September Challenge- Autumn Colours

Oh my Gosh! or words to that effect!! I haven't posted anything on my blog since June!! I have no idea where the summer has  gone, but the lure of the sun, workshops, the shop, and general day to day workings of running your own company have obviously taken their toll! 
Over on the Creative Team blog we have a new challenge where Autumn colours are prevailing!

I am back into my alcohol inks, and always love the effects they give. Here is a sneaky peek of my piece.

Do check out the rest of the team's creations, and we would love to see yours too!

Have a creative day
{hugs}
 

Mixing it up!

Dear Blog, I am back again... wow! what is happening? I must be on a roll... lol Yesterday I taught a mixed media class, and the lovely ladies got a mixture of techniques to play with and learn, including UTEE ( my favourite!), alcohol inks (my favourite!), using sprays with stencils, ( my favourite!)... I see some kind of pattern here...lol actually all of the techniques were my favourite!! We had a great deal of fun as always, and although it isn't pictured here ( will try to get a decent photo of it later), My first mirror was only using one stamp.. and I tried to do that with my second mirror... it is  great learning curve when you can only use one stamp! Here are the girls gorgeous creations

Liz's mirror- note the inky fingers!

Rosemary's "with one stamp"

Sandra's green perfection!

and here are details from mine ....

My Mirror with one stamp

Alcohol inks, UTEE, Masks

Alcohol inks, Distress paint, wax

UTEE

Paint Dabbers

I also had a visit from a fellow Ranger U Educator yesterday who travelled all the way from Belgium to see me... ( OK she didn't really .... but was here on a flying visit) and dropped in on her way to London...Tanya it was a pleasure to see you... hope to meet up again soon xxx

On another note, I also had a request to do kits for my classes, and instructions... putting this out to you my dear blog readers...would you like kits, or videos or on line classes? I love teaching, so please fill in the poll up on the top right hand corner and let me know :)
Have a very creative day
lots of hugs

Alcohol induced mirrors.. with a mini technique

Dear Blog, I am so sorry!  3 weeks! 3 whole weeks since I have blogged! Now I could say I have been busy making hay, or sitting on a sun soaked beach on my desert island...but somehow I am not sure you would believe me..lol  Where have I been, I have no idea?!! Well I do, but then it is mostly boring work related stuff, and not much fun at all :(  Yesterday I took a class at the shop, and we made an alcohol inked mirror, and it was gentle, and laid back. Thank you girls for putting up with me!

While creating , we did a technique which involves putting plops ( did you like that word?!) of alcohol ink on glossy card, and then blasting it with an air duster can! Great fun and great results. Now I have always poured the alcohol ink onto the card, and then blasted it with air. That works fine, but as Liz discovered yesterday why not blast the top of the bottle with air over the paper! wow! that created much better results and cleaned the bottle top too! You do have to angle it and don't squeeze the bottle or you will end up with it everywhere. Perfect results! What a blast!

Splatter technique

Splatter Technique 2

We all made mirrors and I made mine with stamps from the A4 Faces no #2 die sheet, using different techniques involving embossing folders, clear plastic, glossy card, and sticky back metal. For the first time in ages, I even managed to finish it!

 

 

 

Here are a few details from the frame....

 

 

If you fancy taking a workshop with me, and to delve into the wonderful world of discovering techniques and inks and paints and complete creativity, then we have new workshops here.  I hope you like my mirror and I promise faithfully to be back sooner than 3 weeks!
Have a creative day!
Hugs

Popping Up!

I love it when a plan comes together, and about a week ago or so, I decided that this year, in the shop, I would do the occasional "pop up" workshop. Meaning that if we had a free day in the classroom, I would hold a mini workshop. Yesterday we had eight lovely ladies making alcohol ink induced ATC's for their pleasure. Thank you girls for joining me , it was a fun morning!

 

Of course I forgot to take any photos of their creations, but here are a few of mine. All done with alcohol inks , and using various techniques.

  I am busy getting ready for my trip to CHA ( Craft & Hobby Association )Winter Trade Show , held in Anaheim , home of Mr Mickey Mouse! It seems that time always runs away with me, and this year has started off, the way it obviously means to go on.. with very little of it ( time that is!!), but hey ho, Sundays in my world are days of work... sad I know! Do pop by for a special blog post tomorrow, it will be a celebration one!
Have a very creative Sunday
Hugs

Gessoing AND Alcohol Inks!

