Thursday, April 30, 2009

WHY I LOVE BLOGGING

Why do I love blogging?

To be honest, it's something I resisted for quite a while - couldn't see the point if you had a website. Couldn't imagine what I would want to write about - and couldn't imagine anyone would want to read it, either!

Visit Joy at Cupid's Charm to meet all the other Party goers!

So I thought it might be a kind of depository for bits of artwork, and a vanity thing - just to be fashionable and say I had a blog too. The must-have accessory, kind of thing. For someone who never kept a diary beyond the first week, the person who only ever filled in the address section of her organsier - I never, ever thought I would keep it up (this is my 112th!)

Blogging is addictive - I find myself planning posts when sitting in the bath, or on the bus. I look online for things to share, funny YouTube videos etc. And I find I love to inform, to share, to teach: techniques, how to do things, WHY to do things... and I have fallen in love with the technicalities of blogging - I worked out how to make blog buttons, email buttons ... and now I can't stop.

I love to see how every blog is different: there are only so many templates - but what infinite variety in what the bloggers do within their own environments. I love the blog skins, the colours, the little decorative doodads, widgets, gadgets, buttons and badges... the clothing the blogger dresses up in!

Plus I have made so many friends - people who, if we lived in the same country, would be fun to hang out with and be on the phone with, go shopping with... People who GET IT when I moan about the computer playing up (my husband doesn't even know how to use one). I reckon we're ALL twins separated at birth.

Take this button for your blog, if you would like to:

Go to Layout > Page Elements > Add a Gadget, then copy and paste all the code into an HTML/JavaCode box.


<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/tn_FrameThanks.png"/></a>

Thanks due to Joy at Cupid's Charm for organising this wonderful Blog Party.

ADDENDUM:
While you are here, visiting my blog (thanks so much) you may also want to whizz over to the BladeRubberStamps Blog very quickly - as there is a great giveaway competition of exclusive free stamps (which I designed myself) which closes TOMORROW (Saturday 2nd May). You might not be aware of this, and I'd hate you to miss out!

Scroll further down this blog to see full details - or go to BladeRubberStamps Blog). All you have to do is leave a comment to win. I will announce the winner on both blogs on Sunday (3rd).

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD


This is proving an absolutely MAGIC week for me!




First, I get the proofs of the stamps I designed for BladeRubber Stamps - and we have a giveaway on the BladeRubberBlog if you want to enter for it...

....Then I get picked to be Guest Artist of the Month on Vintage Flaire... see the post below this one...

... and now Malisa, The Renaissance Chick, has given me this amazing Kreativ Blogger Award!

My cup seriously runneth over!

Do I accept this award? You betcha! To get this award, here are the rules:

The Rules:
  1. List 7 things that you LOVE
  2. Link to the person who has tagged you
  3. Choose 7 more bloggers to give the Kreativ Blogger Award to
  4. Comment on those 7 blogs to let the recipients know you chose them
I am beyond thrilled!

7 THINGS THAT I LOVE

  1. My husband. Yes I do. He is Husband No 2 (No 1 is still, to this day, known as The Creep). This one is A Keeper - highly tolerant of all my mess (the computer is in the front room, the art table is in a corner) and highly tolerant of the hours I spend on the computer, which means I mostly sit with my back to him all night. He's a good cook too, and just as well... or we'd be living on pizza if we depended on me!
  2. Blogging. I love blogging. To think that I resisted it so long... I love the mix of people and the things they blog about - it's just a shame that I don't have enough hours in the day to read them all properly (ie: every single post). It's the same with magazines: I tend to skim through and mostly look at the pictures. You should see me at the dentist - I ought to get a Speed Read award!
  3. Books, books, books: reading them, altering them, making them. I love constructing/building a book just as much as journaling or sketching in it. And I read every chance I get: in the bath, in bed, on the bus, on the train. I take a book with me everywhere I go, and if I didn't belong to a library we'd be bankrupt.
  4. DIY. I adore decorating - I can paint, wallpaper and tile. I LIKE being able to say I repainted our wardrobes etc. My husband hates DIY, although he will do the heavy stuff that I can't do myself. He built the computer shelves etc into the chimney breast alcoves for me. I can honestly say that the number of flatpacks we have put together (wardrobes, bedside drawers etc) we've never had a row! But he hates painting (drips paint everywhere) so it's a good thing I enjoy it. Plus I get to pick all the colours. If things had worked out differently, I might have been an interior designer... who knows.
  5. Handbags. For some reason, I seem to own more handbags than shoes! I tend to the larger size that will take a purse, a mobile and an umbrella - plus tissues, pens, a book, a sketchbook, shopping lists, a makeup bag... I also seem to favour the colour black - although why I would think I needed more than four black handbags I don't know! Nothing exceeds like excess, I suppose.
  6. Art materials. Why buy one item when you can buy lots? As in: why 1 pot of gel medium, when you better buy a spare - oh, make it 2 just in case I don't visit the shop for a while... then some more gesso (yes, I know I already have white, black, red and clear - all in large sizes). And paint: 3 sets of watercolours, 2 sets of watercolour pencils, I don't know how many tubes of gouache, acrylics, Jo Sonja acrylics, Lumieres, Sherrill's Sorbets, waterproof ink, calligraphy ink...don't even get me started on coloured pencils. Paper - gorgeous paper: Fabriano, Bockingford... lots and lots of paper! Then there's the brushes (acrylic, watercolour, thin, thick, fine, hogshair, synthetic...)
  7. Rubber stamps. Different tools from art materials, because these are toys to play with! And all the stuff that goes with them: ink pads, ribbons, gem stones, stickers, embossing powders, glitter, tape, glue - can you say "ephemera"? Fripperies...
LINK TO THE PERSON WHO TAGGED ME

