be posting much this week so please forgive me if I am not around much this week. I will get round to a few peoples blogs if I hope though (love your creations). I have a lovely tea cup set ready for Tuesday though so hope you pop back for that. But for now a shrine of sorts.

I hope you like this, I have had this frame for about a month and I wanted to do something with it  but didn't quite know where to go with it. Then I saw the challenge Alter it Monthly and I thought another opportunity to use this stamp set I hope your not too board of it. Having made it and looking at the DT I think it also fits in to the colour scheme for The Play Date Cafe Which this week is lemon, pale peach and peach. And the lovely Hel's from Sunday Stamper Is looking for letters (hope my letters at the bottom count he he)

I am sure you can imagine the work that went into this little creation. First this is just a chip board frame/shadowbox so it was primed with two coats then it was painted and then it had distress crackle on it, I love the effect I then put some DI into the cracks to help it show up. I made the eggs and nest from sculpey clay which was then baked and then coloured with copics. I found this cute chick and colored it with copics too (too much of a bright yellow so he had to be toned down a little ;0).

You can see the crackle effect better here I think. The sign was stamped with DI on embossed DP then I had some UV gel and let it set under a UV light, this looks like a piece of glass now and I am very happy with the result this new found gel gives me, it's even better then glossy accents (you know how much I love this stuff right?) and dries so much quicker under the UV lamp.

I used the same gel here too! This is some DP cut out, I have added ribbon and attached it to the bottom like a hanging pendulum, but it also makes sense with the chip board letters too!

'Life Time in a box' is the name i have given this piece. If you think of the eggs the chick and then the mother bird watching over them all, I am really happy with it. I also stamped the label's and cut them out distressed and coloured them attached some string and added the letters as you can see above.

I wanted to give you a closer look at the inside. I have stamped some feathers with feather images, and also scavenges some bark and more feathers and added them to this little box of life! I really like the added feather to the stamped image of the mother bird. You can see the chick how it had had it's added colour  and the detail in the eggs, I hope you feel it has the nest feel and you have enjoyed looking at this, as I have enjoyed making this. It took almost a week with drying time (lots of coast of paint on the box/frame) and to come up with the ideas but I feel it works well and was worth it. as I said earlier I will hopefully be working on some projects through the week in between looking after James (my grandson) so I may not be around much but I am sure I will still find time to visit some of your blogs and wonderful work as you are all so inspiring. Love Dawn xx

 I have also been given this rather different award by the lovely Anesha she is so inspiring, if you haven't go pop over to see her she is a very talented lady. Now the rules mmm quite difficult. You have to tell 6lies and one truth!

• I am a millionaire
• I am not happily married!
• I hate animals
• I have way to much stash!
• I love all the comments I receive
• I dislike the sun
• I have swam the channel

So which one it the TRUTH only one now the rest are big fat porkys (although I have to give you a hint I wish the top one was true lol)

I also have to award this to 7 other people and let them know (well I will have to do this later as i am of to church and pray for forgiveness for the 6 lies I just told lol) see you later and  will pass out the award to 7 of you and you will have to play liar liar to!

So my seven are:- Lynn, Irit, Hilde, Lorraine, Barbara, Viola and Linda. All these women are amazing and have fantastic blogfuls of inspiration so give them a visit. Love Dawn xx

Items Used:-  Frame, Twiddlebitz shadow frame  Eggs & Nest, Sculpey clay. Paint, Laura Ashley and Distress Crackle Paint Ranger. Design Paper (DP) My minds eye & Graphic 45. Distress Inks (DI) Crackle glaze Tim Holtz (Ranger) Stamps, Stampington & Co. Letters ? Ribbon, Stash.

Tag book Part 1

Yes the up-loading photos had gone back to how it was COOL see if it's not broke don't fix it! (although I have lost my ability to upload video again) Can I just say a big thank you to all you nosey peeps who popped by yesterday lol (I thought I was bad lol) Hello every one I know a few of you were having a good nosey at my desk yesterday ;0) so I thought I would give you a close up of my Title page as well as my 2nd page of my first ever TAG BOOK! I have done six pages so far but I will be doing nine as I am following the sketches over at The Craft Barn There is also a competition too. But I am not so bothered about this If I finish on time I will enter.  I am also putting this in for Tag It On 36 (TIO) Our lovely friend Frankie is looking for 'Distressing' and it's her blogaversary, congratulations hun.  I thought as this was my first ever tag book (well first book kinda) I thought it may be easier for me if I used the sketches and it's  great. Like I said I did six pages yesterday.

