February challenge - Rhedd's Creative Spirit

Hello again,

Back with my second altered project for the day, this time for Rhedd's Creative Spirit.

I had a play with another canvas, but where the earlier one was full of colour, for this one I stuck to a neutral palette.

I signed up for Creative Jumpstart 2019, and for me the most inspiring project of the month was that of Mystele Kirkeeng. Her projects used all of my favourite supplies and techniques, and it served to remind me that learning new things is great, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun playing with what we know and love too!

So this is my canvas, inspired by Mystele. I hope I did it justice!

The creative jumpstart theme is "My home is my castle", and so I tried to incorporate a few things that I enjoy when I'm at home, such as book paper (I'm an avid reader), a teacup (because I adore tea. Especially really nice loose-leaf ones), and I included a pen nib alongside the heart, as hubby and I met at a time when we both wrote, and it helped to bring us together (I met him in the pub, where he was sitting on the floor in the back, with his manuscript spread out all around him!).

So there it is. One mixed-media home-themed canvas. I hope you have some ideas of your own about things you enjoy and want to turn into a piece of art. when you do, be sure to come share it with us!

Have a fantabulous day!

Sammy-x

February challenge - Altered Eclectics

Aaaaand we're back!

After an extra long 2-month challenge, it's finally time for a brand new challenge over at Altered Eclectics, and this month I have been playing with a canvas, and did a Finnabair style portrait.

The face was drawn by my lovely daughter, and I added the rest.

I love this kind of technique, because you can take all those bits and pieces you don't know what to do with, or are the wrong colour, or just plain ugly, and turn them into something prettiful!

Case in point: The large gemstone/diamond looking embellishment just to the right of the big flower below. I got a whole packet of them in a craft box a couple of years ago, and I really thought they were awful. They were really tacky-looking plastic things in not very nice colours, and they'd been taking up space in my craft stash for too long. But on this project it doesn't look out of place at all!

After all the paints and waxes are added, you get a lovely uniform look, that can hide even the most (formerly) ugly embellishments!

Why not give it a go? Dig out some of those pieces you've been hanging on to, even though you don't really like them much, and transform them into something beautiful. Please do come and share it with us when you're done though!

Back in just a minute with my next project!

Sammy-x

December challenge - altered Eclectics

Hello all,

December already, and it's dreary and miserable out. Which is why I decided my DT inspiration for Altered Eclectics this month should be bright and colourful!

I recently did a fantastic workshop organised by Art Workshops with the fabulous Marlene Meijer-van Niekerk. While the second day was pretty much my usual fare - a selection of tags - the first day pretty much had me quaking in my boots. The workshop was called Funky Faces, and we were required to draw!

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I don't, can't, draw. I don't draw, doodle or otherwise create an image from nothing without stamps and ink!

Imagine my horror when we were handed a huge board to work on and were told we were doing just that!

But after a few false starts, I managed to get the basics down, and after that it was playing with colours (and Marlene's gorgeous papers!), colours and more colours.

And this was the result:

And just so you get an idea of the terrifying scale, this is the same picture with a standard Promarker lying in front...

Considering I never believed I'd even  get past the first step, I am so very pleased I managed to actually complete this! And it is quite possibly the most colourful thing I've ever made!

Right then, it's over to you. Let us see your fabulous makes (colourful or otherwise). You have two months to play along this time, as we take some time off over Christmas.

Be back shortly!

Sammy-x

October challenge - Rhedd's Creative Spirit

Hello again!

Back with my second post today, this time with some inspiration for the new challenge starting at Rhedd's Creative Spirit, and this month it is my turn to host the challenge.

I played with another 8x8 inch piece of MDF, only this one is only 6mm thick, so less backbreaking to lug around if needed, lol!

I'm not going to go into any detail right now, but will be back with a link to my tutorial on the 15th!

See you then!

Have a fantabulous day!

Sammy-x

October challenge - Altered Eclectics

Hey all,

October today, and another new challenge starting over at Altered Eclectics.

I have another special project today... this is an MDF block of wood that I went to town on at the recent Art Workshops workshop with the fabulous Autour de Mwa.

I had lots of fun playing with pinks and purples, and I just love the AALL and Create stencils I used on this.
This slab is 8x8 inches in size, and almost two inches thick. Darn thing almost put my back out lugging it home on the train! lol.

I'll be back in a moment with another post, but in the meantime, go take a peek at the fabulous project my fellow teamies have made, and don't forget to come and play along!

