Vintage Halloween 40% off in store.

A reshare of a lovely item by Mandy, showing the Vintage Hallowe'en plate that is still available in the sale. There is also a lovely halloween Quote and a few other goodies with this theme left in the Stampotique sections (Jo Capper-Sandon especially has a few lovely ones for this theme). 

This week, I decided to have a play with my new stamps.... this wonderful Hallowe'en plate from Artistic Outpost. It's so delightful. I love Hallowe'en, and I envision lots of Hallowe'en inky goodness to come.

I have several house shape templates for ATC size houses, I chose this one to use for this hanging piece and enlarged the template to around a postcard size. I wanted the Hallowe'en girl to fit on nicely. Once I decided on the size, I then cut a house out of this background I made a while ago... it's made by tearing pieces of masking tape and sticking them randomly over the card, then swiping with distress inks. 

I stamp all my images in Black Archival as I really love the blackness of it. It's a good idea to set the archival with a blast from the heat tool. I usually colour my images with watercolour pencils using a water brush


TFL
Mandy x

All Paperbag Rubber Stamps 40% off in the Sale

This week I have used a couple of stamps from the Paperbag set of stams Addison.
I coloured my background  using the wrinkle free distress technique, this was done directly onto my tag. I then stamped my image in black archival ink and masked it off.

The alphabet from the sheet was stamped with one of the distress inks used for the background. Then using an old strore card I applied gesso thinly through a stencil. Finishing it off with a black dabber and some lines drawn with a pen.

I used

Paperbag Studio Rubber stamps
Tag
Distress inks
Black dabber
white gesso
stencil

Carol x

Happy and Bright

Hi you still have time to join in with the November Challenge 'Brighten up the Month'.  For my last DT offering this month have chosen to go really wild with the Brights............lol

Used the Girl with the Birdcage by Scrolls Work.  The background was achieved by Paint Squishings and the inner layer is Distress Ink Smearing.  Loving both these techniques.

This birthday card has already been sent to a dear blogging friend and she loved it......phew, thank goodness.

Wishing you a great week ahead, hugs Annette x

'' You're A Star ''

Hi, am back again using the new Artistic Outpost stamps - Picture Star.

Using Distress Inks and watercolours, diluted Inka Gold, Stickles and the rest from stash.

The little girl is a real cutie pie and she obviously loves her new dress doesn't she !

Wishing you all a great week ahead.  Take care of yourselves, hugs Annette x

Trick or Trick?

Just lately I have fallen in love with ATC's all over again and just can't stop making them. Here's another featuring Spider Girl again, this time I've given her a pointy witches hat, simply cut out of black card and the stars stamped with white staz on. It's a distress ink background with some orange paint squished through a template, a shrink plastic star and the ground is another distress inked bit of paper which I embossed. It's very nice to stroke with lots of textures!. I couldn't resist giving her some green and yellow stripey socks.

Thanks for looking, wishing you a happy day, Sam xxx

Here's what I used:

Stampotique: Spider Girl and Jo's Star

Lost Coast Designs: Angel in Disguise (for the hat stars)

Distress Inks: Dusty Concorde and Brushed Corduroy

Crafters Workshop Template: Cherry Blossom

Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint: Altered Orange

Drama Queen Tag By Moira Sutton

Larger sized tag using  Distress stains in shades of Dusty Concord and Brushed Pewter in the wrinkle free method for the background. Over stamped with Glitz stamps in Dusty Concord Distress Ink. The main image used is a Teesha Moore Zetti stamp. It has been edged with Graphite Ferro through a Chequered Dots Dylusions Stencil.

The current challenge is A spooky theme for Halloween full detail can be seen here on the BLOG.

Follow the Yellow brick Road

Our challenge this month on Happy Daze is 'Circling the World' ~ I've used one of my infamous circle cards and I decided we should follow the yellow brick road!

