Craft Barn Challenge - Tim Holtz Products

Hi ya, hope your all having a good weekend.  Over at The Craft Barn the challenge is Tim Holtz and the DT did some fantastic tutorials.  Also this week has been all about stampboard so why don't you fly over there and see all the techniques.  For my entry this week I have done Gay's embossing folders and gold leaf.  Its the first time I have used gold leaf, the embossing folder is one of TH's but I can't think what its called, I also used perfect pearl sprays, TH stamp and gold embossing powder.

Thanks for Sharing. Kezzy xxx

Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything But A Card

Hi ya, hope your all having a fantastic weekend, the weather is gorgeous in Nottinghamshire where I live.  Over at Crafts 4 Eternity the recipe is Anything But A Card.  As you know from WOYWW (whats on your workdesk wednesday) my desk was full of crafty mess as I was in the middle of doing a exploding box and I have now finished it. Apart from Bazzill card most of the box was made up with Graphic 45 Curtain call.

The Lid

Inside (each side had 3 layers with pics etc)

The box sides (the names of plays are ones which the person who was receiving the box had been in)

I'm quite disappointed as I didn't take a whole pic of the box as my sister who had asked me to do it, needed it quite quickly.  My sister Vicky runs a drama group for under 18's and the person who this was for had turned 21 and had been in the group since she was 10 and now was a young leader herself.

Thank you for sharing and I hope you all have a crafty and sunny weekend.  Kezzy xxx

Stampman Challenge - Tim Holtz

Hi, hope all of you crafters out there are having lots of craftiness.  Over at The Stampman the challenge is Tim Holtz.  Now normally I wouldn't try these challenges, not because I don't like his work, but because I just never know how to start, or if I do it never seems to work out right.  I have collected his products for nearly two years now, had a workshop with him in February and so I thought that maybe I should have a go.  I have the A Compendium of Curiosities book by Tim Holtz which I got last year so I decided to read and learn as I'm crafting.  I really enjoyed it and I'm really pleased with my first TH tag.

The tag was TH sizzix die cut, I inked up using distress inks, I took his advice and was bold with my colours and I just put it one there layering up (first time I have done this), I used TH flourish masks (its the big one which seemed to stick everywhere but where I wanted it lol), the skull is grunge board already die cut (I used distress embossing powder for the first time in which I only have walnut stain, now according to the book the crystals should just rub off mmmmmmmm I scrubbed and still didn't get the effect, I think its because as I was heating I couldn't decide if it was done so I think I burnt the crystals solid onto the skull LOL).  I only have a few TH stamps which I used, the chain and the arrow are TH, and the string and bottle (which I filled with alcohol inks) where from the workshop I did so really really TH.  At the workshop we were doing configuration boxes and we were given lots of goodies.  My problem was I still haven't got anything done inside mine as I am newish to grunge and just couldn't work out where to put bits, so I still have them all and seems this is the beginning of my grungy road it seemed apt to delve into the stash from then.
Oops better go, it closes in half hour, late again but this was a last minute decision to have a go. 
Thank you for sharing.  Kezzy xxx

WOYWW 112 - MOJO Happiness

Hi to all the woyww's out there, if your wondering what I'm going on about fly over to Julia's blog and be wowed by crazy delightful crafty desks.  I'm really late, I've been so busy at work as its holiday time which means my PA is off on her hols, I really really miss her, normally I work alot from home but this week I have been in and out of the office constantly.  Also I have to get this exploding box which is on my desk ready for tomorrow and I had forgot all about it.  I'm having a really great time with my mojo, he's happy, i'm happy and lots of crafting is being done, hence the hype of activity on my blog.  OK to my desks.......

This shows what I was doing the other day and I still haven't cleared up, just moved it to the side and got a whole pile of more bits out for the exploding box, as you can see I'm in the middle of at the moment .....

So I better get going and finish it off (well some of it will have to be done in the morning!!! how early depends on tonight!! lol.  Hope you all have a fantastic crafty week and may all the mojo's be extra happy too (mine felt like it was being ignored and not appreciated hence why I better mention him!!! ok I've gone mad!!!)  Thank you all for sharing. Kezzy xxx

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Free and Easy

Hi ya, hope you all are having a gorgeous Tuesday.  Over at Allsorts Challenge Blog the month of July is free and easy, which the project I have done has been quite a relaxing project, shame really what it presents.  I managed to finish off the embellishments on it last night.

This is the second one of these cards I have done, the first to someone who was fighting breast cancer and now has the all clear.  This one, which is almost the same, is one I was asked to do for someone else to give. The cross stitch took just under a week to do while sitting and watching the TV.  I tried not to think too much about what it presents as the first one I ever did for my friend had me in tears quite a few times.
Thank you for sharing and my all thoughts, go the people and their families, who are fighting this illness.
Kezzy xxx

Basic Grey 49 and Stampotique SDC34

Good evening, hope you all had a great Monday.  Over at Basic Grey the challenge is to use the sketch below and over at Stampotique its Flower Power.



