Drifting Into Autumn

It seems my hopes for an Indian summer are well and truly over, as we find ourselves drifting into Autumn.October is full of crisp golden leaves fluttering from the trees, so I decided to try and recreate that scene for my  Indigoblu project this month. I recycled some items, and foraged Mother Nature for other Autumn treasures.

A step by step tutorial is on the Indigoblu blog.

Thank you so much for visiting, and happy Autumn !

I would like to enter this into the following Challenges

Craft Stamper  Anything Goes with stamping.

That’s Crafty Forever Autumn

Penny Black Close To Nature

Stamping Sensations Autumn Glory

Country View Crafts Mixed Media with Autumnal Hues

Always Fun Challenges Dies/Punches

Noor Design Fall/Autumn

Products Used

November Craft Stamper

It is always a huge honour to be published in Craft Stamper! I am thrilled to share a sneak peek of my “Everything Will Be Ok” card which is in the fabulous November issue. I used a gorgeous Phyllis Harris  Stamp, I love her art!

It looks like it is going to be another fantastic Craft Stamper issue!

You can get a copy of the magazine at  www.craftstamper.com or buy subscriptions, www.mags-uk.com for single print copies, digital copies from www.pocketmags.co.uk 

Thank you xx

Alice In Her Garden

I am thrilled and honoured to say that lovely Indigoblu invited me to stay on their Design Team for another year. They are all such lovely and talented ladies and gent.They have been very kind and understanding as I have developed another  serious health problem, and I am currently boggled eyed with strong painkillers! 

Can you spot a shrunken Alice taking a stroll in her colourful and beautiful garden above?

I painted the inexpensive wooden frame with Grandmas Teacup. When the paint was dry, I dabbed Snow White paint onto the numbers stamp, and I randomly  stamped it around the frame.

For the background, I cut a piece of Watercolour card to fit inside of the frame.I mixed Grandmas Teacup, Iced Gem, and Olive paints with some water to give it the fluidity of Watercolours. I spritzed the paper with water and added the washes of colour. When it was still wet I sprinkled the lovely luscious powders over the top.I also used paint to stamp "Kindness Matters" from the Mindfulness stamp set.

I used paints instead of inks to stamp the flowers over the background.I also stamped some on another piece of card for cutting out.

I used Stazon to stamp Alice and the bees onto shrink plastic, and shrunk them.Alice is of course used to shrinking! I adhered the bees to some twisted wire.

After adhering the background inside of the frame, I added some Coarse texture paste inside the bottom of the frame. It held the flowers both stamped and pressed, bees and of course Alice in place. When dry I painted over the texture paste with Olive paint.

I added  some more flowers to the front of the frame.  I stamped and coloured a beautiful butterfly, and sat her in the top left corner of the frame, where she could  oversee events.

You could also apply these steps to easily create a greeting card instead of a framed picture.

Please visit the Indigoblu blog to see what the rest of the talented Design Team have created

Products used

I would like to enter this into the following challenges.

Artistic Stamper Take a Little Colour 

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Anything Goes

Craft Stamper Anything Goes with Stamping

Ally Pally Craft Show

I decided to brave a visit to the Ally Pally Craft Show today. It was very, very busy So we didn't stay long, as I am not too well.

Sadly Indigoblu were not there this time : (

I discovered two new (to me) companies with lovely products 

I always like to use natural elements in my projects so I was delighted to discover Anna Marie Designs. They have the most gorgeous natural products and stunning creations! 

As I am an Alice fan it was nice to find some original and different Alice designs at Dolly Dimple Crafts

Clarity Stampswere very busy and I tried to watch Barbara Gray give a demo, I couldn't see much but the finished result was wonderful!

Jenny Maye was there with Hobbyart too, with lovely projects by the Design Team. 

 

Lovely Cards by Lavinia Stamps

I am finally seeing the surgeon next week.I hope he will say that something will  be done to unblock my artery.I am trying to do a little crafting each day.

In Memory of Princess Diana

I visited Kensignton Palace earlier this year to see Princess Diana's Fashion story.Which of course was a collection of the most beautiful dresses.

