Monday, October 29, 2012

It's a fusion of jazz and funk ... It's called JUNK!

Ginkies Pinkies! 
Will you look at that! 
I am back again in the same day!

This time I'm playing along with Linda,
 The Funkie Junkie in the  
I have to say, the week #2 tag really inspired me today so ... 
for the moment, I am skipping a week & going with the Mojo! 

My tag on the left here ..................... The gorgeous Ms Linda's tag on the right.

Being an "Inspiration Challenge
as part of the rules you have to share what inspired you ... 
Well! ... the metal look & the cogs just got me going!
Cogs go with time pieces, & what better to go with time than
Father Time himself & New Years Eve! 

With all that metal going on!
That darn song that plays at the end of the movie Robots, 
was playing on repeat in my head! 
Yeah I got kids! .... 3 of them!
If you're not familiar with the tune ... 
I snagged it off You Tube for you :))


And as my camera shows a horible shot up against Linda's tag, 
I have some close ups for you too! 

Close up of the bottom ... 

 A close up of the top. 
I started with a tag base, & then raided the bottom kitchen drawer for some aluminum foil.  Some modge podge stuck it down, & then it was time for some TH alcohol inky fun!  Love the wrinkles I was able to achieve & how the ink helped emphasis them!

 Grandfather Time - stuck in time in the watch. 
I had some real trouble finding a Grandfather time I liked, but I finally found one over on deviantART {here}. I made the watch frame with some inventive uses from my circle spellbinders & the watch loop from a tag die.  It was originally antique sand but it looked to 'new' for the tag so it got a doze of some silver glitter flecks (another thing not used in years!) And Grandfather time got a coat of clear embossing powder, then a coat of Rock Candy, some heat & it all went a bubbly kind of vintaged look.  Love that it didn't crackle & that it took the shine off but still gave the image depth.

To finish off, I went on a major raid of my stash!  I used some silver tinsel pipe cleaners for the top of the tag, grunge-d up with some more alcohol inks, & gave them a spring like twirl.  I grabbed a chain for the father time pocket watch & some brads, & used the center of the cogs to link the chain all together through the tag.  A found a metal file tab that found a new home on the side, for the stamped clock I added some small metal tags for hands held on with another brad & some beading wire made some loose springs so it looks like it is all going 'boing'.  The Grandfather metal plate I have been hording onto for a while now so it was also snagged up for this piece. 

I played with a lot of old stash today, & used techniques that I have not played with in ages!  I can not wait to make a start on the remainder of the 6 tags I have got to go to catch up on!

Anyways,
I only have till December 17th to get my 12 weeks of Christmas tags in by
& I still have another 5 to go to catch up on till I am up to date with the current challenge!
There is a fantastic prize on offer too from 

So for now, I am of to have some more inky fun & I hope I catch you all later! 
Thanks for dropping in to see me :) 
Recipe -
Image / Sentiment - Unknown
Paper(s) -  Tag, kitchen aluminum foil
Embellishment(s) -  TH alcohol inks, ranger fine black embossing powder, clear embossing powder, Rock Candy, Stash - metal chain, brads, Granfather metal plate, tinsel, file tab, black netting, gold micro beads.

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:
The Funkie Junkie - 12 Tags of Christmas - Week #2 ends 17th Dec
Stampin Sister's In Christ - Time. Use clocks/watches, calendars, sundials, etc. OR black and white only Sun E2/3
Glitter & Sparkle - Monochrome Sun 
Catch The Bug - recipe - 1 circle, 3 brads Sat E1/3
It's All About the Vintage - Make your own Background Thurs E2/3
Paperminutes - Steampunk
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Autumn Tinkering

Merry Monday all :) 

I have been super organized today, got my housework all done, the washing is on the line drying, so I thought I would pop into my craft room and see if Mojo wanted to have a tinker with me! 

This week I've seen several challenges pop up that I have wanted to play along with so we went in search for a few that would all work together. 

 The Inspired by Autumn Challenge is still open at Visible Image (ends soon! so get those entries in), Joanna Sheen has a call for silhouettes this week, Stampin Sisters In Christ are challenging us to time & clocks, Sugar Creek Hollow want to see some vintage text-ing, Do You Stack Up is asking for embossing, Simply Create Too has some gorgeous Autumn colors of yellow, orange and black and over at the Deconstructed Sketch, you will find a sketch to just die for! 

So with challenges in hand ... Off we went! 

I've rotated the sketch 90 degrees. 

