A little bit of vintage and a little bit of bling

Hi folks, it's time for another challenge over at the Vintage Elusions Challenge Blog This is a weekly challenge blog with a theme of 'Anything Goes' plus another challenge running alongside. This week, it's 'Bling It!'.

As usual, there are some great prizes:

Lindsay is offering the winner 3 digis of their choice

Heather is offering the winner 3 digis of their choice

Guylou is offering a $10 voucher to spend in her shop




For my project, I have chosen to make a keepsake box, which I have painted, adding feet, which were cotton reels. I have added some gold Inka Gold paste along the studs and straps to hint at their metallic nature.

 

Inside, I have made some aged postcards, using Crafty Individuals stamps, which I stamped onto Kraft card and coloured with pencils. I then distressed the edges, and coloured them with Distress Ink.

I also made a 'locket' using brown card folded in half. I drew around a Spellbinders shape and cut it out, then ran it through an embossing folder. I rubbed Inka Gold paste over the raised areas, and added lots of little gems, plus a larger one. For the inside, I used two of our sponsors' images, one from Fresh Brewed, the rose, and one from LEJ Designs, the gentleman. I coloured these with pencils, and set them behind two of the die cut Spellbinders shape and a piece of acetate. I rubbed more Inka Gold over the brown card. I then punched a small hole on one side of the project, and added a large jump ring and some chain with a clasp. I chose slightly oversized chain, so that the project looked in proportion.

So there you have it, a chest with a girl's treasures from her sweetheart or Husband perhaps?

I hope that I've inspired you to have a go at the challenge, as you can make anything you like, as long as you keep it a little bit Vintage. It would be great if you would pop over to the blog and see what the other Design Team members have made.

I am going to enter my project into the following challenges:
Craft Your Days away : Anything Goes
Sugar Creek Hollow : We are family
ABC Challenge : V for Vanish
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop : Add some Bling or Sparkle

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 63- Ivy Leaves

Hi Folks, well it's Friday again, and time to rummage through your neglected items to see what is lying unused or forgotten. These past few weeks, I've been making some Christmas samples for the Chocolate Baroque Design Team and I wanted to use this large ivy leaf for a sample. I haven't used it for ages, and realised sadly that it's a retired stamp. I decided to create a Forgotten Friday sample with it, and used a neglected sentiment to go along with it, plus a Spellbinders die that I've never used as well. My main image is one of the new images from the 'Christmas Creatures' stamp plate, so I am cheating a bit. However, CB stamps are all about mixing and matching, so I hope that you'll forgive me.

I've embossed the ivy leaf with gold embossing powder, then coloured it with Distress Inks and a waterbrush. I've given the main image the same treatment, adding a bit of glamour dust for snow. I've die cut some leaves, and edged them with Distress Inks.

Why don't you have a rummage through your stash, and if you make something with a forgotten or unused item, leave me a comment, and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

There are new stamps recently released over at Chocolate Baroque on a Christmas theme, and I've used one of the new sets to make a sample that I've also posted on the Design Team Blog today.

My project uses a large gate stamp from the Christmas Creatures stamp plate, which I have stamped onto a 5" x 7" card. I masked the image, using Eclipse masking tape, and created a background using Pan Pastels. I used a second card the same size, and stamped a house from the New England Winter stamp plate onto the opposite side of this card, so that it would face the first image. I also masked this image, as before, and created a background with Pan Pastels. I then watercoloured both images with Distress markers and a waterbrush, adding more colour to the images directly with the pens for shading, and drawing it out with the waterbrush, until I was happy with the finish.

I cut the aperture out of the centre of the gate, added some gems to the large tree and some glitter to represent some snow.

I added some smaller gems to the tree on the second picture and more glitter.

I had quite a limited colour selection of blue Pan Pastels, so I put white Pan Pastel over my card first, so that the blue did not appear too dark. It gives quite a Wintery feel to the sky as well, I think.

I then trimmed a little piece from the inner edges of each card, and stuck the two cards together.

So now you can see the house through the arch of the gateway. I haven't added a sentiment to the card yet, but I will add one later once I have decided who I will send the card to at Christmas time. These new stamps are very versatile, because they mix in with a lot of the older sets that I already have, as you can see from this sample. I have several more projects planned using some of the new stamps and blending them with my older sets, I really like to do this. I'll be back in a few days with another sample for you, thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 62-Paper Artsy Haberdashery stamps

Hi Folks, well, shortly less than a week after my last FF post, here I am again, with a look at what I've been making with my neglected craft stash.

I'm still recovering from my asthma troubles, so some quiet crafting is doing me some good, keeping me in one spot for a change! It's nice to be home for more than a few days at a time, that's for sure. Hopefully, my course of antibiotics will sort me out, and I'll be right as rain in a few days.

