Ruby

The Out of a Hat Creations challenge #39/40 is for 'Birthstone Colours'. Now I am a July baby so immediately wanted to use Ruby.

I inked my Tim Holtz tag die with Tim Holtz barn door and festive berries distress inks before spritzing with water and Dylusions postbox red ink spray and heated with my heat tool. I added black lines around the edge and then ran the tag through my big shot inside the Cuttlebug swizz dots embossing folder. I attached a red ribbon bow to the bottom and top of the tag and 3 red gems stones down the side. I stamped my new Gorjuss rose stamp (won on the 'Dies to Die for' facebook page), and coloured with the distress inks and water brush. I added Ranger glossy accents on top of each rose on her dress and attached her to the tag with double sided foam. I printed an appropriate verse from a birthstone poem, inked and covered with Tim Holtz rock candy crackle paint. I attached a heart pin behind and added the July month from the Tim Holtz tissue tape again with inked edges below.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Naughty or Nice

The December challenge over at Bombshell Stamps is 'Get Ornamental'. I knew straight away that I wanted to use my new Bombshell stamp for this challenge.

I started by printing the Christmas stocking template from the Martha Stewart website onto white card stock. Next I coloured the stocking with the festive berries from the Tim Holtz winter seasonal distress inks and then stamped the Tim Holtz snowflakes in the same colour before putting the stocking through my big shot inside the Tim Holtz snow flurries texture fade embossing folder. I coloured each raised snowflake with a gold Sakura gel pen (although it doesn't really show on thephoto). Next I cut 3 additional pieces to go on top of my stocking for the toe, heel and a strip at the top, I coloured these pieces with the evergreen bough distress ink, I added faux stitching and attached the strip along with the Tim Holtz film strip using the Tim Holtz tiny attacher. For the sentiment I stamped a tag from the daisy and dandelion collection, inked with the iced spruce and covered with Tim Holtz rock candy crackle paint and then attached to the stocking with a gold brad. I stamped the bombshell girl and 3 banners onto white card stock and coloured using the distress inks and my water brush, I covered the outfit, shoes and the flower with Ranger glossy accents and attached to the stocking with double sided tape. I cut out the 3  banners and wrote my 'Naughty or Nice' saying, inked with the iced spruce and again covered with glossy accents. Finally I added a piece of gold sequin ribbon to hang.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Home for Christmas

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team December challenge is 'Home for Christmas'.

I started with a die cut Tim Holtz Tag in white card stock and inked it with the Tim Holtz brushed corduroy and gathered twig distress inks and then stamped Tim Holtz snowflakes in the darker ink. Next I cut out a house using the Jenni Bowlin journaling shape and stamped a Prima brick wall in black ink before colouring with the same brown inks as before.  I added touches of a white Sakura gel pen and covered the house with Ranger rock candy crackle paint and attached it to the tag with double sided tape. I cut a piece of corrugated cardboard for the roof and again inked with the darker brown. I stamped 3 Tim Holtz trees onto kraft card stock in brown, cut out, inked the edges and attached with silicone glue, I covered one with rock candy. I cut a 'December' month from the Tim Holtz tissue tape attached to kraft cardstock, inked the edges and attached to the roof using a Tim Holtz memo pin. I added 3 clear beads to the top right hand side of the tag and a handwritten sentiment written on kraft cardstock and covered with glossy accents on the other side. Finally I cut a 2 and a 5 from the Sizzix lollipop alphabet and covered with Ranger gold stickles and added a gold sequin ribbon.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Merry Christmas!

Well it has been a wonderful crafty year for me and my blog and I have enjoyed your company along the way, thank you for your comments and support.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my followers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

The decorations below were made during our Kesgrave craft club last Tuesday and have been created (thanks to Lynda and Jacqui) using stamps and dies from Stampin'Up with a few gems, some netting, Ranger stickles and Tim Holtz distress inks.

