Faces OOAH Ch 54

Hello all! well we are at Easter and yes its still so darn cold it is freezing my mojo has frozen
up luckily I did this before this problem occurred. I was very cheered up by the lovely projects you all did for our challenges this month so much talent out there in blog land and thank you for your kind comments I really appreciate them. And a BIG thank you to Tracey we have really enjoyed having her as a guest designer this month. This week we are asking for "Faces" a very versatile theme so get your thinking caps on. I went for a hanging it is a sandwich of card and corrugated which has been swooshed with paint, then the next layer is painted and stamped the next layer is from patterned paper and the image (she is gorgeous) has been highlighted with seed beads the flowers are made from old book pages . Do visit Janet and Chrissie. Looking forward to seeing your projects on Out of a Hat blog. Happy Easter and hugs Sandra XXX

Artful Times Alcohol inking

Think I just made this challenge over at Artful Times Neet is asking for
"Alcohol Inking" I think my mojo is frozen solid with all this cold snowy weather, as I phaffed around with all sorts of things and couldn't get it to work. Eventually I made myself a little keyring (always useful) it is a wooden tag shape and I painted it with pearl acrylic then used cool peri, stream, and a bright colour with silver metallic and dabbed it all over to get this lovely colour mix. The technique is from TH Simple but effective. If you haven't already then do look at Neet and Von's projects they are very good. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hugs Sandra X

Hatters Birthday Ch 52

Hello fabulous bonnet makes last week, and Happy Birthday the Hatters I can't believe a year has past us by. We have made so many talented crafting friends it has been a wonderful experience for me. Thank you for joining us and giving your support with lovely kind comments.
To celebrate Janet has made a spinning game so I gave it a virtual  twirl and landed on vintage hooray my favourite :)
I have altered a little box, it has been painted with heather blue acrylic and dabbed with gold paint and rubbed with metallic to distress and age it. Text stamp in sepia and decorated with buttons and lace. The inside has also been painted and matching paper used. We do a monthly swap and this is for my swap partner. Go on give it a twirl and make something special to celebrate our birthday.  Do visit Janet and Chrissie. Looking forward to seeing your projects. Hugs Sandra XXX

Easter Hats OOAH Ch 51

Hello all is it me or is time just whipping by this year and most of it in winter conditions ugh lets hope spring will arrive ASAP my poor daffs are struggling to come out. Great projects from those that joined us last week thank you. Hope you are enjoying our guest DT memeber this month it is lovely to have Tracey with us.
Well thoughts go to Easter in a couple of weeks and Chrissie thought of Bonnets, well we all need an Easter hat to parade in don't we. You could chose to make a card or tag whatever you fancy.  I choose to make these little top hats. I first saw them made on Seeing Things blog a great blog with lots of tutorials and templates worth a good look.  So I downloaded the template for the hats and followed the instructions it worked perfectly well in fact I so enjoyed making them I made 3. A vintage hat, A trendy hat and a steampunk gentleman's hat. I am looking forward to seeing your hats. Do visit Janet and Chrissie. Looking forward to seeing your projects. Hugs Sandra X

Circles and Lines

Hello hope you are keeping warm, with the return of winter in my part of England (returned with a vengeance) :( Brr. BUT it did mean I got to do some crafting as far to cold for the garden.
The Artful times ladies (Von & Neet) are asking for Circles / Lines or Spots / Stripes great makes by Von and Neet.
I must admit I did a lot of thinking and not a lot of doing just couldn't seem to settle on a design, I think the cold got to my brain. So I did this little comedy tag :) I used water colour card and covered it with old book paper and gave it a wash of acrylic paint cream colour. I then punched out circles and gave each a wash of paint, stamped with lines. The smaller circles are punched from striped paper.
Balloons or flowers? well I settled on flowers as the little bees thought so (Bees have stripes). I doodled lines around the edge of the tag. Thanks for dropping by to look. Keep warm hugs Sandra X


Friends & Friendship Ch 50

Hello everyone fabulous hangings last week so many innovative takes on the theme well done. Thank you your kind comments they are much appreciated.
March is here already and maybe signs of spring beginning to show lets hope for a warm spell. This week we are asking for a homage to our dear friends, they are so important don't ya think, whether we see them in everyday or they are blogging friends they are important. I have made a card (I don't very often do cards) used some paper I have had for ages which has all sorts of friend words on it as the backing. Made some paper flowers and leaves. My tag has been stamped with this wonderful crafty individuals stamp and rubbed over with DIs. The quote has been glossy accented and is cut from the background paper.  I am looking forward to seeing your homage. Do visit Janet and Chrissie. Looking forward to seeing your projects. Hugs Sandra X

Hanging Challenge 49

Hello all just loved your altered matchboxes such fab things to decorate. Hopefully you will find this challenge a must we are asking for "hanging" maybe a door hanging or just something to decorate your craft space with. I have made mine a pennant shape. I have cut card and covered it wit sticky back canvas. The background is a postcard image which I have transferred using TAP onto the canvas. I then washed a little acrylic paint in sand and rubbed over Tea Dye DI. I have edged with a crackle look stamp. The edges are decorated with rolled old book pages. The lovely lady image is has distressed inked edges. I have made little rolled flowers that have been mounted onto corrugated card. Finished with a punched butterfly and bits of lace. Thanks for looking and you kind comments are much appreciated. Do visit Janet and Chrissie. Looking forward to seeing your projects. Hugs Sandra X

