Sunday Stamper - Week 250 (!) - Shiny Happy People **Plus Candy!**

Gooooodly Morning Stampers!  Wow!  Thrice WOW!  It is a milestone indeedily since the Sunday Stamper was first born, way back in January 2008 and I am calculating that we haven't had a break in weekly challenges for over three years now!  So a BIG & MAHOOSIVE thank you to all who have joined in and continue to join in with my l'il ol' challenge... seriously folks, I do appreciate every single entry very muchly.  So, as a thank you I am offering up some candy that I have put together.  But first! The theme!  Another nice and easy one this week... use something... SHINY!   To join in with the challenge AND to be in with chance of winning the candy, all you need to do is make a little something, it can be anything you fancy.  Add in the theme AND some stamping *yes, this is mandatory this week as it is the Sunday Stamper after all ;O))*  pop back here, leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry.  If you haven't got a blog/webphoto hosty thingy, fear not, you can join in via Facebook or by email but you MUST leave me a comment telling me where to find your entry.  This just makes it easier for me when I come to do the draw.  If you have joined in and haven't left a comment, I can't guarantee you will be entered.  The challenge will remain open until 21:00 GMT Saturday 30th March 2013 and the winner will be announced on next Sunday's post.

 I spent a lovely day yesterday with some fabulous ladies at Pickwell Farm Craft Shop in Southampton.  To say my drive down to Southampton was a bit a 'mare would be an understatement though.  Starting with the nightmare of trying to get Ferdy up the steep old hill that is the Close... after about fifty attempts (ok, exaggerating a smidge) to get him up the hill without bashing into neighbours, or their cars, or indeed their houses, I safely navigated onto the A roads, thinking "aha, the gritters will have been and the roads will be clear"  PAH!  Were they heckers like.  So I did a slow old trundle all the way to 30 miles north of Southampton (so that would be 100 miles in a blizzard!) when it stopped blizzarding and started to rain.  Anyways, that was all a distant memory once we got creative with our canvases.  This one is my demo canvas - the real Sunday Stamper piece for today is still laying, unfinished, neglected, unloved etc on my desk... just plain old ran out of time!

I have lots of different techniques going on, including paper blocking, stencil/pasting, beeswaxing with stamping (hidden under the....) faux porcelain rose making and the addition of a little butterfly - cos nothing looks perfect til it has a butterfly perching on it... especially this little Studio 490 butterfly which is my favest EVER butterfly!   He is on the Art For You set btw :O)

On with the goodies for the candy... I have picked up some goodies on my travels that are my fave things... and they include: a papier mache hanging board, Viva Terra texture paste, Viva Crocko clear cracklepaint, Ripe Persimmon Distress Stain, Squeezed Lemonade Distress Stain, Vintaj Patina "Earth" and "Sealer", Chain Tassels, Vintage Corners, Idea-ology Label Pulls, Book Plates, Prima Embellies and a selection of the gorgeous Studio 490 Embellish Your Art range...  and I will more than likely be putting a few extra bits into the package too.  The piccie below shows it all :O)    Just to recap the rules - make a little something, include the theme AND some stamping (it doesn't have to be a lot even... just some lol), leave a comment for me on this post with either a link to where you are showing your entry OR if you have emailed/Facebooked your entry just a comment to that effect. You can enter as many times as you like but each entry has to be different from the last...  hope that makes sense :O) If you can lift this photo and pop it into your sidebar too so all your blog readers can see the challenge too, that would be great!  (Just right click over the image, click "save as" and download it onto your computer and then upload it onto your bloggy sidebar)

Right, I shall away... I am planning a day of organising today... I have a pile of ironing that is taller than the tallest building in the World (of which the name escapes me lol) and I needs to get that done... and I also want to organise the old Room of Stash a wee bit too because it is looking very messy... oh and my WIP needs to be finished... I may be gone some time lol   Thanks for looking... have a great week!  TTFN

Hels x

One Day Only Giveaway!

