Hallowe'en Tag Swap

 Good evening.

I am currently working on some "C" word stuff - presents for my family so most of my crafting time has been taken up by these but I did take time out to join in a swap. A Hallowe'en Tag Swap organised by "Artful Days" DT member, Jane Austin over in Facebook group.

My swap partner has now received her tag from me so I fell I can share on my blog now.

Starting with a plain grey board tag, I glued on some of the purple tissue paper that some of my Artful Days goodies arrived in. Never throw much away here lol

Dry brushed with acrylic paint when dry in shades of turquoise, titan buff and orange.

One of Andy Skinner's transfers from the "Curiosities" set applied (Creative Expressions). These are great when there is too much texture to stamp onto.

The MDF film strips and circle were given a touch of gilding flakes for added interest and colour.

The little coffin was handmade from greyboard waste from the back of a paper stack. Several layers cut to shape and glued together. Then painted with black and raw umber was wiped back before completely dry. The gold decoration is just a marker pen. 

Thanks for looking

Anthing Mixed Media for A Inky Mess in June

A day when I had to go to my place of paid employment so this post going up a bit late. Sorry guys and gals.

My DT piece for A Inky Mess challenge blog this month.
Yet another little Tando Creative kit. OK I'm biased. I just love the little kits they bring out. They are so versatile. So many ways they can be decorated. Lending themselves to covering with papers or loads of different mediums.

This is one of their little trinket boxes.

The top

The bottom

When opened out

There are little books inside but could easily be some trinkets

The top was decorated first with some crackle paste through a stencil (France Papillon) then given a few layers of Decoart paints. then some stamped and heat embossed elements Some metal embellishments and 3 little flowers. The swing clasp takes the place of a tied closure.

The inside and bottom were covered with Stamperia rice paper before securing the little box sides that had been painted and inked prior to fitting.

The little mini books are from another Tando kit - I cut these mini books to size so they would fit in.
Covered with a handmade paper (purchased, not made by me) that had been stamped with an Andy Skinner stamp (one of his new range in collaboration with Creative Expressions.) In each of the books I made 6 little signatures and glued in - as per the last photo.

I hope you like my project this month.
Please go look at my teamies' beautiful projects - out of this world, as usual. Then we would love to see what you make - just link into the challenge and we'll come visit your blog.

See you next time

A Little Bit of SteamPunk

Good morning folks
I have been working on some projects now for a few weeks and neglecting my blog and a few other things besides. The projects are now finished and although I showed the biggest time consumer on facebook, I have yet to blog it and the sister project made.

They will both be published in Just Steampunk, Volume 5 on sale in August from Scott Publications, . 

First is a tote bag I made, from scratch. Just a collection of rectangles of cotton fabric stitched together, but I now have a decent sized craft tote to take what ever I need to my weekly craft club meetings. Plenty of pockets was my main aim and this has been achieved.
The decoration - the main image on the front flap is from the pen of Rick St Dennis. A new image created for me by the man himself. "A Clockwork Pony Cart" can be found in Rick's Zibbet shop and as a download from the Etsy shop.
I hand coloured the image first with a mixture of Graph It and promarker pens with metallic elements painted on using perfect pearls.

then scanned into my pc so that it could be printed onto the fabric transfer paper (Crafty Computer Paper).

The image cut out and ironed onto the front panel of my tote. Then, using a stencil from Creative Expressions and some copper fabric paint, was given a frame.

The handles for the tote were also stencilled using the same stencil and paint. The pockets on the side were decorated with another stencil, this time from "Splodgeaway"

The "sister" project, one that the original hand coloured project could be used on, also features another of Rick's new Steampunk images, Professor Coppelious. Also available as a download from Etsy. He also was coloured with a mixture of Graph It and promarker pens with metallic elements painted on using perfect pearls.

I had to flip him so that he fit my scene
Applied both the images to a canvas that was previously covered in black gesso them stencilled using glossy dreamweaver stencil paste and the same Splodgeaway mask as on the tote.
A mask made using a TH "weathered clock" die cut and some copper pan pastels over this. The stencil itself then was applied, why waste it? Some balloons, by prima,were stencilled as well using a mix of gold and sienna pan pastel.

The "time travel" letters are thickers from American Crafts.

I'd like to enter these projects into the challenges at
Through The Purple Haze - Steam Punk

The canvas I'd like to enter into the challenge at
Pan Pastel/Premium Craft Brands challenge - Metallics

Be Unique!!!

I don't normally get a chance to blog anything midweek - my midweek that is - but having bought these new stamps whilst on holiday, I've been itching to get the inked up. What's the point in having them if they are not going to get used?? Anyway, This is the card I made and the sketch over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday seemed just the one to fit this.

Some Steam Punk papers from the BoBunny weekend market collection stuck to a piece of pearlised copper card formed the base, together with some brown lace that has been in my stash for "a while". All attached to a white card base that was first ink distressed with brushed corduroy DI.
The image of the shoe and the sentiment are from the set Steampunk Shoes by Creative Expressions coloured with promarkers.

I coated the sentiment piece with sepia glossy accents and stuck some tiny watch parts, to match the shoe design, in whilst still wet, and the larger cog charm has been attached with a tiny screw head brad..

I would like to enter this card into the challenge over at
Try Stampin' on Tuesday - Their Sketch
Cards Galore - Vintage
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Inspired by a song/film - I chose "Hell on Heels" by Pistol Annies
I love Promarkers - Anything Goes