It's My Third Post and it's The 3rd!

On a scale of one to ten ... just how impressed are you that I am blogging for the third time in three days! I know ... lots of other super human bloggers blog a lot more often ... but I am trying :0)
I could say ... blogging twice today ... because I have blogged for The Craft Barn DT today too with this little book I made ... but I won't push my luck :0)
You cannot tell from this post that I am actually typing at like a gazillion miles an hour! I have been doing a childs keyboard course on line ... it means I can use a few more fingers that I used to .. to type ... I am still not using the right fingers ... but hey ... I am keyboard challenged at the best of times ... so this is a huge step in the right direction!

Right ... back to the book ... it is a kind of technique journal ... no words ... just different ways of attaching stuff to acetate neatly! The main slide frame thing was the genius idea of Shari Carroll ... I wish I could take credit ... but I saw it in the book and loved it!
They are Lord Tim of Holtz cogs that you can see ... and his clock ... each on a different page so it kind of gives the impression you are looking into the workings of a clock. This was really hard to photograph ... so you may not get the full effect.
You know Tim ... the man that can put a name to every face on the gazillion dollar entity that is Facebook while constructing a scale model of the Olympic Stadium in gold Sovereigns with just a locket key and a mini paperclip.
Right ... I must away ... I have a todo list as long as the longest to do list! Have a great weekend ... see you tomorrow ... hopefully!
Laters!

This and That!

I think I may have just about told the whole world now that I am demoing at the Craft Barn this Saturday ... my very first time ... and then I am teaching there on Sunday ... all day ... for the very first time! I am soooooooo excited!

I thought I would give you some idea of Sunday's class ... if you fancy joining me ... I think we have room for more ... and if you just want to watch some great demos ... well ... don't worry ... there are 6 other demonstrators ... so you don't even actually have to watch me!

This Sunday's project is technique based ... with stains and inks and paint and PaperArtsy and of course ... some Lord Tim of Holtz ... you know Tim ... the man that can single handedly rescue a diver from a great white shark while painting the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel with just a swipe from a Ranger Archival Ink Pad and the plastic cover thing from some Tonic Studio non stick scissors!

My other news ... if you have n't heard me shouting from the roof tops is that my first project for Craft Stamper in absolutely aaaaaaages has made the cover ... yes ... that there screen is one of mine! Woo Hoo!
Right ... that is enough of me! How are you?
Laters!

Go With the Flow!

Well ... here I am ... and on a Wednesday too ... whatever next! I finally finished that pesky page ... it ended quite simply too ... I did that thing ... you know the one that you should n't do when you are journaling ... I thought about it for a bit too long!
Then last night ... I just did what I fancied doing ... and this is how it ended up! Plus I figured there was enough going on with the door and everything else on the other side to keep this side quite simple!
I have done a few more pages ... thought I would share ... and I kind of thought you may need an explanation with this one ... or you may come up with the conclusion that I am quite mad! In fact ... even I am beginning to worry! So if any of this post resonates with you ... please stick your hand up ... I don't want to be alone!

One of my new rules is not to plan ... just go with the flow ... start and then see where you end up! Well I covered the page with Lord Tim of Holtz Distress Stain ... you know Tim ... the man that invented the word "Creativity" in every language around the world while carving a human DNA helix in a match stick with just a paint dabber cap and a blending tool.
Anyways ... I then spritzed said page with Wild Plum color wash ... that actually turned out a lot darker than I imagined ... so I decided to break it up a bit with a Prima Mask. Spraying on the mask would just have made the page even darker ... so I drew around it! Then I coloured it in! To cut a very long story short ... it suddenly looked like a mirror!
So then I got thinking about Romper Room ... the mirror frame with the magic swirly bit that Miss Rosalind used to look through! I remember sitting with my nose virtually stuck on the TV screen screaming at Miss Rosalind to see me through her mirror ... Did she??? Did she heck as like! I think she may have scarred me ... emotionally ... for life! I mean she saw Tarquin once ... How many children are called Tarquin for heavens sake!
Bet you wish I had kept this one to myself now!
laters!

Sort of a Queen!

