Altered Bottle

 

Good morning everyone!!

 

Happy wednesday. Firstly apologies for my abscence the last few days - I have been a touch busy with other projects and a poorly cat. 

 

 

 

 

 

Todays offering is a quick altered bottle from last week - an old port bottle which will now be used as a candle holder. the project usesd alcohol inks, acrylics and Stampers Anon stamps along with varying floristry supplies - pebbles n twiddly bits.

 

 

 

 

Its all getting very exciting here as it is now only 2 sleeps to the launch of the Clarity Challenge blog !!! I hope you are all ready - I have to say the challenge DT has pulled out all the stops and there are some lurvely projects to provide inspiration for you!!

 

Well I am afraid thats all for today, I hope you like it! I have lots of deadlines tp meet this week so time to get busy!! have a happy wednesday and I will see you all here on friday for the launch of the clarity challenge!!!

 

Crafty cheers for now

 

Love Rae

 xxx

Ready for the weekend.....

 

Happy Friday all. Woohoo !!!  What is everyone up too?

I thought I would share a quick post with you before it all goes hectic.....

 

 

Keeping it bright and cheerful while the rain and snow fell !!

This was a make for a friends birthday a few weeks ago. I used a mixture of pan pastels and distress inks. The stamps are clarity and a fabulous freebie from Craft stamper Magazine. I hope you like it !

 

Next week I am hoping to bring you a little giveaway / mini challenge just in time for the launch of the Clarity Challenge so keep checking back here.

 

Right I am off for round 2 of the NHS merry-go-round. Hope ou all have a great weekend and Here's hope to see you all back here soon!!

 

Crafty cheers for now have fun whatever you are doing !!

 

Love and hugs

 

Rae

xxx

 

 

 

 

Happy is the heart.....

Good morning all !!!

 

I have been most rudely awoken this morning, peppermint brew is on, breakfast has been had, Felix mainly has her buggering about head on so I thought I would throw in a quick extra blog for you  !!

 

Oh how I spoil you rofl !! I can hear you all................go away mad woman!!!

 

The dreaded Valentines day is looming (those who know me know I no likey this time of year haha !!) so I thought I ought to throw a token gesture in ...

 

 

 

.....and this is it!! I got the Acrylics out to create the aged background added gesso through the heart mask and painted away ! A little crackle glaze was thrown into the mix and then the whole thing was stamped over with acrhival. The clarity roses were then painted in with more acrylics and the raised hearts were hi-lighted with pewter gilding wax. 

 

The wooden heart was covered with washi tape and then acrylic washed before the detail was added. I added an (almost ! lol!) soft feminine touch with a little lace behind it and used Tim Holtz Love struck die for the cupid.

 

I hope you like !!

 

Have a great Wednesday - I have SOOOOOOOO much to do - all exciting even if I am a little stressed around the edges and a little overawed.

 

I hope I will be able to share very soon !!

 

Crafty cheers for now !!!

 

Take care

Love and hugs

 

Rae

xxx

 

 

 

A little fairydust.......

 

Well here we are again folks ! 

Its the very early hours of another Monday!  

 

I am bog eyed and bleary headed, peppermint tea is mashing while Felix is still snoring on my now dead leg !!! Getting organized and up to date with this weeks blog schedule .......Today's offering comes from the Splodgeaway stable !!!

 

 

 

This reverse easel card used the Fairy Stenskape, Viva Decor 3D mediums and a lovely 6 x 6  paperpack from Crafty Individuals

 

 

I took a technique I have used to add dimension to pieces in my art journal and rolled several co-ordinating papers into different sized "cigars" and fixed them to the card base, which I had already inked using the stenskape and the old distress inks

 

The toadstools and fairies were then created using the Viva 3d and distress Stains. I am really in love with this medium it is so versatile and easy to use. The biggest draw for me is probably its speedy drying time given my totes lack of patience!! ha ha!

 

Felix and I have lots on this week.....( shhhh the V....E.....T trip is looming !!!) and I have prep deadlines, writing to finish and several comissions in the diary. Plus, I hope to see a man about a proverbial "dog",  before ending the week on the NHS merry-go-nowhere.

 

I am also expecting rather a lot of crafty goodliness (from both sides of the pond !) to be delivered via Mr Postie and Mr Courier today and I want to plaaaaaaaayyyyyy so I am of to the "artistic bombsite" to launch a hand grenade to tidy up all things inky in readiness.

 

Have a good week all !!

 

Crafty cheers for now :-)

 

Love and hugs for now 

 

Rae and Felixmogs

xxx

 

Exciting announcements ...... with Clarity Stamp

Bonjour......How is everyone ??

 

Firstly apologies for the time lapse since my last blog - been a touch under the weather again grrrrr I really think its time I was rubbed out and redrawn LOL !!! 

