Artographically Me

Friday Rocks!

2010-08-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a very wet Friday, steady rain has been falling all day, wonderful for my garden, the ground is very dry and really in need of a good soaking, but not such good news as far as our family of cats and dogs are concerned, the cats do not do rain and sit by the door, looking accusingly at me from time to time, as if I can do anything to improve the weather for them....the dogs on the other hand seem oblivious to the rain and want the door left open so that they can seemingly bring most of the garden in to the house, in the form of muddy footprints all over the laminate floors and the sofas......grrrrrr! Still it is funny to see them skittering about, and I should be grateful that the floors are laminate and not carpet.... and the sofas are leather and not fabric......lol.

This week has been quite an unusual one in lots of ways, and unusually relaxing, I am off to Brittany on Tuesday for our annual family holiday, two weeks away from our normal routines and commitments, normally I am fairly stressed at this stage, writing lists of things to pack, things to buy, worrying about how it will all fit in the car, dreading the 7 hours in the car to the ferry etc etc ....but not this year, it's all done and dusted, and was actually all done last Sunday!! I've had the luxury of finishing off various work and crafting commitments at a leisurely pace, and time to plan and prep for up and coming events when I get back from holiday ..... all I have to do is get me, four teenage girls (DD plus 3 friends) my friends Kate and Nora (Jim's 89 year old Mum) to the airport on Tuesday, phew.... I am so grateful that my OH had to be in Plymouth all this week, for work, and is now at the docks waiting to board the ferry accompanied by our friend Jim who travelled down to Plymouth today to join him, along with a car loaded to the roof with bags, books, craft stuff etc, etc. and they will be at the airport to collect us all on Tuesday, having enjoyed a few quiet days before the rest of us arrive.

My eldest daughter is coming home to house sit and look after the menagerie whilst we are away, arriving tomorrow, I am really looking forward to spending a little time with her and her partner before we leave for France, I don't see nearly as much of them as I would like to, and I am grateful that I can enjoy this weekend with them, as the packing etc for France is all done.

I won't be blogging whilst I'm away, the part of Brittany where we stay is very remote and does not have broadband coverage, in fact it is hard to get mobile phones to work as the signal strength is very poor, and we don't have a TV where we stay. I am grateful for the opportunity that this lack of mod cons gives us each year to talk, play games, eat leisurely meals and share real quality time without distractions, simple pleasures such as beachcombing and visiting the amazing rock pools exposed at low tide on the rose grantite coast are ones we look forward to every year, and are priceless and free.

Bye for now everyone, see you all on here when I get back.

Bee xx

Sunshine at Tuesday Taggers.

2010-08-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I can't believe that it's already Tuesday again, time is just flying so fast. I'm off on holiday to Brittany soon and just can't wait, but I've got plenty to do between now and then, to get ready.
This week at Tuesday Taggers the theme is SUNSHINE, and perhaps it's because I'm in holiday mode but it put me in mind of all those hot summer days by the sea when I was a child. Summers always seemed longer, hotter and sunnier then, but maybe it was just that as a child I had more time to notice and enjoy the really good days.

Because I'm trying hard to get all my crafting commitments done before I go on holiday my ATCs have been made with an ATC swap that I belong to in mind as well as this week's Tuesday Taggers Challenge. For the ATC swap the Theme is childhood, and "The Summer by The Sea" Stamp set from Stampin' Up! has some really lovely images and sentiments. I have simply stamped the images onto rough watercolour paper with Dove Gray Stayz-on and the coloured the images in with reinkers and a watercolour brush. I stamped the sentiment afterwards, using a Stamp-a-ma-jig stamp positioner from Stampin' Up! to make sure everything fitted inside the 2inch x 3inch frame I had allowed myself, so that I could then double mat the images and still keep to the 3.5 x 2.5 inch dimensions of my ATCs.

Bye for now.

Bee xx

Black Is Back at Tuesday Taggers

2010-08-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my teamie Lyn, the theme at Tuesday Taggers is Lots of Lovely Black. As I had recently made a card using just black and white I decided to go with one more colour this time and added a beautiful turquoise blue. This card was inspired by one made by a good friend of mine called Tracey, I just loved the colour combo. I hope you like it too.

This card is winging it's way to my eldest daughter to wish her good luck in her driving test later this week. I really hope she passes, so fingers crossed.

Bye for now

Bee xx

Rocking My World

2010-07-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

Right, I've remembered it is Friday and I am raring to go, I really think that Virginia at Celtic House, has the right idea. Friday starts my weekend and it is a good time to look back on the week and appreciate the positives.

As I write this there is steady soft summer rain giving the plants in my garden a much needed drink, I am so glad that I live in a part of the world where we have proper seasons and weather, where the grass is green and actually the sound of summer rain on the roof is quite soothing. The other bonus of this rain is that our newly planted trees don't need watering this evening.

I am happy to have the support of friends, helping me establish my fledgeling Stampin' Up! business, not only by buying from me directly but by getting their friends together to hold a workshop, I really appreciate your help and friendship, and the fun we have when we get together.

I am glad that Charles (my OH ) was able to leave work early today and start the weekend just a bit earlier than usual. He works really hard and it is good when he gets a bit more time to relax at home with the rest of us.

I really appreciate the regular special deals on Wine at Tescos, over the years I have become much fussier about the wines that I enjoy drinking and I am pleased to say that Tescos regularly drop the prices of the wines that I like, making them all the more enjoyable.

Finally, I really appreciate having this few minutes to sit and think about the good things in my life and realise that the best things in life are not things at all, but time with family and time to do the things I enjoy and rain on my trees.

Bee xx

Christmas In Wonderland.

2010-07-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

This week at Tuesday Taggers my good friend and fellow teamie Emma chose the theme "Christmas" !!! In the middle of July......I don't think so. Now I do realise that there are a number of very organised crafters out there who start on their Christmas preparations nice and early, and I know that there are other crafters who need a Christmas Fix nearly every week but I am not one of them....In my household Christmas starts on the !st December, so this challenge is a real topsy turvy one for me, just like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland......that got me thinking....I wonder If they have Christmas in Wonderland? What would Christmas Dinner be like and how could they fit it in, in between all the tea parties.........so a journal page started to appear...a bit like the cheshire cat....lol and here it is.

I had great fun making these pages, I hope you enjoy them too.

Bee xx

Reasons to be Grateful

2010-07-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

I really meant to get this post on my blogg on Friday so that I could link it to Friday Rocks, but as usual life got in the way, still, I am really grateful for the weekend retreat at Claxby last weekend with my lovely Crafty Friends, it has really recharged my batteries and I can't wait for the next time we all get together, at Beamsley in September. This past weekend has given me so much creatively and in other ways, that it has started me thinking about the things I have to be grateful for. Often it is the small things in life that we take for granted everyday that we realise are our true treasures when we have time to stand back and take a proper look.

So this week I am grateful for having such good friends, people I can truly be myself with and who love me for who I am, warts and all.

I am grateful for the inspiration that I get when crafting alongside my friends and for the ears that are willing to listen in the small hours of the morning.

I am grateful for my daughters who bring sunshine into my life and who are also becoming women who I will cherish as friends.

I am grateful that my eldest daughter came home to help look after our animals this weekend so that I could enjoy my crafting without worrying about them, and also for helping Bertie (our rescued Hound) sleep downstairs alone, so that I can sleep in my bed again instead of on the sofa.

I am grateful for having a real summer at last, after the past few wet and chilly years, being able to sit out in the sunshine and enjoy our garden, and finally I am grateful for my OH who supports me in my ventures and my need to spend time with my friends even though he really doesn't understand "Crafting" or "get" the weekend retreats at all.

Bee xx

What a wonderful weekend

2010-07-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody, I have just spent a really wonderful and relaxed weekend with some of my most favourite people...... It was our Summer Craft Retreat at Claxby....we crafted,ate, laughed, crafted,slept, ate, laughed, crafted ....... and generally had a complete weekend of doing what we wanted to do when we wanted.......no pressure.......no phones, no deadlines, no rules. Andy cooked splendid meals for us, such a treat to have someone else take charge of the kitchen, Thanks Andy, and my fellow crafters were inspirational and great fun to be with as ever. I feel very fortunate to have such a group of friends, who I can truly relax with and be myself.

We had a few new participants this time, who fitted right in, and I hope they enjoyed themselves as much as the rest of us did and will join us again in the future.

Whilst at the retreat I completed my project for this week's Tuesday Taggers Challenge "Hang it all - It's Canvas" by creating this little 4 seasons wall hanging from 4 mini canvases. The Bird, Butterfly and Leaf embellishments have all been made from canvas too.

Enjoy.

Bee xx

Hi Folks

2010-07-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late getting my Tuesday Taggers contribution up on my own blog this week, life is a bit hectic at the moment what with the two newest additions to our family (Bertie and Yuki)claiming a lot of my time and attention, not to mention to fast approaching school summer holidays which always means extra music lessons to ferry my 15 year old daughter to - she always seems to have a music grade exam on the last day of term - this time it is Grade 6 Singing, school prize giving is this week too, and we are in the middle of the show jumping season ..... the same 15 year old is a really keen horsewoman..... and I am trying to get ready for a weekend craft retreat that I have organised with some really good friends and fellow crafters.....you all know who you are..... I think I will need the weekend to recover from this week....lol.... and next week isn't any quieter, looking at my diary.

To cap everything I got my themes muddled up and made a card for a theme that is comming up in a couple of weeks by mistake, and then had to set too and make this week's contribution.....lol.... on the upside, I do now have that other card ready and waiting.

Anyway to this weeks challenge at Tuesday Taggers, Teri chose Anniversaries as her theme as she and her OH are celebrating 21 years this week, so a huge congratulations are in order.

I decided to use Suede Brown and Cream as my theme colours and Stampin' Up! Fresh Cuts rubber stamp set and punches. I didn't have a stamp which actually said "Haappy Anniversary" so I combined two seperate stamps from the Fresh Cuts Set which said "Thank You" and "For You" to create a suitable sentiment.

In real life the colours of the card are much warmer and are complimented by the gold brads and ribbon.

Have fun everyone.

Bee xx

Making a scene !

2010-07-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.

This week at Tuesday Taggers the theme is to "Make a Scene" chosen by my good friend and fellow teamie Michelle. Whilst Michelle's inspiration related to film making (Lights, Camera, Action) my immediate thoughts were of places I'd been and sights I'd seen.

The inspiration for my harbour scene was the wonderful island of Burano in the Bay of Venice, all the cottages are painted with bright colours and no two seem to be the same.

I have stamped all the images except the seagull and post onto a trifold card, using masks where necessary, I then cut away the layers at the harbour wall level and the large house roof level, I then coloured in my images with watersoluble crayons. I then stuck down the free edge of the front two layers using 3d pads to add a little dimension and added my post and seagull the same way. I then used mats in blue and white to create an easel card.

My fellow Tuesday Taggers and our Guest Designer this week have also made some really inspirational pieces, you can see them all at Tuesday Taggers

Enjoy.

Bee xx

Shoes Glorious Shoes !!

2010-06-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks it's shoes and footwear of all sorts at Tuesday Taggers this week, I must admit that I have cheated and used a project I made a while ago, but there are lots of people who visit Tuesday Taggers who haven't seen what I did to my scruffy white shoes.........

So here they are again.

And yes I do still wear them on occasions. You can see more pictures of the work in progress here.

