Out of the Hat Creations. challenge 4

The Challenge pulled out of the hat (Out of the Hat Creations) for this week was a bit tricky as I had to rummage around in the Diamonds shed sacred ground LOL. He bless him thought I had completely lost my marbles (maybe he is right LOL). Anyway I found a large tin full of all sorts of stuff like old coins, snaps,  washers, brass bits (collar dog backings) from his Army days some old buckles and old sacking.
I decided to make a fabric art (art really?) hanging. So I chose 2 sorts of fabric that had a design that looked like rusty circles and old colours. I backed with some wadding and did a bit of free form sewing all over it. I hand dyed a piece of used colour catcher (I just love these sheets so versatile) using water and acrylic paint just a quick dunk and sewed it to my fabric. i covered the fabric with wunderweb and gave it a blast with my heat gun it resembles cobwebs which I also found in the shed :) I cut circles out of the colour catcher and sewed washers to it with metallic thread and sewed on the brass colour backings the snaps were fabric glued. It is all attached with wire and green garden sticks also from the shed. Thanks for stopping by me blog and the lovely comments. Hope you can take part in our challenge as I would love to see what you come up with. Hugs All Sandra XXX

Out of a Hat Creations

This little time piece is something I have had in my craft stash for ages and not known what to do with it. the challenge this week at Out of the Hat Creations is to use something from your craft room you have had for ages. So I  decided to decorate the inside of this clock case. I used vintage style paper, cut out the face of a lovely girl to stick inside and added vintage lace and a bead there is also a little Jewell to the side, some pearls from her necklace and a  dangle bead and bow charm. On top of the watch case a tine heart with an arrow through (I put it too near her head OOPS) All the items are mementos that her loved one carry with him. I hope you can find time to join in you must have some stash you have always meant to use for fun. We would love to see what you can do just post on the  Out of the Hat Creations challenge site.
Thanks for looking Hugs All XXX

Artful Times Challenge 1

A new challenge blog has sprung into action called  "Artful Times"  run by the lovely Von, Neet and Sam. Good Luck Ladies :) the blog looks great. The first challenge is make a tag.
As it is spring and we have had some lovely weather and all the blossom is out (I just love it) I felt all flowery. Tag cut out of a lovely piece of paper inked over to tone down, decorated with vintage lace a flower made out of a pinwheel and small Rosette mixed with a bought flower and leaves. The butterfly is chipboard embossed, I stamped the words. Clean and simple unusual for me.
Also a quick plug for another new blog where you can take part in a challenge Out of a Hat Creations. There will be something for everyone so do check it out if you have time.
Thanks for looking and hugs all. X

Out of a Hat Creations Challenge 2

This is the second Challenge from "Out of a Hat Creations" Do check out the challenge and we would love you to join in. The challenge picks a theme from a hat every week which is great fun you never know what might come along next. This time it is to decorate a box always a fun thing to do and the world is your oyster in terms of decoration. I have painted a box in Crafty Notions "Peacock" paint what a beautiful colour this has been rubbed back in places to reveal a blue which was the undercoat. It has also been rubbed with metallic silver. I then stamped it with a swirl in white. Heat embossed the cage with WOW white and painted the bird in the peacock and the wing white. With the addition of some bling, song paper, lace etc it was done. I love decorating boxes as there is so much you can do with them. Thanks for stopping by my blog and the lovely comments. Hugs Sandra XXX

Mrs Gimble's Hat Sale

Well its been a surprising few days. I was an avid fan of a challenge blog "Just for Fun" which has just closed and along with Chrissie, Florence and Janet (we all missed the JFF blog it had such a friendliness about it) another blog has emerged
 "Out of the Hat Creations" the name because Chrissie (well her Vic really) will pull a weekly challenge out of the hat. Chrissie has worked hard getting the blog up and running with a bit of support for theme ideas from everyone else. I am sure you will be welcome to join in if you would like to.
This week we have had a test challenge "Hat" I chose to do a stitched mixed media hanging piece. The background piece is a used tumble dry sheet sponged with blue paint and spayed with cosmic shimmer, I then layered with muslin, lace and scraps of text fabric and dotty fabric. It has all been machine stitched together overlayed with the wooden torso and topped with an image of a lovely lady in a magnificent hat. The little hats are from a CI stamp set and stamped onto a spare piece of the used tumble dry sheet. to finish beading along the bottom and 2 blue bows. Thanks for stopping by my blog and do drop by  Out of the Hat Creations  Hugs All Sandra XXX