As I alluded yesterday... today I have a special giveaway for one randomly chosen entrant.  A few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to take part in a special promo for Homecrafts.  The remit was they send me one set of these fab reindeers for me to play with and one set to giveaway on my blog!  Well, how could I refuse?  The reindeers are made from papiermache and are really sturdy.  They are available in two sizes, 25 x 22.5cm and 20 x 17cm.   To be in with a chance of winning the set of reindeer, all you need to do is leave a comment for me here and click to follow my blog if you don't already.  As I mentioned, this is a one day only giveaway as I want to get the winner chosen and announced tomorrow so I can pop them into the post tomorrow or Saturday.  How simples is that!   The closing time for the last comment will be 23:59 today... any comments left after that time won't be eligable for the draw.  I will use Random.org to pick the winner for us.   It is worth popping over to Homecrafts as they have a wealth of crafty supplies on their website.  HERE is the linky to the reindeer page if you want to buy some anyway :O))

My reindeer was coloured with Gathered Twigs and Walnut Stain DI... and then I smidged a bit of Black Soot around the edges using Cut & Dry so I could get into all the nooks and crannies.  I then spritzed him with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mists and once dried, I dabbed some SnowCap Dabber along his back and antlers and then sprinkled Rock Candy Dry Stickles over so he has a snowy look to him.

Here they are, in their un-altered state :O))

 
 I added some Ferro texture thru a Crafters Workshop stencil for a bit of detailing and cut out three mini Cardinals using Grungeboard and coloured them with DI's and stuck them together so it was thick enough to sit on his back.  The garland around his neck are some little berries that I got yonks ago, can't remember where from tho!   This altering took me about 30 mins... seriously quick or what!?  The larger one is going to be altered much more slowly, when I have a little more time to play... I have plans for him!

Right, I shall away... apologies for the slightly later than anticipated time of blogging, we are experiencing bad probs with our internet again... tis the trouble with living somewhere that doesn't have cable... and I am sure someone around here is doing a whole lot of downloading every night lol   Don't forget, to be in with a chance of winning, just leave a comment and click to follow if you don't already.  That's all for today... thanks for looking and have a good one!  TTFN

Hels x

It's Giveaway Time!

..Hurrah and thrice indeedily!  I am still buzzing after the Melt Art shows yesterday... WOW, you all are amazing with all the support that you gave me... thank you all... I so appreciate every single message, email, Tweet, comment... Indulge me do please; it means everything to me that you all like the demo's and samples that I make.  I do still have to pinch myself that I am fortunate enough to be able to share my enthusiasm and passion in this way... I am truly a lucky gal.  I wouldn't have said that a few years ago mind, in those dark days when everything was ever so slightly bleak, when it felt like I had had my future taken away from me.  For followers and readers new to my blog, you probably won't know that I am actually a Train Driver by profession.  A rather nasty collision with a 42 tonne truck (not my fault btw) put paid to that, leaving me with this degenerative injury... and after I had been medically retired, I really couldn't see a way forward.  I have always been a career girl and was a wee bit lost, floudering about wondering what to do next.  Without the support of Grim and my best friends (you know who you are) I would never have had the courage to find a new dream to follow.  Anyways, I guess what I am trying to say is that I am ever so humbled by your support, like I said, I treasure every single comment...  Which brings me to the giveaway bit:

So... there was a problem with the email system yesterday which meant that there wasn't a cup of chance winner on the 6pm show, so, I thought I would do a little giveaway here instead.  Remember the hairclip that I wore?  Well, that was to be the giveaway and ... it wasn't given away!   Then I figured that I would add a little something to the hairclip giveaway as a thank you to you all for your support, so I am also giving away this Studio 490 Art Part piece that I made for the show.   To be in with a chance of winning the clip and Art Part piece just leave me a comment here... simples as that.  I shall use Mr Random.org to pick a winner on Saturday 15th December.

The Art Part Circle is one of my fave samples from the shows... I loves Studio 490, as you know and I loves my Melt Pot... add the two together and I am uber happy!   There is a Faux Porcelain embellishment on there... if you missed the shows or haven't seen yesterdays post, CLICK HERE for a tut!

