Hello All.... have you missed me?

Don't answer that for fear of upsetting my delicate nature !

I've been on my hols just in case you were wondering. Obviously I took some crafty stuff with me, but haven't got much to show you for my efforts. I do have a needlefelting W.I.P but thats as far as I have got with it, question is, will i get it out again before the next summer holiday?

So haven't got much to show you, apart from a Round Robin Page that I have done for Wendy. Wendy requested that we should use a photo from our childhood,

Mmmmmmm ........ not sure I actually had a childhood as these are the only pictures that exist. (long story and not for blogging LOL) But anyway since these were all taken on the same day, Easter Sunday the day of my Baptism, I though I would make a story of them. It has turned out to be a bit of a scrapbook page though!



I can also now put up a picture of the BRAK I made for Dee. The Domino, spins on a central axle and the main ATC is made from my favourite chocolate brown metal, which makes my mouth water everytime Iuse it.......... i need to get a life!

Oh and PS!!!

you gotta check out Duckface's/Heidi's Blog and take a look at the fabbo necklace there, it's mine and is round my neck as we speak. I just love it!! (but please accept this as the one and only time I am nice to the SSO!)

My Mates Birthday pressie..

Well her birthday isn't till next week but she is so impatient and I won't see her on her birthday, she opened it today, so I can post it on my blog.

Lisa was with me when I bought the wooden 'house' so I can tell you that bit only cost £2, what a bargain! The toy pig that is in there cost me more than that LOL!
Somebody posted on DC last year about a present one of her crafty friends made which contained

An eraser, so you can make all mistakes disappear,

A penny so you'll never have to say "I'm broke"

A marble in case you feel like you're losing your marbles at times,

A rubber band to stretch yourself beyond normal limits,

A piece of string to tie things together when everything is falling apart,

A button for your lips so you'll always think before you speak,

A knot so when you reach the end of your rope there's still something to hang on to,

AND

A hug and a kiss to remind you that someone, somewhere really cares about you

this came to mind when I was making this, so the house contains all of these (find them if you can!) There is also a picture of each of her family. All shown in a different format - my favourite are the pictures in a bottle. One or two other things which all mean something to Lisa but would take too long to explain here and frankly it wouldn't make terribly interesting reading!

Now all I hope is that her DH doesn't say 'whats this old tat?' and throw it out, he is famous for hiring a skip from time to time and de-cluttering to the highest extreme!!

Gradually catching up!

I have been very naughty and have only just sent Mobunny an ATC that I owed her since Ally Pally in April.......... please slap my wrists, but not too hard cos they are the excuse I am using for

being so behind. Well that and Your Creative Journey and general every day stuff. But enough of my excuses, I made a kinda ATC, with a soldered domino inside. As with most stuff I do it hasn't ended up the way I had it in my mind when I started!


I have also been trying to make a Welcome to your new home RAK for Minimaker. She is in and settled now and I have only just got round to doing it! But I had lots of fun playing with my paperartsy stamps!

Note to self : BE MORE ORGANISED!!

Every cloud has a Silver Lining!

When I dropped a lovely 1940's glass lampshade I was only cross/sad/upset for a short time because I remembered a post on Mobunny's blog about a piece of china her cousin had soldered
and made into a necklace for her. So I scooped up (very carefully lol) the shards of glass and made these two pendants, not sure they will become necklaces though as Matt has the idea that i should make a wind-chime from them as the glass looks very pretty in the light.

I had a day 'childfree' today, so after dropping my daughter off at drama, I popped into a local independent DIY shop and found a glass cutter and a pair of needle nosed pliers at a bargain price... and walked out smiling!
So tell me.... when did I stop getting excited by shoes and start getting excited over pliers??

Wylde Women Award

How honoured I am to receive this award from Connie. Thank you Connie. It's a bit different from the normal kind of Blog award. The purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgement to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy. It was started by http://www.tammyvitale.com/ .. you must take a look at her site, there is some awesome stuff on there!
Now who to award it too?? Too many women brighten my days for me to decide, but if I must chose a few it's gotta be
1. My mate Sparkles.... for making me smile everyday
2. Heidi (Duckface).... who still likes me a bit even if I give her a plate with a chip in it
3. My daughter ... who I constantly tell is the best daughter I have and she constantly reminds me she is the only daughter I have
4. My MIL.. cos she is the best
5. My mate Lisa... noone else would put up with me everyday in real non cyber life
6. AJ .... noone has so much love to share
If I go on anymore I will get in trouble for leaving someone out so I will stop right here

Silver clay.... now this stuff is fun!!

