Monday 19 October 2015

Krafty Poinsettia

For anyone who didn't see the Scotland v Australia Quarter Final at the Rugby World Cup - we wuz robbed! A penalty kick awarded to the Wallabies in the final minute of the match, for something they did (if Ref went to the TMO he would have seen it!) and the Aussies won by a single point. I think the whole of Scotland was gutted for those lads who gave it their all!  The way the Ref sprinted off the pitch as he was blowing the final whistle was probably the biggest clue that he knew he'd made a huge mistake - the rude so and so never even shook hands with the Team Captains!

Ah well, there's always the Six Nations to look forward to in the New year!

Still not got a lot done regarding Christmas cards but I have been experimenting using Kraft paper with clear embossing powder and came up with a poinsettia that looks like it's made from spun caramelised sugar! I decided to use it for this week's entry into the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #208
 
 
The Christmas bauble in the background of the photos is a work in progress. I used the Darice Ivy Corner embossing folder to create a strip detail instead of a ribbon.
 
These filigree dies are lovely but all the chads that come off are a pest. I have found that putting in a poly bag (zip-lock best) and giving a sharp tap on the edge of the table frees them from the die without going everywhere. If they are still stuck within the die cut, again put it in a bag and try using one of the rotating brushes on the market seem to free them without them making a mess!
 
 
 
 
 

Cardstock
 PayPer Box - Kraft
PayPer Box - White Linen
 
Embossing Folder
Darice - Ivy Corner
 
 Dies 
Sue Wilson Creative Expressions - Filligree Poinsettia












Stamps
Magazine Freebie
 
Inks
 Versafine - Antique Sepia
Distress Ink - Evergreen Bough

Monday 12 October 2015

It's Started!

It's Started!

Last week I decided to get a shift on and get some crafty stuff done for Hallowe'en, I've made up some goodie bags for the bairns out Guising*, for the neighbours children I've made and filled some decorated boxes.

 
Anyway, after sorting out Hallowe'en I have given in and started making stuff for Christmas - a load of baubles! I also thought I'd make a start on some cards and ended up only making one because I couldn't decide what to do!

The one I did make is based on this week's Freshly Made Sketches Challenge
 

although it didn't start out as what I had originally planned to make for it! My original plan for the Christmas card went awry when I unknowingly had managed to get ink on my fingers and smudged a part of it - aarghh! Then I remembered the sketch and decided to chop off the bits that were ok and re-arrange them and add another panel.
 


  

All the stamps used this week came as a free gift with the latest Creative Stamping Magazine. They were classed as Christmas stamps but there are several which can be used at anytime of year - especially for making cards for the male of the species, including a rather nice stag's head.

 
 
 
Cardstock
 
PayPer Box - Kraft
PayPer Box - Ivory
 
Stamps
 
Creative Stamping - Woodland Christmas
 
 
Inks
 
Versafine - Vintage Sepia
 
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads:
Faded Denim, Peeled Paint & Evergreen Bough
 
 
* Guising - The verb to guise comes from Old French (se) déguiser, meaning to disguise oneself, is a practise not only associated with All Hallows Eve but also, in days of yore, with Yule. 

On the last Tuesday of January  each year, at Lerwick in Shetland Islands the men  participating in the Viking Festival of "Up Helly Aa" are known as Guizers, chief among them being the "Guizer Jarl")

 
Photo of Up Helly Aa  - Burning the Dragon Ship from http://www.shetland.org/things/events/culture-heritage/up-helly-aa

When I was younger going Guising at Hallowe'en wearing an old white sheet with holes cut for eyes sufficed as a ghost but these days, as the rather commercialised import of Trick or Treat seems to steal a march on guising, it seems the shops are full of more theatrical style costumes. 

Another tradition was the long, labourious, and a bit smelly, task to hollow out a tumshie (swede) and then carve a scary face into it but with the candle lit turnip (neep) lantern it was off to knock on the doors of friends and neighbours. The tradition was to do your party piece (tell a joke, sing a song, dance or recite a poem) to receive your fairins (presents, especially sweets, apples, nuts although you may be lucky to receive some money) rather than modern, imported, demand  of "Trick or Treat".


"Canty dame wi kindly looks,
Ye hae fairins in yer neuks,
Aipples reid, or aipples green,
Up, and gie's oor Hallowe'en!"
 
 
 


Monday 5 October 2015

Dear Santa . . .

Autumn is now upon us, the cherry trees out at the front of our house are turning shades of red and gold whilst the fallen pine cones seem to be attracting the local squirrels. My apple tree has so far produced enough apples for some pies and crumbles with more still to come - will check later once the rain goes off as it has been windy enough to get some fallers.

It's been a few weeks since I took part in the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge
so thought it was time to try and get back into the swing of things.  Unfortunately my photos aren't too great as I've had to use the camera on my phone (put the SD card reader for my proper camera in a safe place - well, you know the rest!)

 

 
I've used a combination of Tim Holtz and Dyan Reaveley stamps to come up with this bird that's got itself in a bit of a mess:
 
 
Now that it's a getting a bit close to Chrimbo to be misbehaving and making messes about the house, this little bird has decided to write a letter to Santa - just in case!
   

 
 
The card uses with Tim Holtz Bird Crazy and Dyan Reaveley's Christmas Words stamps with the Splats courtesy of a Tim Holt stencil and Distress Inks.
 
 
 
Cardstock
Image Supersmooth  -White
PayPer Box - Kraft
 
Stamps & Stencils
Tim Holtz - Splatters Layering Stencil
Tim Holtz - Bird Crazy
Dyan Reaveley - Christmas Words

Inks
Momento Tuxedo Black
Versafine - Onyx Black
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade
Tim Holt Distress Ink - Faded Denim