They came back!

So those errant elves (Mojo and Inspiration) have returned, they didn't apologise, just smirked at me and wandered off into the craft room giggling.

As a result of their return I've finally made "something" Its taken me a few weeks with all the various elements and other demands like work and garden, but yep, here is some art.

I'd been tidying up and found  a 12x12" sheet of white card that I'd already splodged some brown paint on in thin washes. I then scrunched it up and keep scrunching it up.  The more you scrunch the more the fibres break, the more malleable it becomes. I then direct to paper added Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo Distress Ink and sprayed liberally with water to make the ink run and settle in the cracks in the paper. 

Dried it, more scrunching, more ink, more drying, some Chalk paint in a thin wash and finally some stamping in blue and grey Archival.

I then tore this 12x12" into 2x3" rectangles and distressed the edges. 

The background is a 5x7" rectangle of Kraft card that had Vintage Lace smeared on it.  A dot stamp in grey Archival, followed by the number stamp in grey archival.This was sanded and then a final thin layer of Vintage lace.  At the bottom I glued a scrap of text paper and added some Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Distressed the edges and added some Broken China Distress Ink.

Stapled the original 2x3" into an irregular layered shape and added a thin layer Of Grunge Paste on the central one. When it was partially dry I added some dots with a fine tipped embossing tool to give a pitted look.  Dried off the Grunge Paste and painted  a tiny amount of watered down Toffee paint to give a wash over the white  and some black in the pitted holes and finally stamped one of my favourite mini PaperArtsy stamps in grey Archival. 

A little bit of extra highlights were added with water colour pencils and finally some scribbles with with an standard HB pencil.

It feels good to be back.

Hugs
Jo
xx

Rusty

Oh deary me, it's been a tough couple of weeks on the old health front I have to say - bronchitis in July is not what you expect.  Never mind though we are slowly getting better and we have a few days away soon in Southwold on the east coast to look forward too. A bit of sea air and some Adnams ales will see us right I'm sure.

Speaking of sea this is what I've made slowly this week.  I love the PaperArtsy hotpicks sea themed plates and I've got lots of ideas for using them and this is just one.  

I have to says I struggled with it a bit, made the frame with and the A6 sized card but wasn't sure if they fitted together. So I tried colouring an 8x8 piece of card to put the A6 card (which I really loved) but that didn't really work and ended up in the bin.

Finally went back to the frame and realised what the problem was.  There wasn't enough contrast between the card and the frame and I was looking to get a really rusted wetherworn look to it all - solution? Rusty Hinge Distress Ink (name gives it a way really doesn't it). I used that to go round the edge of the card and finally got contrast!

You can't really see it but the A6 card has a crackle glaze finish in Inky Pool on the bottom and Ice Blue on top.  The fish from the various plates were stamped in grey Stazon which is less "in your face" than black Stazon.  They were coloured in China Blue Distress Stain and a bit of dry brushing in Honeydew and finally that Rusty Hinge Distress Ink.

The shell was stamped in Aquamarine Archival on a calico that had been given a light wash of Ice Blue. I used the Pacific Oysters stamp to add the lines around the edge (just inked up the edges) Little bit of Rusty Hinge around the edges.  Glued onto a piece of Kraft card and the eyelets added.  This was then glued onto the piece of Crunchy waxed paper that had been stapled onto the A6 card. 

I'm really pleased I had the brainwave of the Rusty Hinge because I think it really lifts it and ties in with the Crunchy paper, Kraft card, string and eyelets to give it that left out in the sea air kind of look.

Well it's a major UK sporting afternoon ahead, the tennis wins in our house (even though Silverstone is only 10 miles from us and all we've heard this morning is helicopters going over). I  shall sit and watch it adding some border rows to my granny square crochet blanket - keeps me warm on these chilly summer evenings!

hugs

jo

xx

Mocha,Chocolate, Butterscotch, Caramel or Hazlenut???

Well things aren't too bad here on the ranch, perhaps that should be prairie as Mr trusty beast of a lawnmower has decided that enough is enough and he doesn't want to play anymore until he's had some TLC and new parts.  This means that the lawn hasn't been mown in a fortnight  and with all the rain its getting so long it's a job to see the cats lying down it!  I know the simple answer is to borrow one but the other half has had man flu all week which has meant he has had to stay in bed or on the sofa nursing and perfecting his cough (I could never be a nurse, no tolerance or sympathy at all).

So a touch of brown eh for Simon Says Stamp and Show?  Well after going on a stash spending trip last weekend with Lin and Karen at the the lovely Stamp Attic I bought more Prima Flowers. 

