Go Girl!!! Tummy Rub!!!

Wow, today I received a very special ATC - my Freaky Deaky Friendie's top notch niece wanted to make me summat for my new flat, and bearing in mind she is just 11, what an awesome ATC she has created for me! Not only that, but it is the first one she has ever made too :D

Go Girl In Your New Home

I feel privileged to be the recipient of her first artist trading card, and not only that, I know the time and thought that went into making (corners!!!) I had a sneaky feeling I was going to get a lickle summat, so I had made an ATC to give to my FDF's niece to say thanks muchly! Couldn't resist adding some beads and wire!

My FDF had made me the bestest new home card too! Getting quite a collection now :)

Ooh, crafty individuals backing paper and flutterbies :)

Oh... and the other day my pinky winky friendie shared with me the most gorgeous piccies of her doggy woggy, I just have to put one up on my blog to show the world how cute Matilda is! Her latest trick is "tummy rub" - all you have to do is call out those two words and she rolls on her back ready to have her tummy tickled! I want a doggy woggy!

Hands off my bag!!!

On the Scrapheap, Tea Time (and a card for a poorly girl)

Been crafting like crazy today - finished off Scrapheap Challenge ATCs for ATC Addicts R Us (just in the nick of time too!) Used my "border" Paper Artsy stamp for the first time, as well as some epoxy postage stamp stickers my FDF got me for Crimbo. Been waiting for ages for an ATC that they would work with, and finally got my chance - yay!

Exploring

How Much Longer

The Great Escape

Got my first new home ATC from a member of ATC Addicts R Us, Tea Time at Jo's... very clever idea, and a totally unexpected piece of mail :)

Anyone for a cuppa?

I had a card to finish off today as well, to send to Mumsy's work colleague's daughter who is very poorly in hospital at the moment. I hope she likes the card and that it will brighten her day, even if just for a few moments, when she opens it and reads our messages.

I used the bird stamp, as I hope over the coming weeks she will be able to fly away from the hospital and feel free again.

Last Minute Waterfalls!

"Don't go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to..."

Anyone remember that song? God, that takes me back... TLC, circa 199?

Anyways, I wanted so badly to do the waterfall ATCs for ATC Addicts, and having already cut out all the bits and pieces, it would have been nuts not to have done them, so, with the deadline tomorrow, I finished these ATCs in the nick of time, at 11pm!!!

Just to stress myself up even more, I thought I would have a bash at putting a slide show into this post, so you can see the full effect of a waterfall ATC. Why do I do these things to myself?!

Dreaming and Dancing...

What's New Pussycat...

My Flutterby Butterfly...

Girly Wirly

I did something very brave today... I used... wait for it...

s-t-i-c-k-e-r-s !!!

Anyone who knows me, will understand how traumatic this was for me - I am not a sticker person - but with the theme of "Girly Stuff" I didn't have an awful lot of scope in my ever expanding craft stash to use.

And, this is perhaps wierd, (but then I am a Freaky Deaky Crafty Chick after all!) but I find stickers really difficult to use on my work. Give me a few stamps and I am off, but stickers... my head retreats into its shed!

Anyhoo, I managed to locate some rather flash stickers that I think were part of a QVC TSV that me and Mumsy shared, and they tied in perfectly with a set of 3 charms that my Freakie Deaky Friendie had given me to help me get started on this themed swap. Phewie! It took me a while, but they finally came together...

You can never have too many bags, hats or shoes!

Flirty Dress!

Posh Frock

These ATCs are fairly simple: wide piece of pink ribbon, mulberry paper over one corner (you know me and my corners!), the words fun and sassy (DCWV paper methinks), a length of tape measure (all us girlies know about measuring up!) and for the focal point... stickers *shudder*

Had to jazz them up with gems, fibers, flowers, and the final touch, thanks to my FDF, the charms! Which I faffed with of course, and alcohol inked them, attaching a ribbon through the loops before using brads to hold them in place on the ATCs.

