Polka Doodles Stamp Club Kit

Hello peops, hope you've had a lovely Christmas and sorry for my lack of blogging lately. It's been very busy here with Christmas and family stuff so I've hardly had any spare time.
I have just a quick post here to tell you Nikky's exciting news about the brand new Polka Doodles stamp club kit with stamps, papers and a lovely project magazine which is being launched soon. For the full details please click HERE.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and great 2012. I'll be back soon and will have details of some candy for you in the New Year as I hit 500 posts on Christmas Eve and want to celebrate.
Hugs, Fliss xx

Merry Christmas Everyone

Hello everyone, just a quick post from me in the middle of a baking marathon to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for 2012. Hoping that you have a great time tomorrow and manage to get some time to yourself over the holiday.

Hoping also that you all get some lovely pressies and hopefully some new crafting stash for the new year.

Hugs, Fliss xx

Seasonal Tags

Good morning everyone on a cold and frosty day. Hope your Christmas preparations are now in full swing. Mine are finally getting there as we put the decorations up over the weekend and my girls did the tree so the house is looking a bit more festive. I now have to make a start on the dreaded h.......k to make the house ready for visitors - not looking forward to doing this!
I'm here today with the final challenge for 2011 over at Make My Monday and continuing with the Seasonal theme, this week we would like to see a Tag. This could be just a tag as I have done or something with a tag on it - the choice is yours.

Apologies for the slightly chopped looking pic, I had to use the scanner because the light was really bad.
My tag was inked up with Old Paper, Bundled Sage and Shabby Shutters Distress inks and I then stamped on an Artemio text with Forest Moss DI. I embossed the background with clear embossing powder.
I then used a small Penny Black music score stamp (Clearly in love stamp set) in black ink on buff card, stamping repeatedly to form a background. I tore this out and adhered to the tag. I added a small scrap of antique gold card left over from die cutting a scalloped rectangle.
I finished off with a die cut bird (Marianne Designs) cut out of kraft card and then inked with Distress inks to turn him into a robin. I felt he needed an eye too so added one with a fine black Sharpie pen.

Full details of the challenge and some gorgeous inspiration from the Design Team can be found over at the Challenge Blog.

Challenges for my tag:
Gingerloft - Winter or Christmas
Craft Your Passion - Things With Wings

Have a great week and just a quick note that this post is number 499 so there might be some Candy in the pipeline soon!
Hugs, Fliss xx

Paris In Springtime

Morning everyone on a very cold but bright day. We had minus temperatures for the first time this Winter last night - brrrr!
I'm here today with news of the next challenge we have for you over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges the theme of this being Travelling Around The World and the Design Team have covered a fair bit of it with their gorgeous creations.
For my inspiration I decided to look forward to a favourite time of year when the new greens start to appear and set this in a city I still have to visit and which is at the top of my wish list - Paris.

I chose to make a tag this time and made my own from chip board as I needed quite a large one for the main stamp I wanted to use. The gorgeous collage stamp (Hampton Art Diffusion Passport) has been in my collection for quite a while and this seemed the perfect opportunity to ink it up again. I stamped it with VersaFine Imperial purple on parchment card and added colour by sponging with various Distress inks. I then tore the panel out.
I painted my tag with acrylic paint and then added colour with my recently acquired Pan Pastels. I'm really pleased with the lovely chalky matte effect you can achieve with these. I then stamped on a favourite flourish with Memento Pear Tart ink.
I stamped the Hero Arts tulips on tissue paper with Stazon Olive Green ink and then sponged with Pear Tart and Lilac Posies Memento ink. I cut them out quite roughly. I stamped the B Line Designs Eiffel Tower with the purple ink and cut this out.
I assembled the tag as you see, adding the tulips with a glue stick. I really like the slightly misty look you get by stamping on tissue paper. I finished off with some antique copper letter tiles.

