Arent I Spoilt

My lovely other half has listened to me waffling on about these pencils and the ''gamsol'' technique forever so for Christmas got me the whole set!!! I will go into more details on the ''gamsol'' technique later with a finished example. He got them from a lovely man named Tony at a price i can only describe as an absolute bargain and a half. He has sets ranging from 12, 24, 48, 120 and you also get free 12 verithin pencils and a colourless blender pencil. He does not have a shop or a website but trades by word of mouth. Even with christmas post and postal strikes the pencils were delivered within days of ordering and superbly packaged. If you would like more info please leave me a message or e-mail me for his details.

I have been Tagged

The Lovely Lindsay Mason over at http://lindsaymason.blogspot.com/ has very kindly decided to tag me!! So the general rule is if i choose to accept it to tell 7 things about myself that might not be widely know and then tag 7 other people. So this is going to be a work in progress as it is actually quite hard to think of 7 things that not many people know as I'm pretty much an open book haha.

1) I hated cats until I found my 4 kittens and now I like nothing more than taking care of them. I found them about 2 years ago now. They were abandoned by their mom at around 8 days old and and were half dead when I found them. After rushing them to the vets I managed to keep all 4 alive with the help of my aunty and my mom who took it in turns feeding them every 2 hours for about 2 weeks. They are all now my boys Patch and Woddewick and girls Tiger and Stumpalina. Stumpalina we thought was a boy and called stumpy because she only has half a tail but the name had already stuck when we found out she was a girl.

2) I love playing with ink and getting messy and even have special ''get messy' clothes LOL.

3) I adore Christmas time and get called annoying alot as I love singing Christmas songs but I suck at singing so i'm told.

4) I hate sleeping when its not in my own bed so I dont travel too far from home.

5) I hate horror movies, cant stand them. This causes alot of problems around Halloween as my partner loves them LOL

6) I Feint at the sight of blood which caused a few problems when i had to have blood samples taken. I had to go to the doctors office and they couldn't find a vein, made me throw up then feinted. After that i get sent to hospital for it done laying down and i cant drive myself LOL.

7) I love the telly series House, which is strange considering i don't like blood.

Now who to pass it on to. I think that limiting this to 7 people is abit hard and people can feel pressured into doing something they may not want to so anyone who wants to do it is welcome to join in.

Cube

A little project i have been working on is one of them cubes if you remember from being a child that when you opened it up and folded it back showed a different image. This was my first attempt using ink and stamps. The stamps are from graphicus and the ink was various shades of green that i could put my hands on. Not bad for a first attempt but i do plan to take it apart and do it again working out how to make cleaner edges and better folds.

Advent Calendar box

I have no idea where i saw this invention/creation so if you know please let me know so i can give credit to them. I saw somewhere on a website an advent calendar made out of match box's. While the temperature outside was in minus figures i decided to make one for my nieces so here it is.

Update: I have finally found where i saw this wonderful creation, my nieces loved it. It was originally made by Dyan from Art from the heart.

Halloween Fat Pages

The theme this month for the fat page swap i join in with is Halloween. I must admit it had me stumped for most of the month then I went to the paper craft show at Harrogate on Saturday so i had to make some room and i found in the bottom of the draw some lovely stencils and decoupage from Pigo all based on trolls and witches so perfect. This is the end result, cuttlebugged the stencils on core'dinations paper sanded and distressed and added the witches, simple.

Christmas Tree Decoration

I decided to start making some Christmas tree decorations as i am going to give them with Christmas cards to close friends and family this year. This is my prototype, checking for size and ease of assembly. Even tho its just the tester one i think its come out pretty well just needs a little Christmas bling.