I know I have a gazillion already, but they just winked at me in that you know you want to buy me way and just I cannot resist.  In the original excessive collection of flowers are some brown ones, so in an effort to actually use some and reduce the size of stash (Chelsea Flower Show has nothing on me in terms of flowers). I though I'd base whatever I made around flowers  - lots of them.

Back to old trusty 8x8 this week and a piece of brown core-dinations card.  I sponged on some Fresco Finish French Roast, sanded that a little bit and then added some Chocolate Pudding through a flower stencil. Some more sanding and then Inka Gold through another stencil to give the tiny gold squares (bit sort of Klimt like if you know what I mean).  Heavier sanding along the edges and finally some swirls in Coffee Archival. 

You can't see most of this, but I know it's there and ~I think it adds texture and depth to the background and more importantly I enjoyed doing it!

I cut some old brown paper with the Vintage Cabinet die and added thin layers watered down French Roast over it.  Embossed it in a swirly folder and added Gathered Twigs Distress Stain over the top to highlight the raised embossing. Finally some text stamp in Picket Fence Distress Stain.

The tag was originally Kraft card which was painted in Chocolate Pudding, some Crackle Glaze over that, a top layer of  Irish Cream and then a watered down wash of French Roast over that.  Some flower stencilling and finally some stamping and embossing (the crackle layer looked superb but you can't see it now as I've covered it up with the stamping and embossing!).

Layered it all up with some corrugated card, ribbon, buttons and of course lots of flowers!

Hugs

jo
xx

A REAL shabby dandelion

I think I'm beginning to identify my signature style - layers, made up of fabric and paper with stitching stamping and a focal point.  Sometimes that focal point is a strong stamped image sometimes as in this case it is one of my photographs.

I rarely take photos of people, don't like that forced stand in a regimented group, smile and record the event kind of thing.  Very often I'll use a long lens and take a close up without people even realising I'm taking a photo - far more intimate and more natural (no I don't work for a red top comic).

But my greatest love with photography is close ups of flowers (and stone walls and moss and wood and rusted metal if I'm honest). Before the days of digital cameras I would go through rolls and rolls of film on holiday or day trips to National Trust gardens and my poor husband would become a photographers assistant as I changed film or lenses.

With my photographs sometimes I don't want a clear image, sometimes I want it all aged or faded or roughed up (there's that style thing again), that's why I love Instagram as it has all those delicious filters you can lay over an image.  In this case I did some image transfer using gel medium.  I printed my photos on ordinary white paper and photocopied them.  Spread a thickish layer of gel medium on card and put the image face down on that and made sure it was well adhered.  Let it dry (overnight is best), wet the image and gently rub off the photocopy paper and you get a roughed up image because the image doesn't stick all over and you get odd bits of white space. Love it.

You can of course use black and white images like I did here or colour ones.  But in both you can further colour as you have paper as the base layer not glossy photo paper.  For this one I used Peeled Paint and Broken China Distress Inks over the top - literally just rubbed the ink pad over the image and used a baby wipe just to move it around a bit and soften the edges.

The 8x8 base layer had Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters Distress Ink with Lettuce ColourWash added.  The stamping using PaperArtsy stamps was done in Aquamarine Archival (love this teal blue colour) 

Once the fabric strips were sewn on I went over them with gesso (rolled on so it wasn't too heavy)  to tone down the brightness. Rubbed back the gesso with a baby wipe where it had gone over the stamped images.  

The scrap of card was inked with Weathered Wood Distress Stain, embossed using a  brick effect folder and then White Picket Fence Distress Stain over that.  Stamped in  Iced Spruce Distress Ink, torn edge and inked with Iced Spruce as well.

The tag was painted in Baltic Blue Fresco Finish, a layer of PaperArtsy Crackle Glaze and then a mixture of Inky Pool and Guacamole Fresco Finish over that. Stamped in Broken china and Aquamarine.  A strip of lime green silk and some metallic line green thread stitching to anchor it all both physically and visually. 

I like it and it makes me happy to make and look at, but the question is would other people like and more importantly do you think they would spend money on buying something like this???? I ask because what I'd really like to do is make art with my photographs and sell on Etsy.  That would be  big step for me in terms of confidence but doing this blog has helped me  "get out there" and feel more confident in my abilities creatively.

Right enough of the self analysis and time for a fortifying breakfast, it is Good Friday which means in our house - tidying the veg patch ready for planting!

hugs

jo

xx

Beach hut bliss

Helloooooooooo!

Ages ago (it might only have been last week, but I can't remember, the weeks are just racing by at the moment and I have trouble remembering what I did yesterday let alone last week!) I said I wanted to play with kraft card and yellow and I ended up doing something completely different.  Well the idea stuck with me and I needed to make it to get it out of the system if you know what I mean (do you or is it just me, it could be just me, I'm happy to accept that I might be a bit odd).

