Dragons Dream #131 Merry Christmas

Wow I cannot believe this is our last TIO challenge before Christmas, this year has gone by so quickly. This time around we have a Christmas themed challenge, with no recipe to follow, the only stipulation, as always is that you use at least one real stamp on your tags and have fun!
I am back in vintage mode again and loving this Kandi Core card form Kanban, it looks like old leather when it's distressed and sanded.
My cheeky little Robin had to make an appearance again, this time I've cut him out and layered him up along with some foliage, also cut from the Kandi Core. He's one of many to have been watercoloured with Distress Inks for a Vintage feel, the others are lined up ready for my own Christmas Cards. The HOTP sentiment is embossed using Wow Pearl Gold Sparkle, love their powders!
We hope you join in with our festive challenge this time, just click on the link on my sidebar, and don't forget, at least one real stamp must be used on your tag.
Merry Christmas Elizabeth xxx

Sunday Stampers #234 Labelled With Love

Hels song choice this week is Labelled With Love. So the theme this week is "Labels", well I can't resist a tag challenge, can I?
My tag has been inked up with various blue distress inks, love the salty ocean one, it's so bright. All the stamps I've used are from the Snowflake Decoupage set from Imagination Crafts. The smaller snowflakes were stamped out in the various sizes, using salty ocean.

The big snowflakes were stamped out and embossed with wow silver bells, gorgeous sparkly powder, water coloured with distress inks, and decoupaged on to the tag.
Then I decided the sentiment needed a mini tag of it's own!
Thanks for stopping by, am off up the Conwy Valley now for my work's Christmas lunch, my third Christmas dinner so far lol. Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream TIO #130 Magical Mystery

This time over at Dragons Dream Monique has inspired us to dream magical, mysterious dreams with a sprinkling of Fairy Dust!
I masked off the moon and used three different shades of blue distress ink along with black soot to create my base tag. The snowflakes and the sentiment, perfect for this one hey, are from an old set from HOTP. The houses are from Crafty Individuals and my Fairies (complete with the required Fairy Dust lol) are from Lavinia Stamps.
I've been adding these snowflakes on to everything at the moment, they are so pretty, this one had a little distress treatment though, to blend in.
Pop over to our challenge via the link on my sidebar and check out the great tags my team mates have come up with and join in our magical dreams, please don't forget to use at least one real stamp on your tags. Happy Dreaming Elizabeth x

Sunday Stampers #233 All Those Years Ago

Ever wondered when you are busy, you get more things done lol. Have at long last played with my new Robin stamp from Imagination Crafts. The Ladies I taught at Denbigh got to play with him before I did!
I stamped him out in Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and watercoloured him for a soft vintage look, to fit in with Hels theme this week.

 He has a Barn Door tubby and berries, and how lush is that ribbon with the beads entwined, a little bargain from Lidl, only popped in for some bits for tapas! Thanks for stopping by, hope the weathers better where you are, raining cats and dogs here, the Irish Sea is bouncing and lots of roads are closed. Roll on summer Elizabeth xxx

Crafty Individuals November Challenge - Festive Sparkles

I've been having a play with my new spellbinders snowflake dies using a piece of greaseproof paper then the cardstock, and you know what, I love the greaseproof paper ones more than the card lol. I masked off a 4" square on my card, and creaded a frame, stamped out some snowflakes and Greetings. The added my Rudolf in the centre. He is stamped out in brushed corduroy,  inked around the edge, then the gorgeous spellbinders snowflakes were added along with some gems for sparkle. Thanks for popping by, Elizabeth xx

Brrrrrrrr.......

Brrrr this mornings walk was a chilly one and there is still quite a lot of flooding on the coastal path, from all this rain we've been having, might have to wear wellies next week!
But we are Girlies on a mission to get fit again, me after tearing a muscle in my thigh last year, and big Sis who has lost lots of weight this year, and wants to tone up, so it has to be done!!!

More Sparkles!!

More sparkles this time with fire polished glass. These have a beautiful iridescent sheen to them, thought I'd try something bold and bright for a change in nice warm sunshiny colours. Elizabeth xxx

Sparkles!

The photo doesn't do these crystals justice as it's such a grey wet day here. They are clear with a coating of AB, so in real life they pick up all colours and are lovely.
Am trying to get some new sparkly things made in time for our Christmas Country Market this Saturday, in the hope that I may sell a few lol. Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream TIO #129 Handle With Care!!