I am really enjoying this and I have to buy some more or else make some templates to make more ASAP! Now I am using a Maya Road tag book (did I mention I love this so much?) I have put some DP on the tag distressed it and added some ribbon a glass square and put a sentiment under it  (I new these would come in handy when I bought them) he he. I also used the Die of Tim's to get the letters. I tell you what they are great. However I am disappointed in the sisix plates I had to buy a set of the long thing ones and also a hard think one too so they would go with the die (not to worry I thought I will be buying more of these long dies) But Oh My Word I have used them once and one is SO bent I found it difficult to put through the machine a second time (I have a cuttlebug not a big shot or what ever they're called) but you are suppose to be able to mix and match the dies one of the thin plates looks like a semi circle now I am not exaggerating either (should this happen? I don't think so) any suggestions oh and I can't turn it over to go the other way it's that bent! Any way moan over!

Page two! I have just painted direct onto the tag (with the crown paint for the frames remember?) then I used some packaging (bubble wrap) and taped to an acrylic blog and added some ink and stamped to get the varied distressed back ground (love how the back ground turned out here)

Then some more stamps & CS a wee bit more distressing and done, oh I also used a paper clip from SU but they are way to NEW looking so I distressed this too. It looks a bit more rusty now lol. Well I will hopefully be back tomorrow with the rest of the book I hoped you like the sneaky peek in to what I am making. Love Dawn xx

Items Used:- Honestly there are so many to mention I am not going to list them but if you really see something you want to know about just ask.

Grace Kelly

Hello, I hope to find you all well. The sun is out here in NW of UK again. Monday was a bit rubbish but it's warming up I am happy to say, and thank you to every one wishing me well I feel a little better today and I hope to get out of the house and enjoy the sun later to day. This is the card I made for my son who is 18 today. He was very spacific in what he wanted. "It has to be black & white with Grace Kelly on it". So this is what I came up with. I don't think any one is as hard to make for as a) family and b) a man lol I tried so many types and card LOs alsorts of things it gave me head ache! Do you some times get like this over a card/project? Maybe it was also because I wasn't feeling at my best the past week, but this drove me daft ;0) but I was very happy when it was finished and thank fully he loved it. There is also a challenge this fits into Stampavie & More There looking for 'Distressing' and this has that I hope you like it, Also A DT position available if any one is interested.

I used some cream card stock and distressed it with inks. I used Tim Holtz stamps, as well as some of his other stuff (Thank you Tim) So here you can see the film stamp and I also used the film strip ribbon to go over it. I had quite a few GK images so I shrunk some and put them under the film. I also stamped the admit one stamp on the front and one I did in a green (like an aged ticket) which I put sticky cusions under to raise it up from the card to add extra dimetion.

This image was printed on some canvas (the sticky kind) not that you can see the detail really but you can IRL. I had to crown her as Shawn thinks she is like royality (well she was at one point wasn't she?) My son loves lots of B&W films so has a really good apreciation of the old film stars. I don't know where I got the crown from I just bought it as a single. I have since seen the Maya Road ones in a tin but they are always out of stock lol

He also loves Audrey Hepburn. I stamped the envelope with this stamp and also I got a brown paper bag and some tissue paper and stamped her all over in distress ink.  I also used the TH die cut for the insideof the card (the alphabet) It's a really good set! We bought him lots of toys from his child hood (very retro for him) He loved it with old figures from disney's bugs life, Bat Man die metal car as well as some CDs and other stuff he used to love as a child (he really loved the idea lol) as well as what every young adult needs CASH! lol Well thank you for all your love and caring, Have a good day. Love Dawn xx

Items Used:- Images of Grace Kelly Google. Inks Tim Holtz DI Ranger. Stamps Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous (At the Movies) Tim Holtz Die (Carnivale) crown, stash and gems Prima.

Tag and some updates.

Morning and I hope you are enjoying your week end it's beautiful here in NW UK but I am too poorly to go out (one of my bad days!) any way I can craft and look at your wonderful work. This is a tag (you don't say?) lol But I have made it for the  challenge over at Tuesday Taggers There theme this week is 'Dragons' so I have included some 'Dragon flys' They are being Sponsored by Tanda Stamps this week so pop have a looksy, I have never shopped there but I know I will be going for a week look around to see what they have lol. I will also enter this for Sunday Stamper Hels is encouraging as many entrys as you like for this one this is my 3rd entry  just pop along for more details of how to enter.