Right, I shall away... I have got my Tim Holtz Crafting shows tomorrow... 8am and 6pm on Create & Craft = all the channel deets are over there *points left* on my sidebar.  I am busy prepping samples and demo's in readiness so I really should stop waffling and get inky!   As ever, thanks for looking... have a good day! TTFN

Hels x

Five Years & 1431 Posts...

...COR Blimey and THRICE! Guess what??? Today is my 5th Bloggy Birthday! That is one serious amount of waffling... I just had a quick look and this is my 1,431st post. Now, when I first started up my blog I had no idea of the opportunities it would bring, of the cameraderie of Blog Land, of the amount of friends I would make... not to mention the stack of inspiration that I would find out here in the Blogasphere. I have had a rummage through the archives and have found my very first crafty post - this is a little mini book I made for Grim, I had really only just started to use Distress Ink, and it shows lol HERE is the link to that post. Anyways, to celebrate my 5th birthday I am offering up some candy for one randomly chosen commenter on this post. That is all you need to do; leave me a comment and it would be very nice if you could grab the piccie and pop it into your sidebar to let all your followers know about it.


Speaking of followers: WOW and THRICE WOW... I have to say, my smack is thoroughly gobbed, each and every one of you who has clicked to follow my blog has brought a smile to my face and a happy feeling to my heart. I guess I had better tell you what is in the candy! I have put together some of my favourite Art Part packs for you: Arched Frames, Large Circle & Square Frames and Scallop Trim.... and I have also popped yesterdays tag into the goody bag too :O)) Remember, all you need to do is simply leave a comment. The winner will be announced next Friday, 14st September 2012.

Right, I shall away, I am up to my elbows in prep for my upcoming classes at Birds In The Barn this weekend.... can't wait for these classes, they are going to be F.U.N! Thanks for looking... and also for all your lovely comments over the years too *wipes away a tear* TTFN!

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 200 - I Got Your Number **Plus CANDY**

Gooodly Morning Stampers and a very Happy Easter to you all! Many thanks for the fabby transportational entries for last weeks challenge! This week sees a milestone for the Sunday Stamper, we have reached our 200th anniversary... where did that time go huh? The challenge started off on January 27th 2008 with me picking a theme and there wasn't anything really specific about it, apart from to use stamping. Within a few weeks I had added in the extra element which is that every theme has a song title attached to it, that in itself makes it a challenge for me sometimes lol. This week the theme is NUMBERS and I also have some goodies to giveaway for one randomly picked entrant. More of that in a mo. Firstly, I should tell you how to join in... which is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy. Add in the theme and some stamping and then hop back here to leave me a comment with a link to the place you are showing your entry. I can then hop on over to visit. The challenge is open to all, if you haven't got a blog/Picassa/Flickr/Facebook, you can enter by email... if you do send me an email or enter by Facebook etc, please can you leave a comment in the comments box letting me know how you have entered, that way you will be certain to be entered into the candy draw. To be in with a chance of winning the Candy, please leave me a comment AND pop the candy picture into your sidebar, linking back to this post... if you leave me a comment AND enter the challenge, you will be entered into the draw twice. I am going to be a bit strict with the entry requirements this week because this candy is my thank you to everyone who has supported me, this blog and the Sunday Stamper over the years. Believe me, you all make me smile big with your lovely comments :O)) So, if you are a Candy Only blog, please do not leave a comment, you won't be entered into the draw... like I said, this is my thank you to those who have been loyal supporters. I will be popping around to check that comments have been left by genuine bloggers and not Candy Only blogger too (cor, I feel all school marm-ish now lol) The challenge will remain open until 21:00, Saturday 14th April 2012 and the candy winner will be announced on next Sunday's challenge post. If the candy is not claimed within 7 days of the winner being announced, I will re-draw and a new winner will win the candy.



The centrepiece is a patchwork of cardstock. This is a doddle to make, simply cut a piece of card to fit inside the aperture and then using a pencil and ruler, mark out a patchwork pattern. I use a pencil to mark approximately on the back of each piece a number - in this instance I did 1 - 13 so, when the pieces are cut up, you know where they are supposed to fit back into. I also add a little arrow pointing upwards so I know which way up the pieces are supposed to be. I used Old Paper DI and coloured all the pieces... and then used Frayed Burlap on some and Fired Brick on the rest and then edged them all with Vintage Photo.