The wonderful, the adorable, the lady with perfect taste (she picked me! she picked me!)
Malisa, The Renaissance Chick

7 BLOGGERS I AM GIVING THE AWARD TO - AND WHY

My Magnificent Seven are.... drum roll please....

Jo Capper-Sandon at Jo Blogs for her constantly inspiring, original and immaculate artwork. Plus she's a very nice lady!

Deryn Mentock at Something Sublime because she does the most stupendous jewellery, which she also photographs and presents beautifully. I want all of it! (All I need is to win the lottery).

Laure Ferlita at Painted Thoughts Blog because she is a very sweet girl who does the most beautifully detailed watercolours. Her artistry in portraying feathers and fur are at a standard I aspire to, but will probably never reach!

Sally Turlington at Imagine This, who wrote me the sweetest email when I commented on her studio purchase (a brilliant set of drawers). Her blog is great fun, she writes how she speaks and she is so ENTHUSIASTIC about everything, which always cheers me up. A very fun lady!

Barb Thomas at Somethingz To Crow About, who is the original mad Aussie! This lady has a serious crow obsession (see her clock and die of envy) and a really quirky sense of humour. Her work is sassy, irreverant, tongue-in-cheek and FUN.

Trish Bee at Trish Bee's Art-Venture because she is THE most dedicated woman I know for sharing stamping techniques, writing multiple blogs and running yahoo groups and swaps! If there's a technique out there... Trish will have tried it, posted samples and a tutorial! And inspired others to try it too. I admire her tremendously.

Peggy Gatto at My Coloring Book, who is another amazingly talented watercolour artist - also with an irreverant sense of humour. (I have a feeling these ladies are all my age...) Her avatar is a nun with an umbrella, which struck a chord with me straight away. She also takes the most beautiful closeups of flowers, which I have a real weakness for.

Thanks again Malisa. I am so thrilled to think that not only are people actually reading my blog, but also like it! Off now to give the news to the Magnificent Seven.

VINTAGE FLAIRE - ARTIST OF THE MONTH


"UNDERSTATED" ELEGANCE

copyright Susie Jefferson

I'm absolutely thrilled to announce I have been invited to be Guest Artist of the Month for Vintage Flaire!

So I have put up a couple of articles now (4 card projects using vintage images, and an altered book spread).

If anyone would like to go and see - and maybe join Vintage Flaire, which is a ning social networking group - you'll be made very welcome. There is also a clickable button in the sidebar.

Here is the link: go to DT Gallery (Design Team) scroll down and you'll see my name!

Or go here for the vintage cards and here for the altered book spread.

How cool is that!

BLADERUBBER BLOG 100th POST GIVEAWAY


The 100th Post BladeRubberStamps Blog-versary Giveaway!


To celebrate this special anniversary, Kaye and Graham of BladeRubber Stamps are giving away this great EXCLUSIVE set of unmounted stamps. You're seeing these in public for the very first time!


Sunday Best
copyright Susie Jefferson
8.5cm x 5.5cm











These designs are so new, they aren't even in production yet (and are only available by special order at present).


Parisian Gown
copyright Susie Jefferson
10.00cm x 5.5cm






The winner of the Giveaway gets all three stamps!

Each stamp comes with its own First Edition Authentication Certificate... a real collector's item.


The Men
copyright Susie Jefferson
5cm x 5cm





To win these exclusive stamps, all you have to do is leave a comment. The competition closes on Saturday, and I will announce the winner on Sunday (3rd May).

Anyone can enter - just leave a comment!

You must leave a comment on the BladeRubber Blog to be in the free draw for the stamps. Don't leave a comment here, as it won't count, sorry!

Monday, April 27, 2009

ALTERED BOOKS AS WALL ART


Here's a brilliant link for you - altered books as wall art!


Copyright CraftStylish designed by Jeffrey Rudell

Go to this link to see loads of variations on the theme - great if you've been stockpiling books like mad and now don't know what to do with them!

