Wednesday 22 April 2015

Swap Time!

Good Morning ......on what is an absolutely glorious Spring day here in my little bit of the UK.  This is my perfect weather :-)!

Well, I've been a very bad blogger again because most of my time and energy has been taken up with spending time at the hospital with a very poorly Mum.  Hopefully, if all goes to plan she should be discharged back to the nursing home tomorrow and I'm really hoping they can work their magic a second time and rehabilitate Mum to some measure of mobility and at the same time relieve some of her frustration.  The five changes of location during her 3 weeks in hospital (different wards/rooms) have been so bad for someone with Alzheimers.

Anyway, I have managed a bit of crafting 'me' time in the form of this month's Tags and ATCs for the swap organised for a small group of friends by our smashing crafting buddy, Sam (do hop over to her blog HERE where she shares some fab painty/inky makes).  The theme this month was 'black and white for the tags' and 'either monochrome or just two colours for the ATCs'.

TAGS


This first one uses stamps from the really lovely Chocolate Baroque Lace Fragments set.  Like many of my other stamps I've had this for ages and never managed to ink them up before.  The techniques are very simple (as usual, lol) with just stamping onto a black tag using Versamagic ink for the background and then stamping the main image with black Archival onto white card and clear embossing.
 

I fussy cut the beautiful main image and added some Ranger Rock Candy Stickles to the mesh looking bits and Black Diamond Stickles to the stamens before sticking it to the tag.
 

On the second tag I applied PaperArtsy crackle glaze to a black tag and when dry painted it with Snowflake Fresco Finish.  I then applied black Archival ink with Cut n Dry foam through a small section of a fab 12 x 12 Prima stencil.  The dragonflies and words are from Indigo Blu sets.


If you click on the above pic you might just be able to see the touches of Black Diamond Stickles I added to one or two of the 'spots'.  The lattice die cut is one from the relatively new Tim Holtz/Sizzix thinlits set and I love it.

ATCs



  
For my ATCs I used Dusty Concord Distress Inks and one of the oranges (can't remember which one, lol).  I created mountain ranges using torn copier paper with a wooded area in the foreground using Chocolate Baroque stamps.  I can't remember what they're called but they do 2 or 3 sets with 'miniature' stamps on which are perfect for ATCs and I love these tiny trees.

Those are my swaps for this month which I hope my more 'arty' buddies in the swap don't find too boring, lol!

Before I head off to get a couple of chores done (to appease my conscience, lol) I have a couple of photos I took in the garden this past week of the pretty Spring flowers I love so much.


Gentians
 

Clematis 
 

Miniature Tulips (These close up every evening and then reopen with the sun)

Have a lovely day everyone!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

10 comments:

Aquarius said...

Good to 'see' you - love the monochrome and the ATC's. I do hope your mother gets settled soon once she is back in familiar surroundings. Take care.

Inkypinkycraft said...

sounds like you have had your hands full, such a scary experience for your Mum and so stressful for you ...I can only imagine x your tags and Atc's are gorgeous sending hugs x

massofhair said...

Hope your Mum gets settled in soon Lesley, the Nursing Home will hopefully have her settled in not time and then the whole family can stop stressing...

Wonderful monochrome Tags but i adore your lush ATC's, they are wonderful, i especially like the second one with the splash of orange.

These are not boring and will make someone very happy :-) xxx

Unknown said...

They are all lovely Lesley- really like the ATCs, they're gorgeous. Orange looks like spiced marmalde to me.
Hopefully mum will be out of hospital soon and you can have a bit of a break!
'xxxx

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

Stunning tags and ATC's Lesley. I have the lace fragments stamp uninked too, seeing this though it could be coming out of hiding very soon. Sorry to hear about your Mum, being moved about is very upsetting for the elderly at the best of times. Hope she's soon on the mend.

sue xx

Helen said...

WOW!! Lesley, your tags and the atcs are just stunning!! The first tag especially is just beautiful. Hope Mum gets back to the nursing home tomorrow, and re-settles in ! xx

sam21ski said...

These are stunning and look fab in real life. Glad you found some me time. Hope you get your mum back to the home tomorrow and it doesn't take too long for her to settle in

xxx

snazzyoriginal said...

Beautiful tags & ATCs in my favourite colour way lol! Fingers crossed for your Mum x

Hazel Agnew said...

Good to see you blogging Lesley! I love your tags, the lace effect is wonderful. I have those stamps too. Do love them all! They are all beautiful. Hope that Mum gets resettled soon! Xx

Ruth said...

Magnificent monochromatic tags and the ATC's are dreamy. Lovely work Lesley. Ruth x