Rusty Metal Roses Frame.....

I have really got into using metal recently, it never agreed with me before but since I started making these flowers with them I've really caught the metal bug. This frame is for a few challenges and it started life with an old 6"x6" shadow box frame. I painted it copper using viva decor inka gold and as that was way too bright I never used the frame for anything so it has been sitting here for ages. But now I came across a Gingersnap Challenge with the theme "Ginger, Rust, Copper" and a challenge over at Try it on Tuesday where we are re-vamping an old frame. And I am also goin with the Spring theme at the Artistic Stamper Challenge Blog, always a fab challenge to enter and I do love their shop. So I used some rust paint on the shiny (very shiny!) frame and went a bit mad with some walnut spray and rubbed it all and that, sounds quicker than it was, I spent hours doing that!!! Much better now the frame with some shiny copper still peeking through here and there but overall much more toned down. The roses are made from Ten Seconds Studio metal using a Paper Artsy flower stamp. The swirls are grungeboard painted with rust effect paint (by Modern Masters, I love their paints!). The background is made up of layers of corrugated card and natural tone canvas. Assemble it all and add a few metal butterflies and that's what you get.

Vintage Christmas Canvas.....

Inspiration for this frame came from a recent issue of one of the stampington publications. I just wanted to create a little frame with a vintage christmas feel and something with a bit of depth. So I used the back of a canvas and covered it with terra paste all over, when dry I painted it cream and then rubbed over some inka gold with my finger to bring out the texture.

The inside was lined with stripey paper and for a touch of colour I used a blue fabric for curtains and made little ties with ribbon. I played around with the frame a lot and re-arranged it a lot to see what looks good and what doesnt.

The bells were originally pink and I simply painted them with modern masters rust paint. If you havent tried yet, get some, its lots of fun making things rusty and old.

The presents are covered in music paper and dictionary paper and distressed with ink. Around the edge of the frame I used some old gold lace, very heavy stuff. I remember my parents used to use the same stuff for nutcrackers they used to make, so for me its associated with christmas already, I just had to add some. If you have a closer look at the frame there are many things to discover and I had fun putting it together.

I am entering this into the Gingersnap Creations Color Challenge - Vintage Hues.

My first ever set of Inchies....

I made my first ever lot of inchies on Monday. It is one of the current themes over at Gingersnap and I thought I should give them a go.

They are so damn fiddly. I have to say Twinchies are much more my thing, these are just too small. But nevertheless I had fun making theme and to join in Sunday Stampers with the "IMAGINE" theme I thought I make a whole lot of them with a letter each.

A week of firsts .... ATC's

I'm having a week of first times, starting off with ATC's. Previous attempts to make them have kinda failed but this time it just worked. I made this butterfly ATC to enter a few challenges out there.

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge

I'm loving this challenge, it actually makes me look at the book and try the techniques rather than just having it sit on the shelf. So this week it's shabby chic and that's how the background was created. I made a set of 3 (see below) and all backgrounds were created using the technique.

Gingersnap Creations

One of their challenges is 'Shades o blue' so my little blue butterfly is fluttering over there too.

Stampman ATC Swap

Of course an ATC wouldnt be just that if I didn't trade it too, so I'm joining in on their ATC swap, the theme is 'Wings'.

Here is the whole set that's being sent off.

Burgundy, ivory and black Grungeflower card.....

So, here is another challenge entry for the week. I got up extra early today to make it. I'm using the sketch from Card Patterns this week and also entering it into the burgundy, ivory and black challenge at Gingersnap. I love using my tattered florals die to make flowers, it's just so quick and easy, a bit of walnut stain distress ink added and it looks fab. I like this card but I think it could look so much better, can't quite put my finger on whats wrong with it. Maybe the sentiment needs to move. Any ideas guys?!