This week, I decided to look through my Paper Artsy stamps. I had several plates that I hadn't even cut out, shame on me. The haberdashery plates are absolutely gorgeous, and I decided to use some of those to make a 6" x 6" card. I stamped some of the images onto a sheet of Prima Ledger paper in a soft pinky brown, and then stuck these onto thin card before cutting them out. I did this so that I could curve them a bit for added dimension when I stuck them onto the finished card. I added a bit of Tattered Rose or Old Paper Distress Ink to the images, then edged them with Vintage Photo. I stamped several images onto a piece of green paper from the same paper stack, using Coffee Archival ink, and also stamped a dressmaker's pattern using Old Paper, so that it appears like a ghost stamp on the background. I embossed a phrase using Wow embossing powder, and used the same EP for the scissors image, and the stand part of a TH dressmaker's dummy. I rubbed Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the top of the Dressmaker's dummy afterwards to age the appearance. I like this colour combination, and will use it again. I added some gathered lace to the base of the bodice before attaching it to the card. I continued the lace theme by adding a scrap of cotton lace to the base of my card.

It's been a lovely sunny day here, and I noticed that Buzz had decided to settle down amongst my bling, which was on the floor below the table where I was crafting. The sun was shining on the floor, and she obviously didn't mind lying on the lumps and bumps of my stash, she just wanted to sunbathe!

Why don't you have a rummage through your stash and see what you have neglected to use for a while? If you make something, leave a comment, and I'll pop along to your blog and take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Alphatags O and P

Hi Folks, well, I don't post for ages, and then I post twice in one day! I had intended to try and get this post written fror Friday, as then anyone wanting to link to the post for Forgotten friday would be able to, but time just ran away from me last week. I visited my parents to see my Dad for his 80th Birthday, and had a lovely time. The icing on the cake was being able to organise a new member of the family for him, a six week old Yorkshire Terrier, that they have called Tiny. Dad lost their previous dog on his Birthday last year, which was a very sad memory for him, so the new puppy will help to ease that a little bit.

By my next visit, he will seem much bigger, I'm sure, as he is as small as one of my shoes at the moment!

I came home from my visit, only to turn around and repack my case, then we left for a trip to the Isle of Wight for a few days. We hadn't visited the island since the children were quite young, so were looking forward to spending a few days there. The added bonus was that I got to spend a few hours with a very special friend as well who lives locally.

We stayed in a lovely hotel, The Royal, in Ventnor, on the South end of the island, which has subtropical gardens. We were blown away by the huge agapanthus that they had there, which are grown by the Botanical Gardens in Ventnor.

The scenery across the island was spectacular, we weren't prepared for that I don't think, or the hilly inclines, coming from a very flat area ourselves! A lot of the roads were very narrow, and so My OH had to moderate his speed somewhat! The weather was very kind to us, and we enjoyed strolling around and taking in the sights while we were there. We particularly enjoyed visiting Osborne House, Queen Victoria's residence, after Prince Albert died. It really is an amazing house, with lovely gardens.

We enjoyed a cake laden afternoon with friends and really must start thinking about counting the calories for a while now! The only downside, was an unplanned trip to Hospital, as I haven't been feeling well for a while. I've been to the GP since I've been home, and hopefully will be back to normal soon.

So, onto my Alphatags! I have used lots of neglected stamps for both of my tags, which is why they fit the bill for a Forgotten Friday post so well. My 'O' tag features an ornate owl, which has been embossed over a Pan Pastel background. I've used another ornate image, this time a flower from what was originally a multibuy set, but it is a DL set in its own right. It's quite Art Nouvea in style, and I've used Pan Pastels in the Magenta range to sweep over the image once it was stamped with Versamark. I've added buttons to the owl's eyes, and a little owl charm to finish the tag.

My 'P' tag features Paisley, which I have created using white embossing for a resist, and then used the Summer Distress inks for a lovely burst of colour. I have then stamped a Peacock onto a piece of white shrink plastic, and coloured this with pencil. I painted it with an iridescent medium before fixing it onto the tag. I chose to use the word 'procrastinating', as I do that a lot, when I am choosing my tag subjects, and also to get going on them!

Well, that's me just about caught up now! Hopefully, my Forgotten Friday this week will be on time, have a good week, and thanks for stopping by, xx

Mixed media canvas

Hi folks, sorry it's been a while since I've posted, but life has been so hectic for me this past month or so. I actually went away five times in July, and once at the beginning of August. I'm home again for a few weeks now, so I'm hoping to get caught up on a few things, and recharge my batteries for a while.

As you know, I've been working on a couple of Design Teams lately, Vintage Artisans and Altered Elusions and Card Artitude. These blogs have been amalgamated into one, which can be found here The blog is an anything goes challenge blog, offering weekly prizes with great sponsors.

Teri is offering 4 Digis for the Winner

Sassy's are offering 4 Digis to the Winner

Robyn's Fetish are offering 5 Digis to the Winner




My project for this week is a mixed media canvas using a great image from Delicious Doodles called 'Guarding the Nest', of a dragon looking after her eggs. I also used a great stamped dragon image from Chocolate Baroque, which I coloured in similar colours, and a fabulous sentiment which reads, "Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup".

I placed the images onto an 8" x 8" canvas that I had painted with watered down Golden paints swirled, and sprinkled with salt. Once these had dried, I added some glitter glass in gold and turquoise, and added two pieces of wood to suggest the entrance to a Dragons' Lair. I also added glitter glass to the pieces of wood.

Why not take a look at what the other Design Team members have made, and have a go at making something yourself for the challenge? Thanks for stopping by, xx

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