HAPPY BOXING DAY

to you all! hope that you all had a great day yesterday and created some lovely memories with families and friends.

Today its my turn over at Tando Creative Challenge blog to showcase my

SEASONAL WISHES

so, here for all of you....

The large hanging ornament piece was painted with acryllic paint and then hi-lighted with white pen and gold stickles...this was then mounted onto a plain white card and the edges doodled with black pen.  A stamped sentiment finished off the piece.

There is still some time left to enter the challenge this month and for one lucky winner there is a selection of Tando goodies how fab is that??

Enjoy the rest of the Christmas period xx

Tando Blog hop - birds

Today sees another Tando Blog Hop - this times Birds are the theme...

You should have reached me via the Tando Creative Blog, just leave a comment at each hop and finish off at the Tando blog.  For one lucky Hopper there is a great prize of Tando bits.....

My offering for today (please forgive the photo, I will take a better one in the daylight), is a tag:-

I used a dylusions mask and texture paste to place holly around the edge of the tag...then painted over using distress stains, little holly berry were added with a red gloss pen. Splats from the winter berries and mown lawn bottles were added to the background.  Believe is from the same mask and was added using festive berry distress ink.  The tando branch and two birds were coloured using distress inks and then a coat of crackle glaze added...three tando stars were blinged up using distress stickles in gold - the ribbon was coloured using the stains again...

Your next point of call on the hop is....... Kaz

Don't forget to leave a comment at each hop you might be the lucky winner.

Should you get lost along the way just pop back to the Tando blog and you'll be able to see the full list there.

Good Luck and TFL xx

PAPERMAZE BLOG HOP

Today sees the second Papermaze bloghop, this time focusing on the great December kit, which is available in the shop, and which is also the prize for one lucky hopper who leaves a comment at each stop.  You should have reached me via Wendy's blog.....

Today I have created this:-

Its a tri-shutter card and each section has been covered with Kaisercraft paper from a 6x6 pad.  The poinsettia on the front has been cut using the Sizzix poinsettia die, the base leaves were coloured using distress stains and the edges inked and then doodled with gold pen.  The embellishments are all Tando minis which have either been painted or inked with stickles added and definition and hi-lights added with black and white pens.  The middle section is a stamp by Kars which I bought from the shop a while ago but can"t see on the website! lol bling and an inked piece of card added for text, finish it all off!

Your next point of call is Karen

If you get lost along the way just pop back to the Papermaze blog.

Don't forget for one lucky blogger that leaves a comment at every stop there is a December kit as the prize....

TFL xx

Tando Creative

This week over on the Tando Creative Blog the theme is "Deck the Halls" - so with Christmas in mind my choice of piece is the Christmas Tree Printers Tree.....

I adhered the shaped pieces with strong pva glue then painted the entire piece and the back piece with green paint, when dry I painted them again with distress rock candy crackle paint and then attached the sections to the back plate....taking a selection of Christmas minis, stockings, christmas ornaments, snowmen, candles, wonky tress, bells and holly, snowflakes and stars which were off set against the main star cut into the frame (the bow on the ornaments is off the present set) I coloured them using various mediums and added hi-lights using posca pens and glossy accents....I then adhered them to the frame using pva glue and silicone gel to gain height.....a bit of bling was added to the centre of the snowflakes and the star and bow...

Don't forget to pop over to the Tando blog during the week as there are loads of great inspiration and each week there is a different theme too....

TFL xx

Tando Product focus - blog hop

Today sees another Product Focus Blog Hop from Tando Creative and hopefully you've arrived at my blog from the main Tando Blog.

Tando do a lovely music mask, pieces of music in two sizes and a collection of musical instruments to add to your projects...click here...

Today I've made an ATC:-

The base is texture paste thro' the music mask and then various paints and sprays added...the music was painted black and then scrapings of gold paint added....the stickers are from a bo bunny pack...(my craft room is currently is a MESS! and I seriously can't find my stamps!! hence the stickers!)....

A while ago I also did this:-

rofl my very basic attempt at scrapping! the guitars (coloured with distress inks the rock candy added, jewellery wire was added for cords and the little metals pieces were from OH's new sweater)....the music, notes and word musc are all Tando pieces are were painted with black glaze...

The next stop on this months blog hop is Caro...don't forget to leave a comment at each hop and you'll be entered into the draw for some very special candy...

TFL xx

Swaps/Challenges

Janet, Nancy, Karen, Tracey, Janina and I challenge each other at the monthly crop to create something that little bit different out of given items.  Over the past 18 months/ 2 years, we've decorated jigsaw puzzles, books, boxes, picture frames and the like then some more unusual items like a mousetrap and a light bulb is the next on the agenda!!