This thursday its all about Bling

You need to click on the images to see the bling detail. This week at this thursday its all about bling, and this weeks created by hand challenge is to use a product you have not used before so this also fits in perfectly. So for my entry i have followed the fashion as seen on TV and got myself some of the new papermania Coredinations card stock. Its one colour on the outside then another colour in the middle that is a contrasting lovely colour. Cuttlebug embossing folder i forget the name of the one i used and don't have the packaging to look at so sorry cant tell you which one it is. Lightly sanded the image now on my first go the embossing squashed so i kept it on the folder when i sanded the next one to stop it from squashing or maybe i was just too hard with it. I then mounted the images on Bazzil Bling cardstock which is so sparkly and pretty and mounted onto a cream, or white card, one has added ribbon and all 3 have sparkling stones to match the bling theme. I will probably stamp happy birthday or something on the bottom when i have decided what i want them to be, maybe thank you cards who knows. Top Tip: This is very messy the sanding excess goes everywhere.

Feline Salute

Well after yesterdays nastiness i decided to cheer myself up so i made myself a little ATC for my own collection. The cat picture is from the design house Cattitude series which makes me laugh so much, i kept one of the full image layers of decoupage from the card i made my grandma some time ago and is posted Here. Cute spotty paper background and words hand written in my awful hand writing. No idea where the saying came from i read it in a book somewhere so if you know who said it please let me know. ''He lifted his leg in feline salute to nonchalance'' Also do anyone elses cats try to drink milk as you are pouring it into your coffee cup or is it just mine being weird because they were hand reared.

I Love your Blog Award

Today a dear friend of mine who isn't crafty nor is she a blogger was surfing around the links on my blog and the links on other peoples blogs and found the I love your blog award. She decided that i and several other blogs i have links to deserve the I love your blog award so on behalf of my none blogger none crafty friend here is who she would like to give the award to (and i agree wholeheartedly!!)

Me
Chloe cards - http://chloecards.blogspot.com/
Chrissi - http://random-ramblings-of-a-crafter.blogspot.com/
Viv - http://vivsvisuals.blogspot.com/
Carol - http://www.kdkkd5.blogspot.com/

Latest paintings

These are my latest works, unfortunately they don't look anything like the picture as my camera seems inept at being able to take detail well lately. Both are the same size as before painted with acrylics.

Fat Page Swap - This thursday its all about Colour

On the Trimcraft forum, LizzieM is hosting a monthly fat page swap. This months theme is Music and i must say i enjoyed making these while watching Hellboy last night on the telly. The are 4X4 inch square and the idea is to leave a space at the left side so the recipient can put them in their book. They started out as cream pieces of card altered with tea dye (left) and brushed corduroy(right) distress inks. a Music stamp i have was then stamped in versamark and black embossing powder. In some areas i over heated the powder to make it more vintage. Images from crafty individuals minis. Hope whoever gets them likes them as much as i do as i am finding it hard to part with them LOL.

Coincidentally these pages also fit into this weeks this Thursday theme of colour, well my fav colour is brown.

This Thursday Challenge 6 ''the golden rule''

The challenge this week for This Thursday is to create something you believe to be truly beautiful. Well in my personal opinion anything hand painted fits that category so here is my submission. The canvasses are 24inch by 18 inch and painted in acrylics with crackle paint and dimensional paint. In total both canvasses have taken 2 days to complete as for drying time.

Stempel Award

Wow when i woke up very rudely this morning by the other (bad) half frantically saying hes missed the bus and needs a lift to work i never imagined i had an award waiting for me!! Thank you so much for thinking of me Trish aka ChloeCards. Its very appreciated. I am not sure who i am going to pass the award onto yet so i shall have a good think about it!!

This Thursday challenge ''opposites attract''

This weeks this Thursday challenge is opposites attract, Now i don't usually use peel-offs but i think in this circumstance it has turned out quite well. Simple square card with all 4 corners cut off and different layered backgrounds some stamped. Stickers applied to finish. Disclaimer: i did not design this card nor am i taking credit for the layout.

Arty girlz challenge 40 ''Nature'', created by hand challenge ''Altered''

For this weeks Arty Girlz challenge i decided to enter a decorated a tin, which also fits the altered theme for created by hand. This is a simple round tin you can buy from any good craft shop. The base is primed and takes alcohol inks so easily and looks lovely. Tho the ink can scratch very easily a fixative like glossy accents glaze or if you have it an acrylic paint fixative that you would spray on a canvas painting. No idea what i am going to fill it with yet. I made this tin at Samuel Taylors, I choose the colours and paper and ribbon used. The tin shape was chosen for me.

