ATC's

No apologies for this current addiction.... it's the return of the faded layers technique that I loved doing so much for CC3C. I've repeated the light stone effect for the background of these ATC's. (I am definitely in a phase of vintage brown and neutral coloured posts at the moment!)

Over at  'A Vintage Journey' it's a 'A little touch of Tim' ATC challenge.

Once I'd got my background ready I built up the layers using the script stamp from the Mercantile set and a miniature flourish from another set of Tim's.

Next tissue tape, torn thrift shop vellum, ribbon, mini clips and film ribbon, then some Wendy Vecchi crackle paste through the bubble stencil. Finally some butterfly stamps from the sewing/haberdashery set in potting soil archival and chit chat stickers finished with gathered twigs DI.

  

Finally a close up of faded layers with bubble stencil....love it!

Hope you enjoyed this and thanks so much for stopping by.

A quick thank you post

I was thrilled to be given a pinworthy mention for my last Vintage Journey entry...'Mr Rusty' seems to have taken on a life of his own, and I am equally as thrilled that he won the Take It, Make It challenge at Craft Stamper this month. I wouldn't normally mention this as part of a post, just be over the moon and proudly display the badge on my blog but I feel it's almost rude not to acknowledge it. It's the icing on the cake of all the lovely comments left...I feel very honoured and thrilled when I have won or receive a top 3 place......I really do......and now the next post will follow shortly!

'Autumn Fashion'

Over at Crafty Individuals the challenge this month is Autumn Fashion. Looking at the stamps I have I decided to use CI306 and use the dress form for hanging my autumn fashion on. I've made a trio of tags which I am entering in the challenge.

 I stamped the vintage dress form in black and clear embossed it, then set about creating my retro fashion outfits.

I've used 2 colours of luminarte silk glazes on old book text, tissue tape and the scraps of material left over from my journal post a few weeks ago.

Stamped fabric bodice and pleated text paper skirt...lovely sheen from the silk glazes.

Fabric panelled skirt and tissue tape bodice.

Finally text paper bodice and then a ruffled tissue tape skirt. I had to use a pin to help me pleat the tape! The stamped image isn't very big, so dressing the form was quite fiddly. It reminded me of dressing paper dolls when I was little, well crafting is play time to me so it was fun! They are mounted on some Kraft tags which I dry brushed some of the silk glaze onto.
I thought I could use them as they are or as a main image on a card. As always thanks for stopping by.

What's in the box?

Over on Frilly and Funkie the challenge this time is 'Hip to be Square'. It's all about ATB's so I've made my first one and entering it in the challenge. It's made out of coasters as I don't have a die.....although the lovely Redanne has since sent me some die cuts to try, so I will have a play with them in the near future....Thank you Anne!

It presented a few difficulties with round edges and trying to make a cube with a hinged lid. Having gessoed it, I painted the edges with antique linen paint, then used potting soil archival on the edges and finally knocked it back with a dry brush of gesso.

I decided to go for a shabby chic look and use Tim's wallflower stash. I cut them to size, distressed the edges and applied to the inside and out. I love the papers and didn't want to hide them so just used some of Wendy Vecchi's clear embossing paste through the doily stencil, once dry, highlighted with some treasure gold. Not as ornate as many but the fitting together of coasters and setting a hinge in took most of my afternoon up so although I had thought about using the other ATB's inside the box, I decided to do something else instead.....so what's in the box??

The feather is stuck to the lid so pops up when you lift it, it was fun to do....

.....hope you enjoyed the post and thanks for stopping by.

Tag time

Thank you for all the kind comments on my last post....... straight down to business this time. I've not finished my ATB yet but I have completed a tag which I am entering in The Sunday Stamper challenge which this week is about backgrounds. I'm also going to enter it in Tim's August challenge 2014 .
It will be the first time I've submitted a Tim tag, (honest!), I've just never got around to it in time, but as it was about following your muse I really could do anything. I have used quite a few of the elements from the original and been inspired by it, though looking at it you may wonder...

