2018 Baker's Dozen

Hello Creative Friends

Just like last year my final post of the year I leave you 

with a Baker's Dozen of my favourite artwork of 2018. 

It's certainly been a difficult year and at times would have been 

easier to close the creative door but your support has kept it ajar. 

 Thank you everyone for your encouragement and support throughout 

this trying year. You are all amazing with the warmest of hearts.

A little piece of January

Vintage Baked

Alice and Friends

Cheshire Cat

Paint brush Pocket

Back to Front

Vintage Craft Postcard

Patchwork Vincent

Clockwork Frame

Challenge #77 ~ Tote

Autumn through a Fisheye Lens

Stars

Count your Blessings

Blogging is an important part of my creative self expression, trying to cater for all 

as I capture those moments and processes whilst flicking through the pictures.

I'm looking forward to discovering a new chapter in 2019 and 

hoping to continue to share a little piece of creativity with you all.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy and Inspiring New Year.

Take good care Friends and *Thank YOU*

Creative Wishes

Tracey xx

I'm sharing today with Kristin & EVA ~ PPF

What's on your workdesk Wednesday 499

Hello Creative friends.

I hope you all had a super Christmas?

Our's was filled with food, family and laughter.

I appear to have overslept today, anything past 7am is a lie in for me.

I will blame it on the sherry in my Mother in Laws Trifle..

As it's Wednesday it's time to share what's on our workdesks over at the 

Stamping Ground as it's woyww 499 and the last Wednesday of 2018.

Here's the left overs from the Christmas Crackers, everyone saves scraps they think 

will come in useful. I appear to have gained some of the contents of the crackers too.

There's a button making pressie from my Hubby hoping i'm better at it 

than that pub quiz ha ha!! Maybe show you my attempts next week.

The beautiful Angel is a present from my Dear friend Dorthe. 

She had to join in with the Christmas festivities and watch over us all.

I've got so many Thank you messages and emails to write.

I'll be round to visit asap.

Happy New Year to all those that WoYwW.

There will be one more post from me before the year is out.

Creative Wishes

Tracey xx

Paperbabe Stamps ~ #89 Picture Inspiration

Hello Creative Friends,

Welcome to Winter..

It's time for the last Paperbabe Stamps challenge of 2018.

With the busy festive season upon us we have given you a picture  inspiration
... a Wintery scene that some of you may have already witnessed this year.

We'd love you to be inspired by what you see and share it with us over HERE..

There's a prize for one lucky creative who cares to share their creativity.

Here's my take on the challenge and some very quick How to Do's..

I love those rich reds within the picture above and I knew this festive napkin 

would help create my journal background. Glued onto an A3 page I used the 

Mixed Media Face Templates and Beanie Hats and Pom Poms Templates 

from Paperbabe Stamps to create my Santa Baby image.

Stamping her features using the Female Face Stamps don't do what I did and shake 

a full pot of gesso before opening it, lucky for me I was able to salvage that splodge 

and work it into my page using the left over backing from the napkin.

Those double gates really remind me of the entrance to those large park grounds. 

Not happy with the first Winter outfit I sketched in another, blocked out any

unwanted image using white gesso and then lost myself within the painting.

Fibre paste added dimension to the pom pom and hat trim 

with speckles of white posca pen creating a sprinkle of snow time.

Completing my picture inspiration journal page and sent with 

"Good will and Seasons Greeting to one and all."

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and

enjoy the magic of the season.

Creative Hugs

Tracey xx

I'm sharing today with:

Kristin & Eva ~ PPF

Try it on Tuesday ~ Santa

**Art*Journal*Journey ~ My Favourite Season/Tis the Season

WOYWW #498

Happy Wednesday Everyone,

It's time to link up with Julia over at the stamping ground 

and share what's going on on our work desk as it's WOYWW #498.

Hope your all nearly ready for the festivities..??

It's gift wrapping day today and i'm sharing a card I received from 

Angela and a unopened gift from Dorthe. It's beautifully wrapped and jingles.. 

Seems such a shame to unwrap it... Thank you ladies xx

Still lots to do before the big day but my Tree is up.. 

I love this little one eared Old Edward.

We always wait until the Tree is up before we open our cards... 