The stamping was done using Coffee Archival - I used a load of Tim Holtz Mini's and then used Vermillion Archival for the "red" pieces and a small chequer stamp and for the "brown" pieces, I used Sepia Archival and a small sequin waste stamp to add some extra bits to the design. I stamped the sentiment in Jet Black Archival so this stands out a bit more from the background. Once all the pieces were completed, I used Cosmic Shimmer glue to pop them onto another piece of card, cut to the same size as the aperture and then edged right around with Vintage Photo. This was then glued into the aperture.


I spent a happy hour faffing with Idea-ology and trinkets I have in my stash... starting with the 200... which are Numerals, triple embossed with white embossing powder and then muckied (is there such a word???) up with Pitch Black Dabber. I found four backgammon counters in my junk box, so I sanded them a bit and gave them the black Dabber treatment and then glued these to the bottom of the frame so they act as feet for it. I added little Screw Eyes to the holes in the Plaquette so I could dangle some Chain Tassells and Baubles from them and finally I got sticky messy with some beads and a Corked Vial... I wanted it to look like the beads were falling out of it, so I used THE best glue in the world (IMO) which is Cosmic Shimmer glue... seriously, I know I keep on saying this but... it dries totally clear and matte and... it is super strong too! The beads are glued onto the frame with this glue... and they are stuck fast now. Cool! Oh and ... I nearly forgot, I used a couple of Screw Eyes to make Mona a pair of specs too... bless her, she does get some weird eyeware!



On to the Candy! What's in it? Here goes: Idea-ology: Chain Tassells, Plaquettes, Pen Nibs, Memo Pins, Roll of Tissue Tape. Sizzix Texture Fades - Poker Face. Maya Road: mixed bag of chipboard shapes, Scallop Mini Book, Assorted Ribbons & Trims, Country Home Flowers, Velvet Pleat Flowers, Velvet Resin Blossoms, Trinket Tin. Want to Scrap Chip Album Kit. 2x Canvas Boards. 2x Canvases. 10x 8pt Manila Tags and a little Alterable Wooden Box. So, to recap, to be in with a chance of winning the candy, please leave a comment and take the picture below, pop it into your sidebar with a link back to this post. If you enter the challenge as well, your name will automatically be entered into the draw twice. The challenge will close at 21:00 Saturday April 14th and the winner will be announced on next weeks Sunday Stamper post. **please, no Candy Only blog as you won't be entered into the draw!**




Right... that is more than enough wafflings from me for one day.... Again, THANK YOU each and every one of you who has joined in and left me comments over the past 200 weeks. I truly do appreciate every single entry - and it makes me smile big to know that you are still enjoying this "just for fun" challenge. Thanks for looking... as ever... TTFN!!

Hels x

A Thank You & A Winner and... A Giveaway!

Yay! A giveaway for today...more of that in a mo... Because.... brrrr, tis fair nesh outside... I mean hello? After a very mild Winter who went and flicked the frost switch huh? Tis colder than a Polar Bear's paw out there... thankfully, I have a day of insideness planned... apparently we are in for some snow later (the little kid inside me is fizzing ever so slightly at that thought... you know, snowmen, snow angels, snow ball fights....) But enough of me being typically British and talking about the weather... on with the giveaway! But first! I see that this blog now has over 1000 "members" when did it change from followers to members (must have missed that) Anyways... thank you all from the bottom of my heart for clicking to follow my inane wafflings... it truly makes my heart happy... so... THANK YOU!!!! Ooh and yes, my PomPom tag giveaway from last Saturday... there were 34 comments... and Mr Random.org picked Lucky 13 to be the winner which tallies with the comment from CRAFTIMAMMA.... please can you email me your addy? :O))


