Blimey, I made something for a challenge!

Hello blogging friends,

I am very surprised at myself because this week I actually made something for a challenge .... the PaperArtsy challenge to be precise.  In quite a few years of crafting now I think I've only made 2, possibly 3 things for a challenge.  However, I've really been enjoying the fabulous inspiration from the guest designers over on the PaperArtsy Blog and this week has seen some wonderful stuff from France Papillon.  Her second project was a  couple of wooden spool keyrings which I really liked and as I already had the ingredients to make one myself  decided to have a go. 

I'm not going to give any details on how I did it because the wonderful France has done a video HERE showing exactly what to do and I pretty much followed it so here are the photos of my efforts.

The stamps I used are all PaperArtsy from HPXT03, HP1008 and mini 62 (love this little script stamp and I think it was the first PaperArtsy stamp I bought).

It's my little granddaughter's school summer (? what summer) fayre next Wednesday and they are asking for 'unusual' items for their tombola stall so I think I might make a couple more of these to donate.

Have a good weekend everyone and I hope it stays a bit dryer for you than it's been here the past couple of days ........ we have had some horrendous downpours the past couple of nights especially.

Till next time

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Playtime Tag

Hi Lovely friends,

I'm hoping Mr Blogger is playing nicely this evening because I tried to do this post last night and got absolutely nowhere.  I couldn't even type in the title box but it seems to be going ok tonight so fingers crossed.

How's the weather been suiting you all?  It's been just about my ideal here for the past week although we've had some gentle summer rain today but I'll not complain about that ..... the flowers need it after all!

Anyway, tonight I wanted to show you a sort of 'fat' tag I made while playing with Grunge Paste and Puff Paint the other week when I was doing my Snazzy's DT canvas.  Before I committed the paste mix to canvas I wanted to try it out together with a new stencil I'd bought and the piece of tag (left over from another Snazzy's DT project) was on my desk so I applied the paste to it just to see how it looked.

After I finished the canvas I decided the tag was too nice to leave so I added some of the PaperArtsy Fresco paints in the same colours I used on the canvas but added more of the darker shades.

I then added a bit of stamping in the form of the bees which are from an Artemio set and the sentiment which is from another clear set but I've no idea who's it is.  I highlighted the texture with Treasure Gold Green Amber down the right side of each stem and Inka Gold in a lovely lilac shade down the other side.

I had a few layers of the Grungepaper flowers left from the canvas too so I highlighted the embossing and edges with the same metallic colours and added the little dragonfly charm.

Finally, I added the pearl pins, the piece of ribbon at the top and the beaded fringe at the bottom.

 I have to say I'm very impressed by the Grunge Paste and the different effect you get when adding the Puff Paint.

Thanks for dropping by today and it would be lovely if you can leave a comment so I know you've been and can visit you back.

Till next time,

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Snazzy Time Again!

Hello Lovely Visitors,

Cor, these months seem to come round quicker and quicker.  I think it has to be something to do with my age, lol! First of all I'd like to say Hi and Welcome to my new followers.  It's lovely to have you around! 

It's my week over on the Snazzy's DT Blog and this month the team has something a bit different to work with.  I really enjoyed making my project and it's something rather different for me.  Here's the sneak peek .............

I hope you have time to pop over to the Snazzy's DT blog to have a look at the whole project and if possible leave a little comment. 

I've been playing with Grunge Paste and Puff Paint and it's fabulous fun.  I'll be back in a couple of days with the result of my playtime, lol!

Have a good week all. 

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

I'll be back!

Hi Everyone,

This is going to be a quick post, for me at least.  Partly because I'm not giving the 'how to' but also because my keyboard is driving me nuts!  Every so often it seems to develope this problem where it either misses characters out as I'm typing or it doubles them up and this is one of those times and it's taking me ages, grrrrr!

A couple of months ago my friend Jo and I went to a workshop at Snazzy's in Swindon. We had to drop out of the original class because we had heavy snow the night I should have been driving down (and it's a 3 hour drive under normal circumstances) and Val kindly re-ran the class just for us. We were really grateful and had a brilliant time. 

