Tuesday 14 July 2009

Distress Inks

I'm part way through (75%) writing a HUGE 'How To - Tips & Techniques' with Distress Inks at the moment.
At the Doncaster show I had so many comments on the card below which is one of the projects made by using some of the techniques.


The book pages used are from an old 1949 book about the Publican trade and makes for quite funny reading - lager didn't exist in those days and if you made £3000 a year as a publican you were deemed to be doing very well !!

As soon as I've finished all the pictures and the write up I'll pass the link on to you - but the most important thing with Distress ink is to play and experiment with them.

Relieved yet LIVID

To follow on from one of my earlier posts - re how I just seem to be catching up and fate steps in again .... I don't normally put personal things up on here but this is one time I am also using this as a plea for information.

A week last Thursday I got one of those calls on the mobile .. funny how you know it's going to be bad news before you even answer it !

Hello is that Mrs .... it's West Yorkshire ambulance your daughters been in a car accident do you want to meet us at the hospital ? NO where are you I'm coming NOW .... 5 mins later I'm on the scene .... extremely RELIEVED that my daughter and friend although cut and bruised are in one piece. Even the police were amazed they weren't attending a fatality.


Now comes the LIVID part ... the person that caused this had driven off, despite all the witnesses but with all the carnage - no-one had taken their number plate.




My plea to anyone in the Morley area of West Yorkshire who may just stumble across this post is ... If you have seen a Blue Ford Ka - colour coded bumpers with a damaged front passenger bumber/side please get in touch with myself or the Holbeck Traffic division. This person caused the accident then drove off after seeing my daughters car flip over and didn't stop to consider if they were dead or alive.

Also a huge Thank You to all those who helped the girls, I wish I knew who the lady was who wrapped her towels around their cuts, I will hopefully find you.

Graphicus July Challenge Part Deux

Artylicous will soon have a new CD out ....

Here's a sneak preview of one of the background papers which some of us have been sent out.

I've made two large A5 cards from the one sheet and have used the matching stamps.

The first card is a double styled card based on a half gatefold A5 and a standard A5. The tag on the front made using a brayered resist then over stamped.


Below: The backing paper has been overstamped.


I will add an insert to the card to match the overall colour scheme.


The second card is a more standard A5 card - again using the matching Brocade stamps the background paper has been overstamped and is enhanced by using a Vellum lattice - (courtesy again of Spellbinders) then coloured over gently with the colorbox ink. The front panel was stamped onto a pale greyish card stock and the white in the flowers was re-highlighted with an Inkssentials white pen.


  • Stamps: Elusive Images - Brocade Backgrounds UA4SP0239, Grungy Brocade UA4SP0238, Words of Wisdom UA6GW0193

  • Paper: New Artylicious CD paper. White card 350gsm. Silk Art Card tag. Grey card.

  • Ink: Ranger Adirondack Dye - Pebble, Slate. Colorbox.

  • Accessories: Flowers & Ribbon - Me. Spellbinders Lattice Borderabilities. Inkssential White Pen.

Graphicus July Challenge

Graphicus July Challenge ....

July’s Challenge Theme: INSPIRED BY THE SEA. July’s Colour Scheme: TWO COLOUR HARMONY

I've gone for the second part 'Two Colour Harmony' and using the Green and Yellow and shades of those two colours. This is going to be a scrapbook page but until I take that certain photograph that I know will suit this page I'll leave it as a large 8" x 8" card for now


  • Stamps: Elusive Images - Flora & Fauna UA4SP0151.

  • Paper: Torn page from old book. Graphicus Guild paper pack. Gold Mirri card. Silk Art Card

  • Ink: Ranger Adirondack Dye - Butterscotch, Meadow. Ranger Archival - Olive. Ranger Distress Ink - Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw

  • Accessories: Button & Twine - Me

Yikes where did 2 weeks go ?

There I was just getting on top of things and catching up - ready to begin uploading to here and yet again fate intervenes. More of that in another post tomorrow !

Ok lets get some pictures up ..... Here's Charlie - my sons newest addition and he's gorgeous !

The pink under his nose is actually his lip as he has no fur on it so he always looks like he's poking his tongue out at you !

Ok back to crafting ... Here's a card I made just messing about with some new Nestabilities - the new Lattice Borderbilities.




  • Stamps: Elusive Images - Fleurs et Parfum de Paris. La-Blanche - Flowers & Filigree swirl

  • Paper: K & Co from the Classic Collection, Satin Art Card

  • Ink: Ranger Adirondack Dye - Stream, Ginger, Terracotta, Espresso. Ranger Archival - Russet

  • Accessories: Spellbinders Lattice Borderabilities; Petaloo -Flowers, Ribbon & Gems - Me