My card is extremely loud!!!, I am entering challenges to get myself into practicing with colours and techniques, and try never to give up on a card, I'm wondering if this card should have been bin fodder at the beginning but I now think it would make a great card for a teenager.  I have some Dylusions sprays and I wanted to try out the hot pink and lime, they are really bright but beautiful.  I didn't like the flower sticker I used instead of ribbon so I tried to hide it by putting gems all over it, and then the image seemed too white so I masked it and sprayed it with the lime spray so it would mingle with the flowers, which to be honest I think I should have stopped before then.  Put on your sun glasses!!! here's my card

I used a stampotique stamp even though the challenge is any type, and the basic grey papers is green at heart (flower paper on base) and fruit cake jubilee/spearment which is the plainish green.
Hope you all have a crafty Tuesday, thanks for sharing. Kezzy xxx



Just Add Ink 177 and Colour Throwdown #151

Hi ya, hope you all had a fantastic weekend, (or still enjoying the last bit!).  Over at Just Add Ink the challenge this week is the sketch below and over at Colour Throwdown the colours are below.

This is the second time I have ever followed a sketch and first time on the colour pallette, and I have to admit, I'm never sure what you can and can't change on a sketch.  On my card I change the squares to circles and flower to a kit and I managed to get every colour in somewhere, even if it was just a bit.  The stamp is creative expressions, I used my mind's eye lime twist fly a kite patterened paper, ribbon scraps and bazzill stock.

Wish I could have taken pic in the day but the colour throwdown finishes in a few hours.
Thanks for sharing and I hope your week begins well.  Kezzy xxx

Craft Barn Challenge - Alcohol Inks

Hi, Over at The Craft Barn the challenge is using alcohol inks, and the DT did some amazing techniques.  I am late again and just going to make it in time, I completely forgot about the challenge until a few hours ago, which is a shame as I was planning to do a hanging piece with the technique of matte medium and bedazzles.  Instead I decided to do Gay's clean and simple card on glossy stock, I also painted with the alcohol inks (the balloons) that Gio did on acetate.  I used clarity stamps, alcohol inks, archival and andirondack inkpads, I also used to do the clouds a free template from a magazine.

 I really enjoyed doing this, as I only got out the bits above and played around, decided on one lot of stamps (clarity stamps as I thought initially I would do a silhouette) and then played with some templates.  And in the end I managed to do a one layer card which I thought would be hard.  It was nice not to mess with embellishments etc and I really enjoy working with alcohol inks now.  I am also making a technique swatches so I can see what I can do with them.  Thanks again to the DT at the craft barn who really work hard to teach and create fantastic techniques and projects.  Oops meant to say I won the last challenge and have my won challenge blinky thing on my blog, my very first one :-).
Have a fantastic evening and thanks for sharing. Kezzy xxx

WOYWW 111

Hi to all crafters joining in with WOYWW over at Julia's Blog, if your wondering what I am harping on about why don't you check out her blog and have a nosy at some brilliant crafty desks.  Wow I can't believe I am so early today, I just couldn't sleep, I have been wondering about since 4am and decided around 5am to take pics for WOYWW.  The lack of sleep is my bad back yet again but yipee they have put me in for some more steriod injections, which are fantastic and means I can walk without pain.  Normally I would blog towards the end of the day after doing some crafting so you can see a messy desk, but I had started getting bits out last night for a challenge I want to do so I took those pics this morning.  Onto my desks......

On my desk is a sketch for deconstructed sketch challenge blog, which I have just found and the stamps ready to use are lili of the valley for the challenge blog which is pink and blue, hence the papers on the desk.  Also on there is my faithful colour chart and a colour theory book.  I have major issues with colours and struggle to put colours together, alot of times I give up on the challenge or us plain card stock instead of my wonderful patterened papers.  I am addicted to patterened papers and have so much that I really need to use them so I have started studying colour.  I have just started but I am planning colour charts etc to see if this will help.  Also on my desk is some new whimsy and greeting farm stamps.