Sorry just realised it's not the right way round (but you get the idea ;0) I have used some red stazon to stamp this LLB stamp on some accitate I have put this on the scrummy DI background I used two colours BDR & WH then stamped my drangon fly stamp with some CO ( I think?) I had stamped some images that I wasn't that pleased with so used them to punch out my DF I think they look great and finally some orange ribbon from stash and volia!

I also wanted to show you my 'Sew Lovely'  (thanx for the suggestions) now it's finished. And  I Have hung it up in my craft room with some extra distresed backing and some ribbon through some jumbo SU brads. I thought I would also enter it for a NEW Challenge blog! Sentimental Sundays (SS)It looks very exciting pop over to have a look they're also having a DT call so please pop by if you can.

Here are my Fairy swaps from ATC swap 'till you drop I would love to thank the ladies in clock wise order they are Vonny, Karen, Jeanie & Chriss. I will be round to your blogs thank you for your beautiful work xx

And finally but by NO means least I got a scrummy card in the post this morning From Chris Oh thank you hunny ITS DIVINE ;0) lol. And better still, what was inside. Pop to her blog if you haven't already that is, you won't be disapointed. How did you get the out line for that butterfly? it's all delish.

These two yummy ATCs one is a swap as we had a little trade, and the other is just because we are bloggy friends how wonderful she is. I am still looking at them, love the backgrounds I am assuming you painted them yourself they are wonderful & you can see the texture just! Where did you get the crown and trim ( it's like peel off but classy) My love to you all as always Dawn xx

Items Used:- (for top tag) Inks, Distress inks & Stazon. Ribbon, Stash. Stamps, SU & LLB, Punch dove craft.

Canvas Sparkle

It's still Wednesday and this is my second post, so if you have just had a nosey at my work space thanx for coming to have a look at this little beauty I created yesterday. It's sunny woo hoo I took this just before I was about to put all my washing out lol couldn't have all that in the back ground now could I? So what do you think? This is a kit from 3D Jean Kit for the grand some of £4  I have lots of stuff left over too, so I think it was worth it. I am not usually a kit kinda girl but I saw some of the DT examples and I thought I would have to have a go. I put some of my own crafty ribbon on but apart from that the rest was in the kit and if you do pop by 3dJean Blog you can have a look around, there are a few DT examples  and they are all different so it's a kit that won't look like a million others, it's still your work (if you know what I mean) that is what appealed to me about this kit. I thought I would play with the peeps over at the The Three Muses the theme this week is 'hats & crown & wings & things' so you have to inclued at least one or all of these items I had fun making this little canvas, make sure you pop over the people who play always come up with some knock out stuff!

Now if you look at the first link (the kit) all the items are listed there. I love this Croco paint (which she doesn't sell as yet) it works like a dream and better even than the Ranger stuff so it is on my list of to buys! I have sprayed it with two colours one that came with the kit and an extra colour I bought from the shop too. Talk about glitter!

Look at the sun shining off this, so shiny (Mrs Magpie is popping her head up again) I love sparkle! It was very simple to make just a canvass some paint left over night (It must dry naturally, I am told this is a must for the croco effect to be at it's best) then some sparkly spray and a 1x1 chip board some wire and hey presto .I could make these again and again so I may have to pop by and get some more canvases but you can use the stuff you have in your stash I am sure GM but and the ranger distress crackle (but believe me this croco is a far better product in my opinion so I will be buying this instead of the ranger version from now on and you know I love RANGER!) Okay that's it from me. I will be popping round some blogs but I must get started with that material and those yummy frames from the previous post! Love Dawn xx

GSC exchange

Morning to you all hope you all well this Monday. I am really enjoying the exchange over at GSC. I posted my first exchange yesterday with a domino seems to have been very popular, lets hope this is just as popular. Here she is the queen herself 'Marie Antoinette' I have used a technique found in Craft Stamper, told you I was going to use lots of tecniques lol. If you would like more info about the exchange please click Here thanx.

You can see better here I think. I used some DI and stamped them on a heat mat (I use a cheap one from a £ shop) then add some water and stamp, the first time I had too much water (for what I wanted) lol so, you will have to give it ago until your happy with the image. I do like the wishy washy effect it gives,  although this is a very detailed stamp. I have also used other stamps and put versamark then a coloured ink on, then applied clear EP & heated.

I was playing with some ribbon today, I have used some in the background (gross grain) to give some texture and also embossed over it. I also made a little rosette inspired by Marie's costume (clothes) they often had this kind of things on sleeves etc so i thought I would have a go at making one, quite cute, what do you think? 