GC 141 Granny's Photo Album

The Gingersnaps chestnut theme challenge this month is "Granny's Photo Album (do take a look at the DT and other participant entries they really are fab). I really love vintage style so couldn't resist making a tag for the challenge. I have coloured the tag with DI antique linen and worn lipstick it's given a nice pinkish faded tinge, the edges are rubbed with inka gold. I stamped with text and a CI flower swirl. I used a small piece of corrugated again rubbed with inka gold and the DIs and attached the cut out image. The circles are sprayed with cosmic shimmer copper (they are cut out of a colour catcher sheet) and the flowers mounted onto them. The lace is from my vintage collection and really gives the vintage feel.
Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra XOXO 

Craft Room Challenge - Vintage Shabby

The Craft Room Challenge for this fortnight is "Vintage Shabby" (my favourite)  for this I have made a fabric collage. I used the vintage image of a girl and transferred this to calico fabric I also stamped onto the fabric and attached this to some jute I used blue and orange fibre to embellish and made a crown from grunge paper inked with spice marmalade and added the pearls. Added a little bird which I had stamped,cut out and covered in glossy accent. I then added a metal heart and hand stitched around the edge in blue. The Diamond made me a wire hanger for it (Thank you). Thanks for looking. hugs Sandra X

Tag Tuesday - BIRDS

The Tag Tuesday team have a weekly challenge which this week is BIRDS. I coloured a tag with DI antique linen, dried marigold and dry brushed a bit of turquoise acrylic here and there, a spray of cosmic shimmer copper.  I back stamped with eggs and added gold leaf. The bird stamp is from Crafty Individuals which I mounted onto a piece of sacking fabric which I made into a tag shape with a stitched edge. I have also used brown jute a measure stamp and buttons.  Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hugs Sandra XXX

GC140 2 Colour Challenge

The Gingersnaps have a colour challenge we are to choose 2 colours. I just love red and cream so I went for a collage piece I rubbed the red card with tea dye DI and then stamped a swirl, I mounted the lace doily and the felt heart and felt swirl (cut out with the big shot) added a little metal heart. The tag is washed with cream acrylic paint and then rubbed in tea dye DI. This gorgeous stamp is new from Crafty Individuals (isn't she gorgeous) I used red glitter glue to highlight the heart and beads. Added a little cream butterfly and a seam binding bow. Thanks for dropping by, hugs Sandra XXX

The Diamond is 60

To celebrate The Diamond reaching 60 I made a heart hanging for him, It is covered in paper which has been DI rubbed over then embossed a swirl in gold, added eyelets. The 60 has been heat embossed and stamped into. The saying is from TH stamp and so perfect. Needless to say he was very chuffed with this.
Thanks for looking Hugs Sandra XXX

Last Ever JFF Challenge

Sad to say this the last ever JFF challenge I have enjoyed the journey as I have learnt such a lot through this challenge site over the last year or so, A big "THANK YOU" DT ladies and to those lovely cyber friends that have left such lovely comments on my blog, it is such a confidence booster. Well for my last challenge I have used my british bulldog stamp as a tribute to all the men in our lives  and to distress I made brown fabric paper (Yippee I have treated myself to the very talented "Sarah Lawrence" book who sadly recently died, this is where I learnt this technique, A fabulous book) used a torn piece of watercolour paper and a couple of cosmic shimmer spray, text stamp and a bit of gilding then stitched onto the bpf. DI inked the bulldog and touched up with watercolour pencils. Hugs All and thanks for stopping by. I will stay in touch and I hope you all do to. Sandra X0X0. 

Poetry

It's poetry time over at "Tag Tuesday" (a new challenge blog for me) Spring is a lovely time of year for poetry. I have chosen to do a Pooh poem. I just love Pooh and his little poohisims.

How sweet to be a cloud
Floating in the blue
Every little cloud
Always sings aloud

How sweet to be a cloud
Floating in the blue
It makes him very proud
To be a little cloud

My tag has been painted with azure blue acrylic and dabbed with pearl to create clouds (see faux clouds on Gingersnaps) I then stamped with part of a kaisercraft stamp in midnight blue. Added sequin waste and my hand made butterfly made out of wallpaper. The poem, lace and beads. Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra XOXO

Sporty Men - Swimmers

The challenge at JFF continues with the men theme and this week it is "Sporty Men". I choose a hanging, the base is from a cardboard box and I inked and rubbed metallic into the edges. The image is cut out from a graphics 45 (I think) sheet of paper called "Coney Island" (I thought they looked like swimmers). I ran a paper through my pleater gadget and a piece of blue that looked like waves through an emboss folder the circles depict bubbles. I have rubbed and distressed the papers added gold leaf, washers to continue the bubbles thingy and fibres that look like sand and waves. My handsome sporty swimmers. I had a lot of fun doing this hanging and at last I think I am getting the hang of stuff for men. Ladies you mission is accomplished LOL. Hugs All and thanks for looking . Off to view snowdrops tomorrow at Walsingham Abbey with Mum. Sandra XXX