Brb,

Sammy-x

September challenge - Rhedd's creative spirit

Hello again everyone,

My third post of today, and this time I'm here to let you know that there's a new challenge starting for September over at Rhedd's Creative Spirit.

This month, I have a mixed media journal cover to show you. And it's not just any journal cover. It's one I made under the expert tutelage of the fabulous Abs - better known as Autour de Mwa - at a recent workshop with Art Workshops.

This was so much fun to do! We started with the board journal blanks, and kept on layering and adding elements. I had a lot of fun working with colours I'd not often pick (I'm always a little scared of yellow!), and using elements and images I often see people incorporate but never do myself. It can be really freeing working outside your comfort zone, I think!

So to play along with us at Rhedd's this month, why not try something outside of your comfort zone? It can be so much fun, and you never know, you might discover something you absolutely love!

Have a fantabulous weekend!

Sammy-x

August challenge - Altered Eclectics

Morning all,

It's August and the sun is shining (which makes a nice change from the past few - very soggy - days!) and there's a new challenge starting at Altered Eclectics.

This month I decided to play on a small-ish canvas, and have fun with some mixed media supplies.

And a teaspoon...

My apologies for the lighting on this picture. I have a new all-bells-and-whistles camera, and I haven't quite cracked it yet. The dismal weather this past week hasn't helped either, and the result is rather grey, instead of white!

I highlighted the letters, heart and tops of the pebbles with Finnabair's silver metallique wax. Not only do these waxes look amazing, but they smell absolutely gorgeous too. Seiously, I can't stop sniffing this canvas!

In other news, I was a bit of a silly goose the other day and decided to have a dizzy spell just as I was cutting some card. I don't have any kind of paper trimmer, I still cut everything with a knife and ruler, and long story short; a hospital trip to patch my finger up was required.
It should all heal nicely, but in the meantime I have this huge bandage on my finger, and it definitely gets in the way when trying to craft. I'm also not allowed to get it wet, which creates all kinds of other problems.
Oh well, when we have our charity craft fair on Saturday, I can charge them extra, as blood, sweat and tears literally went into making the stuff, lol.

Anyways, enough waffle. Go take a peek at what my fellow teamies have been up to, and come play with us!

brb,

Sammy-x

July challenge - Rhedd's Creative Spirit

Hello all,

Goodness me, it is July already! Of course this means we have a brand new challenge over at Rhedd's Creative Spirit, where as always anything altered art goes.

This month I worked on a mixed media canvas, and went for an industrial look.

It's that time of year again, where the charity I volunteer for is having a craft fair to raise extra money for our needy kids, and this canvas is one of many items that'll be put out for sale at the end of July. we made over £200 last year, so let's hope we can beat that this year!

In the meantime, please do go see what the rest of the team has been up to, and come play with us at Rhedd's!

Have a fantabulous day!

Sammy-x

July challenge - Rhedd's Creative Spirit

Hello again, another post from me this morning.

It's my turn to host the challenge over at Rhedd's Creative Spirit this month, and we have some gorgeous inspiration lined up for you. hope you'll go take a peek!

I did a trio of mixed media canvases, using lots of Craft Box supplies..

They're just under 6" each, and make a nice little set, I think. They'll be going up for sale at the craft fair we're having for the charity I volunteer for at the end of the month... fingers crossed we make lots of pennies, as it all goes to feed, clothe and educate orphans and young mothers in the Burmese refugee camps in Thailand.

If you check back on the 15th, I will have a tutorial for one of the canvases prepared for you.

I hope you'll come and join us!

Have a fantabulous weekend!

Sammy-x

November Challenge - Rhedd's Creative Spirit

And hello again, back with my second post this morning.

Another *shudder* November challenge has just gone live. This one over at Rhedd's Creative Spirit. As always, it's Anything altered art or mixed media goes. Just remember, no cards or 100% digital items for this one please!

I did a bit of mixed media altering for this one, as a small photo frame had just passed through at work that screamed out to me to be altered.

This is how it started life:

I took a lovely MDF key from Fernli designs, and painted it silver and weathered it. I thought it would make a great focal point against my chosen colours of blue, green and greys.

I chose white for embellishments and accents, as it provided a stark contrast, and gave a nice balance of clean white against the grungy colours I'd used. As you can probably tell, I re-coloured the yellow parts of the flowers with stormy sky distress paint to tie in with the background.

The frame has a lot of texture, both inside and out, for which I used texture and crackle pastes, as well as some joint tape (drywall tape in the states, I believe?) my husband was kind enough to pick up on a DIY shopping trip for me. He brought back two rolls, which is probably enough to keep me going for years and years, lol.