Phew, that was pretty stressful. Especially as the deadline is Monday, and they are for ATC Addicts which I co-own with my FDF, and I still have waterfall ATCs to do! What with moving, somehow time for crafting got shoved aside for a while, then wham bam, I've got deadlines looming! Thank goodness my creative muse was by my side today :D

I Got New Home Cards! (and... a new TV!!!)

Blimy, I hit the jackpot today! I had 2 cards delivered by Mr Postie, and 3 by hand!

L to R - J, M&J, Mumsy, Tams and Auntie C & Uncle M.

My fave card is from Mumsy, she is crafty wafty, and made me a stonkingly stylish card :)

Also today, Freaky Deaky Dad had a day off work so he popped in to check out my shower (only seems to have one setting currently - bloody freezing!!!) then we went off to get some bits I needed, including Lush shower gel, the new one, called Yummy Yummy Yummy (wonder if that is a take off from the Abba song Money Money Money..? I saw Mamma Mia the movie the other week, it was ace!)

Well, *I* thought we were going to look at freeview boxes and check out TVs that I cannot afford to see what would be a fair price for me to get something second hand. You see, ye olde Samsung TV has decided it will be pink, very pink, on all channels, and all videos and DVDs I watch, and this means it's broken (waaaaaah!) Yes, pink is one of my favourite colours, but it doesn't mean I want to watch pink TV!

Anyway, Freaky Deaky Dad marched me to John Lewis and low and behold out came the credit card (it rarely sees the light of day lol!) and there he was buying me a fab TV, 19" widescreen, Electronic Programming Guide, and... wait for it... Freeview! :D

Perfect timing... I am all tuned in ready for Crafting for Christmas tomorrow on QVC!!!

New Address Cards and My Bunny Wabbit

I felt uber creative this evening (and I couldn't sleep) so I made a set of new address cards to send to various relatives. Kept them simple - stamped backgrounds (on the left hand side ones I have used Prima stamps, on the right hand side ones Crafty Individuals) Matted and layered onto 2 further pieces of card picking out colours from the skeleton leaves used on the front. I have had those kicking around for a good couple of years, not really knowing what to do with them, so took this opportunity to break open the packet and use them! Stamped "new address" onto vellum and attached over with lickle flower brads. Very therapeutic!

New Address Cards

I may have had to leave (not so) little Oscar behind with my parents, but I have a new pet (well, ish!) A bunny wabbit - I have named him Robbie) keeps coming out early morning and early evening to chomp at the grass outside my lounge window. Today, however, he actually was out during the day (maybe because it was so hot?) and he lounged around on the grass for a few hours under some little bushes...

Robbie the Rabbit

He's not dead, just sleepy... aaaahhhhhhh!

Bernie Berlin... again!

Had to take on the challenge and take part in the Bernie Berlin ATC swap on UKATC. I was able to use 3 different background techniques from her book for this swap :)

I used one of the backgrounds I created on 14th July

http://freakydeakycrafter.blogspot.com/2008/07/bernie-berlin.html

I found a suitable image, and once I had that, the rest just came together! A layer of mesh, some mulberry paper, star eyelets and star gems. Made my own little chipboard letters to spell out "lovers".

"Lovers" (emboss-resist)

My second ATC uses a background created waaaaaay back... maybe early 2007? This uses the technique "fun foam". I had glued foam hearts onto an ATC base, layering some up double, then covered with foil tape and alcohol inked over the top. Yet again, finding an image that fitted in with my background gave me a good starting point and just by adding wire/bead embellishments and a word (again, I created my own chipboard letters) this ATC was done and dusted.

"Possession" (fun foam)

My last ATC used the technique "inky layers" though with a little improvisation on my part - I didn't have a coloured glazing medium as suggested, substituting it with diamond glaze... I don't think it made a huuuuuge difference..? This one was fun to make up, using a bottle cap image from Digital Collage Downloads, creating a framey with flowers to lift the image off the background. Added my trademark mesh, and yet more handmade chipboard letters... I think this one is my fave... or maybe "Lovers"... or maybe "Possession"... or maybe... I am just too darned indecisive!!!

