The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge..... Week 7

It's week 7 of the Calendar Challenge at The Craft Barn and here is my entry for the week. I embossed the bla blas, then inked over with distress inks, coloured in the lil lady with distress inks, sewn some lines for her to stand on, calendar attached and voila it's done.

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - Purple and Embossing
Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

Text ATC's and my upcoming blog-over

Things have been a little quiet on my blog for a week or so now. I was just catching up on life, you know cleaning, cooking, washing, shopping.... xmas shopping!!! And I don't wanna stress myself too much always having to produce things to show here. I feel I put myself under a lot of pressure. So I have decided to have a little blog break, I'll still post the odd challenge as I love taking part in some challenge. But for the next 2-3 weeks it'll be real quiet here. Cause I'm having a BLOG-OVER! No that's not a hangover for blogs, it's a make over for blogs. I feel the design of my blog is a bit tired I just want to make it that much nicer to look at, a cleaner blog if you know what I mean. So I won't be resting as I'll be working on that and also a DT application.

I just want a fresh "start" for my blog as I'm getting more interest in my work, guest designer invites etc I just feel I owe people to up my game a bit. Posts may become fewer in the future but the quality will be going up. I am hoping to do more tutorials, there will definitely be another blog candy coming up before christmas, after all it's the time of year to give away goodies. Overall an improvement, I have come a long way from my card making early last year to the grungy and sometimes colourful mixed media creations I do nowadays.

In the meantime I leave you with 2 ATC's I rustled up last night using one of my favourite stamps from Art Journey, the text background. It just work so well with absolutely everything. I am entering these into the Text Challenge at The Art Journey Challenge.

Crafty Advent Calendar Swap..... come and join in the fun

Do you love Christmas? Do you love the time leading up to Christmas? Making decorations and cards and writing little lists of what to get for everyone? If you do then maybe you'd like to join in my little advent calendar?

I got the idea from my bloggy friend Milla in Finland, she just started hers and I loved the idea so much that I just have to make one of my own.

The idea is that you pick a day and for that day you send me a little present. In return I send you one, whether you use it as part of your own advent calendar or just have a little extra pressie to open at Christmas thats your choice. This is a good opportunity to get to know other people and their crafts, browse your swapees blog and find out what they like. Email them. Ask questions. And then send a little present they will enjoy. This could be anything from a handmade item, crafty items such as charms, ribbon etc. A stamp you may have spare. Or you could go out and buy a small something. It's not about spending lots of money, it's about sharing the love for christmas and getting to know people.

I myself love anything crafty, I love stamps and Tim Holtz grungy style stuff. Vintage. Old photos. Photobooth pictures. Rusty keys. Ribbons and fibers. I do love nice socks, even though they aren't crafty. My boyfriend collects Tic Tacs so any foreign (by foreign I mean not german or british) ones be fab. Small notebooks. Jordi Labanda illustrated things. Art Journaling. These are just a few of my likes.

So if that sounds like something you would like to be part of then leave a comment and/or email me at anikraft@hotmail.co.uk.

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Artsy Crafts with Lynne Perrella

I'm sure I mentioned the fab Artsy Crafts workshop I went to at weekend a few times. Well today I'd like to share with you the project we created on the saturday with Lynne Perrella.

My piece is very tame and neutral in colour whereas everyone else went a bit colourcrazy with a lot of stenciling and bright colours. I kinda wish I had done something more colourful but maybe I just felt a bit scared. Nevertheless, if you have seen my recent colourful tags inspired by Lynne you know that her colourful creations have rubbed off on me in the end.

I just added some finishing touches to this today with a bit of ideaology and spray inks. It is not my favourite piece but as I said before sometimes it's about the journey not the destination.

More inspiration fom Lynne Perrella

If you have seen my recent tags in true Lynne Perrella style (one I showed was actually made by her) you will not be surprised to see this strangely colourful mirror.
I love working on these Ikea mirrors, cheap and cheerful and plenty of space to decorate on. I used a whole lot of old family photos here and went mad with paints, stencils and crayons. Loving the messy way of crafting at the moment and not caring and planning things too much, just grab some crayons and go.
Not a hundred percent on whether I like this particular piece but it's not always about the finished piece is it, it's about the fun you had creating it. And what you can learn from it.