 The Autumn colors, text & time / clock theme work fantastically for guys cards so I knew I wanted something masculine.  A rummage through my stamps & my fingers found the Mens Collage from Visible Image.  This would have to be one of my fav guy stamps I have.  And theme wise, it matched perfectly for all the challenges!   Now ... I did toss & turn & question myself if the Mens Collage is actually a silhouette ?  (It's Monday so I am easily confused today lol ... see why I don't blog on Mondays!)  Mojo and I concluded as this is a scene & not a portrait, it was 'silhouette' in nature & certainly not a stamp I would 'color up' :$

 Close up of the image - Mens Collage

Close up of the bow & the sparkly paper from Kaisercraft.

 Side view

 Inside using Hope It's Special Sentiment 
& the small clock from the Time after Time set 


I am having a love affair with my Rangers fine black embossing powder at the moment (so love this stuff) so I inked up Mens Collage in versamark & heat set it, the stuff works great with the TH distress inks so I think that may be the reason for the addiction.   Then it was off to peak at the sketch again.  The bow just grabbed me in this sketch & I knew I had a little black & orange ribbon left over from my kit club from Really Reasonable Ribbons that would look spectacular against some of the orange sparkly paper from Kaisercraft's 13th hour paper pad & for some more text, I pulled the bottom layer from the Black and White Timeless pad.  Some lace took the place of the scallops & then all that was needed was out with the needle & black thread for some hand stitching around the edges. Of course, everything got a dose of ink distressing along the way & the image got a real distress taste also around the edges with my craft knife.

I finished the bow off with a brad from my Stampin' Up stash, topped with an orange jewel, the 3 black brads around the image where originally white that have had a coat of that magical black embossing powder & for some reason I went hunting through my abundant supple of stickers and found the copper foil flourish & just had to add it under the lifted corner of the image.  Being such a great sketch to work with, I continued it inside the card as well.  Added the Hope It's Special Sentiment & the small clock from the Time after Time set that are also both available from Visible Image.
 
I can honestly say Mojo and I have had some fun this morning! 
It has been a while since I blogged 2 cards in a day, but you never know!
So I had better go catch up with him! 

Before I go though ... 
Don't forget there is only a few days left to get your entries into the 
You can get your Visible Image stamps from {here}
Check out some of the amazing creations the DT have made on the blog {here}
Or come along and chat with us on Facebook {here}

And if I wasn't on the DT I would be playing along for the fabulous prize!
1st prize - A £20 gift voucher to spend at Visible Image
2nd prize - A £10 store voucher to spend at Visible Image
3rd prize - A £5 store voucher to spend at Visible Image
You do not have to use a Visible Image stamp to play along (though we do love when you share them with us & you will get an extra entry into the draw if you do!) And ... You can enter as many times as you like! (The more you enter, the better your chances!)

I hope you come along & play with us :)
We would love to see you there!
Catch you all latters,
Recipe -
Image / Sentiment - Visible Image - Men's Collage, Hope It's Special Sentiment & Time after Time set
Paper(s) -  Kaisercraft - Orange cardstock, black cardstock, Black and White Timeless pad & 13th hour paper pad
Embellishment(s) -  TH distress inks, Really Reasonable Ribbons, Ranger fine black embossing powder, Stash - Lace, stampin' up brad, orange rhinestone, copper foil sticker. DMC black thread, white brads wet embossed black.

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:
Joanna Sheen Challenge - Silhouettes Sun
Stampin Sisters In Christ  - Time. Use clocks/watches, calendars, sundials, etc. OR black and white only Sun 
Sugar Creek Hollow - Texting Vintage style  Sat E1/3
Crafty Catz - For a male Fri E1/1
Simply Create Too -  Yellow,Orange & Black Fri
Do You Stack Up - Embossing Thurs E1/3 
Deconstructed Sketch - Sketch75 Thurs
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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Cut it out & pop it up @ Christmas Card Challenges

Mornings Beautiful People!
It is time for a new challenge at

And this week’s theme is....
Cut it out & pop it up!
 Remember the challenge theme is optional, the only real rule is you must create a new Christmas Holiday, winter or Hanukkah card / creation. 

I was not much in the mood for sitting and coloring in this week so I thought I would try taking this challenge to a different level for myself and try something I have always wanted to do and never done and that is, popping my card up off it's base! (I know!  How simple and I have seen it done heaps of times and it looks wicked but have never done it myself!)  
Well .... Until now! 





Every-thing is 'popping' off this card, including the card popping off the base!  I have been inking up my  Snowy Background that I have embossed with black embossing powder and then blinged up the snowflakes with an assortment of pearls and jewels.  I then cut it out in a triangle shape, distressed the edges with some TH inks, & added a distressed rectangle piece for the tree stump (makes a pretty nice tree if I say so myself :)   And the tree is then again, popped up on some foam dots. 

