...a wee witch

I'm punctured - running about like a mad woman organising the halloween party that I knew about months ago!!

Just time to pop up this wee card I made using the lemon juice trick - stamp in lemon juice and then heat it with your heat gun - go on, try it, you'll love it.

Matted the image onto a rectangle with torn edges. I soaked the edges in lemon juice and then heated them too - love the way that worked - must do this again.

Nighty night.

All supplies PTI (except the ribbon) - sorry - need to sleep.

...I got tagged by

the superbly talented Niki Estes - I'm tickled pink because I am a long time fan - I've been a fan all my 'stamping life' - ok, so i haven't been at it long but Niki was one of the first designers I noticed when I got into this and I love her stuff.

Anyone who actually knows me will tell you that I am famous for the 'delayed reaction' - I am not 'on the ball' at all. Usually it's because i'm thinking about something else, sometimes it's just plain old lazyitis. Hence I'm playing along several days after the tag actually took place!!

In the past regarding blog awards and tags I have been shy of participating due to the fact that I am really not that interesting/and I'm squeamish about passing these on cos I don't know anyone really and don't want to upset people I don't pass them to. - Still hope not to upset anyone but it's high time I jumped in and played instead of standing in the corner feeling shy so...

Things I Love
1. My family, my 'herd' - the initials of their names make up the word 'herd' - I think this is so funny - they aren't amused!!
2. The Big Guy upstairs - got me out of a few scrapes.
3. My friends, in particular one Bob Pinkerton.
4. The whole West coast of Ireland, Mayo especially.
5. Florentines, the cookies.

Things I Don't Love
1. Flying - I could be ill just thinking about it.
2. Feet.
3. Rude people.
4. Not having enough time.
5. Not having enough space.

Songs On My I-Pod
I am Ipodless, but if i had one it would be full of Nat King Cole, Patsy Cline, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby - all singing Christmas songs.

Favorite Foods/Drinks
1. Hot Chocolate - but only Ovaltine hot chocolate.
2. Roast chicken, spuds and gravy.
3. Florentines, the cookies.
4. Apple pie.
5. Lemon meringue pie.

Bloggers I'm tagging - I admire all the people on my blog list but I'm trying not to pick people who have been tagged recently, or who I am chronically shy of asking or who I just recently pestered with questions, you get the idea.
1. Beth
2. Bob
3. Katarina
4. Annapurna
5. Mandy

...a few answers

I didn't intend to do a tutorial for the snowball ornaments in the post below - I always hate to assume that people actually want it but I did get a few questions about how these were made so I'm putting a few pointers in this post. Apologies for the poor pics but I abandoned the idea of doing a tutorial and didn't take a great selection.

I used polystyrene balls and I coated them in tissue and painted on loads of PVA glue, the glue soaks through and dries reasonably clear so it works well for these wee ornaments. In order to do this I spiked the balls on toothpick sticks.


Once they were dry I added the snowmen in the same way.

Once the ornament was dry again I pushed the toothpick all the way through the ball so that it made a hole through the core of the snowball.

I pushed a huge darning needle threaded with one strand about 12 inches of thin ribbon through the ball. I then pushed the darning needle back down through the hole so that i had a loop of ribbon at the top and two tails at the bottom.

I knotted the tails to prevent the snowball falling off but really there wasn't much chance of this as the ribbon was a tight fit.

I made the box to my own design because I specifically wanted to use my 1 1/2" hole punch to make the little 'tidy' tray that sits on top of the snowballs in the box - I actually cut two of these trays and mounted one inside the box about 1/2" from the base so that the snowballs would sit nicely in place down in the little holes. The other tray I decorated with polka dots and put on top to tidy everything up.

I don't have plans at the moment to put a template up for the box as it isn't something that will print onto 8.5" by 11" cardstock, but if you need it leave a comment here and if enough folks are interested I'll see what I can do.

The box measures 4" wide by 2" tall - the depth of the lid is 3/4" if that helps anyone.

