IMTAAS - Happy Fall Y'All

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul. Design Team member Debbie chose the theme of Happy Fall Y'All.

My card is a 7x7 by Crafts UK. The brown card is from Papermill. I chose the quote from the internet and after printing it  backed it with more brown card as the centrepiece. I used a small patch of SnipArt to add a little texture. The SnipArt was supplied by Craft Box UK. The paper depicting leaves is from 'I know not where' and after searching my craft room for pads, etc. I still have no idea, sorry.

I'm on a break at the minute but appreciate any comments left for me.

INTAAS Card not square or rectangle

Come and join us with the challenge theme of 'Card not square or rectangle' over at International Art and Soul.

My card blank started off as a Craft UK 7x7 square but I cut it with a large Spellbinder oval die. The yellow paper is double sided from a pad of freebie papers with Cardmaking and Papecraft magazine. I cut two ovals in smaller sizes using the two different sides of the paper as the mat for the ornate Spellbinder heart which I cut in white. The Happy Birthday stamp is from Lili of the Valley vintage set and I coloured the tiny flowers on it with my Promarkers before cutting with another Spellbinder die, this time a circle. The finishing touch was a Snipart embellishment from Craftbox at the top left.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments - A birthday sentiment

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Happy Birthday

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

INTAAS Follow the Sketch

Come and join us at International Art and Soul and follow the sketch - the theme chosen by Christine. I'm sure she set this theme to tax my brain and it worked! 

My card blank is 7 x 7 by Craft UK. The papers used are all by Costco - I've had them for years and used loads but still have a case full. I can't remember how much it cost but it was well worth the money. They are all double sided too. The wooden embellishments are SnipArt.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Alphabet Challenge - W for Wish, Anything you wish

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

INTAAS -A Favourite Song

It was my turn again to choose the theme for the challenge at International Art and Soul and I chose 'A Favourite Song'. 

One of my favourite songs is Unforgettable by the unforgettable Nat King Cole. After choosing the theme I deliberated for a while between 'Somewhere' from West Side Story and Unforgettable and I eventually plumped for Nat. Actually I thought of loads more of my favourite songs and it was hard to choose.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK. I've had one sheet of this green paper in my stash for what seems like forever but I decided to use it on this card. The musical embellishments are by Joanna Sheen (I think, although they may be Memory Box). I typed Unforgettable in green before adding it to the beautiful SnipArt frame. I haven't made the insert yet but I think this could be used for a condolence card, what do you think?

I'm adding my card to the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes + sentiment

Word Art Wednesdays - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments -  Hearts (central heart on top of frame)

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Most people seem to gain 'followers' but I seem to lose them. I can remember a short while ago I had just over 200 and now I'm down to 196. I wonder what I've done, or haven't done, for them to disappear. lol

International Art and Soul - Recycle

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul with our latest theme of 'Recycle'. 

I decided to recycle a photo frame that my parents in law had at their home. When we were clearing their house we didn't want to part with their photographs. This one is of my family, from over forty years ago, but the frame, which was originally a beautiful cream leather, was worn and scuffed. I painted it with Hobbycraft bronze paint. The SnipArt embellishments were also painted in the bronze before I fixed them to the frame. Three flowers to the top right with a butterfly to the top left. Along the bottom I fixed a row of small hearts with a large heart to the right corner. The ornate key to the heart was fixed in the bottom left corner. It is now on display again in my home.

I'm entering my photo frame into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Bleeding Art - Anything Goes mixed media

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

IAAS Pool Party

Come and join us over at International Art and Soul for our theme of 'Pool Party'. This challenge theme was set by Debbie and believe me when I say this one was a BIG challenge for me. 

My card blank is a 6x6 by Craft UK. The kingfisher coloured card is by Papermill and I embossed it with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder of dots. This was the base mat for my images. I struggled to think of any stamps or dies that would fit this theme and eventually had to resort to the internet. These are both copyright free images of pool parties. The colours seemed to tie in nicely with my base mat so I sized them and then set them at an angle. I used a Craft Box UK Snipart sentiment 'happy days' which I thought went nicely with the images. Before fixing it in place I coloured it with a Starlight paint in Banana Yellow by Imagination Crafts. It gives it a gentle shimmer which looks good. Thank goodness this card was finished and it didn't take long once I'd set my brain in gear. lol

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Creative Craft Cottage Challenge - Eileen's Anything Goes 

Craft Rocket Challenge - Summer is Coming

Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes

Crafting by Designs - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Always Fun - Summer Fun

IAAS Wild Animal

I chose the theme for this challenge and it's 'Wild Animal'. Come and show us your wild animals at International Art and Soul.