I've used Mustard Seed Distress Ink, Black Cherry Stazon for the ruby slippers then stickled them up. The stamp plate I used is the wizard of Oz one from Artistic Outpost.

If you want a chance to win £15 to spend in the online shop then you can see details and enter here with your circles creation!

Happy Monday!

Mandy x

A One Layer Postcard

One layer things are something I've not really tried before and this was great fun and a challenge because you have to think ahead when making one layer creations and also because I felt like a real artist because of the time I used a paint brush, don't you feel more arty with a paint brush in your hand?

Anyway I started off with plain white card cut to 6in x 4 in and then another piece of card to mask off the area where the main image is. I then stamped the shell stamps, using distress inks, randomly around the outside, removed the mask and stamped the Stampotique image. Then still using distress inks coloured in the sky, sea, sand and the girls details. To add a little distressed detail I used the brushed corduroy ink on the edges of the outside of the card and the main image. Finally I stamped the seagulls and wrote the sentiment.

Hopefully seeing this will make you feel a bit summery and a lot crafty and you'll join in with our current challenge 'We're all going on a summer holiday' details can be found here.

For this make I used:

Distress Inks in various colours

Stampotique Stamp; 3 Girls and of course some plain white card.

(the shell stamps were from my stash)

Wishing you a lovely day, Sam xxx

No Bugs Please!

I confess to not liking spiders at all and have been known to squish them in the past so when I saw this months challenge theme is 'June Bug' I immediately thought of spiders. Yuk!

I thought I try something I'd not ever done before and made an easel ATC, it was really easy and it's a really cute size to work with.

Start off with some card 7 inches x 2 1/2 inches. Score at 3 1/2  inches and again at 5 1/4 inches, this gives you the basic easel ATC, then decorate as desired.

Firstly I glued on some old book pages and coloured with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink, I then stamped Spider Girl on white card, coloured her and glued her on also. I stamped Floral Flutter on tissue paper and used PVA to stick those in place. Finally I used an old alphabet stamp set for the wording, which I stuck in place using foam pads, these give a raised surface for the easel bit to rest against.

 This is the same ATC lay down, almost flat, notice I used the Floral Flutter stamp on the inside without the butterflies saving them for the front.

It was a super quick project and I hope you try, it could quite possibly become another addiction for me as it gives ATC's a whole new perspective!

I used:

Stampotique Spider Girl

Stampotiqe Floral Flutter

Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink

White Card

Details of this months challenge can be found here go on join in the fun, with a chance to win £15 to spend in the shop!

Wishing you a happy day, Sam xxx

Altered Cigar Box by Paula Tidman

I've had an old cigar box lurking in my crafting stash for a while now and I decided to give it a make over. I gave it a base coat of black gesso, then as I couldn't find quite the right shade I wanted for my box, I mixed a few different colours of my matt emulsion together to create a custom shade. I gave it a couple of coats, then sanded it down to reveal some of the black gesso. Next I used vintage photo distress ink and a crafters workshop template to create the harlequin pattern. I distressed some old book pages and used this fabulous vintage bird plate by blockhead stamps (as they are really thick rubber, you don't get any ink transfer on the edges of the stamp, which seems to happen on a lot of unmounted stamps) to decorate the lid of the box, using distress inks and coloured pencils to colour the images. I glued in place with matte medium then I sealed the box by rubbing in a small amount of Judikins microglaze, which is perfect for protecting your inky creations, then I buffed a small amount of inka gold around the deges of the box.

That's all from me I hope you enjoy the last day of the Jubilee celebrations. xx

dragonfly by Joanne Wardle

This is my final water themed piece this month.
I really like dragonflies when they hover over water, and that was the ideas behind this one layer card.

