Japanese ATCs

Today I've managed to do the Japanese ATCs for the swap on Carolyn's hosted by Wendy. The background is red tissue stuck onto silver card and the stamps are with black stazon. The strip down the side near the ribbon is self-adhesive vellum.

I've also done the DLO in Rach's super CJ 'My little book of laughter'. I might show pictures later (not sure whether Rach would prefer to see or not).

Just Bex May prize

I won the prize for the challenge points for May on Just Bex. This is the super lot of goodies I received:

I've incorporated some of it into a card and a LO which will be used to launch a challenge on JB in about ten day's time - until then I can't show them!

Swirls and flourishes ATCs

These ATCs are for a swap on Tanda. I stamped on acetate with Brilliance Galaxy Gold and embossed with pirate gold powder, using some of the swirl stamps from Tanda. I coloured the back of the acetate with a mixture of alcohol inks: wild plum, oregano and butterscotch with just a hint of gold (irl there's more variation in colour than on the scans). I then coloured a few of the flowers very lightly with pink or purple and added the fans and dragonfly. The acetate was run through my xyron and then stuck on to gold card.

I'm quite pleased with the results, but have to say that a few efforts went in the bin before I achieved these. At first I inked up some gloss photo paper with alcohol inks - it looked really much better than the acetate - I then stamped on it and tried to heat the embossing powder but it bubbled. At first I thought it was the alcohol inks that were causing the bubbling, but I tried on plain photo paper and the same thing happened - it obviously couldn't withstand the heat of the gun. The acetate I used in the end is the kind that can go through a photocopier, so it stood up to heat embossing.


I took the cards to my friend this afternoon (the ones I showed on here last night) and she was really pleased with them, particularly the one with the Cliff Richard Congratulations 'record'.

Scarlet ATCs

These are for an ATC swap on Paper n Lace, the subject being 'scarlet' with the brief to 'think outside the box'. (Scans don't show that the sunset background on each has been swiped with embossing pad and clear embossing powder.

Another card

This is the other card that I was asked to make - for someone who is keen on the theatre and amateur dramatics. The 'curtain' is decoupaged, printed on to velvet paper and the beige background is also velvet paper (I knew I'd find a use for it one day!).

I can now show my scrapbook LO for the chinese whisper on Carolyn's:

I was the last one in the group. The template had started off like this:

If you'd like to see the progression from the template to my LO, please have a look here: http://craftsbycarolyn.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=41911

This morning was one of those times when I couldn't really get on with anything - had the workmen in to finish off the fitments in the spare room and also others in to fit new bathroom carpet, so a lot of 'coming and going'.

This afternoon I've been working on two cards requested by a friend. The first one is for her grandson who is mad keen on Roary, the racing car:

Although this is a very simple card it took quite a while because I had to adapt the only picture of Roary I could use that had other bits on it I didn't want, so had to edit in Paint.

And the next one is for my friend to give to a mutual friend who is a great Cliff Richard fan:

I've just realised that this would qualify (I think!) for the DCM extra: 'We've another Retro challenge for this week's Little Extra.This time we'd like you to find your inspiration in the 1960s.'

As usual, the photos aren't very good. Irl the 'record label' for Cliff's Congratulations shows up a lot better. It's mounted on a CD to give more depth.

I have one more to do for her, which is for her son's father-in-law who is keen on the theatre and amateur dramatics, so I know I'm going to use a stage curtain design, but haven't got that far yet - watch this space!

Ribbit, ribbit

Although the next posting date for the CJ on Just Bex isn't until 23 July, I'm trying to get ahead with some fo the things that have to be done, in readiness for, hopefully, going on holiday next Saturday. At least this means I won't have to do it at the last minute when I return.

The theme of Andrea's lovely CJ is frogs, so here is my DLO (the lily is decoupaged):

Paper n Lace fat book: Style

Having received the pages for my Style fat book from the group of girls on Paper n Lace, I've finally got round to doing my own, which is here now:

Hazel, front:


Hazel, back:

Sonia:

Lynn, front:
Lynn, back:
Sharon, front:

Sharon, back:
Jo (Bagpuss), front:
Jo (Bagpuss), back:
Susan, front:
Susan, back:



Thank you, everyone, for contributing to my fat book of Style. Having punched holes in the side, all I've got to do now is to thread some ribbon through (but that will have to wait for a while, as 'housewifely duties of getting something ready to eat' are calling me.)

Here it is now:

Comfort Zone

This is my DLO for the last CJ in the green group on Carolyn's. Helen asked us to consider: when you sit down to make a card or create a scrapbook layout, do you find yourself using the same colours, patterns or stamps? What are you most comfortable using? Take us to your Comfort Zone!

I found it very difficult to choose, because I love using a variety of colours, techniques and materials. It was impossible to reflect everything in the DLO, but I think this is a bit representative of my 'style', although really I don't consider I have any particular style.

Earlier today I made an altered item for the next secret sender swap on Carolyn's - obviously can't show it because it's a secret and isn't going to be sent till 1 August.

My July swap cards are ready for the monthly swap on Carolyn's, the subject being black and white with a touch of colour. I can't show these either, because they are revealed when sent out to people.

June card swap on Carolyn's

Postie came this morning and bought me the June swaps 'for no reason' cards from the group on Carolyn's, kindly hosted and organised by Melissa.

These are the cards I received:

From Jan1951:


From: Helenc:




From CarolynL:

From Annmarie:

I can now reveal the cards I sent for the swap:

Secret sender keyring

I received this a few days ago - it was part of a swap on Carolyn's. At the beginning of June secret senders sent one another an altered notebook and at the beginning of July a keyring. At the beginning of next month we can choose to send any item that is handmade or altered.

I suspect I might have worked out who my secret sender is - if by any chance you read my blog: I think this is fab! Thank you!!

Glamour CJ

This is the start of a CJ for a group on Bumbleberry.










The 'sign in' tags have a little handbag, dress or shoe on each one and a space on the back for the person to record their name and date.


The front of the CJ has a material background. I bought this a long time ago and have never found a use for it until now - and it seemed just right. It's actually much shinier irl than on the picture.

Wow!

The room has been fitted - a couple of hitches, but nothing disastrous - someone will have to return at some point but it probably won't be this week.

Today (it's now Monday, but this will show as Saturday because the rest of it was saved in draft) we had someone come to measure up for carpet. We chose what we wanted - he phoned to order it and said it would be delivered tomorrow and fitted on Thursday!! It won't go with the room as it's now decorated, but I'll have to put up with that because the decorator can't do it till the autumn because he has so much outside work throughout the summer.

I'm already much appreciating the space of the worktop, which has enough depth to enable me to push my laptop back and have enough space in front of me to craft - and plenty of other space to spread out - I'm sure you other crafters will appreciate that we can never have too much space around us.

I spent most of Friday evening and Saturday doing some of the challenges on Just Bex (in fact I was silly because I should have listened to John when he said I was spending too long and my back would feel worse - and he was right).

I saved all the scans and photos of the challenges in draft (needed to put them on here so that I could host them for displaying on Just Bex forum). Because of the way blogger works they are in reverse order, but I'm not going through them now to change them. Also I would normally say which challenge each is for, but it would just take unnecessary time.

So here they all are:

More detail: