12 Tags of 2014 - July

Hi everyone

As you can see I have left it until the last minute to post my tag again this month!  I did hope to get my hands on the lovely seahorse die that Tim Holtz used for his tag but no luck so once again lots of improvisation for my tag but I really like how it turned out….hope you do too!!!

I printed my seahorse from an image on the Internet and had every intention of following Tim's tutorial on colouring and crackling my sea creature but when I saw the black and white image against my tag suddenly a whole new colour scheme sprang into my head.

I used my Distress Inks to colour my seahorse and my shells….can you spot the two lovely Rubber Dance shell stamps I used?!!!!!  They were perfect teamed with the two starfish which I also sourced from the Internet.

I will post the video tomorrow when you will see all the things I didn't have and how that led me from Tim's inspiration over at 12 Tags of 2014 to my interpretation this month.  I had loads of fun creating this and I hope you pop by again tomorrow to check out that video.

Here is a close up of the beach area of my tag.  That netting once contained six onions!!!!

Well I don't have long to wait for next month's tag that is for sure!  I wonder how close Tim leaves the creation of his tag each month to the publishing deadline?!!!  If you love tags make sure you pop along to 12 Tags of 2014 to check out all the lovely creations that have been made this month.

If you like me love those shell stamps then pop along to rubberdance.com.  These two shell stamps come from the Beach Sentiments set.

Until tomorrow……thank you for popping by X

PS Here is the tutorial……better late than never x

3 Little Rubber Dance Tags…all in a row!

Hi Everyone

As you know I am now a proud member of the Rubber Dance Design Team and I have decided to make a fun extra project which I thought you might like to see the beginnings of.  I have decided as the lovely Bibi sent me a handful of tags to play with when she sent me my Design Team Package I would make some little tags to document the fun I am having as part of this lovely team.

Each one is inspired by the stamps I have used so far and when I am finished I am going to make a scaled down version of my Tag Storage Project to keep them in!

All the techniques I have used on them are the same as the ones I have explained in my Rubber Dance video tutorials.  The Hot Chilli Pepper tag uses the Hot, Hot, Hot stamp sheet and there are card ideas and tutorials coming your way in August so watch out for those!  One of them will be shared over on the Rubber Dance Facebook page so please pop along and like the page to be sure you don't miss out! 

I will share these little tags as I make them.  I hope you are having a great week and thank you for popping by X

Helen

The What I am Working on Blog Hop! - I forgot to post this so it is a little late!!!!!

Thank you to my lovely friend Annie for nominating me for this fun blog hop.  The questions are designed to find out a little more about our creative personalities and traits!  You can see Annie's post here and at the end of my post I will nominate 3 blog friends to join in too!  I believe I am posting this on a Monday and ask my nominees if they have time to take part to do the same!

Q1 What am I working on now?

Oh so many things and so little time….and who keeps switching the sunshine on and tempting me into the garden? ;-)  I am busy prepping for my card class on Friday  I have almost finished.  I just need check I have packed everything and cut out a couple more greetings from lovely lilac glitter card!  I have 4 parcels waiting to be opened and booked into my shop….I like this job as it almost feels like it is  mine all mine…tee hee!  I have to put the final links on my second Rubber Dance Design Team video and check when I am posting next and as a result of seeing a wonderful post from Angela about her children watching one of my videos and then getting busy with the paints and papers I am making a plan for a new course I want to teach to secondary school students!  So busy busy and covered in glitter….happy days!  Here is a sneak peek of the Design Team Project.

Q2 - How does my work differ from others of its kind?

This is a tricky one as I am not sure I have a style as such.  I have loved making things since I was a little girl making clothes for my Sindy doll and raiding my Gran's bits and bobs bags to do so.  My Gran made lots of things to sell for charity and was always knitting or sewing something.  I think I am different in what drives me to do what I do. I have a passion for designing and love nothing better than when someone wants to make one of my designs be it a card or a scrapbook page or a tag or a……..the list goes on!  That is why I design online workshops that I sell on my ETSY shop and share tutorials on my You Tube Channel.  I think my style of teaching is a little different because of course I want my student to get a great result because I break a project down into easy to achieve steps but I also want to show them how they can make that project their own.  To chat about what I think when I create my designs so that I can make them versatile enough that any crafter making them can stamp their own personality on their creations.  I hope that is what makes me different.  You may not know that over the years I have painted many murals here is one I painted in the smallest room in the house!  I do have a blank wall on which I will one day paint the Grinch withholding the loo roll!!!

