Tag your it! - Secret Santa

Hi, I am salivating over the prize on offer. Funky Hand Christmas CD!!!! The challenge has been set by the very inspirational Dawn. It is secret santa and you have to create a tag that reflects this idea. You remember in the office when you used to put all the names of the people in a hat and you pulled one out. You had to buy a present for a set amount of money. It may be a funny present(tag) or one that reflects the personality or simply be a secret santa tag.

I have been terribly boring and made a collage tag. I used an old image of Santa and sentiment from a recycled card. I then stamped a smaller tag and put a question mark on it to be the secret part.

All my babies have finished there school and nursery. I have an abundance of wrapping to do. Having to develop a stradegy to keep the children out of the way so I can wrap it all up. So I better start on the tags as I will have to put those on as I wrap to remember who's is who's!!!!!

DCM - sponsered challenge sparkly and glittery

This is for the DCM challenge which in honour of fireworks night has a theme of sparkly and glittery. I am furiously making christmas cards from now until christmas. I downloaded these vintage angels free from http://www.craftycomputerpapers.co.uk/. I made a background using acrylic paper, a copper paint and created a texture using a comb. I then glimmer misted. I then distressed a diecut bauble and added a few sparkly bits and a hanging bit. I cut out a frame from the front of an old card and made a collage with the angels and various knick knacks from my stash. I then added some stardust pen highlights for the bling and glitter. The prize for this is a free download from charmed cards and crafts. I am really happy with my card. My twist on vintage!

My 100 post already! Daring Cardmakers - Forever Autumn

My favourite season " Autumn. All those rich colours and rustling leaves. Scrunch and crunch. I made the background using the technique used on my previous post. I added the small black leaves by using tissue paper. The effect is like drying leaves. I stamped the gold leaves using the left over gold (acrylic) painted paper. I added some yarn from the knitting I am currently doing. It was a joy to make this as I have a very busy week as my partners arthritis is not subsiding. He has lost a lot of weight and is shaky too so has been able to do very little.

A trick or a treat! - Arty girlz challenge #57 orange/ blue and TMTA

I have made this little atc for arty girlz challenge # 57 orange and blue and Think Monday Think ATC which theme is Halloween. I had such a ball looking for the image. I also used a new technique I discovered to make the background. I used acrylic paint onto acrylic paper. I let it dry I then added newspaper I added PVA glue added paint on top added some swirls with the end of the brush and dryed with a heat gun and I adore the results.

I chalked over the b&w image and added a few extra touches.

Glad to have found the time to make this as it seems so hard to find with OH feeling in so much pain. We spent this afternoon at the doctors but now know that it is arthritic. Gout ruled out. He is having a blood screen for rheumatoid arthritis and has a hospital appointment in November.

Mixed Media Monday - Opposites

Here is my entry for the theme opposites. I have used several opposites. Adult and child, Young and old, Warm colours and Cold colours, Innocent and Guilty. The idea emerged during creation. I started off wanting to create a contrast of warm and cold colours. I felt I need to add images so I added these from art-e-zine ( free vintage images online) and then developed the wording etc. I have transformed a washing tablet box before I made a ribbon holder but I covered that one with paper. This one I painted with acrylic paint and then sprayed with three tones of glimmer mists. I also inked it. I used acetate and glass paints for the flowers. The guilty picture has some glue still on it but I wanted you to see WIP.

Arty girlz, Mixed Media Monday and Craftaway a sunday challenge ATC

Well I managed to combine 3 challenges into one! Arty girlz challenge is to use red, Mixed Media Monday is Harmony and craftaway a sunday is birds. I used a fabulous quote by a fabulous artist to link to the harmony aspect and as inspiration for the whole piece. I used a red sunset and red birds for the red challenge and simply birds for the bird challenge. Phew!

Arty Girlz First Birthday challenge # 52!!!!

