JFF - Anything Goes

This is the last of this years challenges over at JFF I am always amazed at the ideas the DT ladies come up with every week, they manage to keep the site fresh and interesting. Go check it out (*they don't do cute). This being the last of a 5 week month it is "Anything Goes" (but no cute). I made this door/draw knob hanging for my friend as a Christmas gift so I am entering this into the challenge. It is a solid wooden heart which I painted duck egg blue (to match her dressing room) dabbed with silver then stamped with a CI swirl and a text. I sealed it with sparkle modge podge. Made the silver butterfly and wrapped around the trim. Thanks for looking and Happy New Year to you. Hugs Sandra XX

JFF Autumn Challenge

Phew! well that's Christmas done and dusted for another year,hope you all survived, fun as it is I can't say I am sorry. Bring on the Spring. After all the gatherings It was so nice to have time to go into my craft space and get messy. Over at JFF the month of December has had a seasons challenge and this the last week it is Autumn. I used a scrapling for this 2,1/2 by 5,1/2. I dabbed the card with a sponge and autumn shade inks. Over stamped with leaves, text and a twig looking background stamp. Inked the corrugated and then stamped my main focus birds. To me Autumn is not just the fantastic colours but looking out for the gathering of the birds to fly south. I think this little stamp is perfect for this. I shall keep this for use as a card topper. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hugs All. Sandra XX

Thoughts of Spring

Phew what a day done all my Christmas shopping in a one-er, I now need to lay down with a cold cloth on my head or open the pinot grigio LOL. I am sure you know that feeling :).
Over at JFF the challenge for the month is "Seasons" and this week it is "Spring". I think after the excesses of Christmas and those long winter nights we all look forward to the first signs of spring. Although my daffs have already poked their little green shoots up due to the mild weather. Well I did an ATC size collage (I read about using this style for ATCs somewhere recently, doh can't remember where) using colours that evoke spring. I have used hessian for the main backing and then dry brushed corrugated card with green, lilac and orange (The photo does not show the colour to well). I stitched the flower stems to the card and added the paper punched flowers with a little butterfly. the paper was stamped with a flower using the same colour scheme. A couple of embellishments and done. Happy weekend everyone and try and get through that Xmas shopping. Hugs Sandra XX
PS I went for the pinot :).
 

Craft Room Challenge "Made Flowers"

I made this for the craft room challenge the challenge being "make your own flowers" I chose grunge flowers (I love making these) and went for a frosty look. The frame is painted with sky blue and dabbed with pearl and a darker blue through sequin waste before being stamped on. Grunge flowers inked blue stamped on and finished with stickles. Finished off with a TH die cut swirl in silver card. Thanks for stopping by and for the lovely comments. Hugs All Sandra XX

JFF "Winter" Challenge

Over at JFF (check out the DT entires) team a new month of challenges has begun, and to kick off the theme is "Winter" I chose a winter scene on a tag. It has been painted with morning mist acrylic and masked to create the bright frosty moon. The stamps are kanban and the bottom of the tag is glue with cosmic shimmer icicles mixed in which give the pink sparkle tinge. I enjoyed making this scene it has put me in the mood for Christmas.Thanks for dropping by and all the lovely comments made. Hugs All.Sandra XX

JFF Favorite Shape

JFF are continuing the favorite theme and this week it is "Shape" wow excellent choice, I  had no problem with choice as my favorite is a "Heart shape"  I am making gift boxes for Christmas so I decorated a small chip board heart shape box. Panted it pink, rubbed in metallic rubs, embossed a flourish and stamped it added a heart and butterfly. All my favorite techniques and things. Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Hugs XX
Such Fun.

