Resistance is Floral

Hi there,

I got my new Big Shot Plus out to have a play today! It is so much harder to move around and store than the normal one (and it s not as nicely coloured either - I have the black and pink normal big shot), but it is nice to be able to die-cut from A4 sheets of card, without having to cut them down first. So although my creations are not actually obviously requiring the large big shot plus it was more useful :P.

This is my first ATC collection of 2016 - Glitter Flowers:

 I embossed some Kraft card using the new Tiddly Inks embossing folder free with Quick Cards 148, and cut two ATC sized pieces of card. A small piece of patterned paper from an ATC pack was used for the background squares and the centre patterned paper was free with a cardmaking magazine a few years ago. I used a Marianne designs die for the main image, cut from glitter cardstock, and a quick-cutz die for the smaller flower that was layered over some ribbon from my stash.

These ATCs followed the sketch #233 from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2

I would also like to enter the following challenges:

mod squad At least one die-cut

deep ocean #119 Anything Goes

live and love crafts #43 Something New

Here are some close-ups of the ATCs:

 This ATC had the embossed design side up, had some tweed ribbon to break up the paper squares, used the patterned paper side that had yellow accents and gold glitter card for the die-cuts.

ATC #2 did not have ribbon to split the squares, used the de-bossed side of the Kraft card and red glitter card for the die-cuts, as well as using the opposite side of the patterned paper, which has pink stripes.

This one was for the sketchy colours challenge 262 Red, brown and white - I accidentally used the green ribbon but I couldn't take it back off, I hope this is ok?

Audio Book Review

Resistance is Futile by Jenny T. Colgan

Connie is recruited, along with five other astonishing mathematicians, to break a code, for which they all have to sign a secrets act declaration. Connie is used to be seen as weird, but here she is accepted just as she is, especially as Luke s even weirder, even for a mathematician. When Connie manages to crack the first part of the code, at the same time as their employer is drained of colour, and life, chaos breaks out. A fun story that you can imagine playing out exactly the way it does if it was real-life. There are twists to the plot, the people you start off disliking become more likeable as they are put under pressure and still hold out for their friends. This is not quite a happy ending book though unfortunately, but it does leave itself slightly open for further interpretation and imaginings. I would recommend this book as an amusing and thought provoking listen on long journeys.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my blog,

Hugz Tinz

Stitching and more stitching :D

Hi there,

I wanted to show you the recent cards I made for a couple of members in my Round Robin group. The idea was to make a cross stitched Christmas card that could be used as a decoration, with the theme of Christmas Zoo. So here are the two I made:

I made them both into hanging decorations as you can see, and made the cards using patterned papers and a few Christmas embellishments only. They took just over 9 hours to complete the pair.

I would like to enter them for the following challenges:

LOC Anything Goes

catch the bug Penguin parade (ok second card)

ABC Christmas Z for Zoo

my time to craft #311 Last minute Christmas

I have also got updates for both of my large cross stitch designs:

Height chart @ 39 hours

Fish tank @ 115 hours 20

Thank you for looking,
Hugz Tinz

Christmas Index

H everybody,

Hope you all had a good Christmas? I am back with my first Christmas card ironically enough lol.

I wanted to create a Christmas scene, without using too many Christmas elements. The images were off a CDRom that came with Cardmaking with your PC 25 I think. The image of the girl on the swing was coloured with promarkers before adding to the tree. Two bells were added to the bottom of the swing and a Christmas hat to the top to make the card more festive in appearance. I also added tinsel and baubles to the tree using papermania metallic and glitter markers. A quick CAS card, which certainly cannot be classified as 'Traditional' lol.

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

CASology 178 Merry

PFP 326 Let's Celebrate

mod squad Anything Goes

cute card thursday 405 Anything Goes

craftyhazelnut Anything Goes

glitter n sparkle #168 Glittery, sparkly Christmas
abc Challenge X-Xtreme (bright colours)
my time to craft #311 Last minute Christmas makes
Stamping Boutique Anything Goes
creative card crew 103 Anything Goes
scrapbook stamp society #81 Christmas
country view #34 Create a scene
vs sweet ideas #41 Non-traditional Christmas colours

I also have a book review:

The Fear Index by Robert Harris

A story about developing computers to allow them to use their own initiative without having to be given explicit instructions. When Alex, the president of a very successful hedge fund using his own technology to manage investment trade, is attacked at his high security home, by somebody who has the security codes things start to take a downward slide. He has to find out who is impersonating him, somebody who knows his closest secrets, and why. He also has to stop them before major damage occurs.

This book keeps you on the edge of your seat, and it is quite believable that machines could develop in the way the story implies, if given the right programming initially. It plays on your own fears of artificial intelligence as well as the much more common occurrences of identity theft and fraud. Well written and fast-paced, but the ending could have had a little more information. The story is left quite open. A good overall read.

