What Price a Life?

Our new art group, Artful Ideas has the theme of 'Remembrance' for the next fortnightly challenge. The theme was not soldier/war specific and the only stipulation was there had to be a poppy somewhere on the ATC. I chose though to stick with the armed forces theme as this is the one that I feel most drawn to when the subject comes up.

I stamped this poppy image, distressed it with 'Antique Linen' colour and mounted it onto black card. The poppy was painted with water colours and I used a tiny amount of black shiny embossing powder for the centre.

The image of the soldier comforting his friend was printed onto acetate and then attached.

Finally I added the cross, a small metal tag (to represent a dog tag) and a silver coloured dove.

The stamp has an 'invoice' background which prompted me to think about the heavy price that is paid by those that engage in conflicts on behalf of others.

In memory of all those who have lost their lives in the name of freedom.

Thoughtful

This card was inspired by Graphicus. I love everything about Graphicus - the designs are wonderful and they have such a huge and varied range of stamps it's impossible not to want to buy!

The stamps used for the image, quote and background are all Elusive Images. I picked them up in a sale and they were a real bargain being less than half price - so much of a bargain that I bought 2 different sets!

I backed the card using dark green mulberry paper, then sponged a pale green ink over cream pearlised card before stamping over with the tiny fern stamp. I rolled some pale green ink round the image before colouring with watercolour paints then mounted both image and quote on the same dark green paper.

I am going to do some more of this design using different colours for the basic theme as this is one project that I am happy with!

Flight of Fancy

I am really quite disappointed with this photograph. The original looks so much better ( well I think so anyway! LOL)

This is a 6" x 4" greetings card. I bought these stamps ages ago -(can't for the life of me remember whose they are)- the plate is four birds with varying degrees of fancy tails and flourishes. The challenge at Tuesday Taggers this week is 'Bursts of Colour' and over at Theme Thursday, this week's offering is 'Favourite Colours'. As I love all colours I couldn't select a favourite so decided to do a rainbow of colours instead and combine the two challenges.

The bird was stamped using Brilliance Ink Pads in Peacock and Twilight colours on glossy paper. The irredescence of these inks does not show up at all on the pic - (tried using the flash on the camera too - all I got was a silver outline!) - but trust me the lovely shimmering effect of these ink pads looks really nice on the gloss paper!

I used the same ink pads for the background of the card and this time ventured a try out with a brayer. Must confess I'm not very proficient with brayering technique but am not too upset at how the background turned out really, even though I definitley do need some more practice! I then used the flourishes from another of the bird stamps and stamped over the background.

Finally I stamped the words using the purple part of the Twilight ink pad. The rainbow organza ribbon came from my stash - can't remember where I got this from either - but I definitely need some more!

The Craft Barn is one of Tuesday Taggers sponsors - click on the owl above and go and visit their fab website and treat yourself!

Cutey Spooky!

I haven't had a lot of free time as I have been attending four Presentation lunches in the last 8 days all over the Northern Counties! Whilst pondering how I'm going to get rid of my expanded waistline I found some time to make a birthday card!

The recipient is away on holiday and will receive it when she returns home at the weekend.......

It's a bit 'cutesy' which is something of a change for me but I really liked the little witch and her cat! The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil. I coloured it with watercolour pencils, mounted it onto black card and the background is a freebie from Glenda's 'Artylicious' blog with some flowers and a couple of lightly glittered pumpkins mounted onto card and a greeting printed from the PC.

I have linked this to the challenge on Tuesday Taggers - pop over and see some fab interpretations of their 'things that go Bump in the Night' theme

and also at One Powerful Hour - who's challenge this week was 'Something Spooky' ... OK I know she isn't exactly SPOOKY but perhaps if you stretch your imagination you might find her just a teeny bit scary?????!!

Altered Bottle Tops

We have a new Flickr group called 'Art 'n Soul' . The group challenges run every month and the first challenge is to alter 3 bottle tops....

Here is my entry. The pics were from a book by Hot Off The Press called 'Easy Peasy Jewellery' and they have the added bonus of having matching acetate overlays, intended for making pendants, rings etc.

I thought they were perfect for the inside of the bottle tops!

I have edged the inside of each top with some seed beads and then added a scrap of vintage lace and a silver heart charm at the bottom.

There is a challenge at Dezinaworld to use lace in a project... OK there isn't a lot of lace on this piece but there is a teeny weeny piece!

Imagination

OH has 'man flu' and is feeling sorry for himself today - I have come outside to the craft room under the pretext of not wanting to catch his germs...... (well I thought it was a good excuse anyway!)