Q3 - Why do I create what I do?

Because I love to create and gain enormous enjoyment from it and want others to feel that too.  I believe that everyone can be creative and it really upsets me when I hear someone say they were put off trying creative hobbies by someone else's opinion of what is good.  Without a doubt it is fab when others like what you create but not everyone will and that does not make what you have done bad.  I want to pass on my passion and of course a few things I have learnt over the years and many many hobbies later!  My next online workshops are a mini book and a clock.  I love to take pieces of card and  gorgeous papers and make something that will be treasured by its recipient.  I get wonderful feedback from crafters who have make my projects and their pleasure in their results spurs me on to get more of the designs whirring in my head videoed and online…….Here is the clock that was once chipboard and scrapbook paper!

Q4 - How does my creative process work?

These really are tricky little questions!  I think my 12 Tags videos show some of my creative process as I am starting from the point of inspiration which could be anything but in this instance is from Tim Holtz monthly tag tutorial and then it is the many little choices I make along the way that makes my tag unique to me.  My 3D projects begin life as an idea.  I recently posted a Celebration Cake Mini workshop.  I was asked by a friend to make something for a birthday which would be given at a party to celebrate 40 years and the cake is the result of that request!  I think I have the kind of brain that wants to see what that one idea can lead to and that is why this workshop took me so long to make and get online.  I made so many different varieties of the same project I just had to make the final project which was to upscale the single tier cake into a 3 tier wedding cake.  I think that is my process…..One thing leads to another and another and the journey is a fun and exciting one that I love sharing.  Here is a yummy cake with absolutely no calories!!!!

Well that is it from me!  I hope you found this Q&A interesting and not boring!!! ;-)  YOU CAN WAKE UP NOW!

My nominees to join in this Q&A blog hop are blog friends I have made and I know if we were to meet for real we would be kindred spirits.  It was hard to choose as I am lucky to have made many blogging friends over the years who have supported me with kind words of encouragement…..I know I can't nominate Annie again!……So I nominate……..

Mo aka TwinkleToes2Day who I have loved getting to know and who is enjoying her creative journey and is passing that love of creating to her little boy.

The lovely Anne who is a fellow Tim Holtz tag maker and who loves a challenge just like me!

Bibi of Rubber Dance stamps who gave me the chance to do what I love in a Design Team setting!  Thank you for your faith in me Bibi.

Just to let you know if you want to join it just answer the 4 questions on a post next Monday and then nominate 3 more people to join in this fun getting to know you blog hop!

Until next time I wish you all a fabulous week and thank you for popping by X

A Bejewelled Card Tutorial - It's so easy!

Hi everyone

I feel like I have been away for a while from my blog - it seems to go like that sometime.  I do have lots in the pipeline and I am busy working on 2 more videos for Rubber Dance Stamps and of course my next online workshop.  I gave a couple of sneak peeks on my Facebook page yesterday!  Here is the link if you want to pop over.  Don't forget to hit that 'like' button whilst you are there!!!!

Here is the link!

Back to today and my latest video tutorial.  I had to post this one as it is a fun design and very easy card to make but it looks really effective.

It is even more effective in real life because of all the sparkle!!!  Hence the title of the card 'Bejewelled'!  You know me no tutorial is complete without a few variations so here is a Christmas version.

What about scaling back on the sparkle and toning down the colours for a more masculine version?

You can see here there are no sequins so I have replaced them with letter stickers.  The gems are replaced with screw top brads and the stickles are distress stickles.

My particular favourite is this frosty offering:

I think this photo does a little more justice to how pretty and sparkly these cards look.  If you want to try this card for yourself then please check out the video below and I hope you have lots of fun splattering and glittering to your heart's content!  Ooo I just realised I forgot to put the little blue jewels in the 'C' of Christmas!

Please do not wear your best clothes when trying this…..just incase you become over zealous with your splatters!  If you have had a hard day you could find yourself tapping that paintbrush a little harder than you intend to ;-)  Mind you there are worst things than being covered in sparkling paints and glitters!!!

Cutting Guide:

Main Card: 11 1/2" x 8" scored at 5 3/4" or 29 cm x 20.5 cm scored at 14.5 cm
Black Card: 6 1/2" x 4 1/4" or 16.5 cm x 10.5 cm
Glitter Card: 6 3/4" x 4 1/2" or 17.5 cm x 11.5 cm

So that is it from me……one really easy, fun card with lots of opportunities to come up with variations of your own.  Don't forget you can always post photos of anything you make as a result of following any of my tutorials over on my Facebook page…..in fact it is the law tee hee!

Last few days with Callum at school and then the Summer Holidays are upon us!  I love the days when you don't have to put on your alarm clock, don't you?  I do still wake up fairly early but it is just nice to go to sleep knowing you can just sleep until your body wants to wake.

Have a lovely week and thank you for popping by X

Pretty Pastel Card Tutorial - Rubber Dance Design Team Project

Hi Everyone,  welcome to another Rubber Dance Design Team post!

Today I have uploaded another You Tube tutorial using some more lovely stamps from Rubber Dance.  I had lots of fun creating this pretty pastel card.  It was great to make something so completely feminine.

The Resting Woman Collage stamp (C04-2E) was my inspiration for this card design.  It is such a pretty design and the little flowers in the image gave me the idea to use the branches of blossom as my card embellishment.

Flowers and butterflies go hand in hand and there is a lovely set of butterfly wings on the Collage Elements 1 stamp set (BK1-7G) which I used to make the pastel rainbow background and the butterfly embellishments fluttering about the card.

I think this card could be made with or without the words but I decided to add a couple of words that went with my lady deep in thought.  I took the words from a stamp on the Think Again (SET2 -M) stamp sheet that has lots of lovely inspirational sayings.  It is not the whole stamp which said Dream it, Wish it, Do it  but I felt that this resting lady was definitely only dreaming and wishing!!!

Cutting Guide

Cream Card - 11 1/2" x 5 3/4" scored at 5 3/4" or 29 cm x 14.5 cm scored at 14.5 cm
Cream Card for main image - 3 1/4" x 3 3/4" or 8 cm x 10 cm
Cream paper inner - 11" x 5 1/2"scored at 5 1/2"  or 28 cm x 14 cm scored at 14 cm

Here is the link to the tutorial with full step by step instructions on how to recreate this card.  I counted 4 different ways to apply ink to a project so lots of lovely techniques to try whilst making this pretty card.  You could easily pick a different set of colours for a whole new look.  I think it would look fabulous in blue, pink and lilac too.

There is a matching inner so this card will make a lovely card to give on a special occasion.

Once again I have had a lovely time designing with my Rubber Dance stamps and I know you are going to love them too.  Here is the link so you can pop over to check out all the other stamps over at rubberdance.com on offer as well as the stamps I have used today.  You can meet us on Facebook too so please come on over and say hi! 

Resting Woman Collage stamp (C04-2E)
Think Again (SET2 -M)
Collage Elements 1 stamp set (BK1-7G)

I am teaching a real life class tomorrow so I am off to check that I have everything packed and ready to go.  Enjoy the tutorial and thank you for popping by X

Helen

First Design Team Card for Rubber Dance!

…..and of course there is a video tutorial too!!!

Hi everyone

I hope you are enjoying a lovely weekend.  I have been busy in my craft room as it is just Comet and I home alone today!  Very peaceful indeed!

After the arrival of my parcel from Rubber Dance a few days ago I was itching to get started on my first Design Team project and so I did!!!!

I knew right away which stamps I wanted to work with first as a particularly gorgeous shell stamp really caught my eye.  The shell stamp inspired the card design and the inky techniques I used to make the beach scene on my card.  It is really easy to recreate as you will see in the video tutorial.

