So 'me' its silly.....!!

Not got much mojo this week.... so was VERY pleased to see the new Simon Says Stamp And Show Challenge......"Your Favourite"! ! That's basically a cue just to go play, right?!!!
So I did.....

A project that, as my blog post says, is just so 'me' its silly! Yes, it looks like rather a lot of things I've made before, and yes, I should be a bit more varied in the things I create... but the theme was my favourite, so I reckon I can be excused this time!!!
Loads of favourite things here. The colour scheme for starters, that particular combo of turquoise, lime, purple and black is a definite 'must'. Then there is texture...

FABULOUS bumpy texture created by using coloured (just add a smidge of regular paint) Puff Paint through a stencil. I was feeling too impatient to use texture paste, Puff Paint can be dried instantly!
Then there is stamping, another favourite....

Stamping is my long term favourite technique, my 'I'm so fickle,what do I love THIS week?' technique is black paint splatters done with a bottle brush. They had to go on there too...

And last but definitely not least, my favourite 'person' stamp. This is by Jane Davenport for Stamping Bella. LOVE her!!

So.....lots of my favourite things!!!
Now, on to create something that DOESN'T look like this......watch this space!!
Have a great week,
Love Trish xxxxxx

Vintage Poinsettia for Creative Expressions

Morning!
Thursday is my day for sharing my latest creation for Creative Expressions , so without further ado let me do just that.......Vintage Poinsettia...

A very different look and colour scheme from last week, but still using the same stamp set: Tim Holtz Christmas Time .
I created a background on a cream square of cardstock, with a text paper panel added. I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink  and gold Perfect Pearls mixed with lots of water, all smooshed together on a craft mat. I dipped the card into the inky mess, and dried it off. When Perfect Pearls come into contact with water, they form a fab metallic paint. When dried, it gives a wonderful texture and shine to your work....

Once the background was dry, I stamped the holly leaves down the left hand side using Archival Ink . This ink is waterproof, so was the best to use in this instance. I knew I was going to be using water on top of the stamping, so didn't want any smudges! I smooshed Barn Door and Peeled Paint Distress ink onto my craft mat, then picked up the colour with a Water Brush . I added just a little smudgy colour to the holly leaves. Not too much, just a hint...

Once the stamping was done, I added a strip of corrugated card that I had coloured with walnut stain ink. On top of this I added some seam binding ribbon that I coloured in the same way as my background cardstock, using ink, water and gold perfect pearls...

The poinsettia itself was stamped onto scrap card (coloured first with the ink/Perfect Pearls), then cut out. I coloured it in exactly the same way as the holly image, then added it to the card...

To add a finishing touch of glitz, I sprayed the whole panel with Tarnished Gold Cosmic Shimmer Spray . Hopefully the shimmer shows up in the pictures, its very sparkly in real life!!!
To complete the card, I distressed the edges of the panel, the mounted onto a cream mat, then a brown card blank.
Hope you all like it!

Next week I'll have another project using these fab stamps, and this time I'll be showing you exactly how to make it with lots of step by step pics!!
Love Trish xxxxx

WOYWW175 (or 176 apparently!!)

Morning everyone
Very short and sweet from me today...got a list of things a mile long that needs doing! My desk is on the list...

Yep...stamp cleaning :(   The pile got too big and threatened to take over the desk.......
Why not pop along to Julias place to have a peek at desks that are bound to be waaaay more interesting than mine!!
Love Trish xxxxx

Always Question!

I've been playing with another colour challenge today, the CR84FN challenge hosted by Cupcakes Creations. LOVE this challenge, the colours chosen are almost always a combo that I don't normally use so I really need to get the imagination going! This week is no exception....yellow is included which is normally a 'no go' colour in my studio! That's why the challenge is so perfect.....I really like the effect I've achieved with the yellow being dominant, so will be using it more often!
 Enough waffling though, here is what I made..

Lots of yellow and pale blue for the painty background, then black stamping. I printed using the yellow, pale blue and also green as a 'zingy' accent..

I did a bit of machine stitching...

Added a quirky Zettiology image...

And a couple of chitchat words to finish...

Really like how the effect is still a bit dark and grungy but with a bit of a zesty twist!
Have a great week!
Trish xxx

Monday Sneak peek for Calico Crafts

Hello!
Another spooky project from me today, this time over on the Calico Crafts Blog !
As usual a teensy teaser pic...

eeeek...she's looking at yooooooo-ooooo!!!
Why not pop on over and see the whole thing, including rather a lot of step by step instructions on how I made her!
Have a great day,
Trish xxxxxxx

Boo! Its Halloween time.....

Morning!
Well, for the first time ever I've made a Halloween themed 'thing' !!! Not a Halloween person really, but thought I'd get into the crafty spirit of things anyway! Having said that, I do admit being of the Goth persuasion whilst a teenager, so I think any Halloween makes from me will tend to lean towards the black/red/silver dark side rather than the orange pumpkin route!
So..... what have I created? This.....

Some of you may have seen the beginnings of this on Wednesday.....the base started off as a spool that contained lots of wire. Looked like this:

Black, plastic and not that exciting! Paint it up, though, and the appearance alters considerably!

As with everything painty, great texture can be had by applying the paint in splodges. Once you've dried it, the next layer highlights those splodges wonderfully. The texture you see is all paint, nothing to do with me nearly melting the spool! (Forgot plastic doesn't like being heated too much..oops!)
I added in some monsters (Stamping Bella) popping out of the hole at the top of the spool...

