WOYWW - Finished! and a wee bit of bragging...

Golly - who fast forwarded the weekend? Because - here we are yet again at WOYWW!!! (For those of you who have no idea what I'm on about - head over to Julia at Stamping Ground). Although I'm sure those of you that did do the rounds at Ally Pally are still feeling the weekend's effect on your feet and purse-strings...I did abstain but I will be heading off to the Artisan Show as it is a wee bit closer to home...Well, as the list of fellow snoopers is fast on the up-rise, let's cut to the chase and show you some goodies...

Just finished my wall hanging which was the end project on the Claudine Hellmuth course.

There was quite a lot of fiddly-diddly-flipping heck stuff with all the eyelets and jump-rings. And as always, I am forever the tweakaholic and I spent soooooo long playing with the final layout and embellishments. Even if I do say so myself (and I am) I really do like my little blue house which I made from some scrap cardboard. I love to make my own embellishments if possible - so with a swoosh of paint, some DI and just one flower punch - there it is.


 Made about twenty different types of letters for the "home" - until I was kind of satisfied/exhausted/developed tunnel vision. Maybe a bit too cute for the hanging??? Or moreover for me. Jury is still out on that one.



Used some old book pages for the flower and then ran it through my Epic for a dotty effect and then added the good old DI's and some Glimmer.
As said - I am very glad I did the CH course because paint opens up a whole new ball game which I definitely want to play more of...!

 Okay - so now on to the bragging...I made Craft Stamper Magazine! Back in July I sent off a tag for a swap challenge and, as is often the case, you wave farewell to your little one at the postbox and just have to sit it out. This week I opened the November issue to find my tag waving back at me from page 60. Didn't win (aaaaahhh), but made the selection (yeaaaahhhh), so I can give myself a little pat on the back and maybe treat myself at the weekend (hint, hint...) The scan of my tag looks a tad flat and faded, so here is the original...

 I hope to hop around plenty of desks this week and have a good nose around. Hoping to see lots of inspiring work, messy tables, new stash and whatever you want to share!
Anything goes - do feel welcome to join in.
Vive Le Papier!

Au Revoir,

Sarah.

WOYWW? - Well, this that and the other...

Morning, afternoon or evening everyone! I hope this weeks WOYWW finds everyone in fine spirits (and better than mine were on Monday). Yesterday I was, at last, able to spend some quality time in my little room safe among friends... my ever-loyal ink, paint, papers and stamps. Always glad to see me... they are, you know.
 So in my world, more time means more mess, more dabbling, more pondering and yet more tweaking. I had hoped to have my wall-hanging off and on display but as I am able to spend an hour rearranging two bits of lace - me is a wee bit behind. As you can see the hanging is emerging. Although I have had my Crop-a-dile Big Bite quite a while, this is the first time I have really used it.

 I was always so scared of getting the combo wrong and busting it - was a Christmas pressy from hubby...so watch out. But it is a bit like the funny labelled bottle in Alice in Wonderland, except it's saying "Use meeeeeee!" Anyway, I have punched and eyeleted to great success and it really is a cinch and a great gizmo.

Just want to share a few of my fragments from the hanging. I have really enjoyed doing the Claudine Hellmuth course and it really gets you into using paint in great ways and helps broaden your horizons. Her little pots of magic stuff aren't cheap but the quality is really top-notch. Great coverage, creaminess and versatility.

The bottom one was a bit of a mistake to begin with. I ended up painting my sticky back canvas four times as it had gone wrong but I ended up with a really silky, almost kid leather effect. So I ran it through my Epic and then swiped with some tan paint. The middle one is just clear embossing on patterned paper with a wash of diluted green paint to tone it all down, followed by a quick wipe to reveal a bit of shine on the flourish...but I love the subtle hues.
The pale lemon one is my absolute fave. I adore vintage Victorian wallpaper such as Farrow and Ball and now I've made some! (Should do my whole chimney breast now...)