Craft Room Challenge

This is my Travel Postcard for the Craft Room Challenge I have gone for a vintage romantic feel in this little postcard sized hanging. I used a crafty individuals travel background paper and inked it followed by a couple of CI stamps. Added vintage lace and made a flower and used an old postage stamp.This is a short post as in the middle of Strictly Dancing :)  and now Merlin. Hugs all enjoy the rest of the weekend. XX

Favorite Technique

Oh NEET how could you LOL, choosing my favorite technique was soooooo difficult I enjoy so many. JFF is having a month of favorites. Well in the end I decided to use a favorite technique I learnt from my Tim Holtz compendium (a present from the Diamond a couple of years ago when I first became obsessed with Altered Art, little did he know just how obsessed I would become LOL)  I used a tag and painted it black then stamped and embossed in clear, re-painted with sky blue and when tacky rubbed it back the clear creates a resist. Stamped text in white paint, the frame is TH faux rust created with with heat embossing  and DI inks. The vintage image is covered in rock candy crackle and rubbed in sepia. I love heat embossing it is versatile and can be used in to enhance so many different projects. Who would think choosing favorite would prove to be so tricky but huge fun. Hugs All. XX

Lots of lovely VintageLace

Hi All, For those amongst us who simply love lace especially vintage. I have lots of lovely vintage lace for sale some of which you can view on my Folksy store. Excellent for vintage pieces and fabric collage etc. I have added little taster photo below and I will be regularly refreshing whats available.

Hugs Sandra XOXO

My Favorite Colour Challenge

Hi All, Now I love all sorts of colours depending on my mood it can vary. So this week the challenge from JFF is to use your favorite colour as the main point of your piece. I have a great love of Lilacs, purples, pinks, heathers, you see where I am headed with my colour :-) So of course my choice is a heather shade of paint for my canvas and then I gave it a sparkle glaze, stamped a swirl. Made my flowers, leaves and butterflies out of wallpaper scraps (it was the perfect colour match) and varnished with clear nail varnish.  (I did explain this recycle technique on a previous post) this is going to be given to my SIL Brenda as she introduced me to recycling wallpaper scraps. Its pretty but not cute (I hope). Love the JFFhttp://jffchallenge.blogspot.com/ DT pieces in their favorite colours.

A month of Favorites

Over at JFF a new monthly theme chosen by Neet and she is focusing on Favorites. Whoop Whoop love this theme. This week it is using a favourite stamp great I thought but as Neet said there so many favorites LOL. Anyway the stamp I used is my all time favorite. I used a tag which I cut out of water colour paper as I wanted to paint the background and this paper does not curl like painted card. For the background it is a combination of painted card (lilac)and painted fusible (bondaweb) which I painted in 2 different colours (black and pink). It is then ironed onto the tag along with pieces of sequin waste,organza and paper. I gave it a blast with the heat gun to create a few holes and a distressed look. I stamped my favorite stamp onto the card masked her and stamped musical notes over the whole thing. I re stamped my little fairy girl and gave her a wash in pink and a sparkle glaze. She is then glued over the original image to create a shadow effect (sort off) with the addition of a red heart (well it is my favorite stamp) and pieces of winged background paper she was done. I did enjoy making that tag. Enjoy the weekend even if it is wet and be careful with the fireworks. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs Sandra XX

Black & White

2 posts in one day blimey, well I have been meaning to post my Black and White challenge piece for the Craft Room Challenge since last Sunday. Anyway better late than never. I chose to do a tando jigsaw piece, painted it black and used my lovely new paperartsy crackle (it is fab stuff) and painted over the top in white. Stamped a swirls and made the flowers to match. Quite simple but effective. Thanks for stopping by Hugs All Sandra XX

Something Found

Over at JFF this is the last week of the recycle challenge and boy has it been a tuf month, but then it is called a challenge :-) Any way the Diamond has been decorating again and we have been clearing out stuff. I found some old wall paper (might not technically be an object but I did find it)I also found some old nail varnish. I have made some butterflies for a hanging frame I had. This idea is not mine but I learnt it from my sister in law (Brenda).
Punch out from the wallpaper (you do need to fussy punch) then punch out from plain copy paper, glue the two together, whilst still wet shape the wings when happy with the shape dab pva on the underside and leave to dry this will give it some body to keep the shape. Once completely dry cover with clear nailvarnish it will dry rock hard. Now how is that for a money saving tip and it really works.

