Fairy Garden Tag

 Sitting on my desk today is a tag - yes, a little bit of creativity has happened!

 I noticed the latest theme for Tag Tuesday is 'Fairy Garden' and that gave me the inclination to make a tag! It also meant I could use a little Lavinia fairy stamp that hasn't seen the light of day since I purchased it for a very specific project that I then never got round to doing! 

 

I am linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

A Summer Tag and WOYWW

The mojo is still going (just!) and I made a tag this week.

Well, I made the background for the tag last year, I pressed the Mombretia flowers earlier this year, then this week I glued one to the other, added enamel dots and a ribbon and Hey Presto - creativity at it's minimum!

However, having had raging toothache and a course of strong antibiotics I feel pleased that I achieved anything at all!  

It is still sitting on my desk like this as I haven't had the impetus to tidy up yet and put things away - maybe that will come later, you can't rush these things!

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

Animal Tag

Over at Tag Tuesday the theme is 'Animals' so I've put together 

an animal tag using a beautiful paper napkin that I've been saving for just such an occasion!

I added fussy cut leaves from an old book and I also found some rusty metal palm leaves and tied them on with sari silk.

A Paris Tag

The theme is Paris over at Tag Tuesday.
  Despite using pretty much everything 'Paris' that I had - rubber stamps, stencil, real stamps, and a photo image it still doesn't scream Paris to me!  Perhaps it's the colour, which somehow morphed from pretty spring colours into rusty autumn ones - don't ask me how!

Midnight Garden Tag and WOYWW

I've been on a bit of a roll with these garden tags - I love the garden at night and this is another play with my favourite tag stamp (the other two are here and here).  I've enjoyed gently playing at tag making while my hand recovers but I really should move on to birthday cards soon as October is a hugely busy month in our family and I'm currently crafting quite slowly!  

I'm linking up with Julia this week over at WOYWW

Midnight Green

I'm still working slowly on little tags while my hand recovers from the carpel tunnel op, and still enjoying my 'summer' garden although the weather feels definitely autumnal lately.  
 I don't work with green very often, it's definitely not a 'go to' colour but I've really liked working with these shades to represent the garden at night - it makes such a change from the blues and purples I usually use.   

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW - why not pop over to see what other people have on their desks this week.

Fleur de Lys Tag and WOYWW

 I had a lovely, relaxing 'play' session in my studio yesterday and made this rather fussy tag for no reason other than the fun of it.  I flung everything at it - I stamped, crackled and foiled!  I then added some vivid blue glass beads simply because they are my latest passion!   

  

I'm linking up with Julia this week over at Whats On Your Work Desk Wednesday.

Autumn Hydrangeas

All summer I've had a beautiful white hydrangea in the garden but over the last few weeks it's turned into the most amazing rusty pinks and reds with hints of golden browns in it.  I just had to dig out the hydrangea die that I used here recently and replicate that gorgeous colour scheme.  I was also inspired by the rich orange browns of the bracken that is all over the New Forest at the moment - I think it's more beautiful while it's dying back than when it's in full greenery.
  

This was an 'extra' I made with the flower I wasn't happy with - it seemed a shame to waste it -I'll probably add a stamped sentiment when I come to use the card as the bottom half looks rather bare!

Still no Christmas cards and not really feeling that bothered - I can't seem to summon up the enthusiasm for them so might not fit them in this year - although I may get a burst of inspiration next week, who knows!  I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week

Leafy Tag and WOYWW

What a nice week it's been despite the grey clouds!

Brittany at Fiber Haus has run an article on my work for her newsletter, 

and I was so pleased with how it turned out - thank you Brittany.  

Here's a link to the article and for any one who loves yarn her website is well worth a look.

Here's a tag I made, it turned out more autumn-y than wintery, perhaps I should have added snow, but then it would have been too Christmassy!!

I'm linking up with Julia over at What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday.  

A Hardy Geranium Tag

A summer tag using a Geranium die and a colour that I don't often use - mauve.  I'm not awfully comfortable working with mauve but it's such a pretty colour I should use it more.  I was going to hang this round the neck of a bottle of wine, but the back is so marked where I'm such a messy worker that it shall be turned into a birthday card to accompany the wine instead!!

I'm joining in with Julia over at What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday this week.

Halloween Tag

I know I'm late with this but thought I'd share it anyway.  

I made a Halloween Tag to go on some fancy chocolate to give my sister when she brought her boys round Trick or Treating.

I rather like the way the flowers and die cut twigs have a spidery feel - or perhaps that's just a vivid imagination!

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who offered good wishes for the speedy recovery of my Guinea Pig Archie last week - he is still doing well and hopefully will be back to his old self very soon!

