OH WHAT TANGLED WEBS WE WEAVE

Today this set of absolutely yummy stamps fell through my letter box and although I am crazy busy with prep for workshops I just had to have a play. They are BASIC GREY stamps and accompany the new EERIE paper range.......the spiders web paper shown is one of the papers, I added the extra spiders!



THE BASIC GREY STAMPS ALONG WITH A SELECTION OF THE EERIE PAPERS AND PINK PAISLEE TWILIGHT PAPERS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE STAMP ATTIC ALSO AVAILABLE ARE THE IMPRESSION OBSESSION AND STAMPERS ANONYMOUS STAMPS USED.

This first card actually has a tunnel cut in the centre so you look through to the skeleton and webs inside ( Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Trick or Treat stamp set), it was hard to get a good photo!



This is the outside of the card made with web paper and added spiders!



This next card has an image from IMPRESSION OBSESSION with the lovely scrolly Halloween word from the BASIC GREY set. The web paper is again BASIC GREY.

And finally, I think this is my favourite card of this set! Another IMPRESSION OBSESSION image (from Halloween Party clear set) together with the spiders web and spider from the BASIC GREY set. The spotty paper is from the Twilight range by PINK PAISLEE.

WHAT A SURPRISE! HALLOWEEN!

Just been looking back through posts and realised it has actually been a while since I posted something Halloween! I don't feel so bad now as Halloween posts are showing up on blogs all over the place and there is still a month to go!
So, to remedy that here are three cards made using CRAFTY SECRETS stamps, available from THE STAMP ATTIC

Halloween pole dancing??


So let me ask..........do you think these images are cute or WHIMSICAL??

ANGEL

Just got some new PAPERARTSY stamps and been playing with them this afternoon.........I LOVE this stone angel figure.
Added a twig from the garden stitched into place with red thread and dried hydrangea flower.

MATCHBOXES AND MAGAZINE COVERS

The whole thing.


Side panel...........bird is Stampington.



Poor old blog has been a bit neglected the last couple of weeks, I have been so busy that I haven't had time to post as often as I like to! I'm not complaining, busy is good especially as I have been travelling around signing books, demoing, teaching workshops, chatting, meeting new people.........all great fun.
The matchbox chest above is a recent workshop sample that I was so pleased with I thought I'd share it here!

The fab bird on the top of the chest in one of Tims newest stamps and it is stampd over one of his masks that was sprayed over with Sticky Fingers spray inks.


Finally...............

You might have noticed this mag is added to my published in list on the side panel, just wanted to say that the stuff on the cover is MINE!! I was chuffed to see it there as it was the first time I had sent anything to that mag to be considered for publication!

I am heading off on my travels again this afternoon, heading down the motorway to Wendys ......THE STAMP ATTIC.......ready to be in the shop tomorrow for book signing and stamp club tomorrow night for demo and more book signing.....hopefully!!

FABULOUS STAMPS!

I had a lovely time at THE CRAFT BARN EXTRAVAGANZA WEEKEND signing copies of my book and demoing, thanks to everyone who bought a book, watched me demo and said such lovely things about it, it made me very chuffed!!

My feet have not touched the ground since I got home on Monday (have been signing more books over at PADDYS STAMPING PLACE today)and so while I don't have new art work to share I thought I would share what I acquired, this set of yummy stamps, thanks Beatrice!! These are some of the newest stamps from Katzelkraft and are available in the UK exclusively through THE CRAFT BARN. Although they have a slightly spooky air about them I think they are fab! Go over to Beatrices blog for some samples of what to do with them, I have to say the pics don't do the samples justice, they were beautiful in person!

I am heading down to THE STAMP ATTIC on Sunday ready to sign yet more books in the shop on Monday and at the stamp club meeting on Monday night so if you in the area please call in and say Hi!!

ADDRESS EMBOSSERS

I was just working on a journal page and had cause to use one of these things, as I was using it it occured to me that it would a fun thing to share with you on here!!
These things are address embossers and great for altered/collage style stuff...........my Mum who used to work in a solicitors office way back when says that every office used to have one and the address of the business was embossed on out going mail.
Old style MOT certificates also had the address embossed in the bottom corner...........that's why I had cause to use one of these, I was using an old MOT certificate for my page...........all will be revealed next week!

Anyway, back to these............I bought these a few years ago at my local craft/collectables/antique/junk place (Dagfields Craft Centre) for just a few pounds each. If you go looking for these just be warned that some of them are missing the embossing plates which makes them useless!! Stick a scrap of paper inside and press the handle to check!



This is what the addresses in my embossers look like...........I like the fact they are different fonts and the machines themselves look pretty funky sat on the shelf in my work room!!
I have rubbed over with little brown ink so they show up more.

MEET BINGO WINGS!

Ok, so believe me or not this did not start out going to be called BINGO WINGS!! I sat in front of the TV rummaging through a bag of scrap card looking for interesting bits to cut up and use on this page, came across the bingo paper and thought "ah that will do" and set about cutting, sticking, painting etc etc.
Only after it was finished and I looked at it the next day did BINGO WINGS occur to me!!

TWIT TWOO

This piece was made as part of my design team commitment to THE CRAFT BARN. It is somewhat cuter than muy usual stuff but I still liked the way it turned out!!

It is a small wooden frame with a round hole in the centre and I added a large matchbox behind the hole to give some depth. The owls are pre-printed on paper, the eyes are metal tacks from K&Co and the leaves are wooden Embelliscrap pieces. For full details of products look out for this project appearing soon on THE CRAFT BARN BLOG.

MY BOOK.......HANDMADE DECORATIVE BOOKS

I am very excited that the book I have been working on with SEARCH PRESS is now published!! I can now tell you that it will be available from September 11th.

I am going to be doing book signings! It feels very strange to be saying that, I had wanted to write a book for so long and now it is here it does not seem real!!

The first hopefully being at The CRAFT BARN Weekend Extravaganza on 12th/13th September; I say hopefully because it is only available the day before and so it will be cutting it fine getting copies in time.

I will also be signing copies at
PADDYS STAMPING PLACE on 16th September,
THE STAMP ATTIC on 21st September (in the shop during the day and at their monthly stamp club meeting in the evening)
and at THE CUBBY HOLE on 25th/26th of September in conjunction with their MacMillan charity weekend (I will also be demoing those 2 days)

OWLS

Got back from the Craft Barn yesterday to discover that my copy of the latest Somerset Studio had arrived.These owl bookends are what I have in there!
To buy a copy of the mag visit THE STAMP ATTIC.

Talking of the Craft Barn I had a fab weekend and met a whole bunch of new and lovely people........Hi! to any of you reading this! In fact it went so well the next workshop weekend is already being planned, hopefully for November.
I will also be back down for the Extravaganza Weekend on 12/13th September.

A couple of people commented on the last post that the Craft Barn is too far for them to travel from up here in the north.........I agree it is a looooong way, in fact over 200 miles for me so I thought I would tell you of an event going on up here in the north which will hopefully be more accessible!
Samuel Taylors are celebrating 60 years in business with a 60th anniversary Papercraft Extravaganza Weekend, 17/18th October at their shop in Embsay near Skipton, I am going be there demoing along with lots of other people, it promises to be a good weekend.

More news tomorrow!!