 

Thanks for looking!
Tracey

Gift-spiration

I have created 3 Christmas tree ornaments, one for my own tree and 2 to give away as small gifts (although I think the surprise might be blown now)!  I am entering these into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show 'Gift-spiration'
Tando Creative Challenges Blog 'Seasonal Wishes'

I started with 3 cotton reels of varying sizes and covered each end with Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber.  I cut a piece of a brown paper bag to fit into the length of the spindle and inked the edges, then once in pace added a strip of the Tim Holtz tissue tape.  Next I added a ring of Ranger gold stickles around the two ends on the brown paper and tied a piece of string around the middle.  I stamped a Stampin'Up 'Happy Holidays'circle sentiment onto kraft card stock, inked, attached to the top of the cotton reel and covered with Ranger glossy accents.  I stamped the Stampin'Up 'Merry Christmas' onto cream card stock and punched out using the Stampin'Up word window punch, edged with the ink and then attached it to the Stampin'Up modern label punch in kraft card stock again edged with Tim Holtz brushed corduroy distress ink.  I attached the sentiment to the cotton reel using brown embroidery thread.  Finally I threaded the cotton reels with a piece of gold thread ribbon and secured in place with knots to make the hanging.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Christmas Snow

I was behind on all of my monthly challenges until the weekend and when I finally had the chance to sit down and craft. Looking through the list of challenges I take part in I noticed that there were 3 that I could combine so today's post is going to be entered into the following:
Happy Daze Design Team 'In The Deep Midwinter'
The Stamp Man 'In The Bleak Mid Winter'
Out of a Hat Creations 'Challenge 38 - Winter'

I wanted a frosty winter snow feel for this project and decided to work with just white, blue and silver.  To achieve this I have used Tim Holtz faded jeans distress ink with white card stock.  I have also used my prize from the Tim Holtz 12 tags of Christmas (snow flurries & Snowman texture fades embossing folders and the mini holidays 2 cling rubber stamps).  I started by running the Tim Holtz die cut tag through my Big Shot inside the Tim Holtz snow flurries embossing folder.  Next I die cut 2 of the Stampin'Up top note and cut the edge off one, I inked the tag and the smaller top note using the distress ink.  I stamped the trees and covered with Ranger glossy accents and then stamped the snowflakes onto the small top note and attached it to the full size one, I tied a silver piece of ribbon around it and attached it to the tag using double sided foam.  I stamped the snowflake, snowman and the christmas snow image and cut out before covering with Tim Holtz rock candy, I added the christmas snow image with tape but used foam for the snowman and the snowflake to add depth.  Finally I added Ranger star dust stickles to the bottom of the tag, 3 gems to the top note, a bead to the middle of the snowflake and silver ribbons through the tag.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Joy inspired by Tim Holtz

I'm sure that I'm not the only person who is really missing the Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas, the 12 Tags of 2012, although still very inspiring and wonderful just doesn't have the same magic for me, I miss getting up every morning in the run up to Christmas and logging on to find out what wonders Tim had created.  Now I use products from Tim and Ranger in all of my projects and find it very difficult to choose a favourite technique so my tag today is inspired by a couple of his wonderful techniques.  I love Christmas and think that brown paper packages tied up with string look just fantastic but by adding a wonderful tag the gift wrapping becomes absolutely beautiful, and the recipient gets to keep a piece of your artwork too.  I am entering the tag into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show 'inspired by Tim's 12 Tags'
Inspiration Emporium 'Joy'
Ranger Ink 'Holiday gift wrap' but it also said 'or any other way you like to decorate your gifts'.

I started with the Tim Holtz tag die cut in white card stock and used my favourites brushed corduroy and gathered twigs distress inks to colour and then added a little of the barn door in the top right and bottom left corners.  I covered the whole tag with Claudine Hellmuth matte multi-medium and then covered it with the Tim Holtz composer tissue wrap, inked again and covered with the multi-medium again.  I cut a music sheet, the father christmas and the 'joy' letters from the Tim Holtz seasonal paper stash and inked the edges of each piece and covered the father christmas with Tim Holtz rock candy crackle paint.  I cut the Tim Holtz festive greenery decorative strip in white card stock and coloured each piece using my Letraset promarkers before inking the edges in brown distress ink and using touches of black and white pen to highlight.  I attached all of the pieces to my tag and included Tim Holtz film strip and a couple of pieces of string which I attached using the Tim Holtz mini attacher.  I added glossy accents to highlight the 'joy' letters, the top swirl and the berries.  I added Ranger star dust stickles to the edges of the letter tiles and the middle of the holly leaves.  I cut the month of December from the Tim Holtz tissue tape and mounted it onto card stock and inked the edges before attaching it to the tag with double sided foam.  Finally I added 3 gems, ribbons, string and a red and gold bauble to finish.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Bah Humbug!

