woyww #130.....a boring desk!!sorry!?!!

Hey there bloggers,
well where did my week go ? It is that fab time of the week where we get to wander through crafty wonderland looking at other peoples crafty places and showing our own courtesy of our hostess Julia..@ http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/
Well here is my sad looking desk today:

There has not been a lot of craftiness this week, so I am afraid apart from a few hat pins , there is not a lot on my desk!boring eh?sorry..but I am hooked on this thing and didn't want to miss a week.Even cooker crafting of last week has been slow as little Lucy has been off colour, we have been decorating and well life just was this week!!!
have  a great crafty day and hop around, the desks I mean and look at others far more exciting spaces @ http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/
happy woyww
hugs trace x

A snowy tag for the stampman!

Hey there bloggers,
well here I am on a very wet and windy day, yuck!!!
This is going to be short and sweet, but here is my entry for the stampman challenge, which is to use one of Tim's fabulous tags as inspiration or to follow the tag whole, follow not swallow!?
So here is mine:

I tried to follow the instructions for this tag no 1 , 2009.......using the supplies I had and as good as possible replicate the tag, which is no mean feat, for this reason I have not put the instructions as the one and only TIM can do this so much better....@ http://timholtz.typepad.com/my_weblog/12-tags-of-christmas-2009/
So a couple of pictures of various pieces of my tag:

I am entering this for the following challenges :

Tim's tag techniques @ http://thestampmanchallenges.blogspot.com/
snowflakes @ http://4craftychicks.blogspot.com/
tag you're it @ http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/
christmas @ http://fairytale-challengeblog.blogspot.com/
snowmen @ http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/
christmas and winter @ http://gingerloftchallenge.blogspot.com/

have a great inky day,
ta trace x

Altered or decorative corners for anything goes challenge.

hey there bloggers,
Well it is challenge time over at anything goes and the theme this time is altered or decorative corners, so here is my dt piece:

Make sure you hop on over to see the other dt members fab creations @ http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.com/ and for lots of crafty goodies hop across to thecraft den @ http://www.craftden.co.uk/
I started by creating a background using tumbled glass DI,with some iced spruce around edge, then I spritzed with perfect pearls mist in pearl..Once dry I stamped small snowflakes from creative expressions plate using tumbled glass and silver paint dabber.I added a torn strip to the top this time, coloured in same way..there is a simple satisfaction in starting with White card and ending up with a complete card or tag.
The central tile is a square tile coloured using emulsion and crackle medium.
The sentiment was stamped from creative expressions plate in iced spruce and then ink added to edges of torn shape and then rock candy applied to give icy finish.

Finally the decorative corners were made using fab Tim snowflake die cuts, four left white and pearl glitter added and four inked lightly and spritzed..pearls have been added to the centres of all of the snowflakes .the snowflakes have then been added to the corners on flourishes.

Make sure you pop across and join in the fun @ http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.com/
have a great inky day!
hugs trace x

100 posts in blogland!!!!!!!!!!thanks everyone!

Well hey there bloggers,
this will be my hundredth post in blogland, little did I realise that this journey would be so rewarding and open up such a fab crafty world full of some lovely people and true crafty gurus!!!
thanks for all the lovely comments and opportunities and thanks to all my followers, it means a lot!!
have a great day!!
hugs trace x
and THANKS!!!!

Hunt the snowman!

Hey there bloggers,
Well over Sunday stampers @ http://pinkleart.blogspot.com/ run by the super talented Hels, it is snowmen on the menu, so here is my offering..

I did a tag as I have decided not to make the dreaded christmas cards and so wanted to play, I crackled the background of the tag using emulsion and crackle medium..When dry I added iced spruce, (which is from the winter set of DI and I love it,yummy colour,), then I inked up my new stamps from the stamp man, thanks Jill..I was chuffed to have been picked for the prize and these Tim stamps were what I used my prize voucher towards...they are even better than I hoped, still what more could I have expected from TIM. Anyway, enough rambling, I stamped the snowflakes using iced spruce randomly over the background and then when dry added small pearls to centres. The left hand side is yet again tissue wrap from Tims district market range, which I love..I coloured with picket fence distress stain, left to dry, spritzed with perfect pearls mist and then when dry added iced spruce.

The snowflakes are using kraft paper and alcohol inks, trying to replicate a Tim technique.
Finally I added some more pearl glitter, thanks mum!,a snowman and the greeting...I called it hunt the snowman..as when I put him on the tag he looked a bit small!!!!
I added a snowflake charm and some beads added onto wire.The ribbon is a staple for me vintage seam binding!!

I am entering this for the following competitions:
snowmen for sunday stampers @ http://pinkleart.blogspot.com/
Little red wagon @ http://lilredwagon.blogspot.com/
tag you're it @ http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/
winter @ http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com/
anything but square @ http://stampwithsarahkay.blogspot.com/
tag you're it @ http://whimsyinspires.blogspot.com/

thanks for stopping by, the lovely comments mean a lot!
Have a great day
Hugs trace x

Snowflakes are falling!!!

hey there bloggers,
Well hope you are having happy healthy well!!!I am feeling be it like a nurse at the moment, although not that I can take credit for being at all skilled, as they are! so crafting has been sporadic and on the hoof, but here is my frosty offering today!

