The Crafters Coven!!

Here we all are playing with Friendly Plastic on one of our craft days.!!  Some of the results have been used to decorate the page from a journal I started on Stampers uk. Unfortunately I hit crafters block after week 11 and have yet to take up the challenge again.!! However this page illustrates the coven quite nicely so I decided to give the girls an airing!! They are going to be soooooo pleased. rofl!

I have also nearly finished my Book of Time and decided on a page of  the middle ages. These lovely stamps from Chocolate Baroque were just waiting for their chance at the limelite.

The Knight and his lady were from a plate entitled Medieval Heraldry and the texts were a combination of various plates. For the seal I melted some ultra thick embossing powder in the melt pot then poured onto a silicon mat and pushed a button into it. I attached it to the page with the addition of some ribbon and added some bling to the crowns which were from the same set of stamps.

I have Ju's book to decorate this time and she has an open theme. So yippee - any thing goes!

For this two page spread I went for some bling and edged both pages with some metal flakes. The central image is on a brayered background using the spice big and juicy ink pad. I couldnt resist the lovely steps by lavinia stamp along with the little mushrooms. The tree is a skeleton tree by chocolate baroque and I used some leaves that I had "chopped off" another stamp which I didnt use any more. I like to find another use for unloved stamps and from time to time will chop them up to make them into something I will use.

Page 2 of the spread features a huge lovely butterfly which has been coloured and glittered using promarkers and distress stickles.  The lovely sayings are more from my book of words and definitions by paper pizzaz.  I then added a triple embossed wooden flower with a small metal swirl behind and a brad for the centre. I hope she like it.!

A Book Of Time

When I first started crafting it was cards all the way and I couldnt possible think of any thing else to do that would satisfy my crafty impulses. Then once I decided there just were just not enough birthdays to keep me occupied I moved over to doing more diverse projects. This little book is an album that I started on the theme of Time. I am lucky to have some crafty friends nearby whom I call the Crafters Coven. We  start off our little book and then pass it onto the next person to do a double page spread lol  We all have different themes for our books. Sometimes it can be a real challenge if we do not have any products of a particular theme but then I suppose it broadens our scope and increases our crafty stash when we all rush out to buy extra supplies to complete the project.

This is the first page of my book. The stamp used was from a non-sequiter plate of stamps entitled Time, it was what really gave me the inspiration for the theme as I wanted to use the stamps. the image was stamped and embossed and then coloured with mica powders. The background papers were from Graphicus

The next time I got my book back I decided to use these lovely face stamps from Invoke Arts. Once again I had some lovely paper for my background. I think this was Graphic 45 although I have had it a while so am not 100% sure. 

The quote reads " I do wish I could tell you my age but its impossible. It keeps changing all the time." I got this from an book called old git wit - one of those quirky christmas pressies that you get from time to time.!!

The images were stamped onto cream card then distressed with the ever usefull distress inks. I glazed over the top with a liquid and when nearly dried crunched up so it crackled.  The Tick Tocks are from the non-sequiter plate I mentioned earlier. 

I chose some buttons from my stash and once again distressed with inks. The clock face and the Fleur were cut from the same paper as the background and glazed. I usually use the Anitas 3d Gloss for glazing as I find it as good as any other and cheaper by a mile!  Finally just finished off with a few sticky pearls to add some dimension and fill in a few gaps.!!

Fat Free Cupcakes

The second birthday this weekend was another very dear, non crafty friend, whom I have known for the best part of 30 years. She celebrated her 50th Birthday with a lovely party, but what card to make ummm... well I decided that for the woman who has everything it just had to be cupcakes of the non-fattening variety!!



These cute little cup cakes are another design by the former Elusive Images.   You can mix and match the tops and bottoms to create your own designs. These were stamped and embossed  then coloured in with promarkers. For some of the more "exciting" elements ~ I am talking jam, lemon and cherry ~ I coloured  and then added a coating of crystal laquers. The lace trim  has been made with a Martha Stewart Punch. The overall effect is a bit cutsie for me but then I have to think of the recipient and she most definitely doesnt do grunge!!

Friendship Book

Phew busy busy weekend! Had birthdays and parties and all sorts to contend with!!!!! No play time for crafting boo hoo! Thank goodness I had made the birthday cards beforehand

 


Friendship booklet

I made this little friendship book for my crafty friends birthday. I started with some papers from a Tim Holtz 12 x 12 paper pad. Then cut down to A4 size and made 3 double tag pocket cards using the Hougie Board. The off cuts I used  as trimmings & edgings throughout the booklet.
I raided my crafty stash and found some crafty individuals images from the people and places (book 1, I think unfortunately I threw away the cover ) and also a sheet of vintage hardware stickers and a few random images in my "bits box"

I then made 3 tags to go in the front pockets. The first one was stamped with a random ebay purchase of two women so I dont know the make I think possible paper artsy or someone similar. The middle one was using an image of a boat and the third Sir Tim again from the same paper pad as the main booklet. I did round the corners off after I took the photo as I realised it didnt quite match the others. They were all distressed using Olive, Moss Green, Worn Lipstick and Faded jeans I also added some distress stickles in Milled Lavender throughout the booklet just to add more interest.

