More Winter Houses

I have been enjoying working on these little houses so much!  

The plants were collected around late Autumn time and pressed for winter use.

 They looked too Spring-like, so I rollered them with gesso!  I added seeds, pearls and buttons, and the addition of glitter has helped to give them a frosty look.

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW to see what other people have on their desks this week!

February's Forgotten Stash Part 2

Carrying on my quest to try out a forgotten and unused item in my stash each month I have been using the Tim Holtz Artful Dwellings die.

While decorating the shapes for my winter garden piece last week (see here) I found  several were looking rather architectural so I put them aside to make a separate piece.

I used copper, brown and gold metallic leaf on some of the stamped images and although difficult to see you can just about catch some of the shine below.  I'm particularly fond of the Italian architectural stamp and I'm pleased I've found it a good home!

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

February's Forgotten Stash

Each month I'm choosing a piece of forgotten or never used stash to try out - for February I've chosen the Tim Holtz Artful Dwellings die.  I have no idea why I purchased it - the good idea that prompted me to buy it has long gone!

I was a bit stumped with this one, so after cutting several of the shapes out I left them on my desk until an idea struck!  Finally I decided to work on my current theme of the winter garden and this is how they turned out.

I used some copper and gold metallic leaf on some of the stamped images, although it's difficult to see in the photos.  Each little house has been attached to a bar at the back to make it into one piece of work.

Deciding to go for a completely different wintery feel I also did another set using some winter tree stamps.  I used Perfect Pearls, Micro beads and texture paste with glitter, and although it's hard tell the whole thing really twinkles like frost.  

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

Black Tags and Flowers

I have been using this Heartfelt Creations flower stamp and die set throughout January - my idea being to try out an item of 'forgotten stash' each month with a view to keeping it or moving it on. I think this is definitely a keeper as I haven't stopped using it yet!  My other projects using this set can be seen here and here. 
  

I used Distress Stickles, stamens, Perfect Pearls for the flower centres, silver metallic leaf for the background, silver gilding wax for the black leaves and flowers and I used text stamps on some of the petals.

I am linking up with Julia over at WOYWW to see what others have on their desks this week.

January's Forgotten Stash

Continuing on from my last post about using forgotten stash each month, I am still using the Heartfelt Creations flower stamp set and matching die, and making cards and tags with gusto!  The previous post can be seen here.

Here are a couple of cards using texture paste backgrounds and some Distress Stickles to highlight the petals.

Forgotten Stash

In my craft stash I have a fair few items that have been purchased on a whim, or sometimes in a desperate need, and then they are put away for future use and never seen again!

This year I decided that every month I would take out a 'never been used' item and use it - with a view to moving it on if it doesn't live up to expectation!

 So for January I have been using this set of flower stamps with matching die - purchased mainly because I hate cutting fiddly bits out by hand and of course you never know when you might urgently need a flower stamp with a matching die!   

I stamped the flowers in Archival ink and then shaded with Distress inks, and  I used Perfect Pearls for the centre of the flowers.
The stamps and die are by Heartfelt Creations (Botanical Rose stamp set and Botanical Wings die).  

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

More Winter Embroideries!

 I've been finishing off the last of my unfinished work from last winter - these two only needed beads adding and some hand embroidery.
I do love working on that soft, fluffy background - it's actually off cuts of thermal curtain lining that a friend donated to me - very appropriate for winter!

 

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

Winter Embroideries

Goodness, it hardly seems possible a whole year has passed by and I am now back to working on my winter garden embroideries!  
 These two have finally been finished off after being rudely interrupted by the arrival of Spring last year!

  

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