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week

Trying To Get A Little Bit Festive

Just beginning to feel festive and having a bit of a play to see what I'll be doing for tags and cards this year. 

I don't think it will be this!  Despite using Fired Brick Distress ink over the background and on the flower it has turned out pink!  Now I'm not a 'pink' person at all, least of all at Christmas, and even with snow and glitter it still doesn't look festive to me.  So I'm now having a re-think....!  

And while I'm having a re-think I 'm joining Julia over at WOYWW this week!

Finishing Up Before Autumn

I have been busy getting the house decorated for Autumn and arty crafty stuff has had to take a back seat.  This is my mantle piece and my method of decorating is anything orange/brown or autumny gets chucked on it!

Although busy changing over from summer to autumn I did get a chance to finish a tag that had been hanging around - it had been left half done when I had no idea what to do to it next!  I used Ranger black Enamel Accents on some of the die cuts and I really like the hard glossy effect of it - I wasn't sure how shiny it would turn out to be but it's certainly better than I expected.

I'm linking up with Julia over at What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday.

July's Forgotten Stash

Looking through my stash this month to find something that's been unused and forgotten about, I came upon this large postcard tag stamp from Hero Arts.

 I love it but have never got round to using it, so I decided to have a play!  I like the proportions of it, it's a substantial size being 12cm x 9cm so would make a good front for a card.
This is definitely a keeper and I know I'll be using it again!

 I'm linking up with Julia who I'm delighted to say is back at the helm of WOYWW this week.  

Summer's Night Garden

'I often think the night is more alive and more richly coloured than the day'

                                                                                     Vincent Van Gogh

In the summer I love my garden more at night than in the day - it's at it's most beautiful in the late evening, just as the sun has gone down.  The scents are stronger and the garden is more alive with insects and moths.  The shapes and outlines of the plants are more highly defined and the although the bright colours are muted the blues and whites are quite spectacular. 

Here's a garden tag to celebrate the summer we are eventually going to have!

I am linking up with Jan (who is temporarily Julia) over at WOYWW this week.

Spring Flowers Tag

Not much art going on this week as we are decorating.

However, I needed a tag for an engagement gift and this is the end result. 

 The background is clear embossing and distress inks, and I was very pleased with the flowers I made from scratch - I found the idea for them through Pinterest and a blog called Such a Pretty Mess.  I made up my own flower centres as I didn't have the right punch but I think that makes them more unique!  

I received the prettiest little ATC this week too, from Fiona (Staring at the Sea) - the background stamp is just fab and is now on my wish list, and I just LOVE the little seed heads - another obsession of mine!  Thank you Fiona.

I am linking up with Jan, who is Julia for a few weeks, over at WOYWW.

Cinnamon Bark Tag

While at a needlework fair recently I discovered Cinnamon Bark and I love it!

I've used it for the background on this tag - it is quite textured and has a wonderful warm, spicy colour.   

I wrapped sari silk around the middle of the tag and used a Heartfelt Creations flowers and die set. I added some buttons I had covered myself, as I haven't finished scratching that particular itch yet, so to speak!!    

I have also been making ATC's for next week - I managed to make five extra so if anyone would like to swap please let me know and I'll swap with the first five to contact me.  I'm hoping it all goes smoothly as I've never ATC'd before but I've been assured by Julia that it is easy peasy!

Talking of Julia, I am linking up with What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday and I am also wishing her a lovely, relaxing holiday before her big adventure in hospital.   And good luck and a big thank you to Jan, who I know will be doing a fab job keeping things running smoothly each Wednesday!

A Special Birthday Card

It's been such a busy week but I managed to find time to make a card and matching tag for my husband's birthday tomorrow.  I wanted something that wouldn't be too flowery, so I added a rusty washer and some clay pipe stems!

I'm linking up with Julia over at What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday to see what other people have been doing this week.

Autumn gift wrap and WOYWW #284

I have been busy making a birthday card and decorating gift wrap and a gift bag for my sister's birthday - she loves Autumn and anything leafy, so I dug out my collection of leaf and acorn rubber stamps and all the ink pads I could find in autumnal colours and got stuck in! 

I recently discovered these tiny little apples that I added to the front of the card - they are made for dolls houses and are 1/12 size - there is a world of delightful miniature stuff out there that I am only just discovering - why have I never seen these before?!!

Also on my desk is the loveliest surprise that arrived in the post last week - it's the most beautiful notebook made by the hugely talented Lunch Lady Jan.  I have been admiring and coveting her fabulous fabrics for a long time, but my favourite has to be this botanicals one, and Jan kindly made this beautiful notebook out of it.  Thank you Jan - it will be treasured and loved.

I'm linking up with What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - why not pop over and see what other people have on their desks this week!