The main reasons for using a recycled project are that my life is very busy at the moment with starting up my Stampin'Up! Business and two very lively additions to the house hold, a three month old Jack Russel Terrier Pup who we have had for about a month now and who is just finding his feet and a Hunting Basset (A longer legged version of the Show Basset) who arrived a week ago, he is nine months old and has come to us straight from Hunting Kennels, he had never been in a car let alone seen the inside of a house or worn a collar or lead....lol....but he is very adorable, these troublesome twosome are known as Yuki and Bertie respectively (or Big T and Little T) and are leading us, our old dog, Patch and the four cats a merry dance at the moment.

One of the biggest problems is that Bertie has bonded with me in a really big way and has become an almost inseparable shadow, except when he and Yuki are getting into mischief together, he gets really anxious when he can't see me and isn't settling well at night, it takes me back to when my children were young......all those sleepless nights, I am sure he will settle in eventually, as he seems fast to learn what is expected of him, but for the moment I seem to be spending more time dozing on the sofa, than in my bed at night, just so the rest of the household can get some sleep, still it is early days.

I have had two Stampin' Up! workshops this week, both of which were great fun and went well, thanks to everyone who came and supported me, especially Kate and Emma, I really do appreciate your support. We all had a really good time, the demos and make and takes went well, and the time just flew, the orders have arrived from the warehouse and are on their way out to my first customers, now I just need to get my next lot of workshops organised.......

dogs willing....lol

Bye for now

Bee xx

2010-06-08T03:15:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I've been missing from blogland for a couple of weeks because there have been some really exciting things going on in "real life" that have kept me really busy.

I have finally taken the plunge and joined up as a Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator, I attended my first Craft Fair as a Demonstrator at the end of May and spent this weekend at our local gardeners fair, where I sold cards......which I had only made as demonstration models, got a commission for a Graduation Card, got invited to a local craft group next week....with my Stampin' Up! stuff and organised my first workshop!!!!! phew.....what a rollercoaster ride.

My card for this week's Tuesday Taggers Challenge was made well in advance, but was one of the samples I had on my stall at the weekend......and I hadn't photographed it.....lol......and it was one of the ones that got snapped up by a customer........so I had to set to this morning and remake it. I have used two sets of Stampin' Up! rubber stamps:- Oval All and Vintage Vogue, along with the oval punches and scallop border punch.

I really like black and white and although it is quite a simple card it has turned out quite well.

Bye for now Bee xx

It's A Man's World !!

2010-05-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

This week it was my turn to choose a theme for our challenge at Tuesday Taggers and I decided that it should be about the men in our lives, as difficult as they can be, to buy presents or make cards for..... we love them really. It is my husband's birthday this week and father's day is coming up soon, so it seemed like a good time to think about the men in our lives, whoever they are, husbands, partners, fathers, sons, brothers or friends, anything goes as long as it's made with a man or boy in mind.

Here's mine.

To be honest I have revisited a card I have made before but altered it, this time it is an easel card, I just love these at the moment, and instead of using real watch parts as embellishments (which I did last time) I have used flower and circle punches to make my cogs and gears, faux brads etc. at least this means that all parts of the card are now made from sustainable and renewable resources....lol.

Enjoy......

Bee xx

Happy Birthday Tuesday Taggers !!!

2010-05-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Tuesdsay Taggers is one year old. It is amazing how quickly that year has flown and it has been a pretty fantastic year too, so many people joining in with our weekly challenges, so much fun and creativity, and friendship too. This week we want everyone to get a present and a slice of our cake, you will have to pop over to Tuesday Taggers to find out how. In the meantime here is my Tag.

Our colour theme for this week is chocolate and cream (yummy) and I chose to create this chocolate cup cake tag, almost looks good enough to eat......lol.....but no calories.

I hope you will join us at Tuesday Taggers this week and over the next year, have fun everyone.

Bee xx

Been a Bad Blogger !!

2010-05-17T03:03:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,

I'm sorry I haven't been on here lately, I've had a really hectic couple of weeks, and I couldn't show you the card I made for this weeks Tuesday Taggers challenge until after my daughter's birthday.

The challenge was to do something outside of my comfort zone, and I very rarely do cute, flowery and make cards !!! the main exception to my card making phobia being close family birthday's and other similar events....lol.....here is my card.

It was Emily's 15th birthday and like every other teenage girl, she is such a mixture of contradictions at the moment, she is not in herself a "cute" type, but she has a grey pony called Larry who she adores and has just aquired a little Jack Russell puppy (8 weeks old, and very cute) called Yuki after one of the characters on Casualty......so these images just had to be used, I stamped them with versafine and then water coloured them using distress inks, the flowers and brads were from my stash and the fence constructed using stirers from a famous swedish store...lol... the just for you sentiment is by stampin'up. Emily was really pleased with her card, especially as I had painted the puppy and pony to resemble her own pets.

Oh.... and by the way, can you guess what an animal mad 15 year old girl requested for her birthday present?...............

Yep... you got it..... An electric base guitar and amplifier.......lol......... now I need ear plugs.

Bye for now Bee xx

Recycle It this week at Tuesday Taggers.

2010-05-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

This week at Tuesday Taggers the challenge is to recycle it.
What a good opportunity to use some of those things you have stashed away because they might come in useful, I am a terrible hoarder and find it really hard to throw anything away, however I am equally bad at getting around to using all those things that I have kept because they "have potential" but that is exactly is what I have done this week, apart from inks and paints and two brads, everything else has been recycled.

The tin has been in my stash for at least 31/2 years ! is originally was plain silver and contained an assortment of scrummy biscuits, in the two drawers. The main background paper is probably the same age as the tin and is actually a paperbag that was too good to throw out. The "lace" has been made from old book pages and an EK Success border punch, dimension has been added with corrugated cardboard and the drawer handles are two old fashioned brass curtain rings and a pair of brads. I have coloured the background paper and borders with Frayed Burlap and Broken China distress inks, and a bit of copper spritz ink, the edges of the tin and drawers have been painted with expresso acrylic dabber and rubbed with a gold wax when dry, I have used the expresso paint, copper spritz ink and rubbing wax on the corrugated card to highlight the texture. Finally I adhered a piece of fun foam to the base to make it nonslip.

A huge thankyou to my Tuesday Taggers teamie Ildiko for giving me the push I needed to get this project made.

Bee xx

Running with Scissors ATC swap.

2010-05-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks just a quick note to say hello and to show you the set of 8 ATC's I made for this month's swap at Running With Scissors, my local papercraft shop. The theme was spring, and I needed to make 8 ATC's in total, one for me to keep and one each for the other participants, I haven't taken part in a swap where I was expected to produce a number of similar ATC's before, and I'm not very good at what I call "conveyor belt crafting", I really like to make each thing I do individual, so this was a bit of a challenge for me, until I found the papermania V & A 6 x 6 paper pack and my Bird on a branch paper punch arrived from Stampin' Up then it was plain sailing, the ATC's are all the same but different, using exactly the same elements, colours, papers words etc, but in different combinations on each ATC.

When put together the set looks a bit like a patchwork quilt, which is very fitting as it was the collection of Quilts at the V&A Museum which inspired the papermania paper collection.

Bee xx

Remember When......?

2010-04-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

This week at Tuesday Taggers the theme chosen by my fabulous and talented teamie Michelle is memories. What a lovely lot of scope this gives us. For me personally, I try to scrap special memories and love the opportunity to get together with long standing friends and family members for a "Do you remember when?" conversation, some of the best ones are with my two daughters as they share events remembered from their early years from a completely different perspective to my own recollection, these are the conversations I try to journal to go with my scrapbook pages..... however for this week's challenge I have looked at memory from an entirely different perspective, the things I use to aid my failing memory....lol....my chinese horoscope character is a Rooster, known for making lists !! and I do make lots of lists to keep my life and my crafting organised, lists of inks I own, lists of challenge titles and when they are due in, you get the picture...... so for this weeks challenge I have altered an A5 sized clipboard, so that I can find the lists I've made, instead of them disappearing in the chaos I call a craft room....

I had a wonderfully messy playtime making this. I started with a layer of gesso all over including the shiny metal clip, I added a torn book page, more gesso and then Acrylic Dabber Paints, some distress inks, stampng, heat embossing, masking and spritzing and more inking and stamping later, this is what I ended up with..... a really layered look. The photo doesn't really do it justice as you can't see the lovely pearly sheen that the mica spritz inks have given, and the old metal patina created on the clip but I really had fun making this piece and it will certainly come in useful.

Bee xx.

Spring Is in the Air

2010-04-23T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I don't know about you but Spring has really arrived in my garden and I am really enjoying a little bit of sunshine and warmth. There is blossom in the fruit trees and the birds are nesting, I really love the sounds of spring too, bird song and lambs in a nearby field, on the downside some hungry fox (probably a vixen feeding her cubs) has had my two pet chickens out of the garden..... such is country life.

This week at Tag You're it the theme is spring and I have made this tag in the shape of a little bird box, inspired by the one I can see from my bedroom window.

I have used Papermania V&A 6x6 papers, I really love these little prints, I made the template for my bird box paper pieces myself, but used the Stampin' Up Bird on a Branch Punch for my birds and a 1" circle punch for the entrance hole. I have inked all the edges with Gingerbread Versa Magic chalk ink before putting the pieces together and added some shadows with my copic pens on the completed piece, I also added 2 tiny black gems for the birds eyes and some toning ribbons. I am really pleased with how 3D the finished tag looks but I promise it is a flat tag.

Bye for now.

Bee xx

Claxby Weekend.

2010-04-20T04:04:00.000-07:00

Over at the Running with Scissors shop blogg, I have written a bit about this weekend. you can find it HERE, along with a couple of photos Although we we a bit small in number we still had a wonderful weekend. The sun shone, Andy cooked and the rest of us crafted and ate and crafted and slept and crafted.......you get the idea.

Bee xx

Tuesday Taggers Dragon's For St George !!

2010-04-20T02:40:00.000-07:00

This week at Tuesday Taggers my Teamie Teri has chosen the theme of Dragons as it is St Georges Day on Friday, I strugglesd with this challenge as I don't have any Dragon stamps or images, Teri does have a digi Dragon on her website, but I was away at a crafting retreat all weekend with no internet access. Tanda stamps who are sponsoring this weeks challenge also have some wonderful Dragon Stamps but of course it was too late for me to send off for those......then I remembered a little dragon silhouette stamp I had for encaustic art and armed with that I produced this ATC.

Firstly I brayered a background onto some glossy card and overstamped with trees in shades of green, adding some black trees in the foreground to add depth. I stamped the moon shadow next ant then the main dragon image, but felt I wanted more dragons so I just doodled in the distant ones with a sharpie pen. I finally stamped the word Dream in the bottom right corner to balance out the small dragons and layered the image up onto glossy black card. It is a very simple ATC but I enjoyed making it for the challenge.

Bee xx

Lots To Do Tag.

2010-04-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the tag I have made for this week's challenge at Lots To Do where we have been asked to use alcohol inks.

I have used alcohol inks and blending solution on the glossy base card for my tag to give a polished stone finish, I stamped over this on the top half of the card using Black Memento Ink and embossed the bottom half of the tag using a cuttlebug folder. I have used a ring pull coloured with an alcohol based pen (Copic) on my ribbon, and used a little chalk ink to emphasise the embossed diamonds.

The paperartsy stamp at the top of the tag has been partially inked with an embossing pen and heat embossed with gold. The sentiment stamp is by Tim Holtz and the stamp in the bottom corner is from a stampin' up set.

I really enjoyed making this tag, and look forward to what everyone else produces for this challenge.

Bee xx

Three Times ATCs

2010-04-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

My good friend Janet (ClarkyJ) has set us a challenge to make three ATCs on the theme of Time.

I started out with my 12 new TH Distress Inks and a few other bits and pieces and came up with these three little gems. I love the colours in this new collection and the different looks I can achieve.

Bye for now.

Bee xx

Moon Shadow

2010-04-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

At Tag It On this week the challenge has been to produce a Tag with an Image of the Moon on It.

Here Is mine.

I have used TH Distress Inks both for background colour and to stamp with, I used circles punched from post its as masks for the moon and it's reflection in the water, and just love the serenity of the scene I created.

I also found one answer to my own question of what to do with a Tag once I had made it, as you can see below.

This one turned into a really nice Easel Style Birthday Card for one of my friends.

Bee xx

I'm Late, I'm Late.....

2010-04-18T15:39:00.000-07:00

It's late on Sunday evening after a lovely weekend spent in the company of some very good friends and fellow crafters. For once my weekend was quite productive in a creative fashion and I have even found one answer to the question I posed about what to do with tags once I had made them. But first things first.....

Here is the Acetate Tag I made for this weeks challenge at Tag You're It, but I missed the deadline as there was no Internet Connection where we were staying.

The tag is made with a paper background from the Papermania Persimmon collection, onto which I stamped the words "It's Never Too Late to Find Out Who You Want TO Be.
The next layer is Acetate which has been coloured on the back with Alcohol Inks in Lettuce Stonewash and Stream. The front of the acetate has been stamped with the french script background stamp by Stampin' Up using Black Stayzon Ink and buttons attached.
The translucent clock face and hands are by Maya Road and just had to go on this Tag !! Secured by an eyelet.

Because I have used alcohol inks on this tag it is elligible for this weeks challenge at "Lots To Do" but I have made another Tag using Alcohol Inks which I will show you later.

I had great fun making this and playing with so many fun products.

Bee xx

Happy Birthday Emma

2010-04-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

This week, my good friend and Tuesday Taggers DT teamie Emma celebrates her birthday, so she has set the TT challenge for this week and chosen Cakes and Balloons as her theme. I've made an easle card using a fabulous new cup cake stamp by Hero Arts which I have masked and stamped 3 times. I coloured in the icing with my copic pens and added a little distress stickles to the sprinkles, but then stamped the cupcake cases onto patterned paper and added them to my images, in the same way that Tracey at Running With Scissors did in the cupcake card she made on Saturday, thanks for the tip Tracey.

I have used Stampin' Up Plain and Scalloped Oval Punches to add the sentiments. The card front measures aprox 17cm square which gives you an idea of the size of the cupcakes.....large life size....lol....only without the calories.

Bee xx

Lots To Do

2010-04-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

I like the Lots to Do challenge, although I haven't participated for a while as life has got in the way, however I look to see what the challenge is most weeks and the art produced by the participants is an inspiration.

This week the theme is Embossing and I have managed to produce a piece for the challenge myself.

I have made an Archie Tag using an embossed metal piece produced using a paperarsty stamp which I have then coloured using Viva Precious Metal Paints. This piece has been attached to an Arch Shaped Tag which I have and glued tiny pieces of dry pasta to, making the stone effect frame ,then painted black and spritzed with a little bit of silver.

Thanks for the challenge, I look forward to seeing what everyone else produces.

Bee xx

Just Tagging Along

2010-04-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

OK I admit it, it has taken me quite a while to "Get" Tags, I don't make many cards, but love ATC's and altering stuff, using stampboard etc to make wearable art and scrapbooking, but this weeks challenge at Tuesday Taggers was specifically a Tag, so a huge Thank you to Georgina who has sponsored Tuesday Taggers this week and set me the Tag challenge, I have had so much fun that I have even had a look around the challenge bloggs and found one or two....ok I know there are more out there....but I like the look of these ones, dedicated to Tags.

Here is my entry for this week's challenge at Dragon Dreams Tag It On "In the City" I visited Venice in June last year and loved it, I then found a Venice stamp plate by Darkroom Door which I just had to use here along with distress Inks, distress crackle paint an EKS border punch and ribbon to create this Tag. The words are printed onto an acetate overlay.

I really enjoyed making this tag....but can someone please tell me what I am supposed to do with it now ? .....lol.....

Bee xx

Playing Tag.

2010-04-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

Firstly I have good news regarding my OH who has come home from hospital today, he seems to be on the mend and much more his usual self. Big thanks to everyone who has been thinking about us all, I really do appreciate your support.

And now ...... another Tag. This one is for the Tag You're It challenge this week which is "On a Bough !"

I have used a set of Stampin' Up stamps and Tim Holtz Distress Inks, along with a bit of ribbon, a tiny black adhesive gem for the bird's eye, my cropodile, an eyelet and some matting and layering to create this tag. I have added a bit of extra dimension by stamping the bough with fruit on a second time and layering it over the first image with silicon glue.

I really enjoyed doing this today, after a rather stressful Easter Weekend !, it was good to know that OH was home and I could relax a little.

Bee xx

Tag It at Tuesday Taggers

2010-04-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

This week at Tuesday Taggers the challenge is to Tag It!!

So here is my Time Tag.

I have used Adirondack Dye Inks and Stampin' Up Stamps for the background and large clock, making a feature of the minute dial with a curtain ring and Glossy Accents. The words are from a U-Mount Time plate stamped onto some home made spritzed paper and mounted on foam pads to add dimension. A large stampin' up pewter eyelet, some Idea-ology cogs and brads and ribbons complete the tag.

I've really enjoyed making this Tag and I'm also thrilled to here that The Tag Your It Challenge has started up again, there is always room for another good challenge blogg, so I shall be paying it a visit.

On a different note, things have been a bit fraught at home over Easter culminating with my husband being admitted to hospital on Sunday evening, thankfully he appears to be responding to treatment and sounded as if he was feeling much better when I spoke to him last, but it makes me feel as if the quote I used on the tag was really meant to be there.

Bee xx

It's a bugs life at Tuesday Taggers this Week

2010-03-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

The challenge this week at Tuesday Taggers is "Bugs" and is being sponsored by The Craft Barn.
For my pendant I had decided to use an image of a scarab beetle printed onto acetate and then gilded on the reverse, however when I did this the image lost definition and could not be used on it's own, however it has made a fabulous background for my butterflies and Bee.

The metal Butterfly and Bee are charms from my stash, the printed butterfly is from a crafty individuals image pad and I have used a crafty individuals postmark stamp in my collage as well. The frame and microscope glass are from the Inkssential Range by Ranger Products.

I hope you like it.

Bee xx

Tuesday Taggers Altered Art.

2010-03-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

This weeks challenge at Tuesday Taggers was set by Lyn (AkA Blackdragon) and it was to alter something.

As I have a number of IKEA mirrors sitting around waiting to be embellished I decided to take one with me to the Beamsley Retreat (see previous post) to work on whilst I was there. Normally my altered pieces turn out fairly grungy, I am not generally a very girly sort of person, but this piece turned out rather pink and pretty !!

At the retreat I had been playing around making paper roses, and I had also been demonstrating cuttlebug techniques, so I decided to incorporate cuttlebug embossed and inked tiles and paper roses on my mirror.

I started by giving the mirror frame a thin coat of white gesso using a baby wipe, which I then coloured randomly with Victorian Velvet and Bundled Sage Distress inks using cut and dry foam.
I then over stamped with a swirl stamp using the same two colours of distress ink, before adhering my cuttlebug embossed tiles the paper rose leaves and the paper roses which I had made and coloured using spun sugar and victorian velvet distress inks. This was a fairly simple project to complete, but I am pleased with the end result, I think the pinks and green work together really well.

Bee xx

What a fabulous weekend.

2010-03-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

I have had such a good time this weekend, at a Craft Retreat organised by two of my best crafting buddies, Janet and Michelle from the Tuesday Taggers DT.

The venue was the Beamsley Project, a converted Chapel on the A59 at Beamsley, between Harrogate and Skipton, which provides small scale residential conference/activity facilities for up to 24 people and is fully equiped to provide for people with physical disabilities. Janet and Michelle had hired the centre on a self catering basis to run their first ever Craft Retreat. Participants had travelld from as far away as Lowestoft and Edinburgh to take part in this weekend.

As well as getting together with a number of old friends, Janet, Michelle, Emma, Andy, Kate, Georgina, Averil, Cazro and Yvonne, I made new friends and acquaintances, including Margaret and Vicky, Jean and Marie, Sandra, Glynis, Lyn and Avril, these last two also being members of the Tuesday Taggers DT but this was the first time we had met in "real life". So many talented crafters and all round fabulous people, we were all soon relaxing and chatting away as if we had known each other for years.

On Friday evening after a substantial dinner, prepared by Andy, our chef for the weekend, it was back to the craft room to complete an altered notebook project that Janet had designed as an ice breaker to start the weekend, crafting and chatting carried on into the night with "the late shift" (including me) finally downing tools and heading for bed at about 01:45am.
The next morning after breakfast we all headed off to Harrogate to The Great Northern Papercraft Extravaganza at the County Show Ground, for some serious craft shopping and the opportunity to catch up with our favourite retailers, demontrators and crafting gurus ++++before returning to Beamsley with our newest buys to get on with some crafting. After Dinner on Saturday, Emma and I each held a brief techniques based workshop for those who were interested, mine was on getting more out of your cuttlebug, Emma's was on two step stamping using a stamp positioner. Both workshops were well received.

Whilst I headed to bed at a reasonable hour on Saturday "The late shift" were still crafting at 03:00am !!!

On Sunday morning we continued with our own crafting projects but also had the opportunity to explore using alcohol inks with Janet, making and packaging bath crystals as gifts with Michelle and making an easel card with Emma, as well as these prepared workshops and demos, eveyone shared their own skills and talents, including making paper roses, and painting with Twinkling H2O's, amongst other crafty techniques.

All too soon it was time to pack our crafty bags and get ready to return to the real world, but not until we had all enjoyed A traditional Sunday Dinner provided by Andy. Would we do it again? You just try and stop us.

So a huge thanks to Janet and Michelle for all the hard work the put into making the weekend such a success, and here's to next time.

Photos to be added later...

Bee xx

Tuesday Taggers "Jester or Masquerade" Challenge.

2010-03-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone.

For this week the challenge at Tuesday Taggers is to use the theme of Jesters or Masquerade Ball, the theme was chosen by Avril, a really talented member of our Design Team.

I was really excited at this choice of theme as I love everything to do with Carnival's aand Masks etc.

Just last summer my friend Kate and I had a three day break in Venice and revelled in all the Costumes and Masks we were surrounded by, taking loads of photos of Carnival Masks in Shop Windows and even watching a Mask Maker create a traditional papiermache mask.......

However when I came to make a card for this project my mind wandered from Jesters to Clowns, and I used two PaperArtsy Stamp plates to stamp images for the card. I used Tim Holtz new Distress Inks in Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge and Barn Door to give the traditional Jester's colours of Red and Yellow to my card, these new inks are just so vibrant, I love them. I then added some embossed Harlequin Diamonds to my background card, as well as using sequin scrap as a mask to provide additional texture.

The clown Images, Text and other elements were stamped onto plain white card using Archival Black Ink and then coloured with the distress inks, although some elements were left as black on white, as a contrast to the background,they were then layered up onto the base card, using some thin foam pads to provide a bit more texture.

