Shirls Artwork

Archive for January, 2014

Tag Along With FSC

January 26th, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Fashionable Stamping Challenges, FlonzCrafts, Tags, Vintage

Well this is the best morning ever as I again have internet access … been without it since 10.00 o’clock Monday morning. The friendly techy engineer turned up yesterday afternoon and fixed it. Being without the phone wasn’t too bad as I have the mobile but not having internet access was unreal.

Fashionable Stamping Challenges this fortnight must be an all time fave with everyone and it was picked by the lovely Yvonne (Meggymay). She wanted us all to Tag Along and we certainly did.

When making tags you can really go to town with all the mediums you use. Tissue paper is an all time fave of mine and as you can see I stamped her and the shoes onto it, very lightly coloured before fixing with Mod Podge. The background has been embossed, sanded then painted over before adding a little white for hi-lighting.

Lady Tag3 Lady Tag1

It would be fantastic if you could pop on over for a peak at what the rest of the Fashionettes have created.

Shirl

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Even More Stamping

January 19th, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Album, Artistic Outpost, Indigo Blu, Stamping, Vintage

Thank you for all your kind comments about my Nuts and Bolts Album, you can see the first few pages here but be careful what you ask for!!

The lovely Alison from Words and Pictures left a sweet comment and at the end said “hope you’ll let us see the other pages some time”. Well here they are Alison, a mega photo fest of the rest of the pages but you will be pleased to know that these are the last. Alison mail me your address and you can have this little mini album sweets .. (that is if you want it)!!

The beauty of this album is that you just undo the bolts and add more pages when you feel the need. After this little stamping fest I don’t feel the need!

I really had to sit on my hands with some of the pages because each of my stamps were shouting … “use me”. The noise was starting to get deafening because the masks and stencils wanted to get in on the act.

Nuts & Bolts 5 Nuts & Bolts 6 Nuts & Bolts 7 Nuts & Bolts 8

Love the above page which has various stamps on it but the girl is from PaperArtsy called Buttons Plate 3. I cut an aperture so that you can see the bird on the next page (incidentally he just happens to be sitting on another PaperArtsy mini) and when the page is turned you can see a pair of eyes.

Nuts & Bolts 9 Nuts & Bolts 10 Nuts & Bolts 11 Nuts & Bolts 12

Hope you enjoy looking as much as I enjoyed making.

Entering this for: The PaperArtsy challenge. They have a new GD Julie Ann from Magpie Heaven.

Shirl

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Nuts And Bolts Album

January 17th, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Album, PaperArtsy, Stampers Anonymous, Stampin Up, Tim Holtz, Vintage

I love these nuts and bolts albums but I haven’t got the ruler binder which is how they are usually made so improvised and did my own version.

My crafty friend and I just laughed and laughed when we were making these. Now I didn’t have the cargo die which was needed for the front but she did (have it now). She also supplied the hinge die on the end, this is where I added molding paste through Tim’s Measured Stencil so it looked reasonably similar. What did I supply you ask … the nuts and bolts, oh and the card for the inners. My version is finished, not sure about hers!!! I have also just finished another but this time very much plainer and less inking. It actually looks quite elegant … well compared to this one it does.

Nuts & Bolts Album

Each page is loaded with heavenly collaged stamping. There are more pages to it but got fed up with the photo taking so jumped to the rather plain back page.

Nuts & Bolts 1 Nuts & Bolts 2 Nuts & Bolts Album 3

Shirl

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Hearts And Flowers

January 12th, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Anna Griffin Stamps, Class Makes, Craftwork Cards, Fashionable Stamping Challenges, Inkylicious Stamps, Vintage

Fashionable Stamping Challenges would love to see Hearts & Flowers this fortnight. Our fabulous teamie sister Claire picked the theme this fortnight.

I loved doing the flower part of the card but I am not a hearts person and I dread Valentine’s cards because everyone wants to see hearts.

What with telling you I am not keen on making Christmas cards, now saying about hearts, bet your wondering what else I don’t like. Might as well tell you that the only other thing you definitely won’t see on my cards is wings. No not the bird or insect kind but the angel type wings.

There you go my three pet hates for crafting – Christmas Cards/Hearts/Angels Wings – now I wonder what your pet hates are, I would love to know?

Really on a roll today I might as well share with you that I am very superstitious about the colour green. I do not buy any clothes that are predominately green or a solid green and there is nothing in my house that is green. Very weird eh???

Funny enough I actually like certain greens … especially sage green … and this brings me onto my easel card which I have made today. Crafting is the only time that I allow myself to indulge in green.

This easel card came about because I made a very pretty card for my class yesterday which I was going to use as my FSC DT piece. Scroll on down if you would like to see the card. Thank goodness I realised in time that I didn’t have a single heart on it. Back to the drawing board and voilà my easel make.

