Eclectic ellapu fussy mussie challenge

How can it be May already!!! The were so many awesome entries for last month, it was great to see so many of you taking a step outside you comfort zone and still coming up with the goods.

For me this month's challenge is also something I have never tried before, tussie mussie making.  A tussie mussie is a cone shaped holder for small posies or gifts, popular in Victorian time and often worn as a kind of broach... albeit a rather large one ;)

I decided to cover mine in flowers and pop choccies inside.

Where are the choccies you say.... they were very yummy!!

I used Tim Holtz tattered acorn die, an old rolled rose die and just did that thingy where you cut out a circle, then cut a spiral around and roll it up to make my flowers.

I may have gotten a little carried away with the flowers but they were so much bloomin fun to make and I couldn't bring myself to leave any out.

I used my butterfly palm punch, some pearls and got creative with some wire to make the handle, leaves and some more flowers.

I'll be honest and admit I groaned a little when I saw the challenge theme, I had no idea what a tussie mussie was.  I can totally admit to also having had a blast making it.  The girls over at Eclecticellapu have made some gorgeous pieces so do pop over for a look, even better if you join in the fun.

Take care

Tracey :)

Fashionably late... nope just plain rude!!!

I'm really gutted haven't been able to post and play for a while but I've had a really bad fibro flare :( However, you still have a week left to play with us eclectic girlies :) the challenge this month is outside your comfort zone!

 I've been Loving the Stampotique creations that I've been seeing hopping around.  To me there is an eclectic mix of bright colours, fun and a little bit of grunge in the projects I have been admiring... reet up my street.  I have been really inspired by the wonderful owner of the Kathrywheel blog, her journal soup classes are just Awesome. I hadn't yet had a try so I treated myself to 2 new stamps and I have just been loving playing with them . I was further inspired by one of the challenges at the Stampotique blog, use stitching, way way outside my comfort zone.

 I am so super chuffed with how this turned out :)  My eldest daughter is taking her GCSEs and I am consumed with thinking of her and her  friends and what difficult time of life this is for them.  I love how this card is still fun and girly but not too cute and young for a teenager,   I think the stamps really help with this.

 I had no idea what I was doing when I started making these flowers. I just twiddled the string around caught it upwith the needle and fastened them off . They really add cool  dimension and texture.  it's something I will definitely be having a go at again .

 Something else that is completely outside of my comfort zone are shaker cards.  The sun is a mini shaker that I made using the packaging from Tim Holtz ideology Buttom package .  I then used my thread needle again and added little rays for the sun .

 I completed the card by using a faux stitch die down the side , and a hugs and kisses die.

 I popped the cutout part of the hugs and kisses die through the holes so you could also see them from the inside. I stand out we believe in you sentiment with the new lemon citrus ranger ink and voila.

 Again my apologies for being so late, hope you like it .

 Take care

Tracey :)

Balloon die cut birthday card for my bro

I made this card for my brother who celebrated his birthday yesterday, we had a great evening at Mum's, lots a giggles playing the "logo game" if you are from a family that likes games I definitely recommend it.

 I recently bought paper smooches balloon dies and have had a lot of fun with them and am still having ideas I'd like to try, however, I got an added boost of inspiration from Brenda over at Vintage Journey and Tennyson's poem "ring out the old, ring in the new" that she has chosen to inspire us all for this challenge. I have chosen to interpret this challenge by including my favourite new die, the balloons with my fav old die the umbrella man.  Also my brothers birthday, being the 3rd of January is the end of Christmas for us as a family and the first card of a year I make for a family member. Imagery wise I see the balloons of last year as floating away taking bad bits away yet still tethered by the fond memories we have and lessons learnt over the past year.

This is my favourite balloon project so far... I think ;) but am def sure it is my brothers taste. As mentioned I used Tim Holtz umbrella man die but chopped off the umbrella.  This die is one of my favs as I find it so versatile.  The negative works great for iris folding and the positive can be chopped into easily to get more use from it.  I used a crafters companion embossing folder and lots of brown distress inks for the background.

I cut the letters for "Happy" using a lawn fawn die and mounted them on the balloons using lashings and lashings of glossy accents, I love the 3d kinda spherical look this gives them and there's no way them little letters are going anywhere!

As I waffled on earlier I was inspired by Brenda at Vintage Journeys so am entering this card over at their fantastic challenge blog dedicated to Crafting in the style of Mr Holtz.

I am also sharing for the 2nd time over at Darnell's place, I have no idea how long I have had that embossing folder for!!!! get your NBUS on and get on over there ;)

Thanks for looking and hope the new year rings in lots of true for you.... and you :)

Gorjuss Glitter is a girls best friend.... ;)

I had great fun making this card for my 9 year old niece.

I used lots of glitter and metallic paper, lovely Gorjuss die cuts and stamps and the awesome X-cut build a scene dies.

I love using the build a scene dies but so far have only used browns and greens for the forest set.  For my niece I was inspired by the Gorjuss flying horse die cut and thought using girly colours in glitter and metallic papers would make a more magical dreamy landscape.  I am chuffed with how different this die set looks using less expected colours and  am looking forward to playing around with other sets and colours too.

On the inside I made a cute little pull up surprise, just to make sure she knows I love her loads!

I used an old block stamp I have and masked of the pics on it so I could just emboss the words.I surrounded this with cute critter stamps from the Gorjuss range using versamark and gold embossing powder.

I am entering this card in Craft for the Craic's latest challenge "something suitable for a child"
also Country View Challenges "Sparkle and Shine"