About Me

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Hi, Welcome to my Blog. I'm an eclectic kind of crafter delving into many pots. I am just about managing to keep up my Scrapbooking Diary (usually about 6 months behind), plus any cards as required. I have a new found love of watercolour and Bible Journaling plus recently Junk Journaling too. Previously I've also dabbled in ATCs, Tags, Altered Books, Mixed Media, Art Journaling, Décopatch, Knitting, Crochet, and Embroidery amongst other things. I live in Surrey, UK with my husband, our son has left home now. For exercise I usually play Badminton and go Ballroom and Latin Dancing, but am plagued by a bad back. I like walking which I couple with Geocaching and sometimes Bouncing on my Rebounder (mini trampoline). I guess I am officially retired now. I am a born again Christian, currently worshiping at my local Vineyard Church.

Tuesday 13 December 2011

Tim Holtz 12 Tags - Complete


Well here are this years tags by Tim Holtz in all of their glory.

The 12 days - Reflections

1) Most featured products - Glossy accents (think I am converted to using as a glue too now). White paint dabber (I only had the pearl white but it did the job of the Snow Cap white and also the Picket Fence Stain!) Hot glue gun - on my Christmas list!!

2) Favourite techniques - Day #5 Acetate/Alcohol Inks/Archival Ink to remove - loved that one. Day #9 Stamp/Embossed/more ink more embossing - luxuriant

3) Things to be careful of - using the metal foil as I cut my fingers!! Ouch!

I'm sure I'll think of a few more to make up the 12 - LOL.

Monday 12 December 2011

Day #12 of Tim's Tags


I can't believe it, I HAVE FINISHED all 12 tags in the 12 days. What a wonderful feeling.

Didn't possess the main ingredient today so used tissue tape on the background and mulberry paper for the flower instead. No doll either so I handmade my own angel based on some I have on my tree which were made from a kit. I used the tattered flower die on felt for the skirt and just folded in quarters, arms are a white pipecleaner, head a cut down pom-pom from the children's craft box - LOL. Some hair was poached from the kit angel I had and sewn in place. Face was interesting and took on many guises.

This was somewhat of a challenge and quite fiddly but such a lovely one to end on.
Thanks to Tim Holtz for all his hard work publishing these designs daily with full instructions.

Now I have completed my first full challenge, I feel equipped to have a go at some of the previous years tags. Hmmmm which one shall I do first????

Sunday 11 December 2011

Day #11 of Tim's Tags



OK - so it doesn't look anything like Tim's today! Too many "didn't haves", so here is what I did do.
Glossy card tag distressed with water droplets. The stamped elements were also on glossy card using distress inks and I added silver and frosted lace stickles to highlight.
Snowflakes are made with shrink plastic, alcohol inked on back with an extra layer of pearl dabber on back.
I used glossy accents on them to soften them as guess what - no melting pot nor UTEE!
Added some feathesr and fibres in the corner.

Day #10 of Tim's Tags


I Believe! Improvised quite a bit for this one. Loving using the netting (tulle) as a element.

Friday 9 December 2011

Day #9 of Tim's Tags


Except for the candle, which was fairly easy to trace, I had the other required dies for this one - YIPPEE. Absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the background especially using the Winter Colour Set.

Day #8 of Tim's Tags


Finished in the morning of day #9 with 20 minutes to spare. This tag looks SO much better in the flesh. Loved the background so much I photographed it before adding all the bits...


Made the white part up with various long stamps. The script is from Tim's French set.

Thursday 8 December 2011

Day #7 of Tim's Tags


Gosh what a day! Not been sleeping well of late so was too tired on day #7 so went to bed without doing tag! Woke at 2am and as I was still awake at 3am I got up and did as much of tag as I was able WITHOUT using my heat tool (far too noisy!!!). I finished off tag after a couple more hours sleep and about 15mins before day #8 was released!! Phew!

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Day #6 of Tim's Tags


Well today I have gone with the technique as opposed to the design. The lack of appropriate products dictated this somewhat. I bought a snowflake embossing die today (which I could really have done with on day #1 but I think I'll be revisiting that technique anyways). Can't believe we are halfway now and the MAGIC will soon come to an end, but I'll still have all my tags and the knowledge gained, noone can take that away.

Day #5 of Tim's Tags


Couldn't believe my luck as I had the Regal Crest die and things looked straighforward enough as first glance BUT then I discovered reflections stamps! Yikes! Fortunately I read on and found I could use non-text/patterned stamps instead so I  made a collage of my swirl stamps on my acetate block.