Well here we are again with another challenge. This time it's over to the very talented Silvia who has chosen the theme "Handle With Care" along with an animal and a warning.
I've been painting and drawing again just recently, full circle for me as this is where I started out selling my artwork over 30 years ago. I started by creating a watery background with pan pastels then carefully drew my mermaid over the top. I took out some of the colour using an eraser then coloured in my mermaid again using the pan pastels. The stamp I've used is from Lavinia and stamped out in Tumbled Glass Distress ink.I added a little journalling and the tag will have a new home in the journal I'm working in at the moment with a whole load of fish, seahorses and other mermaids. We hope you enjoy our challenge this time, come over to join in and check out what my fab team mates have been up to, the link is on my sidebar, just don't forget the recipe and at least one real stamped image. Elizabeth xxx

Little Busy Bee lol

So hard to get a good picture of this card as it's sooooooo sparkly lol. It's one of the decoupage stamps from Imagination Crafts. I love these as they are so versatile and I can use them in so many ways.
I decided to keep this one simple, and embossed all the layers with Wow's Silver Sparkle Regular, a gorgeous sparkly powder when it's heated. Then coloured in sections of the snowflake with a water brush and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. The edge of the base image was inked around the edge with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.

More versions will follow as I'm making a start on my Christmas cards lol. Elizabeth xxx

Nec Stash

Had a great time at the NEC on Sunday bought some beautiful new beads to play with, and have managed to have a couple of hours making things ready for the Country Market on Friday. I'm in a brown and turquoise mood at the moment, not one crystal bead in sight!

There were some very gorgeous things, and I was totally spoilt for choice. There was only one thing on my list that I wanted, and I didn't manage to get lol. Elizabeth xxx

The Stampmans November Challenge Emboss It!

I've had a lovely morning making up backgrounds with a mixture of inks and mica powders. Sadly it doesn't show up too well on photo, there are lots of pale gold flecks in with the red mica, which softens the colour greatly.
The stamp is one of Imagination Crafts, stamped out and heat embossed with Wow Brass Sparkle Regular, my favourite powder! Coloured in using Lyra Polycolour pencils, I added pearls along with some ribbon and did have a bow on there, but decided it looked better without it.

Dragons Dream TIO #128 Self Propelled Flowers

 

This time over at Dragons Dream Gabrielle has chosen the theme of "Self Propelled Flowers" She would like to see Butterflies, Flowers and movement of some kind on your tags.

I used a sheet of cotton paper to blend different colours of mica on to, then let it dry au natural. My favourite flowers were then stamped, cut out and shaped, they hold well on this paper. I cut the TH cage out is silver and decided to have my little butterflies in the same colour, to blend in with the lilac and pale green flowers. My tag is inked up using a mixture of Milled Lavender,  Bundled Sage and of course Black Soot Distress Inks. All put together with a little helping of the yummy tissue tape from Indigoblu. I hope you pop over and join in out challenge this time, I know so many of you are busy at this time of year, but we love to see your tags!! Don't forget to use the ingredients along with at least one real stamp on you tag. Off now to finish the little felted book that's peeping out from under my tag. Elizabeth xxx

WOYWW #178

Well here goes, I am here shaming myself over the lack of a tidy desk!! I have been trying to sort it out, honest, even have a full wheelie bin to prove it! Some of you know I do a Country Market at least once a week, so my space is crammed with little wooden hearts drying, a hand felted corsage waiting to have crystals sewn in the centre, a felted and canvas book in bits, bows for Wedding cards and a sneaky peak at my tag for the TIO later. In the middle is a pile of gorgeous tissue tape from Indigiblu, yummy stuff along with my Hope in a Tube lip cream, essential item here in this salty sea air! Promise to be tidier next week, honest!
Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream TIO #127 I can resist anything but temptation!