The December challenge over at Poisoned Peas is 'Twisted Holidays'.  The challenge is sponsored by Rick St. Dennis again this month which means I have gone digi again, this time choosing 2 designs from Rick's Etsy Shop.  I love how this challenge takes me out of my comfort zone and is so different to the normal stuff I do.  Anyway my entry is called' Bah Humbug!' and for those who know me this definitely isn't me as I'm sure I should have been born a Christmas Elf!

I decided to create a hanging this time and cut my background with the tree printed on it 13cm x 13cm and added Tim Holtz brushed corduroy and gathered twigs distress inks round the edge before stamping the Prima brick wall in the gathered twigs.  Next I coloured the tree using Letraset promarkers, (I didn't want to be too perfect for the look of this piece) and covered it with Ranger glossy accents.  I added Ranger star dust stickles along the bottom and mounted it to a piece of brown card stock and then to a piece of corrugated cardboard which has been inked around the edges.  I coloured the printed scrooge image in the same way and then cut out and used glossy accents to highlight the wreath,  I attached it to the background using double-sided foam pads.  I created a sentiment on my computer, inked the edges, covered it with Tim Holtz rock candy, backed it onto the brown card stock and again attached it to the background with foam pads.  Finally I threaded a piece of string to hang the picture and added 3 gems to finish.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

A Shrine

This week challenge #37 over at Out of a hat creations sees us creating 'A Shrine', now this is something I haven't done before and to tell you the truth I've struggled a bit and I've had a number of ideas going round in my head since Thursday.  In the end I have decided to choose 'Love' as I am very lucky to have always had the love and support of great family and friends.

I started with a wooden icon which I covered with Claudine Hellmuth gesso. Next I added layers of Tim Holtz distress inks in gathered twigs, brushed corduroy, barn door and mustard seed plus Dylusions post box ink spray and Ranger gold adirondack acrylic paint dabber.  I wanted to give the shrine an old distressed feel so once dry I painted the background with Tim Holtz rock candy distress crackle paint in various thicknesses and then added another coat of brushed corduroy distress ink before applying Claudine Hellmuth multi-medium matte which I to get a bubbled effect in some areas.  As a final step for the background I edged each wodden section with the gold dabber.  For the images I stamped the PaperArtsy loves and kisses plate 1 onto cream card stock and cut each piece out.  I used the two brown distress inks to colour and covered in Ranger glossy accents.  I attached the main image to the shrine using double sided foam tape and attached two metal wings behind it, I also attached a metal sacred heart at the top to the shrine.  Finally I added some gold glass seed beads to the top corners.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

TRUE Confession

This month Bombshell Stamps Miss November's challenge theme is 'TRUE confession'.  I just love the style of these stamps with their vintage feel and own a few sets now.  It was easy to choose my theme which is 'Tattoo', I have a couple myself and find the art work, the stories behind peoples choices and the talents of the artists brilliant.

For my project I started by cutting a Tim Holtz tag in white card stock and coloured it using Tim Holtz brushed corduroy and gathered twigs distress ink before spritzing with water droplets to give it an aged feel.  Next I stamped the sacred heart in the middle of the background and surrounded it with the small skull, cherries, heart and star stamps using the brown distress ink plus two rows of barbed wire in black ink and once dry coloured the heart and covered the whole tag with Tim Holtz rock candy crackle distress paint.  I then stamped the two birds, the tattoo banner and the sacred heart (twice) onto white cardstock, coloured each image using Letraset promarkers and cut out the pieces.  I decoupaged the heart and then the vine so that it really stands out from the tag.  I covered the banner and the vine in Ranger glossy accents.  Finally I punched a ticket in kraft card stock, distressed it, added a faux stitched edge with black pen and added the Tim Holtz vintage market alphabet letters to spell love, I attached it to the background and added twine through the tag to finish.

I have created this piece with the hope that the link to add my entry to the blog challenge will appear soon but if it doesn't then I have had great fun creating the tag and sharing it with you.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

The Return of the Mousetrap

Today's post is of a project I created over the weekend for the weekly challenge over at Out of a hat creations, the theme is week is 'The return of the mousetrap'.  This is my second mousetrap with the first being a challenge I set for the Bramford girls earlier this year so I tried to do something different and thought I'd give it a Christmas theme now that we are in December.

