Tuesday, October 29, 2013

My little Haven.

Long post picture heavy.
There is a new monthly challenge blog just started up which is like no other that I have seen before and you can find it here at Dreamtime Designs.
The challenge is in 3 parts and all 3 parts must be incorporated into your  design idea.
Now you know me I can't resist a challenge and this one really got me thinking and you could say outside of the box but then again there is bound to be a box somewhere in my creations either making one or using an old one. I have really dug deep into my stash and found  cotton reels, pipe cleaners and yes you guessed it piles of cardboard from old boxes.
Even the paper I have used is from a digi shop so I have been busy gluing, cutting , pasting and paper piecing my creation together and at last it is finished.

The challenge Part A..
Answer the following 5 questions.
1. Where do you live?   I live in Hampshire  in a small village (almost the size of a town now as it has grown quite large residentially) but has still managed to retain it's village atmosphere. Just one large supermarket and a handful of shops plus several quaint pubs!
2. What do you love most about where you live?  I love my garden  being right in the heart of the countryside but within easy reach of the motorways to take us in all four directions.
3. Who do you share this special place with? Just hubby (The Doc) and Wimpy a black and white Persian cat who is afraid of his own shadow so tends to spend most of the time  in his sanctuary i.e. behind the washing machine. Don't mention the Vets to him!
4. What is your favourite season and why? My favourite season is Spring when the garden is just beginning to blossom  and the evenings  drawing out which means lots more time to spend out there.
5. What is your most loved thing to do or place to visit and why?  This was the easy part to answer as it has to be my garden. I love to be out there. From Spring onwards the garden becomes like another room to us. A few years ago The Doc said it would be really nice to have a little patio area at the bottom of the garden where we could sit and enjoy the last of the sun before it went down over the roof line. Well you know me couldn't resist that little challenge so I set about transforming the end of the garden to do just that. (The garden at the time was mostly laid to lawn with just wavy borders all round the edges.)

Part B.
Create your design/project that reflects the questions above.
So here is a recreation of the bottom of our garden in miniature. I have taken a few liberties (The doc said our shed doesn't look this good and I have left the tree out which we sit under) but basically it is all there apart from the picket fence which is just on the model to neaten the edges up.


I used the cardboard backing  from a foolscap  notebook for the base.
Rest of cardboard from various old boxes.
Digi papers on shed and fence by Raspberry Road.

The little hanging basket bracket is the leftovers from the  Spellbinders 'Window One' die that I cut down to size.  The pieces were lying on my desk just begging to be used so I glued them together and turned upside down and hey presto a little bracket was born.
 
Table top is made using Spellbinders 'Medallion  One' die with a piece of acetate underneath to strengthen. Table base is old cotton reels glued together. I cannot lay claim to making the chair. I brought this home from Italy when on holiday. The restaurant bill came folded through it and I asked my waiter if I could keep it. It is made from the top off of a champagne bottle with an added bit of wire wrapped round. I painted it using a matchpots tester paint  and then buffed  with Inka Gold.
Table was given the same treatment.
In my real garden I  created a stream running across it and you can just see a bit of it here on the model. I used  silver mirror board. 
 

Flowers were mostly created using the offcuts from a Tonic Studio border punch.
Crealies Creative shapes CL CS 09, Memory box 98312.
Picket fence made from C.C.Designs ' Four Seasons Fence'  die & flower borders.  

Stone circle created using thick card on a cardboard base copying the original.
Pipe cleaners on the tall plants.
 
 
Part C.
Take a photo or two that relates to the above discussion so that they can be included in the challenge post.
 
So here is the real McCoy.
These photos were taken 19th April 2007.
As you can see I couldn't just stop at one circle but continued on down the whole length of the garden  taking away the lawn completely and putting in the stream and extra pathways.

 
Entering into the following challenges:
Dreamtime Designs #1: Challenge as above.
Pixies Crafty Workshop #96: Use up your snippets (Indeed I did).
Make It Monday  #164:  Paper Crafts.
Paper Crafting Journey: Anything goes.
4 Krafty Girlz #4:  Anything goes.
Rhedd and Rosie's #18: Anything goes.
The Paper Nest Dolls #16: Anything goes.
Simon Says Stamps: Anything goes.
Challenges 4 Everybody #32: Anything goes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


Saturday, October 26, 2013

Poinsettia Joy Fold.