So in between green and chocolate I made this.

Started off with an 8x8 square of heavy kraft card and stencilled lovely Fresco Finish Pumpkin Soup and Haystack over the bingo mask in a couple of the corners bumping it a bit to get the shadow. Didn't cover it all just sort of haphazard and a bit shabby grungy!

Round the edge of the kraft card I did some sewing and added a scrap of calico and the seaside stamp from this PaperArtsy plate.  Love the fishes and the shells on this plate, so added a few shells in a very green Stazon. Distressed the seaside  words with a sanding block and some Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

The kraft tag was rollered with gesso and a very faint stamping in pumice of a large damask stamp.  The little house from PaperArtsy was painted in Beach Hut and South Pacific Fresco Finish and the edges given a good sand. A little red heart free hand drawn in red pencil. 

Under the tag I put loads (loads might be a bit of an exaggeration, but lets say less than 10 but more than 2) of layers: a yellow tab cut from a Tim on the edge die, some corrugated card and a scrap of yellow dotty card edged in Mustard Seed Distress In.

On the top of the tag a strip of yellow felt given a scalloped edge with a Tim on the edge die and a strip of large yellow ric-rac.  Little bit of stitching to anchor it down and add a bit more texture. And of course a yellow Prima flower.

I am pleased with it, it's what I sort of envisaged, fairly clean, minimal colours that were fresh and vibrant.  The embellishments sit togethr nicely, there are different textures and shapes, so yep - it's a good 'un! 

hugs

jo

xx

 

Green

You know how sometimes you think, I want to make art and I need to make it with xxx (insert a colour, an image, a certain type of material), you know something SPECIFIC.  Well that was me Saturday morning.  

My husband had treated me to some of the new Vintage Collection stamps from PaperArtsy for my birthday. I had given him very specific (see that word again) instructions on which ones I wanted and that they had to be on EZ mount (no faffing around for me with that blinkin sticky stuff).  Seeing this one I knew I wanted to use green especially given that huge leaf behind him which looks like ivy (or it could be a maple leaf but he looks English to me, so it's ivy - ok?).

Got all my green Fresco Finish paints out and started. Oh and I knew I wanted to use metal as well.

The 8x8 background was a thin sheet of card with odd scraps of patterned paper glued on top, I then rolled over some gesso, before it dried fully I scraped a credit card over it in places to create lines and reveal the background papers which all had pinky and blue hues to them. Clear embossed the numbers from the plate randomly over the gesso.

Went over the lot in Limelight and Hey Pesto and then used the circle stencil over that in places with Toad Hall and then Hyde park as well in places.  the scroll mask was also Hyde Park.  Used a wet wipe to "clean" the embossed numbers and gave the whole thing a good sand.  Stamped the text stamp in Sepia Archival in random places. Edged with Pine Needles Distress Ink.

Mr Melodica (for that is his name you know) was stamped and embossed in black soot distress powder on a background piece of scrap painted with Hey Pesto  and Hyde Park. I then used my Oil Pastels to colour him in.  The ghosting around the edge of him is done with the grey oil pastel.

The green metal was cut with with a Tim on the edge die and embossed.  Gave it a good sand to reveal the silver. The green tag was one I had knocking around for ages already painted so I just edged it with some Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

I was tempted not to do any sewing as I've done a lot recently but I couldn't resist so got my box of silks, fibres and threads out out, selected some bits and bobs and stitched away!

Couldn't resist the bottle green velvet ribbon and finally some Prima flowers.  I ummed and aahed over the flowers as they are a bit "green" if you know what I mean but I think they work (you will tell me won't you?).

Right that's me done for the night I have an idea for the Sunday Stamper challenge from Hels but first I really need to do some ironing, no really I do or else I'm going to arrested tomorrow at work for nude librarianship!

hugs

jo

xx

Going with the flow

Colour inspirations come from all sorts of places, I have some favourite go to blogs and I have a whole book of cut out snippets from magazines of colour combinations I like, I never look at it but I quite enjoy the cutting and sticking.  Anyway a colour combination seeped into my brain and grabbed my attention this week of brown / neutral, yellow and a touch of green.

What I ended up with was grey, purple, red and a bit of yellow and green - different but still good.

I knew I wanted to use a tag cut from kraft card that had some very subtle stamping on it to act as a background and then something stamped over the top in black.  Using coffee archival I stamped a texty background stamp from some of the new PaperArtsy Vintage plates, it was too heavy and obvious (should have used sepia). So put some Irish Cream Fresco Finish over the top, yep toned it down. Added a few touches of Haystack, some stencilling in cinnamon using the mini tile stencil (it's great for a little bit of colour here and there and adding another layer) and some stamping this time in a softer brown.