One of the workshops being held at the
YOUR CREATIVE JOURNEY workshops is Silver Clay by HEIDI. Heidi came over to teach me and my friend how to use this fantastic stuff the other day and here is my attempt. For anyone who is unsure what silver clay is, you start with a small lump of what looks like ordinary clay. You then fashion it into whatever you like, pop it in the oven to dry a bit then heat it with a blowtorch and hey presto you have a piece of silver which can be hallmarked. Sounds too good to be true?? It is too good but also true! OK my first attempt did look like a raspberry with a phallic symbol on it, but I re-kneaded it and ended up with this pendant which I am very happy with.

My less crafty friend joined us as well, under H's expert tuition she also produced a stunning necklace .

Not bad for our first attempts I think you will agree!
If you fancy having a go why not join Heidi at
YOUR CREATIVE JOURNEY

NEWSFLASH!! I made a card!

Strange that even though card making unleashed a little bit of creative talent in me, I now don't really enjoy making them anymore.......... unless of course they are for someone very special. like my dear dear friend Jean, who is fondly known as AJ in this house (Auntie Jean). For those of you who don't know of Jean (aka Jean Helga Nellie) won't know of her fondness for a little tipple and the fact that she was mistaken for a nun recently!! Hence this card..

I also made her a little handbag charm.... Acrylic squares and a bit of soldering and pictures of just a few of her many many friends

It's nearly the summer holidays here!

My two break-up on Tuesday, which means pressies for the teacher time! I never know what to get the teachers so show them how much we appreciate their hard work throughout the year, I know they appreciate any gift they receive, but they must get fed up with chocolates/plants/smellies! So here is something a bit different for them, and I managed them all with a single burn to any digit!

Now I know there looks like there are alot here, but Edward goes to our village school which is very small, only 48 pupils, which means all the teachers get involved with the children and know them all very well. Consequently Edward doesn't consider his teacher as his only teacher, so they all have to have a present - classroom assistants and head teacher as well, he adores them all.

I was in the middle of trying to sort my craft room yesterday when Edward came through and demanded another 4 key rings, so it's kinda a mess again! I seem to hoard so much stuff that will one day come in useful or that I can alter it is like trying to fit a gallon into a pint pot! So I will have another attempt today in-between all the usual Sunday stuff.

Now.... bit of advice please.. although I am sure Duckface aka SSO will put me straight on Tuesday when she visits to impart some of her knowledge, why when I solder do I ruin my tips?? Must be doing something drastically wrong, I am 'tinning' them......so calling all soldering experts please!!

Very therapeutic

Well I was supposed to be tidying/organizing my craft room but I got a bit sidetracked when I came across Pbirds Round Robin page which I really should have passed on by now! (sorry Paula will pass it on tomorrow!) but anyway I had been musing over Paula's theme of Imagine and then came across my new acrylic bits and my Alice in wonderland stamps, which were out because I am sadly lacking inspiration for an AIW swap...

Anyway back to the plot... if Lewis Carroll didn't have an amazing imagination no-one did, so I decided to base the RR page around Alice. So here it is, I had a delightful time doodling/colouring and really like the result. My colours are getting brighter and bolder by the day! If I was a proper artist I could say I was going through my 'Bright Period' lol

The strange surreal stuff on the side is some Vilene that I was bought for my birthday... spray it heat it, it becomes holey... am I doing it right?? Anyway looks cool here! I did have a bit of a blonde moment though, thought it may be a good idea to put it through my hardly ever used Xyron machine, except I had a laminating cartridge in it.. whoops! with much care I managed to extract it!

It's a bit different from my normal stuff (if you can call anything normal) so I hope Pbird likes it!

Ouch 3 degree burns hurt...

well maybe 3 degree is a bit of an exaggeration, but they do hurt esp when they are on the tips of your fingers... yep you guessed I have had my soldering iron out and been playing with my birthday pressies... a drill and a vice!

