Fun With Alcohol Inks!

Well I am definitely having fun with my Alcohol inks!  I just made this sun catcher to hang in my window!  

I die cut a circle from some plastic, and then run it through my BigShot and embossed it using a paisley embossing folder. Then I coloured the whole circle with yellow Alcohol ink.  Then I used a very tiny paintbrush to carefully drop tiny drops of magenta, blue, green, purple and yellow onto the circle.  Once I had done that, I used a thin piece of wire to dot some Isopropyl Alcohol over the colours.  This kind of takes away some of the colour, and gives the impression of 'bubbles'.  Because I embossed the circle, it sort of stopped the ink from pooling and spreading right across the circle.  It looks awesome hanging in the window, with the light behind it!  This was photographed on a window with fading light.  I will photograph it again tomorrow when the sun is shining.  I will attach some fine thread to it so it will hang properly.  

Ok, that's me for today, thank you for stopping by!  Have a SUNSHINE day! {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)

Christmas Cards, AliExpress Stamp Sets, And More!

These are a couple of Christmas cards  made recently.  The one below is from a stamp set from AliExpress.  It's a Stampin' UP! set called, 'Beautiful Baubles".  I got the matching die set as well.  It was around $8 NZD off AliExpress.  Let me just explain, all the stamp and die sets I buy from AliExpress are un- branded and all are brand new.  Some people have said because they are SO cheap, there must be 'something wrong with them'.  I can assure you, there is NOTHING wrong with them, nor are they defective in anyway.  Just cheap.  REAL cheap!

 I stamped the small Baubles on the card, then on another piece of card I stamped them again and die cut them out.  I then stuck them over the top of the ones I stamped on my card using sponge tape.

Below is what I made to hang some of my clear stamp sets on.  I bought a hand towel rack for $2 form the $2 Shop and attached it to the wall.  I also bought some bulldog clips in small sizes.  I fashioned some hooks using some wire and then attached the hooks to the wire and hung it on the hand towel rack.  It's very rough - nothing fancy here - but it works perfectly!  Now I don't have to spend time rummaging around looking for the set I want.  This way I can see clearly what I am looking for.

I also made racks for my punches to sit on. 

Here below is another SU stamp set I got from AliExpress.  This one is called, "Bouquet Blooms", and I also got the matching die set with it.

Below is a photo of the SU "Beautiful Baubles" stamp set.

Below is a large 10 inch x 8 inch ceramic tile I had lying around.  I used my alcohol inks to "paint" it! I intend to paint some glasses and dishes for Christmas gifts.  After I cleaned the tile with some Rubbing Alcohol, I then sprayed the tile with hairspray.  Yes!  Hairspray!  It helps the inks spread and mix.  Then I used the alcohol inks straight from the bottle, just a drop here and there.  More hairspray and then more alcohol inks.  I think I did this 3-4 times before I was finally ok with it.  The tile isn't 'finished'.  I'm not sure what I will do with it, but I just know it isn't 'finished'.  Watch this space!

Below is a photo of "Romeo's" shadow on the floor one morning!  The sun was behind him making this shadow on the floor.  I grabbed my camera before he moved, and this is what I got!

And here is is, below, resting his head on the side of his bed!  It was a cold morning and so he had gone back to his bed to keep warm once he had breakfast.  By the way, his bed is on my art desk!  Where else would it be?!

Well it is a very wet day here today, I am hoping the rain stops later today, because the Glow Festival is on in the Village at Titirangi. They have the whole Village lit up with thousands of Christmas lights and it looks like Fairyland!  They also have lots of different entertainment going on, music, food stalls, things to buy, games for the kids etc.  The Village looks so pretty with all the lights.  I will go if the rain stops!  I wasn't able to go last year because I had only just had hip surgery and wasn't able to walk very well, let alone carry a camera and take photos!  Oh, and I wasn't allowed to get on and off buses either:-( If I go today, I will post photos of it tomorrow.

Thanks for dropping by, have a SUNSHINE day! {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)

Star Christmas Card

This is a card I made yesterday.  I die cut the star, and the word "Believe".  I placed a piece of thin gold glitter card/paper to the back of the star. (Thank you to Lorraine M for this, it was part of a parcel she sent me last year)  Please visit her blog, she does some amazing artwork!  I glued some tiny gold stars around the die cut star shape, and then adhered the word "Believe" across the star using double sided sponge dots.  Lastly I stamped the words under the die cut star and the card was finished! 

Thanks for dropping by, have a SUNSHINE day!  {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)

I Believe!

 Here is another "Believe" Christmas card I made yesterday.  Very similar to the first one, just slightly different colours on the background.  As with the first card, I coloured the word "Believe" with a clear glitter gel pen.  I pop up the word "Believe" using double sided sponge dots.  Below are both the cards I made, which is your favourite?!

Thanks for dropping by, have a SUNSHINE day!  {HUGS} from me to YOU:-) 

Do You Believe?!