Today, over on The Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog, I am showing a technique that involves two of my favourite products!! Alcohol Inks and Gesso! Bliss! For a look at what I have done.. check out the blog.

Look forward to seeing what you think :))
Have a creative day
Hugs

Workshop meltdown!

On Saturday I travelled down to Fareham near Portsmouth with my chauffeur ..lol( I am so lucky that DH loves driving!) to take a meltpot/alcohol ink class at Jendeninks. Eleven wonderfully creative ladies joined me to learn a few techniques in using the meltpot and alcohol inks. I always love what happens when you put stamps, tags, colour, UTEE and alcohol inks in front of people and give them techniques to learn. Here are a few photos of some of the absolutely gorgeous creations that were made in my mini masterclass.

Thank you girls, it was brilliant day, and thank you to Jenny for putting up with me!
Have a creative day

Autumn camouflage-this birdie is flying your way

Today at exactly this time, 4 years ago, I started my blog, which I thought not many people would read, or be interested in... I was prompted by Hels, who started hers the same week, and was my first commentator! Thank you Hels :)
Today I am writing my 650th post!!! who'd have thought it! Sometimes the posts I write are complete rubbish! Sometimes I like the posts, and not often, but sometimes, I write about stuff other than crafting!
I have never forgotten about YOU, who reads it, and follows my forays into workshops, creating, and my trips, and to everyone who follows , and to everyone who comments. It is what keeps me going , and continuing to show you my art, and my stamps. THANK YOU! I feel that I am writing to friends that are worldwide, and some of whom I have met, some of whom I email, and some who I would love to meet!
For you today I have made this to give away, one of my wooden birds , ( told you I was addicted to them! lol) adorned with my favourite products, printable shrink plastic, and alcohol inks and of course stamps! I used The Tattered Leaves Alterations die to cut them out, and added holes for the mini brads before alcohol inking them, and punching holes for the brads. A little bit of stamping on the leaves with black Archival ink, and a whole pile of hot glue ( mind those fingers!) to attach them to the black gessoed bird.

 and these to win,

and these....

and this is for one special person ....a workshop with me.. anytime ( of course you may not want to win this....LOL!) If you live too far away , we will work something out :)))

So FOUR giveaways, one for each year and open to all.
If you think you could bear to share, please post on your side bar for an extra entry!
I will draw this on Thursday 22nd September.
Sadly today is another anniversary, and when I started my blog, I truly didn't realise the significance for the date... so thinking of all 9/11 victims and their families, may peace be in this world.

Happy Blogging to all, and stay Creative
Hugs

Wind beneath my wings

The sun is shining, , and it is a long weekend, and I am supposed to be tidying my shed...but I got waylaid by this piece calling out to me to be made, and it fitted perfectly with Hels's Sunday Stamper challenge which is to include wings!
I took one of the Idea-ology Fractured dolls, and wondered if I could drill a hole in the top of it..oh yes, but be careful, as they are resin, and you should wear a mask to do it! Add a bag full of blue alcohol ink, shake it in it, and dry. I stamped on some white tissue paper one of the Calligraphy mats and glued it onto the doll. My magically wonderful hot glue gun, was perfect for attaching the Ideaology wings, and my Angel of the North was finished.. perfect for a necklace or a keyring or just a charm!



Thank you Hels for the challenge...
Have a very Happy Easter day!

Woyww....change of scenery

This week, I thought it would be fun, and different to show one of my workshops from the weekend, actually both of them! I mean technically they are my desks, in a different place, and at a different time, but still a workdesk! So here are rather a lot of pictures of a very large desk with lots of busy creative artists! We made a alcohol ink book the first day, and a configurations box the next, and it was great fun with lots of chocolate, copious amounts of tea, and biscuits!

so neat and tidy, then this happened...lol

and then this...

and then the end results were stunning



 How fabulous is this splatter alcohol ink work :)), and how creative are these boxes?

Here is my box...



I had a great weekend at It's Crafting Time, and a big thank you goes out to all the girls who came and were creative! Gorgeous work!
If you haven't the foggiest what on earth I am waffling on about, pop over to the lucsious Julia, Queen of desks, and find out! It is great to be nosy!!
Happy Woywwing!!