Morning Bloggers!
The theme over at Simon Says Stamp and Show this week is Kings and Queens ... I know ... I know ... Mona is n't really a Queen and  putting a Crown on her does n't really make her one ... and she is n't British either ... but a theme is open for interpretation right??? And she is now the Queen of my desk! I kind of got carried away with the whole Union Jack and The Wendy Vecchi Art Parts combo and then realsied I did n't actually have a King or Queen to fit inside the pocket watch ... so Mona with a Crown it is! Does anyone else do daft stuff like that? Or is it just me!

Mona is indeed the very first Lord Tim of Holtz stamp that I ever bought ... you know Tim ... the man that can part the seas while sleeping on the clouds with just a Crimson Archival Re-inker and a Long Legged Brad!
I have had the weekend from hell as far as computers are concerned! I often use my PC in my craftroom ... but there I was ... late Friday night ... surfing the net in the comfort of my sofa ... with my laptop ... when ... a virus struck! I have no idea how long it was lurking ... but it seemed to happen very fast indeed! So ... I am here to do a good deed ... Firstly ... Don't let your Anti Virus programme lapse ... EVER! and ALWAYS back up your bits! Sadly I lost everything from my lap top because the virus was so severe ... the very nice lady from Dell had to restore my whole system to the factory settings! I always thought ... Yeah Yeah ... it won't happen to me ... then it did!
Righty-Ho ... I must away ... don't forget to join in with the challenge ... Simon Says Stamp are once again donating a fabulous $50 Shopping Spree as a random prize ... and the team LOVE to see your work!
Have a good week!
Laters!

Turning The Page!

You guys are just THE best! So many encouraging words yesterday ... Thank you! And aint it nice when you do something that you LOVE doing and other peeps like it too? I am feeling tres bonne this morning I can tell ya!
There were a few questions yesterday too ... would be rude not to answer them me thinks ... so ... Yes, Tracy, all the dotty lettering were hand written ... but the larger stripy font was indeed die cut waste from Lord Tim's Carnivale Strip Die ... you know Tim ... the man that can open any door in the whole world that he likes ... while saving the very small population of toxic primates ... the slow loris ... from extinction with just a Ranger White pen and a Mustard Seed Distress Stain.

And Angie ... you wanted to know what I intend to do with my scraps and pages ... well ... and this may be a long shot ... I am planning on binding them in a book ... kind of journal stylie ... but we will see ... I may get bored before I get that far!

Anyways ... todays page was all about playing with hidden journaling ... something that appeals very much to me. This was indeed a double page spread ... but I am not quite happy with the opposing page ... something else that I am getting to like a lot ... just keep going back ... looking ... weighing up the options and add or don't add ... no rules ...but then ... that is the kind of girl I am!

Righty Ho then ... I am off to make ... erm ...stuff! I probably ought to think about tidying up a bit first ... Yuck!

Have a good Sunday people!

Laters!

And Now for Something Completely Different!

 

Lots of you will know that I have started and stopped at the whole journalling lark ... for like ... erm ... forever! I have a gazillion journals ... all with a couple of pages started ... then stored away ...  because I was n't really into what I was doing with them ... and then I worried about what they looked like and what people thought!
Well ... I have had a Eureka moment! I have discovered that actually ... although I value your opinion and I LOVE knowing what you think ... it is not really about that! It is about LOVING the process ... and I have really discovered how to do that!
So people ... No smart journalling book for me ... away with the Moleskins ... I am just working on off cuts and leftovers ... no pressure ... just a few inks and a few pens ... and even my long abandoned Pro Markers ... and here it is ... the start of my new journal! 
So ... What do you think???? :0)
Oh ... before I vanish ... free postage at the Craft Barn ... What??? Just thought you would like to know!
Laters!

A Whole New Experience!

I think the team over at the Craft Barn probably thought I was a right muppet a few weeks ago.
This week on the Craft Barn Blog there will be a whole load of beautiful projects using a Cover-a-Card stamp! Well ... when I see it like that ... and now knowing what I know ... erm ... I have to admit to being ... a right muppet!
You see ... when I saw Cover-a-Card with a stamp ... I thought ... one stamp ... any stamp ... repeat stamping and covering a whole card! Little did I know there was a whole range of stamps called Cover-a-Card ... which do exactly what they say on the tin ... yep ... I know you lots are brighter than me ... and probably knew that ... but I had no clue!