This one raised a smile..

Hubby and I have decided to recycle last years Christmas cards to each other 

and give them again. I can see this become commonplace each year from now on. 

It's his Birthday tomorrow.. 

If i'd have thought about it I could have recycled last years card below!!

Merry Christmas, take care & enjoy the festivities.

I'll be round to visit your desks before the big day.

Creative Hugs

Tracey xx

I'll be back on Friday with my Christmas Wishes of 2018.

From one little Star..

Hello Creative Friends,

I hope you are all keeping well and your Christmas crafting is completed?

Mine has had many false starts this year and i'd given up on my handmade 

Christmas cards resorting to previous years leftovers and charity cards. 

...but whilst looking for an embellishment to add to a tag I came across this 

die set. Loving the shape of the large star I just had to see how it all cut.

Lost in the moment with the aid of some Mercury Glass glitter glue 

and visible image sentiments before I knew it I'd created Christmas Cards, 

Tags and Carrier cards for my handmade Christmas Tree ornaments.

I even made a batch of New Year Cards.

The hammered cream card on Kraft looks so fresh and clean.

Who would have thought that one star could have inspired all these.

I'm already thinking of making more of these it's certainly sparked an idea... 

is it wrong to be thinking of Christmas 2019 before the Joy of 2018..?

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend what ever your plans,

For me it's time to decorate that Christmas Tree..

Creative Hugs Tracey xx

I'm sharing today with:

Kristin & Eva's ~ PPF

Crafty Cardmakers ~ Christmas

Apple Apricot ~ Simply Neutrals Tuesday 51

Simon Says Stamp ~ Monday Challenge ~ Warm Winter Wishes

Craft Stamper ~ Take it Make it Challenge ~ December

A Vintage Journey ~ Star Light Star Bright

WOYWW #497

Happy WOYWW #497 Everyone..

That midweek creative meet up where we share our work desk.

Thanks to our host Julia over at the stamping ground who rounds 

us up every Wednesday and keeps us in line.

This morning my desk is full of handmades ready to pack and wrap, Cards, 

necklaces and Christmas Tree ornaments mostly hidden as they are gifts.

Found this wee note in a mug from my Daughter .. 

I'm guessing by the addition of  *Love you* it's probably broken haa haa!!

and i'm left wondering if she is asking for glasses this Christmas ?? 

May book her an eye test.. i'd hate her to be disappointed..

*Update on Hubby.. Coronary Angioplasty went well and the Surgeon was happy with the 

pressure wire tests so decided against another stent. The first stent appears to be doing 

it's job along with the medication.. so at last we can look forward to Christmas.. 

Think I need to catch up on some sleep first... Sooo sleepy.

I'll be round to visit asap, I've lots of catch up as i've been awol for a few days.

Creative Hugs 

Tracey xx

Paperbabe Stamps ~ #88 Anything Goes

Hello Everyone,

There's a new challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps 

with this fortnights theme being Anything Goes.

Today i'm sharing my Alternative Angel
along with some very basic How to Do's...

Stamping directly onto the substrate using the matching Paperangel stamps
I've coloured and shaded the figure and wings with pencils then embossed
stamped cogs and gears from the Like Clockwork stamp set.

With each Paperangel kit you get two Angels both different in design,
with papers to decorate but I've chose to save the papers for another day. 

Gemstone and brads adorn those embossed cogs and gears

with glittered wings and enamelled heart..

She delicately hangs using an attachment included within kit2.

Gently sharing her love with every visitor.

No matter the season we all need an angel to watch 

over us and share the love don't you agree..?

Please pop on over HERE and see what Kim and the Team have created.

If you choose to share your creativity there's a prize for one lucky creative.

Thank you for sharing a moment of your day with me,
Wishing you all the best and take good care of yourselves.

Creative Hugs
Tracey xx

I'm sharing today with Kristin and EVA ~PPF
SanDee&amelie ~ Winter Special

#WOYWW 496

Hello Creative Friends.

It's time to share whats on my Wednesday work desk and take a gander 

at others who care to share over at the stamping ground as it's WOYWW 496

Sorry I didn't make it last week, so many commitments, Hospital & Doctors 

appointments doesn't leave much online time but i'm here today.