I started by removing all of the metal attachments and covered each side of the wood trap with gold Adirondack acrylic paint dabber.  All of the paper used is from the Tim Holtz Seasonal paper stash and I cut a piece of the jingle bells music to cover the back and then reattached the metal spring trap.  Next I cut 3 more pieces from the paper stash, a Father Christmas face, another smaller piece of the jingle bells music and a postcard picture saying 'Merry Christmas'.  I edged each piece with gold paint before attaching to the base, the final piece is attached with foam pads and covered with rock candy and has a Tim Holtz mini paperclip in the top corner.  I cut the December month from the Tim Holtz tissue tape, adhered to kraft card stock and circled the 25th before adding on top of a piece of Tim Holtz film strip.  I tied 3 pieces of ribbon to the trap, added 3 circle beads and the numbers 25 cut from a brown paper bag in the Tim Holtz vintage market die which I covered with Ranger gold stickles as they didn't stand out very well left as they were.  Finally I added 3 dots of gold stickles to the corner of the Father Christmas paper square and attached two screw eyes to the top and threaded ribbon to hang my trap and added a philosophy tag (covered with gold dabber) using a jump ring to the bottom.

Thanks for Looking!
Tracey x

The Walking Dead

Today is something a bit different and sees my second entry into the Poisoned Peas monthly challenge, this time the theme is 'The Walking Dead'.

I started off by choosing my first ever digi image which came from the Rick St Dennis Etsy shop, I'm sure she's not to everyone's taste but I just love her.  I printed the image, cut her out and coloured her with a mixture of Tim Holtz distress inks applied with my water brush and Letraset promarkers before adding Ranger glossy accents to the sash, headdress and bracelet.  For the background I ran the Tim Holtz die cut tag through my Sizzix big shot inside the Tim Holtz bricked texture fade.  Next I coloured the tag using Tim Holtz distress inks and Dylusions inks spray.  I stamped the Tim Holtz cityscape at the bottom of the tag and then added my handwritten sentiment on the wall in Sakura white gelly pen before adding a black ribbon and attaching the image using foam pads.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Altered Gift Wrapping Tube

During my crafting weekend at Belstead House we celebrated the upcoming milestone birthday of one of our friends. A beautiful display of cupcakes was presented, each one sitting on an approximately 2" length of cardboard wrapping paper inner tube which had been covered in white paint and had music stamped on to it.  As we chose our cake, we were challenged to alter the base it sat on during the weekend.

I started by covering the tube with Tim Holtz brushed corduroy distress ink and then spritzing some Dylusions chocolate spray ink onto my craft mat and rolled the tube through it and then finally spritzed Tattered Angels marshmallow glimmer mist. Next I cut a kraft cardstock circle just bigger that the tube which I attached to the bottom and another one the same size as the tube to sit on the top which effectively created a mini top hat. Next I added faux stitching in black pen to the edge of the top hat brim before covering the whole piece in Claudine Hellmuth matt multi-medium. As this was our last weekend at Belstead House due to its imminent closure I used that as my theme. I punched a couple of tickets and love hearts in kraft cardstock and wrote my sentiments and faux stitching before covering with Tim Holtz rock candy crackle paint. I attached the first ticket to the side of the hat and attached the other 2 pieces to acetate and stood them up on the top of the top hat. I then cut a Tim Holtz elegant flourishes in sticky backed cork and added it to the other side of the top hat. I cut 3sets of Tim Holtz tattered florals in Glassine paper and leaving the largest flower out, I distressed the 9 remaining flowers by scrunching them and covering with distress ink and glimmer mist, I attached them together with a gold brad and added them to the top of the top hat. Finally each of our cup cakes had a friend quote flag  in the top and mine says 'A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart', I inked the paper quote and the cocktail stick it was attached to and poked into the top of the top hat.

I am entering this piece into this week's Out of a Hat Creations challenge 35 - Music. I think I might be stretching it a bit this week but hopefully it qualifies although the music stamping is now rather hidden by my inking and distressing but if you look closely you can just about make it out.

