Wednesday 11 December 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #156 The letter "E" and Purple

It's time to start a new round of challenges over at the Dragons Dream TIO, and after much brain storming we have decided to have an alphabet round, along with a twist of some kind.
So here is the first challenge from me. I'd love to see you use the letter "E" and purple on your tags with as usual one real stamp.
Elizabeth x

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #155 A Book of your choice, Green, Stencil/Mask and Paint

This time over at Dragons Dream it is Gabrielle's choice of a "Book, Stencil/Mask, Green and Paint" to be included on your tags.
As a total bookworm this was a major decision for me lol, but in the end decided on "Memoires of a Geisha", a fabulous book.
I can't remember where the stamp is from, it's been around forever and is well worn, but the gorgeous stencil is one of Jayne's at Stamporsaurus, She has some gorgeous stencils and I'm always spoilt for choice. I used grunge paste and then painted over with guacamole fresco paint, followed by a layer of green amber treasure gold after everything had dried.
The challenge is running for two weeks and we would love to see you share your tags with us, just please remember to use at least one real stamp on your artwork.
Elizabeth xxx
and watch out for a Design Team call out as well!! x

Wednesday 30 October 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #153 Film, Texture, Embellishment and a hint of Red

Over at the Dragons Dream TIO Silvia has chosen the theme of a Film of your choice, Texture, Embellishment and a hint of Red, and of course at least one real stamp on your tag.
I had to choose Harry Potter, although I couldn't narrow it down to one particular film, as long as Alan Rickman is in it I don't mind lol.
I love these Grahpic45 papers and stamps, they are just right for my theme. I added texture with Grunge Paste and wiped paint over with a baby wipe, so that I didn't cover up the pattern on the paper underneath, then added a mix of ink and gilding wax to finish off.
My cobweb embellishment was cut out on Cricut from the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge and smooshed with ink.
We would love to see you join in out challenge, just please remember to use at least one real stamp on your tag.
Elizabeth x

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Llandudno Craft Fair

Have just realised that I hadn't shared any photo's from the craft fair at Llandudno, I've been so busy making things ready for the next one that I forgot, ups.
Am trying really hard to have an entire table of new stuff for the next fair, but not sure that will happen in time.
The next one is on Saturday 16th November so still have a little time left to make some more xxx


Sunday 27 October 2013

The Craft Bug - with Ali Craft

We had a fabulous day out at Chirk yesterday at The Craft Bug with Ali and Iain from Ali Craft, and a great group of crafters.
We made an altered box with a drawer decorated with anything and everything!!
Buttons, beads, skulls, birdcages, shoes, lace, flowers and more were covered in lashings of metallic paint and then smooshed over with Treasure Gold.
I stepped out of my colour comfort zone and opted for pink and green papers from BoBunny to line the drawer with, I just need to go over the corners with a Pro Marker where the papers don't quite meet, shssssh lol.
It was a great day and fab to catch up with the Girls, ups and Iain.
Elizabeth xxx

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #152 TV Show,Fabric, Neutrals and Bling

This time over at the Dragons Dream Helen has chosen the theme of a TV Show, Fabric, Cream/Neutrals and Bling/Sparkles.
I've gone with Brideshead Revisited, an amazing series set in beautiful surroundings with the very gorgeous Jeremy Irons as one of the leading men, what more could a girl ask for!
There was a Teddy in the series and I think he was called Mr Algenon if I remember correctly. So "Sleeping George" from IndigoBlu is playing the role for my tag, along with lots of Prima flowers and a mixture of bling, and some crotcheted lace from the craft shop at Denman College.
Click on the link on my  sidebar to take you over to the TIO blog and join in.
Elizabeth x

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #151

It's the fabulous Trace's turn to chose the theme over at the TIO blog and she would lke to see you use a word, brown, die-cuts and lots of layers.
Typography is a perfect word for the daughter of a printer, and as I bought the stamps to go with the paper pad that I won from Ali Craft, I thought I would christen them!
Love the new Potting Soil Archival ink pad by Wendy Vecchi it's a great vintage shade.
Click on the link on my sidebar and check out my fab team mates tags and join in our challenge!
Elizabeth xxx

