Decorate a Box or Bag

 Hope you are all finding time to craft with the excitement of Team GB I must admit I have really enjoyed this Olympics. I have still found time to craft as well. Thank you to all those who made a Lines project they were fab. So the
Out of A Hat challenge this week is decorate a box or gift bag. Hopefully you will be inspired this week. I love decorating boxes and recently did this box for my friend who had a very special

 birthday. It was the box my new mobile phone arrived in. It has been covered in paper and lightly painted over, stamped onto and embossed, rubbed with gold leafing pen and added embellishments. I have popped a button on the front to make a draw and inside I popped a matching altered domino book (sorry about the photo for this) and one of my little bears  (Louis 4ins high, designed and hand made by me)  the little sweater was hand knitted by my Mum. Thanks for stopping by and do look at And do take a look at Florence, Janet and Chrissie to see there lovely projects. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs Sandra XXX

Mona Lisa at Artful Times

Challenge number 10 over at The Artful Times and Von has chosen Mona Lisa, she is a good choice, very iconic. I am making myself a sampler book a place where I can indulge my love of fabric, lace, buttons, beads, bows mixed with paint, ink and any other technique I want to try out.
My Mona Lisa is an image printed onto calico using Tshirt transfer paper. I have dipped a piece of muslin into watered down dusty rose acrylic paint for the backing and some of the embellishments. Used pieces of music sheet paper underneath the fabrics and for stamping the Eiffel tower onto. The fabrics are green silk (which is peeping through the lace border) cotton and vintage lace. The swirl is cut from gold card and I have beaded the top corner along with some hand cross stitches. I have rubbed some gold metallic to give an aged look. It was such a pleasure to make this. Thanks for stopping by and for the lovely comments. Now back to the Olympics. Hugs All Sandra X

Line upon Line

Thank you to those that shared their gorgeous projects with us last week and a big Thank You for the lovely comments you left us. I can't quite believe we are at Chelleng number 19 where has the time gone. The theme is Lines and I have choosen a tag with lines of sewing. I have used paper strips, fabric strips, vintage lace, and a line drawing stamp for the face, this was a freebie from craft stamper. I have machine sewn lines and hand stiched a border line around the stamped image. I am looking forward to seeing what you can do. And do take a look at Florence, Janet and Chrissie to see there lovely projects. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs Sandra XXX
PS Congratulations to  TRACY  of Papercraft Nut who is the lucky winner of Janets draw. 

Europe Travel Tag

Artful Times has a Europe Travel Tag challenge. I have chosen Paris mainly because those are the stamps I have and Paris is considered a romantic destination. The tag has been Distressed Inked  and given a watered down gesso wash. The background has swirl stamp and the Eiffel tower in grey, along with pieces of torn book page. The centre panel is a piece of hand made fabric paper. made with tyvek and pieces of torn paper and tissues then inked over. The text theme has been carried over to the centre panel and the Eiffel tower raised up. The tag is finished with buttons and lace. Thanks for stopping by to look and the lovely comments. Hugs Sandra XXX  

A Little Bit of Sewing

Hello All, fabulous Time projects for last weeks
Out of A Hat challenge. So lovely to see you all joining us. Just to remind you that Janet has a special prize which will be randomly drawn at the beginning of August.
This week is a personal favourite of mine "A touch of sewing" it does not have to be much just a little to enhance your project.
I am just starting a fabric book, well really it is mixed media sample book with lots of fabric as I want it to be a place where I can try out lots of techniques. The heart is my front page and below the second page.
I have assembled this piece using,
Hessian, paper, painted used colour catcher sheet, sequin waste, patterned fabric, calico, and vintage lace. I have machined sewn around in several different colour silk threads hand stiched little crosses and beaded with pearl beads and a paper bead in the centre. Finished with a metal key. Do make sure you visit Florence, Janet and Chrissie to see there lovely projects. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs Sandra XXX 

Out of A Hat Creation Challenge is Time

Wow! we had some fantastic twinchies for last weeks challenge. So lovely to see you all joining us. Just to remind you that Janet has a special prize which will be randomly drawn.
This week the challenge is "Time" always a popular theme it has so much scope. I chose to do an ATC (2.5 by 3.5 ins) the background has been given a wash of blue acrylic, sprayed with glimmer mist and background inked through a mask in a darker colour blue. I have added text paper and stamped with Paris themes and clock faces.  Do make sure you visit Florence, Janet and Chrissie have a lovely weekend. SShhhhhhThere is talk of summer making an appearance fingers crossed. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs Sandra XXX 

Twinchies

It is always nice to have folks join us and I thought the entries last week were lovely entries thanks for joining the hatters.
I do hope you will join us again and don't forget Janet has a fab prize for July.
This week it is twinchies, I have made a nature inspired tag which has been painted, inked and background stamped and given a gesso wash. I added bits of corrugated card rubbed with gold leaf and pieces of text paper. The twinchie squares (for those of you not familiar with the term, a twinchie is 2x2) again these are inked and have had a guesso wash, background stamped in grey and then stamped in black with a variety of nature stamps, finished off with a few punched out butterflies and a flower. I have to admit I struggled this week my mojo went on vacation I think or had drowned in a puddle LOL. Do make sure you visit Florence, Janet and Chrissie have a lovely weekend even if we get yet more rain and thanks for stopping by. Hugs Sandra XXX