Due to "incidents" I'm a bit behind with my projects...but, have had a mammouth binge and caught up...leaving only the lightbulb to do...

so, we had a papermache hanger from janina which I created this:-

I painted the frame red to start off with and then heat embossed it...but, it sat on the side for ages with no inspiration...so, I painted it black, rubbed inka gold (one non mouldy jar!) on the edges and then added two acryllic painted Tando Creative  butterflies...the lady in the centre is a lost coast stamp which I just adore....she was coloured in using water colour pencils and then I doodled on her face!! lolxx

Then the next project I was behind on was...

a white box given to us all by Karen....

I lined the box with paper which I had stamped with a pen nib stamp on each side, the saying is a Stampers Anonymous stamp...the butterflies are cut from Graphic 45 paper and hi-lighted with rock candy glitter...the flowers also had a little bit of glitter too....the lid and base were painted with metallic distress stain as were the Tando Creative bird and branch and the mini stars...The sides and top also had paint over a mask and doodled on the lid to add a bit of "bling" lolxx

Lastly, this was a keyring given to us by janet...

I know I showed this in the Tando Minis bloghop - but, its now gone to its new home...and I hope that Tracey likes it....base changed from military green to purple using alcohol inks, Tando creative minis painted with acryllic paint and then doodled.  Studio 490 butterfly stamped onto clearly for art using paint and then pearl trim added.....

TFL xx

1st November "letters" day

Over on the Tando Creative blog we're focusing on one theme per week, this week its

LETTERS

I'm more a "numbers" girl myself, but, I'll have a go at anything me...

So, here's my letters...or letter....

I know another journal page!!! I've a problem tho' these pages have been in a "practise" journal and it wasn't really made for this sort of thing!! although it was sold as an artist journalling book - think that possibly they had watercolours and sketches in mind!! lol so, I've gone and torn the page....think now I'm getting the hang of things I'll progress to a better book!!! lol

Anyway, this time I've started off using a Tando Mask and texture paste - if you've not tried the tando masks I seriously urge you to do so, they are really good for all mediums....paste, inks, paints, water...FAB results every time....then when dry I painted the page with several acryllic paints, then using Tando masks again used them with paint and distress inks.  Using water soluble wax crayons, paints, doodling and stamps I added colour and depth (I hope) to the page...The Letter, is Tando and was painted with acryllics, and then stamped with Ryn's fabulous waterdrop stamp before being edged with gold dauber...I love these pages you just add and add and add and play and experiment!!

Do call into the Tando Creative Blog on a regular basis, just about every day we have a post going up based on the theme for the week...and don't forget the regular blog hops too with a chance to win some great Tando products...

TFL xx

TANDO CREATIVE BLOG HOP - MINIS

So, if you're taking part in the Tando Creative Blog hop you will have reached my blog via the very talented Kaz..if you've just dropped in, Hello! and if you'd like to take part, take a look here and find out what its all about....

This blog hop we are focusing on Tando Minis...now I just adore these! my crafting style means that I get the most out of this size and there are very few projects that I do that don't have a mini somewhere...so, I thought instead of doing a new project I'd hi-light a few that I've done already...

This, my very first journal page, uses the mixed bag of hallowe'en minis....the bottles are from a grab bag and see the spooky skulls there are a Tando Mask...

This piece for Tando's 3rd birthday shows just how well the minis fit inside the many different printers trays Tando have to offer - on this piece I've used the mini leaves, flowers, keys and butterflies.

 

 This piece was a Bramford Girls Crop Swap....it started off life as a green metal disc....I've painted my mini flowers and leaves this time and hi-lighted with black and white pens...

 

On this card can you spot the minis???? if you look you can see a mini camera hidden amongst the flowers with a tando bird coloured pink for a change!! lol

See how versatile these minis are? Pop here and see the Christmas releases they are just gorgeous....

Your next point of call on the hop is Caro.....  and don't forget for everyone leaving a comment on every blog you could be the lucky winner of some gorgeous Minis...

TFL xx

Monday...

sees the start of a new themed week over on the Tando blog.  This week we are concentrating on

Back to Basics.

Tando do a great selection of basic shapes in "grab bags" which gives you loads of the same shape in different sizes to add to your projects, and as the chipboard will take just about everything you throw at it they always add something special.  The range also offers a great selection of basic shapes too, so if your looking for inchies, twinchies, domino shapes etc don't forget to visit your local Tando Stockist.

This week I've made this...