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge..... Week 6

It's week 6 in The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge, which means we are halfway there. Mine is a little smaller this week, I was lacking inspiration a bit with the Turquoise & Lace theme, but thought I don't have to make it overcomplicated do I? Something small and simple. Not everyone was a big and bold calendar, so here it is.

Lynne Perrella inspired Tags

It's been a bit quiet on my blog for a few days but there is a reason, I spent a weekend in Warrington at Artsy Crafts. Having taken part in Lin and Leandras workshops before I just couldnt miss this one, it had a special guest - Lynne Perrella.
I must say I had not really been familar with her work before but liked what saw on her website and I like to learn new things and venture out into different angles of crafting and so I just booked myself 2 day workshops with her. As always it was well organized and I met a lot of lovely people. The projects we did with Lynne still need some finishing touches and I will share them with you when they are ready. In the meantime check out this You Tube video to see everyone's work.
But the main inspiration I took away from this weekend was Lynne's love for oil pastels. She gave us a quick demo on a tag how she layered pastels with paints and stencils and I am totally in love.
The tag on the left is one Lynne did or me using an old photo of me and my sister. The next one is one I made using the same technique. And then the other two are ones I did at home yesterday. I also created a whole mirror in that style - I'll share that some time this week.
So overall a fab weekend, the venue was nice, the people were even nicer and I have taken away loads of inspiration. Thanks Lin and Leandra and everyone involved and especially thanks to Lynne - you are amazing!

The Disco-Tag (get it?!?!) will be entered into the Tag Challenge at The Stampotique Designers Challenge.

Time to start making Christmas cards

Every year I think I better start early with my Christmas cards, you know in summer. Make 2-3 every week and by the time Christmas comes round you're sorted. But it never works like that does it?
I have only just started with my xmas cards and this is the first design for the year. I picked up these cute little wooden reindeer in John Lewis. The card design is very simple but I find the browny/kraft distress style works well.

I am entering these into the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge where the theme is "So distressing".

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge..... Week 5

And here we go again with another calendar. This week the theme at the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge is PINK AND BIRDS. So I got one of my favourite Alterations Dies out and some pink spray ink and voila another calendar.

The calendar itself is a day to day one, I'm not sure if these are available in the UK but my sister got me some in Germany. I remember when I was little we used to make my grandma a calendar every year for Christmas using one of those calendars. You tear off each day and on the back is either a saying, a recipe, a soduko etc.

I am also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge - Things with wings.

Halloween ATC's and the new Stampotique Flickr Group

I said only a few days ago that I don't really do Halloween, but with so many Halloween and Atumn Colour Challenges around at the moment I can't not get into a slightly spooky mood.

These ATC's have been created with various challenges in mind. I used some of the new Distress Inks and LOVE them, I mean, how can you not?! Can't wait for the wintery seasonal release ones next month - www.timholtz.com.
Also I am still rather attached to my Stanpotique stamps at the mo, maybe that's because they are ALL sitting on my desk taking up valuable crafting space. I really have to get that shelf made I want for my wall to display all my woodmounted stamps.

Also, I wanted to tell you about the new Stampotique Flickr group I started, with permission of course. It's a nice way of gathering all Stampotique creations in one place and to browse when you need some inspiration. So join us HERE and add your creations or just browse and chat.

These are going to be entered into the following challenges:

Playdate Cafe - Colour Challenge
Artistic Stamper - Autumn Colours
Happy Daze - Halloween
Tando Creative - Spooktastic

And last but not least - Grungy Mondays - it has been aaaaaages I have entered one of the lovely Linda Ledbetter's Challenges. Life has just got in the way and one can't enter all challenges in the crafting world (although this week I'm trying bloody hard!). So I hope time will allow me to take part in more Grungy Mondays from now on!!!

Wendy Vecchi Clock for Simon says Stamp and Show

I've made a clock similar to this before, using the other 3 flowers out of this Maya Road chipboard album and I have been meaning to make a 2nd clock for ages to give to my Mum. So as it's Wendy Vecchi week at Simon says Stamp and Show I thought now is the time.