Stamped the winged madam from this plate in grey stazon and coloured her in using oil pastels.  Edged round her in the grey and white oil paint to lift her of the page a bit (there will be a technical art term for this but I haven't got a clue). Added some more oil pastel on the edge of the tag as well to frame it.

Background, this is where I deviated from the original yellow and neutral colour scheme and chose a piece of grey card (cut to 8x8 size).  Added some London Night Fresco Finish over it just to break up the flatness of the page and then used mini circle grid stencil over the top in places where I knew the tag wouldn't be using French Roast (have I said how much I love this colour) and a touch of London Night that was left on the craft mat. Added a few lines with an old credit card down the edges as well.

Stamped some text on the left of the page and then added some spots of colour using the oil pastels to match / echo the tag.  Love using the pastels in this way just to add a spot of colour to tie the whole composition in together. 

Always knew I wanted to use a strip of corrugated card over the top of the tag and played around for ages with string and fabric on the card, under the tag trying to work out what looked best. from a colour and grounding point of view (I really don't like it when things like embellishments look just sort of plonked on the page randomly too far apart from each other and not linked together either by colour or using that triangle technique they using in kitchen planning  - you know the one where the key three elements of a kitchen: fridge, sink and oven are at the corners of a triangle).

Finally went with some purple paper string from John Lewis (bought for Christmas and never used to wrap parcels) stapled on the card, some scrap red paper under the tag stamped and edged in Seedless Preserve Distress ink. I've also used some more of my Prima flowers (the stash isn't going down) with some card candi for the centres, I squashed the card candi so they weren't as raised.

Once everything was stuck down I went round the edge of the tag with some more oil pastels just to define / frame it a bit more.   

I will go back to my original idea of neutral / yellow and green, the idea is a good one and I think I can "see it" better now that I've got this idea out and on paper.  But before I tackle that one I HAVE to make a fabric book, so quick tidy up and out with the sewing machine!

hugs

jo
xx
  

February - late already!

So much for keeping on track with Kate's calendar challenge, it's already Day 6 and I'm only just posting and I didn't manage to fill in last month's - must try harder!

Anyways February, did you know the word February derives from the Latin for purgation (februum) and is traditionally the month for purification. To the Anglo Saxons it was Solmonath or mud month and February 2nd is Imbolc the first day of spring in the Celtic calendar and also Candlemas Day.  

All facts bought to you courtesy of Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, a classic reference text in any library worth it's salt - meaning worth ones pay from the roman tradition of paying soldiers with salt - a highly valued expensive commodity hence salary (I'll stop now before I bore you to death with any more of my amazing facts). 

Of course something also happens on the 14th which often dictates crafting themes this month. I decided that I'd go with the colour (a bit) but not the symbol!

Started off with two 12x12 card stock that had a pinky base. I  painted on Very Berry Fresco Finish paint very roughly and then dry brushed some Claret over that. Stuck the big swirl mask from Tim Holtz on top and went over with some Sherbet Fresco Finish, didn't quite like the effect so added a bit more Sherbet down the page to cover it up a bit, I liked it now!

Misted over Black Cherry Glimmer Mist, some areas heavier than others.

Using a circle stencil added some circles in Victorian Velvet Distress Stain and circled those with a fine liner. Also added some Dusty Concord Distress Stain circles as well.

I have a fab largish wooden stamp with text and a pomegranate design that I used all over the card stock stamping in maroon Archival ink. Also added some large swirls in black Archival. 

Each day is cut from white card painted with Sherbet Fresco Finish, with a light spray of Black Cherry Glimmer mist and inked round the edges in Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The days of the week were printed on the computer (I haven't added a month label yet as I can't decide whether to stamp or print!)

The winged ladies were a necessity to cover up some mistakes in sticking, text paper with Victorian Velvet Distress Stain and then a gorgeous PaperArtsy stamp in black Archival, edges in Walnut Distress Stain. (I really like how the ladies have turned out and I have one left over which I'll use on an 8x8 scrapbook page that follows a similar layout to this - with some black stitching of course).

Finally added some Tim Holtz butterflies in maroon Archival and some splats of Brick Red Distress Stain.

The photo's aren't fantastic I'm afraid as I did them last night, I had hoped to do them again when i got in tonight as it was still light driving home but didn't make it back in time, 10 minutes earlier (I blame learner drivers and an ambulance) and I might have been ok!

Till next time,


hugs


jo
xx

Easily distracted

So this week I thought I'd concentrate on finishing one of those outstanding projects I listed a while back.  I've been hankering to do some sewing for a while and with my crafting injury inflicted by the hot glue gun (it's looks horrendous and it itches and aches, but it is healing you'll be pleased to hear) gently guiding fabric through the sewing machine seemed the crafting answer.