I've used an artist trading card as a base then added texture paste thro' a random circle mask.  When dry, I attached a piece off one of the lace effect boards and then covered it all with a layer of gesso. I then attached some prima flowers and a charm, some pearl lace and pins then spritzed all over with with various glimmer mists and dylsusion ink sprays.  High areas were given a touch of viva decor inka gold.  The tando butterfly with coloured with distress inks, outlined with a black pen and then crackle glaze added....edges were then finished off with a distress ink...

Don't forget to keep calling back at the Tando blog each day a different member of the DT posts so loads of different ideas for all that fab chipboard!

TFL xx

Tando Creative Monthly Challenge

Over on the Tando Challenge blog its my turn to showcase my colour piece:-

The brief this month is to create a piece using a minimum of two colours from:-

Purple, Orange, Green and Black

Here is my piece:-

This month I've taken a small canvas and painted it and the easel black adding hi-lights with orange viva decor inka gold.   The canvas had additional texture added by using purple and green paints (therefore using all four colours!!)  Using a selection of Tando Minis from the Hallowe'en pack, I've added colour using distress inks and stains, added shape with the help of a black pen then texture using a variety of mediums...

this month the prize draw is doubled so do pop on over and have a go...


TFL xx

Kathys Sketch file

This is the sketch for October over at Kathy's sketch file...

I made this card:-

the background was created using dylusion ink sprays then using a stencil and water to add some bleaching content, my attempt to "dribble" without a pipette is down the side!!  I then stamped a couple of dylsuions stamps to the side and then bleached out colour again...

Then I made this piece:-

but it told me it wasn't happy and wanted to be part of something much bigger so it turned into this:-

 

which is my third art journalling page - I love this art journalling malarky!! this page consists of texture paste used thro a Tando stencil/mask, acryllic paints,water soluble wax crayons, distress inks, distress stains, tape....loads of bits....the bird stamps (which my OH say's freak him out) are by Paperartsy as is the tape strip they are standing on and the phrase is from a Tim Holtz set of stamps....the date stamp is from a stationers...

Do pop on over to the sketch file Kathy has loads of sketches up for you to have a go at...

TFL xx

cardfest...

I've been having a bit of a cardfest...whenever I start on something I seem to create several along the same lines.....

see what I mean???? All of them use backing papers that I didn't like, so placed a mask over and inked with distress inks, spritzed with perfect pearls and spray inks, then a selection of flowers, bling, Tando chipboard, pins, stamping and doodling finish them all off - one problem these flowers won't allow the card to go into regular envelopes!! good job none were posted hey!! lol

The last one is in black and white as the picture came out really yellow - that will teach me to take photos the night before handing over the card!!

TFL xx

Spooky

Spooky is the theme over at Tando Creative this week...

This time I've tried art journalling...

using dylusion ink sprays I created the first layer.  Then using masks inked using distress inks and water.  Using the Tando Hallowe'en mixed bag and the bottles grab bag - elements were coloured with various mediums before glazes added....I'm really pleased with my first attempt at this...more might follow!!

TFL xx

Tando blog hop.....

Today sees the end of the Tando Creative Birthday week - we've had some fantastic pieces and tutorials  from the DT and what a fitting way to end the week than with a blog hop - the week kicked off with the retailer blog hop (there are still a few hours left to enter this one)  and we finish the week with the DT blog hop - so, welcome to my Tando Blog Hop post.....hopefully you'll have reached my blog from the talented Joanne....if not, want to play along?..then pop on over to the Tando creative blog and start there...follow thro' the hop leaving a post as you go and up for grabs is a very special prize...

Here is my piece...

The base is  the scalloped rounds and was released on the 24th February 2010

Here is what I've done with it:-

The base was painted with gesso and then summer distress inks added...then one of my very first stamp purchases stamped onto the base...this was then stamped onto shrink plastic to add a further two pieces to the bottom....the edges were doodled on using black and white pens and then edged with gold paint.

Your next stop is Gez - if you get lost along the way pop on back to the Tando blog for the scedule of blogs, don't forget - leave a post at every hop and it might be your doorstep that that very special prize lands...

Thank You for joining in and good luck with the prize draw.

Tando 3rd Birthday

It doesn't seem possible that Tando Creative has been trading for 3 years and to celebrate we have a week of celebrations with some wonderful goodies up for grabs....if you've not seen whats going on pop here and join in...

Today is my turn to show my "3" piece - I have created a Happy 3rd Birthday Tando - printers tray...

Detailed instructions are over on the Tando Tutorial blog...so if you'd like to create something similar or use the idea for that special card please do so.....and post your creation to the blog so that we can all share.

There are tutorials going up every day this week so keep an eye out on the blog!

TFL xx

BLOG HOP

Look at this lot...