To give you an idea, this is how the tube started out.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Faces

This month the challenge over at Happy Daze Design Team Bog is 'Brighten Up The Month', I was also going to put this on Hels Sheridan's weekly challenge but I'm too late.  I am posting to the challenge late in the month as not to spoil the surprise but I am combining this with a piece I have created for a project with some friends from my Kesgrave craft club.  This weekend we have been at our final annual weekend at Belstead House, the council are selling the adult learning centre so our crafty retreat is no more...well until we can find somewhere new that is.  For this we have each created a 6x6 (7x7 with edges) fabric piece which was sewn together during the weekend to create a hanging before being presented to the Lady who hosts/teaches the weekends.

I started by cutting a piece of 7x7 Claudine Hellmuth sticky back canvas and backing it with a piece of old cotton pillow case.  Next I spritzed the canvas with Dylusions inks and Tattered Angels marshmallow glimmer mist.  I stamped Dylusions leaves and flowers in Stazon ink to create my background and highlighted with my Sakura white gelly roll pen.  Next I stamped a very appropriate Dylusions quote and the face on to a plain piece of the canvas, cut out and stuck to the background.  I highlighted aspects with Ranger stickles and pens.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Wings

The Tando Creative Challenges November theme is 'Wings.  I started by cutting a tag using the Tim Holtz tag die and coloured it by spritzing a few Dylusions ink sprays.  I stamped PaperArtsy mini 56 and KaiserCraft bubble wrap stamps.  Next I heated Stampendous frantage embossing powders and mica fragments and then stamped Tim Holtz wings in embossing ink and heated using white detailed embossing powder.  I attached the tag to black card stock to provide a border and added a ribbon.  Finally I wrote my sentiment in white pen on black card stock and backed it on to white card stock.

Thanks for looking!

Tracey x

Locks and Keys / Use some of your stash

So due to my busy week last week I didn't get to spend any time in my craft room and was disappointed not to participate in the weekly blog challenge over at Out of a hat Creations.  In light of this I have decided to combine last week with this week and my piece covers both
Challenge #33 - Locks and Keys plus Challenge #34 - Use some of your stash.

I started with an old wooden embellishment box which was going free at the Bramford crop a couple of months ago, I picked one up for each of the Bramford girls as a side challenge so it will be interesting to see what everyone else has done with theirs, and strangely enough one has been altered in this month's Craft Stamper magazine too.  I removed one of the dividing walls and painted the box with snow cap Adirondack acrylic paint.  Once dry I touched the top surface with silver and gold dabbers and then cut squares from the Tim Holtz kraft resist paper stash and edged with Tim Holtz brushed corduroy distress ink.  I stamped Stampotique Originals hanging hearts across the top 3 squares and coloured with barn door distress ink and my water brush, I also stamped a small key on to the other 5 pieces before gluing all 7 pieces into the box.  Next I filled each square with glossy accents into which I placed red hearts, small metal keys, Craftynotions stellar flash and the hand-written sentiment.  Finally I attached a lock at the top of the box and threaded a ribbon to make the hanger.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

My day with Hels

It seems ages since my last post and although I had a busy week last week I've had plenty of time in my craft room this weekend.  Now all I have to do is to blog all of the new projects (this part seems to take me as long as the actual projects they detail).

Anyway last weekend I attended a Hels Sheridan workshop at Birds in the Barn with 3 of my crafty friends from the Bramford Crop.  This is us with Hels (I'm in blue), and yes she is as lovely as you'd imagine.



Well we enjoyed a great day, we arrived early and not knowing what we were going to make but it turned out to be a festive mini book called 'The Cardinal of Christmas'.  There was lots of stamping and colouring which I enjoyed, everyone was friendly and there was an opportunity to shop before and after the class. I will definitely be watching the workshop list for future classes.

This post is photo heavy but this is how my book turned out:

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

I Love My Attitude

The Stamp Man November Challenge theme is 'Emboss it'. 

I created a tag using white card stock and the Tim Holtz tag die cut and then ran it through my Big Shot inside the Tim Holtz bricked texture fade to give my dry embossing effect.  I used barn door and gathered twigs distress inks and then spritz with Dylusions spray inks and water to give a grunge look.  I stamped a couple of Tim Holtz stamps lightly on the wall again to give a grunge look.  I stamped PaperArtsy splatter stamp in embossing ink, covered with black embossing powder and heated with my heat gun.  I went round a couple of arrows with a Sakura white gel pen and covered in glossy accents.  Next I stamped Stampotique Twinkie and coloured using distress inks applied with a water brush, once dry I covered with Tim Holtz rock candy distress crackle paint and attached to the tag with silicone glue.  For my sentiment I wrote 'I love my attitude' in the style of a graffiti tag and again coloured with distress inks and a water brush, I outlined the words with the white gel pen and stapled it to the tag with the Tim Holtz tiny attacher.  Finally I wrote a 'Twinkie woz here 2012' on the wall. 

