Tuesday 27 July 2010

Ju's July Challenge!

It took me ages to get the stamp right with the shrink plastic, but got it worked out now. This is the free stamp from the August Craft Stamper mag, I think it works great as the drop piece for earrings.
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Wednesday 30 June 2010

Mag's altered wooden swap


I found a pair of these lovely scalloped edge frames in a charity shop and couldn't resist, I knew exactly what I had in mind.  Mags managed to get one of the frames off me, so this is what I've done with the one I had left.

Ju's June challenge - Fabric!

I do love anything to do with fabric, so I've covered an A5 notebook, added some fabric flowers using the new Papermania templates, stamped the centre flower and stitched some details and added beads.  As Ju is my swap partner, I hope she likes it!

June raffle - Vintage!


Here I am, squeaking in at the last minute again!  The theme was Vintage, but I don't really have much stuff for that theme so I went for a yester-year rustic look instead.  This little chipboard book worked out better than I thought, and I will definitely be doing more of these!

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Ju's 3D butterfly swap

Now this was fun!  I've got a lovely large butterfly stamp bought from a show at Alexandra Palace that can easily be layered.  I've stamped it on to some clear acetate 6 times with Stazon black, and coloured in on the other side with Sharpie permanent pens.  It has to be the other side because they are solvent based and will lift the stamp ink.  I decorated the edges with some glitter glue, allowed it to dry and then cut the images out in decoupage layers.  I coloured a foam disc with the gold Pilot pen and attached some gold beading wire as a hanger and a spiral beaded dangly detail from the bottom.  The layers were attached using small clear glue dots, and the outer layers folded so that the image came alive.  This would be great as a sun-catcher hanging in a window, and I'm on a strict promise to Layla to make one for her room!
 

May Raffle

I've altered a cd for this month's raffle.  I had to borrow some stuff from Mags as I don't have any oriental in my stash.  It don't really tickle my fancy, as it were.  But I enjoyed doing it anyway, and I really enjoyed putting the bead details on.  I also found out that if you colour some card with a gold Pilot pen, then heat emboss a black stamped image, the two colours mingle to make a bronze effect.  How cool is that?
 

May swaps - Something old, new, borrowed and blue

There were 4 swaps; tag, fat page and ATC for each.  The 'Something Old' I used the first stamp set and papers I ever bought when I was very first introduced to scrapbooking when I lived in Thetford.  I always meant to go back and do something with these papers, so after at least 8 years I finally have! LOL!

'Something New' was all taken from the docrafts Goody Bag I recently bought, so incorporates the newest pieces in my ever growing stash!

'Something Borrowed' I used stamps kindly lent to me by Mags.  I was playing around with the colours I wanted to use, and accidentally came upon overlaying the images in different colours.  Why is it some of the best ideas are accidents?

'Something Blue' all have the cat stamp from the June issue of Craft Stamper.  I really love the stamp and will probably use it loads!  Just a little bit late getting this out, but I hope I'm forgiven! LOL!

Tuesday 27 April 2010

April Raffle

I've been working for weeks on this piece for the April Raffle on All Things Crafty.  I started with a 5 x 7 mounted canvas which I sponged with watercolours to create a natural background.  I then used various stamps including the freebie from Craft Stamper May issue to build up a soft, almost impressionistic garden scene with hints of flowers and foliage.  I will admit that some of this effect was quite by accident as it's hard to get a clear impression when stamping on canvas unless you are pushing the canvas from underneath.  I found this out by trial and error but I have to say I really loved the effect. 

I then embellished with some simple embroidery stitches, stuck on a few petal shapes cut from a scrap of cloth and blanket stitched the edges, and found a dragonfly print fabric that I could cut out a single dragonfly.  It's finished off with some beads set in Glossy Accents, another trick picked up from Craft Stamper.

I must say this has been one of the most enjoyable projects I have ever done as it has finally joined my love of stitching with my growing confidence in other crafts.  I will be doing a sister to this canvas to keep as this one will be given away, and I am planning to do much more on a far bigger scale.  I have not felt this inspired since started my Woodland Enchantress (still waiting to be framed so no pic yet!).  I hope whoever wins this enjoys it as much as I did.

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Altered CD swap

I did the first of the CDs a couple of weeks ago.  I really like using the clear spacers from a spool of cd's as you can really play around with it for 3D effects.  But after that I kinda lost my mojo, Cliff and Layla have both been poorly and I won't get to see Alan or Brendan now as planned. 

But after sulking in my craft room for a couple of days I finally got the inspiration to tackle the second CD for the swap, the all floral one again playing with 3D effects.  I have some more of these clear ones and might look at creating a stained glass effect window hanging.  I think that could be really pretty catching the sun.  I hope whoever gets the swaps enjoy them!

Sunday 28 March 2010

Monochrome swaps

These are the swaps for the All Things Crafty forum hosted by Mags.  Can't wait to see what selection I get back!
 

Lots of pics!

Although I haven't blogged much in the last 3 months I have still found time to fit some crafting in.....

This is box of drawers Layla gave me for Christmas, and I altered it with papers Brendan bought me for Christmas.  I love both the box and those papers!

 
These are cards I have been making for the docrafts charity appeal for Cancer Research.

 
This is an altered shopping bag made for MIL's birthday.  I also did one for step mom for Christmas but can't find the photo.  I have one of these left to do, maybe for me, maybe for someone else.  We'll see....

So I've definitely done more than I realised.  I can't wait to get my prize piece of stitching framed so I can get it blogged.  I'm keeping it safely wrapped in tissue at the moment, I'd be devastated if it got damaged, so no pics until it's framed!

Saturday 20 March 2010

Has it really been over 3 months....

since I last posted!!!  OMG, where does the time go?  Well, when I say I'm busy, I'm telling the truth!

Since I last posted Christmas has come and gone.  The boxes went down a treat, but the bag for my step-mom got damaged on the flight to St. Louis.  I've finally finished my Woodland Enchantress and will post a pic when it's framed.

And HOORAY!!!!  I've finally sorted the craft room and now I can get down to some serious crafting!  A big thanks to Mags and her friend Ang for re-starting All Things Crafty forum.  I'll be able to post pics of my swaps etc as I do them.  Back to the crafting table while I'm still in the 'zone'........