Hope this is ok for this weeks theme. Enjoy the weekend. Hugs Sandra XX

From the Sewing room

I am refreshed and happy after my holiday where we spend the week walking the beaches of North Norfolk and crafting (you can see some of the project pics in the previous post). So I was ready if a little late to take part in this week JFF  challenge. The recycle theme is from the bedroom or sewing room and I was blown away by the DT pieces the GDT Hazels piece was just fabulous.  I went for "from the sewing room". I have a fabulous stash to choose from so I made sure I kept to the spirt of the challenge and only allow myself to use small scrap pieces that I had previously discarded from other projects. I used a piece of  calico that I had previously inked but didn't like added somes vintage lace and netting. Had a rummage through my bits box and found a silk heart, a couple of tiny pre cut tags which I covered in bits of scrap book paper and inked. I did cut  the image into a circle to fit the frame and then machine sewed the lot together added the little button and flower. The whole thing is only 4x4 and is is now destined for a frame. Thanks for stopping by hugs all Sandra XX

Craft and Holidays

Every year a group of us (all family members) rent a barn in North Norfolk (my most favorite place on earth)we walk the beaches in the morning and craft the rest of the time. The Diamond comes along and is our chef for the week (he truly is a Diamond XX) this year we had various projects we wanted to do and here are a few pictures of our achievements.
Altered clock is mine, the altered mini printer tray my Mum she also made most of the little bits inside it, and the wreath my Auntie. 2 others also made the star wreath. All gorgeous makes.

Dragon's Dream TIO # 100 - Ticket to Ride

A simple tag for Dragon's Dream TIO # 100 - Ticket to Ride, I choose a travel to Paris theme, used DIs tea dye and dried Marigold. A torn piece of book text and a TH Paris stamp bottom corner crackle accents and to finish a journey ticket. Thanks for looking Hugs Sandra XX

Recycle Month at JFF

Well the recycle theme continues at JFF this week it is use anything from the kitchen, Again I am amazed at the DT pieces so innovative. I chose to do a tag cut from a cereal box that was on its way to the recycle bin (note to self -Use cereal box made tags more often will save using card stock)  I inked the tag with worn lipstick and bundled sage, I then stamped text and a crackle effect background in sepia. I embossed a swirl top and bottom. I passed a piece of the cereal card through a pleating gadget (it looks corrugated) dabbed dolly mixture acrylic paint over it. My wings are the rest of the cereal package. The hearts are made out of spent beer can (the Diamond thinks I have a vendetta going on, first his Sunday supplement then attacking his beer cans, what next? :-)) I passed the metal through my cuttlebug text emboss folder and then a heart die cut, dripped alcohol ink onto them, the flower is also from the beer can the colour is from the beer can. Hugs All and thanks for stopping by my blog. Sandra XX

JFF Recycling Challenge

Over at JFF the latest challenge is to use books or magazines as the main feature of the creation. So with this tricky challenge my mojo decided to go walk about and is not back yet. I did manage to produce a little tag made out of the Sunday supplement. This caused a stir as the Diamond had not got round to reading the papers LOL. Anyway it has a swoosh of gesso and DI inks to take away the starkness of the print and I stamped onto it. I chose pretty colours from the adverts to make the flowers. I am not happy with my submission but I like to support the JFF girls. The DT pieces are a fantastic use of books, mags and those that have made a submission have been really innovative. Thanks for looking Hugs Sandra XX
PS If you come across my mojo please send it back ASAP.

