A good days work......

Went to Ally Pally on Sunday and got lots of new goodies but haven't had time to play till today!! Spent all day Monday doing the dreaded HW and also scrubbing my deck so that it can be treated ready for the winter - so today I was completed exhausted and ready for a quiet day in my craft room, but rather than start anything new, I opted to finish off some bits that were lying around my craft room.



First of all I used some nice new ribbons I got at AP to finish off this ribbon doll for the GAS MAMMA challenge. I really like the way she's turned out. Her wings are made from a paisley stamp I have never used before and to get the 'set' I needed to try out reverse or double stamping ie to get both wings I needed to stamp it in both directions. After several false starts, I finally got it to work by stamping with versafine on to a piece of ordinary plastic wrapping (like a card bag) and then quickly sticking a piece of card on top. You need the image to be quite wet, but not so wet it will smudge. I have to say, despite trying out all sorts I am rapidly coming to the opinion that versafine are the best ink pads - they are always so juicy. The one I used I have been stamping with for well over a year, it was the first pad I ever bought and still going strong.

I had started the backgrounds on a couple of tags at a distress workshop the other week and thought I would finish them off. After checking in at Tuesday Taggers, I saw this weeks challenge was trees so added an image from a Crafty Individuals stamp, plus some text. The text was a new purchase (don't ask, I will not divulge how many new stamps I bought at AP) and is a Clarity stamp, I was really impressed with how nice an impression it made on a difficult surface. This weeks challenge is sponsored by the Craft Barn, so you could win goodies if you take part!!!



I just found a nice image to go on the second one, with a grungeboard heart. I thought the little word stamp said 'Bella' but in fact it says Belle, but fortunately I think it still works lol!!



Quick reminder that you have another day to join in for this month's giveaway (see side bar for link) - I have to work tomorrow until the evening so may not make the draw until late.....

Sepia challenge

These two ATCs are my entry to this week's challenge at Tuesday Taggers which is 'Sepia'. I had two little practice pieces painted with crackle paints which I stamped with two images using staz-on - they came out suitably 'distressed' and since I finished it a bit more of the crackle has fallen off but I was aiming for that kind of look..... well that's my excuse. The challenge this week is sponsored by The Stampman There are £15 worth of vouchers up for grabs and there are some lovely entries from the design team, including a fantastic mini suitcase with a travel book inside. Do have a look.



I made these tags today for a challenge on the Docrafts forum. They are loosely based on an article in this month's craft stamper and were really fun and quick to do (well, if you ignore the inevitable fight to set my ancient sewing machine up). Basically I just found a load of scraps and put them randomly on some iron on interfacing, ironed them on (!) and then sort of crazy stitched with the machine all over it. The main image was stamped on to tissue paper (although fabric would have been nice too) and then attched by stitching. I then used a needle & thread (my mother would be proud) to do a little bit of hand stitched beading and attach some embellies before mounting on another piece of black card (well the back was a bit of a mess). Voila!! I have left the sewing machine out in case I get the urge to make some more...

I must be in heaven.......

cos I'm surrounded by angels. No, it's just the September ATC swap theme for the scrappindippity group on FLICKR. 7 ATCs on an angel theme.



This week I gave up waiting for the library service to find me a copy of Kelly Rae Roberts 'Taking Flight' and bought my own copy. As you can see I dove straight in and here is my first attempt at one of the winsome little ladies which are her trademark style. Didn't feel brave enough to do the eyes so they are closed but pretty pleased with this one. There will be more!!



I have been wanting to use this image in my artwork for a long time - it is a photograph taken by my daughter for her graphics course and I think it is pretty cool. I was saving this for my little 4 x 4 angel book (which is still a WIP) but couldn't resist using it for this swap. But there's no rule I can't use it again!!
If you would like to see all 7 ATCs for this swap then click here.

September giveaway is HERE......

Just a simple hanger this month, with a garden theme. I've spent a lot of time time in my garden this year which has been fantastic. And the butterflies!! There have been days when fluttering clouds of them just filled the garden. The parakeets are also getting bolder, have seen them quite close up this year, and we have about thirty little frogs in our pond!! Mind, you, I'm not so happy about the foxes and their antics...



As usual, anyone who leaves a comment on this post before 9 pm on Wednesday 30th September will be entered in to a draw to win this. Please feel free to post a link from your blogs and thanks in advance to everyone who takes part!!

September must be a great month......

for arty birthdays as it seems to be one of the busiest months for making special cards and little arty presents.



This is a little tag I made as a BRAK, another image from my stamp bundle looks kind of parisienne, so stuck a bit of eiffel tower in the backgrond. The ghostly image in the background was stamped on to tissue and glued on in reverse. There were several layers of glaze, plus embossing etc and I quite like the depth in this piece. (The recipient is probably looking at it now and going - 'WHAT?') This was the tage that was originally going to be for the buttons and bows challenge but took a change in direction!!