"Innocence" (inky layers)

You see, the thing with the techniques in Bernie Berlin's book is, that you don't need to add much to complete an ATC, mainly because you don't want to cover up your lush backgrounds! Anyone fancying a challenge or a change, I highly recommend her book, available on Amazon and all the other usual places!

Artist Trading Card Workshop by Bernie Berlin.

Nail Varnish Backgrounds Fluttering By!

Finally turned those nail varnish backgrounds from 4th July...

http://freakydeakycrafter.blogspot.com/2008/07/nail-varnish-high-and-somewhere-to-be.html

... into completed ATCs!

I added gorge flutterby sequins which I had embellished myself with beads...

... and a swirly wirly die cut (courtesy of my craft penpal from the U S of A) ...

... then I stuck gems onto the die cuts to lift them off the backgrounds ...

... and used my new mini alphabet stamps from The Fruit Pixie to stamp either "soar" or "fly fly away" ...

I am liking flutterbies at the mo! Really excited as there is a butterfly themed Gothic Arch swap coming up on ATC Addicts in July/Aug... yay! :D

I'm here!

Yesterday I moved into my new place - gulp! At the risk of sounding like I am giving an "Oscar winning thank you performance" I must say ta very muchly to Mumsy and Freaky Deaky Dad, who helped me move most of my stuff, not to mention helping me to spring clean from top to bottom and shift furniture around - rewarded them with a Chinese takeaway!

Now, here's a question for you...

Q: What is the most important part of Freaky Deaky Crafty Chick's home?
A: Craft Space!!!

Here is the "before picture" - taken first thing this morning... oh the jumble!

Then along came my fairy godmother in the shape of my Freaky Deaky Crafty Friendie, and with her magic wand and my fairy dust (plus rather a lot of shuffling things around and re-jigging me bits and bobs) we turned an area of my lounge into this...

Ta da!!!

And do you know what? My FDCF bought me a giftie, well she bought it over here, but she actually created it herself - wow! I was sooooooo chuffered; not only had she taken the time to make me an stonking altered canvas, but she even wrote the words herself - I think I shall start calling her my Uber Talented Freaky Deaky Crafty Friendie!

"A time to craft, a time to play, A time to art your heart away,

A time to get messy, and time to have fun, a time to art until you are done,

New techniques, new tools to use, experiment with them, use your creative muse..."

After receiving such a wonderful gift, and a craft space ready to rumble, how could I resist having a play?! So I made a start on an altered coaster swap for Advanced Artist Trading. Using a technique from Bernie Berlin's book, I created resist backgrounds using acrylic paints, paint dabbers, clear heat embossing with rubber stamps, more paint (dry brushed on) and then applied a hot iron...

For some reason, I didn't get quite the right effect on the top R coaster, and the bottom R one was naughty and some of the actual chipboard of the coaster came off after ironing (iron too hot?). That said, the ones on the left hand side I am well chuffed with :)

Theme for the swap is numbers, so to include my favourite or a significant no. on each coaster. So what's the magic no.? That'd be telling!

Bernie Berlin!

Tried a technique out of the Bernie Berlin book today (kindly given to me by my Freaky Deaky Friendie as a flat warming prezzie :) ) Not that I am in the flat yet... but I am getting there bit by bit!

The technique I tried is called "emboss resist" and I deviated from the instructions slightly (got carried away with adding colour!) but had fun cos I got to play with some of my new toys that arrived from Frantic Stamper - a set of Adirondack dabbers (blues!) and unmounted stamps too!

This pic shows the stage where I have painted ATC sized pieces of mountboard in various colours, stamped and embossed over the top using a clear ink pad and clear embossing powder, then dry brushed another acrylic paint over the top. They look slightly grungy...

And this pic shows the best of the final results after ironing over the ATCs to get that "resist" effect...

I was rather chuffed with what I made! Now... need to finish them off! I have rather a lot of unfinished symphonies at the moment (it's a habit of mine) but these I want to finish in particular, for the swap on UKATC, so watch this space!

Dreaming of Midsummer

Our first Guest Hostess swap was held on ATC Addicts R Us, the theme was Shakespeare, and I couldn't resist joining in. I decided, after much deliberation, to go with an interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream...

