Paper poppies

I usually have a few things on the go at the same time. This week I have been prompted to be more playful after the timholtzdemo prompt I talked about in my last post. I have also some paper flowers on the go. I love working on these but the production is very repetitive so I tend to cut and build flowers over weeks. I get on with other things at the same time.

This poppy is nearly finished but I know it is always interesting to peek at peoples process. I share the desk with my laptop so I can refer to lots of images of real poppies while working. I had to shift the laptop from my other workspace as my fury friend is on that 'work' desk doing very little except absorbing the spring sunlight.

As it is Wednesday and an age since I checked in I am linking up with WOYWW  Even if the day is nearly over now! WOYWW is a longstanding online group who share their work-desks weekly. I think groups like this are very sustaining in times like this. 

Bright and Cheerful Carabelle Birds Card

Just a quick post to join in SSS Wednesday Challenge. Who can resist trying to do a bright and beautiful project? I am using this as a prompt to use a new Carabelle Studio stamp I bought over a month ago. Finally it is seeing some ink! I used lots of stencils and three colours of distress to do the background. The main image is stamped in black Rangers Archival ink. Ive listed the colours and stencils below. It was a fun playful card.

I have left space at the top to add a sentiment when I use it. Never know what occasion it will come in handy for. I often leave it until I use it to stamp my sentiment. That way its quick to finish it off with a sentiment that's appropriate.

Stencils used:
Crafters Workshop Mini Filmstrips
Crafters Workshop Mini Quatrefoil
Crafters Workshop Mini Grandma's Doily

Tim Holtz Distress ink colours used:
picked raspberry
mustard seed
spiced marmalade

Stamps used:
Carabelle Studios 'Taches et Coutures
Carabelle Studios Collage avec des Oiseax


Simon Says Stamp Bright and Cheerful challenge

Little folded book

Ive had house guests and been unable to craft or blog for over a week. While they were here I was frustrated and impatient to disappear off to my studio. Of course once they departed I found I had lost the muse and it took several days of false starts to get back into any creative flow. I wanted to join in with several June challenges and started making a flag book. I was taking lots of shots of each stage but its not easy to get going if you are too self conscious of the process. I decided to put that project aside and got out some patterned paper and my new tubes of Tim Holtz design tape. I have seen lots of lovely projects by Astrid Maclean and others using it, recently I succumbed bought a selection.

I was thinking about the Mixed Media Monthly final challenge. They are "Wrapping it up." So sad to see this challenge blog go but it is hard work and they are all still blogging on other sites so the inspiration will continue I'm sure. This is my offering for wrapping it up.

I used some really old paper from Prima's 'Printery' collection and Heidi Swapp's 'Vintage Chic' collection. I used some stamp illustrations from an old stamp catalogue.

The illustrations in this book are lovely. I think they are nicer than some actual stamps, the detail in the engraving and printing is so fine. As they are all black and white I can colour them to suit any project. One of the Heidi Swapp papers has the exact colour of Tim Holtz's cracked pistachio Distress Oxide ink. I used it throughout along with some Gathered twigs distress ink and Potting soil archival ink. I added some of Ranger's rock candy crackle paint to the cover. I added old book pages cut up into words a bit like the chit chat words. I have put a link below for the pretty bird scraps, more long horded items!

On the final page I used a pressed flower from last summer.

I finished this little book in one session. It was just what I needed - to get lost in the pleasure and satisfaction that creating can provide.

Although I took no photos of the making I have photographed each of the five pages/sections.

I used a tutorial from Kay Williamson on Club Scrap  LINK If you fancy trying to make this book her tutorial is very good. I made mine a little bigger cutting 5x5 inch squares and 2 1/2  inch covers. I dont know what this style of folding pages is called. Do let me know in the comments if you do.


Materials used:
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Design tapes: Remnants, Elementary,Humidor
Prima Printery 8x8 paper
Heidi Swapp Vintage Chic 8x8 paper
Ranger Distress crackle paint - clear rock candy
Cracked pistachio Distress Oxide ink
Gathered twigs distress ink
Ranger Archival ink - potting soil
Board for covers (from back of a sketchbook)
old book text and images
Bird scraps LINK


Im entering this in:
Mixed Media Monthly challenge #49 which is thier "Wrap it up"

Mini Album Makers June Challenge

Insect in a Matchbox

As soon as I saw the Entomology stamp set by Tim Holtz I wanted to make a shiny embossed beetle to put into in a match box. I made the beetle a few weeks ago but I wanted to use the label and the matchbox die to make him a box. Finished it today and I love him! The beetle was stamped in black archival ink on heavy card stock and then coloured with distress ink. Once he was dried I did several coats of Seth Apter's Emerald Creek vintage beeswax embossing powder which produced a fabulous hard shiny beetle with texture and depth.

I used a piece of paper from Time Holtz Wallflower pad the plants were just black line drawings so I coloured them with some distress markers. I gave the finished box a coat of Seth's beeswax embossing powder.

It gave the box strength, shine, texture and a rich vintage colour, I love this stuff so much. The way heat embossing transforms is like magic. It is definitely my favourite material to use. It would have to go to my desert Island with me! I finished off the box with one of my labels and the bug was mounted onto another which I filled in with my own 'notes.' The pin is an entomology pin cut down to fit the box. these pins have great golden heads but black shafts they add an authentic touch.

The paper was perfect it had bugs on the design and I folded it so there was a bee on the outside.

I love this paper collection and it was great to find a project that used it so perfectly and its tiny so even in my stuffed studio I can find space to keep it.


Stamp sets used:
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous "Entomology"
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous  "Classic #12"
Entomology pins from   Blade Rubber
Good info and demonstration of beeswax powder Here

I am entering this into the As You Like it Challenge which is about your favourite embossing!
also Craft Stamper Magazines Take-it-make-it challenge for June which is anything goes.

Paper Garland Upcycling no. 3

Another day and another easy project. Again its abandoned tattered charity shop books. 

 I have punched, sewn and turned this one into a garland. 

use tape to centre the punches circles

 Looks lovely in the sunshine. Today has been like a lovely summers day in Ireland  yet it is the depths of ‘winter’ here. The blue winter skys are one of the nicest aspects of living in this country such incredible deep blue.