I have also completed another today and took my photos outside. How Sunny?  More of the OI stamps But I think I will enter these for a challenge or two as they fit in nicely. By the Cute & Girly (BTC&Gch)  their theme is 'Fairy Tales' and so this fits nicely. Sunday Stamper is all 'Siver 'this week. I wonder if Sir Stampalot (SSA)will count this in? their theme is 'Fantasy' I think AIW fits but maybe more fairys & dragons any way I will enter hope you like it.

Think you can see the silver better on this photo. As with all the other GSC exchange flowers I have used the same DP I have had them ages and I think they have fitted really well for this.I painted  it with gesso and stuck to my pizza box flower (you need to use everything I am trying to save the environment too =) left it over night to dry then got the EP out they do give it a lovely shine. coloured the images with copics. I also added a beautiful ribbon to hang this up with I thought it would make a nice door hanger for a little girls room. Although I have it hanging on my shelves it's really lovely with the other three, so only one more to make and I may have one for my self too, so that's five in all. I will show something different if I get to posting tommorow looks like you may have had enough of my flower creations lol

I am having lots of crafty fun and loving the new blogs I have found through you all leaving comments. I have also found an ATC swap buddy, if any one else would like to swap 3x ATC once a month for 6 month (must have real stamping on) let me know. Love Dawn xx

Items Used:- DP Laura Ashley. Ribbon, Anitas & SU. Inks, Tim Holtz DI & SU. CuttleBug EF. Gold Pen stash. Stamps Oxford Impressions. Jumbo eyelets, SU. Emboss powder, Heat it up! Images coloured with Copic markers.

Framed Trinchies

Happy Easter every one. do you remember these frames I got from the charity shop? Here well they have been well and truly altered! and I thought I would put some of my work in them.

I Painted the frames with some yummy Laura Ashley paint called 'Creamware' isn't it yum? then I added some metalic rubons to highlight the lovely patteren on the frame. On this one I used a gold and a hit of a green rub on.

And on this one I used copper and a red rub on too, I really like them and I can image just how useful this stuff will be for other creations as it's very versitile and can be used with lots of things. I have some more trinchies to make for the other two frames. 

I have altered my kitchen in to my craft room lol I had to do something I had plastic draws all over so I bought the solid wood furniture I was telling you about from more fantastic charity shops (still waiting for the weather so i can alter them, I can't wait to show you them)  and I got some shelves and altered them too! I put my ribbons up and I wanted to put some of my work up to, so  it felt I was in a craft room, (even thought the kitchen is attached to it ;0) not the best sineario but it's the best I can do under the circumstances. Still have to clear up ever tea time and I often get distracted with the washing machine etc but its better than nothing. I do hope you have a wonderful Easter, and thanx for taking the time to visit, don't be shy leave a comment to I love them as they meen I get to vist you too! Love Dawn xx.

Items Used: Metalic Rubons, Craf-T products. colour kit 1. Frames Charity Shop, Paint, Laura Ashley. 

Details for trinchies on previous posts. Use search button on left, for trinchies and this will bring up all trinchies. Or you can click on the lable on the bottom of this post and all trinchies will come up you can then look at detailed list of items used for each one thanx again xx

Shabby Note Book

Hello my wonderful crafty on line companions, I hope you are having a wonderful Easter. I managed to get some play time over the last couple of days. This project was wonderful fun and will help me store my new ideas. I often wake up or can't sleep due to things spinning around in my head so I thought I would make a note book well alter a cheep Asda note book ;0). I did see a challenge some where for fabric but can't find it now doh! any way I will enter this for SCD Which is something  with a 'W' White in this case. Alphabet challenge is 'White' this week as well. The Sunday stampers their theme is 'Lace' and Simon Says is 'distressing'. must see if I can find the fabric one again lol

I started with a cheap note book from Asda, then some DP I watered some WHITE gesso down then painted the DP giving a nice distressed/shabby look. I also used the same method with some paper flowers and left them to dry over night. I liked the transfer TT so much on GSC (see previous post or GSC TT Links) I thought I would have another go with an image I am not sure where from? sorry let me know if you know and I will give credit to them. I got my machine out again for the second time this week lol and stiched the transfer to some linen tatted the edges up again and used very wabbly stiching (on purpose lol).

I popped some lace on from my stash and added some roses in a nice cluster. I also stubtly stamped over the gesso in various places butterflys & swirls (there must be some more challenges I can add this to;0) I really do hope you get chance to think about this week end what it really means to have the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. Be safe, love Dawn xx

Items Used:- DP K&Co Stamps SU. Flowers various. Lace, linen Stash. Tim Holtz Idea-ology ornate plate.