Altered Matchbox Challenge 48

Hope you enjoyed the feeling of spring while making those lovely Birds or Butterflies projects. Thank you for joining us. This week we ask you to alter a matchbox in any style you please. I love making altering this little darlings. I have covered this matchbox in paper and stamped text onto it rubbed gold krylon around the edges and wrapped music paper around the middle. My little tag has an heat embossed mouse a button to decorate. Yes he lives inside the matchbox. LOL. I loved altering these so much I made another to swap with Janet.
Thanks for looking and you kind comments. Do visit Janet and Chrissie. Looking forward to seeing your projects. Hugs Sandra X

Birds and Butterflies

Hi all thank you for joining us with your wonderful texture projects a delight to see.This week we are going all Spring perfect after all the snow and cold, it is just around the corner now.I have made a tag for my little Birds and Butterflies. The background has been swished with marigold and antique linen DIs, then sage green pounced through sequin waste. A background stamped in sepia flowers and butterflies. An old piece of book page stamped with birds eggs. A punched heart (well it is valentines day)and the bird stamp this was free with craft stamper this has been heat embossed. A bit of vintage lace to finish. Looking forward to seeing your Birds and Butterflies project. Do take a look at the friendship quilt and at Janet and Chrissie projects. Thanks for looking and your comments are much appreciated. Enjoy Valentines. Hugs Sandra X

Madame Butterfly

Morning all more snow in my part of the UK brrrrr, at least it gave me time to make this little oriental hanging for The Artful Times challenge an Asian theme. I cut out a shaped card and covered it with paper that looks sort of Oriental. I used this little printed Japanese lady and some printed Oriental words swished over some red ink and a sand colour to dull it all down. The cherry blossom has been heat embossed in gold finished with red stickles. Added the little gold butterflies for effect. Thanks for looking and for your kind comments. Hugs Sandra XXX

Three Textures

Hello everyone lovely ATCs last week it was quite a tricky challenge with the colour restriction. Thank you for your kind comments.
we have a great challenge for you this week something to get your teeth into. We are asking for 3 textures to be used on just about anything you like. I have altered a little key cabinet. I painted it with a clay acrylic paint and then washed it over with a sand and also dabbed on the sides to look like texture. The front has been stamped with text and lines in sepia and has had crackle accents applied in small areas. The inset front has texture paste mixed with gold paint applied. The inside of the cabinet has been stained with a mica spray and a embossed piece of card inset and what a shock a little mouse has got into the cabinet LOL Well it hasn't been opened for years. The keys themselves have been cut from card and heat embossed in distressed walnut to look worn and then rubbed with metallic, I also rubbed metallic into the cabinet. What will you do.
Thank you for your visit to my blog and your lovely supportive comments, much appreciated. Do stop by to see what Janet and Chrissie have made. Hugs Sandra x

ATC Set OOAH challenge 45

Hello hope you are all well, the snow has gone from my part of the world now thank goodness. I loved looking at the entries from last week great take on clocks. Well here we are with a new challenge a set of ATC,s using green, red, black, white. I must admit I found this quite tricky but decided on a little bit of "Art Couture" so used my little dress pattern again (it's so cute) it seemed right as I have a love of sewing. I used card and covered with paper that has a sewing theme and I also added to it with sewing stamps. The dresses are cut from paper which has been stamped decorated with buttons and bows also a little ric rac. Looking forward to seeing your creations. Thank you for your visit to my blog and your lovely supportive comments, much appreciated. Do stop by to see what Janet and Chrissie have made.
Hugs Sandra XXX

Clocks OOAH Challenge 44

 

 

Hello hope you are ok in this snowy weather its pretty but! well it does give the excuse for more crafting LOL.  I did enjoy looking at the entries last week - gorgeous and also have you seen the friendship quilt set up by Chrissie it would be brilliant to see your projects featured there.This week we are asking for "Clocks" a nice theme to get your teeth into. I have chosen an ATC (I do love working on this size) it has been covered in paper and given a wash of gesso and then inked with light brown. I have layered with a different text paper. The clock I have made by punching out a circle and of paper I stamped text on in grey. The clock face is made from corrugated card and stamped with a clock and I have used some little sequins that look like clock hands also used them for the top bit. It has been finished with a little chain.