Technique is a bit messy but results are great.

Didn't have the lettuce dauber so used my peeled paint stain topped with green perfect pearls.

Couldn't get 5mm flat backed pearls in the shops today, only 3mm and 10mm but I think they do just aswell.

Organza ribbon as usual and braid for the top.
Love my mistletoe tag.

Sunday 4 December 2011

Day #4 of Tim's Tags


Well I managed it despite a busy day with church then friends for lunch afterwards. Cutting a freehand snowman was straightforward as I traced it from the screen - LOL. Made do with what I had for the rest of the tag. My Pearl paint dauber is coming in very handy, if Tim uses white stain/dauber/mist I just use a version of my pearl dauber. Had to hunt for the netting (tulle) and feather but found them eventually, found some lace in the process and used that for the scarf too. Love this tag design :))


Here's an ATC inspired by today's design.

Saturday 3 December 2011

Day# 3 of Tim's Tags


Not being a stamper, I didn't have the stamp let alone thematching embossing folder. I debated doing the technique using different stamps but decided to go with the design using different materials. As I am a diecutter at heart my alphabets called out to me and I could choose any words as a result. I used my heirloom perfect pearls mixed with water in a mini mister over a tag distressed with Antique Lined, Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo. My other 2 tags also have bells so this was a welcome feature.

Friday 2 December 2011

Day# 2 of Tim's Tags


Well here's day 2 of Tim's Tags. Glad I had the reindeer die, most other things are improvised.


I have made a card aswell as I love the deer.

Day #1 of Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas.


Thought I'd have a go at doing Tim's Tags and here is my first attempt. I don't have many of the products featured so a lot of it is improvised. I embossed the tag using diecut snowflakes. I cut out freehand spirals for the pinecones and made up the "NOEL" from seperate letters and a freehand swirl. Had recently bought the Festive Greenery so that was my saving grace.


This is a card I made on day #2 with day #1's theme. I designed it before #2's design was available as I'd woken up excited and full of anticipation far to early!

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Tim Holtz Mini Book




Was determined to make a Tim Holtz Mini Book so last night I did just that. I used a 12x12 sheet from his Lost & Found Stash and his Symphony tissue tape. The buttons, feather and corners I already had in my stash and the gear diecut is from a Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz Die.


I really enjoyed making this little book and now need to fill it with something!


Used one of the alcohol inked ATCs I made to decorate the first page. I even alcohol inked the two silver sequins I used in the corners. Hazelnut ink comes up a treat, looks just like copper. I attached one of the Tim Holtz spinners too.


The tag was from another ATC I'd made during my 2nd session with my new alcohol inks.



Just made a chain closure for my little book, using a Tim Holtz chain looped around a button. Had to move the other two buttons to make it work! The little charms metal are from a local shop.


I attached the chain with a jump ring and a brad through the back cover. Works just dandy.


Here's a few more pages:-
Various Tim Holtz techniques on his tattered floral dies.


Life like Orange-Tip butterfly with Tim's mini butterfly die and distress inks.


Thought the man with umbrella stamp would finish off the back page well.


Hope you like.

Monday 7 March 2011

Bobbin Lace


The gift for 13th Wedding Anniversary is Lace and as I didn't have any I decided to make my own. I had a kit from 20 odd years ago sitting in the loft so I got it out and had a go. Jo Edkins web page helped me get into it again. After a few practice pieces I got down to making a heart pattern for our anniversary.

Here's the start. Pattern photocopied and pricked. Bobbins wound, pins in and rearing to go....


Half way there (I didn't bother turning the corner as I just wanted a strip to go along a photo)


Finished piece of Lace.


Original wedding photo scrapped in a frame with 2 pieces of lace both made with silk thread.
Gosh we look young there!


Here are some of the beaded spangles I made for my bobbins.
My son bought me some new bobbins for my birthday, you can see them on the cushion above.

Sunday 6 March 2011

Tim Holtz ATC

Let's start with the reason I created this blog. I'm a crafter and over the past year or so have been interested in the techniques of Tim Holtz . Here's an ATC (Artist's Trading Card) I created with his latest exclusive UK stampset. I definitely love the "little things", especially the birds in my garden.

Spring has Sprung

Looks like I have sprung into the 21st century as I have just created this blog.