Tag & Post Card

Hello, Hope you are having a wonderful week end. What a busy few days, the computer and printer have made up and are finally speaking to one another again.  James was here for a few days belss,  and so many churcha activities and all have been wonderful.  Any way I can not tell you how happy that the Comp & Printer are back onb speaking tearms. I have already made good use of this wonderful news ;0) I made a post card (PC) for the challenge over at The Three Muses The theme is 'Tea for Two' 

I am not a tea drinker or coffee for that matter! But quality time chatting with a gilfriend is what I thought of. I found this photo through google I have printed it off and aged it by crunching it up and adding, tea Distress Ink (DI) and also photo DI to. Same for the card stock too. This photo looked very 1920s I love lots of Art Deco stuff, buildings, pottery jewllery etc but haven't got pennies to collect this kind of art although I did get my paws on some repoduction post cards earlier this week. I have distressd a vintage button & another wooden button from stash. Also distressed the lace by inking & fraying ,sewn the buttons to it then stuck to the PC.

I also chose a photo and perferated the edges with my Cuttlebug to make a stamp, plus lots more DIs and more stamps to make this post card look like a wee bit of France lol. I did tell you I am into very french things at the moment lol still saving a little at a time (hope to get there for a few days this summer) just in case you didn't know already lol.

I have also made a tag for Tag It On  Their theme is 'Favoraite Film' Now this is one of my all time Fave movies, all though I love films and I love so many I have to say this one I can watch over & over and never get board (Like Pride & Predudice BBC version) 'You've Got Mail' is a film I can watch over & over! The origional is wonderful too I have only seen that once when it was on TV it's an old B&W called 'The Shop around the Corner' with James Stewart and the chap that played the wizard, in the wizard of OZ. I managed to find it on Play.com for under £10 very rare I actually didn't think you could get it any more, so thanx for this theme it made me think and now I have the origional version on it's way too!

I really enjoyed making this, It was so nice to get some ink on my fingers again.  It feels like forever since I last made something or posted on the blog! any way,  I even made the little envelopes from some scrap paper.  This is plain white card stock covered in DI and stamps (various) then layered with some images from google relating to the film.

Here I have covered the computer screen with glossy accents (you can just see Toms head shining lol) as well as the words they look like epoxy stickers now and I was really quite thrilled when it was finished. Now don't for get the clocks go fwd in UK on 28th so you will be robbed of an hour in bed however, on the bright side it wont get dark until about 8pm and the nights are going to get lighter ever week now. 

I'm looking forward to that craft wise to, the light and also lots of out side food in our garden. Let's just hope the snow stays away and the warm weather continues. Enjoy your wonderful Sunday. Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving comments and joining in with the candy, only a few days left now so hurry and join in if you haven't already. I look forward to popping by your blogs and catching up. Love Dawn xx

Items Used:- Stamps, Tim Holtz, Clear Stamp & Crafty Individuals. Inks, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Ranger. Computer images, google. Ribbon Stash. Glossy Accents. Ranger. Buttons vintage & stash. Lace, Orchid Crafts.

Card &Trinchie

Hi ya. well it's a bit late but hey I was up until 4am last night. I was at Asda at midnight buying New Moon and of course I had to watch Twilight & New Moon (so sad I know) but I wasn't the only person at Asda at midnight waiting for NEW MOON. ;0)

Now on to the card, over at Ginger Snap Creations  the theme is a colour challenge, Copper,Rust or ginger and I have made a copper metal card and some copper glitter for good measure lol. I am also entering this for Quirky Crafts   whose theme is Flowers.

Here you can see the close up of the double flower with copper brad. I really like the mesh flower it adds to the already existing texture.

On to my Trinchie which I am also entering for Ginger Snap creations same colour theme of Copper, Rust & Ginger. This is also for Something Completely Different (SCD) challenge which this month are 'Trinches' and this week is 'music'. I made this on Sunday and having been to church I was thinking how the hymns moved my soul and this is how the sentiment came to mind.

You can really see the texture here of the rust I love this technique. I have used some DP then distressed with DI, die cut the lock & Key from copper then aged with Distressing powder. I really am happy with the effect I love this technique. I hope you like these please do go have a look at the challenges and the DT examples. And I want to hear all about your twilight madness (if I am not the only one that is lol) Love Dawn xx

Items Used:- Cuttle Bug die cut machine, Ef & Tim holts  Alteration Die (Sizzix). Copper sheet metal. DP Making Memories (MM) flowers MM Sentiments Cuttle bug die cut & my own. Distress inks & Diistrss powders Tim Holtz (Ranger).