I have made this tag this morning as I had bought some stamps before I went away and hadn't tried any of them out, so I am sat here surrounded by a pile of 'virgin' stamps and also a pile of papers where I have stamped other images onto!

Stamps by Crafty Individuals, Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous and The Stamp Bug and the papers are Basic Grey. Little half flower and fibres from my stash.

I am submitting this for the challenge this week at Three Muses which is 'Numbers'.

Back to normal

Ah well, the long days gazing out on a clear blue sea or up into a clear blue sky are behind me for another year (at least!). We had a fabulously lazy time, weather was fantastic but sadly all good things come to an end don't they?

So on my return I set about finishing the ordered Christmas Cards. After declaring yesterday I was sick of looking at Christmas cards and this year I was sending shop bought to everyone, this morning I decided to tidy the desk.

Under all the mess there were two stamped images which I had done before I went away and promptly forgot about...... so I made them into a Christmas card!

The backing paper is from Papermania 'A Christmas Carol', and has a fab linen feel to it. I used distress inks on the stamped images and added some pearlised crimson paint for the berries. (On the pic there is a block of red behind one of the berries... don't know ehere this has come from cos it ain't on the card!!!)

Quite like these two images together.... might make some more...................................

A (well earned?) Rest!

There have been a lot of peops who have sent me messages over the last few weeks wondering why I haven't been about as much recently and asking if all was OK... all is fine here at Chez Viv's, but it's real nice to know that

1. People miss you

and

2. People care enough to ask

Am just posting to tell those of you who follow my blog that I am off for a holiday so will look forward to catching up on all your creations and musings on my return and of course making a mess in my craft room during the winter nights and getting back to taking part in the challenges!

In the meantime, here's a pic of what I am intending on doing for the next 10 days!

See you all soon. x

A First in Fabric

As well as messing with metal during Maureen's visit, she also cast a watchful eye over me whilst I transferred some images onto fabric. What is a relatively easy process was difficult for me because the ink in my HP printer is obviously not designed to allow you to take a printed image and transfer it onto cloth! I managed it eventually - but had to use some of the pics Maureen had printed off at home.

With that mission accomplished I was then taken to task about my lack of use of the new sewing machine that was a present about 5 years ago! After a couple of hours deciphering the instruction leaflet and a trial run,I promised Maureen faithfully that I would use it (and also use the beautiful sewing case she had made for me - complete with already threaded needles!!LOL).

I had been completely overwhelmed by the beautiful fabric collages Maureen had done and we spent rather a long time trawling through other people's blogs looking at their work too! I was instructed to just 'treat fabric like paper' when making collages, which was sound advice from my learned mentor!!

After Maureen went home I was determined to give a fabric collage a try..... unfortunately a large card order coupled with my bad neck giving me lots of aggravation in the last week meant it was a slow process.

BUT ............... here is the result! OK it's not perfect and I am not completely satisfied ...... but it's a start!

Metal Experimentation!

Maureen has been visiting! I have had a great few days culminating in a slap up meal last night and lots of laughs at the dinner table!

My purse however is somewhat lighter due to the craft stash that I was FORCED to buy when we paid a visit to a craft shop in Lancashire - I will not advertise it here but for those card makers amongst you, if I told you the 'ladies room' was decorated in pink complete with black chandelier and gem encrusted toilet brush you might be able to guess where we were!

Anyway back to the visit. I have never tried to do anything with metal before but the bold Maureen (who I think has tried EVERYTHING - lol) arrives for the designated 'crafting day' complete with metal tools and metal sheets in varying lovely shades, after me mentioning in passing that I quite faniced having a go but didn't know where to start. (She arrived with tons of other stuff too but more of that later).

So with the men packed off to the bowling green we proceeded to make a mess in the craft room (which I had tidied up especially!).

This wall hanging was inspired by a book called 'Images on Metal' and is the result of my endeavours - image stamped onto aluminium sheet and then edged with a 'dot' tool, the blue background paper is from my stash with a few more stamped flourishes added and stuck onto mountboard. OH had found 3 rolls of plasterer's joint tape during a shed clear out and I painted some of it with silver metallic paint, pegged it out to dry then used it down the left side adding a blue skeleton leaf, some seed beads, a couple of mosaic tiles and a silver filigree piece and metal word.

I really like this and am determined to do some more experimenting with metal, particularly as I was the fortunate winner of a recent give away in Craft Stamper magazine - 7 Paper Artsy Geometric Stamp Plates especially for using on metal - which arrived as a great surprise 2 days before Maureen did!!