This is one of the Art Parts samples from Thursday's show... I have to say, how much fun I had... I felt a lot more relaxed this time and yes, I managed to goof a couple of times... especially when trying to stamp a heart, I mean, how hard can that be? Obviously very hard because it was green and not black... but... never mind... that is just the type of thing I do in the Room of Stash (I really must try harder!) Leonie is just the sweetest lass... and she made me feel really comfortable... I loved being with her, her enthusiam just shines right through. And poor Dave, bless him, with his croaky throat... when he said "over to you"... aha, the usual over talkative and waffling part of me decided to get shy... hence the "hello everybody" comment... oooh, really original lol




Anyways... this here piece that I am showing you was made with Art Parts, Crowded Attic Papers, Distress Inks, Studio 490 stamps, a smidge of Clearly For Art and Idea-ology... oh and a bit of Grungepaper thrown in for goodly measures. The large circle frame has been covered with the papers and I sanded the edges to neaten them up and add a bit of white in there. There's Art Part Florals and Leaves, coloured with Distress Inks and overstamped with Archival Ink to add a little pattern.... the Scallop Trim has been covered with paper and sanded (I use an emery board for the fiddly inbetweeny bits) and then I added some stamping to the background... added a sentiment (I love this one) and a little Grunge butterfly with the Locket Lock over the top of it (another of Wendy's very cool and fab ideas - wish I could think of things like that lol)



Check out little Stanley Spidey... he is too cute to be scared of... and I promise he won't escape and chase after you (I love spiders but totally get that some peeps realllllly don't like them so you could always chop him off) The flower also has some Clearly for Art Clear flavour, covered with paper and stamped, cut out, heated and then jazzed up with an Accoutrement.



So, if you would like to own this piece, all you need to do is leave me a comment for me on this post... I will get Mr Random.org to do his bit and announce a randomly picked winner on next Saturday's post. I need to do a catch up on blog hops and emails because I spent the whole of yesterday being a very lazy old moobag, snuggled on the sofa with AlfieCat, a very nice relaxing pyjama day indeedily. I shall away now... to stare out of the window to see if it is snowing yet... oh and yes, the Sunday Stamper entry... need to make that too! Thanks for looking... and again, thank you for following... bless you all! TTFN

Hels x

Sunday Stamper - Week 189 - My Eyes Adored You... Plus Candy!!!

Goodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Thank you all for your gorgeously golden entries last week. This weeks Sunday Stamper is a very special one... because... it is 4 years old today! Well, this weekend... but you know what I mean! So... I have a little bit of candy to giveaway - more about that in a mo. The theme this week is EYES. I am thinking anything that has a face basically, a nice and easy one :O)) To join in with the challenge is simples... make a little something - it can be anything you like, ATC, tag, card, altered art... pop back here and leave me a comment along with a link to the place you are showing your entry, I can then hop on over to visit you! If you don't have a blog/photo hosting thingy then you can enter by email... just bob a piccie onto an email to me and I will enter you into the draw too. Ohh, yes, the candy draw. Right... here's how to win: if you leave me a comment you will have one entry into the draw. If you leave me a comment and enter... you're name will be added twice. Please do tell your pals about the challenge and candy - you can copy the photo and stick it into your sidebar :O)) The winner will be chosen at random and announced on next Sunday's challenge. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 28th January 2012.



My entry this week is a tag - I haven't made a tag for over a week! I know!!! I am slacking! I did a resist using Snowcap Dabber and then inked over the top with Old Paper Stain... drying this and then blending Weathered Wood, Pine Needles and Stormy Sky DI's. The chaps... they are my fave old fella's - they were stamped in Jet Black Archival and cut out and coloured with Tattered Rose for the skin tone and Walnut Stain blending around the edges. I stamped the hand and gave this the same treatment, using Pine Needles and a waterbrush to add colour to the cuff.



I went with the "more is more" adage when adding the Idea-ology and embellies... well, why have a square inch clear on the tag huh? Check out the little bits of wire mesh... oh how I would love to tell you that I maded these myself... but... alas... I didn't! I bought them from goodness knows where about 273 years ago and they have been...ahem... hidden underneath a pile of crud, found when I was revamping the old Room of Stash them other day... result!