The workshop was to decorate a 'Phantom of the Opera' type papier mache mask and I loved the techniques we used.  I didn't quite get mine finished on the day so put the final touches at home a few days later.  However, it's taken me till today to get the mask fixed to the stand and take the photos.

Ever since I first saw Val's mask it reminded me of the Terminator hence the title of my post.  See what you think.

Isn't he a handsome chap!

  Thanks Val and Don for your hospitality.  Val you are one very talented lady and I just wish I lived close enough to join many more of your workshops.

Till next time,

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Finnabair Style? ........ I wish!

Good Morning again lovely visitors,

For once I've managed to stick to my promise to come back with another Anna Dabrowska (aka Finnabair) inspired project within the couple of days I said and not a couple of months, lol!

This time I've decorated an 8" x 8" canvas board using lots of the lovely goodies from the Prima Sunrise/Sunset Collection.

First of all I painted the canvas using several Eco Acrylic paints before using a mister bottle top and a pen top to create circles (with one of the paint colours).  I stamped one of the little doilies from a set of stamps in our latest Snazzy's DT kit inside some of the circles and did some random background stamping with another one.  I used second generation stamping for that one as I wanted it to be very muted and 'patchy'.

I applied texture paste through one of the Sunrise/Sunset masks (Petals) and when dry coloured the petals with two shades of Treasure Gold metallic wax (PaperArtsy).  I then adhered some of the epoxy stickers from the collection over the stamped doilies.  I used up lots of the bits of paper left from previous projects from this collection, stamping my quote (IndigoBlu) onto the biggest piece and using smaller bits and strips to create interest around it.

Finally, I added all my embellishments which included the last of the lovely flowers :-( from last month's DT kit which I toned in by inking the edges of the petals and then adding touches of Classic Treasure Gold Metallic Wax.  There's also one of the gorgeous metal flowers from the Sunrise/Sunset collection, an old earing, a little bird charm and the metal corners and last of all some lace and pearl trim from my stash and a bit of the Classic Treasure Gold wax rubbed around the edges.  Oh yes, the lovely delicate leaf sprays are die cut with my latest Memory Box die.  This die is so fine and yet it released the cut piece as soon as I tipped it over.  Brilliant!  I had anticipated using up a lot of patience there ...... plus a few choice swear words, ;D.

I chickened out of using the sprays this time but I think there are quite a few elements on my board that were inspired by some of Anna's work.  The next thing I want to have a go at is slapping gesso over everything before applying the sprays but that will have to wait for another time,

Don't forget over on the Snazzy's DT Blog we currently have a challenge running where we are asking to see your 'Anna' inspired projects and the winner will receive one of the fabulous journals from the Prima Sunrise/Sunset collection.  We'd love you to join in and show us what you make.

Thank you for your visit today and until next time

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Articulated Tag .......... Finnabair style?

Good Morning and welcome to all,

Over on the Snazzy's DT Blog this week we have a challenge for you (details on the DT Blog) to replace our lovely Astrid's usual beautiful inspiration.  She is having a wonderful time in Australia this month getting to know her beautiful new Granddaugher :D!  As the DT kit this month is goodies from the Prima Sunrise/Sunset Collection designed by the uber talented Anna Dabrowska (aka Finnabair), the DT, minus Astrid, have all produced an extra creation using Anna's style as our inspiration and today I have an articulated tag to share with you on which I've attempted to emulate this.  I'll leave it to you to decide if I have in any measure succeeded, lol! 

If you follow the link on Anna's blog to her videos or search on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxkDridcoA8) she has one showing how she created two gorgeous tags and I took the first one as the inspiration for my tag today.

I don't know the actual tag size number but I started with two cream 10.5 x 21.5 cm tags, cutting a piece 8 cm deep from the second one.  I inked the edges of the tag and the smaller piece with Adirondack Peach Bellini and then blended Walnut Stain Distress Ink through the checkerboard mask from the Sunrise/Sunset collection and also inked the edges.  I then chose two different papers from the A4 pad  in our DT kit and cut pieces to layer onto the tag leaving a border of 0.5 cm for the bottom layer and approx 1cm for the top layer.  On the top layer for the main tag I inked Peach Bellini through the small petal mask (again from the collection) and then distressed all the edges and inked with Peach Bellini before adhering to the tag slightly offset to the right.