I have been MIA of late but have been beavering away in the background on cards and projects for swaps and DT spots. Have now been seen by the back pain clinic who have agreed that I need another 6 acupuncture sessions but can't start until authorised by my Dr so that they get funded. This has now been sorted out so just waiting to hear when the 1st session is. Wimpy has had his latest blood test done which shows that his white cell count is improving but this probably indicates that the pills for his thyroid problem were destroying his cells so waiting to hear from the vets what alternative medication he can have. Meanwhile he is eating us out of house and home.!! 
I made this Joy fold card back  in September but as it was going to Australia for a swap had to wait for it to be received before showing.
This is the front of the card folded up and held closed by the circles which are raised on foam pads
'Christmas Poinsettias' Die-Cut Toppers by Craft Creations Ltd.
Tartan DP by Raspberry Road  'Christmas Collection' pack free in a magazine.
Christmas Sentiments  DP sent to me from my good friend Barbara in USA.
Lace border punch by Martha Stewart.
Gold cardstock, red pearls and ribbon from my stash
 
The card semi opened.

 
Card fully opened with matching hand made envelope.


Entering into the following challenges:
Pixie's Crafty Workshop #95: Use up your snippets (paper from my friend only snippets of it left).
Christmas Card challenge #47: Flowers
ABC Challenges #50:  Use 3 shapes (corners, circles oblongs), 2pattern papers& 1 ribbon.
Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #9: Anything goes Christmassy.
Perfect Sentiments #97: Poinsettia Christmas.
Aud Sentiments #92: Christmas Sentiments.
Winter Wonderland. Check this out.
A Gem of a Challenge #103: More than one fold.
52 Christmas Card Throwdown. Fancy fold cards.









L is for Lampshade.

The letter to be used for the current challenge  over at the Craft Barn is the letter L but with a twist. The  page must contain a window of some kind either opening or non opening. I have chosen to use the word Lampshade and have an open window showing a standard lamp. Can't seem to get a decent photo today. This is my seventh try.

 
Page was given  a wash of tester pot paint in Natural Hessian.
Dictionary page covered using brown  chalk.
Lampshade is cut from a page of Chatsworth Vintage Collection by Papermania.
Window created using peach Promarker, black chalk, cardatock  and acetate.
 
Entering into the following challenge:
The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge: Use the letter L plus a window on your page.
 
 

 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Christmas Boot

This is my 2nd card for the challenge this month at Lady Anne's using the digi image provided by DS4J. I have coloured the image using Promarkers and then highlighted with Glossy Accents plus gems for berries. The image reminded me of a boot so I have fussy cut round it into a boot shape. The small boot embellishment is by Tando Creative which I have coloured with Promarkers  and added Glossy Accents and Gems.
Backing paper is from Holly Hobbie Christmas Joy paper collection free with
Cardmaking  & Papoercraft magazine.
Red Glitter,  snippets from a glitter sheet pack by Craftime.
Tando Creative boot( part of recent winnings  from Crafty Hazelnuts Challenges).
 
Entering into the following challenges:
Lady Anne's Progressive challenge #9: Use images by DS4J.
Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #9: Anything goes Christmas.
Deep Ocean Challenge #62: Christmas is around the corner.
Artistic Inspirations: #63: Anything goes.
Pixie's Crafty Workshop #94: Use your snippets (red glitter card).
2 Sister's challenge #165: Anything goes.
Stamp 'N' Doodle #33: Anything goes.
Simon Says Stamps : Christmas /Happy holidays.
C.R.A.F.T Challenge #229: Christmas.
Bearly Mine #108: Anything goes.
 

 
 

Saturday, October 12, 2013

J is for Jigsaw.

