Petra's Stuff & Nonsense

I foolishly signed up a while back for Sid's Canvas Tag Swap on UK Stampers. I say foolishly as it is somewhat outwith my comfort zone, and inspiration eluded me to the last moment.

I eventually got time to do the tags today, but immediately messed up and ended up with three wrinkled and curled tag-shaped bits of canvas. Fortunately two of them more or less righted themselves, but the third remains something of a basket case. After that, I was going to try a gel transfer, but ran out of time for the gel to dry. So then I thought I'd do a packing tape transfer, but the tape I had didn't like being soaked in water and all the adhesive came off. So for the main image, I had to resort to stamping on card.

Here is the finished article (and both that I am sending to Sid are identical).

I put an extra layer of gesso onto the canvas and then daubed some Jo-Sonja acrylic in a light beige colour onto it to tone down the white. I added further colour with distres inks (Broken China, Spiced Marmalade and Shabby Shutters) and then I stamped the Judikins beaded curtain background in Broken China. I coloured some Splendorgel smooth cardstock with Broken China, Old Paper and Dried Marigold, and then I stamped the PaperArtsy image in black Versafine. I've finished it off with some orange organza ribbon, dymo tape, brads and a swirly circle clip.

I hope it won't look too feeble alongside the other offerings for the swap.

it's posting time again tomorrow, and I have to say that I have found this CJ the hardest one so far in the UKSt circle. The reason? There are so many fabby entries in it already that I felt anything I did would be feeble in comparison. Everything so far has been really innovative and quirky, and I'm afraid I kinda ran out of ideas for something "new" to do with the stamp. So I ended up impressing it into air dry clay to make an embellishment for the page.

I seem to be using the Crafty Individuals stamp quite a lot as well. *blush* For someone who doesn't really like wings, I don't know why! I made the background papers by printing an image of some old writing (I think it's Marlowe's handwriting from a play manuscript) and then colouring it with distress inks. The angel and sentiment (Tim Holtz) were stamped in Versafine and then coloured to match the background pages. I also used some Eberhard Faber gold powder and Versamark to colour the edges of the pages and glitz up the black clay embellie. So the living room has a bit of gold powder blowing around it today. Oops! I meant to put brads on the sentiment on the right page, but I had a little accident with my Japanese screw punch, so I had to cover it up with some buttons. Double oops!

I already have the next CJ in the circle, Veronica's, in my possession, so I need to get thinking about that one, but it's in the queue behind Mellie's CJ from Charmed as that has to be posted first. And that is also in the queue behind the canvas tags for Sid's swap that I need to post by Saturday. *gulp* I had better get cracking!

I'd never made a maze book before, but had seen some lovely examples in galleries that I decided it was time to have a go.

Well, I have to say I am now hooked on these little guys. Very easy to make and they look very effective. I've made two already and I have a third one planned. I just need to print out some weeny little photos now to put in them.

I've used papers from Poundland on one, and from the Stampin' Up Cutie Pie designer papers on the other. I've also found the Stampin' Up tab punch is really useful for making the tags that I have put into the pockets. Plus the scallop circle is a great size for folding over the edge of a tag for a bit of contrast on plain cardstock.

I've been tucked up doing stuff for a variety of swaps this past few days.
These are felt flowers for a swap on UK Scrappers. I cut the basic shapes using Sizzix dies and 2mm-3mm felt, and then further punched them using a crop-a-dile, before layering them and topping off with a button and ribbon. I also stamped some little tags using SU stamps and punches. The colours are much more vibrant in real life - they seem a bit washed out in this image.

This is one of a set of 3 ATCs for the March swap on UK Stampers. The other two are identical, and this month's theme was "Distressed". I used distress ink reinker to colour the card and the ribbon (vintage photo) and the background image is stamped in scattered straw using a Crafty Individuals stamp. The main image is a Paper Artsy mini, which has then been crackle glazed.
I did make a set of 10 similar ones using Memories Mists and Paper Artsy stamps for Pinky's Paper Artsty swap on UK Scrappers, but I forgot to take a photo of them before handing them over for the swap. I used the same image and general layout, but a totally different colour scheme.

My entry this month in the UKSt CJ. This is Alison's CJ,and the stamp accompanying it is a feather.

Well, those of you who know me well will know that I struggle with things that have wings... So this circle has been a real challenge as I've had a few CJs with wings and assorted feathery bits passing through. Eek! And I think I may have some more wingy things to do before the circle is complete!

As I was in distress ink, hand writing and angels mode, I have done something fairly similar for this entry as I did in my Charmed CJ. I coloured up some plain white card using distress inks, and then overstamped the feather image. The writing was done totally freehand this time (I "cheated" last time and used a light box!) but surprisingly the end result is not too far removed. The real life article is a bit softer in colour, and the sides match a little better than in the photo. I must do a photoshop course one day, but it's on the list of things I need to do when I have a bit more time, i.e. sometime never.