Thursday 26 September 2013

Autumn at Ali Craft

The theme over at the Ali-Craft blog this time is "Autumn" and it sure is here in North Wales. The woods at the back of our house are golden now, so that's where I've taken my inspiration from, the colour rather than an object.
The background is made up of a mixture of wild honey, tea dye and rusty hinge distress inks, all fab colours for Autumn. The stamps are from Sheena stamped out with Archival ink, and a Marianne die finishes  it off.
So looking forward to Port Sunlight this weekend catching up with Friends and of course a little retail therapy!!!!
Elizabeth xxx

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #150 A Game of Your Choice - Vintage, Buttons and Lace

It's back to my turn over at the Dragons Dream TIO blog,  I would like you to choose a game, any kind you like Board/Computer/Outdoor and then add in my recipe of Vintage, Buttons and Lace, and at least one real stamp on your tag.
When I was young we had many happy holidays at my Nana and Grandpa's caravan near Garstang, Lancs. We had an old shirt box crammed with board games, and bit's and pieces to amuse us as we didn't have electric on site at the time, just wonderful gas lamps!!
Up's age give a way!! One of our favourite games was Bingo, and we would use old button's to mark off the numbers as they came up, happy times.
I started out by embossing the base tag with a Darice folder and trimmed along the bottom to show the lacy edge. Then I coloured the entire tag with a mix of Victorian velvet and Brown Corduroy distress inks and a smooching of gilding wax around the edges.I than stamped out the TH bingo cards and line, cut out some small tatty flowers, and added the same colours to both along with some swirly leafy leftovers from another project that were sitting on my desk. Having lost my beautiful little piece of lace, I panicked not, and cut out some paper lace with a Cheery Lynn die, phew think I got away with that one!
The finishing touch are the old shirt buttons as flower centres.
As for the old shirt box full of wonderful memories, it is still treasured to this day and I will never part with it.

If you would like to join in with our latest challenge just click on the link on my sidebar, just please rememnber to use at least one real stamp on your tag.

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #149 Music, Tissue/Tissue Tape and Blue

This time over at the Dragons Dream Challenge Blog Gabrielle has chosen the theme of "Music, Tissue Tape/Tissue and Blue".
I love the Vintage Shabby paper pad from TH the colours are just gorgeous and amongst the patterns is one with musical notes on, just perfect!
I crumpled up white tissue paper and stuck it down on to the tag with a generous coating of Fresco Metallic Glaze, the sheen is beautiful in the flesh. Then added a mixture of dies all cut from the same paper pad and edged with Faded Jeans Distress ink. The butterfly stamp is by Crafty Individuals and also has music in the background, so a double whammy!
Hope to see you dreaming along with us this week and thank you for your lovely comments, they mean so much.
Elizabeth x

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Passion for ProMarkers Challenge #214 Pink Pearls


I though I'd make the effort this week and try to join in some different challenges, and as I love my ProMarkers and my Mum as a Printer and so have grown up with Letraset products this is a perfect one  for me.
The stamped image is one of Crafty Individual and coloured with ProMarkers. The tag and dies are all made a sheet of TH Vintage Shabby paper, which have been inked with a mix of Victorian Velvet and of course Black Soot. The flowers were ready made from my stash and the final layer was a dabble of gorgeous Gilding Wax from Creative Expressions, which I am slightly addicted to!
Sorry the photo looks so blue, it's not got light properly here all day.
Elizabeth x

Thursday 29 August 2013

Crafty Individuals Open Theme August Challenge

Not a great photo I'm afraid the light isn't very good here today. Spotted an altered jumbo peg on pinterest this morning and needed to have a go lol, without the jumbo peg bit! So having raided my peg bag painted one of the old wooden ones that are probably older the Harry, with Fresco paint.  Then chopped in to a couple of toppers from a Miniatures People and Places pad choosing a Man on the beach, a sentiment and the Seagull. Then finished off by adding a few of the tiny heat proof sequins, which sadly don't show up too well on the photo.