Hey, Congratulations to Crissi and Julie at Arty Girlz challenge blog on their first birthday. They have a fantastic challenge blog! To celebrate they are giving away a great prize so go check them out. I have been meaning to make this mini book for my gorgeous niece Katie who celebrated her first birthday this year too. It contains photos from her big day. The challenge gave me the kick up the whoopsee to do it. I blagged the coasters, that i have altered, from a stall at the Thames festival on Sunday. They are from the coastguard campaign to not drink and drown. I said to him, "are these free? Can I take a couple" and he gave me a whole stack. Touch! Talking about firsts my youngest daughter had her first day at nursery today too!

Henry the VIII, I am, I am

I have done this ATC for 2 challenges. Inspired by Year 4's history topic The Tudors I created this ATC for both TMTA (handwriting) and Monday Mixed Media (someone famous). My daughter is also learning about mechanisms for Design and technology so I practised making a flap so I can share it with her sometime this week.

Sarah Kay challenge - trio of papers

http://sarahkaychallenges.blogspot.com/2008/09/week-11-trio-of-papers.html

I have used some scrapbook designer papers for this challenge by Sarah Kay, which is to use only 3 papers. I stamped the image on 2 of the papers to create her outfit and then I used the third paper to create her work of art. I cut out images from one of the papers to embellish the card and I chalked and stamped a flower for another one. I think I may send this to my sister-in-law for her birthday.

Aubergine lady for Saturday sketch and This Thursday it's all about

http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/

http://thisthursday.wordpress.com/

I am entering this for 2 challenges the saturday sketch and this thursday it's all about stashraiders. I used somepapers I found in my drawer and co=ordinated the stamped image with them. I used acrylic paints to colur in this crafty individuals stamp. I made the embellishments to co-ordinate too. I love this stamp so I am glad I got to use her. Check out her fairy wings they are made with the papers I found.
It has been one of those days today. Knee high in washing, cleaning, clearing away. Jimmy took the kids out, so I could craft in peace and Harry managed to hit him in the face with a golf club, so he had to go to a&e whilst I dealt with Mayhem at home. Nevermind he's all fixed up now, Thank the lord.

Thank God it's Friday and TMTA

http://thankgoditsfriday.wordpress.com/

http://tmta.wordpress.com/

Thank God it is Friday! Stumped a bit this week, about what to do for the Think monday Think ATC challenge, which has a dance theme. Thought about it and thought Autumn colours influence me quite a lot, the backgrounds have a middle eastern feel to them and I came up with this set of ATC's. I am going to submit this for Thank God it's Friday aswell as I got the idea today and their challenge is a free theme.

Here is a bit taken from Wikipedia to explain belly dance technique and the reasoning behind my backgrounds that I created using acrylic paint and stamps. I kept the collage very straight forward.

Most of the basic steps and techniques used in belly dancing involve circular motions isolated to a certain part of the body. For example, a circular movement "drawn" parallel to the floor by the hips alone, or by the shoulders alone. Accents such as "pop and lock," where a dancer either shimmies or makes a striking motion with their shoulders or hips, are common, as are feats of flexibility, rolling one's belly muscles, balancing various props like baskets, swords or canes, and dancing with chiffon or silk veils.

Sounds like hardwork! I am a bit shy so I wouldn't like exposing my belly.

A christmas Star!

http://mixedmediamonday.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/stars

This is a christmas ornament I have made for the Monday Mixed Media challenge. The theme is star. I used some green polymer clay rolled it very thin and cut out a star shape. I then cooked it. Once cooled I applied some acrylic paint red metallic mixed with glitter and yellow metallic. I followed the shape of the star and created a pattern. I then stamped an image of Mary with Jesus onto paper and painted with corresponding colours. I then stamped the work JOY as this is the message of Christmas. I used a crop-a dile to cut a hole and added an eyelet then I added some gold chain and a few yarns. This will be hung on the tree this christmas!

Door Hanger!

http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com

I made this door hanger for my eldest daughter Georgie who is 8. I used the penny black stamps and some paper artsy stamps and some alphabets letters from a CD rom. I printed a photo of Georgie and positioned it behind the house. I added a crown as she is my little princess! I also added some ribbons. It is laminated to prevent grubby hands from doing any damage.