Stamped onto canvas with gesso, dried and swooshed with yellow and a hint of tan. Hope you can see the textures...
Hopefully next week you can see the finished thing.

Thanks to all my visitors last week...ATC is off to Helen in Surrey!

For all of you off to Ally Pally, have a great time and be kind to both yourself and your bank balance... I really, really want to go but have a big party the night before and would have to drive for ages - so maybe not. Sigh. Never say never...

What happened to the weekend??? And Sunday Stampers Challenge...

I'm having one of those days...I wonder if maybe it's one of those years. Do you get those days when everything just feels out of sorts???  However hard you try - you get way-layed, the phone goes, the housework is prodding you in the back and you seem to be faffing around chasing the world and his wife.
Today I'd planned a lovely lie-in and then a whole day in my paper oasis. Last week was manic and I had no me time at all. Hubby is home off sick for a week with a bad back injury and my folks turned up to do the garden - I am doing my best to conjure up oodles of sympathy and thankfulness in the appropriate areas...Yet here I am at the end of Monday getting nowhere fast, feeling deprived and to make it all worse I am feeling rather fluey. Voice already in Bonnie Tyler mode.
OK -  rant over. Decided to just burst into my craft room at 6pm and grab something. Three hours later I am modelling Picasso hands yet again. Busy finishing a project from the CH course and also entering a card into the Sunday Stamper's Challenge which is about the Movies. I would have loved to have spent loads more time on something bigger but I am determined to join in and make something of this day...

Here she is. I started with a glossy ATC and inked it up with green tones of Alcohol inks and then stamped with Stazon. Then started layering and embossing - throwing in the gold metal for the glamour! I wouldn't have normally gone for these colours and it was quite a change and challenge to make it work. I found this huge star background stamp in a cheap craft store and just love it!

Just talking about the lovely dame for a few moments has already cheered me up.

Now I just need to win the lottery, get a cleaner, hire a private manicurist and buy some more stash! Sorted.

What's on Your Wet and Windy Workdesk...

Good Morning all ye WOYWWers...,

Well, in my neck of the woods September is doing it's best impersonation of late November. After a glorious sunny weekend the darkness, damp and drizzle has descended. Mmmmmmmmm - fantastic weather for losing all sense of time, feeling snug, putting on Mr.Buble and hibernating in your little space...except...euhhh, I have to be at work a lot this week. So my paper paradise and I are on restricted visits. Not easy going.

Last week I didn't dare show the chaotic abyss of my table, but since then it has had a major sort, buff and polish and it looks immaculate. But it looks so surreal, boring and perfect - you don't want to see that either....It took me ages to sort through my "unassigned" stash, bags of homeless buttons, oodles of ribbon, junk-shop finds and an epidemic of free Craft Stamper stamps. I had the (at the time - smart) idea of winding all my ribbons and lace onto dolly-pegs so that I could sack the ever growing octopus bag that was my ribbon department. Half-way, after what seemed liked hours of getting nowhere, I wanted to just give up and wait for my Fairy God-mother to wave her wand. No joy - wind them or whimper...

It might look pretty tame - but that's 48 dolly-pegs in there my dears - and I'm still not done. At the moment I am just keeping them in my wooden box, but the plan is to put them into (Ikea) square glass jars on a shelf according to colour tones. One day...

 I had guests from abroad all weekend so I really have been on rations craft-wise. Got lots to do on the CH course and want to tackle some of those fab challenges out there.

Just time enough this week for an ATC which is always a joy and a moment of escapism. Just used bits and bobs that were lying around and came to hand. No Oscars...just easy-going. It is quite muted in colour but it kind of works.

And I thought maybe one of you might like it...? I don't want anything in return, unless you really want to - so just - enjoy! If you're into a bit of the oldy, worldy vintage style or fancy another ATC for your library just leave a comment and your blog (so I can e-mail you) and Mr. Postman might just drop it in.