Anyway I'll just explain the grungy background (as we are concentrating on backgrounds for Hels challenge), I started the background a while back and used the ray stencil and I spread some Wendy Vecchi crackle embossing paste through it. Then for some reason I wiped my brush which had gesso on just over it. I used distress stains but of course the gesso resisted them so I just put it to one side for a while.....then went back to it for this challenge, rubbed some of the crackle off which rubbed some of the paper away and when I applied the stains, they really sank in, I was starting to like it now.

I used a few of the stamps from the mercantile set ( love the alphabet script stamp), filmstrip, stitching, remnant rubs word band and a pen nib. I also went 'off piste' and instead of using tissue tape I decided to use some book text which I stamped onto and then used foil which I placed under 3 fragment pieces. To finish, crinkle ribbon, a little treasure gold which picked up the crackle and gilding pen around the edges....and that's it. Hope you enjoy. Thanks for dropping by...

Creative Blog Tour

Hi everyone, today it's my turn on the Creative Blog Tour, so this is a bit different to my usual posts. I've been blogging now for about 6 months and when I first started I had no idea that I would have followers....that other crafters I admired would leave me wonderful comments....or that they would then ask me to be involved in a Creative Blog Tour. So before I tell you a bit more about myself and another wonderful crafter, how did I become involved?

Well I was flattered and honoured when the lovely and oh so talented Ingrid Kristina Vichova (beautiful name) asked me to be part of the tour...of course I said yes and then like others before panicked! Ingrids enthusiasm for crafting comes across alongside what seems to be boundless energy, somehow finding time to whip up a beautiful project before breakfast and juggle being a mum to 2 young girls. Whilst I struggle to submit one project for a challenge, Ingrid will have submitted 3 and they will all be gorgeous! She is uber talented (tie dye technique) and her style is varied, these 3 posts are from the same week and show her talents as an artist or working on mini altered playing cards and lastly CAS, please click on the link below to visit her blog, you won't be disappointed.

Ingrid (Ingrid's Crafts Corner)

So now for the not so simple questions that we are required to answer as part of the tour.

What am I working on?

Well I usually work on one project at a time but do have backgrounds and journal pages just started and there are always things waiting to be altered. At the moment I'm hoping to make an ATB for a challenge, but as I don't have a die I am using 6 coasters (a tip from Alison Bomber). I've since gessoed them and think I may put a hinge on so it has a lid. I may be going down a white shabby chic route but I then I may use the new Tim Holtz Wallflower stash I have just received...or do a more vintage look, who knows....I don't until I start and it quite often changes!

These are spare alcohol inked backgrounds from the last CC3C that I want to use and also some journal pages that I have started backgrounds on.

How does my work differ from others of it's genre?

I think I'm quite eclectic and like many different styles. Some people have said they can see a certain style in my work but just looking at my shelf of finished projects, I'm not sure, maybe I'm a magpie incorporating all-sorts into my projects, maybe I don't have a particular style but I know I like many different genres; modern, CAS, steampunk, shabby chic and although I favour vintage and a more neutral palette, the shelf is screaming a rainbow of colours at me!

Why do I write/ create what I do?

Creating is therapy to me, it calms me, it's the thing that keeps me sane in the frenetic world we sometimes live in. I have always 'created', since being a little. My mum had a haberdashery shop and knitting, crochet, sewing and embroidery were all taught to me. 20 plus years ago I made wedding cakes and adored making bouquets of sugar flowers that adorned them... but that was when I was able to work part time, wedding cakes aren't as feasible at the moment. I can leave a mixed media project for months and it won't go off!

I suppose the why do I write part is why do I blog? I have followed blogs for a long time now, I love looking at other peoples blogs and being inspired, so why not start a blog like the ones I like to follow. I also wanted to be able to enter challenges to stretch myself. I find having a theme helps me focus, whereas sitting at my work space and thinking what shall I make usually results in me getting up and walking away. I can honestly say I have never been so creative as I have been in the last 6 months! I used a Maya Angelou quote recently 'You can't use up creativity, the more you use , the more you have' and it's true.

How does your writing/ creating process work?