Modes of Transport

The lovely ladies over at The Artful Times have chosen Sam to set the fortnightly challenge the theme being "Mode of Transport"  I had a good rummage in my stamps box and decided on a Sailing ship scene stamp.(Sorry if you have had enough of water LOL).
I have had this for ages and never used it. I made a card this is such a departure from my comfort zone for me. I used watercolour paper and stamped the image, then coloured with a mixture of watercolour paint and DI Inks, tore the edges and inked up then rubbed silver metallic around the image. The backing paper had a lovely sea look to it with text running through it. I finished off with eyelets and stamped the words on calico. I actually enjoyed making this card. Thanks so much for looking and the lovely comments. Hugs Sandra XXX 

Postcard from Paris

I am so thrilled at the response for last weeks challenge over at Out of A Hat fantastic work Thank you all for joining in and those lovely comments. I do hope you can join in this month as Janet has arranged a summer surprise.
This week we are Postcards, mine is from Paris now is it a secret assignation or an under cover spy note?, I wonder. I have used a 4 x6 ins card and cover it with paper from a Crafty Individuals pack then stained it with DI Antique linen and tea dye.The edges of the card have been stamped and heat embossed with gold then stamped with a postal stamp from Kaiser craft. The tag is again DI stained and stamped with a TH and then stamped the Eiffel tower again and cut out. I finished off with lace and buttons and a secret message. I also stained the back and used the KC postcard stamp again. Do make sure you visit Florence, Janet and Chrissie have a lovely weekend whatever you do and thanks for stopping by. Hugs Sandra XXX

Summer Time

WOW Fantastic entries last week from our participants it is so nice to see you join in Thank You.This week it is "Summer Time" at Out of A Hat Creations, well we can dream I suppose LOL. For me it always conjures up the beach huts at Well Next The Sea North Norfolk, I so love that beach, you have the sea, sand dunes and the back drop of pine woods and of course those glorious beach huts. My little hanging is meant to depict that beach scene. I have painted in sky blue and stamped trees, the sea is blue fibres, lace for the surf and torn cardboard for the sand. The beach huts are all in fabric and have been machine sewn. The bunting is felt. So here is my Summer at Wells. Thanks you for looking and the much appreciated comments. Hope you enjoy your summer dream and I am looking forward to seeing what it is. Be sure to check out Florence, Janet and Chrissie to see what they have done for this challenge. Hugs All Sandra XXX

Artful Times Challenge - Seaside

"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside" - This is the challenge set by Von over at The Artful Times for the next two weeks. The DT projects are really fab do take a look.
I chose to do a tag for this, now being short of seaside materials I really had to rummage my stash. Luckily I found a CI beach  picture and some papers entitled "By the Crystal Sea" the papers have music notes and a Ferris wheel ride impression, good seaside stuff. I distress inked the papers with blues, pinks and tea dye. Back stamped with a swirl and sequin waste. Added Ric rac (I thought it looked like waves) scrim and lace, tando bunting inked up and of course those crystals.
Thanks for stopping by and those much appreciated comments.
Hugs Sandra XXX

Altered Domino Book

How lovely to have so many take part in last weeks challenge such fabulous entries I really enjoyed visiting your blogs.
We have a fab challenge this week at Out of A Hat Creations and I do hope you give it a go this week I just loved making this little altered domino book a first for me. And the best bit is we the DT of OOAHC decided to swap our makes for this challenge very exciting. I managed to get a box of doms from a charity shop for a £1 so I can now makes loads of them LOL.
I covered with music paper and painted with gold leafing around the edges. made the beaded butterfly and blinged it up. The theme of my book is nature. The inside is card which has been distressed and inked. Then back stamped with a leafy swirl in grey and used various nature stamps on one side and the leafy swirl on the other. I added a little dangler. I do hope you can join us. Be sure to check out Florence, Janet and Chrissie blog to see what they have made. Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments. Hugs Sandra XXX

Out of A Hat Creations - Button

It is so lovely to get some of you folks taking part and thanks for those lovely comments that are left on the challenge blog and personal blog they mean so much X.
It is Buttons theme this week at Out of A Hat Creations
I love buttons you get so many types and they jazz up all sorts of makes.
A  little hanging this week. It is made out of an old cardboard box it measure 4x4. I painted, crackled, added gold leaf paint and old book pages to the base over layed a heart also cut out of the cardboard tore to revel the corrugated and treated in the same way. Their is some black stamping on the base and TH die cut swirls around the heart. The heart shaped button I added is gorgeous with flowers on it and the little wooden buttons have been wired.
Hope you like it. And I hope you join in with this fun theme.
Be sure to visit Janet, Chrissie and Florence.
Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra XXX