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Nature / Thankful

The October Bramford Girls challenge/swap was set by Janina and she gave us a hanging consisting of 3 paper mache round circle frames.  I am also entering the hanging frames project into the following blog challenges:
Out of a hat creations challenge 32 - Nature
Inspiration Emporium November challenge - Thankful

I started by taking the fronts off the frames and then using kraft card stock I ran 3 circles through my big shot inside the Tim Holtz woodgrain texture fade and then coloured using gathered twigs distress ink.  I attached each circle to the back of each circle frame.  Next I spritzed the fronts of each circle with Dylusions ink sprays in autumn colours, then water, then Tattered Angels marshmallow glimmer mist.  Once dry I reattached to the backs using silicone glue.  I covered each frame with Claudine Hellmuth matt multi-medium and edges with white Sakura gel pen and a touch of gold Ranger adirondack acrylic paint dabber.  I cut 12 leaves using Tim Holtz glassine paper using the Tim Holtz mini tattered leaves which I then inked with gathered twigs distress ink, I also added pen lines in black to look like veins. I added the leaves to the edge of each frame and spritzed with the marshmallow glimmer mist.  I've lost one leaf somewhere in my craft room so the middle frame only has 3!

Frame 1 - I cut the three autumn months from the Tim Holtz tissue tape and backed it on to kraft card stock, edged with the gathered twigs distress ink and covered with Ranger rock candy distress crackle paint.  I stamped a Stampin'Up scarecrow in brown ink on to kraft card stock and added touches of colour using Tim Holtz distress inks.

Frame 2 - I found a lovely quote online which I wrote on a Tim Holtz ticket, again edged with inks and the white gel pen and covered with the rock candy.

Frame 3 -   I added the Tim Holtz bird from the caged bird die which was covered in paper and spritzed with chocolate Dylusions spray ink then edged with gathered twigs distress ink and gold Ranger adirondack acrylic paint dabber.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Steampunk Masquerade Mask

I have had this project in my mind for a while now and I finally got a chance to create it a couple of weekends ago.  I have been wanting to blog this post ever since but couldn't as it was for a masked 40th party I attended last night.  I am entering my mask into the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team November Challenge which is 'Anything Goes'.

I started by covering a cheap paper mache mask base with Tim Holtz terminology tissue wrap paper using Claudine Hellmuth matt multi-medium.  Next I spritzed the mask with chocolate Dylusions ink spray and then rubbed Adirondack gold paint dabber over the top of the dry ink to give a more metallic look.  I then stamped PaperArtsy cogs on opposite sides diagonally and added some Lakeland gold mesh in the opposite diagonal corners, and once complete I covered the mask base with multi-medium.  To embellish I used a 7 Gypsies spy glass, Tim Holtz spinner, sprockets and gears, foliage plus small watch parts and other various charms including a wing, I also added all of these with glossy accents.  I attached a clock charm to the spy glass.  Finally I punched 2 holes on each side, added eyelets and threaded ribbon through so that the mask can be attached to my glasses.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Altered Domino

Today's post is a Bramford challenge/swap that I was very behind with, mainly because I missed the crop for a couple of months and the July challenge Domino was then posted to me.  I am also entering this piece in to the Out of a hat creations Challenge 31 Christmas in October - week 4, this time the challenge is to create a "Christmas Gift" or "Stocking Filler".  So I have seen these altered plenty of times and really love how they look when worn as jewellery so I had a really great idea of what I wanted to achieve but I have to say it didn't work out as I expected!!  They say practise makes perfect so I'll definitely be trying another one soon.