Well I've half answered that in the previous question, but it starts with a germ of an idea and that can be sparked from anything, I usually find taking the dog for a walk helps, so I can think about it. Once it takes shape then I am off and only hindered by some technique not working but we crafters are an inventive lot and I think that's part of the fun.

Right that's enough about me...Now the best part, I'd love you to meet the fantastically creative and talented Angela, she is a mistress of master boards and creates wonderful texture with teabags in her journals! Mixed media, steampunk and 3D objects are where she excels. She always leaves the most kind and generous comments and comes across as a lovely person. I'd love you to hop across and see her mixed media work....and I think a new mixed media challenge blog may be on the horizon! Please click on the link below

Angela (Felix The Crafty Cat)

                                                              

Like Ingrid, I would love to have introduced you to more of the creative 'artists' I admire but time did indeed run away with me. I'll hopefully get a second chance sometime.

I know Ingrid left you with a virtual thank you card, well it's not a thank you card but I thought I couldn't let you visit without sharing something with you, so by way of a thank you, I completed a couple more journal pages, the central pieces are on fabric which I started at the Lin Brown workshop. Hope you like.

Thanks for dropping by and hope you enjoyed this different post!

Time flies...

oops 2nd attempt to post!

A few months ago I mentioned I'd been trying to make a chunky ATC for one of the challenges but that Mr Mojo decided to leave the building, and so he has been sitting there forlornly looking at me from the corner of my work space ever since. However here he now is in all his rusty grungy glory (not sure why he is a he but he is).  Hopefully he will now sit happily on my shelf stretching his rusty wings.

He started off as two wooden stamp mounts (I decided to turn some of my wood mounted stamps into unmounted stamps, but I kept the wood of course). I knew I wanted him to have rusty wings and then a couple of challenges came up that inspired me and pushed me into finishing him. The blocks still had some remnants from my first attempt so I covered the blocks with terminology tissue wrap.

I used broken china and antiqued bronze distress paints for the eroded metal effect of Tim's and wanted to continue this effect throughout.

I already had these die cuts and circles in my stash and the colours just lent themselves to the project. I stamped in potting soil archival on both with some craft stamper free stamps, one is appropriately 'Tempus fugit' (time flies).

Part way through assembly. I've used paper and metal embellishments. I've also used verdigris, black and copper embossing powders, black archival and treasure gold in florentine, spanish topaz and onyxite. 

Some close ups of his rusting body.

Over at 'A Vintage Journey'  they celebrate all things Tim influenced and it definitely is inspired by his vintage grungy approach and techniques, just hope it's eligible. I'm entering for the first time, it's only their 12th challenge!...although I've followed it, I've just not been able to enter before; the theme this time around is of course...'Time Flies'. 

I'm also pleased to be able to enter one of  SanDee & Amelie's Steampunk challenges for the first time as well. This time it's for the Summer bonus challenge which is based on a mood board, I think I've used virtually all the colours and the corroded metal cogs and gears but just lightened with a bit of blue.

Lastly I'm entering it in the Craft Stamper Take It, Make It August challenge , this month the challenge is to use any of the techniques demonstrated in Craft Stamper this year so far. From June 2014 I've used the eroded metal effects (Distress to Impress) but from the same issue I also used the blistered paint technique (Blistering Barnacles) on some of the metal work and was inspired by Trish Latimers masterclass on inventive feet. I enjoyed doing it... and that's all that matters, thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed the post.

Faded layers...naturally.

I've made it...and in good time! I've been disappointed not to be able to join in with the last few CC3 challenges, (so little time, so much to do), but I have a few days off at present so I am happily 'creating'. We are on numero 8 now and it's the faded layers technique (page 58). This time The Funkie Junkie boutique are sponsoring the challenge and the lucky winner will receive a $25 shopping spree. Here's my entry for Challenge 8. I've altered a notebook.

Front..

...and back.

This technique really surprised me, I absolutely love the effect it creates. You have to see it in real life, it really has a wow factor....well I think so anyway. Why two tone?