The Fashionettes have made some stunning creations to get your creative juices flowing - much needed after all the Christmas preparations I think! You have until 31 December to enter and if you pop over to the challenge blog, you'll find details of the gorgeous prize from our sponsor Marina of Cottage Crafts and of the first challenge for 2012.
Hoping to see you there.
Fliss xx

Through The Window

Morning peops, it's Friday again and I can't quite believe it's only just over a week until Christmas and I haven't yet sent out my cards or finished my Christmas shopping - eek! This is mostly because I'm up to my eyes in figure work and VAT returns - yuck!
I'm here today with all the details of the final Polka Doodles challenge for 2011 as we're having a much needed Christmas break. The challenge has been chosen by Daniele and she would like to see a Window or Aperture on your creation. In my case this turned out to be a frame attached with foam tape although it's actually quite hard to see this in the photos.

All of the elements on my easel card are from the Magical Winter CD set and I made a frame to fit the front of the easel with some of the pretty dotty paper and my circle cutter. I attached this to the front of the card with foam tape and set the toadstool house in the frame. I added Woodware Fluffy Stuff on the house and the frame edge to give a snowy effect and glittered it a little.
I added the cute elf to the outside of the frame then covered the base with the dotty paper and finished off with a lovely sentiment panel and some snowflakes punched from various glitter card shades. And that's it - done!

Do pop over to the challenge blog as there's some gorgeous inspiration from the Design Team and also details of the CANDY on offer to some lucky entrant of this challenge.

Challenges for my card:
Crafty Purple Frog - It's Cold Outside
Delightful Challenges - Anything Goes
Meljen's Designs - No Rectangles
Paper Play - Christmas
ABC Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
Crafting For All Seasons - Christmas
Divas By Design - Christmas

Have a lovely weekend.
Hugs, Fliss xx

Fantastic News

Hello folks, I'm back again with another post because as well as my hubby's birthday card which I have to show you, I had a phone call from my younger daughter Sarah (in the second year of a Fashion degree at Kingston) to say that she and her friend Lucinda are the winners of a competition run by the South African clothing company Woolworths. This means that in the Spring next year they will both be jetting off to South Africa for a few weeks. To say that she's excited is an understatement as she's been running around shrieking and jumping up and down! Isn't this just fabulous, I can't tell you how proud and pleased for her I am.
It's her Dad's birthday too and here is the card I've made for him:

Andrew loves anything nautical and has loads of books on the subject so I decided on another card made with my trusty Aspects of Design nautical stamp set from The Stamp Man which gets a lot of use as most of the men in my husband's family love the sea.
I made a background paper by stamping blocks of colour with various Distress inks in blues and greens and then stamped on a B Line Designs time stamp in opposite corners with black ink.
I stamped the ship collage on grey card coloured the circular element and round the very edge then cut it out. I stamped the map on ecru card and cut this out.
I assembled the card as you see, adding a greeting made with a Dymo machine.

Challenges for my card:
Corrosive Challenges - Anything but Christmas
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Birthday Card
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Totally Papercrafts - Anything but Christmas

Have a great week,
Fliss xx

Tie A Red Ribbon

Morning folks, sorry about the title but that song popped into my head (you know the one I mean about the yellow one lol). It's Monday again and I can't believe how close it's getting to Christmas, really must get my cards in the post!
This week's challenge at Make My Monday, continuing with the December theme of Seasonal, is to use Red Ribbon on your creation so my inspiration is another Christmas card.

I've used a favourite Magenta stamp for my card which although not meant for Christmas is very good for seasonal cards with the music and berries. I stamped with VersaFine black and inked the panel then added detail with pencils and Promarkers.
I covered the card with Polka Doodles papers then added some scrunched red ribbon and a stamped, die cut and inked sentiment (Polka Doodles Christmas kit) finishing with the bird panel.

The Design Team have made some gorgeous and very varied cards to inspire you so do pop over for a look and hope to see you there.

Challenges for my card:
Card Makin' Mamas - Christmas
Raise The Bar - Christmas
Stampin' For The Weekend -  Christmas
2 Sisters -  Christmas
One Stop Craft - Traditional Christmas Colours
Dream Valley - Christmas
Paper Sundaes - Anything  Christmas
The Squirrel & The Fox -  Christmas

Have a great day and hopefully I'll be back later with more Of Tim's tags and also my hubby's birthday card as it's his birthday today.
Fliss xx

Tim's Tags Day Six

I'm back again folks with my second post for today and have the day 6 tag to show you. This one took an absolute age as the painting bit was really difficult owing to the embossing folders I chose to use not having Tim's. I also have to say it came out very grungy and certainly a bit more than I expected so you'll have to let me know what you think - I'm still not sure about the end result.

I used the Alterations Texture Fades Bingo /Patchwork folder and the Cuttlebug holly folder. I didn't have the metal so adhered aluminium foil to glossy card and embossed then painted as Tim did.
I also didn't have a suitably sized metal adornment so made my own by gluing metal flowers to a silver glitter card wreath cut out with Nestie circle dies. I also trimmed the outer edge with deckle scissors.
I finished off with a piece of vintage torn lace.

As before I'm linking this up to Tim's blog 12 Days of Christmas Tag 6 and again to Inspiration Emporium for all things Tim.

Have a great weekend,
Fliss xx

Tim's Tags Day Five

Happy Friday everyone and hope you have better weather as we have today. The wind finally went and I woke up to glorious sunshine this morning although it's very cold. I'm hoping it stays like this over the weekend as the last few days haven't been that great.
I've got another improvised tag to show you but before I do that I just want to say how sad I am to have heard that we've lost the lovely Sarah Lawrence, the very talented lady behind Crafty Notions, her company that produces Karantha stamps, gilding flakes and the gorgeous inky sprays. I was lucky enough to meet her on several occasions and admire her beautiful stitching creations so will miss her a lot.
I'm still somewhat behind with my tags but here's number 5:

Improvisation list:
Art Impressions snowflake instead of seasonal reflections stamp. I'd also like to say if you haven't done Tim's technique for this yet that a stamp with bold lines is required as I tried one with fine lines and you couldn't see the resulting image very well.
I didn't have the die either so used a Martha Stewart hydrangea punch and Woodware leaf sprig punch to make my wreath which is set on a backing of hessian (burlap) cut out with Nestie circle dies.
I finished off with some copper letter tiles and a simple ribbon at the top.

I'm linking this up to Tim's 12 Days of Christmas Tag 5 and also Inspiration Emporium where you can buy the supplies and link up your tag for a chance at some lovely prizes.
I'll be back a little later with tag 6 and wish you happy crafting in the mean time.
Fliss xx

Tim's Tags Day Four

Afternoon folks from a very chilly, wild and windy South coast. We've got sunshine again but the wind is so strong it's really cold. Hoping you're all having a good week so far and I'm here with the next of my versions of Tim's 12 Days of Christmas Tags Day 4 which I really enjoyed making as the techniques on this one are messy but great fun (I have very blue fingers at the moment lol).

Improvisation list:
I only had the Picket Fence Distress Stain so used Broken China and Tumbled Glass DI re-inkers and ended up with quite a similar effect although brighter
The snowman has Weathered Wood and Stormy Sky Distress inks instead of the stains used by Tim
The numbers were made with a strip die, inked, stamped and Glossy Accents added
Punched snowflakes from kraft and glitter card as no border die and my punch wouldn't go through the plastic packaging I have
Thread and silver weave ribbon as no tulle

I think I enjoyed this one the most due to the techniques as it's a while since I used crackle paint and I loved the background even without all the Distress Stains. I'm linking this up over at Tim's 12 Days of Christmas Tag 4 and if you haven't seen the original it's a must!

I'm also linking to Inspiration Emporium which is worth a visit for Tim's supplies.

Thanks for looking and happy crafting,
Fliss xx

Tim's Tags Day Three

I'm late, late, late here with my third tag as boy, did I have a struggle with this one! I don't have anything Tim used and must have gone back to the drawing board at least 3 times before I got something I felt reasonably happy with.
It's been really chilly here and I think I must have brain freeze lol but here's my finished tag.