The end result is bright and bold and a bit of fun, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Bee xx

Catching Up and Getting Started Again.

2010-02-19T05:30:00.005-08:00

Hi Folks

Warning....... Longish post.....that I started whilst on Holiday in Italy on 19th February 2010 and finally finished here in the UK on Mother's Day, 14th March 2010.....!

It has been quite a while since I posted anything on here, there are a number of reasons for this, most of which are not worth sharing, things like computer and broadband connection problems, really frustrating, especially when you have project deadlines that you can't meet. Also the longer you leave it, the harder it seems to be to get going again.

Then there was the Claxby Craft Weekend with some really special friends, we celebrated Christmas early, combining crafting and shopping with good food, homemade Baubles for the Christmas tree and christmas crackers, christmas tree , christmas dinner and a visit from Santa at the end of November !! We all ended this weekend tired but happy and ready for a repeat next year.

My Christmas Bauble.

After the Claxby weekend, preparations for Christmas at home started in earnest, although I found it really hard this year, at every turn I was thinking about my dad, and missing him more than ever. It seemed especially poignant as both my daughters and my eldest daughter's partner were going to be with us for the first time for the whole christmas holiday. Usually my creative Mojo gets me through when times are tough but not this time, partly because with the house full, there was no opportunity to get time for myself and my creative mojo had flown the coop and deserted me in any case. I hadn't realised how low I had got until the middle of January. No blogging, no creative projects on the go, and not even bothering to read anyone else's bloggs, not even Tim's !!! Thank goodness for real friends, you know who you are, who can just be with you when things are tough and ride the storm alongside you.
A huge thankyou too, for Tracey and her inspirational scrapbooking classes and crops at Running With Scissors, http:/tj-runningwithscissors.blogspot.com my weekly therapy session, in the company of some other fantastic women, this really keeps me going, even when I just sit and chill and watch what everyone else is creating.

I think I must have hibernated (at least mentally) at this point, because the next thing I knew it was February, a brilliant weekend workshop on Art Journalling at Art From the Heart in Harrogate with the divine Dyan Reaveley, http:/www.dyan-reaveley.blogspot.com a fantastically fun and theraputic treat, as I get older I find that I appreciate the company of other creative, funny, compassionate women more and more, again you all know who you are, so thanks a million for your friendship, at the end of the weekend we all received our certificates in Prattology from Dyan, to be coloured in and suitably altered, of course.

here are the pages I made over the weekend.

The front cover.

All the pages were made from scratch using newspaper, glue sticks aand gesso, then background painting, images from magazines, borders, pens for detail and journalling. etc.

Anatomy of a page.

This workshop was liberating and cathartic, a real tonic, filled with both laugther and tears, it should be made available to all women on the NHS, I can't wait for my next "Therapy Session" in May.

Then it was half term and I was off skiing in Italy with my youngest daughter, an annual event which helps blow the cobwebs away. This time I packed, a bound journal, inktense pencils, watercolour crayons and various pens etc, instead of 3 or 4 long novels, but I knew in my heart of hearts that I would find it very difficult to start using my lovely clean blank pristine book.....lol...Then I had a brainwave at the airport and bought myself a very nice little moleskine journal and suddenly I was free to start using (the now less expensive) journal I had brought with me.

Here are a couple of pages I did whilst in Italy, not bad for a real novice, at least I'm pleased with them.

Usually Spring has made an appearance by the time I get back from Italy, but not this year, we came home to bitter cold and dark grey skies. However the sun has finally made an appearance in our garden this weekend, and although there are still snowdrops and aconites in the garden, the Daffodils are just beginning to bloom and it feels like spring has finally arrived..

Finally I will leave you with a few other projects that have been completed recently.

A valentines Card for Tuesday Taggers Love Makes the World Go Round Challenge,

An altered notebook for Tuesday Taggers Curls and Swirls Challenge.

And a litte Microscope Slide Mailer Shrine for Tuesday Taggers St Patricks Day Challenge.

Front Cover

Inside.

It is good to be back in Blogg Land, and to feel my creative juices beginning to flow again. Thankyou for taking the time to read my blogg and share these little glimpses of my creative adventures.

Bye for now

Bee xx

Time for a bit of a catch up.

2009-10-28T10:00:00.001-07:00

Hi Every one. I can't believe that it is more than a fortnight since I last posted on here, life has been extremely hectic, but quite exciting too.
When I last posted I was hoping that work would start on fencing the land we have recently bought.......here is the proof that it actually started on time !!! It took four men working really hard.... well hardish, nine days to complete and looks really good. The grass seed has germinated and a faint haze of green is now covering the whole field, we have also planted a few trees to replace ones which had to make way for the fencing. I can't believe that this "pipe dream" has become a reality.

These first two pictures were taken as they started work on the first morning, and the next three were taken this morning, now that all the work is finished.

I really feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.

Last week's challenge at Tuesday Taggers was to create something spooky, I decided to continue in a digital fashion following on from the previous week's little mouse and created labels for my Halloween Goody bags using Photoshop Elements and some Rhonna Farrer Halloween Style Digital Brushes, I printed them out onto plain white card stock and then coloured them using TH Distress Inks, I put some suitable sweet treats in the bags and the addition of some fibres to the pack tops for that finishing touch, hmmmmmm, just need a suitable container and ..... I wonder who will get to sample these?

Finally ....for now.... This week's challenge at Tuesday Taggers was to use "Bursts Of Colour" sounds straight forward enough I know, but it was a struggle deciding what to do, a firework theme may have been the obvious choice with Bonfire Night coming up but it didn't really appeal to me. I was thinking about fireworks however when I finally decided on using a "caught in crystal" technique as the colours really seem to burst when you drop pigment powders into the Klear polish on the acetate. When my acetate / pigment and Klear polish / tissue paper sandwich was dry some of the colours were not as vivid as I wanted, so I used my copic markers on the back of the tissue paper to add more colour in some areas, I then used black Stayzon to stamp the trees on to the front of the acetate. The Caught In Crystal Panel is mounted onto an 8" x 8" canvas which has had book pages stuck to it in places and been gessoed before painting with acrylic paints, a chinese proverb which says "One generation plants the trees. Another gets the shade" was adhered to the canvas before the "Crystal panel" was placed over the top and finished off with some ribbons.

I am pleased with the end result as it reminds me of the glorious sunsets we see from our windows at this time of year, as well as expressing what our little bit of Lincolnshire and the trees we are planting mean to me.

I'm off to Malham Tarn at the weekend for an annual Crafty get together with some wonderful crafty friends, I can't wait for Friday to come....but in the meantime I need to decide what to take and what to leave at home (other than my OH and DD....lol) I'll probably end up taking everything and the kitchen sink as usual.

Bye for now.

Bee xx

Still in an Autumnal Mood.

2009-10-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.
The weather here in Lincolnshire continues to be bright and sunny, although an autumnal chill has begun to creep in and as well as glorious sunsets we are now getting some lovely misty mornings. The tree colour is still good, although the leaves are falling fast. We have just managed to get the grass seed sown in 3 acres of land that we have bought adjoining our garden and hopefully the workmen are arriving today to start on the fencing, I am really looking forward to choosing and planting trees and hedgerow plants to give us more autumn colour in the future.

Over at Tuesady Taggers this week the design team are still in an autumnal mood too, our challenge this week is to use a digital stamp to create our projects. We have all used the same image (A cute little Harvest Mouse) by Teri at Delicious Doodles, for our projects.

My Harvest Mouse takes pride of place on the cover of a little Pink Pig Notebook.

First I downloaded the image, decided what size I wanted it to be and printed it out onto copypaper, I then coloured it in using Copic Markers and cut it out. I used perfect medium and two coats of clear embossing to make my mouse more durable. To create the background I applied tea dye and walnut stain distress inks directly to the edges of the green mulberry paper covered board and stamped random leaves using shabby shutters distress ink ink and the acorn stamp from stampin up using walnut stain distress ink.
I tied two pieces of ribbon around the cover and then added a mat made from card covered with frayed burlap and inked with glimmer mists. I placed my Mouse on top of the Burlap mat and added glass beads adhered with diamond glaze around his feet. The end result has a real tactile quality with lots of different textures.

Thanks Teri for giving us the image toplay with, I have really enjoyed this challenge.

Bee xx

Scrapbook Pages.

2009-10-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, I haven't posted any scrapbook pages for a while, but thought you might like to see these. This double layout was made in response to this month's layout challenge over on the Running With Scissors Shop blog at http://tj-runningwithscissors.ning.com/ Helena had posted this single page sketch.

and I immediately thought of the photos of the Hot Air Balloon Trip that Kate, Jim and I had recently. Kate had always wanted a trip in a hot air ballooon, for that matter so had I....lol... and as both Kate and our good friend Jim celebrated special birthdays this year, it seemed like an opportunity not to be missed.

Kate's birthday was in early January, not a good time of year for outdoor adventures, Jim's was in early September a much better time of year, and our trip was planned for 17th September. We spent a lovely day in York, mooching around the shops and having a leisurely lunch before heading to the racecourse to take our balloon trip, an experience we would all willingly repeat, and a real Red Letter Day for all of us.

There were far too many photos that I wanted to use, as I wanted to give a feel of the whole experience, so a double lay out with large flaps for hidden photos and journaling was called for, the sketch with it's strong horizontal lines lent itself to being used this way. The large areas of white space in the sketch also felt appropriate as I wanted to capture that feeling of being at one with the sky.

The Hot air balloon embellishments were simply rubber stamped and coloured in, using a stamp from Clarity Stamps, stamp club that coincidentally arrived in the post a few days ago. The image was stamped once on white card and once onto white shrink plastic, which was then heated, this helped give a sense of perspective, and the calendar page was created in Word on my computer, cut out and then a Stamping Up Border Punch used to give the spiral bound look. All the journaling inside the card was printed out from the computer and then cut into strips before adhering, as were the two Haiku poems I created for the fronts of the layouts. I really like using the Haiku structure to add meaning to my pages in a way that is different from that straight forward journaling.

The words read "A Hot Air Balloon, As one with Wind and Nature, Drifting in Clear Skies" and "Once in a Lifetime, A Different Perspective, A Red Letter Day"

The large letters for the titles were cut using A Slice machine.

I am really pleased with how these pages have turned out, thanks to Helena and her inspiring layout sketch.

Bee xx

Altered Wooden Box

2009-10-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

The challenge at Tuesday Taggers this week is to use Autumnal Colours in our projects. This is a real bonus for me as I just LOVE Autumn. The trees around where I live are the most fantastic colours at the moment and there are wonderful shiny conkers on the ground. We have had our first rain today for ages and now it smells of Autumn too.

Anyway back to the project.....
I had a little hinged wooden box in my craftroom just waiting to be altered....another crafty bargain from the range....

I wanted to use Autumn Colours but also get the sheen that you find on fresh conkers....lol

So out came the pearl powders, metallic dabbers, perfect medium, a maple leaf stamp, etc etc, a piece of ribbon, a few pieces of Tim Holtz Idea-ology and some words from a download from Lisa's Altered Art.

After painting all over the box with Black Acrylic paint and leting it dry, I then painted the lid with a variety of mica pigments in strong Autumnal colours in a random fashion. When this was dry I overstamped with clear perfect medium and the maple leaf stamp and coloured these with dry pearl pigments in copper and brass, I spritzed these lightly with water to set and then overstamped again using the same stamp and black stayzon to get a really layered look like a pile of fallen leaves.