Tin Front View

Tin rear view

This Thursday its all about challenge - Beads

This Thursday its all about - is a new challenge blog created by some very talented ladies. Here is my entry to the challenge Beads. Well i cant decide which one to enter so technically heres my 2 entries haha.

Created by hand challenge - Fancy Papers

This weeks created by hand is to use pretty paper on a project, so i entered a star book, its all paper with some sentiments on tags that are ink. Disclaimer: i did not design this card nor am i taking credit for the layout even though it is done differantly than the original.

I Dare Challenge - Bobs - This week its all about challenge

For the I Dare challenge Bobs told me to make an ATC with glass on it..... so here it is same as below, memory glass, UTEE and perfect pearls. This also fits with the This week its all about challenge of ''clear''. Unfortunately i am not very well and unable to leave the house and my heat gun melted itself instead of my UTEE so i have been unable to make a new one specifically for This Thursday its all about, i hope they don't mind.

I Dare Challenge - Sherry

On a forum i entered an ''I Dare'' swap. The idea behind it is you are in a group of 5 people and you dare the 4 others to do something out of their comfort zone, within reason, you don't want to dare someone and make them spend lots of money. My Dare from Sherry was to decorate a house for her, the other 3 will do the same and she is going to make a wall hanging from it for her craft room. This is what i came up with, hope she likes it.

Faux Sea Glass Pendant

Let me first of all say, the picture does not do these justice at all. They are see through and held up to the light look totally amazing but make an awful photo :(
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You need ink, memory glass frosted or not up to you, UTEE, perfect pearls and a whole lot of patience. I put them into memory frames that's also optional.

Created by hand challenge ''Versamark''

This weeks created by hand challenge is to use versamark ink and chalk. So this is my entry. One of my fave stamps inked up with versamark and then pearlescent chalk dabbed on top. Sealed with hairspray.

Arty Girlz Challenge 38 Faces

For this weeks challenge i decided that since its summer i would enter a Christmas card, i know going through your mind a big resounded huh summer Christmas that don't add up well I'm not a summer person give me winter sports holidays over laying on a beach cooking any day!!!!

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So standard square card half of the front edge cut off, stamped with Adirondack ink and the colour slightly pulled out with a water brush. Alcohol inked main image then stamped with stazon. Ribbon added because it looked like it was lacking something :) Disclaimer: i did not design this card nor am i taking credit for the layout.

Arty Girlz Challenge 37 ''Paint''

For this weeks arty girls challenge i decided to decorate a hardboard African lady i have had laying around for a while she is almost 10 inch high and 4 inch wide. I am quite happy with the outcome and have 2 more different lady designs to decorate also which are a similar size.

Arty Girlz Challenge 36 ''Wings''

This weeks arty girlz challenge is ''Wings''. I have made 2 ATC's and a Brooch. I have just swapped with a friend on a forum some of my unwanted stuff for hers. In hers was a lovely torso art mould so i thought ohhh lets get burnt and get the melting pot out, and yes i did burn myself about three times which is the usual practice for me and the melting pot, kind of a love hate relationship really. Anyhow so i had some lovely rubon's my mom gave me that she didn't want, they are super quality and filled with glitter no idea who makes them, well some butterfly's and dragonfly's were in the selection so here is my entry to ''wings''. Don't know if i am going to swap them or keep them or send them as RAKS I'm undecided.

Fat Page Book

I have recently joined a fat page swap so i figured i had better make a cover for it. I am quite happy with how it turned out. The embellishment on the front is a style stone which come white and can be decorated with all inks.

A fat page is 4" X 4" and decorated leaving a 1/2" boarder on the left so it can be bound into a book. The back of the pages are written up similar to ATC backs.

Arty Girls Challenge 35 Recycling

This weeks Arty Girlz challenge is to recycle something.


For my entry i decided to recycle an old tin i got for Christmas that had hot chocolate in it that was also awful so a good excuse to throw it away.