Crafting in miniature by my standards lol. Elizabeth xxx

Sunday 25 August 2013

Sunday Stamper #272 Titanium

Well I think Hels chose this theme for me this week!!!!! I couldn't share this project until today as it was a Wedding Sampler made for yesterday.
A few years ago a few Friends and I went off on a crafty retreat in Manchester, where we made samplers using loads of tecniques including metalwork dying fabric, stamping and stencilling fabric etc Then earlier this year when my work was on show at Rhos on Sea a Lady spotted this frame and asked if I could make a Wedding Sampler for her Daughter's Wedding in the same colour scheme, but with names and dates embroidered on it.
So here it is, the original frame made from metal craft sheets embossed though the cuttlebug, paint wiped over and then clear embossing powder heated over the top for texture.
The fabric has been dyed with with a mixture of Stuart Gill fabric paints and when dried using the fabric paint again I used the Stampendous Peony all over it.

My very clever Friend added the names and dates for me, she has an embroidery machine, so it was much quicker than me doing it by hand.
Then came the sewing bit, French Knots, Swaroski Bicones, Chinese Coin Crystals and Hearts.


This took the longest as I needed  natural daylight for these tiny weeny crystals and knots even with my specs on!!
Happy Sunday Elizabeth xxx

Saturday 24 August 2013

Ali Craft Prima Doll Challenge

The challenge over at Ali Craft's blog this month is to use a Prima Doll. I was lucky enough to win last months challenge and scooped up some fab stamps including this little lady.
I used up all the odd die cuts that have been on my desk for ages by gluing them on to the canvas before painting it with acrylics. The mini tattered flowers and leaves were cut out of a sheet of TH Vintage Shabby paper, inked around the edges with Faded Jeans (guess what colour my fingers are today). The Prima Dolly was stamped on to white card and coloured in using Lyra Polycolour pencils and some paper piecing with the Vintage Shabby paper for the dress.
Elizabeth x 

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Dragons Dream TIO Challenge #148 Nature, Time and Orange

Here we are again with another new challenge over at Dragons Dream TIO. The very creative May has chosen the theme of "Nature, Time and Orange" which certainly got my brain cells ticking!
The stamp plate I've used is from Chocolate Baroque and is crammed full of nature, bumble bee's galore, all coloured in using Lyra Polycolour pencils which are fab to work with.
The clock die is from Marianne and the label is from Spellbinders.
The base tag has been  made up of layers of Grunge Paste, Distress Paint, Gilding Wax and of course Black Soot Distress Ink.
It's been a busy few weeks for me here working at lots of County shows and the Eisteddfod, all good fun but I'm glad to say normal service is now resumed lol, I have crafty withdrawal symptoms and intend to have my fix over the next few days.
Use the link on my sidebar to check out what the rest of the DT have created, they are uber talented Ladies and a great inspiration, and of course you could always join in.
Elizabeth xxx

Also going to sneak this in to Hels Sunday Stampers challenge "Waterloo Sunset Time"

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Dragons Dream Challenge #147 Waste, Chipboard and Male

This time over at Dragons Dream TIO Silvia has chosen the theme of Waste/Rubbish, Chipboard and Male, a fab combination!
I'd bought myself a couple of new tops and the green sparkly one had a rather nice chipboard tag attached to it, just perfect for this challenge two out of three requirements!

 I played about with a mixture of paints, distress stains and gilding wax till I got an aged look and added my new Charlie Chaplin stamp, he always makes me think of my Grandpa as I would sit and watch the old films with him when I was little, and Charlie was his favourite!