 

This FANTASTIC selection of Tando Goodies is up for grabs...what do you have to do? take part in today's supplier blog hop....and thats not all, there are loads of other goodies up for grabs too....pop on over to the Tando Creative blog and join in the fun!!

don't forget that Tando Creative is 3 this week and to celebrate we have fab tutorials, great projects and new monthly challenge and some FANTASTIC blog hops with totally BRILLIANT goodies up for grabs...what are you waiting for pop on over to the blog and try your luck!!!

 

Tando September challenge

This week is the last week for entries to the September challenge over on the Tando Creative Challenge blog.....the theme for this month is:-

TREES AND OR LEAVES

This is my creation:-

I cut a large tag out of Tando plain chipboard then coated it with a layer of gesso...once dry I then added summer distress inks..and spritzed with various perfect pearls and glimmer mists, various paint elements were then added as well as distress ink thro' a mask.  Using the mini leaves and flowers I coloured these using the same distress inks.  The tree was painted with acryllic paints and outlined using a black pen the acorns were coloured using distress stains and a paintbrush - various finishes were then added to each element.  I cut some metal strips and fed these thro' my tape machine and then added some additional lettering....

Pop on over to the challenge blog as Karen also has a gorgeous frame on display this week.

Septembers winner will be announced on Tuesday with Octobers challenge going live on Wednesday..

Hope to see you there...xx

Artistic Stamper September challenge

So I told you I had time to spare...

I've recently become addicted to this art journalling malarky - not sure if I'm doing it right, but, I'm having fun playing and using loads of different media...this cheapie journal that I bought might not be up to the job of loads and loads of embellished pages so might have to keep alot of them quite flat...this one is flat....ish...

the inspiration behind this piece was the purchase of a new mask!! using it with texture paste which has been in my drawer, unused, for far too long.....then I decided to use acryllic paints for the base, playing as you do....it did have a squirt or two of dylusion spray inks, glimmer mist, perfect pearls...splats from the distress stain bottle..drips and the odd piece of stamping with various inks -  you get the picture?? lol anyway, I think it fits the "splatters and speckles" theme for Septembers challenge over at the artistic stamper blog...

BTW the bottom does spell "wall" I was trying to be clever using capitals and lower case from my alterations die Alphabetical!! it wasn't until I'd outlined it that I realised it could read "wail" rofl !!

TFL xx

Steampunkery - Happy Daze challenge

I've been off work, on holiday, for a couple of weeks - although we haven't been away this year we have been out on various excursions and I've been having time in my craft room to play! and catch up on various DT committments too...so, for a change I thought I'd enter some challenges...the first one that caught my eye was Happy Daze's September challenge themed "Steampunkery"...here's what I've come up with...

The tag was cut from kraft cardstock using an alterations die, this was then coloured using distress stains....it was then stamped with a cog stamp and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  The balloon is one of Tim Holtz's stamps which was stamped onto the same kraft cardstock and coloured using the distress stains and a paint brush with highlights added with a white pen - the entire balloon was then coated with rock candy...ideology pieces finished off the tag along with some black ribbon.

TFL xx

Altered cubes

My dear friend, Gez, and I have been swapping altered cubes....the first one, the theme escapes me...but, this was my version:-

The cube was painted and then various products used to give it a rustic feel.  Each side was treated differently and had metal embellishments, chipboard birds, shrink plastic butterflies and paper elements added.  The top had a butterfly stamped with gold acryllic paint onto clearly for art and then moulded to add shape - unforunately the picture was blurred and Gez has the cube!! lolx

The second cube was themed "steampunk"

This time I took a length of Ten Seconds Metal and embossed it in my big shot then moulded it around the cube - I then added various embellishments on each side.  Guess what - the top of the cube was blurred and its posted!! lol but it was a handcrafted clay hand, coloured with paint and distressed, wrapped with beads with metal embellishments and three red flowers added!!

TFL xx

Kathys Sketch File - September

This month over at Kathy's Sketch file the sketch is:- 

 

Here is my take:-

 

The base is a canvas which I've coloured and then drawn and doodled on it...the centre piece is some swirled flowers I made from some scrap papers.

Pop on over to Kathy's Sketch file and see what the other DT members have come up with this month and hopefully you'll join us.  There are loads of sketches archived for you to use too!

TFL xx

Sunday Stampers

Can't believe that its been THAT long since I last blogged.  So much has happened! We have taken Josh back to Bristol for his second year at Uni - he did a very sucessful work experience whilst he was at home and obtained some very valuable experience for his future!  The trip started at sunrise and finished at sunset - but, at least he was in his "room" and settled when we left.