Shirley3 Shirley2 Shirley1 Shirley

This is the card which I taught the girls how to make yesterday and again it was mainly about making your own backgrounds onto a piece of DP.

We started off with two pages from an old book and on both we did a light wash of Victorian Velvet ink. One of the washed papers was torn and we added pieces to a lovely paper from Craftwork Cards. The second washed paper was stamped onto with various stamps and then cut out.

Class1 Class 2

Our generous sponsor Flonzcrafts will be giving the winner $20 to spend at his shop so if you think this could be you please enter with Mr Linky at the bottom of the FSC post of Hearts & Flowers.

Please please pop on over for a peak at what the rest of the Fashion/Stampettes have created they are all stunning as usual..

Shirl

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Funkie Junkie Bonus Tag #2

January 8th, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Funkie Junkie Christmas Tags, Graphic 45, Tags, Victoriana, Vintage

Well I did it, really wasn’t sure I was going to as I had to attend Waterford hospital for my check up today. This is my 2nd and very last bonus tag for Linda’s challenge.

#1 tag is here with the rules. Linda’s #2 Bonus Tag and the Funkie Junkie Boutique is here.

Thank you Linda for taking the time to give blogland this challenge and for sharing all your amazing tags so that we had inspiration along the way.

I ordered Tim’s stencils from Linda’s Boutique and when they arrived she had very kindly sent me some lovely little freebies, two of which were the jumbo tags that she sells and also a metal corner piece. Both have been used on my tag.

I followed the #2 bonus tag as far as the folding for my inspiration then off I went on my own merry little way.

For the 8″ tag I made my first score line at 1″ from the top (where the hole is) then I turned the tag around and scored at 3.5 from the bottom. When folded this makes a cute looking envelope.

Covered front and back with G45 papers but when adding the back paper I did not glue over the cardstock flap, instead I left the paper so it made another flap and trimmed the edges to match the front. This made a patterned flap and a plain. The plain flap was painted, then coloured with gilding wax before adding crackle medium. The metal corner embellie was also given the gilding wax treatment. Dimensional paste was added down the edge with a stencil and this too had a touch of wax.

Two magnetic discs were added to the inside flap and covered over with paper but guess which wally forgot to cover the two discs on the front piece of cardstock? When opened you can see the discs but I will rectify that later … might see how they react to wax as well, lol. I also stamped a Thank You on the inside lid.

Bonus Tag 2nd Bonus Tag 2nd2

When opened you can see the lovely sentiment paper with a very romantic image. On the back there are gorgeous roses showing.

Bonus Tag 2nd 3 Bonus Tag 2nd 4 Bonus Tag 2nd 5

Must take time to finish my file folder now.

Shirl

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Funkie Junkie Bonus Tag #1

January 7th, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Funkie Junkie Christmas Tags, PaperArtsy, Tags, Vintage

I might just make the finishing post with Linda’s tags. Below is one of the bonus tags and that leaves just one more to make.

#1 tag is here with the rules. Linda’s # 1 Bonus Tag and the Funkie Junkie Boutique is here.

All my Christmas stash has been put away and because I am only just making my bonus tags there is not a bit of the seasonal stuff in sight. My inspiration came from the sentiment on Linda’s tag – “Hello Friend”.

After clearing away the dust I used another stamp that has only just seen the light of day … slapped wrists because they were bought quite a few months back. The stamp is a PaperArtsy called Buttons. Also used a little gold gilding wax around the edges of the framed lady.

Bonus Tag1 Bonus Tag2

Really have to get my skates on if I want to make the finishing line!!!!

Entering for: Our Creative Corner – A former Shopping Sin. Claudia was the inspiration behind this very clever challenge theme.

Shirl

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Pop Up Elegance – Lavender And Lace Style

January 6th, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Vintage, Vintage Stamping Challenges

My classes started up again on Saturday and we made a similar pop up card to this which I enjoyed making so much that I decided to make another for the very first challenge of 2014 at Vintage Stamping Challenges.

A New Year and a new month with the theme of Lavender and Lace which was chosen by my lovely DT sister Brenda. This pop up card is fantastic for posting because it just squeezes together completely flat then slips into an envelope perfectly.

This has also been made for someone very special who has a birthday in the next few months and it will be going into my file folder box which is almost complete. That’s two birthday cards made for this year how organized is that!!!

Used lots of stamped images from Flonzcrafts with the ladies dresses being paper pieced with a pretty lavender paper.

Shirley1 Shirley4 Shirley3

To enter this months challenge just click Mr Linky at the bottom of the VSC web page and maybe it could be you who wins the $20 from Flonz’s store.
Please visit the DT’s blogs for more inspiration and also it would be nice to leave them some love.

Shirl

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Just Bee You

January 2nd, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Stampers Anonymous, Stamping, Vintage

Made this little wall hanging before New Year and it was going to be my first make of 2014 until I was sidetracked by my memories of Kuwait.