So... the candy! Here's a little list of what is included: Crowded Attic Salvage Stickers, 2x Scrapbooks in a tin, 4" canvas, four mini canvases, 3 Maya Road Chip books, Fired Brick, Antique Linen & Faded Jeans Distress Stains, Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mists (my fave), a few Idea-ology Word Keys, some Brass Charms, a few little resin roses (too cool), a pack of pretty Prima Flowers and some Maya Road Kraft Envelopes. Oh and... my tag for todays entry :O))



So, there you have it! Who'd have thought that this little old challenge would still be running four years on? I certainly never envisaged that it would be and I have to say... it has been so rewarding to host it for all this time. At the time of conception (ooh, that makes it sound really posh!) I was still working full time and the only day I didn't have to work was a Sunday. So, I thought... do a challenge on a Sunday and then you will always be able to set it. Well, there were a few close calls when I had forgotten about it and had the Sunday to work... I think that the latest the challenge was ever set was about 2 in the afternoon. I have met so many lovely bloggers over the years, there are a few stalwart regulars who join in, which is so lovely to see each week... I am honoured for every single entry I have ever had and I truly appreciate you all. *shall stop before I start blubbing lol* Anyhoo, I am always scratching around for a new theme... so if you have one that you would love to see here, please do drop me a line and I will sort it out. In the meantime... have a very inky Sunday... thanks for looking and...as ever, TTFN!

Hels x

WOYWW... A Giveaway, Candy Winner & Nearly There!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know!!!!!!!!!
How many exclamation marks??????
Actually, I will let you into a little secret - when I was at school (that be only a few years ago...ahem) I lurved English the mostest... I was one of those saddo swots that could recite Shakespeare and quote Mr Dickens. As well as my love for literature, I also adored the written side of it... and invariably would spend a happy few hours making up little stories and such like. My English teachers, Mrs Johnson and Mr Deith (poor bloke, we called him Dr Death and he was the nicest chap....) Where was I? Ah yes, my teachers... loved the red pen, the pair of them... loved using it... especially to write "so much punctuation is not necessary!" See how they used one for themselves though. So, when I write on here I have my own little part of the cyberworld to do as much punctuating as I like.... hence... !!!!!!!! at the beginning of the post.




Right... enough of the waffling... check out how utterly revolting that mess in that there piccie is... that is what the Room of Trash looked like on Monday evening. Stuff piled up all over my desk... all over the floor... all over the other desk... nightmare! So, being as I have set myself that New Year Resolution to be uber tidy and organised, I thought I had better get my btm in gear and get sorting.



This is a view of everything pushed back towards the back of the room... yep, piled up with crud and goodness knows what. Here's a bit of a confession... remember when we moved (nearly two years ago) I was on about the mass clearance thingy. Well, I had those "not sure if I need this bit of crud" things... which all went into boxes.. and were unpacked... and they were still "not sure if I need this bit of crud" items... so they were shoved into every available crevice and nook... ahem... last night they all went into the bin bag... or should I say... bags. All four of them at the moment... I have still got the other half of the room to do... so that is going to be more than 4 bags!



That there piccie above is the giveaway for this week. It is a little notebook made with Studio 490 Art Parts, coloured with Distress Stains, overstamped with Studio 490 stamps... and little Grunge flowers for decoration and held together with Idea-ology D Rings. This little book needs a loving home to go to... so... if you would like to win it, simply leave me a comment here.. I will pick a winner from the comments left and announce it next Wednesday.

Oooh, and ... I have a winner for last weeks Candy giveaway!!! Here's the candy... and I had 117 comments (thanks folks :O)) And... Mr Random-dot-wotsit chose #35 which is a comment left by CRAFTYMOP. Please can you email me your addy and I will pop the goodies into the post for you!



So... the above pic. Well, look at those gleaming surfaces! And look at the dust-free shelves (ok, ok, I fibbed about them being dust-free... they aren't ... at the moment... but they will be... in a mo... ok, later on... alright, alright, maybe next week lol) I have moved desk 2 so it is right next to desk 1... more space to spread out and I have no idea why I didn't put them like this when I moved in here... makes sense to have more space to spread right?


Well, that's more than enough of my wafflings for one day... best get my bum wiggling and get the rest of the tidying and clearing done.. I have to de-junk the paper stack now... mmmm, I may some time! Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x