...something spotty for Bloghop

The challenge for this months PapertreyInk Bloghop was to use polka dots somewhere in the design. I thought it would be fun to make something in the shape of a dot - ie a circle. I had an idea for a snowball christmas tree ornament with a snowman stamped on it. Since it's not really polka dots unless there's more than one, I made 4 of them and then a box to present them in - I think they'd make a nice gift.

The ornaments are little polystyrene balls covered in tissue paper soaked in glue. I stamped the snowmen onto bits of tissue and then placed them onto the snowballs and painted over them with more glue. Using tissue meant that I was able to flip two of the snowmen over so I could have two matching pairs with their scarves flowing in either direction.

Threading a wee bit of thin red ribbon through let's me hang them on the tree.

The Made of Snow stamp set was just perfect for this idea - I was able to use just a snowman head and a spotty scarf.

I wanted to make something to present them in and so I made up a simple 4" by 2" box from kraft card - I made it that size so's I could use a 1 1/2" circle punch to make a little tray that sat inside the box. I wanted to punch 4 holes in it so that you could see the ornaments but not the mess of the ribbons. I though that would make my ornaments look like big polka dots on the red background. I cut a little semi circle from the top edge so's I could get the tray out easily.

One of my favourite sets from Papertrey Ink is Polka dot basics - I used it all over to add polka dots in white and red.

I stamped a matching snowman on white card and cut him out - I made him peep out of a 'window' on the top of the box . I thought I'd make a card to match - I really think this could be something I could give out this year to a couple of people. I had a blast paperpiecing the tiny snowman from Boards and Beams additions for the sentiment tag on front of the card - he's so weeny!!

Hope it tickles - can't wait to see everyone elses!!

...a simple card

Ed - sorry - check back this evening - Bloghop is tonight!!

Craft time is so thin on the ground at the mo - but check back tomorrow to see what I've been making for the PapertreyInk bloghop - the bloghop is so much fun!!

This is a card using the Merry and Bright stamps form PapertreyInk - love this set but haven't had much time to use it - hopefully get more done this week.

The gold is perfectly readable IRL but the camera angle didn't like it.

Hope it tickles.

Stuff used
Cardstock - Kraft card - LSS
Stamps - Merry and Bright PTI.
Ink - Versafine Olympia green(i think - i'm nearly sure...) and Encore gold.
Tools - Decorative Corner punch and eyelets
Ribbon - Gold lame, LSS

...cards with lemon juice

I know this is probably old hat to all of you but I was so excited when I remembered the lemon juice thing - you know how that if you write a secret note in lemon juice it's invisible till you hold it over heat!! - I learned this when I was a teenager - but I had forgot all about it untill the other week.

So I stamped my images in lemon juice and then roasted them with a heat gun - it's great fun watching the images appear and you can control how 'scorched' you want them to look!!

Hope they tickle.

Quick question - can anyone recommend a good place to buy a 1 3/4" circle punch - I really want one for the tag set I've ordered from PTI but they don't stock them at the mo and if they do It'll prob be after Christmas when it arrives here!! So what I'm looking for is prob an internet store that ships internationally - It also would help if someone could point me in the direction of a good source for Cosmo Cricket papers!! Those are so cute - I had one in my hand the other week but it was going to cost the equivalent of $34 for a 12" pack of 12 papers - there's bound to be better value out there somewhere!! Many thanks in advance for any help.

Stuff used
Cardstock - Watercolour paper and Kraft card - LSS
Stamps - Snowflake serenade, Believe and Rustic snowflakes, all PTI.
Ink - Lemon Juice, Gold Encore Ink
Tools - Heat gun, Scor Pal
Ribbon - Gold sheer, LSS

...a few luminaries for Halloween

PapertreyInk's Linen Vellum is the best thing for making these wee luminaries - it's so easy - cut a sheet in half lengthwise and stamp. Stick the ends together with extra strong clear double sided tape and you're in business.

For safety I can't reccomend strongly enough that you USE A BATTERY POWERED TEA LIGHT, i gave up candles ages ago - don't miss them.