Thank you for looking

Hugz Tinz

Blind Snow

Hi there,

Sorry it has been a while since I posted. It has been a very busy week with birthdays and visiting people, so I have spent very little time at my computer. However, I have made this snow themed card this evening:

I got these butterflies about a year ago and have not had any inspiration to use them.However for this card I followed the Atlantic Hearts Sketch #139 , and used a snowflake glitter vellum for the centre panel. I then inked two felt snowflakes using pretty colour ink pens in purple and blue. I also added some glitter using papermania glitter pens in purple and blue. Leaves were added, with more glitter, to make the snowflakes into flowers.The butterfly was added to the centre, with the wings folded up to give a 3D effect. Finally snowflakes were punched from silver paper and added as accents to finish. I think this has a real wintry feel with the colours and the sparkle!

I would also like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Live and Love Crafts  #42 Sparkle

crafty calendar Let it snow

inkspirational #98 Bah Humbug (not a Christmas card)

alphabet challenge V for Vintage

CCM #154 Snow
SOS #231 Let it snow
modsquad Anything but Christmas
allsorts 342/3 Anything But Christmas

Audiobook review

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

This story is written from the point of view of the main character, Iris, when she is an elderly woman, looking back on her life. The story is based around events that led up to her sister Laura’s untimely death. The girls are brought up by their well-off businessman father, who owns several factories in Canada, but the depression after the first world war causes trouble, and leads to Iris being asked t marry Richard to save the factories. Ultimately Richard and his sister betray all that they have promised, and Iris is writing it all down so her granddaughter can finally know the truth about her family and her real father.

The Blind Assassin part of the book is a story within the story, and is one that Alex, who has won both girls hearts, tells to his mysterious lover, and which is then published in Laura’s name by Iris, several years after Laura has committed suicide.

Parts of the story are interesting, and the inner story is very intriguing, but it does tend to meander through certain parts of the story. Also the description on the back of the book made me think they were looking into Laura’s death in the story, which obviously was not the case. However, most of the story keeps you interested, and so is good to listen to.

Thank you for looking

Hugz Tinz

Unusual colours for Christmas

Hi there,

I have been making more Christmas cards. First up is a purple Santa card:

I used a papermania cling stamp for the image, and coloured with Promarkes. The base is just a cheap patterned card base, with a blue Christmas paper across the middle, and the sentiment came free about three years ago with a Christmas magazine.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
The Challenge - APWP Sketch

i love promarkers #298 Anything Goes
crafting by designs Here come the holidays
CRAFT 341 Christmas
crafty hazelnuts christmas 259 Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin' Christmas presents (in Santas sack!)
Artistic Inspirations #146 Christmas
scrapbook stamp society #81 Christmas
creative card crew 102 Holiday season
deep ocean #118 Santa Claus is coming to town
ABC Christmas Y for Youngsters (colour scheme)
Hanna and friends #237 christmas in unusual colours
jingle belles Christmas
addicted to stamps #115 Christmas
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Father Christmas
Card Mania #75 Christmas

Thank you for looking - some Cross Stitched projects coming soon!

Hugz Tinz

Planted kitty

Hi there,

I have made a card using one of my cross stitches that I made up earlier in the year, of a little kitty in a plant pot. I just added the stitched design behind a pre-printed aperture card.

I hope you like this cutie as much as I do :)

I would like to enter him for the following challenges:

SOS #230 UFO's - stitching and base card

papertake weekly FUN FUN FUN

glitter n sparkle #166 Anything Goes

crafting by designs Anything Goes

Here is an update on my fish tank @ 114hrs 10.

Thank you for looking - up next - Christmas lol.

Thanks for looking,
Hugz Tinz

Wyrd Elephant

Hi there,

Here is my second creation for the week of Chaos over at Catch the Bug, which was a sketch:

And here is my card:

I covered a plain white base card with a pearlescent holly paper from Papermania. I then used glitter strips to add the definition to the base. The doily-like die-cut came with an ATC and I stamped the elephant image (which is a Crafter's Companion image) and holly onto plain white card using Papermania metallic markers, which actually worked quite well. I then coloured them using promarkers - metallic red gold, cool grey 2&3, Plum Preserve, Antique Pink, Mint Green and Poppy. Finally the sentiment was stamped using the purple matallic Papermania pen and purple glitter, and a deep purple bow added to finish.

I would also like to enter this card for these challenges:

PFP325 Christmas Tree

Winter Wonderland Holly/Ivy

Crafty Hazelnuts 258 Time to decorate

C4C315 Oh Christmas Tree

artistic inspirations #146 Christmas
CCM #153 'Twas the night before Christmas (Not a creature was stirring)
scrapbook stamp society #81 Christmas

jingle belles Christmas
my time to craft #310 Christmas Animals
addicted to stamps #115 Christmas
card mania #75 Christmas

Audio Book Review

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Prachett

This is a story about Witches and Kings. If you know these books then this story is based around the three witches – Magrat, Nanny Og and Granny Weatherwax (not sure if these are spelt correctly lol). When the King of Lancrah is murdered, the witches help to spirit his baby son away from the castle and keep him safe. They will not meddle in the affairs of kings however, until the kingdom lets it be known that it is not happy with the current ruler and wants the crown to change hands. Then the witches must use some inventive magic to bring the rightful heir to the thrown back, to claim his crown.

I cannot read the Discworld novels but find them to be very entertaining in audio book form. It is the style of writing that stops me from becoming engrossed in the story, but this is bypassed when somebody else is reading. This was a very amusing book that turns many ideas about witchcraft and kings on their heads.

Thank you for looking,

Hugz Tinz