For the sentiment I did some masking  and used black embossing powder too, TH inked the edges and cut up and did some tricky placing of a Marianne Designs Creatables Frames LRO116.

The Christmas Card Challenge girls and I would love to have you playing along with us this week! 
So please call past the Christmas Card Challenges Blog, take in the delectable inspiration the girls have got on offer for you and come along and play with us :)

Thanks for dropping in to see me today!
Recipe -
Stamp(s)- unknown
Paper(s) - Hammered white card
Tools -  Marianne Designs Creatables Frames LRO116
Embellishment(s) – TH distress inks, Ranger fine black embossing powder, versamark ink, foam pop dots, Stash - Ribbon, lace, pearls & jewels, prima flowers.
Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:
 Stamping For the Weekend - Anything Goes Fri E1/1
Crafty Ribbons - Christmas
Stamp and Create - Winter Wonderland
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - No Patterned Paper Sat
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Santa's Candy

Good Morning my dear friends :) 

For a long while now I have wanted to have hold a candy for all my lovely followers, but I have never "gotten around to it " (you all know that feeling) 

So ... Being the 'Christmas' fanatic that I am ... 

A Santa's Candy 
would be much more appropriate to me.
 If you know me, I think you would all have to agree lol 

So ... I have put together a gorgeous stocking that is choc a block full of yummy delicious goodies! This is a selection of things I have enjoyed working and playing with this year. 

So, what's in the stocking ....
£25 voucher to Halo Handmade
8 Packets of my favorite Prima flowers including -
 Flower Frilllies in Plum, Orchid & Wine, Caravan in Sultans Robe & Morrocco Red, Medicci Flowers in Plum , Baroque Blooms in Plum & Zazl in Lilac
Total value over $100 worth of goodies!

And ... 
As I want to share the love a little more! 
Randomly each week leading up till Christmas, 
I will be giving some more prizes out along the way! 
At random this will be draw by either comments left during the week or from the Mr Linky list. 

If you would like to enter this candy, I ask that you please
Be a follower of my blog -
I do ask that you you do not link up & follow just for the candy please.
Please take a moment & wander around & be sure my creations inspire you.

Post a photo of the Santa's Candy on your blog with a link back to this post.
Enter your name using the Mr Linky at the bottom of the post.

This candy is open to everyone internationally :)
The winner will be announced Christmas Eve at 3pm Australian EST.
The winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be drawn.
This also applies to the random weekly winner(s). 

I look forward to continuing to share my crafting journey with my old friends & followers,  & making new friendships with my new followers.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Grunge Christmas Tag @ Visible Image


Good morning beautiful people :) 
Saturday has rolled around once again!

So that means it is time to share some
Visible Image! 
{love} with you! 
*happy happy joy joy* 

 There has been some great inky messy fun in the craftroom this week! 
And with Christmas just right around the corner, today I thought I would try to inspire you with a grunge-y Christmas tag using Visible Image stamps!
Lots of Visible Image goodness used here today! We have -
Bronte Border in the background, stamped in Archival Ink - Siena
Tree Trio - The largest tree used, stamped in Siena again.  
Vintage Season's Greeting - Stamped in TH Forest Green

Isn't the Bronte Border great!  And it is not even a Christmas focused stamp!  Yep! There is no mention of Christmas anyway on this baby and here she is getting a double season use! 
{value for money = love it!}




Now ... have I mentioned lately how much I {love} playing with these stamps!  I think it shows as I am having soo much fun with them!  

The tag I made myself and re-enforced the hole with an eyelet, the little strip of DP along the bottom I snagged from the left overs basket and for the trims, jewels, pearls, bell and twine I had a good dig around through my stash to find!   I finished it all off with a quick spray of Stampin' Up Brown Smooch. 

The lush-a-licious stamps I have used today are all from 
You can get your Visible Image stamps from {here}
Check out some of the amazing creations the DT have made on the blog {here}
Or come along and chat with us on Facebook {here}

We also have a super new challenge started this month! 
Visible Image 
with 3 great prizes up for grabs! 
1st prize - A £20 gift voucher to spend at Visible Image
2nd prize - A £10 store voucher to spend at Visible Image
3rd prize - A £5 store voucher to spend at Visible Image
You do not have to use a Visible Image stamp to play along (though we do love when you share them with us & you will get an extra entry into the draw if you do!) And ... You can enter as many times as you like! (The more you enter, the better your chances!)
You can find the Inspired by Autumn Challenge {here} 