The pumpkins faces were stamped first in versamark and then clear embossed. The pumpkin shells were then stamped over and the excess ink rubbed off .

The witch has bats all around that were stamped on the inside and outside of the luminary so's they have different opacities.

Hope they tickle.

Stuff used
Cardstock - Linen Vellum - PTI
Stamps - Spooky sweets 1 and 2 First fruits, all PTI. web, spider and sentiment - Inkadinkado
Ink - Versafine Black
Tape - extra strong double sided - LSS

...Three kings box tempate

Thank you for the overwhelming response to my Three Kings boxes!! I didn't think they'd be so popular - I think I've managed to find a way to make them downloadable - I've uploaded them to SplitCoat and I've provided a link in my sidebar - Under Tutorials and Templates - I've checked it and it seems to work but I'd be real grateful if someone else would try to download one and leave me a comment here to say that it worked!!

Many thanks in advance

...more wee boxes

ED - 7th November - thank you for the lovely comments - I don't know if I'll get a chance to do a tutorial for this but here's some info, it might help someone:

I heat embossed snowflakes with clear embossing powder on the reverse of the template (only at the top of the card) - after I had cut it out. I sponged gold ink over these and wiped it off the clear snowflakes, I stamped the front details on the right side of the template THEN I made up the box. That's why it looks like there's gold inside the crown.

I used the spellbinders snowflake die to cut the snowflake pieces and layered them with those wee foam dots to give a bit of dimension to each layer.

The splayed lines at the 'neck' of the box are the bottom half of the wheat sheaf image from the First fruits stamp set from PTI. - Hope that helps.
ED again - 15th Oct 2008 - I'm having real trouble keeping up with demand for the templates to these boxes, Lol - could I ask folks to hold off from emailing me until I can get a 'button' sorted out that you can click on to download. - many thanks for your patience.

I made these as part of my GSS submissions for PTI - if you don't know what that is check it out here.

If you want to see some of this months entries go look here.

The stuff is outstanding - very inspirational for when you just can't remember where you left your mojo.

I love these boxes and they're gonna feature on my christmas gift list a lot this year - the idea came from the Three kings but I've covered all that in this post, these ones have a tag each for the initials of Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior, the original Christmas gift givers. I also made a wee tray since they sit so nicely together it would be a good idea to give these out in trio, with a different gift in each - maybe gold wrapped chocolate in one, perfume in another and body oil in the third to reflect the Gold, Frankincence and Myrrh theme.

Hope they tickle.

Boxes
Cardstock - Vintage cream - PTI
Stamps - Spooky sweets 2, Rustic Snowflakes,also bottom half of wheatsheaf image from First fruits, all PTI.
Ink - Tsukineko Encore gold, PTI
Ribbons - 15mm sheer gold and 3mm lame gold. LSS
Snowflakes cut with Spellbinders snowflake die.
Bling by Papermania

...another snowman

Did someone say glitter? well I've had enough of that!! It's everywhere - I have to get the hoover out now. I used white and brown glitter - and by the way those are meant to be snowballs!!!!

This is a wee card I made tonight - one of those ones that kind of evolve on their own, it never really had a plan and to be honest i'm not thrilled with it but Shhh don't tell anyone. - not over the moon with the pic it looks better in real life but at least it's finished!!

You can't see but each snowball is edged and coloured with aqua mist before being rolled in glitter, same with the snowman, it does look much better IRL. Off to tidy up now.

ED - OMG I sound like such a moan!! lol - In my defence I was tired last night.

Card 1
Cardstock - White card - LSS, Dark Chocolate - PTI
Stamps - Made of snow, Rustic Snowflakes,both PTI.
Ink - Dark Chocolate, Aqua mist - both Palette, PTI
Patterned paper - Basic grey - Fruitcake collection
Glitter - LSS - it's the superfine stuff and I used the essential glue pad to adhere it. We'll see in the morning how well that has worked.

