Not a Domino in sight (or Triomino!)

I am known for changing my mind, and I know only this morning I was planning to alter some Triomino pieces for an Altered Game Piece swap... but that was because

a) we weren't allowed to alter domino's - why? cos that's what Trish the Host said, and if you host a swap then you make the rules

b) because I couldn't find the Da Vinci games pieces that I really wanted to use.
but then, I found the Da Vinci bits I really wanted to use

Da Vinci Game pieces? Ever heard of them? Nope didn't think you had! A few years ago during the height of The Dan Brown 'Da Vinci Code' mania, I found a game of the same name in a bargain bucket and purchased it as a stocking filler for D.H.  Well we soon found out why it was it the bargain bucket, it's probably the most boring game in the whole wide gaming world and actually 'bargain' could be stretching a point, unless of course they fall into the hands of someone who rather likes altering things and sees them as (potentially) very cute little 'shrines'

As always I had - not a clue - what I was going to do with them when I managed to grab a bit of me time tonight, but I came across these three lovely - albeit bloomin miserable looking - ladies who fitted beautifully inside the pieces.

I randomly tore a page out of an old book I use for text pages and challenged my self to find some apt text to make a mini collage inside each one. Each one as had a few layers of UTEE which gives the glassy look

All three ladies are I am sure unrecognised Angels, even if they do look like three miserable old buggers, so they all have stamped and embossed wings.

Off to have a think about another challenge - take a look over at Gingersnap Creations - Metallics... yum!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving comments, I really do appreciate it xxx

Twice In One Day!!

Well the plan for today was to do a bit of washing... went to laundry basket to find it had magically been filled overnight I was sure it was empty yesterday! - SHOCK........... Kids had tidied their Bedrooms. HORROR..... This resulted in a load more washing!

Plan 2; Do the Ironing. Well that hasn't happened.

Plan 3; Attempt some altered bottletop charms for a challenge I am taking part in. Well I tried, honest I did, I flattened, I removed plastic bits, I made holes, I ran out of inspiration.

OK onto Plan 4; Prepare food for tonight's dinner... forgot to take meat out of freezer last night... that's OK , Lentil Roast prepared instead, that will keep meat hating DD happy.

Plan 5; Continue with the Altered Abacus I started at the beginning of the year.... yeah sommat has gone OK cos it went to plan (well almost) and is now finished. Not bad, I planned on it taking most of the year as I wanted to do it bit by bit as and when I had time and inspiration to do another bit. It's June tomorrow and it's finished and I am happy with it so all is well in Nicks world.

It doesn't really take much to make me happy... take a look at these two beauties! Playing around with a pasta machine, some clay and some leaves. Heidi uses alot of leaves with her silver work and silver clay, so I thought I'd have a play with my polymer clay. Just ran the leaves through the pasta machine along with the clay and then highlighted the clay with some mica pigments. As they are so thin they will go into my altered book as they are only the thickness of a stiff card. One uses a rose leaf from a rose OH brought in from the garden for me, and the other is a lily leaf and some gypsophilia that came in a bouquet recently sent to me from Mrs Bessie.... cool eh??? they look groovy and are a bit of personal memorabilia, well I'm happy LOL!!

43 Days till Christmas

and so much that I want to do, doubt it will all get done in time! making peoples pressies seems such a good idea at the time but in reality I should start in July! Getting frustrated with one pressie, cos it is just not going to plan, well it's got two choices, either it will work or it will hit the bottom of the bin and the intended recipient will get a box of smeillies from Marks! Well I have got a couple of free hours tomorrow so I will get stuck in before I join Edward for lunch at school... yummy Roast beef and my mate is a cook at the school so I may get seconds if I am good.

Just a couple of things to upload.. a Birthday Card and 'matching brooch' that I made for one of the funniest people I know, whom I think likes my old tat,

and a err.... what is it?? Well i dunno so doubt she will, another bit of Tat for a friend who I don't think 'gets' my stuff but I made it for her anyway! I like to think of these lovely ladies as 'Fallen Angels' but isn't the paint fab?? well you can't probably tell how luscious it is, but trust me it is.

Citadel Paint, used by people to paint their gaming figures.. was called Dungeons and Dragons in my day, but not sure what you call it now. Whatever the paint is just awesome!

Off to the NEC this weekend, for just a little bit of retail therapy, as I have OH and DD in tow it won't be much, but I am determined only to spend money if I see something a little bit different. Not holding my breath though, the arty world seems to be lacking something different/new........ or is it just me?

Right............... wish me luck with this dastardly project that I wish I never started but want to finish.

I will just get that out of the way and then will have to start on the SSO's birthday pressie... think I may just have a nervous breakdown and then I will have an excuse to get her smellies from Marks!

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!

I'm all excited

Here is the result of the Jigsaw swap that I mentioned below... I am absolutely thrilled with all the bits that I got back from......
top L to R Wendy, Maureen,
Middle Me, Jan, Trudy,
Bottom.. Sherry

I mounted it only a 12x12 canvas and very fortuitously my DH brought home some tile samples from work (he is getting the altered art idea!), exactly the right colours, which I stamped 'Every time a bell rings' ...... (an angel gets his wings) a quote from our favourite film It's a Wonderful Life
And it is a wonderful life when you have such talented friends that I have found through 'art'

Thank You Ladies (and an extra big thanks from Matthew who is thrilled that we are actually keeping something, he gets cross cos I give everything away)

http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Techniques/Altered_Art/532.php