The stamps I used to make this card are from the Beach Sentiments set BM1-6F which as well as the lovely quote and….that fabulous shell stamp you see before you has another equally fab beach inspired sentiment and a really detailed clam shell too!  You could easily make this card with any of the stamps from this set.

Please join me over on my You Tube channel to watch the step by step tutorial to make this beach inspired card and to see first hand the beautiful impressions you could be enjoying when you stamp with Rubber Dance Stamps!

I used the second generation stamp to decorate the inside of the card and you can see just how clear and detailed the second impression is……and check out that customised ribbon too!  As promised on the video here is the cutting guide and for the lovely Bibi who designs these lovely stamps the measurements in centimetres too!!!

Cutting Guide:

White Card Base - 8" x 11 1/2" scored at 5 3/4"or 20.5 cm x 29 cm scored at 14.5 cm
White Card Topper - 7" x 4 3/4" or 18 cm x 12 cm
Brown Card Topper - 7 1/8" x 4 7/8" or 18.5 cm x 12.5 cm
White Card Greeting - 2" x 3 3/4" or 5 cm x 9.5 cm
Brown Card Greeting - 2 1/8" x  3 7/8" or 5.5 cm x 10 cm
Plus Spare White card for stamping the 5 sea shells.

Here is the video link:

I am having a great week meeting all my fellow design team members and I will make sure you meet them all too over the coming weeks so you can see what other fabulous projects you can create using Rubber Dance stamps.  I really hope you like my card and join me over on You Tube to try out this fun  design for yourself.

To find the stamp(s) used for these projects, and many more, visit the Rubber Dance website at www.rubberdance.com. You can meet us on Facebook - come on over and say hi!"

Thank you for popping by X

New Video and a Parcel!!!!!

Hi everyone

Firstly as promised here is the link (just a little late) to my latest video.  It is of my June tag for Tim Holts 12 Tags of 2014.

I hope you enjoy watching how I got from Tim's inspiration to my interpretation!  I have to say you really need to check out July's tag from Tim as it is a beauty.  My favourite so far.  I am not sure when I am going to get to play along but I do want to try to get hold of the lovely seahorse die first….Just a teeny tiny bit of shopping to do!!!

This morning I am happy to report a lovely parcel arrived at our house and Comet was napping in the garden so the postman managed to get it delivered!!!!  Comet is a lovely dog and wouldn't hurt a fly but he is big and he is noisy so I really don't blame the postie for not venturing in when he is out in the garden!  Consequently we always check when Comet barks (or at least we try to) especially when we are expecting mail.

I was having a coffee break in the garden with hubby when it arrived.  It was exciting unwrapping the lovely parcel that the Bibi from Rubber Dance had put together.  So many thoughtful touches - thank you Bibi it was a real treat.

Rubber Dance is based in Norway so check out those stamps I think I will keep hold of those!

Now I am going to be a bit of a tease and just show you a snippet of my parcel!!!!  ;-)  I want to keep you in suspense over the lovely images I am so lucky to be able to work and create with over the coming months.

If you can't wait for that and want to look at the beautiful stamps that I and my fellow Design Team members  will be creating with then why not follow this link over to Rubber Dance and check them out!

Wishing you all as much fun as I am having and thank you for popping by X
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News Flash!

Hi Everyone

Just popping in to let you know some exciting news….I happy to say I am proud member of the Rubber Dance Design Team.  I am busy making contact with my fellow team mates and discovering that we have so much in common.  I look forward to sharing more with you over the coming months.

I can't wait to get started.  My design head is going in to overdrive and I am watching the postman with anticipation!  So is Comet so I have to watch out as the Postman won't come in if he is at the gate ;-)

A big thank you to Bibi for this opportunity for even more creative fun and of course big hugs to all my fellow team mates.  I will post links to their blogs on my sidebar when I work out how to do it!

For now please wish me luck as I embark on this new adventure.  I am off to write my bio for the Rubber Dance Blog.  This is my least favourite thing to do as I never know what to say!!!!

Thank you for popping by X