Printed Matter

There's been plenty of action at the craft table these past ten days, but no camera to record it. It's not so long since the manufacturers repaired my camera free of charge to rectify a recognised fault, and it is now suffering from what appears to be yet another recognised fault. Grrrrr .......... So I have resorted to working with an unfamiliar camera, and despite trying lots of different settings, I can't quite capture how things look in real life.

Anyway, my latest enthusiasm is using old printed materials, and the idea came from this month's meeting of our local stamping club. The brief, in preparation for our club evening, was to gather old books, maps, anything printed, from charity shops, car boot sales, jumble sales, etc. Some members asked charity shops for any old books in too poor a condition to sell, and offered a donation for them. It's interesting how most people have huge guilt about cutting up books, so I think it kind of salves the conscience to use ones that are already damaged and would only be thrown away anyway. My 'book' was the remnants of a 1900 edition of "The Story of Florence."

There were lots of beautiful cards made using these kinds of materials. One effective technique used shapes produced by using punches, but my favourite was resist embossing. I used tags as the base, distress inks for the colour and archival for the stamping. I decorated both sides, but with my camera troubles, I decided to attempt capturing only the front of each.

There's smearings of stickles on these, and the clear embossing to create the resist gives a shine. I love the two pussycats stamp from Cherry Pie. It reminds me of Charlie Poppins, my ginger tom, and his partner-in-crime, the sweet little Daisy Tortoiseshell who was run over last year. They were bestest friends and I actually have a photo of them with tails entwined. I liked the suggestion from the text that the two on the tag might be called Dante and Boccaccio.

This next one is more resist, plus stamping, plus gold embossing, and painting with distress inks. The base card is textured.

And this one has the addition of Perfect Pearls. Not that the dratted camera picks up the PPs.

More Fun !!

First of all, Sunday was fun. Our local craft shop owner organised a coach trip to the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show in London at Alexandra Palace - or Ally Pally as it is affectionately known. The weather was gloriously sunny for our journey, and London is already quite leafy, and Spring blossom bedecks many trees.

Ally Pally as a venue is excellent, even if it was a trifle overheated on Sunday. On the outside there are extensive fascinating views over the city, and many famous landmarks can be identified.

On the inside it would be good if the organisers gave their exhibitors a bit more space on their stands, as we often had to abandon trying to see a stand or a demo because it was too crowded, and go back later.

The show was packed with goodies - including lots of the new products. I found the stamps that were on my shopping list, and a few more ! Found a bargain swirly floral border die for my Big Shot, and that gorgeous new Tim Holtz hearts, wings and crown die. Whoopee !

As usual a highlight was Lin's demos at the LB Crafts stand. More new Viva products beckon, and have gone on my shopping list for next month. Was so engrossed in the demos that I didn't get round to taking any photos of them and the finished works of art.

Meanwhile back at the craft table I've had these acrylic dabbers out again and have been merrily spritzing them with water and slamming them down on black card which I used as a background for some ATCs. We have a swap at our monthly stamping club, and this month's theme is Male.

Fun !!!

Found myself passing my craft desk when the urge came to try out a technique I had read about on Monday on Jo's Jozart blog and from where I followed the link to Patti Behan's pages and videos. Thank you both for your inspiration. Anyway, I just had to sit down and have a go. This is the Acrylic Dabber Splatter technique, and I found it so much fun that I was giggling and squealing like a two-year-old.

Jo and Patti are right about it being messy. That's what makes it so much fun ! I managed to get my tee-shirt sprayed, but as a certain little lady had only five minutes before left dirty pawprints on it when she emerged from the fireplace and hurled herself into my arms, it was about to go in the wash anyway. However, the paint can travel quite a distance when you're in full splatter mode, so it's advisable to cover up everything in the vicinity.

This particular example uses Lettuce, Eggplant and Stream acrylic dabbers, black archival ink, some Paper Artsy stamps and the Lost Coast rabbit.

Spring chickens

Spring seems very reluctant to visit us this year. We've had fair quantities of snow in December, January and February, and in this neck of the woods, it's unusual to have more than one small sprinkling each winter. March has been cold and dull. The result of all this is that the landscapes are still bleak and bare. Generally by this time the daffodils are fading, but this year they are still shy buds. However, the hedgerows have cheerful patches of sunny primroses to brighten our days, and from my garden comes a plentiful supply of eggs of all colours.

The other day I stopped off to purchase some card, and just by chance there happened to be a big bargain box of rubber stamps in the shop. I couldn't resist the rooster one, and back at the craft table out came the inks to produce some ATCs.

Am loving these new distress ink colours.

ATC books

Fifteen ATC books now put together and ready to go in the post. You make a book with an ATC on the cover for a specific person and enough space in the book for four contributors each to add an ATC. The fourth participant passes it on to the intended recipient.

Some books I've made with folded card and ribbon, with ATCs done with distress and archival inks ....

Inside these, to hold the ATCs, I made some little envelopes which I stuck together to form a strip.

Some books are made with the bind-it-all.

Distress and archival inks again with a bit of embossing.

And distress ink resist on white embossing with frosted lace stickles.

The Apprentice

There are times when I can get on with things ............

And eventually that time runs out when the little princess wakes ........

And the action begins .... climbing curtains, bookcases and in this case, doors. Skidding over table surfaces scattering whatever happens to be lying there.

This afternoon I got the distress inks out on the table to do some ATCs for a swap, and found myself engaging in the usual game of shuffling the pads around - so that little paws did not end up leaving inky prints all around the house. She is really determined to join in with my games. However, after a morning of rampaging, little un was beginning to flag (sigh of relief from me), and climbed on to my shoulders for a birds-eye view of my activities. After a while she decided that there are more comfortable spots to sleep so repaired to the bed and ensconced herself under the covers leaving me to play.

Am having fun these days with the Non Sequitur 'Alice and Wonderland' stamps - having seen the Tim Burton film. Enjoyed the new experience of the 3D specs (have led a sheltered life), and the colours and costumes, but felt they could have done more with some characters. Anyway, it did inspire some play with the Alice stamps, distress inks (Rusty Hinge and Wild Honey, Victorian Velvet and Tumbled Glass, Shabby Shutters and Stormy Sky, Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen and Scattered Straw), Perfect Pearls and Archival Inks which all went into these. Unfortunately, the pics don't show the shine of the PPs.

Some of these will go on little books I have made, and will finish assembling this week.