Last night it felt like I had a whole new colouring medium without them being new!!!  The other day Sheena Douglas was on Create and Craft, and I really like to follow her programs as she really inspires me, so I taped it and watched it on Monday.  She was selling whispers pens, and I was really impressed what they could do, and I was really tempted to go looking on the interent for these packs (3 packs at around £12 a pack).  Last night I was deciding what I would use as a colouring medium and noticed that I had these whispers pens, now initally I hadn't been at all impressed when I got them 2 years ago as the really left lines and didn't blend well at all, so a bit disappointed that the pens on Sheens's program were the same ones.  Then I remembered that Sheena talked about the right cardstock, I'm quite new to watercolour cardstock and wow they work, fantastically, I'm really impressed and excited that I get to have a go, I also can't wait to try my watercolour pencils and twinkling H2O's as well.  Also on my desk is a new journal as I am going to have a go at Kate Crane's monthly journal and I'm hoping to have my page ready to start at beginning of August.
I hope you all have a fantastic and crafty week, and a big thank you to all who have left lovely comments, I really appreciate them all, sometimes I don't get back to everyone each week as I try and spread through them all weekly, so normally by the end of the month I manage to get around everyone. Kezzy xxx

Stampman Challenge - Alcohol Inks

Over at the stampman challenge blog its alcohol inks.  I'm having to be quick as I think it shuts shortly, late as usual lol.  I have also took a pic of what I used as I thought that might be quicker (a bit of a cheat!).  I used alcohol inks doing the marble effect with water and colouring the shells.  I thought that you may have to use stampman products so I used aspect of design fancy flourishes. 

Thanks for looking.
Kezzy xxx

WOYWW 110

Hi to all the woyww's out there, hope you had a fantastic week, if your wondering what I'm on about go and have a nosey at the queen of desks Julia.  I have an apology to make, and I have no excuse, I didn't manage to visit anyone last week, how awful is that, I can't believe that Wednesday is here again, I guess good old life got in the way.  Ok on to my desk, now bear in mind that this morning my desks where spotless as last night I finished (well for the moment lol) sorting my craft room well sort off, I still have a few stamps to sort but I'm leaving them for a bit as I think I will scream if I have to do anymore lol.

Here is a pic of my sorted shelve with my unmounted stamps all in folders (ignore the still messy wooden stamp basket, you don't really see it, its a figure of your imagination!!).

What happened!!!  This was nice and clean this morning, I decided not to take a pic as I knew I would probably want to craft this afternoon, my goodness I didn't realise that when I craft I like to get everything out in one go.  Alot of challenges are alcohol themed at the moment so I thought why not I shall have a play, which you can see towards the top of the desk, I have even been blowing through a straw for splattered effects, also tried acetate, some of it is not bad but I think glass paints are better, mmmmmm I wonder what straws and glass paints would do? My faithful colour chart as I really do struggle with colour.  The card I'm making up has the alcohol background and a aspects of designs butterfly embossed on top, I hope to get the card in ready for the stampman challenge that finishes tomorrow.

And by the looks of things this is where I dump bits while I'm crafting lol.  As you can see, scraps of patterend paper and normal card stock, gesso (put this on the corrogated card so I could swipe alcohol inks over it, sweets (which I am finding that they seem to disappear when I'm not here so I think the OH is pinching them), tub of embossing powder (this is cosmic shimmer autum lustre) and my embossing powders swatches (the little square cards with flowers embossed on them), I actually find this really useful as I was going to use gold but after have a look through the swatches I decided on the autumn lustre on top.

Right I'm off, just noticed in the pic that I haven't put the lid on the tub of embossing folder so I better make sure I do that, I have many accidents, even once I was on the floor with bits of card that had versamark stamped images on so I wouldn't waste what had dropped! lol.
Have a brilliant productive crafty week, and I'm looking forward to visiting and having a nosy this week as its a less hectic week. Kezzy xxx

WOYWW 109

Hi to you all, this week I will be showing more pics then chatting as in the middle of causing choas in my craft room as I decided to replace drawers with bookshelves!!!  If you would like to see some fabby desks pop over to Julia's blog and have a nosey lol.  (Mmmm lol I always thought meant laugh out loud, but I have also heart that it can mean lots of love, now I do love you all but when I use it I mean ha ha ha lol lol lol).

My drawers used to hold all my wooden stamps and unmounted stamps

(sorry best pic I could find) so those pink drawers were not big enough and I decided I wanted to put all my unmounted stamps into files for easy access so......

I'm still sorting but I think (I hope!) it will be better, most stuff is just dumped on there.....

yep definitely just dumped as you can see from my wooden mounted stamps and lots more unmounted waiting to be catagorized

Pile of unmounted stamps needing to be put into the files and my desk.....

Feeling a bit unloved as I have been busy causing a mess elsewhere in the room.  The purple and pink bits at the front are servettes I found, more unmounted stamps to the left just popping out of the pic, to the right wooden stamps and in from the while silicone type stamps, I was asked last week what where they so I turned them over, I haven't used them yet but I will let you know what they are like, they are made from company called La Blanche and I got them from Joanna Sheen's online shop.  According to her they print really well.

Right I'm off now to get this whole mess sorted so I can get on with some more challenges and crafting, do you ever feel like maybe it was best left alone lol.
Have a fabby crafty week and thanks for sharing.
Kezzy xxx