Sunday 14 October 2012

A rare occurance ...... playtime!

Hi lovely visitors,

I hope you've all had the lovely autumnal weather we've had here in the Midlands today.  The wind was a bit 'fresh' but lots of sunshine which  made the golden trees look gorgeous.  A week ago only a few of the trees around here were starting to turn and yet today there were loads as well as lots of leaves on the ground.  I wish I'd taken my camera out with me. 

My Hubby and I decided to try a new carvery restaurant (well new to us anyway, lol) and for anyone who lives nearby I would certainly recommend it.  The carvery was pretty good but the starters and desserts were to die for ;0)  For anyone who lives in North Notts this is the web link  www.blackburn-house.co.uk.  It's a converted 107 yr old pumping station and Grade II listed so has lots of history too.

I've actually had a brilliant weekend altogether because yesterday I went to the new Big Stamping and Scrapbooking Show at Kettering Conference Centre with two of my crafting buddies, Jo and Judith.  Our other partner in crime, Elaine couldn't be with us and we did miss her but it was still a great show.  As you would expect very like the Ally Pally show but obviously without the atmosphere of Alexandra Palace.  The Conference Centre was really nice though and very light and spacious with lots of room between stands nice reasonably priced food and a lovely area to eat it in or just to sit for a chat and a drink and best of all it was easily do-able there and back in one day.  Ally Pally is lovely but I always feel the distance warrants an overnight stay which makes it expensive.  There were a few of the usual exhibitors missing but there are so many shows on this month it's not surprising but I was a happy bunny because most of my favourites were there.  My lovely 'Bosses', ;D, Don and Val from Snazzys were there and also two of my Snazzy team mates, Gillian and Hels were both demoing on the Creative Expressions stand.  I also got to watch the fabulously talented Leandra (Mrs PaperArtsy) producing wonderful little pieces of art.  I could have stood there all day! Two other lovely and very talented ladies I got to watch and chat to were Sue Wilson (on the Rubbernecker stand) and Claire Charvil (on the Ali-Craft stand).  All in all a day in my crafting heaven!  Er, I didn't tell you I spent loads of dosh did I!  Good job it's only the second show I've been to this year, lol!  I do hope this show takes off as people get to know about it as there was such a good mix of exhibitors and it's nice to have a show of this calibre for us Midland Crafters.

Anyway, in my last post I showed you two background pieces of card I'd made playing with my new Metallic Distress Stains and I actually got a bit more playtime before going to the show and turned the tag background into this .........(this pic shows the truest colours)






Sorry the pics aren't too great but I took them in a hurry before taking the tag with me to give to Snazzys at the show.  The background was made by putting pools of two Distress Stain colours and the Gold Distress Stain onto my craftsheet and then spritzing with water before swiping my tag through the puddles.  I did this several times, drying with the heat gun between layers, until I was happy.  I also flicked some spots of water onto the surface and then dabbed off with paper towel.





I stamped various images with Distress Inks from different sets of Tim Holtz stamps most notably the skull from Halloween Blueprints and then shadow stamped this image with the Gold Metallic Distress Stain.  The last bit of stamping was the random flourish stamped in Black Archival Ink.





I die cut three of the Alterations/Sizzix tattered pine cones and made them into roses dabbing the edges with the gold Distress Stain and filling the centres with black Stickles.  I then cut several of the pine leaves on the same die and dabbed these with the gold also before arranging all these on the tag.  I changed the colour of a silver skull charm using peel off pens and added a touch of the gold Distress Stain and added this to the tag together with a little spider sticker from the Carta Bella All Hallow's Eve collection.  Everything I used to make this tag, except the pine cone die,  can be purchased from the lovely Snazzys shop.

Well, that's it from me today.  I hope you didn't mind my chat at the beginning of the post but for anyone living fairly close to me I thought the restaurant and the Kettering show might be of interest.  I hope to be back later this week if I get chance to play with some of my new goodies.  Till then have a lovely week everyone and take care.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

20 comments:

Suzanne C said...

Brilliant tag and it sounds like you had a lovely weekend! The restaurant sounds lovely. Must look it up when I am in your neck of the woods. :) LOL!

Lynne K said...