This little art doll was made for Sherry, as I had a sudden urge to make a doll and I know that she likes them. I have to admit I find dolls one of the hardest things to do - its a bit about how my mind works I think because although I consider myself creative, I am also quite a linear person - think design training, drawing boards, straight lines (well curves as well but you get what I mean). Sticking a big cartoon head on a funny body is not a natural or easy process for me. So this one is pretty, and in proportion(ish).... and I love her!! She was also really quick to do, which surprised me, even though I did change her original stamped face for a clay one which looked so much better. So now I may be hooked....



Have only managed one challenge this week, over at Tuesday Taggers where this week we have to make a bookmark. I decided to do an oriental theme because I had a little chinese saying about books and gardens which I was going to put on the back, but got so carried away I laminated it before I put it on. Doh. Anyhow the backing is a lovely DCWV textured paper and I have used one stamp to create the images. Although the original stamp is much larger than the bookmark I masked various bits and stamped it several times, embossed, and then coloured in lightly with some permanent pens.

Think that's enough for today, off to start another project, but have also completed this month's giveaway and will upload tomorrow morning.

In my element......

well, those pesky teenagers have been out of the house this week, one back at school and the other in gainful employment for this week at least lol. The day seems really looooong without someone to pick up after all day, no one to feed every five minutes, no day time tv and only my music blaring out. BLISS.

So here's my ATC for the current MAMMA challenge, whiich is 'Water'. Kept it simple, but like the way the colour has turned out.



I've also had a go at a slide mailer for a friend's birthday - not really sure what it's all about but needed to play with my gilding flakes, try out some of that paper I bought last week and use one of my new stamps. So this is what came out. Job done I guess.





The bottle top charm gave me no end of trouble as I couldn't squash it completely flat all the way round - maybe because I was using my pretty girly pink hammer!!. But in the end, it kind of looked like a 'hood' over the lady's head so I used it anyway. Not something I'm going to try again soon as I quite like my fingers.

It's all about the Journey......

It is better to travel than to arrive....... Are we there yet?

This month's challenge on GAS MAMMA is an altered matchbox with the theme of 'Travel' and all the above had gone through my head along with a trunk full of postcards, a suitcase, some kind of miniature travel journal...... but I am in a somewhat frivolous mood this week, largely I think due to the fact that we managed a meet last week with MAMMA herself and the London MAMMA girls in Covent Garden.



Perhaps it was the fact that the London Transport Museum was there that got me thinking about modes of transport rather than travel but this is what I came up with (Well a double decker bus would be a bit of a stretch for a matchbox wouldn't it?)



I used the inside of the matchbox to create the top part of the car, covered it with paper and then painted with acrylics (should probably have done a third coat but I am way too impatient) and a thin layer of dimenional glaze to give the bodywork a showroom finish (work with me here). The banquette is made from Enammelling Magic and stamped with a rubber texture sheet. The runner board is a slim piece of metal painted black. The tyres and steering wheel are curtain rings wound with wire and painted and the folded 'hood' or canopy is folded black tissue paper. Now I look at it it bears more than a passing resemblance to a kid's TV character - maybe I should have used wobbly eyes instead of the diamonds for the headlights!! Overall it's a bit wonky and I don't suppose it will take much handling but kept me occupied for an hour or three - I love it when I get a silly idea and it works. Well, sort of lol.



The photos have shown up a couple of bits of paintwork that need touching up before I send it out so will have to put it back in the body shop.... now how exactly am I going to send this through the post?!!

BUTTONS AND BOWS.....

is the challenge for this week at Tuesday Taggers. I started it yesterday, thinking I would make a vintage tag (you know, sort of edwardian lady with buttons and bows....) well after a few changes of artistic direction (commonly known as mistakes?) I realised that there was no where on it for me to put the buttons and bows ... funny that. So then I remembered that I had one single piece of 'button' paper left from a Kanban kit (those of you who know which one it is will now be seriously doubting I don't like cute. But it is a VERY VERY cute kit lol). As one avenue of inspiration had led me in completely the wrong direction I decided to use the one piece as a panel on a card and use one of my (again cute...oops what is happening to me?) Sugar Nellie Stamps by Leanne Ellis. I can't do all that clever stuff some guys do with the copic pens (haven't got any anyway) so just watercoloured the main image keeping to a very simple colour palette. Added a bow and a couple of buttons - not bad for someone who allegedly doesn't do CUTE.



Should also mention that this week is sponsored by the Craft Emporium who have put up some Cosmo Cricket papers. I love Cosmo Cricket, the colour and quality is superb so just had to join in this week. Why don't you?

The original tag is still under construction but looking good, even without a single button or bow in sight. Better go and get back in a grunge groove.

Trying to craft....

but think I must have had a disagreement with my mojo. Loads of ideas going through my head but just too much going on this last week or so - I need a bit of reflective space to let everything fall into place.

Had a few moments and wanted to try out some faux tintypes that I had seen on Sian's website (do look they are scrummy).... but turned out I didn't have the right materials to hand. I had three little pre-printed transparacies in my stash which I bought over a year ago when I was first becoming intrigued by image transfers - however when I got them couldn't figure out what to do with them. So had a go this week, but not sure they are quite my thing.....





Pretty enough I spose, actually the photos look quite good lol.