 I masked off a square and inked it with tumbled glass ink. I then positioned a mask and inked again. I splashed water onto the square and dabbed it off and left to dry. I then just stamped the dragonfly from Stampotique, and addded some stickles to the winds and randomly spotted the background witch stickles.

products used
prima masks
stampotique dragonfly stamp
stickles
tumbled glass distress ink
black stazon

Vintage Portrait Tag By Paula Tidman

There are some lovely new blockhead stamps in the Happy Daze shop. They are gorgeous quality, and lovely thick rubber. I used the vintage portrait set for my tag. I dabbed distress inks in pine cone, barn door and  picket fence onto my craft mat and sprayed with water, (I think the technical term now used is smooshed) the tag across the ink. Then I randomly stamped one of the stamps from the set in archival ink on the tag. I used an old book page and tore to fit and then stitched it onto the tag. I stamped and cut out the vintage portrait and coloured with distress inks and sewed onto my tag. Adding some flowers, jewels and ribbon from my stash to finish.

A quick reminder about the current Happy Daze Challenge which  you still have plenty of time to enter. It is "April Showers" So have fun using your favourite water technique.  One lucky winner will be drawn at random to win a  £15 voucher and free P&P to spend in the Happy Daze shop. Maximum of 3 entries per person & you must use at least one product which can be purchased in the Happy Daze shop.

• You can enter by blogging you address to the linky widget here, 
• emailing your picture to info@happy-daze.net
• uploading your photo to their facebook page

Best of British By Paula Tidman

I have to own up that I've never made an ATC before as I've always found the diminutive size rather daunting, but these chunky wooden ATC's are perfect for me as they have plenty of surfaces for decorating. 

I sanded down and rounded the edges. Then coated with black gesso, once dry randomly painting red and blue acrylic paint on the block, then a final coating of a thin layer of white gesso. I sanded lightly to show some of the paint beneath. Then using black archival ink I stamped Artistic Outpost Loverley London plate, ooops and stamped one of them upside too LOL! I buffed over Barn door and chipped sapphire Distress Inks to highlight the paint showing through. I rubbed Inka gold along the edges and buffed to a shine

I bent & cut four of the these filigree corners (an idea from one of Gingers gorgeous creations) and glued in place with glossy accents. I screwed in a small draw knob from my stash to complete.

A quick reminder about the current Happy Daze Challenge which  you still have plenty of time to enter. It is "April Showers" So have fun using your favourite water technique.  One lucky winner will be drawn at random to win a  £15 voucher and free P&P to spend in the Happy Daze shop. Maximum of 3 entries per person & you must use at least one product which can be purchased in the Happy Daze shop.

• You can enter by blogging you address to the linky widget here, 
• emailing your picture to info@happy-daze.net
• uploading your photo to their facebook page

Songbird Designed by Paula Tidman

Inspired by Sam's altered altoid tins, I thought I would make my husband an altered tin. He plays the mandolin and is always misplacing his plectrums LOL, this little tin is the ideal size to store them in. I bought two of these tiny mint tins from Aldi for just over a £1.

I started by giving the tin a coat of gesso. Then two coats of cream matt emulsion.  I then stamped the cute little birds from Prima Songbird and the text stamp from Artist outpost Bluebird plate, in archival ink on the sides and the bottom of the tin. I painted the stamped images with distress inks in Barn door, Dusty concord, spiced marmalade and broken china. Then I buffed more broken china all around the edges.

I used a gold leafing pen around the top edge of the tin and finished with a coat of varnish.

A quick reminder about the current Happy Daze Challenge which  you still have time to enter. It is "March to your own tune" So anything with a musical theme.  One lucky winner will be drawn at random to win a  £15 voucher and free P&P to spend in the Happy Daze shop. Maximum of 3 entries per person & you must use at least one product which can be purchased in the Happy Daze shop.

• You can enter by blogging you address to the linky widget here, 
• emailing your picture to info@happy-daze.net
• uploading your photo to their facebook page

  

Little dancer gift bag by Joanne Wardle

Continuing with the music theme for the March Happy Daze challenge, I decided to use some Tim Holtz tissue tape and lost Coast's Ballerina 2 to make a simple gift bag from a A4 envelope.

