Peace

You really do need to click on this picture to see it properly!

Gothic Arches had a theme of 'Peace' this week. It seems such an age since I entered an arch into a challenge so thought I would give this one a go - it will then become another page in my gothic arch book!

The quote 'Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of God' seemed apt and I tried to construct the arch around it.

I collaged the two Forces statues (obtained from Google!), the background was stamped with versamark ink and I cut up a paper flower for the 'petals'. The tiny beaded wire angel was one of several of varying sizes brought home for me by my Mum some time ago when she went on a visit to Prague - she says every time she sees these angels she remembers how her wheelchair bumped across the cobbled streets!

I am not completely happy with this effort - it has been so long since I have had any ideas and this has not turned out as well as I'd hoped. There appears to be something missing but don't know what!

Hope the inspiration returns soon.

Mother and Child

The challenge this week at Gothic Arches was 'Mother and Child'.

Having already immortalised my great-grandmother and my father on ATC's, this was the perfect opportunity to use some more of my relations!

This picture is of my Nan and Mum. Nan was only 17 when Mum was born and this pic must have been taken late 1927/early 1928. I love this photograph.

I used Basic Grey paper for the background, then stuck the lace onto the same paper and cut out following the line of the lace. I mounted the two pieces onto the arch shape to 'frame' the image.

I finished the arch by adding a couple of buttons, a heart button with some organza ribbon and a couple of timy pearls. I added the year on the top of the arch digitally.

I have been researching my ancestry for about 5 years now and it is as addictive as crafting! I have printed this quote ' The Family is link to our past, bridge to our future' onto the front of my ancestry journals.

Front Cover

You know I've been promising to make a book from my gothic arches for a while? Well don't get excited...it isn't made yet..... BUT I have decided on how I want it to look!

Instead of using the arches and adding a 'spine' to them by joining them together, I chose to mount them onto co-ordinating paper which I could also decorate. I've done 6 so far .

This picture though is of the book's front cover.

I really enjoyed doing this. I used mountboard measuring approx 8" x 8".

The background paper and lady image is from Flickr collage group and I painted her lips and nails before adding some wire mesh to her veil. I think she is stunningly beautiful and has such a peaceful aura about her. I distressed the paper behind her then highlighted the edge of the mountboard with red ink before distressing the arch background. A couple of red gems added to the top of the arch with our winged gothic ladies in front, a crow (HAS to be included on anything gothic doesn't it???!!), a hand holding a red rose, a fabric flower, red ticket and metal tags also added and I glued some black lace along the bottom edge.

I am now looking for something suitable to spray/paint the whole piece with to give it a protective coat.

This is definitely work in progress. Will post again when I have completed the book!

Fantasy

Gothic Arch challenge this week was 'Fantasy'.

I made this arch using a background courtesy of Flickr Collage Group, added a fairy stamp and some wording. The stars, butterfly, flowers and heart are silver fabric and I used some glitter glue to give it some shimmer.

Another one for my gothic arch book! I have made a front cover so far and mounted all the other arches I've done onto co-ordinating paper - so at least have made a start!

Brown and Pink Gothic Arch

After missing the Gothic Arches challenge for the last couple of weeks, I was pleased that I managed to find time to do it this week particularly as the colour combination of brown and pink is so pretty!

The background paper and image is courtesy of the Collage Group on Flickr. I added some pink tones to the backing paper and edges of the arch. I used Pink Pearls Liquid to highlight the child's hair ribbon. I think this pic is beautiful as so many of these vintage images are - I always wonder what these children looked like when they became adults!

The jigsaw piece was a real bright fuschia colour and far too bright so I used some white versamark ink over it to tone it down a bit. The fabric roses were in my 'lace box' - I think they were cut off a child's dress by my Gran a long time ago!

I now have quite a collection of arches and really do need to make a book to house them all in.

Tag Your Arch!

Seeing as how I only commented a couple of days ago about how much I was enjoying making tags, imagine how I smiled when I saw this weeks challenge on Gothic Arches was called 'Tag Your Arch'!

I completely resisted the temptation to use one of the tags I had recently made and went off in search of this stamp.

It's one by Elusive Images and I really think it's pretty. I like the co-ordination and duplication between the large plate and the smaller tag.

I sponged and distressed the background in varying shades of pink and used watercolour paint to colour the hydrangea petals.

This arch and it's tag will prbably end up on a card!

Gypsies

Today the Gothic Arches theme is 'Gypsies'. Here is an arch I made yesterday but couldn't post till today!

This image is from Dover publications although it took me some time to find it as my filing system leaves a lot to be desired. (Isn't it annoying when you know you have something that will fit the theme and you've no idea where you put it?)

The background paper is from DCWV 'The Luxury Stack' - this pad is full of cardstock weight pearlised prints in lovely pastel colours and although the photo doesn't show it very well, this piece has a pale green sheen to it.

I had to search the internet for suitable gypsy proverbs or sayings and although I found one or two that I liked ( such as - 'A tear in the eye is a wound in the heart'), the 'wanderers' one seemed to fit in with the image. I also found the 'Romany' sheet music cover amongst some downloaded vintage images that I had saved some considerable time ago!

The chain embellishment was taken from a necklace and earring set which I picked up in a local charity shop. The flat silver coins appeared similar to those worn round the neck of the romany girl in the picture and I thought complemented and highlighted the overall view of the arch.

Vintage Children

I have waited a while to use this photo plate and the theme on Gothic Arches this week was 'Vintage Children' so I finally got an opportunity.

I opted to use Ranger Distress Ink in Frayed Burlap colour on the plate rather than an ordinary ink stamp. The backing paper is one of my favourites (this was the last sheet too!)and I just used Versacolour around the edges of the arch. A chipboard jigsaw piece and numbers tag fixed through a piece of brown ribbon by a brad and some lace finished the project.

As this is an original photo plate I wonder who these young ladies are? They've got to be sisters and this family photo probably took pride of place in some drawing room a long time ago!

(To have a good look at the photo plate just click on the picture - it will then zoom in so you can see the plate properly).

Wee Witches

This is my second Halloween Arch! This one though is for the 'Wee Witches' theme over on Gothic Arches this week.

It is similar in style to the last one I made, and I've used the lovely spiders web fabric I picked up at the local haberdashers as the background. I like 'cute' in moderation but am not normally pre disposed to use lots of it in my work.... but I actually liked this image of the cute wee witch! I tried to lose some of the 'kitschy' by using a copy of an old poster advsing the towns residents to rid themselves of the evil that had moved into their neighbourhood!

The tiny decorative bat, moon and pumpkin brads were a present from the USA (Thanks Renee!)

J'adore Haute Couture...........

but can't afford it!!!!

This weeks challenge over on Gothic Arches was 'Haute Couture'.

I really struggled with this theme for some unknown reason...considering I LOVE clothes, especially handbags and shoes as everyone who knows me will testify!

I eventually sponged a background then used black indian ink before adding the image, lace, sequins, feathers and words to make a mixed media collage.

Halloween

There was an 'open' theme on Gothic Arches this week so I took the opportunity to post a 'fun' arch! The background of this arch is fabric - it looks like a sparkly spiders web- which I spotted in the window of a small haberdashery shop in the nearest town to me - I have another Arch almost completed (not a halloween theme!) and really should get round to finishing it! I've got loads of ideas for gothic arches as i really like the shape and size, trouble is I never have enough time to make any of my ideas come to fruition!

I've also had a bit of a spend on some stamps this week, so have been too busy stamping the images in different colours seeing what they look like instead of actually doing any proper crafting!