For the front cover I stamped the letters for Happy Birthday using an alphabet called ransom. I think they are from stamps away. Then cut out and glued. The lacy trim was made with a Martha Stewart punch and appears throughout. I added a few buttons and stamped accross the bottom with a border lace stamp. All distressed around the edges once again.

Pages from the centre of the booklets.

I stamped the background using a netting stamp with the faded jeans inks and also used some sequin waste to ink through then added some of the hardware stickers. The wording comes from a paper pizzaz booklet called definitions and works ephemera. Something I have had in my craft cupboard for at least the last 5 or 6 years so am not sure if you can still get it!

I had to add some flourishes and flowers because it was a peace offering to the receipient as she doesnt really do grunge but loves her flowers.  I really thought I should broaden her horizons.! I think she may even have a dabble now as she really liked the overall effect. ~ At least that was what she said!!!

I punched some holes into the booklets and attached using book rings

The cute little postcard was anoth item from my  bits and bobs box!



Scrummy Stash

I went shopping to Lyndhurst yesterday to pay a visit to the nearest independent craft shop and bought loads of scrummy new stash to play with. The large set of stamps are by TPC studio and are travel theme and are destined for a good friends birthday treat along with a set of the absolutely gorgeous paper pads by websters pages and a set of the wooden embellies.  I am sure I will be borrowing them soon enough :)  The cute little bird stamp was a last minute purchase whilst I was standing at the till waiting to pay and I definately needed the Rusty Hinge Distress Ink as I don't have that one ~  oops!!

I had to make a last minute card to send to family in Australia. It was a case of Whoops! is it really that soon? Better get my skates on and get it in the post. Since it is winter "over there" I decided a splash of summer was in order and found this little papermania sunflower stamp languishing in the back of cupboard ~ unloved and unused. aaah!

I stamped in archival brown ink and used promarkers to colour. Then decoupaged and added some gold bedazzles in the centre of the flower



I went for a simple clean look coz I think the sunflower says it all. 

Storage boxes

These lovely boxes were a friends off casts and they were bare wood at the time. They stayed on my shelves for ages just crying out for attention until one day I decided to play around with some inks and stamps and here is the result with a bit of sparkle and bling.  I use the drawers to store all my ribbons ( yep you can never have enough ribbon!)  so decided to colour co-ordinate, that way I always know exactly where each is housed.

The one on the bottom left is for lace and the one next to it is fibres and they all come out completely so I can change the combo anytime.  It still doesnt stop the messy ball inside though.  That needs another solution ummmm........



Another fabby box used for all my metal embellies.  This one is painted with acrylics then overstamped with  paper artsy cogs and gears mini stamp
Staying on the theme of boxes here is a shadow box  made for the Vintage Choice competition over on UK stampers

You had to include two or more items from a list. I used glitter, photo, and pins other items were ribbon and fabric  but sort of cutting up curtains I didnt have any of the latter. Me and a sewing needle do not belong in the same house!! The only pins I had were little baby pins in lovely pastel shades so out came the promarkers!!
I had great fun with this as it was a chance to get out all my little embellies which I had collected because they "looked nice and might come in useful one day"



Some of my crafty project

Here are just a few images of my former crafty projects to get the ball rolling!!

This was done using an elusive images rubber stamp and inktense pencils to colour in. I think they are one of my favorite colouring mediums as you can do so much with them.

A few more elusive image rubber stamps which have been watercoloured with pencils

This project is more recent. I decided it was time for a new jewellery box and  I saw these lovely MDF drawers when I went to the Make It craft show in February and decided they were it!

First step was to seal the wood with a quick wash of watered down acrylic glue then painted all over with bog issue matt emulsion  ~ the same as the hallway lol . Then I used weathered wood crackle medium by Americana which I let dry over night and over painted with acrylic paint in ummm..... cloudy blue I think,  it was a while ago.

A side view of the chest. The flourish was stamped using stayzon and the small wildlife were from the Jane Netley Meyhew Cd which I just printed off, cut out and stuck.

The back of the chest with a lovely owl again from JNM cd.

I painted some of the flowers in the flourishes to bring the design together.

I think you can just about see the woodgrain effect.  The butterflies were randomly stamped on the front and painted.

Another elusive image stamped birthday card for a male relative 

(spot the theme? ) Yes I have a shed loads of them elusive image stamps or should I say Chocolate baroque now?

I have always found them to be good quality rubber and they give a lovely clear impression.

A bookmark made on grunge paper for the UK stampers bookmark swap earlier this year

Ye olde Ikea mirror decorated using graphic 45 paper pad "Le romantique"

A few more close ups!!!!

I think I am getting the hang of all this blogg thing now

Until tomorrow over and out



Testing Testing 1..2..3..LOL

Ok time to try and upload a photo

A card I made for my daughters birthday back in May.

Not doing too bad this was only the second attempt at uploading! The quality of the photo needs a little work tho coz it doesnt quite capture all the detail..... something else to work on.!

Hooray!

Hooray finally managed to create a blogg ~ its only the third time of trying. Its a bit basic at the mo but will improve it over time as I get used to all the techno stuff. For now its up and running and thats the most important thing. I have spent too much time fiddling around with allsorts of add ons etc and finally decided to go with the basics. I can do all that sort of thing later as I find my way around. Yippee I am finally in the land of the living LoL