Flower Power Canvas!

And Now For Something A Little Bit Different...

On a roll!

My second and final gothic arch is completed for the swap on ATC Addicts R Us.

So what did I add to this Crafty Individuals based background that I created last week with Mumsy? Well, I stamped some teeny weeny swirls in gold, attached a wire coil/ribbon to the bottom left hand corner, then, using wire, attached beads all the way around the arch (quite time consuming but defo worth it).

I used diamond glaze to accent the white butterflies on the background paper, then added 2 glittery flutterby stickers (will never forget how these came to be in my possession - they were a bonus item with one of my first orders from 3D Jean way back when). I gave both of these butterflies antennae (could resist!) Finally I added my alcohol inked metal butterfly, then, some wire coils and a sequin butterfly to take the design off the arch... I think this is my fave of the 2 Gothic Arches I have made. But I keep changing my mind (a girls' perogative!)

To Those That Dream There is no Such Place as Faraway

Ahhhhhh! There was no stopping me then. I grabbed the 4 jumbo playing cards (an extra swap currently running on UKATC) sent to me by Paula, and started creating backgrounds and generally getting all painty!

I used one of Bernie Berlin's techniques on the 2 on the left hand side, "resin fresco" - used Adirondack dabbers over randomly sprinkled and heated UTEE and a couple of brush strokes of gesso. Interesting effect, think it has to be seen in the flesh, or at least very close up, to see the real texture created using that technique.

Backgrounds for Jumbo ATC Swap

On the other 2 backgrounds (on the right hand side of the piccie above) I used watered down acrylic paints brushed on over a layer of gesso (just to prime) and then I scrunched up clingfilm and placed it over the top. When I lifted off the clingfilm, I wanted a bit more of a sheen, so a added a few drops of luna lights and repeated scrunched clingfilm part. Looks kinda marbled, pretty cool! It's amazing what you can do with Morisson's mucho cheap clingfilm!

Rather liked doing that kind of background, so whilst I was all messy, thought I would do a couple on regular sized ATCs too, for future creations!

Acrylic Paint, Luna Lights and Clingfilm

When all is said and done, a very productive day indeedy!

Shower Power, Scrappy Wappy Friendie, Shopping!

Lush, I love you! I think they knew I was moving somewhere with just a shower and no bath... I swear! They have just bought out a new range of products called Emotibombs (they must know I am an emotional wee lass who desperately wants a Lusherly smelling bathroom!)

"Just when you thought that Lush had come up with every possible variation, we managed to invent yet another fascinating way to have fun in the bathroom. Mo, who invented the Bath Bomb and the Shampoo Bar, felt rather sorry for people who were missing out on the delights of a Bath Ballistic’s fragrant fizziness. People who only have showers, for example. One of the joys of a Ballistic bath is the way that they fill the bathroom with scent and if you leave the door open they’ll fill up the whole house. The beautiful, natural perfumes which are released when the water hits the bomb, change your mood as you inhale them so Mo decided that shower owners really ought to experience the same delights. Bring on the Emotibomb. Here’s what you do. Put it on the floor of your shower and as the warm water hits your Emotibomb, it fizzes up into the atmosphere, surrounding you in a cloud of fragrant steam. Everyone’s first question has been this, “But doesn’t it just go straight down the plughole?” Of course it does go down the plughole eventually, but doesn’t everything in life? While you’re in the shower, it lasts long enough to transform your daily cleaning into a magical mist."

And they do that! My Scrappy Wappy Friendie (also a self confessed shopaholic) came to see me today and took me to Lush to buy me shower gels for a flat warming gift... anyhoo... we're browsing shower gels when a Lush Lady comes up and tells us about Emotibombs, and I was sold, and I ended up with a lovely selection of bits and bobs for my shower, and a handmade new home card to boot!

Emotibombs: Up The Wooden Hill, Sex in the Shower (steady on!!!)

Shower Gel: Flying Fox

I am now not quite so miffed by the fact that I do not have a bath. And we copped some free samples of soaps, Rock Star and Extra Virgin Olive. Lusherly! Thank you Scrappy Wappy Friendie for the gifties and card.

Her shopaholic side influenced me and I ended up purchasing 2 new hooded tops (best tops to have IMHO) but they were quite a bargain at 2 for £30 in Republic. I couldn't resist... and she egged me on... besides, you can never have too many hoodies, right?

Cupcake Hoodie

Close Up of Cupcake!

Touchy Feely Hoodie

Lovely Buttons!

This hoodie had a spare button... a diamante heart... now I am faced with the dilemma - do I...

a) keep the button in my jewellery box in case I happen to lose one?

or

b) put the button straight in my craft stash?

Answers on a postcard!