Creating and crafting allows each and everyone of us to be ourselves and that is how this piece came about. I wanted something in my craft room that, when I am searching for a particular item on my shelves, as my eyes wandered they would glance upon it and remind me “Just To Be Me”.

I saw this fabby post from the lovely Anne, which I am sure relates to most of us, and below is a quote from part of her post:

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“This January I decided that it’s the perfect time to finally get rid of that guilt. I challenge you to find one of your former ‘shopping sins’, open the packet, stroke it one last time, and then USE IT!

So bring out all of those treasured hoarded items that you feel guilty for buying and put them on show – and make your secretly gnawing scrapaholic’s guilt go away. As simple as that”.

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Anne’s post is referring to the new challenge at Our Creative Corner – No More Shopping Sins which is a fabulous theme for a challenge.

I did exactly as Anne suggested – I opened the packet, stroked it (hopefully not for the last time) and USED IT. Phew that felt good!! Well not really because I had already made the hanging but I would have done that if I had seen your post first sweets.

Sadly Anne I am not going to take the rest of your advice and bring out all of my treasured hoarded items as hubby will see just how much I spend!!!

Bought these stamps by Wendy Vecchi back at the end of October but never had chance to use. Again lots going on with paints, inks, molding paste, an EF but the best part was using melted bees wax around the edges. Covered the sentiment and the bee with wax also..

Bee You1 Bee You2 Bee You3 Bee You4

A very dear friend gave me a bag with teensy little cotton reels in it. The bag was cellophane but it was stapled to a rather nice piece of brown card with a logo on it. I carefully took out the staples so that I could have the brown card, turned it inside out so that it was plain, stamped on it and glued onto my wall hanging for the string to go through. Chuffed to bits how it turned out.

“The bee is a stinging winged insect which collects nectar and pollen, produces wax and honey and lives in large communities.”

Shirl

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Here Comes 2014 – Just Go For It

January 1st, 2014 by Shirl - Posted in Meeting Prince Charles, Misc, Photos

Happy New Year Everyone

Whatever this year brings my advice is

JUST GO FOR IT

Instead of looking back at my best makes of 2013 (let’s face it, you’ve seen them all before, why on earth would you want to take a second peek), I am going to share with you a trip down memory lane to show that you just don’t know what’s around the corner.

My very first post for 2014 has come about because of my last post in 2013 which you can see here.

A few of your wonderful comments made me smile. The lovely Sylvia-Anne asked if I had really worked at the BE in Kuwait and also my super DT sister Ellie thought I was telling porkies.

Well it’s all true, I worked at the British Embassy from 1994 – 2000 and Andrew worked for the Kuwaiti government from 1993 – 2001.

Kuwait happened for Andrew and I at a very low point in our lives. Andrew had been out of work for 8 months plus the UK was in a really bad recession. He started applying for jobs abroad and got work in Kuwait. This was such a scary time in our lives. To just up and go on our own to work and live in a foreign country, leave all our family and friends behind. Also the 1st Gulf War had just ended, well just say that I cried a lot. At our ages to leave the UK and all our loved ones behind was just unreal but needs must and off we went.

We were only going to stay for one year, get back on our feet and go back to the UK again. How wrong can anyone be … because we loved it so much we ended up staying SEVEN YEARS.

Sharing just a couple of pics about our time there. This is me having tea with Prince Charles (you read right … Prince Charles, all true Ellie) and a copy of the invite letter. Sadly Andrew wasn’t invited to this event.

Afternoon Tea With Charles Afternoon Tea With Charles 1 Invite Letter

Here are a few receptions that Andrew and I attended whilst we were in Kuwait. The best of these was when we were invited onto the Royal Yacht Britannia. She was making her final voyage before being decommissioned in December 1997. On board also was Margaret Thatcher. Great night but sadly Andrew again missed out because he was ill but we were lucky enough to get a private viewing, a few days before, of the Royal Yacht by some of the crew before the reception.

Met the Duke Of York twice and also met Princess Anne once. She only shook my hand, asked my name and said hello but she spoke to Andrew for a good 10 minutes about his work. Meeting Tony and Cheri Blair was another highlight of our time out there.

Duke Of York Queen's Birthday Invite New Zealand Invite

At the time the first photo was taken I was showing around a visitor from the FCO who was taking photos of the new Consular section waiting room which had just been built (where I worked). As you do I threw myself onto one of the new seats and started posing. Me thinks he was going to delete the photo but low and behold a few weeks later a letter arrived in the diplomatic bag with this pic in it. Another pic of me at an evening reception in the embassy grounds with some of the crew of HMS Southampton. That was a great weekend and we also went aboard her.

Another fabulous time was when we were invited by the Ambassador of New Zealand and Commander Ross Smith of HMNZS Te Kaha to a reception on board ship.

The other two pics are of the Iraqi border and my son standing beside one of the patrol guards.

Consular Section HMS Southampton Iraq Border Iraq Border Checkpoint