The latest letter to use over at the Craft Barn for the Alpha challenge is the letter J. I have chosen Jigsaw as my word. A quick trip down the local charity shop and the handing over of 50p purchased me a jigsaw to bring away and use. First  though I had to make the Jigsaw up and it was a hard one to do as the pieces were much the same colour. Here is just one tiny corner of the completed picture as it was 500 pieces in total.
I gave the page a paint over using a matchpot tester in 'Dusted Fondant' and the dictionary page has been brushed over using a pearlescent chalk in pale pink. Piece of rope just happened by chance to be on my desk so I used it! The letter J was created using Sizzix  Alphabet die '656133.  The page came together quicker than the Jigsaw did. Trust me to choose the hardest one on the shelf!!

Entering into the following challenge:
The Craft Barn Alpha challenge. Use the letter J.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Larkspur.

I'm having to post and comment in stops and starts at the moment as I have redone my back and hip in. Fortunately I'm within 3 months of my last hospital visit so have been able to get back onto the  Acupuncture programme  without having to re go through my GP and the referral system all again. The bad news is that the earliest appointment I can have is in 10 days time so until then I am having to suffice with a hot bean bag wrapped around  my hip which is at least enabling me to get about if not gad about. It's not so much the Hunch back of Notre Dame more like the  Punch bag of Notre Dame! To cap it all The Doc has managed to slice a sliver off his finger with the bread knife and is now nursing a bandaged finger. Wimpy not wishing to be left out of anything is on antibiotics as his last blood test for his Thyroid  problem showed he had no white blood cells which is not a good thing. 
I managed to make this card earlier in the week for my Mum. She will be 94yrs old in a few weeks time and I wanted to get it made in plenty of time. The picture is a painting I did at my paint class when I first started over 2 years ago. I have never liked the canvas and after having been hung on the craft room wall for a bit I put it away. I resurrected it the other day as I had an idea to photograph it and scan into the computer where I played around with resizing it and then printing out on 150gsm white card stock. The result I think gives a nice background to use instead of design paper. The blue/white  stripe base is actually part of a cardboard custard tart box that I recycled.  The other yellow papers are freebies from a magazine but I did not make a note on the back from which one. The Larkspur flower has been  created using off cuts of 3 different colour blue pieces of card stock to give the different colours on the flower stem and the leaves are the nearest die I had to looking like the proper larkspur leaves and were a snippet of white card coloured using  a distress marker pen. All attached to a cut down pipe cleaner which I dyed using a bottle of green re inker. Frame has been die cut from cream cardstock.

Flower stem  made using Memory Box 'Fancy blossoms 98312'
Crealies Creative leaf shapes 'CL CS 16'
Fame die cut using Spellbinders 'Majestic Elements'
Yellow bow from stash.
 
 Inside of card  left blank for the greeting sheet to be attached later and signed..
 
Entering into the following challenges:
The Crafty Laydee: Fabulous Floral. Make a project with a flower on it.
Pixie's Crafty Workshop #93:  Use your snippets.
Artistic inspirations #62: Make it girly.
Make It Monday #161: Paper crafts.
Use It Tuesday #65: Scrap pieces odds and ends.
Top Tip Tuesday #111: Flowers.
The Crafter Bloggers Network  #16: Anything goes.
 
 
 
 
 


Santa's Helper.

This is the first card this month for the challenge over at Lady Anne's using the digi image  provided by DS4J. I have coloured the digi in using Promarkers and a Papermania gold gel pen. I fussy cut the image and pieced over the top of a second image allowing his right leg and shoe to overhang the die cut shape so that it would appear that he was climbing out of the framework.
I have used gold crepe paper for the backing paper and framework.
Spellbinders die  Majestic Elements .
Corners are off cuts from the above die.
Stripe paper is from  a Hot Off The Press pack  free in a magazine.

 
Entering into the following challenges:
Lady Anne's Progressive Challenge #9:  use digi provided by DS4J.
Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #9: Anything goes as long a Christmas theme.
Creative Card World  #10: Beat the rush.
Crafting Musketeers#6: Christmas in Oct.
Divas By Design: 3 or more layers (crepe paper, DP, die cut, digi image.)
One Stitch at a Time #184: Use a digi.
 


Thursday, October 10, 2013

Autumn Birthday

 
Fluff's fairy Godmother had her Birthday this week and this is the card that I made and sent.
This card came about as the Godparents spent one of the Godmothers birthdays in America visiting the area splendid for the trees changing their leaves in the autumn and I thought that this card would remind them of their trip.
 