Wow, gorgeous tag, Lesley! I'm hoping to find some of the metallic Distress Stains at Doncaster next Sunday. (Coming down to stay with Sally.) Will you be there? (Or did you spend too much at Kettering?!)

Hugs, Lynne xx

Christine B. said...

Hi Lesley, a brilliant tag , love all the stamping and those beautiful roses , can't believe you used a pine cone die. I need to play and experiment more. Love and hug x ChrisB

Hels Sheridan said...

this is chuffing amazing, I got to have a little feel of it today... LOVE it... actually wanted to snaffle it away but Val was watching me lol x

Rebecca said...

Love this Lesley I really struggled making roses from the pine cone die. Yours are super.
Happy craftin
Rebecca

judith@poppy cottage said...

Lovely to see you at the show my friend, our meetings are all to rare these days :( Your tag is fab, and the layers on the background look great. I'm not in Halloween mode yet, but feel very Autumnal. Love the Gold Distress stain touches, Judith xx

Elaine said...

Lovely to hear your chat and to hear you have had some R & R and a little playtime too! I was so sorry not to be with you at Kettering, but I have been having a lovely hol and I haven't bought one single crafty thing! Your tag is a smasher. I haven't even tried to make roses out of my pine cone die, I must give it a whirl as I am not good with roses, not like you! Those metallic distress stains look great too. Elaine xxx

Beryl said...

So glad you enjoyed your weekend. The Kettering show might have been an option for me when living in Cambridgeshire - but that was before I got into paper crafting. It was a lovely weekend here weather wise too - except for Saturday night when I was on my way to ceroc. Chucked it dow most of the way but fortunately stoppped just before I got there so I didn't go in looking like a drowned rat.
Your tag is beautiful, love all that stampery and the tattered pine cone roses are fabulous. Really must get that die some time soon.
Beryl xx

Aquarius said...

Love the tag and how great that you found time to play. Your visit to the show sounds as if it was brilliant and I look forward to seeing what you make with the new goodies. I'm envious of you seeing all those talented demonstrators. Take care.

Paula (PEP) said...

Mind the chat - it's a positive pleasure to 'hear' (read) that you've managed to have some time for yourslef & the show sounds brilliant. I managed to see Val at Cardiff last week. Brilliant that you managed to catch up with the others too. As for your tag - a real delight of colours in my favourites - the browns. The roses are terrific & I'll have to put that die on my wish list.
Paula (PEP)

Astrid Maclean said...

WOW this is absolutely stunning!!!! I love everything about it, those colours are just so fabulous, and those roses are amazing!! Another die to add to my list (sigh).... Fantastic tag and I'm so glad you got some play time. Hope one of you guys that all met up are going to show some photos of the Kettering even!!

Carol Q said...

love the tag Gillian. I do love this TH die. sounds like you had a fab weekend. I hope they do another one next year so I can come along!

Anonymous said...

Hello Lesley so pleased you managed some ME time and enjoyed the show with Judith and Jo. Fabulous Tag like the layers and the metallic distress.
Suexxx

lisa said...

It's always lovely to hear your chat, Lesley and I'm so glad you got some "me" time for a change. The Kettering show sounds great, I've heard a few people talking about it today. You certainly sound as though you enjoyed it but we need to know what you bought!!!!!
Love the tags, those backgrounds are stunning and so are those pine cone roses.
Lets hope the sunshine lasts a bit longer, the autumn colours are really looking lovely aren't they?
Have a good week.
Hugs Lisax

Minxy said...

YAY you got some play time, and a brill job too, love the skull that sort of floats in the middle

Sally H said...

Wow, Lesley! That is a gorgeous tag! I love it and those distress stains are going on my shopping list! I like the sound of that carvery too - off to check out the website

Netty said...

Totally gorgeous tag Lesley. I stopped by at the Snazzy's stall and a very nice lady was demoing, also got myself a lovely stamp from them. So sorry we never got to meet, hopefully we will next time. Annette x

Barb said...

Oh my, your tag is fantastic ! Ü

Jean said...

Lovely tag Lesley, your roses look fabulous. I like the the effect of the metallic distress stains too, I think they will have to go high up on my wish list. Glad you had a good weekend and time to play. Jean x

Words and Pictures said...

Absolutely beautiful tag - the stamping is stunning, and those flowers are amazing! May just have to give in to the pinecone die...
Alison x