All was going well, I'd found the box of fabric strips I'd cut ages ago, ironed them and had  started sewing them together to make long strips that will eventually turn into a strippy shabby scrappy quilt.  And then I took a break and checked out the blogs.

Mistake, big mistake.

I read through Leandra's PaperArtsy blog post on oil pastels and that was it, I had to try mine out (purchased at the NEC last year at the recommendation of Leandra along with a LOAD of fresco paints) and play. So cleared sewing machine and fabric out of the way, found some tags and started scribbling and blending.

She's right you know they are lovely to work with, soft, pliable and easy to blend.  And when you heat to set them, well it's like magic.  You literally see them shine for a second as they melt and sink into the paper, it's worth doing just to see that.

I followed the tutorial for a couple of tags and then became adventurous and did my own thing.

Scribb ked and blended three sections of colour from top to bottom (pinky, purpley and green) and blended them together on the tag and added some white here and there. Did the magic heating thing and smiled :)

I then sprayed Biscotti perfect pearls over a swirly stencil, but it didn't really show the stencil, but did go lovely and shimmery so added a bit more all over the tag.

Put the stencil back on and inked with Persimmon Distress Ink and it looked yummy.  

Stamped the crown from this Lynne Perrella collection in Black Archival and edged the tag with black and teal oil pastels.

I had a small A5 canvas knocking around that had some beige /  brown paint on it.  Added swipes of Persimmon and Seedless Preserves Distress Ink direct to the canvas, added some streaks of oil pastels and white oil pastel through a diamond stencil. On canvas the pastels stay shiny when you heat them, still nice though.  

Finally stamped the large stamp from the same Lynne Perrella collection in French Blue Archival Ink and added the tag carefully (!) with the hot glue gun.

The photo's I'm afraid really don't do the pastels justice - artifical light and all that, but you sort of see (can you???).  I'll try ands take some better ones at the weekend in daylight (ha!)

hugs

jo

xx

Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime is on my side (yes it is)

Time, I've had quite a lot of it since late December, what with the Christmas and New Year break and then the first couple of weeks in January on jury service (interesting, very interesting).  But to be honest I'm beginning to go a bit stir crazy stuck at home and I'm actually looking forward to going back to work (I'll change my tune approximately Wednesday or Thursday next week).

Hels Sunday Stamper challenge this week is Time, so "time" to get all the clock stamps out!  

I started with an A4 canvas board and painted PaperArtsy Fresco paint in chocolate pudding all over. Added a layer of PaperArtsy crackle paint and then topped that with some watered down white acrylic with a small spot of Fresco Haystack to give a creamy top coat. Rubbed back the edges of the board to expose some of the brown.

Added some Walnut Distress Stain over the top in places and added some streaks of Fresco London Bus with a small smidgen of Eggplant mixed in to take the brightness down a bit.

Then I started stamping, I used a Brown Timber Stazon to stamp the tape measure (Clock plates 5 from PaperArtsy) and Cherry Red Stazon to do the watches stamp (Clocks plate 4 from PaperArtsy).  Some of the watches had Fired Brick Distress Embossing Powder on top to add a bit of texture.

The tag had Distress Stain in Burlap, Weathered Wood, Picket Fence, I then stamped the square collage stamp from Clocks Plate 2 in Coffee Archival. 

Over the top of that I added some Fired Brick Distress Stain and then stamped random clocks from all the clock plates in Cherry Red Stazon.  Edged in Walnut stain Distress Ink.

Cut the Weathered Clock form two layers of Grunge Paper and inked over with Black Soot and Fired Brick Distress Stain. Stuck it on top of a circle of acetate old packaging and added the hands.

I love my flying clocks!  Wings cut from old book text using the Heart Wings die, the Rosettes were cut from a sheet of Lost and Found and a clock face added on top made from card inked in Burlap, Fired Brick and Picket Fence with lots of water flicked on. 

So once I made all the elements I needed to stick them down, I wanted some height and I was layering certain elements so I knew I'd be using the glue gun. All was going well until I dropped once of the flying clocks and got hot glue all over my fingers.

Ouch, ouch, lots of screaming and shouting, plunge hands in cold water, ouch.  It is fair to say, it really REALLY hurt. 

So this morning I had a little trip to A&E as the large burn on my finger was still weeping.  The nice nurse dressed it for me and I've now got to check whether I need a tetanus booster (yuck).  Was worth it though as I really like what I created.