I have been working on this tag on and off all week - I am now on holiday and have been doing some extra hours at work to ensure that I didn't leave too much "unfinished" business for others to deal with, so crafting has taken a bit of a back seat!

The theme over at Sunday Stampers, which closes today, is handmade flowers...and so here is my offering..

The tag was sprayed with dylusions sprays and then the leaf stamp stamped and water bleached and colour added, the flowers were made from a variety of papers and coloured with the sprays.....each one is from a different flower die too! the others bits are trying to minic "finnbar" very unsucessfully!! think I need to practice there!! lol

TFL xx

Its a Man Thing....

is the theme for this week over at Tando Creative - I'm kicking off the week with this:-

The base is embossed silver metal which was had colour added by using black acryllic paint.  The Tando Book frames were coloured using distress ink and then crackle glaze added, the lettering is from a Bo Bunny sticker sheet.  The cogs are also by Tando, the middle cog was painted and then dry embossed with inka gold being added to hi-light the raised areas, the other cogs were all coloured with distress ink and then given a covering of crackle glaze.  The two bottles are from a grab bag and have been coloured using distress inks and then a layer of glossy accents, the mini key, fab these minis! was painted with black acryllic and then aged with a light covering of inka gold.

Don't forget to pop along to the Tando blog and see what the others have come up with this week.

TFL x

Sunday Stampers...Steampunk

I've decided to enter my brothers birthday card into Sunday Stampers for this week whose theme is "Steampunk"...I do try to take part in different blog challenges, but, usually manage to fail! but, this time...

Whilst watching Hels on C&C the other week she re-ignited my passion for embossed metal - so out came the metal...along with a very old cuttlebug embossing folder! the cogs, bottle and mini book frame are all by tando and have been stained, and inked, and embossed! the metal bits are from all sorts of recyclable bits!!

TFL xx

Tando Alterables and 3D week

Each week over on the Tando Blog there is a theme....this week the theme is Alterables and 3d...

For the Bramford Crop Challenge Tracey gave us all a mousetrap, yep, a common, ol' garden (or cupboard) mousetrap.  After a lot of thinking I came up with this:-

The mousetrap was stripped of all nasty componants at great cost to my nails! then the whole thing was painted with black acryllic paint with touches of lime green added in.  The flowers and leaves are the fab new minis from Tando - these mini packs are just fab for all sorts of projects and are so versatile with so many different products...these ones have been inked using distress inks...the new summer colours, high lights and shaping was added using white and black pens, the flying pig is from a graphics 45 pad and the saying..........came out of my head - unless I've read it somewhere and can't remember where!!

Do pop on over to the Tando Blog - each day this week there is a post from a different DT member.

TFL xx

Tando Challenge WednesDAY

Its my turn to show my Tavel piece over on the Tando Challenge blog today - here it is...

its a Tando based Printers Travel Tray....................I love these trays and have made quite a few!! I think its only the circles ones I haven't done...anyway, this one,  is different again....I decided to spray ink the back panel - I didn't prep it first and the inks soaked straight in - but, I kept adding more until I got the look that I wanted, then I overstamped in black ink using the Artistic Post London Underground stamps.  I then adhered all the panels together and decorated them using Portabello Road papers by Papermania.....I then adhered this to the back plate using strong adhesive and some paperclamps!!

I took the Tando London set and painted all of it with acryllic paint and then added hi-lights and shading by using further paint or pens....can you see the taxi? the number plate is especially for Tando - its T17 NDO! get it?? lol, I used several more stamps from the AP stamps and a few embellies...can you see the tram across the top?? lolxx

Do pop on over to the blog we'd love to have you join in the fun..

TFL xx

Kathys sketch file

Each month over at Kathy's sketch file a new sketch is launched.  These sketches are so versatile and can be used for scrapbook pages, twinchies, inchies, atc's canvas', cards anything...do pop on over and take a look, below is the current sketch, but, there are loads of past sketches on the blog for you to see too..


So, this is the sketch for August

 and this is card number one:-

The papers on this one are from Papermania's "Happy Days" range and they are really lovely, really good gsm! the flowers have been cut from the mini grungeflower die and inked and doodled...the inside has been decorated with the same flowers and some doodling, prima bling has been used for the centres.


 Here is card two:-

The circles were cut on my very neglected cricut expression!!!!!!!!!!!!!! these were cut on core-dinations kraft core and then dry embossed, rubbed back to show the core and then a bit of gold acryllic daubed over the top - the smaller circles were cut in white card, sprayed with dylusions and then doodled around the edges before being inked.  The bottom border is a sizzix alterations die.

Do take a look over at the sketch blog we'd love to have you play along.

TFL xx