Sunday Stamper 'Blue'.

Managed this a bit earlier this week! I've had it made since Tuesday but it has proved a challenge to photograph.

I used some Maya road bird shapes which I covered back and front in different papers from Tim Holtz shabby vintage stack. I then inked the edges with weathered wood distress ink and stamped paper artsy hot pick 'Song Bird Fly' and some T.H. stamps over the bodies. The big wings were cut from T.H. 'fanciful flight' and layered up . The small wings were from his winged heart dies. Prima paper flowers were distressed inked and layered up by the side of the wings and on the hanging saying at the bottom.

I then seperated the birds with toning beads and paper birds punched from Martha Stewart bird punch which I love. The two sayings on the atc at the bottom are from T.H. and Exclusive images. I used touches of green distress ink to break up the blue.

Blue birds of happiness? I certainly have enjoyed the beautiful blue skies we have recently had. I think this may become a gift for my persian cats Hermione and Molly, they have been eyeing it up with interest!

Have a good day all. x

Play Date Cafe Challenge #76.

Here is my first attempt at the Play Date Cafe Challenge. The theme for this week is to use bright blue, sky blue and bright green.

I used Adirondach colour wash in Stream, Denim and Lettuce to colour the background of the tag and then I put it through my cuttlebug with the swiss dots embossing folder which I then coloured over with tumbled glass and weathered wood distress ink to pick up the dots as if they were bubbles in the sea. The 'seaweed' is made from green and blue chiffon which I shrivelled with my heat gun and machined down. The shell is pain spattered blues and the starfish and sea plant are from Stampington's 'Shore Cliff Elements' stamped in distress inks again. The iridescent shell shaped sequins and blue beads are from my stash and were charity shop finds. The blue nylon string at the top of the tag was collected from last years beach combing. With the lovely weather we are having this weekend it makes me wish I was by the sea, perhaps crafting with these colours is the next best thing! Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine. x

Sunday Stampers - Gold.

Sunday Stampers! Oh my goodness, only just in time! Manic week I'm afraid, never mind made it with some hours to spare. The challenge was to use Gold, harder than I thought.

I swished wild honey, scattered straw and rusty hinge inks on my craft mat and swiped the tag through until I got a good background colour. Then I embossed it with Tim's rays, wiped colour over again and then smeared gold viva paste at the edge and the almost sun shape. It looks far richer than the photo has shown. Tim's in flight stamp on grunge paper with black archival ink then smeared with the gold again. I then altered some feathers with the viva and attached them under the bird. Gold beads from my stash at the bottom and a faceted crystal with a toning bead and gold threads at the top attached with a trinket pin. Blinded by the light because the bird looks as if it has flown too near, hope his wings are not burnt!

Saturday Sortings.

Today I have been doing three things.The first thing I have been doing is not doing the housework. I have not been doing it all day.

The second thing I have been doing is wandering about my garden, considering how to sort the ravages of winter and turn it into a haven again. I thought you might like to see some of the projects I have done and will have to consider doing this year. I am very good at considering.

Here is my garden guardian angel in her beautiful mosaic shrine inspired by a trip to beloved Italy. Clever hubbysand make the shrine. It has had several incarnations.

Unfortunately the winter has taken off some of the china plate mosaics that we lovingly collected from car boots and smashed up. Last year we attempted to stick them with the stuff that is supposed to be as strong as nails, but the snow and rain got in and we will have to attach them again. Other years we have tried grout and cement and read a multitude of garden mosaic how to do books. Never mind, I haven't lost them and I don't do perfection.

Here is chamomile swirl stage two. I have tried to grow a chamomile lawn in this circle (My garden is made up of circles) four times. It is a very hard thing to do I have discovered, as the slugs feast out on chamomile. Dearest hubbysand got clever with string and pegs and has put in a spiral. The job this year is to plant chamomile inbetween. Next time I blog this I hope it will be well underway and the smell will knock you out!

This is my special retreat looking worse for wear. When I have spring-cleaned it and plumped the cushions and put them in the seats, lit the scented candles and put my tea pot and cup and saucer on the table you won't recognise it! My favourite spot to meditate and re-charge. I have crystals and garden chimes that tinkle in the breeze. Luverly.

This is a piece of wood from Westonbirt Arboretum. Purchased one year during their tree carving show. I found a special crystal and when the sun catches it rainbows dance every where.

