Sneaky Peek!

Just to show you a snippet of what I've been doing on my new blog Poppy Tangles Why don't you pop and take a look? xx

AE Challenge- Travel

Hi Folks, it's time for another challenge over at the Altered Elusions blog, and the theme this fortnight is 'Travel'. You can make whatever you like to enter into the challenge, so why not have a go? There are some great prizes.

Lindsay from LEJ designs is offering the Winner 3 digi images of their choice.

Jess from Floppy Lattes is offering a $10 voucher to spend in the shop.

 

Heather from Fresh Brewed Designs is offering 3 Digis of the Winners choice.

I have used a couple of images from Floppy Latte in my project this week, 'Sea Captain' and 'Ship'. I printed the ship image onto a digital download from Chocolate Baroque. It is Called 'Around the World'. It is such a useful download, it is like a grid, suggesting an old map possibly. I burnt the edges with a candle. I then spritzed the background, and rubbed some coffe over the damp areas to age the surface. I raided the kitchen even further by adding some netting to my background used to hold some oranges. I threaded some string through the background in a large running stitch.

I added a tando compass, coloured with Distress ink, and stamped an anchor and a saying taken from the 'Seashell Collage' stamp set from Chocolate Baroque. I coloured the sea captain with Polychromos. I have used a piece of pearlescent blue card as the mat for my project as a suggestion of the sea.

I had a lot of fun making this project! I don't normally make nautical projects, so this was a real change for me.

We have just come back from a weekend up at the Norfolk coast. We visited lots of coastal gems like Wells next the sea;

Aren't these beach huts gorgeous?

We also visited Sheringham and Cockley Cley, I just want to show you that we did enjoy beautiful blue skies just for a day or two!

I hope that you are enjoying lovely weather today, it looks set to be fabulous all week now fingers crossed.

Don't forget to pop over to the AE blog to see what my Design Team mates have been making, and thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 61-A Little Frame

Hi Folks, it's Friday again, and time to rummage through your neglected stash to see what items you have lurking there. This week, I had my project pretty much planned, as I had come across an Art Parts frame and scalloped edging when I was rummaging last week. I also found some Tando Creative butterflies, so I had the bare bones of something up my sleeve.

I've had a very bad migraine this week, and have been feeling unwell ever since. This project has been really last minute, but I like how it has turned out in the end. I've used some Fancy Pants papers to cover the frame, that I've had for ages, and a paper by My Mind's Eye for the butterflies. I've sanded the edges of everything, and then inked the edges with good old Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I had a rummage through my extensive bling boxes and found these two gorgeous flowers, which are probably by Prima. They are better being used and on display than stuck in a box, don't you think? The sentiment was on one of the papers, and I really like the font, so I used that as well.

So, why don't you have a look through your stash, and make something yourself. If you leave a comment, I'll pop along to your blog and take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Vintage Artisans-Steampunk

Hi Folks, it's time for a new challenge over at the Vintage Artisans Blog This week the challenge is sponsered by Chocolate Baroque and LEJ Designs

I have made two projects to show you, the first is an 8" x 8" canvas using lots of Chocolate Baroque goodies. I have painted the canvas using acrylic paints, mixing a colour myself to go with a printable dowload called 'Love Letters'. I inked the torn edges of the download before fixing it to the canvas. I stamped a flowery cog cluster up one side, and then added a Studio 490 Art Parts pocket watch where there is actually a clock in the stamp design. I covered the clock with another printable download from CB, stamping the clock face onto the back part of the pocket watch, and inking all of the edges.

I decoupaged a fabulous winged heart from Artistic Expressions, and attached a shrink plastic sentiment from the same set. I attached some coloured paper to the back of this. I added some brass chain and a cog. I stamped around the edge of the canvas with a great swirl from the same stamp set, using Plum archival ink.

My second project, a card, uses another printable download from Chocolate Baroque as the background. I have added the weathered clock die, and embossed some cogs in the middle, taken from a stamp from the 'Steampunk Christmas' stamp set. I have added a couple of real cogs as well. I have coloured Lindsay's gentleman with Polychromos, and turned him into a clock mender, Big Ben maybe? The image in the background might suggest that. I have used a Tim Holtz sentiment to finish the card.