I used loads of Maya Road mini chipboard shapes and cut flowers from grungepaper. Some idea-ology, plenty of colour and background stamps. It's easy but takes time to colour each piece and figure out what goes where. Well worth the effort in the end though. And I love the concept of the 2 decorated flowers with the clock in the middle.

I also wanted to mention the Wendy Vecchi Flickr Group that I started a while back with Wendy's permission. Slowly people join and add their creations but I'd like it to be more for more great Wendy art to admire. So if you are a regular on Flickr then come and join us here.

Abstract Canvas inspired by Dyan Reaveley

Sometime this summer (if you can call it that) I was browsing some blogs and one post stood out. It was Dyan Reaveley's blog post about a canvas class she tought. Here is the original post.
It inspired me so much that I wanted to try out my own large canvas. I had until then only stuck to smaller canvases and used photos and collage sheets to fill it out and I was a little scared of tackling the big white canvas.
But with the help of the post and loads of peeking at the student's canvases I worked out this canvas here.




I liked that one very much but thought I could have done some things a little better so I made a second one. So this is the new and improved version.

I won't give you any instructions as Dyan is teaching these as classes and I don't want to give away her secrets. If you're clever work out your own or maybe take part in one of her classes. My time off if very limited and as I'm always working weekends I can't get to as many workshops as I'd like otherwise I would have loved to go to this one.

As these were painted in the summer holidays my boyfriend's daughter was here too and she joined in as well. She is 13 and this is her canvas.... this one is a bit work in progress and not entirely finished but almost there.

Thanks to Dyan for letting me post these and for the inspiration.

Dyan's Blog

Stampotique Designers Challenge - Humorous Birthday

Yeah it's time for another Stampotique Challenge and the theme is Humorous Birthday.
I didn't have a plan when I made this card, I just started inking and splattering some water and then grabbed this foliage stamp and so on and I ended up with this card. The inside reads "they get better with age".

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge..... Week 4

Another week, another Craft Barn Calendar Challenge.
Most people in this challenge create a page each week and then have a calendar at the end of the 12 weeks. I thought about it but couldnt come up with a concept of how to make that calendar and have a page each month and also have all the pages in a style that they fit into one calendar. So I just make a whole calendar each week. I hope all my friends and family like calendars cause they will all be getting one for Christmas this year. Haha.

This week the theme is yellow and masking.
I used a strong card backing for this and sprayed with with various spray inks, then kept layering over it with more sprays using masks and stencils either sraying more colour or water for a ghosting technique.
This is in the same style as last weeks calendar with more sewing and splatters and all that. I used an image from Lisa's Altered Art Sheets and a little quote I stamped out on white card.

Halloween Candle & Trick or Treat

I'm not much of a Halloween person, I'd rather go straight from summer to Christmas, but I had these 2 glass jars hanging around and they somehow inspired me to create some Halloween decorations.

This one I painted with Fresco paints, a little stamped trick or treat band around the bottom, some ribbon and Stampotique's Uncle Buck is just perfect for Halloween. Pop some sweets in, done.





This one I coloured with alcohol inks, added some ribbon and pumpkins and let 2 tealights melt inside.
Very quick and easy to do, might be a nice project to do with children. The glass jars were from some yoghurts I bought.

Both of these are being entered into a few challenges....

Artistic Stamper - Autumn Colours
Happy Daze - Christmas or Halloween
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Tando - Spooktastic
ABC Challenge - Anything Goes

A little late..... Alter it monthly - October theme - Boxes

This is a bit late, but better late than never. My DT piece for this month's Alter it Monthly theme "Boxes".
I have been away on holiday lazing about in the sunshine and on beaches so I hope you can forgive me.
I altered this plain wooden chest using various acrylic paints, spray inks, stencils etc. I stamped the Stampotique flowers all the way around the box and punched out some small paper flowers to stick on. All sounds very quick and easy but it took a while to get all the layers of paints on each side of the box, it's just one of those projects you start and keep coming back to.
The lettering is stamped on using my favourite Alphabitties by Stampotique, I'm in love with them!




Here is the back. I think you get the idea.

If you fancy altering a box of some kind come and join us at Alter it monthly. There is a prize up for grabs. And there is only 3 months left to enter the Alter it monthly challenges as sadly the decision has been made to close the blog down.