The base tag is a box that the car spares arrived in and the rusty metal bits and bobs were found amongst the rocks on the beach a few weeks ago, makes a change from shells!
Hope you enjoy our challenge this time, just click on the link on my sidebar to take you over to the TIO challenge.
Elizabeth x

Friday 26 July 2013

Dragons Dream TIO #146 Stencil/Mask, Paint and Ribbon

Phew this is a very late posting from me as it should have been here on Wednesday, but I made it in the end! Our challenge this fortnight over at Dragons Dream TIO has been chosen by Helen, who would like to see stencils/masks, paint and ribbon used on our tags, along with at least one real stamp as always.
I painted a chipboard tag with mermaid fresco paint and when dried stencilled black soot distress ink through a crafters workshop stencil.  I stamped over the top with the indigoblu anenome stamp in archival ink, then stamped the flowers again on to some blue scrap paper, and decoupaged them over the top adding some green gems for the centres.
The butterflies were a free download I found on pinterest and the small love stamp is by PSX.
To join in with our challenge just click on the link on my sidebar.

Elizabeth xxx
Also going to enter this in to Ali Crafts Butterflies Challenge

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Felting at WI House Denbigh

 These are just a few of the corsages the Ladies made at the Denbigh class today
 None of them had ever done any felting before, either wet or needle.
All of them created beautiful flowers.
 And they were all so different, all ten of them!
We had such a fun day and they were a great crowd, the second flower down is about 10" across and going on a hat, the rest of them have brooch backs and will be worn as corsages, so I'll see who I can spot at the county shows!!

Sunday 14 July 2013

Something for me!!

I wasn't going to share this just yet as I've not decided if I'm going to embroider onto it or not. It's a cover for my Nexus, but I didn't want a leather one like everyone else, so whilst surrounded with all this woolly stuff thought I'd make my own using my G&T cutting  board (for the limes) as the resist to felt around lol. Am very happy how it turned out, and I think I'll be making some more of these for the craft fairs in Llandudno. 
Elizabeth x

Blooming good fun!

 Thought I'd share one of the hand felted flowers my Ladies will be learning to make on Tuesday at Denbigh.  I ended up with this style of flower quite by accident and I love it, even think it may be my favourite shape so far!
 Spent most of yesterday with this giant wool ball weighing it out, counting crystal beads, then making up the kits, with a mix of pink, purple and grey merino wool tops.
It took a huge pot of tea to get rid of the intake of fibres lol, hope to get a couple more flowers made up in the morning, then Tuesday is playtime!!!!!!

Thursday 11 July 2013

Honey!!

 Well yesterday it was Honeysuckle and today it's shades of Honey! Have been topping up my stash for the morning. Going to try some packaging when all the silver boxes run out, am thinking about Kraftcard boxes and tags for the earrings, what do you think?

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Honeysuckle Frame

 I've had a break from making up the woolly kits for class, and at last have gotten round to finishing off my frame, in my very cool workroom, bliss!
I love this Honeysuckle stencil from Imagination Crafts, and have used it probably the most out of all the stencils I have, and that's quite a lot, lol.
The photo doesn't do the frame justice as it appears to be curved, and it's not in real life, it's completely flat.
So there you have it the full set complete, and ready for being priced up for the stall on Friday. Think they will look gorgeous in-between my jewellery.
Elizabeth x

I'm entering my frame in to Imaginations first challenge "Anything Goes"

Dragons Dream TIO #145 Vintage, Flowers and Texture

 Well here we are again with another new challenge over at the Dragons Dream Challenge blog. This time the theme has been chosen by my uber talented team mate Tracy, who would like to see "Vintage, Flowers and Texture" on your tags along with at least one real stamped image.
I love this Poppy Meadow stamp from IndigoBlu and the sentiment is just so true!
I applied grunge paste through the Crafters Workshop mask and then painted over with lilac Fresco paint, working in some dusty concord and black soot around the edges. The sentiment was stamped out on  watercolour card as I love the texture when you ink it up. The flowers were also stamped out on to watercolour card, waterbrushed and then extra layers of petals were added by stamping again on to tissue paper and layering up.

The petals on Poppy's always remind me of tissue as they are so delicate. We would love to see your tags over at Dragons Dream, just click the link on my sidebar for a short cut, and please don't forget to include at least one real stamp.
Elizabeth x

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Off on the road again!