Backgrounds use the handmade papers I created the other day with my fantasy fibers and my trusty iron! Then I took my fave fairy stamp (by Clarity Stamp) to be "Titania" (queen of the fairies) and inked it up with Stazon, placed a couple of pieces of fantasy film over the top, a piece of paper to protect it, and ironed carefully...

Titania, Queen of the Fairies

Attached the images using wire and a couple of brads, then embellished my ATCs with the word "dream" and sparkly gems and sequins. Fun to make!

Finshed!

Added "Paris" word charm and ribbon to the lid...

Added pearly buttons to the bottom half...

Attached my Eiffel Tower tag with ribbon...

Ta da!!!

Treasure Box Here!!! Wow!!!

Wow, look what the postman bought me! I hadn't seen the message on Advanced Artist Trading Cards posted by my partner saying my swap was on its way, so it was a lovely surprise when it arrived. There were lots of "ooohs"and "aaaahs" as I opened up the tissue paper to reveal a beautifully altered box - what you cannot see from my photograph is that it says "serenity" around the bottom half of the box.

The creator, Heather Fenn-Edwards, told me "I used the word "Serenity" on the box to reflect the qualities of the amethyst stone, which is said to promote well-being, calmness and protection". Well, I could certainly use some of that :) Heather has her own website http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://www.mooncatcherdesigns.co.uk/&usg=AFQjCNHj0xJFsJEObwhm7tStb7_dIAbPfg - check it out :)

There was a pretty tag attached, and Heather had signed the bottom of the box too. So... what was inside..? A stunningly beautiful piece of jewellery, which just blew me away! (It has totally inspired me to try and push myself further wth my own jewellery making). Also inside, some hand-stamped tags, and even the pretty lace in which the contents were wrapped took my breath away! You gotta click on the images and look at a huuuuuuge piccie to really appreciate this awesome piece of art!

I feel a very lucky girly wirly to be part of Advanced Artist Trading Cards and to receive a swap created by such a talented lady, thank you :)

Treasure Box Stage 2 (and My Booky Wook!)

Treasure Box... nearly there!

Feeling a lot better about my box, much better! I added some buttons (attached with wire) to cover up a little blip, and some pearl beaded chain too. The lid pretty well completed, I took a small metal tag and melted a few layers of pearl UTEE on top, and dropped in an Eiffel Tower charm. Not quite sure how this will be attached as yet...

I simple added some lace around the bottom of the box, although I think perhaps it needs something more... that will have to wait until another day because...

... I picked up a copy of My Booky Wook by Russell Brand from the library today - cannot wait to get my nose stuck into it!

Ironing is Fun!

Backtracking 8th July 2008

It's amazing what you can do with an iron - they aren't just for laundry don't you know! I hadn't used my fantasy fibers/films since I took part in a workshop (like, 2 years ago!) and when I was watching QVC the other day there was Leonie demonstrating them, which gave me an itch I had to scratch and so I got out my fantasy fibers and fantasy films to have a play!

Knowing I had some ATCs to get done, I started with my fantasy fibers and created some backing papers using the fantasy fibers, a few different colours, and sandwiched some sequins in between the layers.

I used star and fairy wand sequins, as I want to use these backgrounds for a themed swap of "Shakespeare" being run by our guest hostess at ATC Addicts R Us (my take on it being fairies/Midsummer Nights Dream)

I had some scraps left over so of course could not resist playing around to see what happens when you iron all your scraps!

This is fantasty film, fantasy fibers, round sequins, and a sprinkling of teeny tiny prima flowers sandwiched in-between.

This is fantasy film with a tiny sprinkling of fantasy fibers, a few prima flowers and a piece of a pink heather embellishment that has been hanging around a while, waiting to be put to good use.

Well, who wants to iron bed sheets and trousers and tops when you can iron for craft purposes!!!

Mona Lisa Smile - Hey Mona!