To make the bag cut the envelope to 9 inches long. Use the cut off part to make the tag.

score the sides and base of envelope at 1.5 inches and fold. Score 3 inches from the top and fold this to the inside of the bag. Do not make up the bag until all the inking is done. Attach the tissue tape all the way around the bag leaving a little space.

Fold back the bottom 1.5 inch and ink with vintage photo distress ink below and just above the tape.

Stamp Abstract foliage along the bottom with vintage photo.

Fold into the bag shape, glue the base triangles to the base of the bag.

Punch holes in the top, attach the tag (which was simply stamped, inked and coloured with pencils)

Tie ribbon through holes.

Music Card by Joanne Wardle

To fit with the "march to your own tune" theme this month, I have made this easy music themed card using Scrolls Work Stamps. Scrolls Work Stamps are not trading anymore, but Happy Daze still have a limited amount in stock.

for this card I used Sheet Music and Knapp music Chart.

To make the card I masked off a strip of the card and inked with various brown distress inks and overstamped with the sheet music stamp. I then stamped the knapp music chart with sepia versafine ink. I embossed two lines down the sides of the strip to make it stand out more,

to make the embellishment, I stamped the sheet music stamp onto white thin card. I ripped it into strips, and inked with distress inks, rolled it up and glued the rolls. I tied a ribbon around them added a charm (these are similar to what I used)and then glued to the card. I have left it sentiment free, but a sentiment could be added for any occasion for a music lover.

This is love By Paula Tidman

The current Happydaze challenge is Love - A technique you love to use so I thought I would make my better half a Valentine card, using one of my favourite techniques which is stamping in bleach.

I started with  My Minds Eye Union Square, Beautiful Day paper, then I used some white card and covered it with barn door distress ink, rubbing the pad straight on the paper as I find it takes ages buffing with a foam pad on a large area. Then I folded a sheet of kitchen roll into a square and put it on a plate with a small amount of bleach to act as a stamp pad. I stamped a script stamp randomly across the paper, which removes the distress ink and creates a contrasting effect. I used the heat tool to dry, then I buffed some more distress ink to tone it down  a touch as it was a little to bright. I stamped Lost Coast Designs Cupid stamp in archival ink on top and die cut, Then buffed a some black soot DI around the edges and finished with a gold pen. I used Catslife press this is love stamp for the sentiment.

So please join in the Happy Daze challenge and show us the technique you love to use. One lucky winner will be drawn at random to win a  £15 voucher and free P&P to spend in the Happy Daze shop. Maximum of 3 entries per person & you must use at least one product which can be purchased in the Happy Daze shop.

• You can enter by blogging you address to the linky widget here, 
• emailing your picture to info@happy-daze.net
• uploading your photo to their facebook page

Shabby Calendar By Paula Tidman

Hoping you all had a great Christmas. Ours wasn't very peaceful as the dog decided to scoff a Thornton's chocolate Santa when we weren't looking (chocolate is poisonous in large quantities for dogs, our dog is small and he consumed a very large amount!) so we had to take him to the Vets on Christmas Day, I won't go into details for the treatment as it wasn't pleasant and I'm sure you can imagine LOL but we returned £130 lighter.

Anyway onto my project as its nearly the end of the year I decided to make a calendar. I recycled some cardboard which I covered in Tim Holtz Vintage shabby paper I die cut the edges, distressed and stamped. For the main image I used the pretty Artistic Outpost Bluebird stamps which I coloured in using new flexmarkers from my stash. The roses were made using some more of the Tim Holtz Vintage shabby paper. I printed the calendar on the computer then used my bind it all to attach it. Some string was added to finish.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your holidays and here's looking forward to a very crafty New Year.

Santa stop here...... by Julie Dandy

This week I was inspired by T!ms 12 days of Christmas day 4 tag but made it in to a Santa stop here door hanger.

I started by covering my wooden door hanger with Pink Paislee Santas list patterned paper.
I inked it with and then splattered and spritzed on water to give a nice mottled grungey look.

