The Doodling Un-Challenge... Just when you thought it was safe....

I've been busy during my lunch breaks... and after work for those pages I didn't get finished in my measly 30 minute lunch break... time to catch up the next bunch, so you don't think I'm a total slacker lol

Day 16 - Sixteen Candles 

Day 17 - Graphic Lines 

 Day 18 - The Hidden Message... (Yes there is a hidden message on this page lol)

Day 19 - My Little Doodle (that sounds wrong, but it's supposed to be a play on "My Little Pony") 

 Day 20 - The Heart of the Matter

 Day 21 - Key of the Door

Day 22 - Doodles on Acid

Day 23 - Ode to Dyan Reaveley

The Doodling Un-Challenge - The continuing saga...

Okay, so saga is probably a bit dramatic... but it sounds more interesting than continuing story... I know you have been hanging out to see what came next in the series so no more waiting...

Day 8 - Spider Web 

Day 9 - Snakes and Ladders 

 Day 10 - Patchwork

 Day 11 - Legs Eleven

 Day 12 - Muffin Time

 Day 13 - Another Brick in the Wall

 Day 14 - In Ancient Times

Day 15 - Concrete Jungle

Christmas Craft Challenge - Last one until Christmas 2014

At long last (I hear you breathe a sigh of relief)... the last of my Christmas Craft Challenge. 

These are the totally awesome crafting books that I received from my darling hubbie and son for Christmas... that I totally bought online for them to give me.

I'm a little disappointed in this book as it's not really what I thought it would be. There are still some things for me to learn from it, but it's more project based than technique based and at this point in my crafting I want to learn techniques and new uses for products and media. I have none-the-less seen some things I think are quite cool and I look forward to trying.

These two books (above and below) were more what I was looking for. More techniques and uses for both products and tools as well as explanations about the process of art journaling. The bottom book includes spaces for you to try the techniques actually in the book so you end up creating your own reference book of techniques. As much as I love the idea, I'm not sure I can bring myself to do this... I was brought up to respect the sanctity of the written word. A book was never to be destroyed like this by writing in it let alone painting, so this will take a mind set change for me to use as it is intended.

These last two books are definitely what I was looking for. I am definitely a technique girl. I love altering things and adding colour and texture and interest. I love that I will be able to learn new techniques and apply them to art journals, mixed media projects, cards and layouts. I think these two books will most definitely be getting a good work out for a long time to come.

Christmas Craft Challenge - Second to last....

Just before Christmas Bltzy had their sale and I did a little spending... kind of a Christmas present for me or the studio. I really love my Tim Holtz Distress Inks from Ranger and have been waiting for some good prices to extend my range. I've also been needing (not wanting) to get some Distress Ink Refills. Some of my favourites were starting to look a little dry, so I've been looking around for a while, so when I saw them on Blitzy I jumped at the change to stock up on the ones I needed as well as some for as many of my Distress Inks as possible... including the new ones I was buying.

New Distress Ink colours...

Awesome Distress Ink refills - YAY!!! 

Updated my Distress Ink swatches so I can see what all the colours look like. The original post when I set up my swatches is HERE. If you don't have something like this, then I suggest you take the time to create it. It's a huge time saver, not to mention saves you buying colours that you already have!!!

And then I found some stamps...

I've always wanted some Tim Holtz stamps but they are just so expensive here in New Zealand and really hard to get. I found these Wendy Vecchi stamp sets for Stampers Anonymous and had already ordered these and then a week later Blitzy had their big sale and they had some Tim Holtz stamps from Stampers Anonymous so I bought some of these as well.

These first four sets are from Wendy Vecchi for Stampers Anonymous.

And these next ones are from the Tim Holtz range from Stampers Anonymous. Some of the stamps in the Classics series are from other designers.

I can't wait to use all my new purchases. Definitely some projects in the mix for some up-coming major events in the planning for this year! Will let you know what I think of them after I've done some testing.

Christmas Craft Challenge 10 of ?

Here are the tags I included in Tai's Secret Santa Mini album... but first I wanted to show you the relative sizes of the tags.

The largest tags are just slightly smaller than the size of the album. The smallest tags are the standard size 8 tag. Here are all the tags included in Tai's mini album.
LARGEST TAGS:

 MEDIUM TAGS:

 SMALLEST TAGS:

Manila tag (home made). Tissue paper misted with Lindy's Stamp Gang Flat Fabio "Danny Zuko's Denim" mist, dried, then adhered onto tag. Edges of tissue torn. Tag edge colour with Faber Castell Gelatos blended with finger tip. Lindy's Stamp Gang Mist and liquid acrylic ink dripped down front of tag.

Manila tag (home made). Tissue paper misted with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst "Freaky Franken Lime" mist, dried, then adhered onto tag. Edges of tissue torn. Tag edge colour with Faber Castell Gelatos blended with finger tip. Lindy's Stamp Gang Mist and liquid acrylic ink  in white and chartreuse dripped down front of tag.

Coloured using Inktense Blocks by Derwent then blended with water before heat setting.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, dripped Liquid Acrylic Inks, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, dripped Liquid Acrylic Inks, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Faber Castell Gelatos blended with a finger tip, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, dripped Liquid Acrylic Inks, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, dripped Liquid Acrylic Inks, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Faber Castell Gelatos blended with a finger tip, liquid acrylic inks dripped from top of tag.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, Archival Ink to stamp image.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, dripped Liquid Acrylic Inks, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour tag, dripped Indian Ink, Archival Ink to stamp sentiment.

Faber Castell Gelatos blended with a finger tip, Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist "Golden Doubloons" splattered over tag.