For some reason I have little incentive to make cards these days, maybe cos there are so many other things to play with. But I really wanted to make a little something for a couple of friends, one of whom is having an OP - prob as we speak - and although she is wonderfully honest with me and doesn't care for much of my old tat - she has got a little bit of it now! I'm safe cos she can't throw it back cos she is armless ATM lol!! But she has got my first attempt at soldering so she better like it a little bit!!

And one for "Mrs Stubborn 'I'm not ill, I don't need a Doctor'.... "

A little sommat to cheer her up cos she is poorly but I am done with nagging

(you know who you are!!) don't know why but the image reminded me of her.....

For anyone who is interested they are altered dominoes, backed with aluminum tape and then copper taped around the edges where the solder goes. The front of the domino is alcohol inked, stamped onto tissue and then Deep embossing crystals (very similar to UTEE except they give a much more glassy appearence, more expensive though so I save them for this kind of project!) so the solder serves no purpose as such, just looks nice.

Been working hard....

Making these Clocks which are prototypes for the Your Creative Journey workshops..

Still deciding on the final design for the workshop and what can be completed in the allotted 2 1/2 hour slot.... but whatever it is I am really keen that people put their own slant on the design.

The house shaped one is using a technique that I found on the blog of Isabelle Norris and Isa kindly shared. Take a look at her blog for some awesome stuff and loads of tips!

I can post this now...

since it is Deb's birthday today and she has opened her pressie (which for some reason she thought was a golf ball???) I can show you this bit of old tat I made her for her birthday!!

It's a bit of an experiment..... anyone remember when the TV programme 'Changing Rooms' was at it's height and they used some stuff called ESP as a primer on the MDF board they used at every opportunity?? Well I found some in the garage and used it on the tin before the paint.. I will leave it to Debs to tell me if it is successful!

Now, I have a top tip for you all.............. when you have clay faces and one friendly plastic face and you take the tin out into the garden to show someone, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT leave it on the window sill on a warm day, cos the FP face will melt! duh!! hence the 'mask' put over the top!!

There's a Hole in my Bucket....

dear Liza dear Liza... Nope it's in my ATC's!

Sian the Queen of hosting challenging swaps, is hosting a swap on Docrafts in which it has to have a hole going right through the ATC.... (how does her mind work when she thinks up these things??) Anyway since I have a Round Robin page to send to her and I told her she couldn't have her page till I had sorted my holes.. (saving postage and all that!) I thought I better get on with them, so here they are!

One is a RAK for Sian, she can pick which one she would like (if any!) Number one is a Rusty old door..... I used Distress powder on the door, which gives a perfect effect and the hinges are my current favourite Grungeboard. Would you enter or not??

This what it says inside....

Number 2 is 'Dream' Pictures aren't great... But it is supposed to be the night sky- hence the Moon which is the hole!

The background is 'Puffy' paint which I heated with my heat gun and then sprayed with Blue and Silver Glimmer Mists

Next.. (you yawning yet??) collage time!

and finally it's the Belle of the Ball... based on children's finger puppets. I did attempt to take a picture with my fingers through the hole but

a) I am not double jointed

b) my fingers are too ink stained to attend a Ball

c) it looked like the poor girl had got a severe water retention problem!

Updated.....

My daughter thought she needed some bling if she is going to a Ball.. so here she is displayed on my daughters much more petite fingers

Blog awards...

I've been honoured this week to receive 2 blog awards,

from Bowling Belle and Joey.. Thank you ladies....

I can't award it to just 7 people so I am going to award it to everyone who appears in my 'Blogs of Talent' cos if I didn't think you were awesome you wouldn't be there...

Keep creating but remember...

Don't get your knickers in a knot, it solves nothing and makes you walk funny.

(I stole that from someone else, it makes me laugh everytime i read it, so I hope she doesn't mind!)

Playing catch up again

Had a busy week with the workshop on Sunday and Sparkles visiting this week, but am trying to catch up as I have four clocks to make before next Friday which are examples of the kind of stuff will be doing for the your creative journey workshop in October.