I overpainted the black body of the box with a gold acrylic dabber and then distressed it when dry with a coarse sanding block, then rubbed aged mahogany distress ink over the top. I inked and distressed my words and adhered them with dilute PVA which I then used to seal the whole of the box.

An idea-ology Lock plate, brads, sprocket and spinner were attached to the front of the box and the woven ribbon used on the edge of the lid and bottom of the box.

This was quite an experimental piece as I was using a lot of my supplies in ways that they weren't designed for, for example the distress ink wouldn't dry and fix on top of the acrylic paint, but the PVA sealant prevented this being a problem, in fact there was a bonus in as much as the distress ink became more vibrant and moved around with the PVA in a way which improved the look of the box. I also tried a sandwich crackle technique on the body (I painted the crackle medium between the black and gold acrylic layers) which didn't work, thus necessitating the heavy handed distressing to get a similar effect. At the end of the day though I am really happy with what I achieved and had a great time creating it.

I hope you like it too.

Bee xx

Shaker ATC for Tuesday Taggers

2009-09-29T13:13:00.001-07:00

Happy Tuesday everyone.

The challenge this week at Tuesday Taggers is Trees, the autumnal colours in the trees around where I live is absolutely stunning at the moment, especially when the sun is shining through them, but my tree here looks as if it would be right at home in Narnia....lol....where it is always winter but never Christmas!!!

I have made shaker ATCs like this before, but thought this was a good opportunity to revisit this very tactile little gem.

The tree image has been stamped in silver brilliance ink onto black glossy card and heat set, I have used glass seed beads for the filling and the textured window frame has been made by glueing tiny broken pieces of pasta ribbons onto the card with PVA and then painting with black acrylic paint. When the black paint was dry I dry brushed over it with some silver acrylic to get the frosty effect.

I can feel a series of these little shaker trees coming on.......all four seasons......watch this space!!

What a Fab Weekend !

2009-09-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

The photo below shows me (on the far left) the wonderful Dyan and my good friends and fellow Tuesday Taggers DT members Emma and Janet at the end of a fabulous two day mini-ranger university techniques weekend masterminded by Dyan at Art From The Heart in Harrogate.

Two days of wonderful inky, painty, shimmery play....combined with good food, great company, plenty of laughter and crafty shopping !!! what more could a girl ask for?

In two days we completed 38 different technique tags, using acrylic dabbers, dye inks, pigment inks, distress inks, distress crackle paint, perfect pearls, Claudine Hellmuth studio paints.....etc etc.... we spritzed, embossed, blended, resisted, painted, coloured in, altered, distressed, grunged and babywiped to our hearts content, ending up with each of us creating a wonderful resource file full of information, tips and techniques which can be added to in the future.

Some of the techniques were already familiar to me, but Dyan managed to put a new twist on them, others were entirely new and have opened up new ways of using my crafty stash. So huge thanks to Dyan, and to Emma and Janet for such an enjoyable weeked.....and here's to next time !

Bye for now

Bee xx

My Altered Clock for Tuesday Taggers

2009-09-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I hope this post finds you all well, I've had a very frustrating few hours with my computer this evening, firstly trying to get into my e-mails and then get an internet connection for long enough to write this blogg !! I have tried to upload the photos four times only to have the signal disconnect at the last moment, however I have finally managed to get the photos where I want them and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get this blogg completed without too many more problems.

The challenge this week at Tuesday Taggers is to use Sepia Tones on our projects.......

I found this little Mantle Clock in The Range a few weeks ago, very cheap, and looking in need of altering, so I decided to use it for this weeks challenge.

The first thing I did was to rub it down a little with some very fine sand paper and then give it a rub over with some tea dye distress ink . I used a Stampin Up Stamp to add some random cogs and sprockets using Sepia Archival Ink, Istamped some words directly on to the clock case and also added others using tissue paper. I used a couple of buttons and some Idea-ology sprockets to add dimension and texture and then overpainted everything with rock candy distress paint.

When the Distress paint had thoroughly dries I worked some Walnut Stain distress ink into the crackles and finally used a Copic marker to add some colour to the glass clock face.

I am really pleased with the end result and hope you like it too. I shall look forward to see what everyone else does for this challenge.

Bye for now Bee xx

Hello everyone, a bit of a catch up!

2009-09-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

This week has been super busy and the time has just flown, I can't believe that it is well over a week since I last posted anything on here, as well as having a lot going on at home, my computer has been playing up and it has been difficult to get or maintain broadband connections, making it almost impossible to blog.

My entry for Tuesday Taggers last week was actually a card!! the theme for the week was to use punches and or die cuts

The base card is acetate giving all the other layers the appearance of floating in mid air, I have used a Martha Strwart Border punch, punched a heart out of serendipity and then punched holes and put eyelets in before threading ribbon through and finishing off the heart with the LOVE brad, this has then been attached to a punched and stamped tag and placed on the front of the acetate, the serendipity background and brown matting layer with the punched border are inside the card, and there is a cream insert which has also been border punched. I love the layered look that I have achieved and also the fact that I made the serendipity papers out of scraps, I hate to throw anything away.

Smokey and Smudge, the kittens, are growing fast and beginning to settle in really well, they are getting more confident and enjoying exploring their new home. They had their first visit to the vet on Wednesday for their injections and behaved really well, then met another one of the other members of our household, Zulu our elderly Labrador / Greyhound Cross who seems quite happy to have them join the family.

On Thursday Kate, our friend Jim and I had a wonderful day out in York, including shopping and a good lunch then culminating in a hotair balloon trip in the evening, this was great fun and something we would all love to do again. Both Kate and Jim had special birthdays this year and this balloon trip was one of their birthday presents.

I have taken lots of photos of the kittens and of our balloon trip and will add some to the blog in the next day or so when I have uploaded them from my camera.

Bye for now

Bee xx

Lotstodo Challenge.

2009-09-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks, I haven't managed to make anything new for this weeks challege of using tissue paper, but the bookmark I made for the Tuesday Taggers Challenge this week includes stamping on Tissue paper..... and my "formerly White Shoes" created back in May haven't been entered in any challenge yet so here thery are for those of you who haven't seen them before.

For more pictures of these shoes see my blogg on 31st May.

Bee xx

Bookmark for Tuesday Taggers

2009-09-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone.

This weeks challenge over at Tuesday Taggers is to make a bookmark, with or without an accompanying card.

I have only just returned from holiday and only found time to complete a bookmark this week.
Basically I sandwiched a mixed medium collage between two pieces of acetate. There is a central core made from an old dictionary page coloured with distress inks which has been overlaid on both sides with stamped tissue paper, cut out images, cut out text, diecut letters etc. I have added additional colour using Copics Markers, mica pigments and PVA, distress embossing powders and finally added some hand stitching, ribbon and a Tim Holtz Idea-ology tag.

Unfortunately the photos are not very clear and don't show the detail very well.
Bee xx

Our New Arrivals....

2009-09-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note tonight to introduce our two new arrivals...

Smokey

and Smudge

They are nine week old brothers who joined our family last Thursday.... and are proving a very entertaining distraction.

This is their first scrapbook page, made in class at Running With Scissors in Grimsby on Saturday, the colours were just perfect for this photo of the boys.

Bye for now,

Bee xx

Hello from the high seas.

2009-09-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Well Brittany Ferries actually. No pictures today I'm afraid as I am on my way home from a fabulous two weeks relaxing in the heart of Brittany. I am pleased to see that my scheduled blogs have appeared at the right times...... I would have felt such an idiot if I'd got that wrong, and huge thanks to those of you who have stopped by to look at my blogg or have left comments on my blogg, they really are appreciated.
I shall catch up with you all over the next few days, once I am home.

bye for now Bee xx

Tuesday Taggers "Gift in a Jar"

2009-08-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks....fingers crossed again.....regarding the scheduler......when you read this I should be about halfway through my holiday in Brittany, by now I should be fully relaxed with my batteries recharged, .....I'll tell you more about it when I get back.

For this weeks challenge we were asked to make a gift in a bottle, although some of the other DT members have been playing with lotions and potions, I decided to make a gift aimed specifically at a crafty friend.

How often do you hear a crafter complain that their Mojo has gone AWOL....... Mojo Magic just might be the answer.

Jar Lid painted with Cosmic Shimmer pigments dissolved in PVA, Little envelopes and Jar lables etc created using Cosmic Shimmer and Tattered Angel spritz inks, embossing powder and stamped with Stayzon and Versamark, using Craft Individuals and PaperArtsy stamps. All available from our sponsor The Craft Barn.

Each envelope is attached to a piece of ribbon and contains a charm or embellishment and a word or theme to help kickstart creativity. Just pull out an envelope and see where it leads you.

In the best tradition of "Bottled Produce" my jar of Mojo Magic has been sealed using a wax seal.

Bye for now, see you all when I get back.

Bee xx

Tuesday Taggers Retro Week

2009-08-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,

I really hope I've set up the scheduler properly, or I might be letting the cat out of the bag early, If I have....big apologies all round.

Just a really quick post today, the theme at Tuesday Taggers starting Tuesday 18th August is "Retro", for my project this week I have created a clipboard using the October Afternoon goodies from The Craft Emporium that I won on TT a few weeks ago.....BIG THANK YOU LYN....

The Road Map papers and embellishments were exactly right for my project, I loved the colours and graphic quality of the images. On the back of the clipboard I added a digital picture of an old 2CV which I created from a photo (My OH owns a really old 2CV which he loves...)

The clipboard is to take on our road trip holiday to Brittany......which is where I should be by the time you read this....if....the scheduler works.....lol.

I call it our Road Trip Holiday because we travel by Road and then overnight on Brittany Ferries, this year there are eight of us going in two cars. We have been going back to the same place for five years now and it feels like home away from home....only with the Road Trip inbetween, and then once we get there, there are certain special places we like to visit every year as well as exploring new ones.

Bye for now

Bee xx

Altered Tin for Tuesday Taggers.

2009-08-11T00:59:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone.

It is an absolutely beautiful morning here in Lincolnshire, blue sky and sunshine, I really hope it lasts. I always feel so much better when the weather is good. I've got a busy week ahead of me as I am off on holiday with the family next Monday to Brittany, it is a place we try to go to every year and just love, but there is so much to do before I go....lol....it is always the same, I try to get organised ahead of time but somehow I never quite manage it.

The Theme this week at Tuesday Taggers is "Birds and Bees" it was chosen by my good friend and Design Team mate Clarky J. Today is her birthday, so here is a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY for her

For this challenge I have altered a small tin that used to contain a pack of playing cards, I have covered the entire tin and lid with a Print Backingpaper and then added distress inks using cut and dry foam. The bird, Branch and sentiment stamps are from a set by Stampin Up, the branch has been stamed twice and decoupaged. The bee is also a stamped image which has been cut out, coloured and glazed with glossy accents and added as an embellishment. The stamped images and their background have all been coloured using distress inks, and I used some sequin waste as a mask to add the"Honeycomb" which was then accentuated with Distress Stickles. This was then matted onto brown card stock before matting onto the lid. A seven gypsies Wax seal and a piece of ribbon around the edge of the tin lid finished the project off.

I hope you like it.

Bee xx

Stampboard Necklace.

2009-08-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
The challenge this week over at "Lots To Do" is to use stampboard in your project.
Now this is a challenge which I knew I would really enjoy, I just love Stampboard, it is so versatile and forgiving.
For my entry this week I have made a necklace using 3 pieces of stampboard, a few glass beads, brass spacers, metal findings and some cord.

