Card Made using the Wonderful Stamp in my Match Box swop

One of the wonderful items in my matchbox swop with Margaret, was an unmounted stamp I could not tell what it was from looking at the stamp, so decided to make a card out of it, whatever it was. I was really surprised when I stamped it and found it was a wonderful holly bouquet. I decided to stamp the main design onto a docrafts journaling label. I then used water pencils to colour in the image. I added stickles on the berries and a ribbon over the stamped ribbon section of the image I darken the edge of the jouranling tag with green I also added a red inked outside edge. I used the same stamp to make the background paper to mount the main image onto, I used a graphite black archival Brillance ink pad(I love these ink pads) I then used a piece of cut & dry to pick up red and green ink and add colour to the background. I decided to do the greeting on half a pre cut shape I had ad added a greeting which I also inked over to bring the colour into line with the rest of the design I added some holly leaves and gems from Poundland I also layered it up. I quite please with it, the only thing I am not keen on is the amount of green space at the top.

Project inspired by Craft Stamper July 2010

My favourite craft magazine is craft stamper, I don't really like direct copying of any ones work, however occasionally something jumps out and me and I just have to give it try. On Page 8 of July 2010 Craft stamper, was a delightful beach house, designed by "Jean Hardy" She had used a crafty individual tray, a chipboard house roof, three birds and a picket fence. I had none of them but what I did have was a wooden box, that had contain little fairy light embellishments, I drew the house, roof & bird  and made the fence from strips or cardboard using a fancy edge cutter. I filed the windows with scenes from crafty individuals book not sure which as I have used the cover of said book for previous project. I added a little bird to the roof and some flowers. I had fun making it, I am going to box it and add a greeting in the middle section.

My New Outdoor Garden lights

We got these outdoor lights from B & Q only £10, they are such wonderful green flowers I just knew they would look wonderful on my arch in the garden, I have never taken and outdoor photo before at night so was quite pleased with the photo I took The plant growing round my arch is a grape vine, last year it had grapes on, which looked wonderful. They never got big enough to eat, however they did look very decorative and the birds loved them

Recommened Read, "The Last Song" Nicholas Spark

I saw this book on My wonderful friend Carole's wonderful blog http://carolescraftycorner.blogspot.com/2010/05/last-song.html which is well worth a visit. Well I thought to my self if it was good enought to keep Carole away from crafting, and make her cry, it was well worth getting myself this book. Well I must say I was not disappointed at all, its made me cry, so much I had to dry the tears away from my eyes to see the text on the page, its a brillant book and well worth reading.I have just started to read Dear John by the same author.

My friend Sall Set me a wonderful challenge

Sall who encouraged me and helped me when I started to blog, set me a wonderful, but hard challenge I had to make a set of fat squares, using this poem as the theme
As I think of our friendship, I begin to see
Mere words can't describe what you mean to me.
When this cold, hard world has me lonesome and blue
I look up to see my angel, my sweet angel, you.

You dry the tears that fall from my eyes.
You bring me sunshine to brighten my sky.
You rescue me when I'm scared and alone
And take my hand to lead me home.

No matter the miles that keep us apart
We're always together in each other's hearts
Sometimes we take for granted, I fear,
The ones who are so close and dear.

We get so caught up in life and things we must do
Sometimes we forget to stop and say I love you.
If ever you felt I forgot or didn't care
Let me stop right now, my true feelings I'll share.

You're the sun in my sky, the bed where I lie.
You're the home where I'm safe, the field where I play.
You're everything I am, everything I do.
So what I am saying is I LOVE YOU!

the poem is called
Our friendship by
Marcia M. Griffith


I loved the poem, and wanted to do it justice while reflecting my friendship with Sall. Now I was allowed to do the fat squares in any way I wanted so I used material, paper, buttons, lace, fluffy stuff, stamping, gems, buttons feathers, ribbon, hand crafted flowers, sewing on a sewing machine, by hand, modge podge, liquid pearls acrylic paints, Martha steward punches, heat shape punch, fancy cutting blade and cutter in fact a veritable feast of mixed media, how long did it take me? about two weeks lol Having finished the squares I wanted to add a twist so I painted four equal size canvas's in complimentary tones of paint, and mounted the fat squares onto them. Sall I do hope you feel I have risen to your challenge. Sall has a wonderful blog which is well worth a visit
 http://sallz.blogspot.com/   You can also see the challenge I set for Sall on her blog to handcraft a flower, Sall has made a wonderful flower, Sall does not normally do flowers, but she pulled out all the stops and made a beautiful flower.

Without further  ado I present to you my fat squares on canvas...I feel a drum roll would be appropriate here lol

Right is the photo of the Fat squares before I mounted them on canvas

                                                                                                

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Then after mounting on canvas

                                                                                  I also finshed a card I started a long time ago

I also thought you might like to see this photo I caught of a little sparrow enjoying  a drink from our water feature, to be honest I was surprised I managed to take his picture                                                   

Finally finished three Cards...

I had stamped and coloured in all three of these images ready to make card some time back so today I finally got round to making them into cards I like to have a stock of cards ready for peoples birthdays. Look no green...

Altered Ikea Mirror

I love altering Ikea mirrors this one has taken a long time to do First I sponge painted the frame in orange. Then I modge podged the frame with matt modge podge then I set about altering 16 children's wooden dominoes, this took quite some time I used a uni paint marker pen in gold to do all the edges of the dominoes I then altered them all in toning colours, adding gems, feathers, ribbons, buttons, butterflies and flowers. I must admit I am pleased with the finished effect.

Please excuse the dirty mirror section I have only just stuck the dominoes on the frame and wanted to get it on my blog ASAP .