Well, I originally thought I'd do blues or a bright colour but as I was also wondering what to do for Hels Sheridan's The Sunday Stamper challenge which this week has a natural theme.....I thought why not? Always one for experimenting, though this may have all been done before? I set off down the natural route. Now some may think there is a brown theme developing with my CC3C entries, I do other colours, honest, it's just the way it's worked out (there has been one greeny blue entry so far).

So without giving the technique away, I started with a £1 notebook from a sale. I took the covers off.

I'd had an idea about light stone colours, patchworking them and white embossing, so I tried a few colours and used the technique. The colours I've used were the same for both ( brown, orange, yellow) but I used some gold metallic mixatives on the dark and snowcap white on the light. I used the stencils below.

I couldn't choose between the pieces so decided to use both.  The one on the left has been sectioned but I kept the page pattern as it was. The one on the right I chose to mix up the sections. I've also punched the holes for the spine and the elastic that closes the book. Before stitching with a wonky zigzag I stuck the pieces onto a piece of photocopy paper.

I did think about mixing them together (below) but preferred the above arrangement.

I wanted to keep the stamping and additions simple so the technique/ background could be seen....(learned my lesson from the previous post!)

Stamp sets I've used are Bird Feather, Mercantile and I think it's Haberdashery? I stamped the images in white before sewing as I knew the feather would cross the cut areas. The black stamping was done after sewing and I've used some remnant rubs. Then attached the pages to the covers with matt multi medium and I've just used a couple of idea-ology pieces to finish and attached them with a swivel clasp. I tinted the pieces with antique linen distress paint. I didn't add too many pieces as I want to be able to slip it my bag and use it to make notes or journal on the go.

Update, couple of close ups, I meant to add..

So this is my entry for CC3C and The Sunday Stamper, both links above. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks so much for stopping by. 

Journal...take 2

Hello, I thought I'd share a couple of journal pages with you, well there are 4 here really.....4..really? Well I 'overdid' the first 2, but as there are no mistakes in art, I adapted and part of the first 2 are on the second  2 page spread below. Not sure whether that's the creative process...or I am just stubborn and want to make things work!
I am entering this in Country View Crafts August Wordplay challenge which is about the written word and I've included a rather lovely quote from a Lin Brown stamp set. I am also entering this in Our Creative Corners Summertime challenge as I'm thinking of red sky sunsets, flowers in full bloom and seed heads starting to develop in late summer..... though the way the weather has been this weekend we may have missed that part!

You may be aware that I tend to do one page spreads, because 2 large pages are still a bit scary to me; but this is my little finnabair journal and I shared a 2 page spread a few weeks ago that I had made at a fab Lin Brown workshop. Whilst we were there we printed onto fabric using a gelli plate.

I stuck a fabric piece straight in to my book on the left and on the right is the second print which is on photocopy paper. I hadn't been able to decide how I could move forward on this without obliterating the background, which I loved. Anyway I decided to start and I used translucent embossing paste, glass bead gel, several stencils, stamps, gilding wax, glimmer mists, glazes, gesso, the kitchen sink...

Yes unfortunately as you can see I sadly 'nuked' it, no white or even light space at all.....I decided to remove the pages and then thought could I use part of them? I'd already wiped my brush on another 2 pages so decided that was the starting point.

I applied some gesso with an old credit card, then peach glimmer mist and blue colourwash spray through stencils. I then randomly stamped in hydrangea archival with a CI stamp. A little more stenciling with chestnut brown silk glaze and sprays, then some white paint circles with a bottle top. I was able to peel the fabric from the paper and trim it by tearing. I also cut around the onion skin stencilled texture paste areas to reuse them; I thought they looked like seed heads especially as they were gilded. Here are some close ups.

Glass bead gel, gilding wax and seed heads.

Stencilled flower heads in translucent embossing paste, glass bead gel with primary element pigments and faux stitching.

Below is my favourite part because the fabric still has some of the original pattern showing. I'm happy with the finished result as the more I look, the more I see and the more I like it.

I still have this piece of fabric which has only been colour sprayed....will save that for another time.

 Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed a rather photo heavy post.