Got a bit behind with the Round Robin swap, but I have done Susan's, just needs to be packed up and posted (I find that part really tedious!) But here it is! If you want to read more about Astrid's RR swap have a gander at the blog 6x6 RR page

I am hosting a 'I dare you' swap on the Docrafts forum.. basically the idea is to take people out of their comfortable little hole and plonk the right into a very uncomfortable hole!

Dee 62 challenged me to make a house... that bit's fine... but to use colours that you would not usually use. I don't think she believed me when I said I would have to use brown/copper/bronze/gold.... cos I really dislike those colours! ( she was quite right to disbelieve me lol) but I think she may have been expecting me to use pinks, yellows etc..

But I really do have trouble using black and white together on their own, and believe me I had traumas making this for her, but it's done now. The line is my new paperartsy stamp, the 'nor is it black and white' play on words.. geddit? LOL, is my own fair hand. There is a working clock in the middle. I hope Dee likes it, I'm not at all sure about it but maybe that's cos I don't like the colours. I do like the roof bit though, it is a triangle of mount-board with the centre cut out and replaced it with a bit of wire mesh, behind it is black and white embossing enamel which I have heated onto a piece of silver foil and then whilst it was still hot I pushed it through the mesh.

Next comes Sian, who also asked for a house but her challenge was to use purple and flowers.... purple mmmmm ok... but flowers???

Well hopefully she wasn't expecting pretty flowers! The house was painted with various shade of purple and then William Shakespeare was stamped onto a piece of tissue paper which was much larger than the image. I scrunched up the paper around the image trying to leave Bill flat and adhered it to the house with gel medium. Then painted it purple again. The flower element is metal, embossed with flowers and painted and cut out. and entwined around the flowers is a serpent, reason being that the wording is a quote from Shakespeare's Macbeth 'look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it..'

Finally Carol V asked me to make a necklace for her challenge using shrink plastic and once again colours that I wasn't comfortable using. I know it looks like my kind of colours but they did start off as pink and yellow, but due to the nature of shrink plastic the colours intensified as they shrunk and I like them now!

You can't see too well from the picture but they are alcohol inks so have a kind of polished stone appearance , once shrunk I added a couple of layers of UTEE which gives it's glazed look and then heated some friendly plastic straight onto it... hung some charms from the bottom and strung it onto a strip of leather.

So all I have left to do now is Katherine T's challenge of textiles/sewing.. gulp.. leave the 'worst' till last LOL

Workshop Project...

I held a very small (but perfectly formed!) workshop yesterday, the project was a tag book involving a few different techniques. Here is my example that the ladies worked from, but I am always very keen that people should put their own slant on whatever they do and not just do a carbon copy (unless of course they want to!) It is so interesting to see what everybody produces given the same materials!

It's been an exciting week for 'Your Creative Journey' our website is now up and running

check out......
http://www.yourcreativejourney.co.uk/

Do You suffer from this disorder??

Serious crafters illness

click on the link...... bet you do!

Not alot to report, cos not alot done recently

due to another bloomin' op my wrist, I am so bored but am trying not to have too much of a dabble in my craft room... honest! Did too much too soon last time, so should learn my lesson this time, but it is my left wrist and I am right handed so i can play a bit LOL


Just packed up some ATC's to send off for Sian's Mesh swap that I did a while ago and she has just reminded me that I only have a week to go! Well they are on their way now.
Sian always hosts fabbo swaps and I love doing them
I now have an hour or two before my rabble return home so time just to paint a few small squares.. just having a quick play with different textures, and then do some preparation for the event of the year
http://www.yourcreativejourney.blogspot.com/

So generally.................

other people's craft space is a diabolical mess as well?? I'm so pleased!!

The Diary of Jack the Ripper

Well it was it isn't now, now it is

'The Diary of Why.'

Why?? cos a friend (non crafty I hasten to add) asked me Why I do all this stuff.... hard question to answer, so I just said 'If you have to ask then you wouldn't understand' she quite rightly answered.. 'you don't know do you!'.....
Anyway back to the plot, here's my first Altered Book, never thought I would do one because I didn't think I could ever chop up a book, but this book had never been read, would probably never be read and I persuaded myself it would be loved sitting in my front room in an altered state. So lots of cutting, gluing, gessoing, painting and inking and glazing and embellishing later here she is! If I say so myself, I love it











but my evil husband thought people should know what a mess I work in........