Crafty Individuals October Challenge

Winged things is the October theme for the challenge at Crafty Individuals I have made an altered frame called ButterBird. The frame is painted and crackled then rubbed with DIs and metallic rubs. The stamps used are CI182 Swirl and the bugs also CI but I can't recall the number. The stamps are used on the frame and the background, the background is swiped with DIs. The Bird and cage is good old Tim Holtz die and I have painted splattered in ink and clear embossed. To finish added the delightful vintage butterfly wings and some beading. Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra XX

JFF "Anything but a card" Challenge

Is it me or does everyone just LOVE an Indian summer, everything seems so beautiful warm sunshine tinged with autumn colours, good for the soul. Over at JFF this week and a 5 week month so we have "Anything except a card". Well this week I have been working on a little box so I thought I would enter this into the JFF. I painted and distressed the box by crackle medium and rubbing in DIs. I stamped on tissue and blended into the box on top and sides covered the whole lot with matt medium. Inside the box I distressed and lined with mulberry paper onto which I stamped "Roses are red etc, I made a small heart cushion which I had stamped a butterfly and beaded, tiny button and key finally a small grunge flower. The picture is a crafty individuals and it has been crackled. The story of the box, it was given to a WW1 solider by his love and he kept it with him in the trenches until he came home again. The funny thing is I am not at all romantic LOL just ask the diamond, he thinks the sun has gone to my head. Thanks for stopping by blog. Enjoy the sun. Hugs Sandra XX

DragonsDream TIO 97

This week the Dragon DT has set a theme of "Mother" inspiration from Pink Floyd and a must is some embroidery. My tag is called "Timeless" because no matter how old the kids get we still love them and worry about them. I used a crafty individuals image of a Mother and Child which has been crackled and rubbed with DI. The image is sewn to a piece of my precious vintage lace and here is the embroidery (I confess this is done with my sewing machine). I have also used a piece of page from an old book. The key is chipboard and I have used Tim Holtz embossing technique to make it look rusty. the background is DI scattered straw, bundled sage, dried marigold and worn lipstick background stamping in sepia and worn lipstick. The clocks showing the timeless theme.
Fantastic DT pieces. Have a great week all. Hugs Sandra XX

Stars and Christmas

What glorious weather we are enjoying this September I just love an Indian Summer sets you up for winter. I keep hearing we are set for the worst winter for 40 years (shiver, better get my thermals at the ready LOL). Anyway weather report over. all the talk of winter, shapes with more than 4 corners at JFF and Christmas at the Craft Room Challenge I went for a dual piece of 3 stars (more than 4 corners) and Christmas themed hanging.

I cut 3 stars from chipboard and painted the top star in rouge acrylic paint and rubbed metallic red, gold and green into it and then embossed a swirl in a green and added my Victorian scraps Father Christmas, the second star I coloured resist paste with gold paint and pushed it through a template once set I painted in off white and then rubbed with the same metallic stamped with a Christmas theme stamps. The 3rd star is embossed with silver and green (it looks dark as I am a very bad photographer) and I stamped a swirl into it I then filled in the swirl with Icicles stickles. I also stickled Father Christmas. I am entering this in JFF and Craft Room Challenge.

PS I also did a little tag for JFF (tags have more than 4 corners don't they?)

Thanks for stopping and looking. Hugs Sandra XX

DragonsDream TIO Fashion

Over at DargonsDream TIO challenge it is "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" my tag is "Extreme Victorian Fashion" I coloured the tag with DI tumbled glass, faded denim, antique linen. My background stamps are Lost & Found and Sam Poole stamped in sepia, black, and Victorian velvet. The lady is part of a lovley victorian stamp I have (forget the make) and I cut out her head and shoulders only. I used a kaiser craft piece and then raided my vintage lace stash for the skirt, the net sewn sequins and placed the vintage  pink buttons on you know where, well the victorians were rather prim so she needed her modesty kept even if her taste is extreme for a Victorian lady or maybe she was a lady of the night LOL. Oh fabulous DT pieces now of to look at the participants. Hope you like it. Hugs all Sandra XX

Shades of Green

Another week gone by and another challenge at JFF, this week Sam has chosen "Shades of Green", nice one.  I took a chip board circle and embossed in jewel enamel a pale green 3 times on the last one I also added a darker shade of green so it split the colours in two, the photo doesn't do it justice. I then stamped a swirly tree into it (tree - keeping with the green theme :-)) I haven't done much of this and after the 2nd attempt , (the first hit the bin) it worked OKish, I embellished with 3 little green buttons (couldn't resist as I love buttons) and some dangler beads. I also coloured the cord with green versa ink. It is ummmmm a hanging dangler thingy. I am sure I will find a use for it one day LOL.
Last week I was lucky enough to be GDT and I thought the range of vintage work presented by all  was fantastic. Thanks to all who left lovely comments on my two posts last week. Enjoy the weekend. Hugs Sandra XX