Backtracking - 7th July 2008

Hey Mona! Ooooh Mona! Anyone remember that song? Craig McLachlan, circa 1990 (?) Anyhoo, it was my turn to assemble a bag of goodies for each members of Goody Bag Girls, and see what we all created! Inside each bag was...

• blank ATC
• 4 pieces coloured wrinkle papers
• 1 piece cream/gold marbled paper
• pair of cream diecut wings
• 2 tiny star washers
• letters to spell the word "smile"
• selection of flower sequins
• florist's wire
• brad
• length of ribbon

What would you make?! Well here is what I did!

I think Mona has borrowed Elton John's glasses!

Nail Varnish High and Somewhere to Be :)

Backtracking - 4th July 2008

OMG! I am high because of the nail varnish backgrounds I have been making today, or because of the news I received?! I have been offered a flat!!! Totally unexpected, completely out of the blue, but after the initial shock, I had a feeling of comfort in the knowledge that soon, I will have "somewhere to be"...

Enough about that though, onto important stuff like getting crafty! Purely experimentally, I dropped a few blobs of 2 or 3 different colours of nail varnish onto card, placed another piece of card on top, squished and smooshed them together (very technical terms lol!), the result being a kind of marbled effect!

But my goodness did it reek of nail varnish - bleurgh! Rather too much so I had to consign these backgrounds to another room in the house whilst they dried and the smell eased off!!!

Oooh... I got a flat I got a flat I got a flat!!!

*bump back down to earth*

Yikes, I don't have hardly anything to furnish a flat... I shall have to perhaps camp out on the living room floor with my craft stuff and that's it! Anyone who wishes to make a donation to the "Furnish Jo's Flat" fund, please get in touch!!! :p

Something for the Box!

Backtracking - 3rd July 2008

Felt like a change today, so I made a bracelet to go in the treasure box I am making for a swap on Advanced Artist Trading Cards. I was nice to do something different from ATCs/papercrafting and I really enjoyed quietly beading away in front of the tv tonight!

Treasure Box Commences!

Backtracking - 2nd July 2008

Finally got started on my Treasure Box swap for Advanced Artist Trading Cards. Off to Paris again (can't I think of anything new and innovative?!) but I do love using my Crafty Individuals stamps, and know I have lots of embellishments that tie in with the theme of Paris, so as this was my first swap for Advanced ATCs, I wanted to be in my comfort zone and feel confident (well, as confident as Freaky Deaky Crafty Chick ever can!) in my ability to create something half decent!

After priming with gesso, I used 3 shades of Adirondack paint dabbers to colourise the box all over, in a random fashion, til I had something which I was satisfied with. Then I stamped using Stazon and my favourite Crafty Individuals rubber stamps (text, friends in Paris, Paris postmark) onto tissue paper, and used modge podge to apply them onto the lid of the box, layering and overlapping.

Not actually very happy with the way the word "friends" cannot be seen easily at all. Will figure that out another day, in fact, I will probs end up covering it up with something. But what..?

Inspired by Primark?!

Backtracking - 30th June 2008

I had a mega hectic day yesterday (I made it to London to see my mate, thanks to Freaky Deaky Dad's support) and was introduced to the world of Primark. Totally bargainous store, but mega busy and really too much, so we soon retreated to Starbucks!

Today, I made use of the labels that came of the pair of cargo trousers I bought (was well surprised they had trousers long enough for my legs in such a cheap shop!) and I made a card :)

Been ages since I actually made a card, as for months all I have really done is ATCs and altered art bits and bobs. It wasn't too painful though to make my brain think on a bigger scale.

The bits from the clothing tags are the ripped rough brown paper, and the length of twill that I have attached with an eyelet over the top. I stitched down the left and right side of it using wire. Used backing papers that have been kicking around for a while, ripped it, and embossed the torn edge with one of my de-lovely B-Muse embossing powders. Got inky and used direct to paper in various colours over the rest of the card to co-ordinate, then finally used a wooden heart and wrapped wire round, adding some coils top and bottom, and 3 stitched crosses onto the right hand corner of the card, as finishing touches. It was fun!

Note to self: make cards more often!

But... I couldn't resist making an ATC too!!!