I hope to have a bit more to show next week - enjoy yourselves this week wherever you are. Congrats to all those off to indulge in Holtzamania in Feb - I had to decline...but because of Paris...and that is still oh so sweet music to my ears!

WOYWWD

Well, I blinked and missed the weekend somewhere because Lo, and Behold... it is Wednesday again! I am now officially artist-in-residence in my little room upstairs and my hands are void of any natural skin tones and looking very Picasso. Tomorrow I'm having a manicure - might be there a while...
Two offerings for you today. Not showing the desk ...and yes the camera does lie. My desk always looks OK on the snapshot but in reality it is a minefield and everyone tells me it looks just fine. Do come and visit if you don't believe me - just don't sign your name in the dust please.
Lots of metal roses around today... Here is a small canvas I made for a friend which will soon be on it's way over the Channel.

 I stamped onto both sides of some TH fragments which gives depth to the images. The background is harder to see in the piccy, but there is a bit going on - stamping, perfect pearls and glimmer mists.


Here is a close up of my rose. I like to emboss with different designs as I think it makes for a more interesting effect on the petals. Swiped and wiped with a black dabber. Cut the leaves free-hand.

Stamps all by Paper Artsy except for the butterfly (Crafty Individuals).



I also entered my first design Challenge ever - by Simon Says Stamp and Show. Yes, indeed - my very first! I did say I was a bit of a novice in this world - so to me it is all very new! I blogged about it on Monday as I had a deadline to meet but I thought you might like to see it. It is my version of a project from the CH course.

Just great for all those little orphan paper scraps that lie alone at night in the drawer.

You can read more about it on Monday's blog of this week.


Hoping to get to see lots of your work-desks, creations and thoughts.
Farewell for now, Sarah.

Tuesday Inbetweener...

Just a quick blog and tip for any other vintage maidens out there...

Last week was still officially my holiday so when perusing the street and ye olde shoppes, I still also officially had pocket money to spend. I am sure most of the UK folk are all to familiar with The Works - yes, that shop that sells a zillion cheap books and other goodies. Usually the paper art selection is rather blah, but at just £2.99, this little gem was a real find. Anna Corba is a wonderful artist - do check out her work.

 That was my last little spree for a while as September seems to have brought a wave of bills into the season and did I mention Paris???!!!??? La ville de Paris is going to be a regular here on my blog for a while as I am off to celebrate maturity, womanhood and wisdom in the city of love. Well almost - my 40th year allows me to justify momentary madness. I am all booked, ready to go, counting the days and excited to be going to the Paper and Co Show in November. If I could sneak a few of you into my suitcase - I would. Anyway - back to reality - kitchen needs a clean - more Dutch guests this weekend. See you tomorrow for WOYWW!

Post Midnight Ramblings...

Good morning! Here in the UK it is 1.39am and I thought that was just the right time to blog. I should be well into my third obscure dream by now...
Still working hard on the CH course. Today's offering is my own take on a mini-project from the course. Just wanting to post some pictures of my paper wreath as I have decided to it enter it into the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge. This week's challenge it is all about layers and as you can see, I think we can safely say I've managed a few of those. It is a great way to use up lots of scraps. My ongoing love of blues and browns continues...

I have suspended a Memory Frame in the centre stamped on both sides with alcohol inks and Stazon. The glass is actually just one piece - a TH glass fragment which is nice and chunky - as I didn't have the right size memory glass. I just sanded the edges until it fitted into the frame - and there you go!
The words under the butterfly say Forget-me-not.

Then I also made a rose from silver metal. I embossed it with two designs, added some blue alcohol inks, followed by some snow white dabber paint and then I sanded it to get a sort of tarnished look. Then I cut the leaves free hand to get the right proportions.


It was quite a bit of work getting it all together, but I enjoyed it and I will soon be hanging it in my converted loft bedroom. It is not the easiest thing to capture on camera but I hope you can enjoy it too.
All the best with the challenge everyone!