My finished frame, which I must admit I am rather pleased with, is going to get abandoned as part of the Flood the streets with art event on Black Friday (25th of November). It's a really great event where people from all over the world commit a random act of kindness and abandon a piece of art for an unsuspecting stranger to find. Last year over 6000 of us took part, and I'm really excited to be doing it again this year!

So, if you fancy making a piece of art of your own, come and play along with us at Rhedd's (whether or not you choose to abandon it after!), and if you'd like some inspiration, do pop over to the blog to look at the gorgeous pieces my fellow teamies have made.

Have a most fantabulous day everyone!

Sammy-x

DecoArt funtime over at Crafters' Palette!

Morning all,

We're showcasing decoArte products over at Creafters' Palette at the moment, and I made a card using their scrumptious crackle paste (I am soooo in love with that stuff!)

There's more pictures and info up on the blog if you want to take a peek!

Hope you're all having a fantabulous Tuesday!

Sammy-x

A couple more mixed media projects

Evening all,

Well, as you can tell, the mad rush is over. Creative Chemistry 103 was SO MUCH FUN! Here's hoping there will be a 104 some time in the future. I've learned so much doing this class (and the previous two).

But I do have another tag to share. This one features a triple embossed butterfly. If you'd like to know more, you can find out here on the Crafters' palette blog.

These are colours I don't often work with, but I have to admit I love how it came out!

And I have another project to share. This one was a birthday card I made for the most fantabulous Darnell, who I was lucky enough to meet on her recent tour of the UK.

That's it from me for this evening, but I hope to have some more to share soon. In the meantime, don't forget to enter my candy!

Have an awesomesauce day!

Sammy-x

Our House

Hi all, post #2 of the eve!

I'd gotten myself a lovely parcel of crafty goodness the other day (I was only ordering some more ATC sleeves and somehow stuff fell into the basket... You know how it is.), and amongst them was a gorgeous paper collection (Chatsworth) by PaperArtsy. Suitably in love, I figured I'd go check out the blog, and there came across their current challenge, themed Our House.

There were some utterly gorgeous examples of house-themed art, but I knew realistically the ones that impressed me the most were just somewhat out of my artistic range! (seriously, go check out the post and look at the second example, the one made of wood. Incredible!)

But then I saw a journal page by Kate Crane, which featured the kind of kooky houses I'd often admired but was always a little nervous to try. So, suitably inspired, I had a go.

I do have an art journal, but until today only had two pages finished in it, and I'd certainly not blogged the others, so this is a first for me!

The background was made with Gesso, covered in Dylusions, and then several layers of Stencilled Distress inks. I drew (yes, I actually drew! Miracles do happen...) the houses on some pages of an old book, and coloured them with Distress Inks.

I love how I managed to get a very layered, textured look, and the page is still almost completely flat! Not counting the houses.

The only thing I'm not happy about is the "home sweet home". I really, really hate my handwriting, and I didn't have any even remotely suitable stamps. Something else to add tto the shopping list! ;-)

Right, that's it from me for tonight. Sweet dreams my dears.

Sammy-x

Mixed media altered coaster

Hi all,

So I was browsing Blogger the other day (when I should really have been doing other things) and came across the reminder for the challenge at Unstampabelles. I used to be rather scared of playing along there, but since I've gotten into mixed media and altered art more, not using stamps has become a little easier. So I figured I'd take a break from all the "must do"s and sit down to do a "want to" instead.

The theme is "creative upcycling", so I decided I'd do another altered coaster for my little book. If you missed them, the other ones I made for this month's Rhedd's Creative Spirit challenge are here.

The twist for this month's Unstampabelles challenge was to use something I've had in my craft room for a year or more. in this case that would be the photobooth picture, the papers, the Hessian and the button! And I guess the staples too! (and the texture paste, and the Gesso, and... lol!)

But I did use some newer items too! Like the Distress Crayons I used for the colour, and the collage medium I used to give it all a uniform look (I am very much in love with both of these products!)

In other news, the appointment for the pain in my hands that they cancelled last month has been rescheduled for tomorrow (only been waiting since October!), so hopefully that will shed some light on things.

Hope you all have a most fantabulous day!

Sammy-x

April challenge - Rhedd's Creative Spirit

Good morning folks,

Two posts from me this morning, this second one being this month's DT piece for Rhedd's Creative Spirit.