I will post more details of Maureens visit over the next few days..... am off for a lie down to recover!! LOL

Mixed Media Monday has the theme of Metal this week so I have entered this into the challenge!

Canvas

I had this small canvas that measured just under 3ins square and have been wondering what to do with it!

Yesterday I covered it with some script paper and some music score paper which was torn from a napkin sent to me by Maureen. I stuck it on the canvas then used Mod Podge over it and left it to dry.

This morning (cos it was raining!! - a good crafters excuse to sit and make messy I find!!), I stamped the Eiffel Tower and the 'Paris' word and distressed the word using Antique Linen Distress Ink, then glued them onto the background.

The image of the lady is from a collage sheet I bought some time ago and I cut it out to fit inside the black iron look frame which I placed a paper filigree cut out behind.

I then used a clear glaze over the tower and the lady picture which has given them a nice muted glossy finish and highlights them quite well - although this hasn't shown up very well in the photo!

The metal corner, lace, ribbon, pearl drops and pearl button were added to finish.

England and the Orient!

Well what a mad week this has been - I feel like I've met myself coming back on several occasions!

This week has seen the culmination of almost 6 months preparation for a visit by no less than the England President! She brought a representative team of 24 players from Bowls England (which included yours truly!!) and we played against my home County at my Club. Pre match buffet, game, then a four course meal (prepared and cooked by my amazing other half) - this was a wonderful day despite the rain trying to unsuccesfully dampen our spirits. Visits by England Presidents are very rare, particularly in a County as small in (Club) numbers as we are. There are a few pictures of the day on my Flickr account. I have played on several occasions this season for Diane's Bowls England representative team and we've had great days - the one though at my home Club was very special!

So..... after all the excitement (and the washing up!) I struggled to do very much yesterday as I was still recovering! Today though my copy of Craft Stamper arrived complete with free stamp so I made an 'all occasion' Oriental card. I coloured the image with watercolours and stamped some chinese writing onto the ribbon. The flower is one I bought last year at the NEC!

Owls, Fairies, Flowers and Buckets!

Well it's seems an age since I posted anything - and it is only a week! I haven't been idle craft wise just not very messy! I have spent what free time I've had making cards - nothing too intricate either! I have made a lot using some basic card toppers - those of you who make cards will be well familiar with the Art Deco ladies. I haven't pictured them here.

Those I have put here on my blog are some of the others I've done this last week.

The Owl, Fairy, and Flower card were all made using pre printed card blanks. The Owl is an Elusive Images stamp, coloured with watercolours and I added some jewels for his eyes and some tiny gems on the flower outlines of his body. I sat him on a 'perch' made from Maya Road chipboard pieces suitably coloured with Tea Dye Distress Ink. I like him!

The 'Fairy' again was stamped and sat on a chipboard piece painted with silver metallic paint coated with some holographic glitter.

I thought the bronze pre printed blank didn't need much so just outlined a couple of flourishes with copper glitter and added the double fabric flower secured with a jewelled brad.

The last card here is made from a stamp sent to me as a present from a fellow crafter Pam. Not being a cutesy person, I have no idea why I like these vintage 'kids at the seaside' stamps so much! But I do.

I stamped 'Baby with Bucket on Head' onto a background made using inks and shimmer powder, stamped then cut out a shell image and mounted it onto dark blue card. I used more inks for the actual card (no shimmer powders as I wanted it to be 'flat') and attached the tag complete with brad, gold starfish and gingham ribbon. I finished the card with some more ribbon and some real shells from my collection!

All of these cards were easy and quite quick to make - so I made the most of my limited free time!

Taken Advice!

After leaving the clay piece overnight and coming back to it this morning, I definitley decided I didn't like the gold background. So out with the gesso!

I mixed some Pearlescent Tint with 'Pale Olive' and re did the background.

Am happier now! So thank you Sherry!

I may add some random mosaic pieces before it finally takes up residence on the work room wall.

Castles in the Air

After a hectic few days I found some 'me' time and decided to start a project I have been wanting to do ever since I saw an example in a magazine.

The designer had been inspired by a recent holdiay in Venice and had created a truly stunning mosaic by stamping into polymer clay.

Never trusting myself and my own creativityand certainly not being an expert in polymer clay I decided to attempt something in a similar shape but on a much smaller scale.

Overall I'm not sure making it smaller was a good idea as I can't make my mind up if the balance is right but........ my initial impression is 'not too bad'!!!!

