Crafty Individuals ~ Winter Wonderland

Apologises for the rather large post today, thought I would upload a few projects today.

Firstly a mention of the fabulous blog candy by the very talented Lynne Stevens from Trash to treasure. It is her 3rd blog anniversary and to celebrate she is giving away some of her amazing work as blog candy, it is so so gorgeous.

Yes its time for another Crafty Individual challenge, Winter Wonderland yay love these challenges, so here it is.

I was inspired by Jean Hardys project in one of the Craftstamper issues for this canvas. Firstly painting the canvas with white gesso which I left to dry, then just mixing in some prussian blue watercolour into the gesso and I painted the background. I stamped and inked some of the CI chipboard houses.  I used Inka gold and crackle medium with a touch of gilders paste patina on the  fences & the snowflake and used several of the images from the CI books. Then outlined the houses with a gold krylon pen. The Santa & the angels were stamped onto tissue paper then cut out and glued to the canvas then tinted with watercolours.

Stamps used are CI 169, CI 258, CI 163, other stamps are various text stamps from curious by design and Artistic Out post.

This card came about because I saw this gorgeous stamp used by Mrs B to make her fabulous design team card for the Fashionable Stamping Challenge and I loved the card so much I had to have the stamp by rubber stampede, with the lovely Da Vinci image. 

 Then I thought I'd have ago making it into a pendant. I used some shrink plastic which I die cut, sanded slightly and painted with a thin layer of gesso and used that lovely stamp again and coloured the image with zig photomarkers. Rubbed a bit of inka gold on the back and added glossy accents to the front and glue on a couple of gold connectors and a pearl.

Finally another christmas card using the same Stempelglade Vintage christmas stamps as I used in my last post. But with the addition of the new memory box die which I doubled up to give a 3D effect

Phew, that's all for today. My back is feeling a lot better now, thanks, I think I spend to much time on my behind crafting and not doing enough exercise LOL!

Thanks again for all your lovely kind comments, hope you all had a great weekend.

Happy Crafting XX

A Few Cards!

I thought I ought to knuckle down and make a few christmas cards.
I'm a grumpy old woman today as I've hurt my back, would you believe it by stooping to take these pictures with my iphone LOL. Roll on christmas as I need a new camera, the iphone one is a bit rubbish really and as our garden is northfacing it is quite dark for taking pictures.

Another moan why can't you buy 7" by 7" cards and envelopes (and if you can where do you get them from!) I find 6 x 6 too small and 8 x 8 to large yeah I know I could make my own and I do but its the envelopes they are a pain to make and I don't like making them. Really should try and make some non square cards, but there is something I like about them, in my chaotic crafty world there is something ordered about them. Told you I was grumpy, anyway onto the cards.

The first two are using Stempelglade 'Vintage Christmas' love these stamps. I stamped onto glossy card and used Zig photo markers to tint them, they're fine to use with archival ink as I much prefer it to memento for photo stamps. Also used versamagic dewdrop & distress inks too.

Papers used on the first card are Melissa Frances & Joanna Sheen on the second and the Santa card. The Santa stamp is a stampington one, and I used watercolours on this.

Promise to be in a better mood next time I blog. 

Happy crafting from The Grumpy Old Woman XX

A Gypsy Life for Me!

The current Fashionable Stamping Challenge is Coffee & Cream with a Hint of Dark Chocolate, well I'm no coffee lover so my take is milky bar, galaxy & bournville chocolate instead LOL!

I stamped the Gypsy & the caravan in coffee archival ink on watercolour paper. The frame is made using the Tim Holtz baroque dies and cream acrylic paint & I edged the inside of the frame with gold krylon. I made the flower using Tim Holtz tatter florals die and cream cotton which I stamped and coloured with distress inks.

I love the romance of the old style gypsy life, the nearest I'll get to it is a campervan instead, which we hope to get next year LOL!!


