A warm welcome to all my visitors,

Thank you for taking the time to come and look at my blog, I really do appreciate it. I would love you to leave me a comment, even if it’s just to say Hi. It means I can come visit you!

All my designs are original, so copyrighted to me. If I have been inspired by someone elses work, I have named them in the post, and where able, I have provided a link.

Please feel free to use my designs for inspiration, I just ask you to credit me, and provide a link back to my blog.

Thanks, Shaz XX

Sunday 31 December 2017

Favourite projects of 2017

Well, here we are, at the end of another year, and as I've done for the last few, a shortish roundup of my favourite projects of the year.


This is just a couple of cards made using the Tim Holtz Mixed Media dies, backed onto a coloured or patterned paper. Found this was a great way to use up some of the mountain of backgrounds made using things like alcohol inks/blended sheets/Brushos.















Also great for  patterned papers that I probably would not use on their own, maybe too busy, or the design too large.






 On to one of my favourite stamp companies, Honey Doo, who have lots of lovely images, mainly, but not entirely, florals.





I stamped the image on white cardstock, then stamped again in co-ordinating vellum, and cut out the flowers. Added a few gems/pearls for a little bling.











Completely outside my comfort zone with this, I decided to try a bit of  Mixed Media to alter the cover of a Birthday Book.





























This one was a 7" square canvas, made for my Son Ant for his birthday. I think I added some drips to it, but forgot to take a final photo.









One of my absolutely favourite stamp companies, Stampscapes. I have about another 10 or so to mount- it's amazing what you can achieve without the Internet for a few days!








This had to be my most loved technique of the year.


Julie Rose, (Amber Rose Crafts), a DT member for Sweet Poppy Stencils,did a post about using Heat Transfer foil with Stencil Paste & a Laminator, and I was hooked.
 You can buy (expensive) machines to do this with, but a cheap laminator works just as well.



Most of these still need to be made into cards, and are currently in my UFO box.







Final part of my post, is two fabulous workshop days I had this year.
Just as we were boarding the plane to go on holiday this year, Art From The Heart announced a weekend of Tim Holtz workshops!
 I knew I had absolutely no chance of booking from Kos, so was not a happy bunny. Then I had a brainwave. My lovely friend Debbie Rock-(Tattered Rocks)- is a huge fan of Tim, and I hoped she would want to book too. Could she book me a ticket as well? After a bit of a nightmare for her- AFTH had a huge server collapse issue with so many people trying to book- she amazingly got us both booked on.




Doug had to strongarm Debbie into this photo- she's a bit camera shy, but we both knew she'd regret it forever if she didn't have a pic with the man himself.














Both Tim & Mario were lovely, friendly & down to earth.


He even signed all my Distress books at the end! Debbie & I had a blast, although at this point I was actually coming down with Sepsis- I had no idea!







  My second workshop was a local one, at Amelias Creative Crafts, in Studley. This one was with the lovely Eileen Godwin, a lady I've wanted to meet for years, in fact as long as I've been blogging. She was one of the very first visitors to my blog, and to get encouragement from a complete stranger was amazing.



Eileen is as lovely and friendly as she looks in this pic! She is such a talented crafter- she's on the DT's for Lavinia Stamps, Sweet Poppy, Visible Image & Designs by Ryn.


The lady on the left in the blue apron is Julie Rose, the one with the laminator technique, so was great to meet her too. And do you remember the Glitter Girls, with the embossing boards? That's Kathy standing next to me. I understand they sold the company, and she now crafts for fun.








Two of the projects made with Eileen.













With Tim we made a series of tags using various products and techniques.




9 comments:

cuilliesocks said...

Hi Shaz, what a super post and a great collection of your favourite projects, they are all fabulous. Thanks for sharing and wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year with good Health and Kindness, Kate x

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Well, that was a lovely and very interesting read! I do love your crafting style but that foil technique is my favourite, so beautiful. May 2018 be as craftily wonderful as this year and be happy and healthy also 😊💖
Hugs LLJ xxxx

Julie Rose said...

Hi
I love the blog, thanks for the mention about the foiling. I have to say I still think it's my favourite technique. If love to know what make the flourish die is for your first cards.
Crafty hugs for 2018.
Jules xxx

Sarah Brennan said...

Happy new year. Another great year's crafting and blogging. Here's to the next.

Helen said...

Wishing you (both) a very Happy New Year and much continued creativity.

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Hi Shaz, great minds think alike. It's always good to look back before starting a New Year. After all that's how January got it's name from the two headed god Janus who looks both back and forward. I hope the new year brings you everything you would wish for. Happy New Year, Angela xXx

Julia Dunnit said...

Well, you’ve had another ‘quite a year’. It’s a miracle to me tha tyou found the motivation to do all of this! I can’t choose between them for favourites, and I am so happy for you and Debbie about the workshop places, what luck! May that continue throughout 2018...hope to see you at some point too! happy New Year, love to you both, x

Heather M said...

Hi Shaz. The foiled cards have to be my favourites, although the ones from the workshop with Eileen come a very close second! Maybe by the end of2018 I'll have some favourite projects to post!! I can live in hope! I've really enjoyed reading your posts and wish you all the very best for 2018 xx

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

A lovely collection of your projects! I really love the holographic elephants and who wouldn't want a picture with Tim Holtz!

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