The new re-vamped tin is now full of buttons, you know the ones you get on new clothes and then always loose, well i do anyhow.

Aquarel Crayons

Also today i played with a new technique with aquarel crayons. I am very happy with the result and think i will play a bit more!! Disclaimer: i did not design this card nor am i taking credit for the layout.

Marvy Markers

I had a play today with marvy markers under the tuition of one of my friends. After several backgrounds i managed to be semi-happy with this one and turned it into a card. I have to say i am very disappointed with them. I am not sold on the technique at all and i don't think i will be buying any. Disclaimer: i did not design this card nor am i taking credit for the layout.

Stamping with a twist

Wyvernsian has organised a swap called ''stamping with a twist'' the twist being you must use a stamp and you cannot stamp onto paper/card/tissue/Mount board etc. If you make more than 1 ATC it must be stamped onto something different from the first. For my entry to the swap my first was to stamp onto a silk flower, i am quite happy with the outcome. My second was to stamp onto iridescent film and 3D it which i am very happy with how this one turned out.

Rollergraph again

After making my first rollergraph butterfly card i decided to make 2 more. 1 allready sold before it was dry!

Arty Girlz challenge 33, 3D

This card is using a rollergraph machine with butterfly roller stamp and black ink. Rolled out twice and each butterfly is glitterd and 3D'd. Disclaimer: i did not design this card nor am i taking credit for the layout.

Cattitude

I love this new cattitude decoupage. Unfortunately i think i am having a bad day as this hasn't come out as i wanted it to. This is for my grandma who is going into hospital soon for an operation to try remove ''the silent killer'' otherwise known as ovarian cancer. I know she will find the images as funny as i do.

Button fairy

I decided to join an organized swap to make the new craze of button fairy's. I must admit my heart wasn't in it and i am not too impressed with the result. I don't think i will be making anymore of these, its not my thing.

Card making again

No time for ATC's at the moment i have a ton of cards to make!! This one is for my partners team at work, one of the team is getting married on Saturday.

Love Magenta stamp sets

I made this card a while ago for the mother-in-law's 50th birthday. The picture does not do it justice in my humble opinion.

Magenta stamp set, stamped with black stazon and water coloured with aquarel water colour crayons using a paint brush. Backed with gold metallic card and lifted off the card with 1mm foam pads. She loved it!!

Faith

I love this stamp and have not used it for a while so I thought I would get it out to make 2 ATC's I owed. Stamped onto cream card with Versamark watermark stamp pad and the chalked over with pearlescent chalk. Set in place with cheap hair spray. I like the end result.

Slide Mailer

I made my first slide mailer this week. After a couple of troubles getting the paint even i finally managed to get a base i was happy with. Base paint is metallic acrylic paint, rain drops stamped with stazon on the front. Words stamped onto white card with brilliance pearlescent ink and daubed over the top with a lighter normal ink.

Inside words done the same way as the outside. Glass stamped with stazon and coloured on the back with sakura souffle pens. The glass was stuck down with stickles glitter glue.

Melting pot fun turned into an ATC

After a few failed attempts with the melting pot i finally got the hang of it and decided to turn my one successful Comedy/Tradgedy mask into an ATC. Background is alcohol inks, mask secured with pinflair glue gel as i find this product very strong and easy to use. The stamp is from Hero Arts and comes in a set called 'Artistic branches', stamped with stazon black.

Arte y Pico Award

I have never won an award in my life before and to receive this award is so very special to me. Thank you Joey for thinking of me.

Now I have to nominate 5 blogs who I think deserve this award too. BUT ... my winners then are requested to do the following :
1) You have to pick 5 blogs who deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material and also contributes to the blogging community no matter what language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to the blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award .4) Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "arte y pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of this award. (Cut and paste the info into your blog to make things easier).

My 5 winners are:
1: http://siansbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/
2: http://nicksartystuff.blogspot.com/
3: http://duckfacealtermyworld.blogspot.com/
4: http://smellihelli.blogspot.com/
5: http://www.joeysworldofstuff.blogspot.com/