Arty girlz Challenge #50 and Sarah Kay challenge purple/green

http://artygirlzchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/arty-girlz-weekly-challenge-50-alter-it.html
http://sarahkaychallenges.blogspot.com/
What a crafty day! I have done 3 challenges. This one combines 2 challenges. The Arty girlz theme is alter something. The Sarah Kay challenge is to use green and purple. I got my new Sarah Kay stamp today from Sassycrafts.

I chose this plastic washing tablet box ( you did say anything). I cut off the lid and covered it in paper i had glimmer misted. I then stamped some Sarah Kay images and coloured them in differently, using sakura stardust pens and a waterbrush. I stamped some flowers from Joanna Sheen and used these and the Sarah Kay images to cover any little blips. I then punched 12 holes using my crop-a-dile and after adding eyelets I thread the ribbon through.

I forgot to say I made a ribbon dispenser.

Whilst I was making this my 8 year old daughter suggested I could use it as a bag. Nice for a gift box, or general storage, as an easter basket, Pot pourri holder. There are lots of ways you can use the covered box.

Mixed Media Monday Nature

http://mixedmediamonday.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/nature/#comment-2373

I have decided to create a polymer clay photo tile project for this theme. I have been meaning to make something for my mum for a while. She loved the last one I made for her. I have used the following to make it. Polymer clay, A picture including all her grandchildren,skeleton leaves, liquid polymer clay, stamps by sculpey and elusive images, laminator an acrylic paints. The corners are leaves and I left the shape quite natural as the theme is nature. The skeleton leaves and flowers represent nature as do the next generation of the family nature is progressive. I hope you like it.

Thank God It's Friday challlenge No 48 Women

Hi I found this challenge blog today and loved the theme women. So I created this little ATC. I love the image of eve and I used some glimmer mist mixed with PVA glue to create a minimal background. You can't see very well but I printed a tree. I added the forbidden fruit and Eve and this marvellous quote. So true hey girls! Sorry any boys out there. Sorry photography not too hot on this one. My first ATC swap I have swapped this with Crissi from the Arty girlz challenge.

Yes I know I should be getting out and about with the kids! But.......

I have found 2 new blogs today curtsy of Dawns award. So instead of getting the kids out I made this for creative Wednesday's Garden challenge. What a sheer joy to create. I used the following materials.
I also discovered some new techniques from http://www.rsmadness.com/


glue
tissue paper
sakura pens
stamps (english stamp Company,Joanna Sheen, crafty individuals)
glitter mists
baby wipes

Cute card Thursday challenge #25

As it is the six weeks holiday I thought I would include the kids work in this project. It is a card for Cute card Thursday challenge #25 the them is water. My son loves pirates so the kids had a colouring in session during the hols. As you can see my son loves the colour blue too. He coloured the boat, thanks Harry age 5. Georgie age 8 did the pirate,loves colour, like mother like daughter, and I added the background. The background is a mixture of acrylic and water colour, pens and pencil. I then reduced on the PC and I have made the card. This is a cute boys card.

Dutch Dare challenge #12

I have made this card for the Dutch Dare challenge #12. The theme is card for a girl. I made this using a collage made up of printed images. I had so much fun looking at the magazines and choosing the images to add to the vintage lady image. I used glimmer mists on card and stamped and embossed with a sculpey texture lace design stamp. I then added a vellum quote to some of the glimmer misted card. I added a ribbon to make it really girly! I may give it to my sister in law for her birthday.

ATC I feel aother new addiction!

I have made this ATC after making one for this weeks Arty girlz challenge. I think this is a seriously addictive pastime as they are so quick to do and so fun to design. I made this with my new crafty individuals stamps and some acrylic paints and some glimmer mists and some elusive image stamps and some embellishments from my craft hoard. I had a blast making it. I fee; quite tired today as my baby Max is teething and is not getting much of a rest. I have also been trying to get something sorted out and it is not. Still at least I can lose myself in a spot of crafty heaven.