The card blank is an 8x8 by Crafts UK. The base mat is yellow card by Papermill. The next layer was dark brown card, again by Papermill, and down the centre I set a section of 'giraffe skin' paper by Hobbycraft. I'm not even sure that they still make this paper as I've had it for years, along with other animal skins. After fixing to my card blank I printed the image of the giraffe and matted it on to yellow card before setting at an angle across the top of the card. The image is from Jayne Netley Mayhew's CD by Joanna Sheen. The sentiment is SnipArt by Craft Box UK. I coloured the SnipArt with Rowney's yellow acrylic paint before fixing to brown card matted on to yellow. This was set at a jaunty angle across the bottom of the card.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges: 

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes with a critter

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes must have animal

Thank you all for visiting. 

Moving Along with the Times - Male

I'm busy making items for a Christmas Fair in the village and when Beckie chose a theme of 'For a Male' over on Moving Along with the Times I decided to make a boy's bedroom door plaque.

The wooden plaque was from Joanna Sheen and I used Crackle paste to make green crackles appear through the white paint. I love this as it give a real grungy feel to the project. The cogs and metal items were all by Craft Box UK as is the SnipArt 'mechanical dreams' in the centre. Instead of using ribbon or rope as the hanger I bought a length of chain from Maxwell's and managed to tie it together with a Tim Holtz ' Breathe' medallion and fastener. I hope that any young male who is in to cogs, wheels or anything mechanical might like this, but if not, I enjoyed making it. lol

I'm entering my hanger into the following challenges: 

Creative Artiste - Anything Mixed Media

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes Mixed Media

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes

I'm sorry that this will be my last post for Moving Along with the Times. I've enjoyed working with all the DT members over the years but I'm sure I'll see most of them again. 

IAAS Use stuff you already own

The theme to challenge you this time at International Art and Soul is  a simple one - use stuff you already own.

My card blank is an 8x8 by Craft UK. The glitter backing paper is from a First Edition paper pad named Hideaway which I've had for years. The green card from Papermill was embossed with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder before being matted on to tan Papermill card. The Snipart birds and branch are both from Craft Box. The sentiments were freebie stamps from a magazine and then they were cut with Spellbinder dies. Three Mei Flower gems were added to the lower sentiment. I've had most of these items for years, apart from the Snipart which I've only had since November. My card is going to a friend who lived two doors away from me in my last house. I hope he likes it.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesdays - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - For a Friend
Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting.

MAWTT Anything but a card

This challenge is to make anything but a card so I recycled a box for a friend. Come along to Moving Along with the Times and see what everyone else has made. Teams A and B are both playing along so there's lots to enjoy.

I buy quite a lot of Craft Box boxes that are full of mixed media items each month. When I empty the boxes they are perfect for recycling as they are sturdy boxes with a magnetic clasp on the front flap. This one happens to be bright pink so I continued the colour theme with my additions to the lid. I prefer to leave the rest of the box plain. The flower paper is from a pad that I've had for ages and I think it was by Stephanie Weightman. I cut the section that I wanted and fitted it to the lid. The top edge was quite plain so I decided to use a Spellbinder die to make a fancy border. I used a pink pearlescent card and the border die was from the Parisian set I believe. The wooden letters were from The Range and I painted them in pale pink acrylic paint before setting them at an angle across the plain section of the paper. Some of my Craft Box goodies came into play again and I added a section of Snipart circles/bubbles under the name. Two cabochons picturing roses were added to the design and the last embellishment was a 'diamond' butterfly that I won in a Facebook competition a while ago. I really loved the box myself and if my name had been Karen I wouldn't have wanted to part with it!! lol

I lined it with pink tissue paper and filled it with gifts for a supermarket worker who had been very kind to me over the past few years. I was due to move house and out of the area so would not be travelling to that supermarket any longer. I wanted to thank her for her kindness and she was thrilled and touched to receive it.

I'm entering my box into the following challenges:


I'd like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and all the best for a wonderful New Year.

MAWTT Add a number

Judith has set the challenge this time at Moving Along with the Times and it's 'Add a Number'.

There are no children in the family so I don't have the opportunity of adding an age. I don't know anyone who has a special age birthday either, 82 or 37 isn't really the same as 80 or 40 is it? So I resorted to using the embossalicious clock folder - lots of numbers. lol

My card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK. I embossed Crafter's Companion's black card and then sanded the clock faces to show through. It was matted on to Papermill's bright orange card. A Craft Box SnipArt lamp/clock was added to the bottom edge. Another Craft Box item - the little wooden frame - was used to hold the computer generated sentiment 'It's time for a birthday'.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Kitty Bee Designs - Birthday
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Anything Goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
Though the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

I'm still up to my ears in packing cases so crafting time is non-existent. My son and DIL arrive next week to stay with me for a few days and they'll help me to get a bit more done. I've been sorting boxes of books for the past two days and although I don't like to part with them I've got seven boxes waiting for the BHF to pick up tomorrow. I've still got four boxes to open but I'm so shattered I'm finished for the day.