As with all things my photography skills are not up to scratch and unfortunately the mica powders shimmering colour is not well reproduced in the picture - (the grey clouds didn't help the daylight either).

I used a variety of colours in both metallic rub ons and mica powders but predominantly used Golden Pear, Mathracite, Copper and Red Bronze powders and Brass and Gunmetal metallic creamy rub ons and used edges and pieces taken from some stamps to make the impressions. And of course, I had to pop on a fimo face somewhere!

I have mounted the piece onto an acrylic painted canvas (as in the original example) but it may end up on another background as I'm a little unsure about the gold paint - I might try a dark background to make the piece stand out more, but at the moment can't make my mind up about what colour! (Any suggestions gratefully received!)

I love trees.

Stark bare Winter trees with frost glistening on the branches, Spring trees with leaves unfurling and blossom appearing, Summer trees when their majestic shapes are filling blue skies and Autumn trees, when the whole colour spectrum ranging from brown to green to reds, golds and oranges can be seen along across all the landscape wherever you live be it town or country.

This card was made using one of the Tall Tress themeplates from Elusive Images.

The main background is courtesy of Flickr (with a few stamped flourishes added!), digitally lightened and printed onto an inkjet tranparency.

I stamped the trees and words in 'Espresso' ink onto the original darker background and layered onto cream then brown card.

I finished by adding some brown ribbon and a leaf button.

Peaceful Princess

It has been a while since I entered something into a challenge and I've just been having a quick look through my favourite sites to see what everyone has been up to. At One Powerful Hour the theme was Dolls.

I made this doll for a swap over at Monthly Art Dolls on Flickr, so all of my Flickr group friends will have seen her before.

She is a 'no sew' doll which suited me as I am not very good with needles and thread!!

She is made from a wooden batten and fibrefill. Her body is wrapped in some red and gold shimmery silk fabric and tied with gold threads. Her face and hand are made from clay and painted.

She looks better if you click on the picture to enlarge her!

I have called her Shanti, which means 'Peace' and she is now winging her way to her new home with Malissa in America.

My friend June who hosts the 'So Artful' challenge blog has set the theme of 'Sleeping Beauty' for this week, so as Shanti looks like she is in blissful repose, I have also added this to June's challenge too.

Birds

My card stock is seriously depleted and I have set myself the task of 'no altering, no making lots of mess, just card making' for a couple of days.

This serious self imposed sentence is very difficult - there were a couple of things in a recent magazine (one made out of a stampbord box and another made from clay mounted on canvas) which I am itching to have a go at.... but I am trying to be good!

So with halo polished, I made a couple of cards using the new bird stamps. I have also stamped up lots of images ready for more cards.... whether I manage to use them today or not is a different matter.... the stampbord box is looking at me!!! I shall have to put it out of sight otherwise the card box will remain half empty.

Hasty cards!

I have sorely neglected my blog (and my crafting) whilst the National Championships are ongoing -(am off again at the end of the week), but I did find time to make a couple of cards in the middle of last week.

I also met up with some crafting friends last Saturday and had a great day! I finally got my hands on the new goodies that Maureen had got for me on a recent shopping trip to Graphicus at Barnard Castle. (It wasn't a long list I gave her...... honest...... but she did mention something about the car boot not being big enough......must have been all the stash she bought for herself, mine was only a teeny pile....)

I have waited an eternity ( well about a month really.......) for this new stash and have a couple of clear days this week to try all the new stamps and other bits out!

Shells, Italy and a new friend!

I have a new friend in the shape of a frog who hopped into the workroom yesterday and decided to stay a while! He was quite happy to have his photo taken and has appeared again this morning just outside the workroom door - so I think maybe he intends to visit as often as he can!

Whilst Ferdy ( well - it's not quite as boring as naming him Freddy....) sat and stared at me I made an ATC and altered another slide mailer.

The ATC background is from a paper napkin ( sent by Maureen). I used stamps and some real shells to finish it.

The slide mailer is fast becoming a favourite thing to alter! I am becoming addicted also to the Crafty Individuals background papers which are just so beautiful you don't want to use them!

This paper was from the Travels to Italy book and I added an italian stamp, some italian postmarks and a small suitcase charm to the front. The back I have left plain as the harlequin and script paper was too pretty to cover! Inside I again made a little paper pocket to hold some stamps and painted the other side in a rose pink before adding the Italian themed images behind the microscope slides and the tiny pink seed beads. As the Do it in an Hour challenge incorporates maps I have submitted the slide mailer as the inside papers has a map of Italy!