Magical Unicorn Gift Box

Today I have created my first project for IndigoBlu, you can read all the details about how I made it on their blog Oh and you definitely, definitely need Unicorn Sparkles they are just amazing!

Don't forget that this months challenge theme at IndigoBlu is Summer Florals, and you could win some wonderful stamps!

Thank you so very much for visiting.

I would like to enter My Magical Unicorn Gift Box into the following challenges

Craft Stamper Stencils and Masks I hope this meets the rules as I used a stars stencil to create the stars which I then cut out individually.

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Creative Artistes Anything Goes

 

An Apple Or Two A Day For Bernie

Do you have a folder of backgrounds which you have created but haven't used? I know I do so I pulled a colourful one of them out to use as my base for this picture.

I firmly taped my elephant stencil down with some masking tape. I swept some texture paste over the stencil with a palette knife, I wanted to give the elephant a cracked rough elephant type skin so I used a sponge (an inexpensive make up sponge) and pressed it into the paste and then quickly lifted it up. I have never used crackle paint, but you could probably create the same appearance with that.

When the paste was completely dry. I put the stencil back over the paste and carefully stuck it down. I used Rangers Cool Graphite dye ink to colour the elephant. I really should give him a name.... I think I will call him Bernie. I dabbed a sponge into the ink and dabbed it all over until Bernie was a glorious grey colour.

Now Bernie is often hungry so I quickly painted him a few apples, and coated them in glossy accents. When nice and dry I cut them all out.

I stamped a bird on a little piece of card and cut it out and sat him on Bernie's back. I added few green stamped branches and leaves, and glued the apples amongst them.Now Bernie is ready to have a feast!

 

Please join in the fun and add your project to this months Mixed Media Mojo

Challenge Harvest with a Twist of Fruit.

 

I would like to enter this into the following challenges.

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Stamps and Stencils Take Flight, the bird is getting ready to fly!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 150th Birthday Beatrix Potter

Happy 150th Birthday Beatrix Potter.

Details of how I made this picture can be found here

My Beatrix Potter postage stamps arrived today!

 

The Voice of the Sea Speaks to the Soul Mini Book

For this months challenge at Mixed Media Mojo I decided to create this simple little 6 x 6 chipboard mini book.

I started by coating the cover with some gesso, the gesso gives it a good base to hold inks and paints. When it was drying I brayered some Stonewashed ink onto the top of my gelli plate, followed by some swipes of Sail Boat Blue ink. I was careful to leave some spaces in between the swipes as these would become the white waves.

 

I laid the cover onto the plate and pressed it down firmly, and hoped !

 

It came out Ok is sh !

 

I used watercolours to go over the sea and waves and added some sand texture paste to the bottom of the cover to create the beach effect. When the sand was dry I painted over the top of it it with watercolours.I also glued some real shells onto the beach.

You may like to try a recipe by Tim Holtz to make your own sand. I don't have any of the products he used so I couldn't do it, but if you have those items you may like to give it a try as it looks interesting!

I stamped my sentiment over the sky in Archival ink, and finished the book by adding lots of threads and ribbons to the bookrings.

 

Why not join in the fun and create something for this months theme. The twist is optional, and everyone of all experience levels is very welcome to join us at Mixed Media Mojo

 

 

Live,Laugh,Love

 

On this sunny Sunday afternoon, I made this simple picture, using IndigoBlu's Live,Laugh,Love stamp set. I coloured all of the images with watercolours, which I always enjoy using. I think I will put this picture onto a card.

I would like to enter this into That's Crafty Challenge Birds of a Feather

Thank you so much for looking.

This months challenge theme at IndigoBlu is Summer Florals

 

My Thoughts Are With You Today Card

I used this beautiful stamp by Phyllis Harris, to make a Clean Simple card for the Craft Barn Challenge. I don't usually do clean and simple so this was a good challenge for me to try!

Thank you for visiting.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges.

Craft Barn Clean and Simple

Artistic Stamper All Things Bright and Beautiful

That's Crafty Feminine Challenge

 

Altered Summertime Scrapbook Journal

Last year I found a guest book in the John Lewis sale. It had bright and cheerful beach huts on it, so of course I couldn't resist!

I decided to alter the guest book into a summer scrapbook journal.

I started by adding some texture paste to give the appearance of sand, and then I used watercolours over the top.

The girl is a Phyliss Harris stamp which I also coloured with water colours. I used some pink thread to create the flowing ribbons on her hat.

I glued some real shells onto the bottom of the cover, and finished by laying a ribbon down the side .

The inside pages all had titles on them, but these were easily covered with papers.

I hope I have inspired you to have some fun, and create something for this months challenge at Mixed Media Mojo which is "Summertime" and the Twist is Shells which you can use if you wish.

Join in the fun at Mixed Media Mojo

A Visit from an IndigoBlu Bird

I heard some tweeting outside in my garden today, and when I looked out I saw a lovely little bird. I went outside to say hello, and what a surprise, he said he was visiting me from IndigoBlu and was inviting me to join their International Design Team! What a huge surprise! I very quickly said YES!

Thank you Indigo Blu, what an honour to be invited to work with such a talented and respected company. I look forward to working with the great Indigo Blu team, and I will do my very best to do their wonderful products justice!

I gave the birdie some bird friendly snacks and a drink, he happily played for a while in our small fairy fountain, before flying back to IndigoBlu.