So ... using Lord Tim of Holtz's Shabby Chic technique in a less shabby and more shiny way ... I set about decorating some 6"X6" covers with black paint ... clear embossing powder and a mix of other paints ... all listed on the Craft Barn Blog.
The Grunge rose is indeed made from one of Lord Tim's fabulous dies ... you know Tim ... the man that determines the colour of each individual Spring flower while painting exact replica's of da Vinci's Last Supper ...with his feet ... using just an Ink Blending tool and a jump ring!
I had promised myself not to make any more Grunge roses ... but when I can't think what else to do ... I find them very therapeutic ... plus the fact that I now have the mini Tattered Florals die in my grubby little mitts and I cannot wait to have a proper play with it!
I must away ... I have a dog with a very sad face looking at me ... she needs a walk ... I refuse to get soaked ... so I was waiting for a gap in the rain ... don't look like that is going to happen anytime soon ... so guess who is about to get VERY wet!
Laters!

Homeward Bound!

A really quick post from me today guys ... it is nearly 2am ... Yikes! And I have only just finished my project for this week's theme over at Simon Says Stamp and Show which is a Song Title!
I am hoping that it is obvious that I chose Homeward Bound by Simon and Garfunkel! I say I hope it is obvious ... because I took forages stamping and cutting out the letters for the Type Keys and if it aint obvious ... well ... let's not even go there!
So ... what does the week have in store for you guys???
I have a humungus "to Do" list as per usual ... but I actually intend to get through it this week ...

Anyways ... My box frame is covered with Kraft Resist paper ... that has been darkened with Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain. I have used THE Wendy Vecchi Studo 490 Art Parts and stamps and then loads of Lord Tim of Holtz stuff! You know Tim ... the man that fed 5000 ducks with just one loaf of bread while building the Eiffel Tower with just a long legged brad and a 1" square of Grungepaper.

Do join in with the challenge if you get time ... The wonderful team at Simon Says Stamp.com are giving away another $50 Shopping spree to one lucky person.

I must away ... I really neeeeeeeeed to sleep now ... Have a great week people!

Laters!

The Best Joke ... Ever!

I hate being late! No ... strike that ... I really hate being late! I hate other people being late too ... but not as much as I hate being late!
I should have scheduled this post yesterday ... but then I thought ... I have to be up early in the morning ... so I will type it out and post it then! Did I? No! I forgot! My plans changed and I forgot!
And now it is very late!
Late for what? I hear you ask ... Well! Basically I am late telling you that all the destructions (that's a wonderful Lin Brown ism) to make this foldy booky thing are up on the Craft Barn blog today!

I know it looks a bit tricky ... but you trust me right? So when I say it really is n't ... well you know it really is n't! All the ingredients and measurements are there too ... so if you fancy making one ... do come back and share ... I would LOVE to see what you do!
I need to say "GRRR" at this point too ... Mr Blogger is playing up as I type ... If he does n't leave my pictures where I have carefully placed them ... I may have to virtually slap his legs!
The Rosette and charms are of course Lord Tim of Holtz ... you know Tim ... the man that made Joseph's original technicolour dream coat while designing St. Paul's Cathedral with just a spritz of Ranger Color wash and a smidge of Wonder Tape.
The flowers are from Mr and Mrs Paper Artsy ... LOVE them!

Anyways ... I have a special treat for you today ... I heard the best joke yesterday ... do you want to hear it? Erm ... Well read it anyways??
Here goes ...
I was on Safari in Africa last week and the tour guide was naming diiferent groups of animals.
"That's a pride of lions" he said.
"A tower of giraffes"
"A flight of birds"
Then he said "herd of elephants"
So I said "Yes"
Have a good day people ... well ... erm ... afternoon anyway ... and  if you know any good jokes ... don't forget to share!
Laters!

Le Bloc de Wood!