Home Decor

I made this frame for someone who loves Butterflies and I thought I would enter it into the Craft Room Challenge   I painted the frame with thin layer of gesso and a layer of very pale blue acrylic paint. I coloured tissue with tumbled glass, antique linen, worn lipstick DI allowed it to dry then stamped the images of butterflies, flora and text in sepia. Scrunched and stuck it to the frame with Matt medium and then a layer of modge podge sparkle. The centre is a piece of crafty individuals background paper. I made the 2 small butterflies by stamping onto CI background paper again I used modge podge sparkle medium to stabilise them the large butterfly is bought but perfect for this frame. I made a grunge flower to finish. My home decor piece and present for my DIL Karen.
Thanks for looking, Hugs all Sandra XX

Key to the Past

HI all I must say I was very surprised and I am very pleased to be asked as a guest designer (a first for me) especially as it is JFF my favourite challenge site. I have learnt so much from the DT and the regular participants.  

I love vintage so I really enjoyed making this piece. I used a small a tando frame which I painted with antique gold and used rock candy crackle to distress I then rubbed in black and walnut stain DI. I machine sewed the little picture to antique lace and the back ground paper. I added antique style braid, a little rose and a metal key I also used a mini tando heart painted gold. I attached antique lace to the corners of the frame and stamped a key around the frame. The entire piece is called (Key to the Past). Thank you everyone for the lovely comments that are left on my blog every week they always make me smile. Hugs Sandra XX

JFF "Words"

Blimey where did August go to in fact what happened to Summer? (answers on a post card please). Anyway over at JFF a new month and a new set of challengers and some changes as Sam is taking a break hope she will be back soon. To begin the month it is "Words chosen by Von . I have gone for Friendship partly because this is my new stamp and partly I bought it on a recent visit to Blades and with my best pal Linda in mind. I coloured the tag with DI broken china and antique linen, I then stamped text with sepia 3 times, I used my new crafty individuals stamp in sepia over a piece of text paper and punched the edge so it looks like it is torn out of a book I also distressed the edges. I used the tando bunting and painted it in bronze acrylic paint and stamped the words onto this. Just added a flower which I coloured with DI and stamped text over and a button. Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by my blog. Hugs Sandra XX

Black, White, Silver & Red

Phew I am quick of the mark for this weeks JFF challenge  LOL. It is the last week of the theme that began as "White on White" and we have progressed to, black then silver and now we have a choice of  adding 1 other colour the DT chose Red, Yellow or Lavender. I have gone with Red which is the choice of Neet and Sam. I think the months theme has worked very well. I have gone contemporary this week and chose a small tando piece painted it black added some small white rubons, painted a small piece of corrugated card  silver and used some red metallic card to make a swirl (its actually part of a swirl) lastly I found a diddly black butterfly and popped him on.  Thanks for looking and the lovely comments on my previous posts they really are appreciated. Hugs XX PS Nice months challenge JFF DT.

TIO #92 Childsplay

I thought I would join in with the DragonsDream Tag It On challenge this week so here is my entry. I used DI on the background with Scatteretd straw, worn lipstick, forest green and bundled sage. Stamped a pale background of flora. Then added the little girl on a swing. I used to love swinging as a child and used to think if I went very high I was flying, my hope is the background makes her look like she is flying. Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra XX

Black, White & Silver

Here is my challenge piece for this weeks JFF ongoing colour theme, this week Black, White and Silver chosen by Sam and we have a  guest designer Janet (excellent that Janet is guest designer I have recently got to know Janet and her work is really fab she is very talented and a very nice lady)

