A CANVAS, SOME TISSUE WRAP AND ......

Some weeks ago I decided to do a bit of crafting. Now I've never said I was an expert, it's just a hobby to me but I do enjoy it - sometimes!

Workshops are few and far between in my neck of the woods certainly those showcasing mixed media and all things painty and grungy. I don't get to have fun with others very often so not being any good at all at thinking outside the box to create a thing of beauty from my own thoughts I really do struggle.

I began the latest struggle with a blank canvas. Indeed, I took the cellophane off one and that was half the battle!!

What to do.... I stuck Tims tissue wrap all over it before tearing some lovely hand made paper I found in my stash and sticking that on top.

It stayed that way for weeks before I added the texture paste through a Tim stencil. 

I really liked the blue paper but decided to tone the whole thing down a bit by adding Gesso to various areas.

Distress stain was next. I splodged some on my craft sheet before using a broad brush to pick it up and allowed it to run down the canvass.

I loved the end result but it just had to have more and that was my undoing. I had no idea how to go forward. I just sprayed some paper roses with the same rusty hinge distress spray and  stuck them, together with feathers and butterflies, to the canvas.

It's quite distinctive but not what I wanted to make. So a big thank you to those of you courteous enough to send positive comments. One day I will create a masterpiece - said in the same vein as 'one day we will be millionaires'.

12 TAGS OF 2015 - APRIL

I adore the new Flower Garden stamps from Tim's last collection. These will be top of my list for lots of cards. I missed out on the first 2 UK deliveries of the stamps but third time lucky in trying to order them saw them drop through my letter box only yesterday. One happy person here! I didn't think I would enjoy the colouring as much as I did either. But using Distress Markers and a water brush has definitely made it fun for me. Another technique I shall be using a lot more of. My tag turned out ok in the end -

Fortunately I had Tim's thinlits 'Love' dies which I certainly love. Cutting them out of dark card makes them stand out so well. As for the other dies - I don't have any of those so it was thinking cap on time again. I used 'school house' stencil #11 to pencil the word LIFE and then cut around it with a craft knife. Hey! it actually worked. Another for this year's set which is building really quickly meaning another year is flying by once more. Thanks for the April fun Mr Holtz.

7 YEARS OLD TODAY

What better way to celebrate my 7th Blogaversary than to be sitting in the sunshine in my re-growing perennial bit of garden on my new bech seats.

Please feel free and have a glass or two with me to celebrate the end of having pins sticking in my fingers whilst making all the seat covers and cushions.

The sun is gradually making its way round.

I am thrilled with the end result and it just goes to show that if you believe you can do something then you can.

I'm in the process of planting all the baskets and pots and eagerly await the arrival of flowers and all those lovely butterflies and bees. The swiftly swallow martins returned yesterday and are chirping away merrily.

Happy day.

FINISHED

Here are a couple of photos of the note book mentioned in my previous post. It was fun.

This is how it began

Ready for painting.

Finished.

PLAYING TODAY

Friday and yesterday's happenings were both something I have dreaded coming for a few years. I sold my trusty old car on Friday and yesterday we traded my hubby's car, our towed car, for a newer one.

I have always dreaded losing my independence but I'm assured nothing will change except of course if one of us goes out it means the other can't. That doesn't happen very often.

Anyway, it's done. The sales lady was very very pleasant, quite unusual these days, so I've decided to make her a Finn - style note book as a thank you for such a smooth transaction.

Just about to glue the elements on so I will be back with a photo of the finished book.

FRIENDS

I have the most lovely friends most of whom I've met through craft. The years have flown since we all first met so we have shared many ups and sadly, downs too.

I am thrilled to say, my lovely friend Sylvia, you know her from the awesome patchwork quilts she has made, is now home from hospital and on the road to getting strong again. I miss her terribly as we haven't been able to have the usual banter over these past 5 weeks. I have a card she made me ages ago which I framed and now sits proudly on my bedside drawers.

It's so beautiful.

I also have another very special friend, Barb, who I've known probably as long as Sylvia but we have yet to meet in person. Barb is also super talented but more than that, she is a super lady.

She also sent me an incredible card some years ago which again received the frame treatment. This one  hangs on the wall above my bed.

Now you can see how special just sending a card can be. 

Thank you lovely ladies. Xx

HAPPY 5th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

A very happy anniversary to my step daughter and husband.

I made them a canvas rather than a card influenced by an amazing creation I had seen from a lady called Karen Clare. Here is the link to her blog http://karenslittlegiftsandcards.blogspot.co.uk

I contacted Karen and showed her my canvas because it was taken from a box she creates at one of her workshops and whilst I have no idea how she created her masterpiece, I thought I had better ask permission just in case. She was delighted and had no problem with me showing my attempt. Thank you for that Karen.

I started off die cutting the bits I would need

I used Tims dies and lots of distress paints

I then clear embossed over some old dictionary pages which I had stuck to the canvas

A bit of gesso over the top 'quietened' down the print.

I then assembled all the bits and after painting etc. it was done.

I hope the happy couple have a lovely day.