This time over at Dragons Dream TIO Sue has chosen the theme "I can resist anything but temptation" a quotation by Oscar Wilde. The ingredients are a resist technique of some kind, the colour red and a temptation!!!!
Sorry but my very Northern humour has kicked in again and I couldn't resist using this little fella from Penny Black. I love nice underwear, there, my secret is out lol, I may be a complete scruff on the outside, but underneath I am a total girlie at heart!
The flowers at the bottom of the tag were stamped and embossed with black powder, which acted as a resist to the barn door ink. Pop over to the Dragons Dream blog via the link on my sidebar to check out what my fab team mates have created, and join in with our challenge. Just don't forget the ingredients plus one real stamp.  Elizabeth xxx

Great Day

Had a great day WI House in Denbigh teaching paper crafts to some of the WI girls, and also some Ladies from The Country Markets. All have gone home with a decorated ring bound storage book and a hand full of cards to go inside. We managed to cover quite a few techniques using Sparkle Medium, Mica and various inks, and everyone left the building sparkling!!! It was great to have some relatively new crafters there as well, think we have some converts. Day off for me tomorrow, thank goodness, my workroom looks like an explosion of paper and I have another class to prepare, yikes!!!! Back with the Dragons Dream TIO Challenge tomorrow.  Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream #126 "Leaf Me Alone!"

Wow I can't believe how quickly the Challenge has come around again, and we are now in October, scarey!
Helen has chosen the theme of "Leaf Me Alone" over at Dragons Dream TIO Challenge and would like to see you using Leaves, Metal and Orange on your tags, along with at least one real stamp.
I decided to keep clean and simple after last time lol, not that I'm ever clean where ink is concerned, my nails are pickled raspberry pink at the moment!!
My base tag is kraftcard and inked around the edge with rusty hinge and black soot (my hero). The TH leaves were stamped and embossed with black powder, then coloured in with the very yummy inktense pencils, not used those for ages.
The metal I've used is the Breast Cancer Care Ribbon coloured with an orange promarker. Here in the UK October is dedicated to fundraising for this charity, that effects so many people we all love. Lets hope they raise lots of money and awareness this year!
By the time this has posted I will be in England, winging my way down South for a few days ambling around the Cotswolds, and generally getting muddy again!!
Hope you join in the challenge this time, just click on the link on my sidebar, check out my fab team mates work (they are amazing) and join in using at least one real stamp. Love Elizabeth xxx

Sunday Stampers #225 Happy Heart

Over at Sunday Stampers this week Hels want's to know what makes our Hearts Happy. Well after spending all day Saturday at the Happy Stampers Festival at Port Sunlight, with good Friends and some veeerrry gorgeous things to look at lol, how could my heart not be happy!
Bought the stamplate I used on the tag, from Ali-craft, it's a Kaisercraft one called Bonjour, and as I love Paris, well no excuse needed! Great to see Neet demoing for Ian, although me thinks he was itching to play with the inks himself lol. Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream TIO #125 "Misty Autumn Glaze"

 This time it's my turn to head up the team over at Dragons Dream TIO. I've chosen the theme "Misty Autumn Glaze" and would like to see you use Mica/Ink Mists, Autumn Colours, Glaze and at least one real stamp on your tag.

 I cut out a whole heap of the Mini Tattered Flowers fastened them together with brads and laid them on my craftsheet alongside of my tag. Then I gave the whole lot a spritz with water, followed by a mixture of colours of Mica. I love using the copper shades along with bright vibrant purples. I then scrunched up the flowers and left to dry. I used a heat tool to dry my tag, then used a leaf stamp from Craft Stamper and embossed with Wow powder, fantastic stuff!

The Autumn stamp is by Inkylicious, I like to have at least one word somewhere on my tag. Once the flowers were completely dry I arranged them on my tag and added some Glossy Accent rain drops and a heart paper clip which has been lurking on my desk for ages. I hope you enjoy our challenge this time, pop over via the link on my sidebar to check out my teamies fantastic artwork, and join in the fun, and please don't forget to use at least one real stamp on your tag. Elizabeth xxx

Nesser Al-Attiyar

This guy won a gold medal for shooting at the Olympics this year, the car flew past sideways,such amazing control.

My picnic table and seat for the day lol, the boots were not that clean later!

How beautiful is this, think there might be a couple of Tracey Dutton's Fairies hiding in there lol. Walked miles through the most beautiful woodland at Dyfnant.

Rally

Thursday was a beautiful warm sunny day for the vintage rally cars to visit Llandudno.

Most of these cars have been lovingly restored and are in pristine condition.

I've never seen so many switches accross a dashboard before!

Check out the Mad Hatter watching in the background. He's part of our new Alice in Wonderland trail.

This one took me right back as it lived not too far from where I grew up. A proper rally car!

And now for the Proffessionals of today most of them in their early 20's.