Left page: two sections, each folded separately. The folded top page fastens to the one underneath. The folded lower page fastens to the page in the main section of the book.

Right page: a dot of glue underneath at the point.

I've been using the fold to construct pocket pages: just attach the folded page to the next one following (paper clip, brad, eyelet etc) and run a line of glue underneath the bottom fold - then the top portion becomes a great pocket!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

BERNIDEEN'S STRAWBERRY TARTLETS


Photograph & recipe copyright
Bernideen at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog




I never could resist strawberry tartlets - but would never have thought of trying to make them myself (and they can be incredibly expensive to buy - especially in London!)

However, having seen this recipe I couldn't resist sharing it with you all!

Bernideen's Strawberry Tartlets

This recipe will make more than 24 tarlets.

You will need 3 cups of fresh strawberry puree, 1/3 cup confectioners sugar -more if strawberries are tart!

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup of heavy cream and 24 tartlet shells - the mini ones

Puree the strawberries in a food processor. Sprinkle the gelatin on top, and pour the puree into a saucepan. Stir gently over very low heat until the gelatin dissolves. Let the puree cool to lukewarm. Combine the cream with 1/3 cup confectioners sugar and whip until the cream is very thick. Fold in the lukewarm strawberry puree. Pipe the mixture into the tartlet shell. Put the tartlets in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until set. Keep in refrigeration until serving.
Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. I think I will actually attempt it myself (I adore good patisserie!) Don't forget to visit Bernideen's Tea Time Blog for more treats!

Friday, April 24, 2009

PINK SATURDAY - ROSES ALL THE WAY


It's coming up roses for my Pink Saturday contribution this week!


This perfect pink rose is from our garden last Summer.

First, a poem:

For if I wait, said she,
Till time for roses be,
For the moss-rose and the musk-rose,
Maiden-blush and royal-dusk rose,
What glory then for me
In such a company?
Roses plenty, roses plenty
And one nightingale for twenty?
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
A Lay of the Early Rose

More glorious pink flowers





God gave us memories so that we might have roses in December
- J M Barrie







Here's a vintage rose button I made in Photoshop for you to decorate your blogs with (just go Layout > Page Element > Add A Gadget, then copy the code and paste into an HTML/JavaCode box).






<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/thRose.png"/></a>

And here are some more rose quotations:
I saw a sunset in Queretaro that seemed to reflect the colour of a rose in Bengal.
- Jorge Luis Borges

Pink Parfait rose





The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose.
- Heda Bejar

And finally, the best-known quote of all ...
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet
- William Shakespeare(1564 - 1616)
Romeo and Juliet: Act 2 scene 2




Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and to see all the other Pink Saturday posts!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

LITTLE LOST FOX

I just found this adorable story illustrated by Alicia Padron.



Turn the sound on, and prepare to be charmed and amazed.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

AND THE WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS...

And the winner is....(drum roll please)... KSLAUGHTER











Kathy, please email me your address so I can get the album into the post to you.

My husband (Peter) did the democratic thing: I put all the names into the largest mixing bowl we own and he shut his eyes and pulled one out. It would have been a hat, except I just realised I don't have one.

So congratulations Kathy and I hope you like your book.

Sorry to everyone else - I wish I could have given one to everybody!

Friday, April 17, 2009

PINK SATURDAY - PINK PROJECTS

Two Pink Projects for Pink Saturday!

THE POSTCARD:


Paris Postcard
Copyright Susie Jefferson











  • The stamped background postoid text and the Eiffel Tower are both from Tim Holtz's I See Paris sheet.
  • The postcard is a natural, flecked, handmade paper.
  • The background was stamped in Ranger Archival ink in Sepia, and the Eiffel Tower in Brilliance Graphite Black onto white linen-effect cardstock.
  • Tear round the Eiffel Tower image and colour it Direct-To-Paper style, using Versacolour pigment inks in Old Rose & Opera Pink, with a touch of Sky Blue.
  • The image is from a photo in my private collection. If she isn't French, then she certainly looks it!
  • Both Eiffel Tower and photo are layered over torn vintage French text from an old dictionary.
  • I used a clear alphabet to stamp out April in Paris, using Ranger's Sepia archival ink again, and drew over the letters by hand with a red glitter pen. I also coloured in the lady's lipstick with the red glitter pen.
  • Her cheeks were coloured with a cottonwool bud (carefully) with the Old Rose pigment ink.
  • Finally, I drew over the lips with Ranger's Glossy Accents, to really make the lipstick "pop".
THE TAG:



