Internet nightmares

New Stamp Addicts TV Show

If I ever had any doubt how much I rely on the Internet the last week confirms I am most definitely joined to my computer at the hip. A whole week with only the odd hour or so's connection here and there is a total nightmare. This new server was going to take just a few hours to install, yet here we are a week later and they are still faffing about with it. It's meant to be mega efficient and fast and have bells and whistles.......if you ask me the bells and whistles are well and truly rusty.

So the result, very little blog hopping and only the odd visit to all my friends out there........I am so so sorry, I do still love you all really. I am preparing this post on Wednesday afternoon, but when it will actually go live on my blog is any ones guess.......but I must have faith in the teccies, they assure us all will be well shortly........I seem to recall them saying something similar this time last week.

Anyhow, I told you that there was a new Stamp Addicts show in the offing.......well it's going out live on Wednesday 18th November at 10am on Create and Craft TV........and now I can share some of my sample cards for the programme.

I really enjoyed playing with all the goodies that you will be able to buy from the programme, some really yummy embossing powders from JudiKins along with some if their great cube stamps. This card uses the Pressed Leaf Cube using one of my favourite messy techniques. The images were randomly stamped with Black Stayzon onto Acetate, then Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks added to the revers along with some splashes of Gold Krylon. I then took a piece of ripped text from an old book, covered it with Tombow glue and laid it over the inks. Next I crumpled a piece of kitchen foil, added the same glue and laid this over the back of the whole piece. Once dry - this only takes a few moments, I did some simple matting and layering and tied some raffia round before adhering it to my card. Finally, I highlighted the stamped images with an Inkssentials opaque white pen.

More fairies

As we head towards Florence another fairy card using my new Lavinia stamps - link in my last post. It's years since we went to Florence so really looking forward to it and soaking up the history and atmosphere that drew so many artists over the years and a trip of course to the Piazza della Signoria with its copy of Michelangelo's David.

The background for this card is one my my nice messy techniques using Tim Holts inks onto a glossy cardstock, adding some Krylon gold. The image is stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear. The card itself has been stamped with the tiny toadstools and a small fairy stamp embossed with detail gold. The embelli in the corner some gold swirls and three leaves stamped onto shrink plastic which I coloured before cutting out and shrinking.

Acetate flowers

I have created this one for Stampalot using the nesite frames Andy asked me to try out a couple of weeks ago ........ sorry Andy, been a bit slow here I know. Anyway I do really like this frame - there are two in each set and a couple of flowers as well. I must at this point, put my hands up and confess to a degree of plagiarism today ........ trouble is I've done too much blog hoping with all this resting up and now have an abundance of pent up inspiration to try out, but I do try to put the ideas into my own context and give credit where it's due.

The frame is cut on the cuttlebug using My Minds Eye DP's ........ in case you didn't realise, I do so love these papers and even have a class coming up at Stampalot next month based around them (will be sharing some of the samples just as soon as the new terms dates are published later this month).

All of the flowers are cut on the Cricut from the same DP which is double sided plus acetate. I have edged the acetate flowers with gold Krylon and each flower has one DP layer and two acetate. I have also placed a layer of acetate into the frame over the stems/leaves which are stamped from Hero CL338 and laid onto bazzil. The acetate flowers are the first of my 'borrowed' ideas which I saw on the blog of a lady called Enfys. The second 'borrowing' is from my good blog buddy Jules ........ I did ask if I could pinch this one which is her fab idea of cutting away part of the edge to give this pretty edge. Apparently, according to Jules this punch even has a name - Threaded Water, so I must remember this in future and not just call it "my new Fiskars punch" - not a lot of help if you want to track it down to buy is it ? As most things in my little world need gems, I have added some swarovski ones down the side.