OMG!  I am in love with this card and stamp set!!  I just (yesterday) got this stamp and die set from AliExpress in the mail.  I love how the card turned out, even if it did take me some time to make it!  (I paid around $6 NZ for the stamp and die set, brand new.  It is a "Simon Says Stamp" stamp and die set.)

I did the coloured background using my Tim Holtz Distress ink pads.  After applying the different ink colours using a felt tool thing, (I can't remember what it's called!) I then lightly spritzed the card with water.  I also used an eye dropper to get some bigger drops of water on the card.  I used a border die called "Frostyville" to cut the snowflake flurry edge.  I think it is a  Memory Box die, but I am not sure.  I coloured the word "Believe" in with a clear glitter gel pen.  You might be able to see it on the photo below.

 I added some sequins - a card is not a card without sequins! - and also some tiny diamond gems to the stars on the border.  Below is the stamp set, you can see it comes with lots of sayings.  As I mentioned, I also bought the matching die set.  I am really pleased at how this card turned out, it was a rocky start because I had to stamp and cut out the word "Beleive" twice because the first one wasn't right - you know how it is!  I can't wait to make more of these cards, and I will use different coloured TMD stamp pads so I get a different look for each card.  The same but not the same, if you know what I mean!  'And yes, I do "believe", I  "believe" in lots of things...what do YOU "believe" in?!

Thanks for dropping by, have a SUNSHINE day! {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)  And don't forget to "Believe!"

'I'll Be Gnome For Christmas!"

I made this Christmas Gnome card today, isn't he cute?!  I also have the matching die set - another bargain from AliExpress!  You will see the stamp set further down this post.

His beard is painted with SU Frosted White Shimmer Paint.  It is quite sparkly and iridescent in reality.  Below is the inside of the card.  I added some tiny gold stars just to give it some "bling"!

And here, below, is the stamp set.  I was hoping this stamp and die set would arrive before Christmas so I could make some of my Christmas cards with it.   

That's all for now, thanks for dropping by!  Have a SUNSHINE day! {HUGS} from me to YOU:-) 

Christmas Card Plus!

I found this fabulous card idea on Nancy's  blog this morning and just had to try it!  I met Nancy some years ago when I was in USA.  She is a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and has some awesome cards etc on her blog!  Please hop over to her blog and check it out!  The mitten stamps are from a SU stamp set, and so is the word, "Sparkle",  I stamped the mittens in green and then in gold Brilliance ink pad. 

Above is the card partly open, and below you can see how the card folds into itself.  Such a fun card to make!  Thank you Nancy for a fun card idea!

I made the card below using the SU Dandelion Wishes stamp set.  I made the background using some Tim Holtz Distress stamp pads.  Woohoo! So much fun, and so messy!  Ink everywhere - mostly on me it seemed! I have been admiring the backgrounds that Andrea has been making, and so I just had to give it a go! And please check out her blog, she too has some awesome creations there!  I bought the mini Distress ink pads as I wasn't too sure if I would like them.  As it turns out I don't like them.  I LOVE them!!

The colours I got are: Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Festive Berries and Chipped Sapphire. I sploshed the ink pads onto a non stick sheet of plastic and sprayed a light spray of water over the top.  Then I just swiped my card over the colours until all my card was covered in ink.  I had a great time and was happy with the results:-)  

Below is "Romeo-Valentino" asleep on my CLEAN laundry!  He loves his comfort!  

 That's all for today, thanks for dropping by!  Have a SUNSHINE day!  {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)

Christmas Is Coming, and A Celebration!

 I used some of Stampin' Up!'s Frost White Shimmer paint to stamp the snowflakes on the side of the card above.  It's very sparkly in real life, and very pretty, but oh-so-hard to capture in a photograph!  I also have the Champagne one, which is also very pretty and sparkly.  The words are also from SU.  The card below was nice and quick to make:-)  Once again, the bird and words are from SU.

 The card below is quite sparkly, but as usual, it was hard to photograph.  Too much light and everything went 'white', not enough light and it was too dark:-( 

 To make the card below I swooshed the edge of a couple of stamp pads across the white card, then I stamped the dandelion (Dandelion Wishes from SU) in black ink.  I stamped the words at the bottom right hand corner of the card (also from Dandelion Wishes SU).  Then I flipped the card over and used my scor-pal to score three lines above and below the dandelion.  I lastly added some beloved sequins!

 And now for my "celebration!"  Last week, Halloween night of all nights, I celebrated (with champagne, of course!) my one year anniversary of my hip surgery!  Wow, it has gone by so quickly.  And I remember every detail of my recovery, and how I struggled to do things for myself after the surgery. And especially those who said they would be there to help me if I needed help..and when it came down to it, they weren't there at all and offered me no help:-(  On the other hand, I remember those that did help, and for that I am very grateful:-)

Anyway, that's me for today!  Thanks for dropping by!  Have a SUNSHINE day!  {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)