I carry my craft battle wounds with pride, I just need to be less clumsy when using the hot glue gun. :)

hugs

jo

Sunshine - please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well woke up this morning to another dreary sludgy grey day.  The only way you can tell it's morning is it's a lighter shade of grey!  I think this afternoon will be a curl up on the sofa and snooze kind of afternoon with lots of tea.

So in order to bring some colour into my day I quickly made this in between having breakfast, having a bath and putting some washing on (I'm a woman, I multi task!)

Started with some white card and misted Mustard Seed Glimmer Mist over a flower stencil. I'm really loving this messy splodged look at the moment, bit Jackson Pollock but less spots and splatters (lordly that's a lot of alliteration, obviously been listening to too much Radio 4)!

Next added a messy oblong of Pumpkin Soup Fresco paint with some Butternut over the top through a diamond stencil. A script stamp over that in Scattered Straw Distress Ink.

On the left of the page I stamped a new stamp got in the LB Crafts sale (sniff sniff) again in Scattered Straw.

Added a strip of yellow / orangey spotty paper edged in Spiced Marmalade and stamped the Grecian stamp in Spiced Marmalade.  The photo is one of mine I think taken yonks ago at the Eden Project.

 

Distressed the edge of the white card and layered onto some Tulip yellow co-ordinations cardstock.

It is really quite zingy and sunshiny, so rather than put straight in the 8x8 album I think I shall display on my notice board in the craft room (I shall have to clear the noticeboard first but we are on a clear up chuck out operation at the moment so it was on the list!)

Have fun wherever you are and I hope you see a glimmer (or more) of sunshine.

Hugs

jo
xx

Anything Goes

It's the last but one day of my Christmas hols and I've just about got into a new routine as a lady of somewhat leisure - work really does get in the way!

One of my "to do's" this hols was to catch up on my blogs and this morning I finally managed to get the list down to 30 posts (it had been over the 500 mark - whoops).  What it does mean is I can again start looking at and taking part in challenges.

I really like challenges they give a focus to my crafting, they REALLY help when the old mojo has gone for a wander and I get to to browse around other peoples work and sometime nice people leave me comments (thank you lovely crafty people)

So since I started the calendar challenge and I'm putting mine in a 12x12 scrap book I needed something for the opening page in order to keep the double spread layout.  I had thought about doing a page listing my goals for this year (notice goals not resolutions) and then I read Hels blog for Sunday Stamper Week 186 which because her mojo has gone walkabout (there should be a missing mojo service where you could post a description and mojo investigators would go out and fine those missing mojo's)  she's extended last week's theme which was "anything"

This is my interpretation - a positive life affirming kick up the bum when I feeling sorry for myself, girl power, invincible, no excuses, putting me first, grab life kinda a page!

I sprayed lettuce colourwash and sour apple perfect pearls over a sheet of white 12x12 and blotted of the excess.  Rubbed some Evergreen Bough Distress Ink through some sequin mesh and stamped the frame in French Ultramarine and the quote in Blue Violet Archival Ink (these were a recent purchase and I LOVE the colours, can see me using these more) and the wings in Evergreen Bough distress Ink.

The tag was made using Mustard Seed and Broken China Distress Ink with some Dried Marigold Distress Ink on the edges.  the ledger stamp was stamped in French Ultramarine Archival and the flourish in Blue Violet Archival. 

I stamped the words on top with Blue Violet Archival.Glued then some staples added.

Some scrap bits of card layered up for the tag to sit on and job done!

I have made goals for this year (part of that doing lists thing) and one of those is to think about the word I want to use to focus life on this year.  Ali Edwards does this and for the past couple of years I've chosen a word.  The first year was ME, last year was SIMPLIFY and this year is LIVE.  Each one builds on the other and yes I admit they are all selfish as they focus on me and what I want to do, but actually doing that makes me a happy sane bunny and that it is a good thing. 

So in order to live this year this is what I intend to do:

• give my hobbies time 
• go and look at art
• include exercise in my live
• go and explore places I've never been to
• do things I want to do
• fill my life with memories
• laugh and have fun everyday
• spend time with the people I love and care for

OK Oprah moment over and I leave you with the above photo - see even the cat wants to see what I create (actually he was after the cushion to sit on in the sun).

hugs

jo

xx

Advent Sunday - eeek!!!!!!

Just a quicky to show I haven't forgotten crafting and blogland, just been uber uber busy at work and home which has meant I haven't been able to make time for crafting - bad girl I know!

So Radio 4 announced this morning that it was the first Advent Sunday, so that means only 4 weekends till Christmas Day, good job today is dedicated to Christmas card making!

Tim Holtz Christmas ATC stamps embossed in copper. With Aged Mahogany and Brushed Corduroy Distress inks to colour the ATC

Tim Holtz snowflakes stamped in Hazelnut on brown card with a light spray of aged brass Glimmer mist and aged photo round the edges.

