That would be me!!!!!

Hi everyone and huge thanks for all your fantastic comments/suggestions on my last post. You guys are amazing and gave me so much food for thought. Then, if that weren't enough, I got a couple of emails and a text this weekend to ask if it was me in the January edition of The Craft Stamper!! YES!!!!!!

And so the 'secret' is out - my name is Jenny Marples (I've used the alias 'Buttons' for a while so as not to cause 'unforseen issues' whilst teaching teenagers, but that all changed this autumn so now it's safe to come out from the shadows:) Hurrah! That bit of information, and these snapshots will help you to identify me as one of the runners up of the Indigo Blu section of the Craft Stamper of the Year 2012 competition!!

I can't show you my entry in all its glory (you can see that in a copy of the magazine) but these are closeups I took before sending it off for publication.

It was all made using some of the stamps won as candy from the amazing Trace (inkypinkycraft). She has a candy draw on at the moment too, so if you want to be in with the chance of winning something that has the midas touch head over there!

I can't show you my card, but here's a tag made earlier today to celebrate this achievement, using many of the same techniques and elements.

Anyone with Tim Holtz' Compendium of Curiosities 2 will know how to do the metal background. I've then added die cut sprockets made from mirror card, corrugated card and grungepaper and lashings of alcohol ink. The industrial feel is added to with Alterations and Woodware brads.

The pocket watches were designed to look like decorations and involved lots of cutting and layering with different cardstock types. The gold/blue pearly faces and sentiment were created from a piece of 'caught in crystal' (alcohol inks mixed with crystal lacquer/glossy accents layered between acetate and tissue).

The ghostly image of stamped cogs has been done on tissue, glued in place with Glue n Seal and then clear embossed in place. It's nice to have a physical memento of the card I sent away.

This tag is being entered into the following challenges;

Sunday Stamper challenge 234 - Labelled With Love

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - To Die For (sponsored by Marina from Cottage Crafts)

Time to sign off for tonight. Thank you for dropping by again - it is always such a joy to hear what you have to say. I promise to return the compliment and drop in on so many crafting friends to see what you've been up to as well. You are such a talented and inspirational bunch with hearts of gold.

Until then sending you huge hugs, Jenny x (Buttons)