Thank you for your visit to my blog and your lovely supportive comments, much appreciated. Do stop by to see what Janet and Chrissie have made. Hugs Sandra XXX

ATC Time

The snow has one good effect I have stayed indoors playing with my crafting stuff :) I do walk the dog as well as snow clearing LOL. Over at Artful Times Von and Neet have set an ATC challenge with the theme of "Time". Well all the snow got me thinking of Spring (can't come quick enough for me) so I painted some card with a wash of sand acrylic paint and swiped over some sepia ink. Then stamped a background of text and butterflies from Kanban. Layered some strips of music paper and again a dictionary "Time" definition which I gave a wash of the paint and rubbed with ink. Decorated with paper flowers which I made from card and been stickled, my little tag has been stamped with clocks and the saying printed out then rubbed in sepia ink (the saying is from Anna Kerenina). A pretty edge and buttons to finish. Thanks for looking and enjoy the sledging.
Keep warm Hugs Sandra XXX

Most Useful Stamp

 

Hello I just can't believe how quick January is slipping by and snow here this week Brrrrrrrr. Judging by your wonderful projects you all enjoyed the Hatters party. Thank you for the wonderful comments left on my blog it is very encouraging to read them. This week we thought it was time to pull out your most useful or favourite stamp I know we all have one probably more than one HeeHee. I have used 2 as I find text the most useful and at the moment beach huts are my favourite. I made an ATC size postcard and over stamped with text, the beach huts have been stamped onto card and coloured with water colour pencils it is slightly raised from the main ATC. I also love my little bunting die cut. The bunting is cut from felt. I am looking forward to seeing all your favourites.

Thank you for your visit to my blog and do stop by to see what Janet and Chrissie have made. Hugs Sandra XXX

Hatters Party Bingo

Morning everyone wow I am blown away by the RSVP's everyone has a wonderful imagination thank you for joining in with the challenge and I hope you partied the week away. To finish off the party we are having a bingo game with lots of lovely elements but you must include a hat.

There is a wonderful top hat template on the Somerset Studios site maybe you can decorate this. I was in sewing mode so I used my teapot and teacups in fabric and a beautiful lace doily. The background fabric is hand dyed cotton velvet. The line I Hat, button, text, stamp. The teapot and teacups are stamped with a swirl, the text is how to make the perfect cup of tea, the buttons in each corner are handmade ceramic. The hats are a cherry and teapot lid. I hope you have fun with this.

Thank you for your visit to my blog and do stop by to see what Janet and Chrissie have made. Hugs Sandra XXX

Artful Times - 2 Embossing folders Challenge

Hello again I have been busy with posts this week even though blogger is playing silly bs with uploading photos, went all round the houses to upload this photo. A new challenge over at The Artful Times and they are asking for at least 2 different embossing folders used on the project. They also have a guest DT member this week all the projects they made are wonderful do stop and take a look. I have opted for a little ATC made fron corrugated card and rubbed with gold and pieces of music sheet randomly placed. The little dress has been embossed twice. I first put it through with the dots and sanded it back then put it through the swirls. Added bit and bobs to finish. Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra X

Jigsaw Challenge

Hello everyone thank you for your visits to my blog and welcome to my newest followers. Over the Christmas period Janet set a challenge for the 3 of us. Janet bought 3 children's puzzle and sent out 3 pieces from each to me and Chrissie. She set us themes for each piece and we altered them and sent the 3 pieces for each person on until we all had a complete set. It sounds complicated but wasn't at all. It was a lot of fun to do this and here is the finished puzzle. Do take a look at Janet's and Chrissie's blog for a picture of their finished puzzle. I am going to frame mine. Thanks for stopping by to look. Enjoy your week Hugs Sandra XXX

Hatters Tea Party

 Welcome back and here's wishing you a happy and healthy 2013. I hope you all had a great Christmas. Fabulous birthstone entries ladies. We are still in party mood at the hatters so we thought we would kick of 2013 with

"A Mad Hatters Party"

We 3 have made an invite for you and we would like you to design an RSVP. This can take any shape or form, let your imagination run wild.

I have used a teapot shape. I saw this beautifully done on The Altered Alice and always wanted to try it out. The teapot template I found at Papercraft Inspirations. I covered it with Graphics 45 tea party paper front and back and edged in gold krylon pen. The . The teacups are from stampin up and the Alice image from the retro cafe I have also added a few lines from Alice. The teapot lid is a top hat made from a stamp I have. On the reverse is the invite to you the tea party. I am looking forward to seeing those RSVP's 

Thank you for your visit to my blog and do stop by to see what Janet and Chrissie have made. Hugs Sandra XXX

Winter

Hello all, wow the shrines were just lovely thank you for taking part in the challenge.
Secondly I would like to say a fond farewell to Florence as she has decided not continue with the Hatters, its been a pleasure crafting with you every week and I wish you all the best for 2013. I am sure we will see her in blogland with her wonderful projects.
This week we have a theme of Winter I must admit to being very busy trying to get ready for the big day (why do we all go so mad) so a quick make from me. I had this wooden snowflake and on the day I picked it up it was snowing so it had to be used.  I painted it a sky blue mixed with a grey to give a snowy sky look. then stamped with snowflakes and heated wow white embossing powder. over the top of all I have painted with a glitter glaze.
I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas as I am taking a break until the new year. Thank you for the support and joining us "The Hatters" also for taking the time to make lovely comments. Hope to see you all back and ready to craft in the new year. Do be sure and check out , Janet and Chrissie lovely projects. They will also be posting next week with a theme so do take a look.  Christmas Hugs Sandra XXX