Now back to those houses!!
Suppose I better clear up first!!

I'm not really being macabre!

But perhaps it looks like it! Inspired by the ever talented
Heidi, I have decided I should try my hand at some houses! Didn't know where I was going until I got there and it seems quite macabre. It's people imprisoned in their home... arrghhhhh don't read anything into it! It came about because I was using the Paperartsy window (from the schooldays plate) and turned it upside down to resemble a door.. not knowing what to put behind it, I picked up a rejected stamped image of a Butterfly girl that was meant for another project. Only half of her would fit but I still liked it, then it occurred to me she seemed to be behind the door unable to get out and it went from there. Cos I have been itching to use some mesh I recently bought and I needed to get it out because I have some Mesh ATC's to make, there are three windows at the top behind which three more inhabitants are imprisoned......... do you think I need counseling??

Eventually I want to make a complete street, with lots of different stories going on in each house, after all you never know what goes on behind closed doors!

On a happier note Pbird recently made me this wonderful Soldered Circle... I was wandering around the house wondering how best to display this when I came across my 'fallen angel' which appears somewhere on this blog. Matthew had made me a plinth with a post on which to hang her, she looked OK but there was always something missing.... not any longer! Paula's circle is now mounted behind her and I think it's just perfect! Thanks Paula, hope you like where your W.O.A is now living!

(sorry about the picture though it looks a zillion times better in real life!)

Suppose I better go now and do some day to day stuff.......... yuk!

in between washing the floors...

and cooking dinner, I have been playing today making my page for a Round Robin Journal Challenge organised by
Dirtsa we each have to choose a theme for our own 'front page' I have chosen 'Instructions 4 Life' The page is then circulated around 11 other players and they will each make me a page.. it's their choice how they interpret my theme.

I am really excited by this challenge, it's going to be fun making pages for everybody.

I was keen to use several different media's on my page but ran out of space!

The page is mountboard, I was wondering if this was allowed, but Sian used it for the same reasons as me, so that must OK LOL. It was painted/inked/sandpapered within an inch of it's life, so just as well it wasn't just card!

The word 'Instructions' is made up of newspaper cuttings, 4 and LIFE are chipboard, but all treated differently........ then a bit of stamping, embossing, handwriting and grungeboard wings....

I'm pleased with it............. the back is painted and stamped as well, and I'm hoping my RR friends will pop a bit of advice graffiti style on the back for me...

Crafty Pals are the best sort to have

Just had a lovely lunch spent with some crafty pals to celebrate Fuchsia's 30th Birthday (well they say 50 is the new 30!)
What's better than spending a couple of hours in the sunshine with like minded people??

Poor gal has a bit more tat now though.... been playing with 'Foamboard book' Braks....
Fuchsia has more hobbies than anyone I know, so I had to get as many as I could in her BRAK!










Also been experimenting as well mixing clocks and boxes... looks good even if it's not over practical......




and finally.... remember the two necklaces I made and Georgina picked one out for Sparkles?? This is the other...






Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.... now off to start on Round Robin Journal being organised by Dirtsa and then I'm gonna have a browse through the selection of Arty books Fuchsia has kindly lent me........... may be some time there are a few!

Half term, so no crafting for me but....

crafting for the kids!

Grandma has requested some works of Art from her 5 Grandchildren to adorn her walls... here are the 'works of art' from my two....

As you can see Edward (6) has gone for mums' style of Mixed media LOL..... Grass made from felt.. hedge from tissue stuck on the canvas, painted sky and a tree made from a bit of wood veneer that dad brought home from work! For those of you who are artistically challenged, i will have to explain that the blobs at the bottom are molehills and the blue patch is a doormat that leads to a house that you can't see.................

Georgina (10) tells me she is going for a simple stylised approach........... LOL I wish I was taught art at school like they are these days, it's much more free these days they are allowed to express themselves how they want... not how the teacher thinks they should 'draw'

I am very proud of both of them and I'm sure Grandma will be as well!

Thank heaven for Garages...

those without cars in of course.. who has room for a car in their garage?? and for OH's that hoard bits and pieces.... been rummaging in the garage for bits for the ABSA swap. Came up with a piece of Perspex that has holes in it (Matt has no idea where it came from or what it's for!) and a clip for a conservatory blind, redundant now as he no longer fits blinds!