...couple of wee snowmen.

Time is hard to come by in my house - hats off to anyone with more than 3 kids - I don't know how you do it. I've been itching to stamp some wee snowmwen since I got the PTI Made of Snow set - these wee men are brilliant - you can make them up just exactly how you want - I only had time to stamp a couple and make up these cards from scrap bits and bobs I had in my stash boxes.

For the first card I made a backing paper by stamping snowflakes all over PTI spring moss cardstock, the embossed snowy background was a scrap of vellum that I had ran through with a cuttlebug snowflake folder one time. I rubbed dark choc ink all over it. The white snow is white card ripped, Grossgrain brown ribbon finished it off.

The second card used a wee bit of plaid paper that I made ages ago by stamping in burgundy ink and white ink on kraft card, using my Faux ribbon PTI stamps - never got round to using it. Same scrap of vellum, this time highlighted with silver ink.

Both guys are wearing paper pieced scarves - think its Basic gray - fruitcake collection.

Hope they tickle.

Card 1
Cardstock - Kraft card, white card - LSS Vellum - random scrap - LSS
Stamps - Made of snow, Rustic Snowflakes, Snowflake Serenade, all PTI.
Ink - Dark Chocolate, Aqua mist - both Palette, PTI
Ribbon - Brown 15mm grossgrain - LSS.
Brad - Papermania - LSS
Tag -cut with sizzix scalloped tag die.
Patterned paper - Basic grey - Fruitcake collection

Card 2
Cardstock - Kraft card, white card - LSS, Vellum - random scrap- LSS
Stamps - Made of snow, Rustic Snowflakes, Faux Ribbon, all PTI.
Ink - Dark Chocolate Palette, Silver Encore, Versacolour Burgundy and white
Ribbon - Brown 15mm grossgrain - LSS.
Patterned paper - Basic grey - Fruitcake collection

...warty witch treat box

I wanted a witch for under my witches hat, so I made a real simple 2x3 inch square box from PTI Spring moss cardstock and cut a slit in the front. I cut a nose shape and stuck it out throught the slit. I stamped eyes using the Wise owl set owl eyes and made lips with a rounded heart shape from the My Punny Valentine set - All stamps from PTI. The wart is a spot from polka dot basics.

I cut plum pudding cardstock into little strips and curled it for hair!! What fun - have to make a dose of these for my halloween party now - going to fill them with jelly beans etc.

Hope it tickles.

...Three kings gift boxes

ED again - 15th Oct 2008 - I'm having real trouble keeping up with demand for the templates to these boxes - could I ask folks to hold off from emailing me until I can get a 'button' sorted out that you can click on to download. - many thanks for your patience.

ED - Just a wee note to anyone who has/wants a template - Cut out on the solid lines and fold on the dotted lines. Stamp designs on your box before you make the folds. Stamp on the side of the cut out that shows NO lines, this way when you fold it up, the guidelines will be inside the box. Print the template out in a very pale colour if you are printing onto pale cardstock as there is the chance some of lines might be visible. If possible print it in a colour to match your cardstock - my printer allows me to do this - eg. If I'm printing on pink cardstock, I can print the template in a slightly darker pink.

Waiting for the wee guy to fall asleep the other night, I had an idea for these Three kings gift boxes - they each have three sides. I was mulling over ideas for things I could make to sell at Christmas craft fairs this year - might run up a couple of these.

They are so easy to put together - I have made a template which I have in PDF format - if I can find a way to make it downloadable from this blog I will, but in the meantime if anyone fancies a copy email me and i'll send you a pdf of the template.

What I like about them is that they can be finished in so many different ways - these are the first 3 I made but I'm working on another batch - they should be very different.

They're not huge but they'd hold sweets, bottle of perfume - jewellery etc, Loads of things.

I had a ball using loads of wee PTI stamps to gild the red box (pure poppy - PTI cardstock) - love how the Encore gold metallic ink shines.