Textiles: off cuts of linen and white cotton with a range of Stef Francis (finally putting to use, purchased ages ago) threads and fibres.

Right off to make more!

hugs

jo

xx

Movember - doing it for the boys

I made this for my husband to celebrate him taking part in Movember, the annual  moustache growing charity event to raise awareness of men's health.

I'll be honest I am not fond of 'taches and really don't like his when he grows one for plays (particularly hated the Baldrick full face long straggly beard and tache for BlackAdder one year), but in the name of charity, to raise awareness of men's health especially prostrate and testicular cancer and even more importantly get men openly talking about their health and health related problems then I'm willing to suffer.

If you want to see how he's doing growing his tache or indeed donate to this excellent cause check him out here

I've wanted to use the long stemmed flower on PaperArtsy Hot Picks HP1109EZ for a while, so as this plate also had a mustachioed man on it as well, choice of stamps made!

Also I'm really enjoying working in an 8"x8" format, it's a bit like art journalling for me without the actually journalling (I possible do that on her as in the blog rather than in a book!!!!)

On a piece of green co-ordinations card I added some Toad Hall Fresco Finish paint just to give some depth, I then embossed the flower repeatedly over the card in Old Paper Distress Embossing Powder.  

Um didn't quite work as I'd liked, threw it in the bin and started again, that was worse.

Retrieved original from the bin and attacked it with a sanding block to see if I could get rid of the Distress Powder and then LOL (get me using techno slang) I liked what I'd created, sort of  relief faded look (don't tell me this is how I'm supposed to use Distress Embossing Powder).  Stamped the houses from Hot Picks HP110EZ along the bottom in Timber Brown Stazon. Edged in Crushed Olive and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Next the tag, I used Mushroom Fresco paint over the whole tag, then with the new Cinnamon Fresco  paint I stenciled carefully over the top. 

Over the top of all of this I stamped the Butte miners stamp in mushroom ink - it's very subtle. Went round the edge with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  Added the purple velvet ric rac and the buttons - love the red one on top just adds a pop of colour!

Monsieur Tache was stamped in Timber Brown Stazon on a scrap of white card that was painted in Haystack Fresco paint.  Around the edge of each piece I stamped the edge of the Cherry toothpaste stamp in timber Brown Stazon.  Distressed the edges with the tonic tool and inked the edges in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. 

The Movember tag was a spare piece of white card painted in Toad Hall fresco.  

The edges sandpapered to reveal some white and then a large M stamped in Cherry Red Stazon (to pick up the red button) and the little ovember in timber Brown Stazon. The tache was painted in Black Soot Distress Stain and some Rock Candy Crackle paint over the top to give a little gloss.

Ok that's all for now, just to say I do have a load of stash from yesterday's HobbyCraft show at the NEC, but my photo twitter app is playing up so can't tweet (sorry Gabrielle) but the haul does include a lot of new Fresco paints and a set of new Winter Distress Inks that I spied on the ATC stand - they were just sitting there as if to say has anybody seen me yet - do you know how SPECIAL I am??????

hugs
jo
xx

Feelin pinky?

I have to say I haven't been crafting as much as I'd like over the past couple of weeks, the onslaught of dark nights and dark mornings is beginning to make me lethargic and sofa bound.  

Plus I've had a lingering cold / cough that won't go away (I have threatened it with cough syrup, Vick's, the Mitchell boys - but it just laughs and makes me cough more), leaves me so tired I am in bed at 8.30pm most evenings. 

AND I really can't muster up any enthusiasm or ideas to make me get up of the sofa or stay up til say (let's be daring here) 9.00pm to craft!

Yep fair to say I'm feeling sorry for myself and to be honest avoiding the inevitable trip to the docs for stronger drugs (every year is the same).  Having an underlying chronic condition (don't panic it's only diabetes) is shall we say "annoying" sometimes.

Whinge over - are you still with me? 

Yesterday I was determined to make something. A crafty challenge works especially well if you've got no real ideas or want to think about ideas as you sort of just "follow the instructions".  Grungy Monday 24 fitted the bill, I just watched the Tim Perfect Distress video and got the necessary bits out to play with.

Started with a tag and coloured with Worn Lipstick and Dried Marigold Distress Inks. Added the swirls  from the Urban Chic plate in Barn Door Red Distress Ink and used Perfect Pearl over the top.

Then took an ATC and coloured that with Dried Marigold and Barn Door Red Distress Inks. Stamped the tattoo heart from the Urban Chic plate in the new Dried Preserves Distress Stain and used Perfect Bronze over that.

The numbers were inked in Dried Preserve and Perfect Pearls gold used on those. But then I over stamped them again in Dried Preserve as they faded / disappeared on the strip of card and I needed some contrast!