Why not hop over to the challenge blog to see what the other Design Team members have created. Have a go at creating something with a Steampunk theme yourself, and join in the challenge. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 60- Well Done to my Daughter!

Hi Folks, it's Friday again, and time for my Forgotten Friday post. Phew, this week has flown by! We have been up to Stoke on Trent for Megan's graduation ceremony, which took place on Tuesday. The weather was absolutely terrible on the day, it rained for the whole time. The grass was soggy, and it was such a shame, as the ceremony was held in Trentham Gardens, a really lovely setting. However, the students enjoyed their day, and the weather didn't dampen their spirits.

I hate having my photograph taken, but will suffer the anguish to have a picture with Megan. She looked lovely on the day, and we were very proud of her.

The following day, we helped her move house, just around the corner, as she is staying in Stoke to work for the time being. She is one of the lucky ones who has found employment after leaving University.

My Forgotten Friday project for this week was her graduation card. I knew exactly which stamps I wanted to use on her card, and they are stamps that I haven't used for five years, so I think that they qualify for this post very well! They are a set of Non Sequitur stamps 'House of Belonging', and are very apt for Megan particularly. She may not have realised in the rush of the day, but she reads my blog, and will understand from this post. Her dissertation in a nutshell, dealt with how women are regarded by society, by men, and by themselves. Whether the media, men, or even they, have allowed their image to become the way they are viewed currently. The background stamp reads "Be still woman, and know who you are" and the main image is of a young woman reading a book. I chose a very vintage feel to the card, while depicting a young woman of learning. I have also included a stamp from a Hot Picks Paper Artsy plate that has never been inked before.

I have used Distress Stains for the background, and second generation stamping for the words, so that they are not too overpowering. I have added some cream lace and ribbon roses in a shabby pink to match the background. The image is coloured with my faithful Polychromos and placed onto an embossed background.

Why don't you have a rummage and see what you have lying neglected in your craft supplies. If you make something, please leave a comment, and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Fallen Angel

Hi Folks, this is my second post of the day, please scroll down for my Chocolate Baroque project. It's time for another challenge on the Altered Elusions blog. This fortnight, the theme is 'Anything Goes'. I have chosen to make a canvas scrapbook page using hand marbled paper, and old book pages. I painted the book pages and my canvas page with a light wash of Fresco Finish paint to tone in with the marbled paper.

I painted a chipboard tree with more Fresco Finish paint, added some Distress Ink, and then stamped it with a woodgrain stamp from Tim Holtz. This gives a great bark finish to the tree. I coloured my image from Delicious Doodles with Copics. I stamped some butterflies using a free stamp that came with this month's Craft Stamper magazine. I coloured the butterflies with Copics before I shrunk them.

It would be great if you could hop over to the blog and take a look at what the other DT members have made. Why not join in the challenge and make something yourself?

This fortnight the challenge is being sponsored by :

Sassy Studio Designs

 They are offering 4 Digis of the Winners' choice

Robyn's Fetish

Susan is offering 5 Digis of the Winners' choice

Delicious Doodles

Teri is offering 4 Digis of the Winners' Choice

 Thanks for stopping by, xx

What's Black and White and Red all over?

Hi folks, do you remember that old joke from when you were little? A sunburnt penguin, we all used to chorus. It's also what my next sample for Chocolate Baroque looks like as well. I wanted to create a black and white theme, with splashes of red for the poppies. I used a large background stamp from the Dusky Damask themeplate, and stamped it in two opposing corners of a piece of white card. I edged the card with some red Distress Ink. I stamped and embossed the poppy image onto a slim oval of white card, and painted it with Distress Stains.

I made a flower from crinoline, and sprayed this with Distress re-inker and water, scrunching the petals, and heat setting them with a heat gun. I added a large black button in the centre. Some black satin ribbon completes the card.

These new stamps are such a treat to work with. The Design Team have made some fabulous samples. Keep popping over to the blog to see what they have made. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 59- Turtally Cute!

Hi Folks, well it's Friday again, I don't know where that week went. I've been to my Daughter's helping her to pack ready for a house move. She is moving from Student accomodation, as she has now finished University. She found out this week that she had achieved a 2:1 in her degree, which she was over the moon about. We are very proud of her.