The 3 pieces of stampboard were arranged into a single square and stamped as if they were one piece using an Artylicious Peacock Feather Stamp and black stayzon ink, the images were then coloured in using a very fine brush and Tinkabella acrylic ink, finally they were edged with a copper Krylon pen and glazed with Utee. I have use metal jewellery findings (although perhaps no as they were intended to be used) and jumprings to attach them to the cord.

Although I have used stampboard to make brooches, pendants and bag charms in the past, I am particularly pleased with this necklace, and Sam will like it I think....her favourite colour is green.

Bee xx

Lots of Weather today.....and Crafting

2009-08-06T13:05:00.000-07:00

There has certainly been lots of weather here today. This morning started out dull and drizzly, then that elusive phenonemon the Sun made a brief appearance, before the heavens opened....still a good excuse to get on with some crafting....as if I needed an excuse...lol.

This weekend is the third annual gathering of the Docrafts ATCers at Loughborough - Luffy as it is affectionately known, superbly organised by Barjan and his stalwart helpers....so first I made a few ATCs to take to swap.....

and then I made a double page scrapbook layout for Barjan's Challenge.
I normally scrapbook in either 12" x 12" or 8" x 8" format, but this time the layout had to be rectangular. One of the other requirements was to use stamping on the layout, so I used a script stamp in the background and stamped my titles.

The other requirement is that the scrapbook pages are ATC sized !!! yep that's right 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" ..... quite a challenge.

I hope you like them......lol.

Bee xx

2009-08-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
What a miserable day it has been weatherwise, cold, dull and pouring with rain this morning, hot, humid and dull this afternoon. I really felt like I needed some colour in my life this morning so I headed out into my Craft Shed and created this.....

It must have been the influence of the black rain clouds I could see out of the window....LOL,

It is a 99p Mirror bought at IKEA which I have altered for a challenge on The Lots to Do Site. The theme being recycle.
I have used torn corrugated cardboard and a ring pull as my main recycled materials, along with piece of ribbon and 4 brads. Everything was painted with black acrylic paint and then some silver acrylic dry brushed on the corrugations. A couple of pieces of sequin waste were used as masks and a silver wax rubbed through to add some more texture. A quote was then stamped with Black Stayzon onto tissue paper and adhered with PVA.
Unfortunately the photo doesn't show this mirror frame off to best advantage, but my 14 year old daughter laid claim to it the minute she saw it.....praise indeed....lol.

Bee xx

Key Tag / Photo Frame

2009-08-03T23:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

This is the Key Tag cum Photo frame I made for my first DT spot with Tuesday Taggers. The theme this week is Flowers, and there are some fantastic bits of inspiration produced by my DT team mates, check out the origami flowers Teri has made, they are fab, and Katy's Flower Pot. at http://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/

The tag is made almost entirely from grunge paper elements that I have cut on my new Cricut Expression, using the accent essentials cartridge that came with it. Frame and back, leaves and flower shapes.

After colouring the flowers I spritzed them lightly with water and added some shape to them before assembling them. They hold their shape really well when they dry.

I have used distress inks in Broken China, Dusty Concord, Peeled Paint and Frayed Burlap to colour all elements prior to assembly, and then coated the grunge paper surfaces with Diamond glaze to protect the whole piece.

A piece of acetate has been sandwiched between the frame and the backplate to cover the photo window, and protect the photo.

2 brads and 2 bead spacers were used to make up the flowers and help secure them in place.

Some twine for the stitching along two sides,both decorative and practical to help hold the frame together.

A Bee Button and an eyelet.

A Key ring and a magnetic closure to allow the photo to be changed.

There you have it!

I am really pleased with the end result. I love the way that distress inks react on grunge paper and the intensity of colour that can be achieved.

Bee xx

2009-07-27T14:10:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone.

Sorry I've been a bit quiet on here the last few days, I have been busy crafting,and using the cricut, but as the projects I've been working on are for future Tuesday Taggers Challenges, so I can't show you what I've been up to yet...... and that feels quite strange..... but I am sure I will get used to it, besides it is unusual for everything I make to be geared around TT challenges. The reason that I am getting a bit ahead of myself at the moment is because I am off on holiday in a few weeks to Brittany, and want to have made my pieces for the challenges that are on whilst I am away, before I go.

There is one exception though, that I can share with you.......
This 12" x 12" Canvas which I have made for this weeks Tuesday Taggers "Recycled Wall Hanging" Challenge.

The canvas background has been painted with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Colours and a baby wipe, one of my favourite get messy techniques...lol...learnt from Dylan at Art From The Heart.

The main piece consists of some open weave hessian mounted onto grey chipboard and sprayed with glimmer mist "Suede" through a lovely swirly glimmer mask, although this doesn't show up very well in the photo..

The corugated cardboard was coloured first with distress inks and then with Distress Crackle Paint in Weathered Wood and Aged Mahogany.

The Crafty Individuals swirly mini frame was also coloured with distress inks before being given a liberal coat of Weathered Wood Distress Crackle Paint.

The photo, in the frame, is one of my own, but was taken on a dull day so I have used distress inks in Tattered Rose and Broken China to give a sunset feel to the picture.

The words on the corrugated cardboard and Frame have been stamped onto tissue paper and then applied with PVA glue.

The individual words mounted on the hessian were from my computer and then coloured and mounted on card.

I have finished the piece off with some jewellery twine and glass beads, a couple of tags and a bit of Idea-ology metal (pin and sentiment tag).

I hope you like it.
Bee xx

Some Exciting News !!

2009-07-25T15:31:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I have some exciting news that I have been wanting to share with you all since yesterday. Those fab ladies over at Tuesday Taggers have invited me to join their Design Team!... YAY !!
I am so excited that I am almost lost for words, it means sooooo much to me, and I am really looking forward to the challenge.

For those of you who haven't come across Tuesday Taggers (TT) yet, it is a very friendly weekly challenge blogg site, aimed at ALL crafters, whatever their interests ie: ATC's, Tags, Inchies, Cards, Altered Art etc.
As well as the weekly challenges, there are regular tutorials, introducing different techniques etc, and sometimes there are goodies up for grabs. Participants in the challenges may also get the chance to feature as a TT guest designer.

Tuesday Taggers is fortunate to have received Sponsorship from the following companies, The Craft Barn, The Craft Emporium and The Stamp Man.

There is a link button to Tuesday Taggers in the side bar of this blogg if you want to come see what the fun is about and hopefully join in with our weekly challenges.

Bee xx

Quick Catch Up

2009-07-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.

This is just a quick catch up tonight, no piccys I'm afraid, mainly because I haven't made anything apart from my Tag for Tuesday Taggers so far this week, I have however been having a crafty play with my new Cricut Expression Machine which arrived on Tuesday and it was up and running inside 5 mins...lol.. so far I have finished off one scrap page that has been waiting for a title for about 18months, cut some leaf motifs that may form part of an altered mirror frame and generally had a good time just finding out what it can do.

This evening Kate and I went to see Harry Potter 6, which like the book is much darker than the previous films, I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but the special effects are as good if not better than ever, I thought it was worth going to see and just wonder how long we will have to wait for HP7. I will of course have to reread HP6 now to see what they left out of the film.

The other thing I have done today is to start to twitter, but its a bit quiet and lonely twittering to myself ( ok so there is nothing new in me talking to myself, I do it all the time, I just think I am actually trying to converse with my OH and DD....LOL) so if any one cares to join me on twitter I would love the company.

Bye for now

Bee xx

Another Tag for Tuesday Taggers.

2009-07-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I've just finished making a tag!!.. although it could be masquerading as a bookmark.. for this week's challenge over at Tuesday Taggers. The theme this week is Swirls and Curls.

I even managed to use a few techniques that I didn't use on my Key Tag.

The tag is double layered, the bottom layer is a matt coated card stock and the top layer is acetate. I have used a versamark resist technique and brayer to stamp the coated card with the "Swirly Bird" stamp from Dimension Fourth, I also made a mask of the bird and then overstamped some swirly corners.

The Swirly Bird was also Stamped onto the acetate using stayzon, and a few of the design elements highlighted by using a clear glue and fine glitter on the reverse side.

Top Tip..... do not cut your acetate to match your backing card until you have positioned the image on the acetate directly over the image on the base card, secure in place with low tack tape and then trim.

The heart lace strip has been punched out of cream card using a Martha Stewart Edging punch, and adhered to the card layer, some buttons and a few of the small hearts from the punched design have been glued on top of the acetate to add dimension.

The two layers are held together by an eyelet which has then had some fibres tied through it (including some curly ones). Job done. I hope you like it.

I'll be back later.

Bee xx

A Tag for Tuesday Taggers.

2009-07-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Sunday's are the days when I get the most uninterupted time to play in my craftroom. Apart from cooking Sunday Dinner, which I can do on automatic pilot now, the rest of the day generally is mine!! Today I was sitting with this little lot in front of me, thinking about this week's Tuesday Taggers Challenge of "Texture". I have already entered a Handbag charm made with inchies, so I don't know if I can enter anything else, but I thought it was time I actually made a tag......
So I used the textured Grunge board and distress inks to make a Key Tag !
I started by cutting out a shape from the grunge board, threading a key ring onto it and colouring it using distress inks with cut and dry foam.

Then I added a metal sentiment tag, an inchie, some grunge paper flowers,and ribbons.

A few more buttons, a curtain ring, some stamping with Stayzon Ink, tissue paper, a skeleton leaf, and yet more ribbon.....

Then I folded the tag in half using very strong adhesive between the two faces.

Then diamond glaze and crackle glaze to stop the ink moving if the tag got wet. ......and to hold the embellishments securely.

Finally I punched some holes on two diagonally opposite corners using my cropodile and used yet more ribbon to sew through one set of holes, and used eyelets in the opposite corner, this was done partly to ensure that the tag does not split open and partly just because .......they were sitting on my desk....lol.

Finished at last.....Pheeew !!!

Have we had a challenge yet to see how many techniques etc we can get into one project ?

All that's left to do is to see if I can enter it into this weeks challenge..... and decide who might end up owning this little treasure.

Bye for now

Bee xx

My Goodies from The Craft Emporium Arrived.

2009-07-19T02:17:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone.

I just thought I would post a piccy of the lovely papers and embellishments from October Afternoon's Road Map Collection, that I recieved from The Craft Emporium yesterday.
this was the prize that I won in the Tuesday Taggers random draw on Tuesday for last week's challenge.

As well as thanking the girls at TT I must say a big thankyou to Lyn at The Craft Emporium, the parcel was well wrapped and arrived so quickly.

I am looking forward to using these papers, probably in connection with our Summer Holiday to Brittany in a few weeks as we always travel to Brittany by car. This year we have 2 cars going down to Portsmouth from Lincolnshire to get the overnight ferry to St Malo, so I reckon that counts as a road trip....lol.

I must confess that I probably wouldn't have bought this collection of papers for myself but having looked at them, I can really see the possibilities.