I've had to admit defeat regarding my handmade Christmas Cards, there's not enough 

hours in the day with everything else going on but I have managed to find a box of left 

overs from last year, old DT Christmas cards which may fill the handmade hole and 

some Charity Cards which I may bling up a little. 

I'm feeling a bit deflated about it to be honest but I guess i'm only human.

On the upside all my overseas cards have now been posted and apart from the one 

on it's way to Canada i'm confident they will all arrive in good time for Christmas.

*Update on Hubby... his cancelled op has now been reappointed to the 10th December 

so lets all keep our fingers crossed that one doesn't get cancelled too..*

A free day for me today so I'll be round to visit asap 

in between writing the rest of those Christmas Cards.

Take care everyone & Thanks for hosting Julia.

Creative Hugs

Tracey xx

TioT Winter Wonderland ~ Guest Designer

Hello Creative Friends.

I'm delighted to be back as a Guest Designer over at Try it on Tuesday 

and with the countdown to Christmas now on this fortnights theme is...

**Winter Wonderland**

Here's what I created along with those How to do's..

Using a mini clipboard i'd covered in Holly collage paper and washi tape I

Stamped script and pushed paste through stencil words to add dimension.

Altering the clip with grunge paste I reattached it to the board 

adding a wash of walnut stain all over the clipboard to create age.

Stash pattern papers were used to die cut, Holly, Mistletoe and Fir 

branches, coloured and shaded with a combination of pens and ink. 

Those die cut Holly leaves really accessorise the collage board 

along with a handful of flat back pearls and dots of embossing powder.

Mistletoe, Fir branches and wire wrapped pearls are all tied 

together with a little red bow adding feature to the clip.

Unloved paper stash has been die cut using the largest die from TH Stacked 

Deckle set to create blank notelets/Card Toppers and Tags ready to decorate

and give as a token of appreciation or label a given gift.

Stamped, embossed and embellished, one I've painted in black Gesso 

creating a changeable Chalkboard... How many more sleeps??

Many toppers amongst this pile await their Christmas card completion..

Here's a couple created using double sided sticky tape & a Holiday word die.

A dab of mica powder rids that excess sticky tape creating a *Twofer* 

Two toppers, tags or notelets from one die.. Now that I like..

With a die cut December Topper embellished with left over Holly Leaves 

it's created a great cover to hide all those Christmas toppers within it.

Think I just might have to create an all year round one of these.. 

as it would be invaluable to have a ready made card topper to hand.

Please pop on over HERE and see what the creative 

TioT team have created for you this fortnight.

I'm sure you will all have some Winter Wonders to share.

Wishing you all a wonderful week and 

a BIG Thank you to the TioT Gang for having me.

It's been a pleasure..

Creative Wishes

Tracey xx

I'm sharing today with 

A Vintage Journey ~ Paper Stash Challenge

Sandie & amelie's Steampunk Challenge ~ Winter Special

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ~ Gift it

Crafty Cardmakers ~ #223 Anything but a Card

Simply Neutrals #50 with Wen

Kristin & EVA ~ PPF

Paperbabe Stamps ~ #87 Sketch Challenge

Happy Friday Everyone

It's time for another Paperbabe Blog Challenge.

This fortnight we give you a Sketch to follow as your prompt.

Use the image below to help create and interpret your design 

there's a prize for one lucky random winner if you share your creations.

Here's how I interpreted the Sketch with a very quick and easy design.

Onto three Peaceful Flurrie Substrates I embossed first in white then 

stamped the matching Peaceful Flurries stamps  on top. 

Onto a canvas sheet lightly dabbed with paint I machine stitched three lines to 

represent the prompt and stamped with my favourite Spritz and Speckle Stamp 

With a sentiment from the Sparkle Bright Stamp Set 

those prompt elements are ready to be added.

Gem stones and glitter glue brings on that festive sparkle..

Glued onto a burlap journal cover this would make a great gift for an arty friend.

We do hope you will pop on over to the Paperbabe Blog 

and see what the Design Team have created to inspire you.

Wishing you all a super weekend

Creative Hugs

Tracey xx

I'm sharing today with Kristin & EVA over at PPF