I have made a card today incorporating some lovely stamps designed by a Canadian designer Ryn I have been sitting on these stamps for a little while, too busy to use them, but I knew exactly how I wanted to make this card. I decided to go ahead and use them for a Forgotten Friday project, as it was the only way that I would find time to use them!

I started by making a background using Ecoline inks on watercolour paper, and dropping sea salt onto the paper while it was still wet. The salt makes beautiful patterns in the ink. I make these backgrounds a lot, as every one is different. Once the background was dry, I brushed the salt away, and stamped the seaweed stamp along the bottom using blue and green Archival ink. I stamped the water droplets stamp a couple of times across the page, after planning where the little turtle would be placed.

I stamped the turtle onto white card a couple of times, and then coloured the image with Polychromos pencils.

Why not have a rummage through your crafty stash and see what you have neglected. If you make something, leave a comment, and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

My favourite flowers!

Hi folks, any regular readers of my blog will know that I love Poppies, of any shape and colour from the little field poppies to the big blowsy peony poppies and the show off oriental poppies, I love them all. There are some new stamps that have just been realeased over at Chocolate Baroque called Pretty Poppies and Dusky Damask. They are absolutely beautiful, and are right up my street. There are poppies, (of course!), and some absolutely lovely sentiments. There are some big background stamps, and some useful little floral stamps to create your owm backgrounds as well.

My first card shows the poppies at their showiest, and I love this stamp. I have created a background using a technique that my lovely crafting friend Elaine taught me. I have used leaves from a plant called the 'Plume Poppy' to make my own background. For the slim panel I have pressed poppy leaves between two sheets of watercolour and run them through my Big Shot.I have then simply inked the edges. I have then stamped the image, coloured it with Polychromos pencils, and decoupaged the butterfly.

I love the sentiment on this card, and it will be so useful for those friends that mean a lot. I apologise in advance if everyone gets the same one!!!!

Anyway, why don't you pop over to the Design Team Blog during the next few days to see what my team mates have made with these stamps? They have made some fabulous projects. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Vintage Artisans- A New Blog!

Hi Folks, I'd like to tell you about a fabulous new Challenge Blog launching today. It is called Vintage Artisans

It also has a Facebook page which is already live which you can find here

You can post any of your Vintage makes to the Facebook page whenever you like, anything goes, tags, cards, ATCs, anything altered, whatever you like. The Blog will have fortnightly challenges which are sponsored on a theme, but will always be Vintage in one way or another.

This week, the challenge is Vintage shabby chic, and I have two projects to show you. My first project is an altered papier mache mannequin which I have covered in a napkin. I applied this with a coat of matte medium, and then painted more matte medium over the top and left it to dry. I then coated the entire thing with melted beeswax, and gave it a good buff with a duster, to make it shine. The surface is now lovely and smooth to handle.

I made two flowers from crinoline which I sprayed with Distress re-inker mixed with water. I then layered these up and scrunched them while they were wet, drying them with a heat gun to set them. I added some green buttons in the centre. I painted two chipboard butterflies with black gesso, then stuck some black glitter glass onto them.

To complete the mannequin, I coloured the wooden dowel with Distress Inks, and made a brass necklace with some chain and a couple of charms.

My second project is a card using an image from Smudgetastic called Leather Girl. When I saw this image, she made me think of a dancer from the Moulin Rouge, or a French nightclub of that style. I created a background using Pan Pastels, and stamped a Tim Holtz stamp around the edges, blending my background colours over the top. I used a Postcard embossing folder, and stamped some French writing and an address from a couple of stamps, one from Tim Holtz, and another from Darkroom Door onto the postcard. I have used an Eiffel Tower die cut, and a great little poster about a Photographic studio. I added a Vintage pin, a Paris charm, ribbon, lace, some gorgeous burgundy feathers, and a shell disc to finish.

Please hop over to the Blog to see what the rest of the DT have made, there are some fabulous creations. It would be great if you could make something and join in the challenge.

I am sorry that I haven't made a Forgotten Friday project this week, I have just been so busy! I am off to my Daughter's today to help her pack ready to move to a new house. I am hoping to fit some crafting in while I am there, so maybe I'll get something made for next week ;) Thanks for stopping by, xx