I also visited the Elegant and charming White Garden which was dedicated to her memory.

Rest In Peace Princess Diana.

I have not been creating anything recently as I have been in hospital, and have developed another serious problem. I will be seeing another specialist at the end of September. I will try to craft when I can. How can it be almost September - I am still waiting for the summer to arrive !

Dandelion Wishes

I am delighted and honoured to have been invited as a guest designer at A Vintage Journey.This month Amanda has chosen Watercolour as her theme.Which is of course my favourite colouring medium, it is very versatile and easy to use.Why not give it a try and join their challenge this month.

I created a background with my watercolours and stamped this gorgeous girl blowing a dandelion stamp by Crafty Individuals. I always love to use elements from nature with my projects, so I found some pressed gypsophlia to use for the blowing away dandelion seeds. I am always finding forgotten pressed flowers in between the pages of thick books, where I have pressed them many months or probably even years before!

I wrapped some threads around the base of the card and tucked some more gypsophlia between them.

I finished the card by edging it with black ink, and adhering the picture onto a scalloped edged card.

May all your wishes come true xxx

I would like to share this card with the following challenges.

Craft Stamper Anything Goes with Stamping

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Twist Bloom

Stamping Sensations Anything Goes

Emerald Creek Dares Anything Goes

CAS Watercolour Challenge Salt I used salt on the watercolour background.

Try It On A Tuesday In The Garden

Noors Designs Anything Goes

That's Crafty only Cards

 

Alice in Wonderland Keepsake Display

I have always loved Alice In Wonderland, so I was very excited when I heard that there was a new immersive play happening at Waterloo Vaults. We went to see it as a pre birthday gift for myself! It was absolutely brilliant! Wheelchair users had to take a different route to everyone else, but I did not miss out on too much. It was great fun, apart from being soaked by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! 

I have a lot of Alice stamps and whatnots, so I decided to make this little keepsake display box so 

I would always remember my happy day. I found this box at the Ally Pally craft show last April.

I used pages from an old Alice book to line the little cubby holes, and for the inside roof I used the cover of the theatre programme, which featured alice falling down the rabbit hole. I used Indigoblu's gorgeous Grandma's Teacup acrylic paint to cover the outside of the box.

I stamp and heat embossed white roses down the sides of the roof.

To decorate the inside of the roof I stamped Alice and the White Rabbit onto shrink plastic, and then I gave them a drink from the bottle marked "drink me" and they both magically shrunk! The White Rabbit peeped out of the heart which I had outlined with a red glitter pen, and Alice sat on the shelf with the bottle, the Mad Hatters hat and a badge.

In the first cubby hole sits a rose made of book pages and of course it had to quickly be painted red, so the paint inevitably drips over the side, the Queen of Hearts is overseeing the whole event. Tea is then taking place with a stamped teapot and cup on shrink plastic, and the all important jam tarts made of chipboard and then painted. The third cubby hole has a cover from a little Alice bar of soap which I had. 

The fourth cubby hole has a shrunken stamped Alice with a special clock which I cut out from the programme. The fifth cubby hole holds a special real postage stamp, it was produced for the year of the child in 1979.Sitting in the six cubby hole is Humpty Dumpty.I made him with paper clay, it is only the second time I have used paper clay, it has a very different texture to regular clay. I made the wall with chipboard and texture paste. 

The last line of cubby holes features a picture cut from a tag that came with an Alice umbrella, a raven badge given out at the theatre, some pictures fussy cut from an Alice quiz game, and the final cubby hole has some words cut from my Ace of Clubs travel permit card which I was handed at the beginning of my Alice Underground experience.

I hope you have enjoyed visiting Alice and myself today, if you are coming to London this summer I highly recommend Alice Underground.

I would like to share this with the following challenges.

Frilly and Funkie Read Any Good Books Lately

Craft Stamper Anything Goes with Stamping

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Stamping Sensations Anything Goes

Emerald Creek Dares Anything Goes

That's Crafty Anything But A Card