Enough of me whingeing, thanks for visiting and for leaving comments.

International Art and Soul - Boxes and Bags

'Boxes and Bags' is the theme at International Art and Soul so come along and show us what you can do.

I've added another altered box I made for my friend. You might remember that I made another one earlier, on my blog, for her husband. That was a great success hence making this one for Anne. She loved it.

The empty box is a very sturdy one with magnetic fastener from Craft Box. This is a craft company based in the UK who supply these boxes filled with crafty embellishments. They're always beautifully packed and presented and once the craft items are stored in their usual spot you have a box ready for altering as a gift box.

I used  a sheet of Craft Box paper as the background, tearing the edge and using Distress Ink on the torn edges. A small Craft Box doily was placed at the top left behind the paper and one of the Snip Art circles was added to the same corner. I used Hobbycraft wooden letters for the name and painted them with Rowney's acrylic paint. A small wooden frame to the left had a mirror charm in the centre (Anne likes pretty things and make up). A beautiful Craft Box lace embellishment was set to the right and topped with a cameo charm. Some wooden flowers from Create and Craft were dotted around along with some pretty gems. A large 'diamond' butterfly was added to the top right. I really enjoyed making this box and I'm in the process of making another.

I'm not able to enter any challenges with my altered box as I have no internet until 16 August. This is a scheduled post but I hope you'll still leave me some comments to cheer me up when I get back online. I'm moving home so will be back shortly and hopefully my new craft room will be big enough. I have a large room at the minute and my new one will be much smaller. My sons said that they will make it work for me - I hope they're right. lol

International Art and Soul - For Men

This challenge is all about the men so join us at International Art and Soul and show us what you can come up with for our theme of 'For Men'.

I'm showing an altered Craftbox that I receive full of craft items on a regular basis. I emptied the craft items into my usual storage spots and started on decorating the box for my friend who lives a couple of doors away.

The box is really sturdy and has a magnetic fastener so I thought, when he emptied it of his birthday goodies, he could use it for bits and pieces of his hobbies. I used Craftbox papers as the base. They are of old seed packets and I tore the edges and then used Distress Inks on them. I then started to add items that I knew would have some meaning to him - the little Snipart garden gate and watering can, the wooden flowers, bird and sun from Create and Craft - he's a very keen gardener. I added a little Hobbycraft wooden frame and then centred in it a little guitar charm. He's also a keen guitarist. Cogs made me think of cars - not sure whether they are relevant to cars - but he likes driving so I reckoned they would tie in. A gnarled branch from Craftbox was placed almost mid centre and then I added Hobbycraft wooden letters making up his name. I'd used bronze acrylic paint on the letters and then added a little arrow pointing to the name. Final additions were a brown gem and brown checked button, both from Mei Flower. He now has the box which had inside a half bottle of whisky, snazzy jar of chutney, sweets, etc. and he loved it.

I'm entering my box into the following challenges:
A Inky Mess - Anything Goes Mixed Media
Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes Mixed Media
Connie Can Crop - It's a Guy Thing
Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
Craft Rocket - For the Men/Boys
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Shopping our Stash - Dude
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

International Art & Soul Recycling

The theme this time is 'Recycling' over at the International Art and Soul blog so come and join us. This time I decided to do a mixed media piece. I've called it 'Wings of Love'. The canvas, from Hobbycraft, and paints, Luminarte mists, were new but most of the other items were recycled. I'll try to tell you about them all. lol I used texture paste and stencils on the background first of all and then added a couple of small pieces of Snipart honeycomb on two corners. The flowers were removed from a card that I'd made a mess of earlier and I'd saved the flowers - too nice to destroy. There's a small key, obviously I'd lost the lock I suspect, some tiny safety pins, some little foam circles that I've had for years and I'm still not sure what they were meant to be. A buckle that I've had in my sewing box for ages and I removed the green material from it to use just the metal inner. A piece of net from a fruit bag in the centre background. There's a piece of string coiled up and some engineering pieces that my DIL gave me - I have no idea what they are but they were in the rubbish bin where she worked so she saved them for me. lol My family always has eyes for odd items for me. There's a press stud and a washer and the arrow in the corner is cut off a large plastic one that was holding a message n a bouquet of flowers I received. The birdcage was new because I'd run out of other things to add. The dragonfly and butterfly were from damaged cards.

Sorry, I won't bore you any more.

I'm entering my piece into the following challenges:
Artistic Inspirations Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart Challenge - Anything Goes
Make My Monday Challenge - Shimmer and Shine
Dragonfly Dreams - Hearts and Flowers
Mixed Media World - Anything Mixed Media Goes