I did a tag tittled "Fantasy" well when did you ever see black and white butterflies except in dream's LOL. I covered the tag in DI black soot then stamped on it with a silver acrylic paint dabber, cut out my butterflies in black and white card with a little sizzix die from stampin up (it emboss at the same time). The butterflies were painted with a glitter glaze and with the addition of some black glitter swirls and letters it was done. I got carried away and also did a little notebook. I covered in a pretty piece of black and silver paper at the bottom and the top I painted in a shimmer paint. The central piece is corrugated package painted in silver metallic paint and a stamped out frame the piece is painted with glue and shine sealer and added more of the butterflies. Thanks for stopping by and looking. Enjoy the weekend. Hugs Sandra XX

Black & White

Over at JFF this week the colour theme of the month continues this time it is "Black & White". Mmmm nice one I thought but actually it took me a couple of days to decide what to do. Maybe it was because we are in the middle of decorating, I am chief tea and sustenance maker a role I took very seriously LOL. For the challenge I made a small canvas called "Masquerade". I love my judi masks stamp set and I thought this mask was perfect for a Black and White theme. I painted the canvas with acrylic and once dry stamped the diamond shapes onto it. I stamped the mask onto black card with brilliance white ink, I then covered it in glossy accents. After adding some embellishments and sticky swirls it was done. I enjoyed this one  XX. Oh well back to tea and sustenance for the Diamond. Thanks for looking Hugs All XX

White on White

Over at JFF it is a new month and a new set of challenges Sam has chosen the theme of "White on White" I must say the DT have produced some amazing work for this theme. White looks so clean and crisp. Anyway after some scratching of the head I settled on a chip board bird and cage, I painted it all in white acrylic paint. Then I painted over with a pearl dabber for a white metallic look on the cage. The bird I painted over in a shimmer paint and added some sticky swirls and a pearl eye. I made the paper rose out of fairly thick white paper. Over the whole lot I painted glue and seal assembled and dabbed about some frosted lace stickles and finished off with lace and white roses. Have a great weekend whatever you do Hugs Sandra XX

Fabric & Fiber

Well I have just discovered how many times I have said "After the wedding" ho hum I have a list as long as my arm of things I have been putting off LOL no excuse now for not working through the list.
BUT first I did the challenge for JFF which is use Fabric and Fiber.  Now I have a love of fabric and lace particularly love  incorporating into my makes, I have sewn a piece of pink silk to a card and in the spirit of JFF right out of my comfort zone and inspired by Von, I have attempted to use fiber to make the flowers (Mmmm I must try harder) not sure I did right. I inked a stamp and popped the fiber onto it then placed vellum over the top and ironed it, I thought it might melt more than it did. More playing I think. I used zigzag braid for the stems and stamped the leaves and butterfly onto the fabric added apiece of lace for effect. Hope it isn't to cute. Please read on to see the fabric collage I also made and for those who asked me I have popped up a wedding photo. Thanks for taking time to look. Hugs Sandra XX 

I made a fabric collage and card for my Aunt who is 70 on the 1st of August (Happy Birthday Auntie Netta) The picture on the collage is her as a child. I have used antique lace and fabric bits onto Hessian.

I have snuck in a photo of the wedding as one or two asked for it. As you can see it was a fantastic and we were and are very proud.

Corrugated Heart

This little corrugated heart hanging was made for the  JFF weekly challenge which is using corrugated as a significant part of the piece. I chose a collaged heart hanging which I cut out of a piece of old package I had kept. I dabbed acrylic pant randomly using antique white and a gold. I then rubbed DI bundled sage over it and around the edges. I also used some Tin Holtz tape on it. Then stamped my little bird onto text paper which I inked and cut him out I outlined the bird with glitter pens to lift him and gave him his embossed crown. I used glue and seal to stick my bird and sentiment I think it it gives a lovely glossy finish. As it is a collage and I love buttons I edged the heart with them. Added the little key and my beaded dangly bit which has a little native American fetish bear at the end. hope you like it. Enjoy your  weekend Hugs XX