I started by applying Ranger Alcohol inks and once dry I went round the edges with gold Adirondack dabber and left to dry.  My first attempt was from a tutorial I'd seen where the lady stamped the image onto white tissue paper but when I adhered it to the domino the base didn't show through, I think she used floor wax but I didn't have any and obviously need to find something that makes the tissue paper translucent.  Anyway it didn't work so I cleaned the domino and started from scratch.  For my second attempt I stamped the 'Imagine' stamp directly onto the domino but that didn't work either so again I started over.  My third and final attempt saw me stamp the image onto white card stock and then cover with the alcohol inks.  I adhered the card stock to the domino using Claudine Hellmuth multi-medium and filed the edges.  Next I covered the whole domino with glossy accents and once dry attached the metal hanger using glossy accents and threaded the rope.  You may notice that I have left the hole at the bottom and might attach some beads before the swap but I don't have any at the moment.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Altered Light Bulb / Christmas Decoration

I can't believe that it's already week 3 of the Out of a Hat Creations Christmas in October and this week's challenge is to create a Christmas Decoration.  I am combining this challenge with the December Bramford Crop girl's swap which was set by Nancy and is a light bulb.

I started by adding alcohol ink to the glass and silver screw fixing of the light bulb and next using Claudine Hellmuth matt multi-medium covered the coloured glass with a white mulberry paper with a gold fleck and then added another coat of multi-medium on top making the paper transparent before sprinkling chunky gold glitter on top.  I added a torn strip of mulberry paper around the middle of the bulb and covered it with a gold ribbon tied in a bow.  I added a sentiment handwritten on white cardstock and covered with glossy accents.  Finally I added several punched snowflakes with a blob of gold stickles in the middle and wire to hang the bulb.

Running out of daylight hours at home, I had to take the finished piece to work today to try and get a photo during daylight without my flash...bring back summer please!

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

Sugar Skulls/Day of the Dead

I was lucky enough to spend some time in my craft room yesterday and after finishing the project which I had been planning for a while (I will blog this later), I decided to have a play and created some backgrounds on tags ready for future use. I started by running white card stock Tim Holtz die cut tag through my big shot inside the Tim Holtz pocket watches texture fade, next I rubbed embossing ink over the top of the raised image and covered and heated with clear embossing powder. I spritzed the tag with Dylusions ink sprays and once dry covered the embossed image with Ranger adirondack silver paint dabber. The colours are bright and I wasn't sure what I could put with the background so I put the tag to one side for another day.

So whilst doing my daily trawl of the internet this morning surfing for new challenges, I came across the Poisoned Peas challenge blog and the current theme for challenge #8 is 'Sugar Skulls/Day of the Dead'. Well I have the perfect Bombshell Stamps set in my stash but hadn't used them before so here was my opportunity. I thought the colour for this project would fit in well with the tag I made yesterday so once I stamped my skulls and words on to white card stock I used Promarker pens to colour the images. I edged everything with the black Adirondack paint dabber and then mounted the pieces on to black card stock. I covered the skulls and flowers with glossy accents and the words with Tim Holtz rock candy distress crackle paint. I attached the 'Day of the Dead' saying using the Tim Holtz tiny attacher, and used double sided foam tape for the 'Sugar Skulls' saying and the 3 individual skulls. Finally I added a piece of black ribbon.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

A Christmas Gift Card and Envelope

Well I never thought I'd manage to keep up with weekly challenges but so far so good with this one and today's post is for the Out of a Hat Creations Challenge 29 - Christmas in October week 2: create a form of packaging /wrapping for a Christmas gift.

I have created a Christmas gift card and envelope which can be used to hold a gift card/voucher or money. I started by cutting the pieces using Sizzix card and envelope dies.  Next I embossed both items with Tim Holtz embossing folders and then covered with Tim Holtz blue jeans distress ink and spritzed with water.  Instead of leaving the card as it was on the inside, I created a pocket to hold the gift.  Next I stamped a Tim Holtz snowflake on the envelope and then covered each embossed shape on the card and envelope with Ranger stardust stickles.  Finally I added a piece of blue ribbon topped with a Tim Holtz sentiment which I covered with glossy accents.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

A Few Of My Favourite Things

As any of you who venture on to my blog will know, I have a real addiction for all things Ranger at the moment so when I saw the latest Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge: 'Your Favourite' I had plenty of choice and scope.