Started with the background in two halves, what a shocker!!!..the left hand side was made by using DI, overstamping with script stamp(Tim),then when dry smooshing some picket fence crackle paint, thicker at top and thinner down to none at bottom, leave for the paint to do it's magic!!!
The right hand side was distressed using tumbled glass and stormy skies, then I stamped a chocolate baroque snowflake, when dry I added some cosmic shimmer White drawing ink and some more pearl glitter, thanks again mum!!

The trees are Tim pine tree die cuts, inked, painted and then some pearl glitter added, for that frosty feel..The snowflakes are done in the same way.The number 25, was inked and then crackle accents added, this tiny nozzle is great for accurate application! Ooh err very technical!

Anyway, I am pleased with this frosty, snowy offering!let me know what you think!
I am entering this for the following competitions:
snowflakes @ http://www.thehousethatstampsbuilt.com/
white christmas @ http://fashionablestampingchallenges.cottagecrafts.ie/
christmas or winter related @ http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/
monochromatic @ http://creativecardcrew.blogspot.com/

Have an inky day
Thanks for stopping by, your comments chuff me up!
Hugs trace x

Simon says tickets please.!!

well hey there bloggers,
So Simon wants some tickets and here are mine!!

I applied antique linen DI to the base card and then spritzed with heirloom gold perfect pearls mist, another new one! when dry I added tea dye DI and then walnut stain around the edge..I then inked a Tim flourish stamp with walnut stain and then stamped just on corners. The other background pieces are my new must use all the time Tim Holtz tissue wrap which comes in a huge roll!!!It is awesome! I coloured with picket fence distress stain, another Tim wonder and then when dry applied some perfect pearls spray and then when dry overstamped in script.
The middle section is some Tim kraft embossed paper, coloured with pearl paint dabber, then I did stamp some script in White which looked great but got covered up!!!
The flowers are cut using Tim holtz die from various kraft card stock, edged with walnut stain DI and spritzed...stay too long and I may spritz you!!!

I added script detail to a couple of the layers and my final layer was snowflake, spritzed and coloured around edges..the centres are washers and Tim pins.
Finally, the tickets, these are creative expressions tickets and were stamped and spritzed as flowers...see I went spritz mad!!..I don't get put much!!!!!!

I am super chuffed with the result and really enjoyed just playing,is so nice when it all works out!!!!
I am entering this for the following competition:
show us your tickets @ http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/
free for all @ http://creativecraftchallenges2.blogspot.com/

Have great day
Hugs trace x

woyww #129.....where is my desk?

Hey there bloggers,
well here is that time of the week where we all have a sneaky peek around blogland desks, full of glorious craftiness courtesy of our hostess Julia @ http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/..so here is, i mean here is my  ermm, well, not my desk but as good as it gets!!!

As some of you will know, who pop here often my son no 1(James) has been off school for nearly three weeks and now son no 2(Oliver) has decided to get in on the act (Lucy is thrilled!!)..just as son no 1 is fit for school, she says crossing her fingers......still here?!! so my desk has become anywhere and anytime I can grab some craftiness, hence the kitchen worktop and even on the top of the cooker!!

The kitchen is thrilled as it is the most creative i am ever likely to get!!!cooking is so NOT my forte!!
Anyway hope you are all having a great week and will be hopping around, not literally, desk hopping later.
Hop across to julias to see all the fabby workplaces and awesome creativity..@ http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ and share some love!There is lots of crafty love out there in blogland.
have a great woyww
hugs Trace x

let it snow, let it snow,let it snow..

Hey there bloggers,
well sorry for the rather uninteresting title ! Here is my offering today..

Sorry I struggled to photograph this one!
This card was an experiment for me and every time I look at it I am not sure whether i like it?!!!Still, I started with a blank stepper card, coloured with DI and then spritzed with my latest addiction, perfect pearls mists..they are scrummy.Then I over stamped with snowflakes form creative expressions (snowy day plate)in pearl and silver paint dabbers.
I really love the background.it is just what i had hoped for.

The front snowy panel was a torn piece of  card, spritzed with perfect pearls mist and then when dry i added some rock candy and sprinkled some chunky pearl glitter, from my mum, into it.
I stamped the trees from creative expressions stamp plate in the fab iced spruce DI.
The die cut trees are Tim's as are the snowflakes.To give the trees a texture they were cut from canvas on a roll, inked, covered in random blobs of rock candy and glitter dropped on, then when dry I dabbed snow cap paint dabber on.

The snowflakes were inked using tumbled glass and stormy skies DI, then covered in glossy accents and the pearl glitter..thanks Mum!