So here is my other offering for the swap, as I have been strict over this swap it's called 'Does this measure up?' The Tag is made from the wonderful Grunge board I bought at Ally pally, lovely bendy durable paintable /inkable/embossable/everythingable stuff I love it. Just in case you were wondering, Yes you do need some!!

Better go and tidy up again as without a word of a lie I made this in a space 6"x6" on my workbench! I would take a photo but I'm too embarrassed!

It's that Key time!

Another day, another play. Here's the result of a days play. Didn't know where I was going until I got there, I just knew I wanted to use turquoise... trying to get away from my normal brown/copper and get out of my personal box. Unfortunately it was hard to photograph because I couldn't use flash as it reflected onto the metal and the consequence of this was that it looks 'bluer' than it really is. It's a Key Box that I picked up in a bargain bucket that just needed to be altered!

The pelmet at the top has been covered with aluminium tape but before sticking it on I stuck some punched out shapes and then burnished over the top which makes it look like they are embossed into the metal.. it's a very effective technique courtesy of Tim Holtz (though I'm sure he didn't think it up originally!!)

The Central bit is proper aluminum, stamped/embossed/painted. and then a couple of charms and a pair of wings later it was finished. This one is going into my stock to hopefully sell!!

In the absence of my Mojo...

I decided to organise my craft-room yet again.... which in effect means moving stuff around and not actually getting any more ordered or tidy! I live in a perpetual state of unorganization... well as far as my craft-room is concerned.......... well if I am truthful as most of my life is concerned!!


I have never yet managed to have a major sort out without stopping to make something when I come across something that inspires me a bit..... I moved some bamboo tiles from one tin to another and thought of an idea for an ATC for the ABSA swap I am hosting on DoCrafts. (Alternative Base/Something Altered)... speaks for itself really, the base to the ATC must not be card/paper and it must have something altered on it.... well here is the first one.. The Base is made from metal.... which actually is an old tomato puree tube, so I guess that is altered as well (or is that recycling??) and the bamboo tile is altered, hope whoever gets it likes it.. must get on with the other one!


On the way to bed last night I went into my CR to switch the lights off and saw this awesome ATC I received from my mate Fuchsia (aka The Button Queen... think she may have a proper name as well!!) It was sent as a RAK for hosting the above swap.... well I was told I could choose one of the three she sent.... they are all brilliant but I had to pick this one, and Fuchsia knew I would!... anyway back to the plot! It was crying out to be mounted onto a small canvas, so at some unearthly hour last night, out came the gesso and the red/gold/black paint. I finished it off with the wire and beads (which echos the wire and beads on the ATC) at some unearthly hour this morning. I really should sleep!


Now off to tidy up the mess I made after I tidied up... suppose I had better feed the family as well!

Who's got my Mojo?

it's disappeared and one of you must have it... I have spent the week starting projects and then another and then another but not finishing any of them...... well apart from this ATC for the very lovely Minimaker a very talented lady who makes me smile and makes me spend money!

So anyone got any ideas of how to get all the ideas that are whizzing round my head onto my workbench as a finished project??

On a positive note, went to a car boot sale today.. sure the stall holders thought I was mad but I was happy filling my bag with rusty tobacco tins (saves me rusting my Altoids tins!) buttons, wooden rulers, brass keyholes curtain rings and rubber dam clamps!

Oh forgot to say..... I have got a new book 'Altered Art' by Terry Taylor... looks fab, going to put my feet up and study it later... perhaps that will egg me on a bit

Read this today and thought I would share...

No matter what looms ahead, if you can eat today, enjoy the sunlight today, mix good cheer with friends today, enjoy it and bless God for it.

Do not look back on happiness -- or dream of it in the future. You are only sure of today; do not let yourself be cheated out of it.

I think someone somewhere meant me to come across this quote today...

Happy Birthday to my Mate...

For some strange reason, my best mates husband thought it would be a treat to surprise her by bringing her up to Norfolk for her birthday............ can't think it's a treat but people have strange ideas!
By the time I post this she should be on her way.... I'm only a little excited. Hopefully she will have forgiven us by now for lying to her all week!!