Can't believe I've been awol for over a week! And though I have been very productive, I can't share what I've been up to as it's mostly for the County shows, me being a WI girl and all, and Kirsty might be spying lol, so I will share those after the event.
So here's a peek at my gorgeous stash of Hand Dyed Wensleydale and Merino wools all boxed up ready for next weeks felting class WI House in Denbigh, then it's off on a road trip around North Wales teaching in various places, can't wait as it's a chance for me to have a play as well, and lots of WI tea and cakes!!!!!
The WI Ladies will be learning how to make a hand felted corsage and embellish it with fibres and crystal. This is just the tip of the "woolball" my dining room is stuffed to the seams with boxes of gorgeousness!!

One hundred and sixty something (lost count) boxes of gorgeous glitzy fibres along with some very sparkly crystals for embellishing the centres of the corsages.
I'm trying to make as many samples as I can between now and next Tuesday, using darker colours that I wouldn't normally choose like the reds, oranges and burgundy's.

So have pulled a couple of boxes out for myself to play with, well it would be rude not to, wouldn't it?
 Am doing a talk at Colwyn Bay WI this evening on crafting so had better get the car loaded up.
Elizabeth x

Saturday 29 June 2013

French Country Canvas

Decided to make myself a few new canvas's to go in the kitchen. I love these Graphic 45 papers and they are a perfect match for my rustic style kitchen.
The background colour is a mixture of guacamole,chocolate pudding and orchid Fresco paints, spritzed with water then blended together for an aged look.
I'm entering this in to Ali-Crafts first challenge, anything goes.
Elizabeth x

Friday 28 June 2013

Lovely Lavender with Lavinia Stamps

The challenge over at Lavinia Stamps this time is purple, not a colour I'm comfortable with, but have given it a go. I've built up quite a collection of their stamps over the years from Fishes to Fairies, but could I find my favourite stamp, no!!! So settled for another equally gorgeous Fairy falling from the sky instead. Good job Tracy doesn't have a shop as She is only half an hour away from me lol, it would be lethal!!!
Elizabeth x

Wednesday 26 June 2013

Our Creative Corner

Spotted the theme over at "Our Creative Corner" and thought I'd share my re-cycled pen pot with you. It's made from an old baked beans tin with TH tatty flowers cut out of a foil tray, and painted with Mermaid Fresco paint. They have been attached with eyelets using the big bite. And finally I glued a scrap of pale blue ribbon from my stash around, as the flowers looked a little bit lost.
Love a good re-cycle!
Elizabeth x

LOTV challenge

Have had a lovely day getting inky, and topping up my card stash for the Country Market at the same time! It's been ages since I've had the luxury of a whole day playing in my workroom, but now my studies are done with, I have some spare time all for me!!!!
Love these little Bunnies they are so cute. I coloured them with promarkers and just added a touch a sparkle to the bubbles.
Elizabeth x

Dragons Dream TIO #144 Coastal, Mica and a Flourish/Crafty Individuals June Challenge

It's my turn over at Dragons Dream TIO to choose the theme, so how could I resist (this being the middle of Summer and all, and me living at the seaside),  having a coastal theme.
I've used a  chipboard  tag this time as I wanted a good solid base to work on.  The background was crated with a mixture of distress stains, mica powders and gilding wax. The sentiment is from Crafty Individuals and the flourishes are from HOTP.
You might have noticed I love Seahorses and they make an appearance whenever possible. This is one of Caroline's and has been painted up with Imagination Crafts mica powders, which are gorgeous in the flesh sadly photo's don't do them justice, finished off with Creative Expressions gilding wax and, erm, a snowflake!!!! Yep you read that correctly lol, the fin was made from an Alterations snowflake die using a couple of layers of tissue paper, see a snowflake is not just for Christmas lol.
Hope you pop along and join in our challenge this time, just please remember to use at least one real stamp on your tag. You will find a link to the challenge blog on my sidebar. 
I'm also going to see if I can enter this in to Crafty Individuals June challenge as well.
Elizabeth xxx