MEN - Artful Times

The Artful times DT have set the difficult theme of "Men" well lets face men are always difficult LOL. Now I am meant to be packing for a few days away where I will be soaking in a hot tub all week but I sneaked off to make this for the challenge, the Diamond is watching sport so I guess I am fine for a little while :) hee hee. I love using old packaging particularly corrugated type and I was inspired to re-visit this love after I viewed Craft attack Valerie blog well Worth a visit.
So I tore it up painted it, rubbed it with DI, used gold leafing and alcohol inks to get that distressed look. Layered it up with black sequin waste a tag I made out of black paper also painted and gold leafed. Added old book pages a stamped image of an engine onto handmade paper (it has a brownish fleck running through it looks really old and I think the image would have looked better if I had cut out the circle ho hum) Finished off with brads and old watch bits also some gear things which have all been rusted with alcohol inks. Thanks so much for looking and I really appreciate the kind comments. Hugs All Sandra XXX

Out of A Hat Creations - Favourite Stamp

This week at Out of A Hat Creation we have a fab challenge using your favourite stamp. Now this can be quite tricky I don't know about you but I have a few I consider my favourite. So go and have a good old rummage and join us. The stamp I used you will see in loads of my work so I guess it is my fav. It is a gorgeous floral swirl from Clarity they come already mounted on perspex. It is a great stamp for background and the main focus. I used a tag, painted it in crafty notions colourful thoughts peacock blue (I love this paint it is so vibrant) I did a bit of background work by stamping text and splodging gold ink through sequin waste. The floral image has been stamped in black and clear embossed. Added lace and flowers for effect. Do stop by and see what Florence Chrissie and Janet have chosen for their favourite stamp.  Looking forward to seeing what you make. Hugs Sandra XXX

Out of A Hat Creation - Wings

It is so lovely that we had 9 great entries for bing, Thank You for joining in with us. After a 1 week break I am glad to say we are back to the normal format of weekly challenge Out of A Hat Creations  and for this weeks challenge it is "Wings" a great theme and it has a lot of scope. I made a home decor paper mache box frame which I painted in gold metallic. I have stamped it and embossed in gold to give it some texture. The butterflies are made from  calico cloth that I painted in Crafty Notions colourful thoughts paints and layered over with butterfly peel offs. I have sealed with glitter modge podge and cut out then mounted onto contrasting felt and again cut around.The butterflies have seed beads on them and glitter glue. They also have been wired underneath so they can be shaped to give movement to the piece. I do look forward to seeing what you make. For inspiration do pop over and see what Florence, Janet and Chrissie have made. Thanks for looking and for your kind comments. Hugs Sandra XXX

The Artful Times Ribbon & Lace

Challenge 5 over at The Artful Times is Ribbon and Lace, fantastic theme ladies (3 cheers) I just love lace, fabric, ribbon that's why my sewing cupboard is bulging LOL, trouble is I hate to use it up I just like looking at it LOL. Well I had this frame painted for a while now with sky blue and crackled using stormy sky, never really new what to do next with it but the theme gave me inspiration. I used graphics 45 paper for the back drop and a piece of double sided blue / pink which I rolled back to reveal the activity in the shop. I stamped around the frame with sewing theme stamps and added metal scissors and a corner piece. the lace flowers are stained with antique linen and weathered wood DI the fan is ribbon and again stained I used a piece of jute with buttons on top. The shop sign has a blue ribbon rose. The heart well its because I just love the theme. Thanks for looking and for the lovely comments that are  left I really appreciate them.
Hugs Sandra XXX

Out of A Hat Creation - Bingo

The challenge is "Bingo" this week over at "Out of A Hat Creations" I chose the top row of lace, buttons, flower, image. This little heart hanging 50p from The Range, has been painted with pomegranate acrylic and crackled with sand over the top. then a stamped image of text and a butterfly. I have stuck pieces of text paper to it nad a strip of jute with buttons. The lace has been made into a flower with a little metal flower centre. Thanks for looking and do be sure to check out what Florence, Janet and Chrissie have made for the challenge. I do hope you can find time to join in this challenge it will last 2 weeks due to holidays.
Hugs Sandra XXX  

Artful Times Challenge - Birds

Over at the Artful times the new theme is "Birds" so I made a little fabric and stamping book mark. The back fabric does have text and swirls on it but my camera has not picked this up :( Anyway I cut out calico squares and stamped my little birds on to it, the machine sew to the back fabric, I have used orange as a complete contrast to lift. Thanks for looking. Hugs Sandra XXX

Out of the Hat Creations Lace Challenge

Where do the weeks go we have now reached challenge 8 on Out of the Hat Creations and this week it is a fab theme. Well I would say that I just adore lace and have quite a bit of the stuff hee hee. My piece is a decorated beer mat really just used as the base.  I inked gold around the edge of the beer mat and stamped it with text. I painted the back ground cream and stamped with a floral swirl then on to scrim layered the cut out image this was framed with cotton  lace, layered on top of this is vintage lace and a small vintage lace flower has the button on top. The sentiment is dedicated to my Son and daughter in law they have had a long few months of seperation due to son in the forces serving abroad.
Do take a visit to Janet, Chrissie and Florence to see what they have come up with. And it would be lovely if you can find the time to join us. Hugs Sandra XXX