Play Time

At last a chance to play with new toys! For a change I thought I'd make some Calendars for the Country Market, ideal as Christmas presents and I can charge more than I would for a card, like my thinking lol.

Wales Rally GB

Yippee I've won a competition that Attractions North Wales held for tickets to go to the Wales Rally GB, which kicks off here in Llandudno on Thursday 13th September. So very windswept after doing the Artisan Craft Market this afternoon, I went to have my photo taken and collect the two gold passes, which get us in to the whole thing, Llandudno to Cardiff, can't wait!!! Very excited if you can't tell lol. xxx

Dragons Dream #124 In a Heartbeat

Firstly let me apologise for the rotten picture, no matter which way I looked the mica shone!!
This time at Dragons Dream TIO Trace has chosen the theme "In a heartbeat" with the ingredients of a beating heart, a weathered timepiece and a bit of grunge.
I cut my tag out of Kraftcard and inked up with Distress Ink, followed by a liberal spraying of copper mica powder. The stamp is from the Artistic Stamper and coloured in using chalk pencils.
Flowers and Spidersweb were added,both sprayed with Mica and my beating black heart embossed around the edge. Pop over to join in the challenge via the link on my sidebar and please don't forget to use at least one real stamp. Elizabeth x

Art Journalling at The Craft Barn

When I spotted this challenge over at The Craft Barn I just knew I had to join in. I found this old Minute Book at work that was heading towards the bin, no way was that going to happen, this was going to become my new journal!!!

This is a recycled, recycled book as it started life way back in 1933, and was re-used in 1992 to keep records of a friendship group at work.

Now in it's third phase of life, it's had pages glued together, lashings of acrylic paint added and my first two pages have now been completed.

"My garden misses my Mum as much as I do". We would work in the garden together and I have fallen so far behind with it all, it's a jungle out there at the moment, thanks to the rain and warm weather. Next weekend, no matter what the weather does, it's wellies on time!!!!! Elizabeth xxx

Sunday Stampers - Tulips from Amsterdam

Sunday Stampers are paying tribute to Max Bygraves who passed away yesterday.  Hels has chosen the song "Tulips from Amsterdam" which takes me back to being a little girl again.
I've taken the theme quite literally this week and used my Tulip stamp onto Kraftcard, coloured in using Polycolour pencils, which blend so easily, added a Graphicus sentiment and doodles around the edge, with a Sharpie pen. Nearly got away without Distress Ink, but just couldn't do it lol, it has to be there!!
Now to get that song out of my head a good dose of Fleetwood Mac is needed lol. Elizabeth xxx

Sunday Stampers #220

Another rubbish photo, sorry, maybe I should have waited for daylight but don't get very much of than here. Hel's Sunday Stampers Challenge this week is "Green Tambourine" would love to say that I don't know the song but sadly can't, lol. I am from an era of pre-decimalisation, inches (still am) and Peter Hughes with matching flowery shirt and tie (on elastic lol) sorry Pete, won't mention the Jesus sandals though!. (photo's may follow, maybe not as he will have some of me lol ;) Anyway my offering for the Sunday Stampers Challenge is as above. Pink Frog Butterfly dies, Imaginations Crafts leaves and flowers stamp and a Stamp Camp sentiment. Off for a soak in the bath to ease my bites. Spent most of August at County Fairs bite free, had an hour in my garden and was munched lol. Hope Oscar doesn't get me up at 4-30am again, paws crossed! Elizabeth xxx

PDCC #146

It's ages since I've managed to play along at the PDCC love the colour splash they have chosen this week, Black and White with a splash of Lime Green. There are always some great entries for this challenge, and the design team are fab. Check them out via the link on my sidebar. Elizabeth x

Crafty Heaven!!

Am taking full advantage of having the house all to myself for the week, and plan to catch up on blogs, challenges, refilling my card stash and cuddles with Oscar!!  Have made a start by using my favourite flower stamps along with their matching leaves on to some DCWV papers. Not a great photo but it is such a dark miserable wet day here, even the daylight lamp isn't helping.  Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream TIO #123 Art for Art's Sake

Our Head Dragon Frankie has set the theme of "Art for Art's Sake" this time over at Dragons Dream TIO. Where she would like your tags to have a handmade background, an interesting character and a quirky twist.
I made my background using Radiant Rains with blobbed Distress Stain over the top. The umberella man is heat embossed with Moon Glow powder, so he too shimmers to match the background. The card Candy was sat on my desk and made me think of Smarties lol. So there's my twist, it's raining Smarties - I wish!!
Hop on over via the link on my sidebar and check out what my very talented team mates have created, and join in the the challenge. Please don't forget to use at least one real stamp on your tag. Elizabeth x

Letraset Neon Markers

Check out these great new Neon Markers from Letraset, the colours are fantastic. They are water based and perfect for adding vibrant highlights to art and design work. They will be available from Letraset from week beginning 1st September. Click on the link on my sidebar for further info.