See you all later,
Bee xx

Happy Thursday

2009-07-16T12:57:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Had a busy day on Tuesday seeing my NVQ candidates and spent most of yesterday psyching myself up to get the write ups done, it was quite a difficult job as there were plenty of distractions, firstly there were two men out in my garden all day erecting a new fence, secondly I was still on a high about my win over on Tuesday Taggers, finally it is always hard to get going when I have two lengthy reports to write up and I want to do justice the the excellent work I have observed. However I finally got one completed yesterday and finished the other one this morning before I put my "posh suit" on to go to my daughter's prize giving at school this lunchtime.
So this afternoon with all my jobs done ( and changed back into play clothes) I decided I deserved a bit of playtime in my crafty shed.
This weeks challenge at Tuesday Taggers is "Texture", having done my altered box last week I decided to use inchies this week, but as is usually the case, my project ended up being quite different to what I anticipated.
2 inchies, a couple of charms, a few beads, distress inks, embossing powder, grunge paper, tissue paper and a stamp, a brad, gold leaf and some jewelery findings = one textured hand bag charm.
One inchie had opposing corners cut off to form a lozenge shape, then both inchies were inked with a mixture of broken china, mustard seed and spiced marmalade distress ink on both sides, one side of each was triple embossed and small glass beads embedded in the utee on one and gold leaf on the other, a small flower was punched out of grunge paper and coloured with the same inks, a metalic spacer was used in the centre of the flower and the whole lot held together with a turquoise brad. An image was stamped onto tissue paper and adhered to the unglazed side of the square inchie with diamond glaze, which was also used to adhere the grunge paper flower. Diamond glaze was used to adhere a small piece of a skeleton leaf to the unglazed side of the lozenge shape and also to adhere the metal flower charm. The bag charm was made up with textured heart shaped beads on header pins between the two "inchie" elements and a "made with love" charm suspended from the bottom.
The heat embossing changed the colour of the inks on that surface of the inchies making the ink dark and aged looking, whilst the diamond glazed sides look more vibrant.

Enjoy.
Bee xx

Yipeee!!!

2009-07-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my luck, I won the October Afternoon goodies on the Tuesday Taggers blogg this week.
The prize was donated by the Craft Emporium and consists of products from the Road Map Collection.

I am suprised and delighted as I never usually win anything in raffles or draws etc. and I am looking forward to my goodies arriving.

The Tuesday Taggers Challenges are great fun to join in with, and there are some great themes, this week it is "Texture" so plenty of scope to play around with.

I should also like to thank the people who have commented on my Venezia Canvas and my altered box, your comments are most appreciated.

Bee xx

Finally Caught Up I Think !!

2009-07-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Third Blogg posting of the day it must be a record for me.....Altered Box completed, ready to submit to Tuesday Taggers....before the midnight deadline.

I don't have work in progress photos for this I'm afraid, but it was one of those boxes that expensive but horrible christmas toiletries come in. It was originally a bright emerald green so I painted it over with a couple of coats of white gesso some while back and then left it until my mojo told me it was time to get on with it.

Well my creative juices were shaken and stirred at the weekend, courtesy of Clarky J, Midnight Crafter, Emma etc etc....and the resulting box is inspired by something they were playing with.

I decided to ink over the gesso with brushed corduroy distress ink, which made the box look like a wooden box....that was just waiting to be altered ...lol...and then created the piece of artwork for the lid using corrugated card, distress inks, shimmer spray, a dreamweaver stencil and texture paste, a lovely sentiment about friends, some hand coloured paper and a couple of Idea-ology metal pieces. Job done !!! I hope it passes muster.

Bee xx

Claxby Crafty Retreat

2009-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hi again folks.

Well the Claxby Crafty Retreat finally arrived this weekend, it seems such a long while since Kate and I met up with our Crafty Friends for a weekend of Crafting and Laughter. The last time we got together was in March, up in Grassington, when Michelle and Janet (ClarkyJ) were the hostesses for the weekend. We have been meeting up as a group for about 4 years now, having first met at a craft retreat at Malham Tarn Field Studies Centre, this time there were 11 of us spending the weekend together. From Skipton, Catterick, Grantham and Market Rasen.

This time we had decided to meet up here in Lincolnshire and it fell to Kate and I to organise the venue etc. for us all.

In a bid to keep costs down, we hired The Viking Centre www.thevivkingcentre.org.uk a local hostel about 4 miles from where I live for a Do it ourselves self catering weekend. Kate and I did the main shopping etc as we live locally but everyone made a contribution by way of gorgeous soups and scrummy cakes etc. and everyone mucked in with cooking washing up etc.

From Friday afternoon until everyone reluctantly set off home at 6:00 pm on Sunday, we crafted, laughed, crafted, ate, crafted....occasionally slept and crafted...... well you get the picture... or rather you don't....I can't put the photos I took on my blogg as most people were still in their pyjamas when I took them ......crafting in pyjamas.....just shows what good friends we have all become, you can't do that in front of strangers can you.

There were people who we would have liked to be there, but who couldn't make it this time, so lets hope they can get to our next get together at Malham Tarn again in October.

I never get as much crafting done on these weekends as I hope to do, I so much enjoy looking at what everyone else is creating, altering, or just experimenting with, everyone has a different style and different talents, and it never ceases to amaze me how quickly we can turn a clean and tidy space into a scene of creative chaos...lol

The caretaker for the Viking centre popped in to see us on Saturday evening, as she has recently started card making, and we had invited her to join us for a while, and looked quite visibly shaken and taken aback at the state of the place (not one horizontal surface visible) hopefully she was relieved when she saw that it had returned to normality be the time we all left.

I did manage to crack open my Claudine Hellmuth Studio paints and create a canvas inspired by my recent trip to Venice. The dew drops scattered across the canvas remind me of Venetian Glass and catch the light really nicely, the flower at the bottom left corner has been made with grunge paper.

Hope you like it.

Bee xx

Mega Catch Up !!!

2009-07-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone.

I can't believe it is more than 3 weeks since I last posted anything on here. I have been mega busy, see, and the time has flown by.

When I last posted on here Kate and I were just off to Venice for a three day City Break, I am pleased to report that we had a really good time, the weather was kinder than the forecast and Venice it self exceeded our expectations. We walked miles, made good use of the waterbuses, visiting the Islands of Murano and Burano as well as Venice it-self, and took hundreds of photos, which now need scrapping, and I have the journal I started before we went, to finish.

As we had booked an evening flight, our first views of Venice were at Sunset (From the plane) as we flew into Marco Polo Airport. It was getting quite dark by the time we had retrieved our luggage and were ready to leave the airport.

Before we left the airport we purchased 2 day tourist tickets for the Buses and Waterbuses and asked directions for getting to "Arsenale" the area of Venice where our hotel was located. We were told to get a bus to Plaza De Roma and then to get the Waterbus to Arsenale. This resulted in our first proper views of Venice being as we travelled down the Grand Canal by night. It was magical as all the buildings and waterfront Restaurants etc were lit up. We later discovered that we could have taken a different waterbus, direct from the airport to Arsenale, which would have been quicker but we would have missed out on "Venice by Night". Unfortunately my camera was still packed away......

Next day, we got down to some serious sightseeing.

As well as such famous Venetian Landmarks as St Marks Square, The Rialto Bridge and The Doges Palace, we visited the Island of Murano which is famous for it's Venetian Glass

and Burano, famous for it's Lace Industry and the colourful cottages which line the Canals.

The three days flew by, and Wednesday night saw us flying back into East Midlands Airport..... and already planning our next trip.

Thursday 24th of June saw us at the Lincolnshire County Show on a scorching hot day, supporting my youngest daughter, who was riding in her riding club team for the first time at such a huge event. The team were knocked out in the first round, but Emily really enjoyed the experience and is hoping to get into the team again next year.

Friday and Saturday saw Kate and I at our local Scrapbooking Shop Running With Scissors helping out as tea girls and shop assistants, as well as scrapping and cropping, because Tracey's Dad who normally helps out when she is teaching, was away on a cruise for 2 weeks.

We had a house full at the weekend too, Lucy, Emily's best friend at school, came for a sleepover Friday night and my eldest daughter, Ashlea and her partner Dan also came to stay for the weekend. They took Emily and Lucy to Lightwater Valley for the day on the Saturday and they all had a great time.

On the Monday I finally found time to unpack and have a sort out....before work on Tuesday and Wednesday, how on earth I ever used to work full time, I just don't know.

A quietish day on Thursday was followed by two more days combining the joys of scrapping with being a tea girl and shop assistant....it really has been good fun helping out...and more visitors at the weekend.

Monday was catch up day once again, followed by working with my NVQ Candidates on Tuesday and writing up my observations on Wednesday, combined with writing lists of things to buy and equipment to pack for our long awaited Craft Retreat with friends at The Viking Centre Claxby.......more of which in my next post.

I'm exhausted just thinking about the last two weeks....lol..... think I need another holiday

See you all later

Bee xx

One more sleep...

2009-06-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

and then tomorrow I'm off to Venice for three whole days, got to get up early in the morning and do my packing, I still haven't decided what to wear or what to take with me other than my sister in law Kate and both my cameras....lol Kate is by far and away the best member of my family to take on short city breaks as she enjoys looking at places in the same way that I do and doesn't complain when I insist on revisiting the same square or little back street time and again to take hundreds of photos.

Part of the reason for my indecision is that I have been checking out the venetian weather forcasts for the next few days and decided I liked the one provided by Thompson Holidays the best.......mostly sunny and warm, the others forcast rain and thunderstorms right through till Thursday...still I won't let getting wet spoil the trip.....but do I pack for warm and sunny or overcast skies, rain and thunder storms ?

The journal that I started making in the week has progressed a bit, I have now started to lay down background colour on the first few pages using distress inks but I have left the rest blank, I want to wait until I get back from the trip before I do any more.

The cold that I have had all week seems to be clearing up, I am certainly feeling better than I did and a few hefty doses of decongestants have also had a positive effect, thank goodness.

I haven't decided yet whether to take my little lap top with me, so I may not be around again until the end of the week, on the other hand you could find a daily report on my Venetian Vacation (and weather updates....lol) Broadband permitting.

Bye for now folks, see you when I get back, if not sooner.

Bee xx

Travel Journal....The Story Continues

2009-06-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling really rough today with a sore throat and really oppressive headache, so I've come to bed early with the laptop and a mug of coffee......I really hope that this cold goes away quickly as I want to be able to enjoy Venice next week.

I haven't got as much crafting done today as I had planned but I have made some progress with my travel journal. You will remember from my last post, that I couldn't decide whether to do Barcelona or Venice first......they will both HAVE to be done eventually....lol......

Well the winner is................... Venice.

The reason being that I found a lovely download of some Carnival Masks and it set me off, after all Venice is famous for its Masked Balls and Carnivals, as well as Canals, Murano glass and its faded opulence...etc. etc.

Here is my Title page.

After choosing an image, resizing it and removing some of the background in Photshop Elements I printed it on to some acetate. Then I dabbed some white acrylic paint over thre light areas of the face, which had the effect of moving some of the ink, giving the image a worn look. On the non inky side I stamped the Stampin Up Baroque swirls a couple of times and then traced over them with some Icy Blue stickles. Finally I added chipboard Thickers lettering for my title.

I have backed the page with some BG Periphery Paper, cut to size, this may get some additional journaling etc later. I think backing it against the browns and blues makes a huge difference to how the page looks.

Then I started on my covers. I found two sheets of Brown 12 x 12 that really needed something adding, Sue (Paper Paradise) Abbott has made me think about my less than loved papers in an entirely different way. An A4 sheet of home made paper (photocopy paper, and moonglow stains, then scrunched) some glimmer mist in turquoise and a broken china distress ink pad.

First I cut the 12x12 to size for the outside of the front and back covers and a third piece for the inside of the wrap around flap. I cut the A4 sheet of paper in half for the insides of the back and front covers. Then I sprayed the 3 pieces of brown with the turquoise glimmer mist. When it was dry I adhered it to my mount board covers, using a spray adhesive. Then added the inner end papers.