Vintage Men Challenge

This week the "Men" challenge continues over at JFF with "Vintage Men". I always find doing "Men" stuff a real challenge, the design team always have some great pieces to help us and this month we have Valerie of Bastelmania as gust designer with a fab piece. I cut a tag out of paper that has a great variation of backgrounds into all to do with USA (these do not show on the photo) I gave it a gesso wash and rubbed in some sepia and metallic rubs to tone down and vintage it. Used old book page pieces, stamped text, faux stitches and embossed stars. The images are from some paper I have had for a while (think I picked it up for about 20p) and it is called "Vintage Movie Stars". Have no idea what to expect next week from the "Men" month. Have a great week everyone (I think our snow is at last beginning to melt a bit, fingers crossed). Thanks for looking and the very kind comments.
Hugs All. XXX

A Whole Month of Men - JFF

A new month over at JFF and the theme is "Men" this week it is also "Black and White" well! we sure did have the white stuff this morning in my part of the country. The Diamond, me and Tilly had a lovely walk around our local beauty spot and I couldn't resit sharing the photos with you. The rest of the day has been devoted to hobbies so I cut out 4 bears, cooked rock buns and an apple crumble, and then got down to the challenge. I made a card as it is soon to be my Dads birthday. I inked through sequin waste (I love this effect) direct onto the card. The tag is run through the big shot with a text emboss and black soot DI swiped. A smaller tag is rubbed with black ink and then stamped in moonlight white, the centre is a card covered in an old book page and gessoed hen stamped. The car is stamped in moonlight white onto black card and coloured with a white gel pen this is slightly raided on the card. I added the black Happy Birthday ribbon and the word Dad. Thanks for stopping by and keep warm. Hugs Sandra XXX

Gingersnaps - Shades of Green

The  Gingersnap Creations colour challenge is green. I made this vintage style card using an old book page, Cosmo cricket paper which I have punched to look like a note book edge, the image is perfect as the little girls are in green, I backed this onto green card and lifted the whole thing by adding the red edge,the green vintage style bobble braid and the heart button.
I have been following the Gingers for a while and this is my very first Gingersnap challenge so feeling a little apprehensive about it. It is my new years resolution to be brave and take part in more challenges
Thanks for stopping by my blog
Hugs Sandra XXX

JFF Medieval

This is the last week of past times challenges at JFF and we have one far back in time to Medieval (I thought it was going to be Victorian but how wrong was I - Von, Zoe and Neet really know how to keep us on our toes LOL). To me Medieval is Knights in shinning armour and rich reds, golds and purple, but then I was bought up on a diet of Hollywood and Errol Flynn films so not surprising that's where my head went. I used a tag and found the image on The Graphics Fairy and did some brush work on it, I also had just purchased some CI stamps which had the 3 lions and the saying amongst it (perfect). I used red card and stamped a crackle background  in purple with some gold swirls. Richard the Lion Heart I think.Thanks for looking & Hugs All XXXXXX

Art Nouveau Challenge

This little ATC is my Art Nouveau offering to the weekly challenge at JFF I have used DI tea stain and stamped in a dark red with a CI background stamp which is Art Nouveau-ish and oversamped with a rather lovely owl (forgotten who this stamp is from) the patterns and lines are very AN. Their are some lovely offerings from the DT ladies and the other participants do pop over and take a look. Thank you all for your kind comments it is always a morale booster to read them. Hugs All Sandra XXX

Art Deco - In the style of

The JFF ladies this week have given a great theme of Art deco which I love and wow those DT ladies did some fabulous work this week. Chrissie from Jumbled Crafts is this months guest designer and her mirror is simply gorgeous do take a look. I did find it quite tricky. After a lot of fiddle faddle in my craft room with several attempts hitting the bin, I finally painted a beer mat black and cut out the paper which I felt was in the style of Art Deco I stamped a single rose onto and added a corner shape again I felt it was in style of art Deco I then sealed it with a gloss modge podge. I don't feel very happy about my piece this week all I will say is that it hopefully resembles the style of Art Deco. Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra XXX

Hot Pants and Platform Boots

Over at JFF the new year kicks off with looking back in time to the 60's / 70,s. Oh the 70,s in my teens and very fashionable in my purple hot pants and very high platform boots (of course I had the figure to match, I wouldn't risk my derriere in hot pants theses days LOL and as for those high platforms well!)

 I painted a beer mat with sparkle turquoise paint and then stamped purple rings and pink and lime green dots (the colours didn't photograph as well). The image( from lost coast ) I thought it represents the 60/70,s women's quest for more freedom in our everyday lives which was big in those times. As a teen this saying was my favourite, I thought it was very naughty hence using it. Nice one JFF DT, thanks for the memories.   XXX Hugs All Thanks for looking.