I stamped the quote from a Tim Holtz set using Sepia Archival ink, punched holes and set eyelets with my Crop-o-dile and tied the co-ordinating cotton cord round the tag.

I layered and inked the small tag piece in the same way and then found an image that colour co-ordinated with the papers and fitted beautifully into an Ideology ornate frame.  After gluing it to the back with Cosmic Shimmer Glue I filled in the front with Glossy Accents.  Before attaching it to the hanging piece I punched the holes and set the eyelets and then used small lengths of chain and jump rings to hang the piece from the main tag.  I attached the frame with brads and then used a little glue underneath to attach the pieces of film strip.

I then set about choosing and arranging all the embellishments.  This always takes  me the looooooongest time, lol!  On here there are more goodies from the collection, like the gorgeous metal flower at the top, flowers from last month's DT kit plus some from my own stash but still Prima products.  There are charms, Ideology bits and pieces, cheap jewellery bought for the purpose of breaking up and buttons.

Finally, I got the sprays out ............. Eeek!  I used Tattered Angles Glimmer Mists mainly because I have loads of colours in those but also they seem to be slightly more muted than say the gorgeous Dylusions which I love but haven't got over my fear of using yet, lol!   For instance I have the Dylusions Black Marble but it is ................ BLACK!!!!!   ;D! ....... so I used GM Black/Gold instead.  Even so, I still found spraying those inks very scary and I'm not sure I'm totally happy with the result.  I love it when Anna does the same thing so either it's something I have to get used to or more likely a technique I have some way to go to perfect. 

At the end of August I am so excited to be attending the Anna Dabrowska weekend of workshops at Snazzy's in Swindon and I'm hoping that will get me over the fear of squirting those sprays, lol, not to mention learning lots of other techniques.  I have to admit to being rather nervous though because there are quite a few very talented and well known crafters going to the workshops too, :o\!  I hope I can keep up!

Anyway, in the meantime, we'd love people to join in our challenge which is to create something which has been inspired by Anna's work.  The winner of the challenge will receive the stunning journal the DT were sent as part of their kit this month ... see below .  It is fabulous so I do hope you will join in!  Pop over to Snazzy's DT Blog to see all our creations (leave a little love) and find out the details of the challenge.

 

I've made another piece using items from the lovely Sunrise/Sunset collection which I'll show you in a couple of days so I hope you get chance to pop back.  Till then ..............

Hugs

Lesley  Xx

Snazzy's DT Project #2 showcasing Prima Sunrise/Sunset Collection

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you are all managing to keep warm if you're here in the UK.  We really aren't geared up to cope with all this snow and ice are we?  A year ago we were basking in beautiful warm sunny weather and we had a birthday celebration for our Son's birthday sitting outside on the patio drinking wine.  It was glorious but it looks as though it could be a while before that is possible this year :-(.  Ah well, we'll just have to grin and bear it till Mother Nature sends us the proper weather, lol!

In the meantime, I have a project over on the Snazzy's DT Blog using the Prima Sunrise/Sunset Collection and the papers from the A4 pad we received are bound to make you feel warmer.  The beautiful warm orange tones on most of the papers are lovely and pave the way for the summer we are going to have ....... sometime ....... soon ....... I hope!

Here's a sneak peek ................

I'm quite pleased with myself this week because after moaning for ages when Blogger changed the format of the pictures and I lost the zoom function (I like to be able to examine the little details, lol), I've discovered that by resizing the photos before I upload them it's brought the zoomability back ;D!  I should have been reducing the size all along but I was too lazy but not any more so now you can double click to be able  to see all my mistakes, lol!

Keep an eye on the Snazzy's DT Blog after Minxy's posts next week because our buddy, Astrid, is having a  break just for this month and so we will be hosting a challenge with extra inspiration from me and the rest of the DT.  Hope you get chance to hop over there.

Till next time, take care and

Hugs
Lesley  Xx