On the brown box I made a wee tag with a scrap of Linen Vellum left over from when I cut out snowflakes with a sizzix die. Popped the burnt orange in behind and secured them together with an eyelet - hung from the box with fine string.

Went for a subtle plum on plum with the third box - maybe a leetle too subtle...but they're so easy I'm off to do some more!!

Hope they tickle.

Stuff Used:
Red box
Cardstock - Pure Poppy PTIStamps - Guidelines, Holiday treats, Boxes bags and tags, Rustic snowflakes, Believe. All PTIInk - Encore metallic gold LSS but also available from PTI
Ribbon - Gold 15mm sheer ribbon - LSS.

Brown box
Cardstock - Dark Chocolate PTI, Linen Vellum PTI Burnt orange - LSS.
Stamps - Polka dot basics, Rustic Snowflakes, Merry and Bright, all PTI.
Ink - Versacolour white
Ribbon - Brown and white 15mm sheer ribbons - LSS.
Eyelet - Papermania - LSS
String -Back of my kitchen drawer.

Plum box
Cardstock - Plum pudding PTI
Stamps - Merry and Bright, Rustic snowflakes all PTI.
Ink - Plum pudding, PTI
Ribbon - Gold 15mm sheer ribbon - LSS.

...Question

Anybody know how to add a downloadable pdf to a post in blogger? - I'm working on a few templates that I'd like to put on my blog - I want to put them on the blog in a way that allows you to download them by clicking on them, KWIM?

any suggestions appreciated - many thanks

...tips for dealing with the 'curious-non-stamping' visitor.

Recently I had a visitor, a close relative who wanted to see my stamps, and how I made cards. The praise and admiration was swelling my ego and it was with a hop skip and a jump that i went to my treasure trove and dug out the goodies. Within a quarter of an hour I was a gibbering mess, blaspheming into the sink, up to my armpits in soap suds.

I would like to share with you a few pointers:

If the 'curious-non-stamper' is arriving on a scheduled visit, be in the hall, coat on, car keys in hand and as soon as you answer the doorbell announce in a loud voice "I'm treating you to Starbucks, let's go!" Believe me, the outlay is justified.

If the 'curious-non-stamper' arrives unexpectedly, or indeed if the plain old non-stamping visitor suddenly develops a desire to play with your toys you will need a plan of action, may I suggest...

1) Decide, quickly, on the way to your stash, on your three oldest, most least-likely-to-be-used stamps. - Importantly, be sure to tell your visitor that you just got these ones and they're your favourites - at this point your laying the groundwork in the hope that your visitor will play nice with your toys.

2) Also pick out your oldest and most used up inks - two should suffice. Keep one in your pocket for when the first one lands on the baby, who will have it partially digested before you return from getting "more paper".

3) You will be going to get "more paper" because you are not stupid enough to let your visitor go to the stash and pick their own stuff...are you? Use cheap paper, back of old wrapping paper, children's homework books, anything BUT the PTI card - your 'visitor' will stamp profusely.

4) Only allow your visitor to stamp on a surface that is HIGHER than their waist height, this avoids the need to surgically remove pieces of disintegrated stamp from ink pad after the torture, sorry, visit is over - It also helps avoid cracked-ink-pad syndrome as the visitor will not be able to get their whole weight piled up on top of your favourite dark Chocolate Palette ink pad...that you had shipped all the way from America...

5) Importantly - pick up and clean each stamp just as you sense the visitor is moving on to the next image - you want to avoid the fistful of mangled sticky stamps served in a bed of tattered paper with a sauce of Palette de Stazon. However bad it looks tho' don't let them wash the stamps - they're slippy when wet and visitors seldom understand about things like plugholes.

6) Have a 'get out clause' in your head for when you can't take it no more..something like "Gosh it has been great, what a shame I have to GO RIGHT NOW and pick up my friends' kid from school on the other side of town. Ah well!"

If you sense that you're merely whetting their appetite and they're going to want to come back for more, might I suggest PTI gift certificate - so's they can get their own.

I hope you find this useful, I would've...