I took a tea box I've had for a little while. Being immensely fond of tea, I'd been dithering over playing with it, because I din't want to mess it up. Luckily I am very pleased with how it turned out!

I just love the way this technique turned out... I spread texture paste through a stencil and pained over the top. Highlighting one side with a black distress marker and then smudging it out with my finger really makes the design pop.

The very truest of sentiments...

I die-cut this cup from board, painted and stamped, then added crackle accents over the top. Edge with marker and smudge, and work ink into the cracks.

A piece of jewellery I rescued from the bin at work!

Now all I need is to find some teabags I like enough to keep in the box (I'm very much a loose-leaf kinda girl)

Now it's your turn, go check out the blog for more inspiration, then come play along! Just remember it's anything altered art goes, so no cards please!

I'd really like to play along at the Creative Artiste challenge this month!

Have a fantabulous day!

Sammy-x

Sprinkles - Crafters' Palette DT

Hi all,

Just popping in to share my latest Crafters' Palette DT make.

There's more pictures and info up on the Crafters' Palette blog!


Hope everyone is well.

Have a fantabulous day!

Sammy-x

More texture stamps - Crafters' palette DT

Morning folks,

I had a wonderful time with my parents and my twin nieces, who they'd brought along. Really looking forward to going up and seeing them at Christmas!

Now, I'd been having so much fun playing with the Kaisercraft texture stamps for Crafters' palette, that I played about with a second technique too. this time, I did some embossing.

If you'd like to see how I made this, please pop over to the blog. 

Hope you're all having a fabulous weekend!

Sammy-x

Mixed media card - Crafters' Palette DT

Hi all,

I made a mixed media card following this month's page map over at Crafters' Palette.

This was sooooooo much fun to do!

There's a step-by-step tutorial over on the Crafters' Palette blog, along with products used, etc, if anyone is curious how I made it.

Hope you're all having a fabulous weekend!

Sammy-x

Sunflower

Hi all,

I thought I'd pop in with a make I just finished (and I mean just... The glue isn't dry yet!), which was inspired by the current challenge over at As You Like It.
The theme is "Your favourite flower", and as soon as I saw Sarah's gorgeous card (because I am totally with her on the sunflowers), I knew I wanted to squeeze in a little time to play along.

I also happened to have a piece of card on my desk, which I had used to swipe up some leftover Distress paints from my craft sheet a little while ago, which I figured would make a lovely background for something. As the colours were yellow, green and purple, I figured this was it!

So I got to work, and mounted everything on a piece of thin wood that will be the front of a mini album one day. This is what I ended up with:

I really had some fun with my distress inks, stains and paints. I did originally have different, more realistic, leaves on there, but I decided that I didn't like them, so changed them for some of the tattered leaves I cut with the Sizzix dies instead.

It's quite funny how sunflowers have come to be my favourites, because before I started crafting, I hated them! I think the G45 French Country papers are to blame. That pad was so gorgeous I just fell in love with them. Now I just love to have sunflowers around me whenever possible. They bring a touch of warmth to the day, and frankly... Here in Leeds we need all the warmth we can get!

Anyways, that be my contribution to the challenge. I just love that even when Mr Mojo is doing his best to hide, AYLI can usually kickstart the creativity. Nothing like being encouraged to play around with your favourite things, I guess.

Right, I must be getting ready to go to choir practice, but I shall do some visiting tomorrow.

Have a fantabulous one!

Sammy-x

May challenge - Rhedd's Creative Spirit DT

And hello again!

And I have my second nautical project of the day for you, for the May challenge over at Rhedd's Creative Spirit. You know the drill by now, anything altered art goes, no cards, etc.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, we'll be off to the seaside for a family holiday in a few weeks, which we are sooooo looking forward to. But back in February, we spent a day there, getting a "sneak preview" of what's in store when my parents decided on a holiday in the same place.
While we were there, we took a stroll along the beach and found some lovely seashells, including a gorgeous whelk that my daughter found (at around 10cm tall. It's brilliant!).

I also happened to have a few photo frames waiting to be given some TLC, so I chose a lovely chunky one, and set to work with my paints and stencils and other messy stuff and combined with the shells it resulted in this:

I used Snow Tex for the "sand" between the shells, which has a beautiful sandy texture.
You can see the lovely whelk in the bottom left corner.

The "picture" I added to the frame is temporary, as I fully intend to take a picture (or 100) of the kids on the beach and then pop that in when we get back.

And this is what it looked like before, when I rescued it from the charity shop!

Please do go take a peek at the rest of the team's gorgeous creations this month!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Sammy-x