Thank you for calling past to see me today :) 
I'll be back next Saturday to share another Visible Image creation with you then! :)
Recipe -
Image / Sentiment - Unknown
Paper(s) -  White card-stock, DP from scraps.
Embellishment(s) -  TH distress inks, Stampin Up Brown Smooch, Stash - lace, twine, ribbon, jewels, pearls, handmade posh pin, eyelet

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:
Crafty Ann's -Christmas Fri
Frosted Designs - Paints/ Mists/ Inks Fri E1/1
Patties's Creations - Autumn Colors Fri E1/2
Wags 'n' Whiskers - Fall Colors Fri
It's All About The Vintage - Make your background Thurs E1/3
Willow Sketchie Challenge - Sketch / Christmas Thurs E1/3
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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Too Cute Too Spook @ MAWTT

Mornings all! 
It is that time again! 
Time for a new challenge at 

Debs is challenging us this week with ... 
Too Cute Too Spook
We wanna see cute Halloween!

Halloween is actually not a big tradition / celebration in Australia.  As a child I never went trick or treating nor did any of the kids in the street.  I never saw shops decorate their windows for the occasion either.  But as time goes on (and I get older) it seems to be beginning to make it's mark on our culture and a few people (or should I say children and retail business) are beginning to embrace the idea.   Hubby has always been a stick in the mud in regards to this tradition too but as I have a hallway table to decorate with 'the current season', the kids and I have voted that this year we are decorating for Halloween (I say decorating as I draw the line at trick or treating, but have promised the kids a little something special treat on the night).    

So to get the table started, every witches haunted house needs a spooky cute hat! 





I was having a thing for red, black and white this day :$  The paper hat is made from Graphic 45 Papers from the Wizard Of Oz range, it has faint spider webs all over it, so I thought it appropriate for the occasion and it has been in my stash since last year so it's about time I stopped 'saving it'.  The lace and the ribbon is from my stash and the flowers are homemade from silk with beads sewn into the center.  The beady blingy swirly's are also homemade using the same beads used in the flower centers with some white wire and glue gun.  I am so in love with this piece and can not wait to get the hallway table set up!  I think it is going to look excellent and I think I may even have DH slightly excited as he has asked for a wizards hat on the table!!! 

are sponsoring us this challenge! 
This is a great prize as she has some adorable images! 
The MAWTT girls have some too cute samples to share with you too so please pop over and check out their adorable creations over at 

Thanks for dropping in to see me today :) 
Recipe -
Paper(s) -  Graphic 45 -The Magic of Oz
Embellishment(s) -   Flowers handmade, ribbon, lace, wire and beads from stash.
Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:
Crafty Catz - Halloween Fri E1/1
Craftymess - Haloween Fri 
Totally Gorjuss - Bling It On Sat
My Sheri Crafts - Halloween Sat
Just Some Lines - Too Cute to spook Sat
Challenge Up Your Life - Halloween/Autumn Sat E1/1
2 Sisters - Cute & Creepy Sat
Glitter & Sparkle - Halloween / Bonfire Night Sun
Dream Valley Challenges - Halloween Sun E1/3
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

October New Release @ Inspired Stamps

Gooood Mornings folks :) 
I have something very exciting to share with you all today! 
I have been very lucky to have been playing with ONE of the EIGHT
Yes EIGHT!

I would love you all to give a very warm welcome 
to a new Inspired Stamps character ... 

Isn't she just GORGEOUS!  
She also comes with the Merry Christmas sentiment I have used and several others! 




Today I have colored Elizabeth up with Spectrum Noir pens and matched up her with one of my new paper pads from Miss Caroline's the Dilly Dally collection. I the cut her out and popped her up on some pop dots, added some liquid pearls dots here and there to mimic the snow falling on and around her.  I pulled the flower, pearls and twine from my stash and cut a few snowflakes to finish the card off.

Now this is only ONE of the EIGHT new releases to be hitting the
Inspired Stamps Store! 
To stay up to date with all the new happenings, pop on over to the 
And take in the delectable new releases the girls are sharing with you!

Thank you for stopping into see me today and sharing my Inspired Stamps creation with you!
I look forward to see you again next time :) 
Happy Crafting till then! 

Recipe -
Paper(s) -   Base - Kraft cardstock, Miss Caroline - Dilly Dally Collection
Tools - Die-namics - Let it snowflake  
Embellishment(s) -Tim Holtz distress inkspop dots, Liquid pearls Stash - Twine, flower, pearls, snowflakes.


Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:
Catered Crop - Circles Sun
Pile It On - Holidays Sun
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge - No Rules Sun
Rogue Redheads Designs - Go Dotty Sat E2/3
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - Traditional Colors Fri 
Totally Papercrafts - Christmas Fri
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Traditional Christmas Monthly
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