Little Boxes at Artful Times CH 49

Hello and I am feeling good today it has been a lovely spring day 

and me and the diamond have been out to the seaside for a lovely walk along the prom and then lunch 

I know I spoil him :) well it is his birthday today :)

Over at Artful Times they have all box mad and made some wonderful examples for us.

Now I just love decorating boxes so I couldn't pass this up hence 2 boxes

I  painted the heart shape box with gold inside and out 

then cut out the paper and distressed and inked the edge

sprayed the paper flowers to colour

and mounted on a simple black paper circle 

punched a tag and distressed the edges again

I wanted this box to be suitable for a man to pop his present inside :)

I then just had to go all girlie and covered the square box with this gorgeous paper 

inside and out, I then rubbed chalk ink around all the edges

added a die cut corner and a made flower.

Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving comments I very much appreciate it.

Hugs have a great week.

Sandra X

Flower Power

Hello there 

firstly 

Just like to thank you very much for visiting and commenting on my last post :)

lovely to catch up with blogging buddies. Particularly as I hadn't been blogging for quite a while.

Hugs XXX

This week I was having a blog trawl and came across the latest challenge on 

Frilly and Funky they are asking for lots and lots of handmade flowers

Fantastic :) as I love making flowers so therapeutic.

Also asking for us to Build it up over at FSC

I have this gorgeous bought photo frame and it is perfect for decorating the center.

I choose a colour palette of Blue and Cream (one of my favorite) 

used some new papers I have by docrafts for the center and the handmade flowers.

I stamped the paper with the flowers and the bird cage in blue 

added a layered strip of contrasting blue paper 

and another layer of the little girl 

I used water colour pencils (blue) to tint the flowers in the girls hair

and of course made all the flowers with the same papers to finish the decoration

 and added two plain cream punched flowers which I have text stamped to finish.

*just to be sure I did not decorate the outer frame this is how it was bought* 

Hope you are all keeping clear of those horrendous floods 

Have a great week.

Hugs Sandra X

PS! Shhhhh New bears coming soon :)

Artful Times Ch 48 TH Style

Yawnnnnnnnnnnnn Stretchhhhhhhh 

deep breathes 

AND

yes I am out of hibernation :) 

I simply can't believe that I haven't blogged since just before Christmas 

Bad Bad Girl :(

In my defense I have been busy making bears I will photo them soon and share with you soon.

I must say it was so lovely to take part in the Artful Times challenge 

the lovely ladies are asking for Tim Holtz style Tags, Cards or ATC

so I  got really messy with a tag and it felt good. :)

The tag has been painted black 

stamped and clear embossed swirls

painted over with storm cloud and rubbed back to reveal the swirls (love this TH technique)

I stamped with a TH diamond stamp

made a grunge flower and die cut a TH swirl

also die cut the bird and cage (although not TH dies)

added a few embellies.

A great shabby TH look I think.

I guess I should wish you all a very Happy New Year (embarrassed look) as its nearly spring 

and I do hope you have not been unduly affected by flood and gale.

See you soon

and thank you stopping by and commenting its always appreciated 

Hugs Sandra XXX

Merry Christmas

 Its Christmas hooray

I love Christmas and always get a bit hyper :)

I am so looking forward to a great family Christmas hope you are too.

I have received this lovely Christmas card from my really good friend Judith and I thought it was so nice I have shared it with the Artful Times challenge.

And I must welcome Von back

and also welcome my blog land friend  Chrissie 

to the Artful Times DT crew 

also best wishes to Neet hope you feel better soon.

Judith made this card from a project in a popular magazine

and made a gorgeous job of it.

I haven't blogged much lately but not been resting on my laurel's

I have made this pram quilt for a lovely young couple

who have just had a baby girl.

Thanks for looking and you're lovely comments

they really do make a difference

 

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New year

 

Hugs Sandra XXX

A Cold n Frosty Die cut Tag

Hello everyone hope you all enjoyed a great weekend 

Thank you for the lovely comments on my last post 

and Suze it was so good to have your company on the naughty step LOL. X

I have been very busy as usual 

(actually I confess I am reading an excellent series of  books I cant put down Hee Hee) 

but did managed to fit in some precious crafting time :()

I wanted to join in with the Artful Times ladies, its Neet and Sam this week. 

Last one for Sam! so good luck to Sam :)

I also wanted to join in the Vintage Stamping Challenge a great DT and they are asking for Cold & Frosty

I choose to do a tag 

which I firstly gave a light wash of blues and pinks water colour paints 

stamped with a grey ink crackle effect and a turquoise text

die cut a centre panel in a gorgeous turquoise sparkle card I have has stashed for ages. 