 

Once upon a notebook

I recently found this cute little notebook. I decided to alter the cover by using A lovely Teddy stamp by Crafty Insividuals, and colouring her with watercolours.I created the background by using chalks on water I have written a short tutorial on how I did this here. I then added a few spalshes of watercolours.

I tied a lot of pretty organza ribbons onto the book spiral.

Thank you so much for visiting.

I would like to enter this little notebook into the following challenges.

Crafty Individuals Mini's Challenge

Artistic Stamper All Things Bright and Beautiful

Craft Stamper Anything Goes with stamping

That's Crafty Feminine Challenge

Hope and Courage

I used the beautiiful Boadicia stamp set from IndigoBlu, and coloured her with watercolours. I have made something quite simple with no extras added, but I think it says so much.

Thank you so much for looking.

I would like to enter this stamp into the following challenges.

Craft Stamper Anything Goes with stamping

Artistic Stamper All Things Bright and Beautiful

That's Crafty Feminine Challenge

 

Angel Wings

I was inspired by the candle wreath in the June issue of Land Love Magazine. So I created my version of it. I placed it in what was my dog Tammy's bowl. It would have been her birthday today, but she sadly died over 16 years ago. I still miss her everyday.

I used Sweet Peas, Lavender, Rosemary, and Meadowsweet which were all from our little garden, and I purchased some Sweet Williams.

I found a Yankee candle called "Angel Wings" which was perfect as I always called her my Angel.

Incidentally this month Land Love have the most gorgeous lantern paper template to download and create!

 

Audrey Hepburn Postcard

 

 

I was blog hopping recently when I came across the blog Sunday Postcard Art. Where a new theme is set to create a postcard each Sunday. This weeks theme was Audrey Hepburn, and as Audrey Hepburn is my favourite actress I of course had to take part!

A friend gave me a packet of napkins with Audrey on a few years ago, and they were so beautiful I of course couldn't use them, so I put them in the back of a drawer. I pulled them out to make this postcard. I carefully cut her out of the napkin, and also cut some flowers out of a pretty paper which I had. I also added lots of pretty gems, and some sequin net, and some stickers.

I hope this will be suitable for a postcard.

 

Audrey Hepburn personified beauty both internally and externally.

 

"I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles” - Audrey Hepburn

 

 

 

 

 

 

Papercrafter Designer For The Day

I have been lucky enough to have been chosen for Designer for the Day in issue 97 of Papercrafter magazine.

If you would like to know how I made this card the details can be found in the magazine.

My 3D scene which I made with the lovely Indigo Blu Clumber Park stamps, was also in the magazine, which was a surprise.

There are lots of wonderful ideas in the magazine this month!

 

The Voice of The Sea Speaks to the Soul Mini Scrapbook

This months Challenge theme at Mixed Media Mojo is Summertime with a Twist of Shells. you do not have to use the twist if you don't want to, it's all about having fun!

I made this fairly simple 6 x 6 mini book for the theme. I will be adding a few notes and pictures about how I created it later this month.

I hope you will join in the fun this month.

 

A Sunshiny Day

I love Phyllis Harris stamps, and this lovely little girl is another of her wonderful creations! I had a lot of fun creating a Summer Meadow for her to wander in. Craft Stamper have very kindly published it in there August edition, so the details about how I made her meadow can be found in there.

Let's hope the sun starts shining for real soon!

I posted this on Unity Stamps Facebook page and Phyllis Harris the artist who created the stamp left a comment! How very kind was that!

 

 

 

Found An Old Scrapbook in the Attic

My sister was up in the attic again, and this week she found one of my childhood scrapbooks. It was from 1977 the year of the Queens Silver Jubilee. I was a crafter even back then ! It was one of those old fashioned childrens scrapbooks made out of sugar paper.

On the first page I had glued some Silver Jubilee ribbon down the side and pasted what must have been pictures from magazines of the perfect Silver Jubille dinner table !

The second page was more interesting it included an iron on Silver Jubilee badge which was apparently free with a newspaper, and a milk bottle top decorated with a crown and text saying Silver Jubilee. In those days milk used to actually come in bottles and it was delivered to your door by a milkman! The birds often used to peck through the silver tops for a free morning drink! On this page I also included a celebration postage stamp.

It is all in remarkably good condition, I am sure it is not acid or lignen free, but it has survived all these years unscathed, better than me actually!

Hope you all have a good weekend. What an historic day it was today for our Great Country.

 

Create Beautiful Backgrounds from Old Chalk

Do you have sets of chalks which you have not used for years? I know that I do.

I decided to get my old chalks out, and I tried something different.

I filled a basin full of cold water, and used a craft knife to gently scrape off some chalk from the block so it fell onto the water. If you are gentle the chalk will float beautifully.

I then lowered some white card onto to the water so it floated a little.

Then I pulled the paper up, and the chalk had left all sorts of lovely patterns behind!

As this months theme is Fit For A Queen with a Twist of adding gems I decided to use the adorable Crowned Bunny stamp. I stamped her in Archival Black ink and used watercolour paints to give her some colour. A tiny gem star completed her crown nicely. A little fluff of flowersoft gave her a cute little bunny tail.

Join in this months Fun Challenge and create something Fit For A Queen.

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The Queens Birthday Book

 

Sign the Queens Birthday Book

Papercrafter

I spent a couple of days on the south east coast of England. The weather was just awful, it was more like winter, but I managed to pick up Papercrafter mag.

The sun shone on the day we left - typical!