These are some of my heads that adorn the wall in front of a little seated area.

May I introduce you to George and Mildred who live on top of an ornate column near the rose arch. They don't need feeding and my cats can't reach them. Perfect.

The third thing I have been doing is playing in the craft room. I have recently purchased Ruth Rae's book 'Layered. tattered, stitched. Full of gorgeous scrumptiousness that I want to make. This is my first absolute copy from her book of a cuff. I'm hoping beautiful daughter number 1, 2 or 3 will like and want it as I have made it a tadge too tight for my old wrist. No. 2 will hopefully like it as it more her style. Now I understand the basics I will experiment with my ideas and fabrics. Well, even the likes of Michelangelo copied from the Masters when he set out!

Well, off to not do the housework now! Enjoy your day.

Sunday Stamper!

Well, had a most glorious day today and did Hel's challenge on the Sunday Stamper on Sunday. The theme is die cuts and I was longing to use Tim's new die and stamp set bought from one of my most fav. shops in all the world, The Stamp Attic.
I have made a sewing set:

The button tin was an old sweetie tin I thought I should save, covered in pink papers and stamped in aged mahogany distress with one of Tim's stamps and one from paperartsy.

The rim was edged in some matching trim I had in the craft room and I protected the surface of the tin with glossy multi medium. Here is a side view.

The needle case was some of Tim's lovely paper overstamped in aged mahogany and a grunge board die cut of a spool coloured with mahogany acrylic dabber.

The inside has needles already in situ on pink felt pages.

The scissor holder was the most work. I die cut the dress form from grunge board and then balsa wood, glued them together and then coloured with mahogany acrylic and set it into a piece of wood similarly coloured. Then I die cut it again from Tim's paper and cut out the bodice. The arms are stamped from a doll set I have had so many years and I do not remember the maker, jointed with tiny brads. Then I die cut the bird cage and glued it on as a skirt. Added ideology bits and some words and little roses.

The sash is tied and holds the scissors at the back. If I make this again I have thoughts of the scissor handle becoming a ruff for an Elizabethan lady. Here is the back view showing how the scissors fit in the sash, it is quite stable because I layered up the die cut with balsa and grunge.

I really enjoyed making this, only one thing would have made it better - a vagabond machine. Must be good, it is a want, not a need, and my dear old cuttlebug worked. Still, I do covet!

Sunday Stamper, 'Brown'.

Here I am with Hel's Sunday Stamper and thanks to Gini on 'A little bit shiny' blog I have managed to put the sunday Stamper logo on my blog. However I have not managed to give you a direct link to Gini's blog, paste won't come up! Drat drat drat! What a plonker I am, still practice makes perfect, I shall have to consult beautiful daughter number 2, who left me with a book of instructions when she gave me this blog as a gift.

Enough waffling, here is my tag for the said Sunday Stamper challenge - Brown. Quite a challenge this one Hel's, but got out all my brown toned distress inks, paperbag studio stamps, brown flowers, ribbon trim and then had a first. I heat distressed the brown chiffon ribbon on the tag, what fun, must try other things with this.

A little bit of lace and a button, an adage ticket and bob's your uncle as they say! Why do they say that? I've often wondered. Now off to do a tadge of housework, enjoy the spring sun and then play again. Best wishes to all who read this!

Winter is over in the craft room!

I have had enough of snow! I struggled with it in my winter scene, which is part of a challenge I am sharing with my little sister. I am not 100% happy with the result but need to move into spring!


I have tried to let it flow on from the Autumn scene, but couldn't get Hugh Grant in! (See the Autumn post - shades of Nottting Hill!)
I used paperbag studio stamps, Tim Holtz tree die, a post box I have forgotten where from (I shall have to be more vigilant remembering now I blog, sorry), distress inks and loads of white acrylic. I made it snow with an old toothbrush, even the cats are covered now! The school railing were coffee stirrers and the entrance to the school was a paperartsy stamp.
I grew up in London and moved to Wiltshire when I was 12. My first school was at the end of a road of terraced houses and was a big Victorian building behind railings, and the trees seemed to me to grow out of the pavement! Magic.

Here it is next to the Autumn one. I hope to get them all mounted together when I have finished.

I hope I have managed to convey the glow through the windows as the afternoon starts to close.