Making Your Own Masks Tutorial

I have recently got bitten by the making tags bug and wanted to use a mask, after watching a Tim Holtz video on how to use his masks to enhance your tags, the only problem it was  after 8 at night and no craft shop is open so I could go and buy some !!!!

So I put on my thinking cap and thought  Acetate would do it, I know I have some somewhere but where, after searching I could not find it. So I started to look  around my crafting space and  I came across Laminating Pouches!!!!!!
now they are clear, cheap and easy to get hold of, but would they work.

First I chose a die and then cut the laminating sheet  to size and  ran it through my Big shot.

I then took it out and removed all the bits in between the  cutout,

and placed it over my tag to use as a mask,

and voila my finished creation.

I also used my craft robo to cut out some shapes as well,

I hope this is of some use to someone,

Thanks for popping by Jo xx

The Sort of Steampunk Card

I recently brought some Tim Holtz stamps as I love the vintage distressed look and wanted to have a go at making some tags, This is what I came up with, not exactly distressed or steam punk but my interpretation of it.

I have made the tag using various tim holtz stamps and any inks that I had handy and an ink duster to create the background, 
The clock and gears were cut out on the craft robo,
The paper was from the scrap box which I ripped to give a vintage look and ink dusted the edges,
and to finish off  I embossed half the card using a crafts too dots folder, and added some eyelets using a cropadile.

Thanks for popping by Jo x

Mum's Birthday Card

My Mum celebrated her birthday in December This is the card I made for her,

I have used a Gorjuss Girl stamp the owl, I have coloured it in with Spectrum noir pens,
The crochet flower I made myself,
The swirl is a sizzix die, and the leaves are an x cut punch,
and the papers are from papermania, I then just added some bling and a button from stash,

I would like to enter her into the following challenges,

Simon Says Stamp - spots or stripes
The Cheerful Stamp Pad - Birds of a feather
The Ribbon Reel Challenge  - Pink Poker Dots
Truly Madly Crafty Challenge - Anything Goes
Gingerloft challenge - Anything Goes
Totally Papercraft - Spots and stripes
Party Time Tuesdays - Feathered Friends

Thanks for popping by Jo xx

The 40th Birthday Card ( number 1)

I have a lot of 40th birthdays this month including my husbands, and they are all male !!!! so where to go for a great images to use on men's cards bugaboo stamps of course. This one has been made for our friend Chris.

I have used Gus for this card and coloured him in with spectrum noir pens and added glossy accents to his glasses, he has been matt and layered on t different colour card stock and then stuck on some retro paper ( from DCWV ) I think, I have then just added 2 buttons with string and a couple of sentiments, the circular one being a freebie from the very talented Netty. 
Sorry about poor photo quality it was getting dark x

I would like to enter it into the following challenges,
Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog - Happy Birthday
Lexi's Creations - Anything Goes

thanks for popping by Jo xx

The Paper Wreath

I have seen lots of paper wreaths whilst blog hopping and I really wanted to try one, I found this great tutorial on line and set about doing it,

It was so easy to do and took about 2 hours in total to finish, I used some paper  that was in the sale rack at Just Traceys, which I love the colours are nice and vibrant, I have now hung it up in my "craft space" on one of the plain white walls to give it a bit of colour.

Thanks for popping by Jo x

My Own Universe

I just love this Gorguss Girl stamp and used it to make my daughters birthday card, she liked it as well but was a bit disappointed she was expecting a Debbie Moore fairy instead.

She has been coloured in with spectrum noir pens and I have added gold stickles to the crown and stars,
The roses and border have been cut on the craft robo,
The leaves are an x cut embossed leaf punch,
The butterflies are a martha stuart punch,
and the bling, design paper and ribbon are from stash.

Thanks for popping by Jo x

The Crochet Bear

I come from a family of knitters and I think the gene missed me out I have the most clumpy hands imaginable, I cannot grip the wool and end up with big holes.
I remember my Nan trying to teach me how to knit and  crochet when I was about 14 and giving up, Nan had the patience of a saint and that's how bad I am.
So after much ohhing at Sarah's wonderful crochet creations I asked (warned) her if she could show me, and she did, It took me around 4 hours to "get" it and now I'm up and running.

This is my first Crochet creation a bear for Son's Christmas stocking

He is just a basic long tube stitched together on the sides and the same tubes for his arms and legs, I shaped his ears by stitching a ridge at the top and poked the ears out.

Thanks for popping by Jo xx

Happy New Year.

I hope 2012 brings you happiness, we just had a quiet night at home and then watched the fireworks outside, the children lasted well. I am going to try and blog a bit more, Time sometimes runs away with you.  This is a card I made for my Great-Uncles 70th birthday in November, I wanted a sort of steampunk but it ended up like this, I liked how it came out though,

I made the background using a pocket watch stamp,
the little man is a smirk chipboard shape,
The gears were cut on the Craftrobo using a file from UK Scrappers, but I cannot remember who designed it,
the bit in the middle is gold mirror card embossed with a dots folder.


Thanks for popping by Jo x