I had a bit of a brainwave when I saw the scalloped text border stamp from Stampers Anonymous. Gravestones!!! So, stamped it up, then cut three 'gravestones' from the image. Added an 'RIP' and some fringed black card for a bit more texture. Alphapart letters for the 'boo' , and it was done..

I'm linking up today with the Fashionable Stamping Challenge , as the current brief is to alter something!
Have a great weekend!
Love Trish xxx

Icy Santa Canvas- For Creative Expressions

Hello!

I'm thrilled to be part of the new Creative Expressions Design team! I'm in the company of some very inspirational crafters, and we'll all be showcasing stamps and products from Creative Expressions over thcoming months. Be sure to check out my fabulous teamies! :

 Tracey Metcalfe

  Shary Nettleship

 Tracy Evans

  Jean Gursoy

 Kim Dellow

   Michelle Webb

 Gillian Simson

This month, we had a choice of different stamp sets to play with. I am showcasing the Tim Holtz Christmas Time set , so for the next four weeks I'll be showing you different ways to create using these fab stamps. Tutorials along the way too, so be sure to check back here every Thursday to see what I've been up to.

My first piece combines all the things I love... canvas, inks and of course paint!

The base for this piece is a canvas board, although of course you could use sturdy cardstock or chipboard. I started off by applying Eco Green paints in Lake and Waterfall, drying in between colours. I brayered a coat of White paint lightly over the top, then printed using junk such as bottle tops and credit cards...

I sponged paint through sequin waste, and stamped using The Bubbles background stamp by Sam Poole. As the surface is so textured, it would be impossible to get a perfectly crisp image by stamping directly onto it. I therefore stamped onto tissue paper, then adhered the tissue to the surface using a layer of Matt Multi Medium both under and over the top. Once the medium is dry (about 3-4 hours) more paints etc can be applied over the top to continue building up the texture. I sprinkled a few crystals of embossing powder over the piece, and carefully heated them until a snow-like effect was achieved..

I also added Picket Fence Distress Stickles to areas like the reindeer ears to add that little extra sparkle...

Extra, darker paint accents were added using Adirondack Paint Dabbers, in Denim and Pool . I also sprayed the canvas board with Cosmic Shimmer Spray in Teal Wash. This gives a gorgeous shimmery finish in real life, difficult to show in the photos! You can just about see a sheen in the bottom right....

With a project like this, its difficult to know when to stop adding bits here and there! Still, lots of texture and detail all add up to give the viewer lots to see in this icy, snow strewn canvas board.

Hope you like it!

Love Trish xx

WOYWW174

Hello!
How has your week been? Glad we're at 'hump day' ?! I would rather it wasn't Wednesday already to be honest...too much to do and not enough days left in the week!!
My desk... (because thats why you're all here...the most wondrous blog hop on the planet, hosted by Julia over at ... The Stamping Ground pop on over and join in, why don't you?!)

I'm halfway through my first Halloween make of the season!!! You can just about see some monsters peeking from behind the red paint, and have a look at those Stampers Anonymous stamps on the right. Doesn't the bottom stamp look just like a row of gravestones????!!! Well, they certainly do when you've got a Halloween 'thang' going on! The spool on the workspace has been painted already..

This is a plastic spool that used to hold lots and lots of wire. Great to recycle stuff, but I'm that used to using wooden spools that I totally forgot plastic doesn't take heat all that well!! It's a flipping miracle this still looks spool like and not a big melted lump. Just manage to rescue it when I saw the middle bit starting to collapse in on itself!!!
Once this is finished, its destined to be a challenge piece. Check back on Friday to have a look....can't show you tomorrow because tomorrow is my first Creative Expressions DT project! wooo!!!
See you over at your blog shortly then!!
Trish xxxxx

Chaos...

Well, sort of!
Been playing with new paints, LOVE the colours!!! Eco Green Lake and Waterfall to be precise. I've added in a little Pool Dabber, and some Cosmic Shimmer spray in a teal colour (can't remember the exact name but its FAB!) Of course my current favourite technique of black paint splatters had to be part of it too..... I made this..

Bit tricky to see the shimmery shine the Cosmic Shimmer has given this, but its there!!!
A Stampotique image and some ironic text (She SOOOOO doesn't look like she is capable of chaos of any kind!) , and it's done.

Very simple, and a nice quick make. Love the colour scheme though, tone on tone isn't generally me, but the tealy blues are great!!
Have a great weekend!
Trish xxxxxx

WOYWW173

Good morning! Another missing in action week last week...I will endeavour to get round everyones desk today though, promise!!
I've been trying out colour schemes for a project.... had an idea in my head which in the end didn't work out, which means I can show you as its not one of those pesky secrets!!

I did this by putting blobs of ink onto the card, then giving it a quick blast with the compressed air to splatter them. The black splats are watered down paint , flicked onto the card using a mini bottle brush. The resulting background turned out way too busy for the thing it was meant for......but I liked the effect so made lots! The finished piece I'll show you was from a previous background with more black splats...can't decide whether less black or more black works better!

I so much prefer doing the black bits with paint, inks just aren't dense and opaque enough for the effect I like best!

For any one out there who doesn't follow WOYWW yet, hop on over to The Stamping Ground , where Julia our esteemed hostess will share links to hundreds of crafty blogs...and then go have a sneaky look at what the world is up to today!!
Have a great week,
Trish xxxxx