 
Spellbinders die ' Shapeabilities window 1'
Memory Box 'Fancy blossoms 98312'
Memory Box 'Norrland Flower 98505'
Briannia Word dies.
Trees from Stampscapes 'Nature sheet #10'
 


I coloured the window with a Promarker pen in blush and then brushed over with  black chalk powder to give the effect of Italian marble. I inked the stamp up using distressed ink pads that I first stamped onto my craft sheet and then spritzed each colour with water and took the colour up with a fine brush to paint onto the rubber stamp before stamping  out onto card stock. The sky was created using pearlescent chalk. You can't see it here but the window has a sheet of acetate between the stamp and the front of the card.

Entering into the following challenges:
Sweet Stampin: Autumn.
All Sorts #227: Autumn Colours.
2 Sisters Challenge #164: Fall fun.
Electric Ellapu: Celebrate Autumn.
Top Tip Tuesday #111: Flowers.
Seemacrafts: Autumn colours.
One Crazy Stamper:: Thankful for Autumn
Heck of a Challenge #14: Autumn colours.
Feeling Crafty Challenge #21: Autumn.
Rhedd and Rosies #17: Shades of Autumn.
Creative Moments #27: Anything goes Autumn.








Monday, October 07, 2013

Tooth Fairy.

I had a panic phone call from my son a few weekends back which went something like this.
"Erm Mum?" 
"Yes?"
"You know the Fairy doors you bought for when your grandchildren loose their teeth?"
"Yes?"
"Well Grandson No1 is about to loose his first tooth so could you send the packets that you said were to go with the fairy door which I already have here?"
This really sent me into panic mode on two counts. (1) We were  away that weekend visiting friends and (2) I was sure  that I had the fairy doors at home!
Now when I bought these Fairy Doors nearly 3 yrs ago I thought I had plenty of time (as the grandchildren were then 0yrs, 2yrs and 3yrs old) to make the envelopes for the teeth to be put in under the pillow and more envelopes from the Tooth fairy to give  money (for the said tooth) under the pillow.
Excuse me but who just nicked 3yrs ?



On arriving back home I found I did indeed have the doors and a quick look on the web showed me that the lovely Jan still has these on her Folksy Shop( if anyone is interested).
So then I had to set to and make the little envelopes to go with the door to send off ASAP.
I have used digi papers from Polka Doodles 'Bon Belles'  double CD rom which has a lovely range of papers for both girls and boys.  The name plate is also from the CD.  I created a message in word but left a space blank for my grandson to write his own name on the envelopes that his tooth will go into. The Fairy is a freebie from a magazine which I stamped out several times and coloured using Promarkers. The message on those envelopes I also created in word to say ' With love from the Tooth Fairy.


Entering into the following challenges:
Moving Along With The Times #192: Anything goes.
4 Krafty Girlz Challenges #3: Anything goes.
Jelly Park Friends: Anything goes.
Inspire Me Fridays #123: Anything goes
Crafty Catz #201: Anything goes.
Challenges 4 Everybody  #30: Anything goes.
613 Avenue Create #40: Anything goes no twist.
The Squirrel and The Fox #54: Things with wings.






Thursday, October 03, 2013

Pink Flamingo.

This is my first foray into quilling and I am totally hooked or should I say quilled!!
Thought I would start with something simple and then decided to add a fluffy cloud. I made this card  for a swap which went to Australia so have had to wait to show  until I knew that it had been received. The swap was to make a card and add something with wings. 

Shaped card blank with matching Xcut nestie  turned on its  end.
Background  coloured with pastel pearlescent chalks.
Quilled strips and googly eye.
Britannia word dies.
 
Close up of Flamingo.
 
Entering into the following:
Make It Monday #160 : Paper crafts.
LEJ Designs #73: Things with wings.
Papertake Weekly #115: Anything goes.
Penny's Paper-Crafty #147: Anything goes.
Crafting By Designs: Anything goes.
Crafty Creations #242: Winged things.
Creative inspirations #234: No squares or rectangles.