Edged everything with Barn Door Red and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and added some pink (yes pink) ribbon. 

Trying to actually show some "shine" which frankly was the aim of the game is quite hard work in daylight so this last photo goes against all my "you must use natural light" principles for taking photos - but look at the shine on that stamping!

So another day is looming, it's still pitch black outside, I was awake at silly o'clock as I couldn't sleep and of course the clocks have gone back so it's even more silly o'clock, but I love the silence only broken by the birds starting to sing - let's see what happens today.

hugs

jo

xx

Ten minutes!!!!!!!

Ten minutes to make a complete "something" with Tim Holtz products is this week's challenge from Grungy Monday.  Hum, it normally takes me ten minutes to decide on whether to use stains or inks, but a challenge is a challenge.

So taking the advice of Gabrielle I planned ahead.  Selected a set of stamps - mini classics, which sort of dictated the colour scheme (red white and blue) as the stamps have a french theme.

To the pile I added an off cut of white card, a page of text, two tags cut from Tim dies (I always have some knocking around on my desk ready for inspiration to strike), some background paper, embossing ink and black embossing powder, trusty inks and stains in appropriate colours and set the timer.

1. First cut the base card to 8x8" and then the next layer of old Basic Grey paper a little smaller.  
2. Die cut the white card with a PaperArtsy die and stamped the postcard card image all over on an angle in Tea Dye Distress Stain. Edged in walnut stain.
3. Spread some Picket Fence distress Stain on the large manila tag and all over the smaller one.
4. Added Faded Blue Jeans Distress stain to the large manila tag
5. Swiped Barn Door Red Distress Stain to the smaller one.
6. Swiped some Walnut Stain Distress Ink down the book text
7. Stamped and embossed the Eiffel Tower over the blue and the Mona Lisa on the red
8. Stuck the white postcard down on the Basic Grey paper, put the text on top of that and stapled the tag to that.
9. Stuck the Basic Grey down on the base card
10. Stuck the little tag with some foam pads on top of the big manila tag

Phew!

If I had time I would have quite liked to added in some journalling / title along the lines of - "So when are you going to take me????"  My dear husband who has conversational french classes every week for the past 5 years keeps promising to take me to Paris so he can practice his french and I can delight the art, architecture, pretending I'm Amelie or Meg Ryan.  

It hasn't happened yet either acting or rugby gets in the way (that's the excuses).  anyway my birthday is on a Saturday next year with no excuses of sport or thespianism (I might have just made that word up) on the horizon so I think we might manage it especially if I waft this under his nose enough times!

Hugs 

jo

xx

And no it doesn't mean I was rooting for France in the Rugby World Cup!

Spooky? Not really

Grungy Monday has returned and the them this week is .... Halloween.  

Halloween - the majority of the UK just doesn't really get it. Perhaps the pagan undertones are just too scary for us! But too be honest when it's teenage kids roaming the streets in Scream masks menacing you for money and causing criminal damage to your property when you don't cough up; so that you are forced to either go out or sit in your own house in the dark in fear of a knock on the door, it seems very removed from the cute candy dress up we see over the pond (phew that was a long sentence - apologies).

So going back to the pagan undertones of the dead walking, of the macabre, the spooky and the downright spine chilling who else does it better than Edgar Allan Poe, so in homage, I give you Raven.

Having acquired the new autumn palette of colours from Mr Holtz (not personally of course, courtesy of Karen at LB) I decided I'd use those on a tag.

Put some of the Ripe Persimmon (orange) on my craft sheet, spritzed with some water and  smooshed the tag through it a couple of times drying in between.  Then with a blending tool I added Seedless Preserve (purple) in the spaces where the orange hadn't stained. Stained a piece of text with Barn Door Red and stuck that down the edge of the tag and dragged a white paint dabber down it to give a bit of streaking.

 

Then with a craftworks stencil I added Gathered Twigs (brown) towards the bottom and up the side. Finally using black archival I added in some stamped images from Mini Ornaments plate.

The Raven himself was cut from a PaperArtsy die and coloured with Black Soot Distress Stain and Violet Glimmer Mist.  He sits on a torn, inked and scrunched up bit of spare card attached with a staples. 

Mind you Mr Raven might not be Mr Poe's but rather Arabel's Mortimer - still miserable and naughty but perhaps not as scary! 

hugs

jo

xx

 

P.S Joan Aiken has to be one of my all time favourite children's authors, her fantasy novels especially the short stories about Mark and Harriet Armitage and the strange things that happened to them as if they were natural everyday occurences.  Perhaps I'll revisit on the sofa with a cup of tea and some jaffa cakes!