Sunday 31 December 2017

ATC Swap

Mixed Up Magazine Facebook group have organised an ATC swap.
I made two using the same stamps but two different techniques. Stamps are from Chocolate Baroque's Steampunk Christmas set.
 This one uses the tree stamped into clay then painted
This one is on a layered ATC base with crackle bg and the tree is heat embossed

Two totally different results using the same stamps 

Thursday 21 December 2017

Getting to feel a Lot Like Christmas

I have been neglecting this little Cubbyhole again. Facebook seems like the easy option to share my makes as and when I complete. I am not on any design teams any more since moving home twice last year and the need to blog everything and share via this avenue is not there now. I will try harder.
Christmas is fast approaching and I have been busy making things for presents so won't share them yet but this is destined to be a sweetie holder in the house. It's a Santa Sleigh from Tando Creative painted with decoart paints and stamped with stamps from Chocolate Baroque's Steampunkery set with Texture Fragments on the runners.


and a close up of the inside............








My other projects made are "countdown to Christmas" frames from Tando Creative for my Grandchildren.
The first is made in traditional colours for a brother and sister to share.
Corner stamps are from Chocolate Baroque's Steampunk Christmas set. Paint from Decoart.
The other is totally girly
with decoart paints/mediums and silver and white diecuts.




Friday 25 August 2017

Catch Up

So here I sit, yet another project finished and sitting waiting on paint drying on another and it suddenly dawn on me that, although I was sharing the majority of my makes on facebook, this little corner of my crafty world has been sadly overlooked since I don't belong to any design teams now. I let them all go last year whilst moving house twice and adopting a rescue dog. Nala is now well and truly one of the family and loved by all that meet her.
I had to have a piccy of her in my craft room
A Tando Creative frame painted with Decoart paints and stamped with a few Andy Skinner stamps from Stampendous.

I have been busy also making a few "mini books". These are so relaxing and I am getting to use some of my designer papers that seem to have multiplied. Most already given away but still a couple left to complete. I love decorating the fronts to make then totally unique. These two are the last in a long series but I find it hard to take all the photos needed to show all the intricacies of all the folded pocket pages without it being a marathon photo shoot. Maybe need to think of getting a little tripod for my camera.  These are the front covers

Lots of different elements used as you can see.

There is also a collection of Tando Creative shadow frames that I have been working on.



All slightly different and using different techniques. These are now hanging up in my craft room.
Just another couple of pics - again Tando products - seem to have done a run on these - but they are such great fun to work with

Again Decoart paints and mediums

A little trip through my creative world over the last few months. More to see when I next visit.

Hugs to all

Friday 19 May 2017

For a Special Friend

Morning all
Today I'd like to share a "little box" that I have decorated for a birthday pressie. It's one of those boxes that you can get to alter from a lot of the chain stores that have a craft section. The box is made to look like a little suitcase/handbag. All paints/mediums are Decoart and the stamps are all from Andy Skinner's range by Stampendous. The inside is painted with white americana.
the base coat, after priming the bare wood is Americana Orchid. A thin layer of weathered wood after applying a resist then light avocado. When all was dry, the whole thing wiped down to remove the resist and therefore any loose paint. All sealed with matt medium before stamping in sepia archival ink. Then a coat of satin varnish to finish it off. 
 Some cream cotton lace trim on the box with some cream and silver flat back pearls
then re-attach the metal hinges and clasp and add some gilding wax to the rim of the lid and main box. This ensures the two halves are not going to stick together as well as providing a decorative finish.
 Finally a few flowers and die cut butterflies to finish off the top.
Not your traditional "Shabby Chic" colours but then my friend is not a lover of that colour.

Thank you for looking

I'd like to enter this little project into the challenges at
Country View Challenges - Flower Power
Craft Stamper Magazine Challenges - May Anything Goes, Take it, Make  it


Saturday 29 April 2017

Gone Rusty

OMGoodness! So long since I visited this little corner of my life!!! Let's see if I can remember how to work this platform.

I have been making the odd bit here and there for friends but forgetting to take photos before hurrying them out of the door. Seems there have been more demands on my time outside my little cubbyhole since we moved house and adopted a gorgeous little Staffie - Nala.

All that is, hopefully, going to change slightly and I'll be back in my inner sanctum playing with the stamps, inks, paints etc more often.
Today's offering was inspired by the challenge over at Country View Challenges - Rust. I love the different ways that the illusion of rust can be created with paints and powders and have used two ways here on my little Tando mini printer tray.
The kit pieces were all sealed with Decoart tinting base after gluing the aperture pieces together. Then the cover was edge painted with Decoart Quin gold.

The front cover
Paper from Prima, Epiphany pad, stamped with a Stampendous bird gears stamp in sepia archival.
Then using Stampendous' gorgeous aged ochre embossing enamel, heat set this to frame the image.
The words were computer generated and wild honey distress ink added, edged with black pencil before being stuck down with matte medium (decoart again)

Inside Left

 More Prima paper from the same pad. I have acquired so many papers that I really ought to use some up! The remaining words from the computer adhered after distressing the edges of the paper with both scissors and ink. Two Tando hearts, One coloured gold with ink the other, paint.

Inside right
More Prima paper and more distress ink on the base.
The frame, after the gluing and priming was given a coat of Decoart Yellow oxide mixed with a touch of gold. Then given a coat of Decoart Patina antiquing cream, wiped back slightly before stamping with an Andy Skinner crackle stamp using sepia archival. Then sealed with satin varnish.
The birdcage and hearts are also from Tando.
The painted rust effect here was created by mixing burnt umber paint with texturizing medium before painting with red oxide, yellow oxide and quin gold paints.

My head says this needs more but I can't quite put my finger on what that is just yet. Oh well! I'll just keep looking at it until inspiration strikes.

I'd like to enter this into the challenge at
Country View - Rust