The die cut leaves have been crackle stamped and the die cut rolled flower have been stamped dotty

there is also a small die sparkle swirl 

finished with mini tinsel and tiny icicle beads

Its a sparkly cold and frosty die cut stamped tag :)

Artful Times 

Vintage Stamping Challenge

Thank you for dropping by and taking time to comment I do appreciate it.

Have a great week 

Hugs Sandra X

Silver and Lilac

Hello Hello 

I have been a very bad blogger :( just life getting the better of me

I have been AWOL since October and now suddenly its nearly Christmas phew

I have tried to make amends by joining in with the Artful Times (only just) challenge 

Neet is asking for a seasonal stamp using Silver and Lilac

I have painted the tag with a watery acrylic and then a pearlised wash for a silvery shimmer

The snowflakes (my seasonal stamp) are stamped and then heat embossed then gave another lilac swoosh

Stamped in a darker lilac a swirl 

Made die cut flowers, leaves added a silver swirl 

finished off with a frosty stickles

I must say I really enjoyed myself and shall get back into the zone :)

Thanks for looking and big hugs 

Sandra XXX

Make a Card at Fashionable Stamping CH 59

 

 

Hello dear crafters in blogland hope all is well with you :)

the lovely ladies over at Fashionable Stamping have set a new challenge

 and we are asked to make a card. Now I don't do cards very often

but having looked at the inspirational cards from the DT I felt like having a go.  

 

I have torn and lightly sanded some brown coordination card

and did faux stitches round the edge

torn a smaller piece of paper and stamped it with text and a swirl in sepia

then machine stitched onto the brown card

the words have been stamped onto tissue paper then stuck on

the decorative tag has had the edges dipped into gold embossing powder and heated

stamped with a floral swirl and hi-lighted with white pen

I have finished off with wrapping black twine

and adding flowers, text butterflies and a heart.

I shall use it as a just note card :)

 

Thank you for stopping by my blog and for taking time to comment

 it is very much appreciated and I do try to visit you back and enjoy looking at your work.

 

Enjoy your crafting

 

Hugs Sandra XXX 

 

PS I just saw that I have won on the random generator on the Fashionable Challenge blog :)  for the masks and stencils challenge. How lovely. Thank you ladies.

 

 

I recently attended a workshop at my local quilting store

The workshop was run by a very talented mixed media artist Alexander Waylett

We worked with burnishing copper and gold leaf onto cotton velvet

I made this piece It should look better when I frame it, I hope LOL

but I really did enjoy the day.

 

Thanks for looking

Hugs Sandra xXX



Distressed Feminine Beauty

 

Blimey 2 posts on a wet soggy Sunday morning :) but it is a good day to craft :)

 

Over at Artful Times they are asking for a bit of Distressed

and at Vintage Stamping Challenge they want Feminine Beauty

two fabulous challenges and right up my street

Do drop by both blogs and check out the marvellous DT work

 

For this make I really wanted to do a chunky canvas but I did not have one so I have used a box lid and dare I say it:

 it worked out ok I think.

 

The box lid has been covered in scrunched up tissue paper

and I applied a lot of modge podge

then painted in vintage white and sky blue

stamped and embossed a gold swirl

stamped music, added bits of book page

well and truly metallic rubbed (I love these)

added

a die cut swirl and a body form which are painted blue

I made all the flowers

and found a lovely pre cut lady to finish

 

Thank you for visiting me and taking time to comment

Have a lovely Sunday

 

Hugs Sandra XXX

 



Fashionable Stamping CH 58 Masks n Stencils

 

Good Morning fellow blogging crafters hope you are all feeling crafty today :)

This little tag was made for the current challenge held on Fashionable Stamping

the lovely ladies are asking for use of Masks and / or Stencils

Fabulous DT inspirational makes so do pop over and have a look.

 

I have covered the tag with an old book page

then coloured the tag with DI tea dye and broken china

pounced mountain lake blue ink through a sequin waste stencil  

and again pounced a smoke grey through a swirl stencil

added some stamping and a die cut bird and cage which has been

heat embossed with gold

finished with butterfly jewels

 

Thank you for stopping by and for taking time to comment

 it is very much appreciated

 

Enjoy the day

 

Hugs Sandra XXX

 

Autumn Colours Tag

 

Hello friends

I am so behind with visiting blogs

but this evening I shall blog hop to catch up :)

 

wow we have some lovely Autumn colours in our garden

and in our local countryside

so pretty

a favourite time of year

and two or three challenges

Artful Times  Fashionable Stamping Frilly and Funkie 

with Autumn Colours as the theme a favourite with me

so I have made a tag

 

I coloured it the background with DI

 tea dye, bundled sage, dried marigold and victorian velvet

die cut a topper and popped it through the text embossing folder

it has been rubbed with DI to bring out the text

I stamped the edges with a floral swirl

added a little bit of bunting (to herald Autumn)

the little birds waiting to fly to warmer climbs

is a piece of tape which I had forgotten I had in my stash

I finished with punched butterflies, a gorgeous flower

and a piece of lilac ribbon stuff,

Mmm

it is like a bit of tiny chain mail linked and you can twist it into shape and it holds

I had it for ages and it fell out of a box I was rummaging in.