At this point I added the distress ink with a piece of cut and dry foam, working in from the edges.

Finally I used the Baroque scroll, versamark ink pad and some Verdegris Embossing powder to add some detail to the front cover.

Well that is as far as I got today..... next I have got to think about the pages to go inside.... Do I start them now ? or wait until after I get back from the trip?

Time to go make another drink I think......see you all in a while

Bee xx

My latest project....

2009-06-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous Blogg, I recently spent a pleasant afternoon mooching around IKEA, what I didn't mention was that I had stopped at Borders and Paperchase on the way..... all those gorgeous notebooks and other stationary !!!! I was really taken by some Travel Journals they had in, notebooks with partitions, pockets, envelopes etc all bound together.....but....I really didn't like the prices.......lol.....

After a bit of a rummage in my craft room and a little thought I came up with these bits and bobs.

As you can see I've cut front and back covers from mount board, cream pages and pocket shaped insert, I have made an envelope and tag from some 12 x 12 paper and punched grunge paper circles to make the closure, and found a couple of ATC holders that are the right sort of size, a few bits of metalware and some magnetic closures, complete my haul. I have put all the pages and inserts through my Bind-It-All ready to assemble when I have decorated it all.

It doesn't look much yet but it will be a very individual Travel Journal, all I've got to decide is whether I do Barcelona first (from my trip there 2 years ago) or Venice ...... decisions, decisions....lol

I've been out meeting with my NVQ candidates today, and then my Tuesday Torture Session at the Gym......I will one day be fit and at least thinner than I am now if not thin !!! so I haven't had time to play today, but I shall have a play tomorrow and see what evolves.

Bye for now.

Bee

More Musings from Me ..

2009-06-14T05:07:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how the time flies, it is almost two weeks since I put anything on here.....I guess it is partly because I have been messing around with a lot of bits and bobs but don't have anything finished...lol...I have a number of "projects" in the pipeline, and I'm off to Venice for a three day City Break next Sunday so, hopefully lots of photos and inspiration when I get back.... so watch this space.

One thing that I have done this week though is put some of my own photos up on a wall in frames, something I have never done before, but last Monday I was browsing my way around IKEA..as you do,,and came across some nice simple 9" x 9" birch picture frames....I sooo wish they had had some 12 x 12 scrapbook page sized ones too.

I had originally intended to print off some digital scrapbook pages at 8" x 8" of a City break to Barcelona, to put in the frames, but I was really taken by some of the monochrome prints on sale at IKEA showing architectural details etc and I decided to take another look at some of my own photos instead.
My sister in law Kate and I went to Barcelona on May 2007 as a Birthday Treat for me, I have had this City as number one on my to visit list for years. I had purchased my first Digital Camera just before our trip and I took hundreds of Photos...lol..lots of them of small details rather than wider views.
When I got back from the trip I wanted to do something with my photos other than just view them on my computer so I made my first ever Digital Scrap pages using Software downloaded for free from http://www.scrapbookflair.com/ see my pages here :http://www.scrapbookflair.com/BusyBee2/Barcelona_2007/page1 They are quite simple pages but sum up the holiday and show the colour, variety and vibrancy of Barcelona.
Here are the photos I eventually chose to put in my frames.....They are basically monotones but not Black and White, I love them as they sum up our visit to Barcelona, although they don't tell the whole story ..... This was taken in Gaudi's Famous Church of the Sagrada Famillia from the bottom of a stone spiral staircase looking straight up.

This head was a carved detail on the side of a passageway in the oldest medieval part of Barcelona.

This "Alien" is oneof the Chimneys of The Pedera a block of Apartments built by Gaudi in about 1906, (Viewed from the roof garden)

And finally this is a close up of part of the Gospel (In Catalan) Cast in Bronze on the Main doors of the Sagrada Famillia.

Here are the four pictures grouped together on my bedroom wall.....and I've got four more frames for Venice.
Bye for Now
Bee

I love the Idea of White Shoes...But....

2009-05-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

I hate the way that I scuff the toes and catch the heel the first (and usually last ) time I wear them.
I love pristine white shoes, the trouble is they don't stay that way for long. I found this pair at the bottom of my wardrobe when I was clearing out some junk......

I decided to give them a revamp.

I have used Claudine Hellmuth Studio paints "Dab of Red" and "Dab of Yellow" and a baby wipe to add a spot of colour.

Next it was out with the rubber stamps, tissue paper, Black Stayzon Ink pad and some watered down PVA.

Below are pictures of my finished shoes.

Wearable Art!!!.....LOL... Don't you just love them ! I think I should wear these the next time I go to Art From The Heart.

See you all later.

Bee

2009-05-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, I have had a lovely day, and learnt some new skills along the way. This morning I was at my regular scrapbooking class at Running With Scissors, another lovely double layout designed by Tracey Jackson, although there was quite a bit of fiddly cutting out to contend with, the end result was worth it. In the afternoon there was a crop as well so no pressure to rush pages just to get done by the end of the class. Unfortunately for my bank balance I tend to shop as much as I crop...lol, my latest addiction being Copic Markers....there are just soooo many to collect!!! I end up buying a handful nearly every time I go into the shop.I also took the opportunity to pick Tracey's brain about my blogg (Tracey's blogg is ace) and the results of her clear instructions can be seen at the top of the page, I have now customised my Blogg Header, still a work in progress, but coming along. A spot of clothes shopping followed, I really don't have anything to wear at the moment as I have lost loads of weight..yay!! and my hot weather clothes are all far too big, I only bought a few basics, nothing really special, then home for a leisurely B-B-Q in the garden.

I've spent this evening editing my blogg header and browsing the internet. I've just found a Blank colour chart for Copics markers on the Web and sat and filled in all the colours I've collected so far so that I have a ready reference when I am using them, and no I'm not going to tell you how many that is (my OH might just read this.) I'm off now to have a look at the Bloggs I'm following,

Bye for now

Bee

No Piccies Today

2009-05-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

No time for crafting today.....this morning was spent putting together a new IKEA double bed, this afternoon was spent meeting my new NVQ Candidates. Now that I am no longer caring for my father I am returning to work on a very part time basis as an NVQ Assessor in the Health and Social Care Sector. Then this evening I went to the Gym !!! Now it's too hot and humid to do anything......still there's always tomorrow. Happy Crafting. Bee

Now for some Cards

2009-05-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

May is a busy month in our household when it comes to birthdays etc, First it was my youngest daughter Emily's 14th Birthday, then my Birthday and 15th Wedding Anniversary and this week is my husbands Birthday !! Here are the cards I made.

Emily's favourite colour is blue and she really liked this not quite monochrome card.
For our Wedding Anniversary, I reverted to Black and White, I have flocked the swirl and layered up the prima flowers with ones punched out of the background paper to add dimension along with using the X-cut 3d Butterfly punch.
My Husband's card was more of a challenge ......Why are men ALWAYS so difficult!!! He isn't interested in any of the usual "men's things" such as Football or Golf, so I settled for using my newest Stampin Up Stamp set and TH Distress Inks,....then I found a little stash of Watch parts......a bit of ribbon and a few brads later...job done! I do hope he likes it, not that he gets to keep it very long...lol...it will soon be back in my craft room.

My Mum and Dad

2009-05-27T02:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I put the scrap pages that I had made about my Dad on here, today I am adding some that I have made about my Mum and my Dad as well as a couple about her on her own, I can't claim the design or layout of these pages as they were started at classes run by a really Talented Scrapper called Tracey Jackson (tj-runningwithscissors.blogspot.com) who owns our local craft shop also called Running With Scissors. I have tweaked each of the pages a little but basically they are as she taught them, they just fitted with the photos so well.

"Landgirl"

This photo was taken not long after Mum and Dad first met, he was in the RAF Air Sea Rescue Service stationed at Invergordon and she was in the Land Army , based in Alness. Mum was about 19 when this photo was taken, I have used one of the circular elements here for my journaling. Journaling is really important to me, it helps the page tell the story behind the pictures, and makes a Scrapbook more than a deliciously decorated photo album.

"Just Married"

The papers and lace used on this layout work perfectly with this black and white photo, Mum and Dad look so happy. The journaling around the photo was my own tweak on Tracey's layout, and I didn't bother with a big title as I felt the picture said it all, In the pocket behind the photo is a copy of Mum and Dad's Marriage Certificate.

"The Wedding Party"

This page shows the whole Wedding Party, on Tracey's original the large tag on the right was stuck in place on 3d foam pads, I have left it to dangle and used the back as a space to record the names and relationships of the people in the photo to one another. This photo is quite special to me as my Great Grandmother and all four of my Grandparents are in the photo, one Grandfather died before I was born and my Great Grandmother and other Grandfather died when I was 4 years old.

"Love You ......Miss You"

This page was so simple to do, but so effective, I love the ribbons laced through eyelets, it helps to make it a softer more feminine page. The colours worked for me too, as when this photo was taken, before I was born, Mum worked for Marks & Spencers and their bags, logo etc were bright green on white at that time. In my Album this page faces the one of my Dad in the RAF as he was away at sea for most of the first 4 years of their marriage. The title of Mum's page says it for both of them.

And finally for now..... A double page spread of my mother with me and my younger brother.

"Hugs With Mother"

This layout was designed by Tracey but I have changed the papers and added the large flower embellishment, I have also made the "Mother" title strip into a flap, and my journaling is inside.

2009-05-26T02:55:00.000-07:00

Hello there, I'm Bee,

Welcome to my world and my blog, I am finally taking the plunge into the world of bloggdom to share some of my crafty creations.

The title for my blog: Artographically-Me comes from three sources Art, Photography and Biography, as I frequently use Arts and Crafts combined with photographs to say something about me, my family and friends, through scrapbook pages etc, although sometimes (a lot of the time actually) I just play !

This is a photo of an A3 canvas that I completed yesterday. It was inspired by a wonderful day that I spent at a workshop on Bee's Wax Collage at Art From The Heart in Harrogate with the inimitable Dyan Reavely on Saturday.
Maz, Lisa, Sam Sue and I travelled up from Grimsby for the day, we had a fantastic time, both in the studio and in the shop !!!

I have used the Claudine Hellmuth Studio paints and Grunge paper that I bought on the day, combine with photos that I took and some recycled elements from a mail order delivery from AFTH (the crystal heart and twine) to make this visual record of my day. The colours and background techniques were inspired by some of those we used at the workshop, the title says it all about Dyan's passion and the inspiration that she generates. I am also flattered to know that Dyan has put this picture on her blogg !!! How cool is that ! Thank you Dyan.

My Dad.... Another Source of Inspiration.

Sadly my father passed away at Easter, He was 84 years old and had been living with us for the past year. I was his carer during that time. Having him with us for that time was a wonderful experience and allowed me to get to know him all over again, as a person as well as being my Dad, it has been a real comfort to work on some scrap book pages about his life.

" In The RAF"
These pages were completed using mainly papers from the Basic Grey Boxer Range, although papers from the Periphery range by Basic Grey were also used. On each page there is a flap or a pocket - or both - containing copies of documents such as Dad's birth certificate and school leaving report, his service record and mention in dispatches ( for bravery when he was 20 years old and serving on the Rescue Launches in the Royal Navy) When I look at the photo of him in his Naval Uniform he just looks so young, but by the time this photo had been taken he had already been gazetted.