My Scrappy Wappy Friendie asked me to show her how to make an embellishment using wire/beads, so I helped her to do a beaded heart, our efforts are shown below...

She can use it on a scrapbook page... once I send it to her! Cos she left it behind - doh!

You've Been Framed, Flutterbies and Domestication!

Gone all domesticated! Have done my washing and tumble dried it today. Never used a tumble drier before, it's all new to me! Thankfully both the washing machine and tumble drier survived my usage! :p

Found a lovely piccie of dear old Oscar (kitty left behind and Mumsy's and Freaky Deaky Dad's) to put in a frame sent to me from my bandy wandy friendie, along with a new home card. BTW, she gonna be famous soon! On a Tesco advert with Paul Daniels!!!

Card and Pussy Cat Framey Wamey from Bandy Wandy Friendie

Also got my beads and wire out tonight, got butterflies on the brain, so had a crack at making one from wire and beads - melikes!

Fly Away Home

Coasting!!!

Finally my finished Altered Coaster for a swap on Advanced Artist Trading Cards have been completed and sent off in the post! Backgrounds were all done using Bernie Berlin's background technique "emboss resist", then, the theme being numbers, I had to pick my fave no... 2! (no rude jokes please!)

The harlequin background on this coaster gave me a great starting point, and it was easy to choose an image for it - this one is stamped onto acetate, and I had layered 3 strips of mulberry paper underneath, to add a bit of depth to the image. I cracked open a packed of "diamond" Ranger pop outs that I have been hoarding for some time, and used B-Muse embossing powders on them, and then swiped round the edge of the coaster with versamark and used the same colour embossing powder as I had done on the pop outs. Beaded chain around my no.2 and around the diamonds, plus a few diamante stars, and this one was completed!

2 Little Angels

The next coaster was a bit tricky-wicky, as it was the first time I had used my crop-a-dile to attach organza ribbon onto a surface with eyelets. I didn't want to spoil ye olde coaster, and fortunately, after a bit of faffing, I got the effect I was after. Added some velvet ribbon too, for a bit of touchy feely-ness. The no.2 and edge of the coaster have B-Muse embossing powders on them, and the no. is attached with 4 teeny tiny "screw head" brads. I alcohol inked a round frame from The Fruit Pixie, and attached it over my chosen image with brads. A touch of bling was needed to finish off, so I applied gems, beads and wire to complete the coaster.

2 Hearts Beating as 1

This is my secone fave coaster out of the four I made. Image is crafty Individuals, a little ric rac down one side (thank you FDF for your advice!) and interlocked the image into a die cut swirl that I had embossed with, yup, you got it, B-Muse embossing powders (and the edge of the coaster too!) Alcohol inked a washer and a button, using the washer to frame my no. and the button as an embellishment. Completed my chosen phrase "2gether" (not good English I know - but I think it looks good on arty farty stuff) The finishing touch was a flower from a sheet of prima flowers sent to me as an RAK by a member of the group ATC Addicts R Us (thank you!)

2-gether

My most favourite coaster of all... really hard to part with this one, yet I didn't like it at first! How odd... Anyway, attached some vintage lace using some large eyelets, tucking my image (Crafty Individuals) underneath on one side. Added my phrase "IT TAKES" and my no. 2, and used gold trim under both the no. and the image. Used some pink gems to create a corner on the top right, attach these with wire (unusual gems these, they have 2 holes on the top). Finishing touch, attaching some musical note charms with wire, twisted this way and that.

It Takes 2 (to Tango)

If no one wants this one in the swap... I wonder if I could have my own back?!

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!!!

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

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!

Gingham Galore

Backtracking - 19th June 2008

Here we go again - another all night crafting session! This time gingham, a themed swap on UKATC for June. After recovering from the fact that Mumsy had *thrown out some scraps of material including gingham*, and a trip to John Lewis to buy some more, I was finally able to get going on these ones. Yeah!

My backgrounds were created from my scraps box - I call it Scrapheap Challenge, but I doubt I am the first person to make a background from scraps! Maybe mine are slightly different in the fact that I randomly stamped a scissor image over the top, added a layer of tulle netting, and went sew-crazy with my mini sewing machine to create random stitching over the top.

I stamped and cut out an 4 images of a dressmaker's stand, 1 for each ATC, and proceeded to dress each in a different style skirt (created more by luck than judgement (!!!) by folding and pleating circles of gingham). Used ribbon to create a kind of gingham top (very low cut!) and finished the actual outfit with a pearl buckle threaded through gingham ribbon, and some teeny weeny flower sequins.

I used Merlin (my dear old Wizard) to die-cut flowers from gingham, adding one as a finish touch, along with a teeny weeny pearl for the centres, and a smattering of beads in one corner. And as is my current trend, chose one ATC to keep for me, and here it is: