Metal Work

I loved the little box that Joanne Wardle made in Craft Stamper this month, to store all the free stamps, so decided to have a go. Instead of stamping, I used metal around the outside of mine. I'm quite pleased with the result.

I can do cute!

Suddenly remembered that it was Bank Holiday weekend and it's my granddaughters birthday on Wednesday, so I need to get the card in the post tomorrow to make absolutely sure that it arrives by Tuesday. That's because she's off on a school trip on Wednesday for a few days to Norfolk. She's really looking forward to it and they have to be at school early on Wednesday, so I thought if she got it Tuesday she could open it before she goes on her travels. She'll be 9 and it's the first time she's been away from home on her own, other than staying with family - I'm sure she thinks she's staying in a 5* hotel, I think she's in for a a bit of a shock!!!

Dezinaworld Challenge

I made this ATC for the Dezinaworld Challenge. I thought the girl looked very exotic on her wedding day and as though she had been left at the alter, waiting for her groom who never turned up. She looks so sad.

Altered Tin

We are doing an altered tin at the Craft Den at our usual Tuesday evening alcohol ink class. Here's just a sneak preview, it's still a work in progress. We will be using alcohol inks, triple embossing, stamping, digital images, lots of different techniques on this tin.

Wow, aren't I the lucky one!!!

My son, David, has come to stay for the weekend.  He is a keen cyclist, in fact he's just recently completed in the Etape du Tour  race, part of the Tour de France.  He came 2 hours ahead of Chris Boardman (he of Olympic gold medal fame) but 2 hours behind James Cracknell.  Anyway, I digress, he knew I had been wanting a new computer, and since both he and my son in law have Apple Macs, of course that's what I wanted and needed desperately.  Anyway this morning he went on a long bike ride and around 12.00 I got a phone call from him asking if I'd pick him up in Holme Firth (about 20 mins from us).  When I arrived, he said the reason he didn't want to complete the bike ride because he wanted to take me to the Apple Store in Meadowhall and would I like a new computer for my birthday/Christmas pressy combined.  Well is the Pope a Catholic (hope I don't offend anyone), how could I refuse.  So off we went and here's the result.  I've spent all afternoon playing and am thoroughly enjoying myself, whilst David and his father are having a real needle match playing golf a la Tiger Woods on the Wii.  We've managed to have a BBQ in between, as well as consuming 4 bottles of wine between us, and I caught a few minutes of the X Factor before being thrown off the TV.  No space for it in my craft room, so on kitchen table for time being.

Marlene Dietrich

I just love the new digital images from June at Dezinaworld and as soon as I saw her new Painted Ladies, I had to have it. I just love Marlene's voice and admire the look she had in her younger days.

I stuck some music paper to background (which doesn't show on the photo), coloured with dusty concord and worn lipstick, over stamped with Crafty Individuals music stamp, stamped the PaperArtsy crown onto a bit of telephone directory paper, stuck on some lace and gold jewels, printed off text from my computer and doodled round it. I have painted her lips bright red, but again this doesn't show up on the photo. Everything used in this piece is available from Craft Den with digital artwork from Dezinaworld.

Girls, girls, girls!!!!!

We've just had a fantastic time at our daughters in rural Essex, looking after our grandchildren, 2 horses, 4, yes 4, Labradors, and 4 chickens, whilst their parents went on a jolly to France. The weather was fantastic, some friends came over at the weekend from Hampton for a BBQ, and the kids were brilliant. They did nothing but torment us, particularly my husband who had forgotten to take his swimming gear with him, so went in the pool in his knicker knockers (as they call his underpants) and the girls spent most of the time trying to pull them down. What is it that fascinates children about underpants????? Got some brill photos, but he's barred me from putting them on the blog, spoil sport.

Had to come back to reality and make a card for my friend Jim's birthday. I seem to be making boys cards all the time. Still next birthday is my granddaughter, Lucie, 9th birthday and she's requested a girly (she's not at all girly, more tomboy) tag card with her favourite photos in it.

I used Ranger distressed background, as usual, various stamps from The Artistic Stamper, Artistic Outpost, Crafty Individuals and of course T!m's, oh and of course some machine stitching.

Here's a chance to win some great blog giveway

Craft Den ATC Swop - Mystic Meg

This months ATC swop at Craft Den is Star Signs. Well I'm not into things like this, so have had trouble coming up with something. I e mailed June Macfarlane at dezinaworld and she kindly sent me some of the images used on this ATC. I coloured the background with Ranger Distress inks, stamped with a star stamp I received as a freebie from somewhere, used Maude image from http://www.moonlightjourney.com/, cut out and stuck on the zodiac signs, stitched some gold ribbon to top and gold rick rac to bottom. Added some crystals round her neck.

Hey, check this out

Just found this fantastic blog, June, who does wonderful digital downloads which you can purchase, but she also has some freebies. I've just started playing with a few of them and will blog when finished them. Check her out here http://dezinaworld.blogspot.com/

ATC

I would like to share this gorgeous ATC I have received from my friend Pat. I think it is so lovely - this piece of art really brightens the heart and makes me feel good. Pat is very creative, but I don't think she really believes she is. I've tried to pursuade her to get a blog so she can show her work, but she's not taken the plunge yet! Thanks Pat I just love it.

Get Well Jane

A friend of mine has just been in hospital for an operation and cannot walk for a couple of weeks, so she's feeling really miserable and is starting to suffer cabin fever. Jane makes lots of beautiful jewellery and bead work, so made her this card to cheer her up a bit.

Used Ranger crackle paint and distressed inks, stamped with T!m's stamps, all from Craft Den, stuck on some sequins, put jewels in the centre and machine stitched round the edge. The image and text came from Lisa's Alter Art.