TIO #122 A Murder of Crows

This time over at Dragons Dream TIO Lyn  has chosen the theme of  "A Murder of Crows" with a blue moon and a chill wind.
My background was created with oil pastels, heated and blended together to create a stormy sky, sadly the silver doesn't show up very well when scanned and my camera is in hiding! The birds and sentiment stamps are Sir Tim's and the moon is from Clarity, all stamped out using stayz on ink. Hope you pop over to check out what my very clever team mates have created, just click on the logo on my sidebar and come and join in. Just remember to use at least one real stamp on your tag, and enjoy!!! Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream TIO #121 Alice and the Rabbit Situation

This week at Dragons Dream TIO May is asking us to dream about Alice and the Rabbit Situation. Now you would think that by now I would own at least one Alice stamp living so close to where she lived, but no!! Thankfully Pamela at Free Vintage Stamps has some fantastic images and got me out of my sticky rabbit hole!
Both the window/door and steps stamps are from Lavina Stamps, funnily enough they are also down the road in the other direction!!! The letter stamps are by Anna Griffin. Everything has been coloured in using promarkers, and then a little black soot was added around the edge. Pop over via the link on my sidebar to join in the challenge and check out what my clever team mates have been up to. Please remember to use at least one real stamp somewhere on your tag. Elizabeth x

Oooow there's no place like like home!!

Well after avoiding the big holes to Aussie on Brompton Avenue, we set up shop for the Artisan Craft Fair on in Rhos, only for a total ONE on Colwyn Crescent to decide that today he would try to blow his flat up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo short version, lots of Police, being told to be ready to evacuate, have never been soooo pleased to be home xx

Dragons Dream TIO #120 Steampunk

This time over at Dragons Dream TIO Monique is asking us to dream "Steampunk" Fantasy, Inventions and Victoriana are the ingredients.
I created the background of my tag with oil pastels, heated and blended together until I was happy with the effect, as I wanted it to look smokey and grey. All the stamps I've used are from Kanban, and stamped and embossed in black.
The gown was coloured using a mixture of Promarkers. Great to be back blogging again, can't believe it's been a  month since my last post!!
Hope you join in with the challenge, just click on the link on my sidebar to share your tags with us, and check out my fab team mates artwork. Please don't forget to use at least one real stamp. Elizabeth xxx

Dragons Dream TIO 118 Industrial Chic

First of all I have to apologise for being awol for the last few weeks, I've been busy with year end accounts and a short, much needed, break away.  I promise to catch up on all of the blogs I've missed this weekend. This time over at Dragons Dream TIO Gabrielle has chosen the theme of "Industrial Chic". She would like to see clockworks, cogs and vintage brown on your tags, along with at least one real stamp.
Completely without intention, everything I've used on my tag this time is Sir Tims lol. From the ink to the embossing folder and stamps, simples!! Hope you pop over and join in with this times tag, just click on the logo on my sidebar to take you there, and check out what my fab team mates have created. Elizabeth x

London 2012

How very British is this photo that my friend Lea managed to take, just before the traffic lights changed! Two seconds later it was a very different picture.
Had a great couple of days down in London this week. The traffic was bedlam as some of the major roads had already closed ready for the weekend.
We managed to see The Lion King, which was fantastic, and six grown up women sat with their mouths open for most of the show!!!

The WI annual general meeting took place at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday, and the Advisers were lucky enough to sit in the choir stalls, at the side of the organ, above the stage. I have to confess that I had tears in my eyes when we sang Jerusalem, it was very moving, and wow, to sing in the choir stalls!!
It was a great meeting with the very lovely Julian Fellows starting the guest list off and a total surprise of the Strictly Come Dancing gang finishing afternoon off for us. How perfect for me lol!! soo glad to be back home though, and the slower pace of life. Elizabeth x