Alison is gravely ill in hospital at the moment, and is likely to remain there for some considerable time, so {{healing hugs}}are going out to her.

I haven't found the time to upload much here recently, but for some reason I am still getting hits on the site...

I have to admit that I have no idea who visits this blog, other than a couple of pople who have mentioned it, or have left comments. But thanks to those of you who do pop in from time to time.

Here is some of the stuff I have been up to recently.

This is for CJ3 on Charmed. My entry and the cover. My entry is a paper piecing based on a page in my desk calendar.

This was done for an altered tin swap on UKSt. It was supposed to have some stamping on, but I forgot that minor detail until it was too late, so I have stamped on the bottom!

These 2 LOs were done last weekend at Debbie70's new crop in Maidstone - well worth the trip for such a great venue and good company.

A little project from a free workshop by Isa Norris. I put the pictures on afterwards and sent it to my mum as a Mother's Day gift/card.

LO done at Pinky's Scrapaholic crop in Bromley last month.

LO based on a page in the AL Designing with 2008 calendar. I think I have too many desk calendars!

Thanks for looking...

In the nick of time, I managed to make a card for the first weekly Sugar Nellie challenge on the UK Stampers blog. http://www.ukstamperscyberblog.blogspot.com/ I've never actually done a weekly challenge before, so it makes a change for me to pull my finger out in time.

I got my first Sugar Nellies yesterday - two Lolas plus a super cute duck. I have stamped and coloured a few images last night, but only managed to make one of them into a complete card.

The challenge had to include some checks somewhere in the card. I didn't have any checked papers that would go with the image I had coloured, so I decided to make my own by using Graphitint pencils on watercolour paper, which I then brushed over with water. I then colour photocopied the original piece so I can use it again as a background (cos I just love these colours). The tag is stamped with a couple of clear Doodlebugs, the ribbon was from Woolworth, of all places, the flowers are from a Petaloo pack of daisies and the button is from a Rhonna Farrar bag.

Thanks for looking.

Here's a little film made by one of the boys' BMX riding buddies, who is only 6. But I think he may have had a little bit of help from his dad, who is a sound recordist! Jimmy's comment at the beginning about "winning sometimes" makes me chuckle - he is the national champion in his age group, and is pretty much unbeatable. He leaves my boys standing!

Greetings, one and all!

This is my first post of the New Year, so a teensy weensy slapped wrist for me for not uploading for so long.

One of the reasons for a lack of activity here has been the fact that home life has been on its head for a little while due to the selfish actions of an exceedingly stupid girl whom I shall refer to from hereon in as "Krispy Rat" (yes, you know who you are, darling!). The kids chose this name for her as she pi**ed them off big time.

The upshot of it is that I am now effectively unemployed and a full time stay at home mother. No more au pairs for us! I shall be writing a short story of "The Strange Tale of the Krispy Rat and her Adventures in Foggy Albion" in due course, so check back! LOL. I will inject into the story about as much truth as passed from the lips of Krispy in the 3 1/2 days that she abused our hospitality, before leaving and stealing at least one item from us that I have noticed (and of course there is still the matter of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, namely one air ticket). I'm still contemplating reporting the theft and deception to the police seeing as how she hasn't actually left the UK. But I may just leave lady KARMA to give Krispy a big kick up her bum when she is least expecting it. It seems that she is already on the third host family, so I guess she is simply not cut out to be an au pair, and I think we actually had a very lucky escape. So, all is well that ends well.

Anyway, I have been actually doing a bit of crafting, and a bit of uploading. Some of this stuff is from before Christmas, and some is from the last couple of weeks, during which I have been to a Scrapaholics roadshow at Brenchley and also to Pinky's regular Scrapaholics meet in Bromley. I have a couple more LOs to photograph, plus a CJ entry, but don't hold your breath.

My big news for the day is that I have had a layout published in Scrapbook Inspirations. Whoo hoo!!!! But as I don't subscribe, I will have to wait for a few days to actually get my hands on a copy of the magazine. That was one of my goals for the past year, so now I need to think about what I will aim for this year. Perhaps having my first Stampin' Up party might be a start!

In no particular order...

DD after demolishing a particularly huge slice of chocolate cake at Creative Living/Pastimes/whatever.

DS1's new football kit.

A class kit LO from the Quickutz event I went to back in October, which I have finally completed with a photo.

DS2 looking like he definitely didn't do it!

DS1 modelling a big smile and his 661 body armour.

And finally, a Magnolia card for a forum friend.

Thanks for popping in!

This is my latest offering in the UK Stamper just one stamp CJ. It's in 3D jean's journal, and her stamp is a pair of Zettiology legs.

I did the background with distress inks (scrunched and ironed the paper), and the skull and crossbones is a Tim Holtz/Stampers anonymous unmounted. I used a couple of Bella's Baubles for the eyes. Tiny alpha is Hero Arts and the die cut lettering is Sizzix Doodleblock.