Ha! See! I can parlez the Francais! This is in fact a chunky ATC ... but my french does n't actually stretch that far!I think Le Bloc de Wood covers it!
The theme over at Simon Says Stamp and Show this week is Anything but a card ... could n't be easier ... just don't make a card to be in with a chance of winning the $50 Shopping Spree donated by our fabulous site sponsor Simon Says Stamp.
I used Graphic 45 Le Cirque papers and stamps and of course a few Lord Tim of Holtz bits ... you know Tim ... the man that performs the entire orchestral version of Gustav Holst's "The Planets" before breakfast while carving a scale model of the UK Olympic venue ... on budget ... in the top of a matchstick with just a swipe of Fired Brick Distress Stain and a pair of Tonic Studio Scissors.
I know this is highly unusual for me ... but I am actually stuck for things to say today ... I thought about telling you about my uneventful weekend ... then I remembered the highlight. This may take some time ... and you may get very bored ... but here goes!

I walk the dog on the mornings John is at work ... well ... we often see a little old lady who is confined to a wheelchair that has a couple of very yappy dogs! John has a lot more control over Athena then I do ... so when these dogs start yapping at her with John ... she is very well behaved. Last week when I was with her ... she started to pull a bit and ... the aforesaid lady apologised for her dogs and I said ... I'm afraid I don't have quite as much control as John! Anyways ... nothing major happened and that was that! On Sunday morning John walked Athena and when he got home he said he had seen the lady and she said ... this is tres funny ... "Your daughter does n't have quite as much control over her as you do!" John thought she was joking and questioned her further ... to his horror realised she was n't ... How funny is that! This no smoking lark has obviously taken about 20 years off me ...
Right ... I must away ... I am in the middle of a mahoosive clear out and I have deadlines to meet ...
Laters!

And the Winner is ....

Sorry for my tardiness ... I completely forgot about the whole prize thingy ... your fault really ... I got carried away reading all your fabulous comments!
Mr Linky chose Number 37 as the winner and by my calculations that is Sid ...

Sid said...

Mmmm liking this new gun !!

Congratulations Sid ... email me your details and I shall pop them in the post for you!
Laters!

Pretty in Pink and a Random Comment Giveaway!

I know ... I know ... I am not going mad ... this IS my project from Monday for the Simon Says Stamp and Show Red Letter Day Challenge ... but bear with me ... there is a method in my madness! Well ...
I get about a gazillion requests to try products and write a review on my blog ... seriously ... they come in thick and fast and quite often I send a standard Thanks but No Thanks response because I either don't have the time or the product is some techy computer programme that I have no hope of ever installing let alone using!!!!
Anyways ... aaaaaaaaages ago ... I gets an email from Scott ... a lovely chap ... very efficient ... he is the Marketing man at 3M. Anyways ... he asks me to write a review on the totally unbelieveably LOW priced PINK ... oh yes people ... PINK ATG package that his place are doing a deal on until 14th February! Now ... I thought about this one for all of two seconds ... especially when he offered to send me one and said yes! Obviously a pre-requisite is that I can be totally honest ... would n't dream of telling you guys it was a bargain at £9.99 and fabulous to boot ... if it ... erm ... was n't!

Now ... I have a yellow ATG ... LOVE it ... but sadly ... it is ... erm ... yellow! So when I gets the pink one ... I am immediately head over heals in love and expecting the same results ... you know  like ...erm ... making all my craft sticking easier ... perfick for cards and mini books and any manner of things ... easy to use with a trigger that controls the really smooth application of super sticky double sided tape ... no lumps or bumps because the bond is clean and very neat ... a short time to reposition if neccesary ...
And that is exactly what it delivered ... but the most important thing is ... it's PINK and not yellow ... Did I mention that already???
In the kit you get 1 tape glider in erm ... PINK and 2 rolls of Acid Free/Photo safe 1/4 inch tape and all for the bargain price of £9.99 ... just click here and be magically transported.

It's a big fat thumbs up from me ... if I had five stars I would give them to Scott ... and his PINK gun package ... but sadly I don't ... and why did I show that mini book again ... well guess what I used to stick all my paper and card down with ... seriously ... guess ... I will pick a random comment at 8pm on Friday and the winner will get a new set of Tim Holtz mounted Travel Labels Stamps ... you know Tim ... the man that walked across the Atlantic Ocean to help the GB Gymnastics team to qualify for their own Olympics while performing heart surgery on a butterfly with just a dot of Wild Plum Alcohol Ink and a 1" square of Cut 'n'Dry foam.
I must away ... I have stuff to ... erm  ... stick ... don't forget to check out Scott's deal ... What's to lose?
Laters!