I have some lovely Autumn purple/ lilac Chrysthans in my garden.

 

 

I am entering this tag into

Artful Times

Fashionable Stamping 

Frilly and Funkie

 

 

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your lovely comments

have a great week

hugs Sandra XXX

Scrap Art at Artful Times

 

Hello friends and happy (wet & windy) Sunday to you all :) autumn is here me thinks. Although this is not quite as wet as where my cousin in lives (Boulder Colorado)thankfully they are safe for now are thought are with you guys X. 

 

The lovely team over at Artful Times they have set a theme of Scrap Art :) I really like this as it makes you use bits and bobs and it does take some thought.   

 

For this I sat at my work desk and looked at all the little bits on it

(I do work in a mess hee hee :D).

 I found a pre cut dress form and some tissue paper

which I crumpled up and glued onto the dress form.

It was then sprayed with copper glimmer mist and when dry I rubbed with some copper treasure gold (it picks up the crumples of tissue).

I found and used punched butterflies

and a heart which I had already dipped into vintage embossing powder and heated

a die cut musical note 

a stamped and cut out top hat

a piece of netting and lace

Stuck to the edge of my table was the pieces of tape (measure tape and polka dots) and pieces of book page and I used these.

I did have to look in a draw for the pins.

Good job I work in a mess :)

Great challenge  thanks ladies X

 

I was also thrilled to have made top 3 in the Fashionable Stamping Sew N Sew with my decorated sewing box.

Thank you ladies X

 

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your lovely comments

have a great week

hugs Sandra XXX

 

A Big Hatters Goodbye

After a wonderful 18 months as a designer with the Hatters challenge blog we three  Janet,  Sandra and Chrissie  have taken a very hard decision to close the challenge blog.

From a personal point I have thoroughly enjoyed it and feel that I have made many great blogging friends learnt a lot.  And you have all been so supportive and left such wonderful and supportive comments thank you very much for that.

Also 2 very special friends in Chrissie and Janet and I know we shall remain so.

None of us are stopping crafting just moving on to fresh pastures so I am sure we will see each other in other challenges. I do hope you will continue to visit my blog from time to time. 

Thank you for your tremendous support with our challenges its been amazing.

Hugs and see you soon XXX

to finish this post on a smiley note :)

I have been busy making bears just lately here's a new chap of mine

tah dah

Seamus Milligan.

He was very proud and excited to be auctioned to raise money for the Greyhound Gap rescue group and now has a lovely new home.

Bunting or Pennants OOAH Ch 75

Hello friends

Great mask / stencils projects last week such great ideas.

 

Hope you enjoy this weeks as it is Bunting or Pennants

I love bunting so really enjoyed making this Thank You card.

It is a very clean and simple design made with my little bunting die. 

A tricky thing for me as I am a clutter head, and have to fill in space LOL. 

 

 

This week is the last for our summer guest designers Sam a big thank you to her for joining us with her inspirational projects.

 

We have had a lovely summer with all our guest designers

 

Enjoy making your projects. 

Looking forward to seeing them

 

Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comments.

Do make sure you visit Janet,  Chrissie and Sam to see their wonderful projects

 

Enjoy your week

Hugs Sandra X

Sew N Sew at Fashionable Stamping

Hello friends

Fashionable Stamping have a lovely theme challenge

 "Sew N Sew" and the lovely ladies have some wonderful examples to inspire us.

this theme is right up my street and I made a small sewing box

it has been painted rose pink and distressed.

I have used a resist stamping using clear embossing.

and layered some vintage lace on top and around the sides it is sealed with modge podge.

The paper flowers I have hand made from a small die cut sealed with modge podge and clear nail varnish it makes them go hard.

The small dress form is a die cut and finished with tiny buttons and lace.

The sentiment says

 

"Needlework is a way to capture

Love, Beauty

Peace, and time"

 

How true.

I shall be filling the little box with tiny buttons and pieces of gorgeous vintage lace. 

Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. Hugs XXX

OOAH Ch 74 Stencils and Masks

 

 

Hello friends

Hope you are still enjoying summer holidays

 

Lots of lovely summer projects last week great work.

Thank you for joining us.

 

This week we are looking for use of Stencils and Masks in your projects.

 

I have painted a small canvas after covering with paper and then sponged through a sequin  and diamond shape stencil. Then pushed some texture paste through a flower stencil. Once dry I then rubbed it with metallic wax rubs to colour.  

 

Enjoy making your projects.

 

Looking forward to seeing them

 

Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comments.

Do make sure you visit Janet,  Chrissie and Sam to see their wonderful projects

 

Enjoy your week

Hugs Sandra X



Summer Days OOAH Ch 73

 

Hello friends

Do I detect a slight touch of Autumn in the air as it seems a tad cooler here in Suffolk 

:( 

In remembrance of those balmy hot days we are celebrating "Summer"

Lots of lovely Bs last week I really enjoyed looking at your work. Thank you for joining us and lets see what you can do for Summer.

 

I have decorated a wooden heart hanging as I love summer :)

I have painted it in a pomegranate acrylic paint and distressed with metallic rubs and crackle paint picket fence then stamped with text.

Die cut bird and swirls and punched butterflies from old book paper.

The paper flowers I have made from light card that has been spritzed with tattered angels marshmallow. So everything summery included here LOL.

 

Enjoy making your summer projects.

 

Looking forward to seeing them

Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comments.

Do make sure you visit Janet,  Chrissie and Sam to see their wonderful projects

 

Enjoy your week

Hugs Sandra X

 

 



Things beginning with B Ch 72 OOAH

 

 

Hello friends

I do hope you are all enjoying the holiday season and still finding time to craft :)

 

 

Thank you for joining us last week with your fantastic numbers projects.

 

This week we ask for a project with things beginning with B.

 

I made a small canvass tag which has been painted with pale blue dabbed with distressed ink and a small amount of crackle glaze on the edge. It has been stamped with a swirl.

My Bs are

Bows, buttons, butterfly and black.

 

Looking forward to seeing your projects

Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comments.

Do make sure you visit Janet,  Chrissie and Sam to see their wonderful projects

 

Enjoy your week

Hugs Sandra X



Numbers Ch 71 OOAH

 

 

Hello friends

summer is in full flow here in the UK and its turned out good during July so fingers crossed for August, I don't know about you but I cant quite believe its month 8 already.

 

Last month we had Valerie for our GDT and a big Thank You to you for your fab projects.

 

This month we welcome Sam do take a look at her blog she is a very talented crafter.

 

Well done on the patchwork projects very innovative and great projects Thank you for joining us.

 

This week we ask for a project with Numbers involved.

 

I made a tag which has been painted with pale blue and distressed inked, then masked and stamped with a background then loads of number embellies.

Its a dream indeed if only I was still 8 to 10 LOL hey ho those were the days.

 

Looking forward to seeing your projects

Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comments.

Do make sure you visit Janet,  Chrissie and Sam to see their wonderful projects

 

Enjoy your week

Hugs Sandra X



Patch Work OOAH Ch 70

Hello friends

I do hope you have had a good week

a mixture of sun, rain and a new royal prince exciting times.

 

Wonderful key projects last week ladies thanks for joining in with us.

 

This week we ask you to do a project with some patchwork in it, could be fabric or paper maybe a mixture of both as I have here with this card I made for a lovely blogging friend

 

I cut a heart shape from card and layered with bits of paper, fabric and lace, also some fluffy fibres .

I have sewn together with free form machine stitching added vintage buttons and a vintage lace butterfly from my special stash.

To finish I have added a few hand embroidery stitches.

 

Looking forward to seeing your projects.

 

A big Thank you to Valerie for her guest appearance this month wonderful work from Valerie.

 

Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comments.

Do make sure you visit Janet,  Valerie and Chrissie to see their wonderful projects. 

 

Hugs Sandra XXX

 

 

You hold the Key OOAH Ch 69

Hello friends

hasn't it been a glorious week!

 

 I have had a grand visit to Dublin and the seaside on the County Wexford coast last week.

 

Hopefully I managed to catch and comment on all the entries as they were great raining projects from last week.

 thank you for joining us.

 

This week we would like to see a key somewhere on the project.

 

I have made a small heart which I will use as a piece for something one day LOL.

 

 I painted, crackled, stamped and distressed the chipboard heart and the chipboard key has been heat embossed and rubbed back to distress.

 

Looking forward to seeing your projects.

 

Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comments.

Do make sure you visit Janet,  Valerie and Chrissie to see their wonderful projects. 

 

Hugs Sandra XXX