I used Viva decor Inka Gold on the wooden edges which I found easiest to apply with a semi dry baby wipe.

Th ruffle on the bottom is made with pleated tissue tape - I put a piece of double sided tape on to the base first then pleated the tape along it.

My lace was coloured by putting distress stain on to my nonstick craft sheet, adding a little water to soften the colour and squishing the lace in to it until I was happy with the coverage.
I glued it down with Claudine's matte medium.

I ran a piece of acetate through my big shot with the TH snowflake border embossing folder and cut around the snowflakes.
I attached this with a little DST along the edge that would be hidden by my embellishments.

My snowman and snowflakes were cut from grunge board then painted with pearl acrylic paint dabber.
I coated the snowman with Rock Candy crackle glaze and left it to dry thoroughly , when dry I highlighted the cracks with distress inks.
I added the snowflakes with glossy accents and added buttons to the centres.
I tied some scraps of ribbon and fabric round his neck for a scarf and dangled some buttons strung together with jump rings from it, then attached him to the hanger with foam tape to add some dimension.

My little sign was hand written on to the back of an journalling ticket and pinned on with a memo pin

The last thing I did was smear on lashings of Rock Candy distress stickles to give it a lovely sparkly frosty feel.

Have fun,
hugs'n'snogs,
Julie xx

Santas Christmas treat chest.... by Julie Dandy

Well I really need to kick start my Christmas mojo in to gear as I am so disorganised with only being back from my hols less than two weeks!!
I thought I would share this cute idea for an alternative advent calendar which could be decorated to suit all ages.

I have made mine in to a vintage shabby chic style and plan on filling it with little chocolate treats, candy canes and promise tickets - eg. make mince pies, watch a Christmas movie etc...

I used a papier mache chest and covered it with two sheets of Pink Paislee Santas list 12x12 paper.

I started by painting all the edges inside and out with green acrylic paint so that any expose areas wouldn't be left brown.
When dry I painted the edge that is trimmed with red acrylic paint and left to dry again.

I cut the papers roughly to size and then used my nail to give score the paper in to the edges of the box to give me a cutting guide. The boxes aren't exact measurement wise, so make sure your paper is cut to fit the widest points so that you can cut them back to size.I distressed my edges with an emery board and then inked with Broken China distress ink pad then glued them in to place with Glossy Accents - I like to swirl it on then spread it out with my finger so that it reaches all the edges. I like GA for sticking paper on to objects as it grabs and dries quickly.

On the inside of the lid I added a distressed hole in the paper before adhering to the box and stuck a small piece of contrasting patterned paper on to the back to add to the shabby look.

I covered it inside and out and when finished strengthened the hinged section with tissue tape which I also inked with the broken china.

I glued on a piece of vintage lace using Claudine's matte medium - now I have a little tip when using this - make sure you clean the edge of the jar before you put the lid back on. If you don't (like I hadn't) and then don't use it for a while you will have BIG problems getting the lid off!

I also used the medium to stick the charms and prima flower on, as already mentioned its a really good strong glue LOL :D

I embossed some of the pieces with TH alterations embossing folders which I distressed and inked.

My splash of colour on the project is my lovely broken china distress stickles and the distress stain I used on the Adage ticket.

I used some letter stickers I have had for ages on the front of the box and gave them a little bit of dimension with the Glossy Accents. The promise tickets would be a great idea to keep the kids occupied over the Christmas period with ideas like make paper chains, make gingerbread, write a letter to Santa etc...

If you were making it for a crafter you could make little parcels or envelopes and fill them with little embellies - ideaology trinkets would be fabby for anybody taking part in T!ms 12 tags of Christmas. Moira sells fabby taster packs of these too so it needn't cost a fortune.

Or how about filling it with chocolate coins?

If you get cracking you will just have time to make it before the 1st of December :D

Hugs'n'snogs,
Julie xx