Paris Tag
Copyright Susie Jefferson










  • Crumple a manilla tag then smooth it out again. Do this a couple of times.
  • Swipe the tag with Distress ink in Mahogany and spritz a couple of times with clear water, so that the ink runs.
  • Allow to dry naturally, or hurry it up with a heat gun.
  • Flatten with an iron (on Dry setting) if you hate the creases.
  • Stamp the Eiffel Tower in Ranger Archival Sepia ink and tear around the image.
  • Use a cottonwool bud to tint the tower with a touch of Old Rose Versacolour ink.
  • Scuff round the torn edges of the image with Distress ink in Black Soot.
  • Stamp the alphabet as described above and draw over the letters with Glossy Accents.
  • Tint cheeks & lips as above.
Two easy-peasy and FAST projects for when you're in a hurry. These can both be done as a production run (I made around 20 postcards for a swap I was in). I like doing the tags to give away as bookmarks (you can never have too many bookmarks) and must have made around 10 or so of these as well.

Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and to see all the other Pink Saturday posts!

LET'S HEAR IT FOR SUSAN BOYLE


What about the phenomenon that is Susan Boyle!

By request, all embedding links have been removed from this YouTube clip, so here is the link for HD quality - you really get the purity of sound.

Susan also recorded Cry Me A River way back in 1999 for a charity CD. Click on this link and be carried away... this woman is a National Treasure! Yay Susan! How could a voice like this stay undiscovered for so long?

You saw it here first, folks!

All praise to the Daily Record newspaper for finding it.

Monday, April 13, 2009

101 POSTS & A GIVEAWAY

I've just realised I have written 100 posts on this blog!

Considering I never kept up a diary in my life beyond the first week, this calls for a big celebration - I have had over 9200 visitors which is totally incredible. I can't believe it - thank you all so much.












So I have decided to put up one of my handmade Japanese stab-bound albums as a giveaway.










This is a little A5 sized album and the front and back covers are decorated inside and out: also the page edges have just a little decoration and distressing. So it should be a quick one to fill up!

Some of you may have seen it before (published in Simply Stamping issue 6) so you know this book was built from the raw cardboard out! The ruler is a piece of real vintage school ruler (about 1960s) and the windows on the front cover all open to show the 30s movie stars underneath.

Just leave me a comment about why you want it, and I'll announce the lucky winner next Sunday (19th April).

Friday, April 10, 2009

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY

As it's Easter weekend, I thought I would give you something a little different!

Here is a blog button for you to copy into the footer of your blog. Just go to Layouts, scroll to the bottom of the layout page and click on Add A Gadget > add HTML/JavaCode and paste the code into the box. Save, and that's it!



<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/thanksvisit.jpg"/></a>


And an Easter card (one of my digital collages) which you are free to copy (personal use only, no collage collections).

Copyright Susie Jefferson


Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound to all the other Pink Saturday posts!


Tuesday, April 7, 2009

BLOG BUTTONS

I have been messing around with Photoshop and making some blog buttons, which you might like to use.

YOUR OWN EMAIL BUTTON
  1. Go to Layout > Page Elements >Add A Gadget and click on the HTML/JavaScript box.
  2. Copy & paste the code exactly as shown, and substitute your own email address where the red lettering is, in between the " " marks.
  3. DO NOT DELETE the mailto: code, or it won't work.
  4. Click Save and then go and test it!








<a href="mailto:your email address"><img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/intouchbutton.jpg"/></a>

If that one isn't your style, how about this one:






<a href="mailto:your email address"><img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/e-me.png"/></a>


I'll be putting more buttons on, and they will all be archived onto the Computery page so you can find them easily.

I'll be very interested in feedback on these email buttons: if you like them, I will make more.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

AN EXCELLENT ENTERTAINMENT

As you know, I always love to share fun stuff, and here is a very excellent entertainment I saw on Tristan's Enchanted Revelry blog - so I had to put it on mine! Thanks Tristan



It's well worth watching right to the very end. I've always loved the Hallelujah Chorus, but would never have imagined it performed like this...

We all need a little lightness in our lives!

Friday, April 3, 2009

NEW PAGE!


It's been a busy week!


Copyright-free image from Tack-o-Rama


First I had the competition on the BladeRubberBlog to finalise - we (being Graham & Kaye, who own BladeRubberStamps, and Freyja who also teaches there) had to decide the ten finalists. Which are now chosen, and I have put them up on the blog (anonymously) with a poll for people to vote for their favourite piece of artwork. The standard was really high - I'd hate to have to choose between them!

Then the vote for the new page title finished: and so Computery was born. This page is going to have tips, tricks, how-to's - anything and everything computery, tecchie, that doesn't fit anywhere else.

The first entry (tonight!) is how to make your own computer screensavers. I expect most of you will know this already, but for those who don't... I'm hoping this is going to be a really useful resource, and I'd like you to feel free to email me with suggestions and solutions you found out (the hard way, no doubt, just like me!)

I'm quite thrilled with this - it's made me get to grips with Photoshop a little more to make headers and buttons (which will also go onto Computery).