Improvisation list:
Text stamps - large (Inkylicious) smaller (Penny Black)
No Embossing Folder as nothing suitable
Woodware holly and leaf sprig punches and Sissix flourish die for foliage
White tag inked with Old Paper and Tea Dye Distress inks after stamping
Extra additions - paper roses, metal flower charm

Quite a simple tag in the end but I think I like it like that. I left off the twine as I couldn't make it look right.
If you haven't seen the original gorgeous textured tag and some great inspiration for making Christmas crafted items in bulk, click on Tim's 12 Days of Christmas Tag 3 and prepare to be amazed.

I'm also once again linking this to Inspiration Emporium where there are great prizes on offer and Tim's supplies available.

Have a great day and happy crafting.
Fliss xx

Glitter Glitter Everywhere

Good morning folks on a very cold and frosty day but the sun is shining so it's lovely. Being Monday and also the first Monday of the month, we have a new theme for you over at Make My Monday which as it's December is Seasonal Anything Goes with a plus. This week's plus is GLITTER so those of you still making those Christmas cards like me will love this one.
My offering this time is rather clean and simple and something we all need when we're short of time - simple to make too.

I chose this lovely Penny Black silhouette stamp and stamped with VersaMark ink on kraft card and heat embossed with Wow Puff White embossing powder. I then glittered some areas with various Stickles.
I set the panel which I die cut with a Papermania set on a mat of white glitter card. I covered my 5 x 7 card blank with a piece of torn edged kraft patterned paper from the Polka Doodles Magical Winter CD set and added a greeting stamped with the Practical Publishing Polka Doodles Christmas kit clear stamp set with brown ink on buff card, coloured with pencils and cut out with a Papermania label die.
A very clean and simple card.

The Design Team have made some fabulous glittery creations for for inspiration so do pop over for a look.

Challenges for my card:
Addicted To Stamps - Christmas Card
Come and Get It Challenges - Anything Christmas
Hybrid Chick Card Caravan -Make It Sparkle
Bling It On - Christmas
Emerald Faerie Garden - Christmas Non Traditional Colours

Have a great week.
Fliss xx

Dressmaking, Corsets, Accessories

Good morning folks, I'm a little late with my post for the new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges today as we went to the pictures yesterday evening and I clean forgot to schedule my post. The film we saw was the new Hugo film which is a family film and we were attracted to it because of the steampunk look of the trailer. If you're a fan, it's well worth going as the clockworks are just astounding.
Anyway, enough waffling and on to the challenge which this fortnight is all about Dressmaking with Corsets and Accessories as an additional option in your stamping. As many of you will know, this is dear to my heart because my younger daughter is doing a fashion degree and my family background had included sewing - I was taught to sew and knit by my dear great aunt and have sewn all my life.
I chose to make another wall hanging so without further ado, here it is.

My creation began life as a piece of recycled grey board which I painted with antique beige acrylic paint. I then stamped a rose border from a Judikins bolio which was given to me by a dear friend using VersaFine sepia ink.
The remaining stamps all come from the Creative Expressions Vintage Sewing stamp set and I stamped a piece of background paper using the fabulous textile square with Victorian Velvet, Frayed Burlap and Crushed Olive Distress inks. I tore the edges and added this to the panel.
I added an embossed and inked sewing pattern panel (Tim Holtz Texture Fades), the mannequin panel from the stamp set inked and coloured with Promarkers and a panel stamped in the same way as the background paper cut out with the Tim Holtz Baroque die. The tape measure is stamped and coloured with Mustard Seed Distress ink. The thread reels are also stamped and have threads wound round them.
I finished off with a mannequin cut out with the Tim Holtz Sewing Room die with lace and a taper measure ribbon bow added and various buttons and sewing charms. Lace was added to the base.

I hope you can join in with our challenge and please remember that we must be able to see some stamping on your creation to be eligible for the prize and top 3. Do hop over to see the Design Team creations too as they've really excelled themselves on this one.