Sleep well,

Sarah.

Ooooooooooh La La.....

Well folks,

I've gone ahead and done it!!! I am going to Paris, je vais à Paris...Ik ga naar Parijs, Me voy a París,Yr wyf yn mynd i Paris. I am not that multi-lingual - I had to google the Welsh one.
As mentioned last time, I am fast approaching the big 40 in November and as I am not the big party bash type of maiden - and because my big (older but usually smaller but now very round) pregnant sis is due to pop close to my B-day, I've not planned anything. So what's a girl to do...?
I figured, "What the heck...you only live once." So, no new lap-top now methinks - but a fabulous experience, oodles of inspiration and all in France. I will be going solo (scarey...!) as hubby must work, but seeing as he gets dragged to so many arty, inky, paper shops and venues - I think he will relish a lads weekend.
It does sound rather extravagant but honestly it costs me less to fly to Paris and do a 3 day weekend there than it does to travel with British Rail and find a B&B for just a day-long workshop here in the UK. I live miles from all the fab shops and classes here in Ludlow so it isn't just plain old nuttery. Am I convincing you yet??? It will be a bit like school camp as we are all bunking up together...golly hope the roomys bring their ear-plugs cause I can muster up an impressive snore.
So I will get to be really arty, meet a whole wave of great teachers, including the lovely Linda Elbourne, and dabble with other loonies like me. I will be completely zonked out at the end as I am doing 11 workshops in total...I am also already trying to talk myself round regarding packing lightly - not my forte - but it will be a shambles if I go all the way there and end up having to leave all my creations at the airport check-in due to the weight limit. So mini toothbrush and bikini it may be...
   Anyway, time to go - hey C'est le weekend...just practising and just one little piccy for all you Christmas Crafters (okay, the chill in the air and darkening nights have already descended). No tinsel-town here yet...I'm actually hoping to BBQ Sunday.

I ripped away a bit of the card front to expose the inner card covered with some distressed Bible pages and then stamped with a mish-mash of red and black inks. I like the subtle difference in tones. Pretty simple but the image can hold her own. I just adore this angel stamp - it is an all time favourite of mine.

Enjoy the sun, splodges, any you time and life!
See you soon... Sarah.

WOYWWD (besides a mess...)

I have to say that since joining the ranks of WOYWW, my weekly flow has taken on a whole new dynamic. Wednesday...once the belittled and overlooked wallflower of the week has blossomed into the heroine. Battling across the windswept moors of Middleoftheweekdom, she reaches out and helps us back onto the pathway...we are safe to journey on once more.
   Well, enough Drama-Queen shenanigans and onto the nitty-gritty. Whilst many others felt deluded by the Great British Summer, I relished the chance to spend hours, even days sitting snug in my little oasis. I have been practically living up there and my poor hubby wonders if we are still on first-name terms. I am also considering treating myself to a one-off indulgence for my B-day by going to the Paper & Co show in France. Knees and bank balance going weak...
My room is in dire need of some real TLC but I have decided to donate another week of paper shavings, dust, embossing powder and splatters to the cause and just enjoy getting creative whilst I have some me time. It looks ok on the photo but in real life it is a right old dirt devil. I have been playing catch-up with my CH course (show you next time...) and then spent today just playing with different techniques and moods.
Here is a small canvas I made...using paint, stencilling and distress inks for the background.

Then I built up the rest using various scraps, fabric, stitching, stamping and embellishments.

Spent a fair bit of time tweaking but I really enjoyed myself and the beauty of having time to ponder. Quite pleased in the end. Hope you like it.

During the week I wandered around our local vintage art shoppe Zani's and I just have to share one of the artists with you. Her name is Viv from Hen's Teeth. She makes incredibly gorgeous things full of beauty, originality and detail. You just have to visit her blog and Etsy shop to see her work...promise you it's worth the trip.
Wishing you all a week of plenty, pleasure, paper, paint and passion!