The sentiment is creative expressions and was inked and stamped using iced spruce, tumbled glass and stormy skies.
Finally I added rock candy and sprinkled in pearl glitter, again, to look like ice. the 3-d snowflakes are meant to look like they are falling form the sky and in my head they did!!!

I am entering this for the following challenges:
snowflakes @ http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/
die cuts @ http://hookedoncraftchallenges.blogspot.com/
let it snow @ http://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/
die cuts @ http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.com/
blue @ http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.com/
dreaming of a white Christmas @ http://fashionablestampingchallenges.cottagecrafts.ie/
thanks for stopping by, have a happy inky day
hugs Trace x

Falling leaves for Alice! second post today..

Well hey there bloggers,
Here's my offering today, a tag with falling leaves, which I have put Alice and the White rabbit floating in...hope that comes across..

The background has been made using DI...shock horror!!The right side of the background using my favourite technique...where the DI are applied to tag using blending tool and then spritzed with water.One dry I overstamped with who in the world am I and then I stamped the leaves in coffee archival..and yes they are meant to be falling down!!oops.

The left hand side has a panel which has been inked darker and script stamp stamped.To add depth I have then added tattered leaves die cuts colours in same way and stamped with text..hope the photo shows this up.
I stamped Alice and White rabbit in coffee archival and made leaves using clearly for art , which I coloured using alcohol inks!!I just love this stuff!! I attached these to the tag and then positioned Alice and the White rabbit so that they ...hopefully!!!!...look like they are floating to the ground in the leaves?!!!

To finish I added curiouser and curiouser on DI background and a small metal watch charm.

The ribbon is vintage seam binding coloured with DI and spritzed and scrunched!!

I am entering this for the following competitions:
falling leaves @ http://alteredalice.blogspot.com/
3 of the same @ http://funwithshapesandmore.blogspot.com/
anything but a card @ http://blog.craftyribbons.com/category/Challenge-Blog.aspx

thanks for stopping by, thanks for all the lovely comments too, they mean a lot!
have an inky day!
hugs trace x

Hope you have a great inky day,
Thanks for stopping by, your comments mean a lot!
Ta trace x

Autumnal colours for saturated canary..

Well hey there bloggers,
Here is my offering today, and the challenge over at saturated canary is autumnal colours, and I decided to have a go to try and get better at my colouring, which is not too hot....I usually like to get inky and messy but with my son being off school for nearly three weeks, I thought a little colouring might be relaxing!!
so here she is:

I love the her big eyes....although I am much more at home with inky things, I understand that is not every ones cup of tea and I had a card to make that I thought this would suit, so I do try other things every now and again...just to see what happens..I still managed some DI and am really pleasantly surprised at how she turned out!
I colours her with copics...a new an undiscovered land for me...inked the edges and added various DI coloured embellies and some raffia...and had a go at a circular flower.

Thanks for stopping by, will be back in a bit with a much inkier, more trace like creation!
I am entering this for the following competitions:
autumnal colours @ http://saturatedcanarychallenge.blogspot.com/

have a great day
hugs trace x

believe in the magic of the season............a lonesome pine

hey there bloggers,
well here I am again with another crafty offering......I have missed Sunday stampers hosted by the super talented Hels for too long and so here I am with an offering...

For those of you who visited my desk on wednesday..this is the finished tag!
I started with my super favourite a blank tag, crackle paint medium and distress inks, now that makes for a happy girl! I started by painting the tag with emulsion, leaving to dry and painting with crackle medium, then about 30 mins later painting with cream emulsion and leaving to do its magic! once dry I inked with iced spruce and tumbled glass DI. I love the new winter colours and iced spruce is just too yummy!!!
Once dry I added a piece of tissue wrap from The one and only, he is to be revered Tim Holtz......I coloured using picket fence stain and then when dry iced spruce.I glued onto left of tag using micro glue dots..added some gathered twigs DI around edge and stamped a pine needle stamp from Creative expressions around edge and on corner of tag.

I stamped some mini creative expressions snowflakes onto tag using paint dabber and when dry added crackle medium...
You still with me?!!! What a waffler I am becoming!!!Who am I kidding, I always am and will always be..its just me!The pine tree was cut from a piece of card embossed with script folder and then the tree cut, it was then coloured using evergreen bough DI and some rock candy blobbed on and glitter sprinkled in.When dry I splodged, being a very technical term, some white paint over to hopefully make it look snowy?!
Finally the sentiment was stamped, coloured with DI and then rock candy applied and left to dry.

Gosh, we made it I didn't realise all the stuff I had done!Oh and the ribbon was coloured with DI and spritzed with perfect pearls pearl mist ..another new fav.
I am entering this for the following competitions:

die cut and christmas tag @ http://cookingitupwithkatie.blogspot.com/
trail of the lonesome pine @ http://pinkleart.blogspot.com/2011/11/sunday-stamper-week-180-trail-of.html

have a great day,
ta trace x