Challenges for my creation:
2 Sisters - Punches and/or Dies
Craft Your Days Away - Buttons or Bows

Have a lovely day.
Fliss xx

Tim's Tags Day Two

Hope you're all having a good weekend so far folks and I have my second tag for Sir Tim's 12 Days of Christmas Tags to show you. This time because I had to wait for our lovely sunshine to disappear to get a good pic as I didn't finish the tag until late last night.
I again had to do loads of improvising which I think has largely been caused by the fact that my Christmas supplies only get seasonal use so I try to do different things year on year to make my purchases last as long as possible to get the value out of them. As a lot of the supplies on the tags are new this year, that's why I don't have them as my craft purse is unfortunately not bottomless lol

Improvised supplies for this tag:
No Kraft Resist so used vintage music score dry brushed with white paint then stamped with holly (Papermania) and Christmas (Inkylicious). I also sponged on Shabby Shutters and Crushed Olive as I felt more colour was needed.
Snow make using a splatter stamp and white paint.
Deer is thick card rather than canvas and was inked with VersaColour Sand Beige, Umber and Cocoa
I added a bell and a holly garland made from punched holly sprigs.
I tried to use hessian at the top but it disintegrated on me! Ribbon used instead.
I added a little plaque made with a Craft Stamper free stamp (December issue)
The bottom border is a Martha Stewart punch with blingy ribbon added for some glitz.

To see the gorgeous original tag and all the instructions please click on Tim's Tags 12 Days of Christmas Day Two to be transported over.
I'm also linking once again to Inspiration Emporium which is worth a look if you haven't yet done so as there are prizes on offer.

I'm off to work on Day 3 now which will be even more of a challenge as I have none of the supplies!
Happy crafting,
Fliss xx

Tim's Tags Day One

Afternoon everyone, I'm here at last with my first tag for the wonderful Tim Holtz's 2011 12 Tags of Christmas which I managed to finish just before the light went so I could get a reasonable photo.
I'm a little late with mine as I didn't have any of the things used on this one so had to do mega improvising which made me scratch my head a little lol.
Here's the finished result which is not quite as embellished as Tim's gorgeous tag but I'm quite pleased with it anyway.

My improvising list is as follows:
Stormy Sky Distress Ink on the tag as no kraft core cardstock
Cuttlebug Snowflake folder
Pine cones made with a Marianne Designs flower die set (which was inspired by Tim's beautiful roses)
Foliage made with Sissix flourish die and a Woodware holly punch.
No Noel die so Basic Grey chipboard letters and a Papermania label die

If you haven't yet seen the gorgeous original if you click on my link Tim's 12 Days Of Christmas Tags 2011 Day One, you'll be transported over to be wowed.

I'm also linking this to Inspiration Emporium and many thanks to Terry for this. Do visit if you do the tags as there are fabulous prizes up for grabs.

Thanks for looking and hope you decide to have a go too as I think the best fun is to be had when you haven't got the supplies.
Fliss xx

Secret Element Christmas Card

Good morning everyone, I'm typing this post on a very wet and windy Thursday evening as I'll be sitting in the hairdressers when this post goes live. I'm really hoping the weather is a bit better too.
It's time for a new challenge over at Polka Doodles and this week Team A (which includes me) will be giving you some inspiration. We've split into 2 teams to save challenge entrants having to trawl through a gazillion creations to reach the link tool.
This week's challenge has been chosen by Enfys and she would like to see a creation with a Secret Element suitable for a child (or in my case a teenager). I chose to make something suitable for my nephews who are in their later teens.

 

All the elements on my card are from the Magical Winter CD set and I chose the cute penguin together with papers in colours suitable for boys (or girls who don't like pink!).

I assembled the front of the card in layers as you see, adding a little glitz with navy glitter card. I covered part of the inside with the same backing paper and made a pocket to tuck a gift card in (for game and music mad teenagers) and added a cut out penguin with foam tape.

I finished off with a central border of dotty paper and a sentiment from the CD, leaving room either side to write a message to the recipient. As you see, very simple!

Challenges for my creation:

Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes

Divas By Design - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenges - Sparkle

Thanks for looking and have a great day,

Fliss xx