Stamps used ~

Gypsy Journey & Muse by Curious by Design
Tim Holtz Visual Artistry
Stamping Bella Isabel Norris Eclectic mini set

I am also entering this in for the following challenges
Ink on my Fingers ~ Forever Autumn
Simon says Stamp ~ Show one colour
Our Creative Corner ~ Fabulous Faces

That's all from me today.

Happy Crafting XX

Hark The Herald Angels designed for Happy Daze

Another christmas decoration from me, this time a hanging. I recycled some card and glued both sides with pale blue paper from my stash then cut out a large heart shape. I randomly stamped and embossed snowflakes and pine cones with white embossing powder, then tinted with versamagic dewdrop chalk inks in pixie dust, sea breeze and aegean blue. I stamped Lost Coast Designs Hark the Herald Angels in archival ink onto glossy paper and tinted with the same versamagic inks. I added some white guipure lace, bead trim and a few embellishments from my stash. I punched a hole each side and threaded through some seam binding to create the hanging.


The current Happy Daze challenge is Christmas or Hallowe'en. You have until Midnight on 31st October when one winner will be drawn at random to win a  £15 voucher and free P&P to spend in the Happy Daze shop. Maximum of 3 entries per person & you must use at least one product which can be purchased in the Happy Daze shop.

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

Happy Crafting XX

A couple of Gifts!

I thought I would  use these small purses to make a couple of gifts. As they are quite small I decided to limit the stamping as I have a habit of going OTT. I gave the purses three coats of gesso as the surface is not the easiest to stamp on. I used the lovely Ophelia stamp from The stampsmith on the pink purse and used the same image on the back. The photo stamps used on the second purse are from kreativhobby. I used black archival ink  and shaded with watercolours, then tinted the edges with a few dewdrop chalk inks. Then coated with glue n seal. I added organza ribbon roses and some tea dyed lace and pearls. Apologises about the photos having to hang on till christmas for a new camera so until then using my trusty iphone, which unfortunately does not have the best camera!

I have been asked where I bought these purses, unfortunately it is from a local garden centre, I have looked online but can't seem to find any where that stocks them.

I am entering these in the following challenges

Dream Valley Challenge
FrostedDesigns Fancy trim lace
CraftyRibbons Ribbon and lace
Bunnyzoescrafts lace it up
Stamptacular You choose, anything goes.


That's all for today so Happy Crafting. XX

An Indian Summer

I always think of India, at this time of year, apart from the gorgeous weather we have had, many years ago we spent two months there backpacking and ever since then I've had a fascination for all things Indian, and hope to return there some time in the future. So with this in mind I made this little box.

The stamps used are Lost coast designs. The box was painted with three coats of  cream matt emulsion then I stamped several images and painted with water colours and distress inks. I stained some braid with distress inks then added some pearls and a brass paisley embellishment. I painted the inside of the box and lined with paper.

I am entering this in the Fashionable Stamping Challenge Anything But A Card and Alter It Monthly Challenge which is Boxes.

Now for something old this is a pastel drawing I did a few years ago of a photo my husband took of some children when we stayed in Dharamasala, Northern India, they must all have children of their own now LOL!

Happy Crafting & Have a Great Weekend! XX

A Victorian Christmas designed for Happy Daze

This christmas decoration uses Artistic Outpost Sleigh Ride stamps. I die cut six shapes from thick card using the Tim Holtz cabinet card die, which I glued together to make the frame. I stamped the image of the two children and masked, then over stamped with the trees. The image was tinted with distress inks  & the frame was painted in red studio acrylic paint. I screwed a hinge onto either side of the frame and finished with stickles and gold corners like these.

The current Happy Daze challenge is Christmas or Hallowe'en. You have until Midnight on 31st October when one winner will be drawn at random to win a  £15 voucher and free P&P to spend in the Happy Daze shop. Maximum of 3 entries per person & you must use at least one product which can be purchased in the Happy Daze shop.

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

Happy Crafting XX