I popped to Poundland to buy her a pressie, but found nothing suitable so she has got some more Nicks Tat to clutter up her home......... she is very good at quickly getting it all out of storage when I visit...... she reckons it's always on view, one of these days I'm going to give her a surprise visit and see if she can get it all out from under the stairs in the time it takes me to walk up the drive!!

Anyway......... here is the Tat...........

I found these lovely blank boxes just ripe for altering, some walnut ink/all my distress crackle paint (gawd i must luv her!!) and some copper later and here are the results. Copper is such fun to play with, but jolly hard work... the results are worth it now. Heating it and adding copper patina produces stunning colours.

a pendant... I made two one for Sparky and one for another dear friend, both very different and I left it to George to decide who got which one.... If they don't like them they will have to get together and swap them!

Card.......Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum.. dunno why I had to use this stamp LOL

gawd she is such high maintenance she insisted on a BRAK (Birthday Random ATC of Kindness)as well!! I bought some really cute mini clock bits from Tanda stamps who I can highly recommend , so just had to use one on her ATC

Well as they say, That's all Folks

Happy Birthday Sparky,

I hope you have a lovely weekend, we all treasure you and John

Thanks for sharing your Birthday with us

(not that you had much choice in the matter, but you could have done a runner!!)

xxxxxxxxxx

It's that time again!!

Well what a fab weekend it's been, the weather has been beautiful and we have been to the beach today searching for bits of driftwood and glass..... found one bit of wood but then lost it on the way to get ice-creams!
Spent yesterday organising my Craft room, it may not look any different to you, but to my trained eye it's highly organised LOL!!!
One highlight of the week was getting some 3mm mountboard off cuts from my neighbours son who is a picture framer.... except it is nearer 5mm and bloomin hard to cut, so one sore hand later produced this House Clock, I'm quite chuffed with it!
Apart from that I have been creating something else but can't share that with you, cos I have got to do the finishing touches and get it posted off to the recipient as it's her birthday later in the week!!

A Joint Effort

I recently took part in a swap on the ATC section of Docrafts, called '1 stamp/5 ways' hosted by the very talented Sian, as the name suggests we had to use 1 stamp but make 5 atc's all with different techniques.... my efforts are further down this blog 'Playing Catch up'

Anyway, I was chuffed that Sian sent me her 5. They were too good to shove away in my ATC album, which isn't looked at as often as it should be, so I decided to mount them on a canvas so they can be hung for all to see. Canvases can be bought quite cheaply these days, I am sure a proper artist would turn their nose up at them, but for my kinda collagey work they are fine. But I wanted a long thin canvas and it seems that odd shaped ones are quite pricey, so I was considering other alternatives until I came across one that had already been 'painted' on in a cheapo shop.......... £1.99 and some gesso later it was a blank canvas again!

So here it is.... the 5 ATC's by Sian and a bit of gesso paint, sculpture gel, more paint, more gesso and some images (the same stamp that Sian had used) and dragon flies stamped onto tissue paper and adhered with Gel medium.......... and hey presto , something to adorn my wall!

Thank you Sian!!

For Birthday girl...............

Hope this will past muster with my biggest critic, my 10 year old daughter. Well nearly 10, it's her birthday tomorrow, so I have one very excited girl here. ......
This is a key-ring that i have made her, not that she has any keys she isn't a latch key kid, but like all kids she has to collect something! I have attached it to her card... lazy mother hasn't made a card and a keyring LOL
Made from Stampboard, something I don't really get, I must make more of an effort with it. The letter is Cut from Grungeboard, so hopefully it will stand up to some wear and tear unlike chipboard. The 'tile' that has angel on it (I didn't have a devil word stamp or else i may have been tempted to use that!!) is part of a bracelet i bought for a pound from Primark.. well worth checking out that store for beads etc!
Must go now and get ready to go Ice-Skating and then off to the coast to our favourite fish and chip restaurant with her two best friends who are staying overnight for a talk-over (I refrain from using the word sleepover!!)

PS............ she is a girl after my own heart.....
I just banned her from the craftroom, she obviously knew that meant I was makng her card. When I came out only a few mins later (I had prepped it all last night so only had to put it all together) she said 'that was quick mum, I hope you didn't just stick a couple of peel offs on.............'

thats my gal!!!!!!!!