I started with a Tim Holtz tag die cut with white card stock and covered it in Dylusions spray inks.  I covered the background with a Dylusions stencil and spritzed with water to create the dots ghosting technique, I then spritzed with Tattered Angels marshmallow glimmer mist.  Next I added circles of Ranger Adirondack gold and silver acrylic paint dabber applied with the lid and then splattered bleach to take some of the colour of the tag.  Happy with my background I had to decide which way to go with my products, now normally that would have been Tim but I am having loving my Dylusions so I stamped the face and flower fan onto white cardstock and coloured using Dylusions and distress inks applied with my water brush.  I stamped the Stampotique Originals hanging hearts across the top of my tag, bleached out the middle of the hearts and then covered each one in glossy accents.  I stamped a Tim Holtz sentiment in embossing ink which I heated in black powder.  I used a Dylusions stencil to draw leaves on my background, I doodled with black and white pens plus bleach and then again covered in glossy accents.  Finally I added my cut out stamped images using double sided foam tape and applied black Ranger stickles to the ends of the lashes and stardust stickles to the middle section of each leaf of the flower.

I am really missing the sunshine at the moment, my photos are just not doing the colours on my tag justice!  I've probably said this before but we are going to try and sort out a light box so that my photography doesn't have to rely on a nice day.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

A Christmas Gift Box

A number of months ago at the monthly Kesgrave craft club which I attend, Jacqui gave us each a Pandora ring box to alter as a challenge.  The next meeting is on Tuesday.

I started by covering my box with Claudine Hellmuth gesso and once dry I added Tim Holtz tissue tape around the bottom sides of the box and on the top of the lid.  Next I covered the box with Tim Holtz barn door distress ink (although the colour no longer looks red).  Next I stamped a Tim Holtz tree bough around the bottom and on the lid in black ink, on top of the tissue tape.  I wrote a greeting on kraft cardstock, inked the edges, cut the sentiment out and attached it to the lid of the box with glossy accents.  I then covered the lid with Ranger stardust stickles and once dry I covered the whole outside with Claudine Hellmuth matt multi-medium.  Again once dry I added Ranger gold acrylic paint to the edges of the lid.  Next I attached a piece of gold sequin ribbon around the top part of the box sides.  Inside the box lid I added a Christmas square from the Tim Holtz seasonal paper stash.

Apologies but my photographs of this project are very poor, especially the one of the lid.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x

The Wonders of the Natural World

Today I am submitting a tag to the following October Challenges:
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team The Natural World
The Stamp Man Butterflies, Birds and Bees

I started with the Tim Holtz tag die and white card stock which I covered with strips of masking tape before spritzing with Dylusions ink sprays.  As some of the strips started to curl when drying, I covered the whole background with Claudine Hellmuth matt multi-medium.  Once dry I used stamps by Inkadinkado and Tim Holtz to create my background.  I coloured the butterflies and bees with Tim Holtz distress inks using my water brush and then used a white gel pen to outline the main images.  I added Ranger stardust stickles on the bee wings and covered all of the creatures with Ranger glossy accents.  I attached the tag to a piece of black card stock and cut it to shape to bring out the black ink.  I wrote my sentiment on pieces of inked card stock, attached to black card stock, covered with Ranger crackle paint - rock candy and added the pieces to the tag using double sided foam.  Finally I threaded black and yellow ribbon through the tag hole.

Thanks for Looking!
Tracey x

Christmas In October

Today's post is an item created for the Out of a hat creations challenge 28: Christmas in October (week 1) which is to create a card or a tag.  I think I have a real addiction to tags at the moment and I love it.  I was lucky enough to be chosen as a prize winner during the Tim Holtz 12 tags of Christmas last year and received a lovely gift which I've previously blogged about.  I haven't used the stamps before so this is my first go and they are just perfect for this project.

I started as always with my Tim Holtz tag die and white card stock.  I stamped the music in embossing ink and heated iridescent/sparkle embossing powder with my heat tool before covering the background with Tim Holtz seasonal distress inks - winter 2011 and spritzed with water.  Once dry I stamped the tall thin trees in iced spruce so that they looked like a forest at the bottom of my tag and added the closest set of trees in embossing ink and this time covered in black powder.  I then added Tim Holtz tissue tape and film strip across the tag using the Tim Holtz tiny attacher.  I stamped the tree branches at the top of the tag in the evergreen bough ink.  The sentiment was stamped in black ink and the card stock coloured with the same inks as the tag and attached to the side of the tag using double sided foam.  I stamped the date onto a round piece of card stock and again inked and attached with foam tape.  Finally I added 2 pieces of ribbon and a bell (from a Christmas chocolate reindeer) and highlighted the edges of the tall trees with a gold sparkle gel pen.

Thanks for looking!
Tracey x