Anyway, I hope you are mostly enjoying a pleasant weekend and getting lots of crafting being done :-)

 

It has actually been a VERY exciting time round here this week.......things coming to fruition and a couple of other things simmering nicely!

 

 

 

Those of you who are regular followers will know I just lurrrrrve using Clarity stamps (some of my clarity ATC's can be seen here ) and this week I have been super bursting with happy smiles !!!

 

I have been invited to join Claritystamps BRAND NEW CHALLENGE DT !!!!!! Giddy honoured I was especially when I saw the fabulously talented team I will be working with - awesome !!!!

 

So yesterday I got round to playing .......

 

 

...... with the fandabby new funky trees, some of the brand new CHA release spellbinders and seedless preserve distress stain as a watercolour. With todays cards I really wanted to keep them all simple and clean lined.

 

Then I picked up the latest stamp from Barbara's monthly design club - a celtic tile - and got very carried away hahahaha - good job I am not eating at the moment lol !!!

 

 

 

I came up with this little pattern build/decopage number and then I combined it with the funky houses and home stamps

 

 

                                                                                              The patterned hexagons on this card are created using rolled babywipes inked up with two or three colours next to each other and then swiped in opposing diagonals across glossy coated cardstock. Great for co-ordinating bespoke backgrounds ....  

                                                               The celtic tile on this one was used to just subtly infill the "O" in Home.

 

After all this distraction I FINALLY got around to what I should of been doing !!!! My piece for the Challenge DT Blog.......something TOTALLY different. I really hope you all like it and all the other super projects when the challenge goes "live" on 1st March !!!

 

The link to this great new challenge is HERE .... so if you haven't already popped over to join now is your time ..... come and join in the fun!!

 

Right I have to go juggle a few more "spinning plates" of craftiness and I will be able to share even more great news in the next few weeks :-)

 

Enjoy what is left of your weekend folks

Stay safe and warm ( more white stuff on its way! )

 

Love and hugs

 

Rae

xxx

 



Men......!!!

 

 

Happy Tuesday everyone!! I hope this finds all you lovely people well?

 

What a shame the snow has all vanished here ( felix, however is VERY pleased about that ! ) I really do love the stuff as oppossed to the gales and torrential rain that replaced it - there is something so peaceful and romantic about the view of snow covered fields from the art room.....

 

 

Well valentines is not far off so this week I will be working on some ideas for then and I will hopefully share them by the end of the week. In the meantime I thought I would show you a couple of male card ideas - I think all of us struggle with ideas for guys especially if they arent sporty or into hobbies....!!!!

 

 

These two cards use Clarity and Kanban stamps. The card on the right is acetate fronted with one of the balloons affixed to offer some dimension and the background was created using brayer and sponging techniques. the balloons are all stamped and coloured with alcohol markers.

 

 

This second card uses lots of masking off to achieve the layered effect - then the subtle (so subtle its not that visible to the camera !!) script background was applied before the individual scenes were built and sponged in.

 

Guys that are sporty are far easier to deal with......

 

.....this needs little intro or explanation it was a comission for a friends brother's 40th ! My friend supports everton and thought the 4-0 scoreline a highly amusing dig at the recipient's liverpool! the card was created using a liverpool skyline vector and a liver bird mask taken from the internet and hand cut.

 

 

This one was made as part of the Clarity New Design Club challenge. The theme was  red white and blue olympics.....it took the same idea as above using an internet sillhoette to create an aperture which was then brayered through. Being a thrifty crafter the ribbon came off a jubilee cake !!! lol. 

 

Well thats the lot for now - I hope you like the samples and find some inspiration !! I have a list of craft jobs as long as a giraffes neck so I really ought to crack on.......well after another brew anyway !!

 

Stay safe and crafty cheers for now !!

 

Rae

xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



SPLOGICAL INSPIRATIONS...........

 

Hellooooooooooooooooooo!!!

 

Yes your eyes are not decieving you ..... I am back second day on the trot!!!

This time I am back to showcase the samples from today's Splodge Away shows on Create and craft

 

This pen fold card was very simple mat and layering with the flowers from todays flower creations masks and using the gorgeous new Spellbinders butterflies

 

This is simple to make just affix three 4 x 4 in card blanks together to make the concertina base.

 

Then came the Gothic set where I went with a 1920's theme with this gorgeous clarity stamp, some simple embossing using mirror card and  I had a go at the pearl drops technique favoured by the super talented Sue Wilson. stunningly effective though it can test the nerves and needs a steady hand LOL!!!

 

 

 

 

 

This card utilised the pentacle and rune components of the Gothic set. there are many variaitions you could use these simple individual symbols for. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next came 2 simillarly colour schemes.....probably because they are my go too favourites!!

 

 The first uses pan pastels and some very effective touches I learned at one of Eileen Godwins fantastic classes

While for this one I took the leaf layout and got nice n messy with some radiance rains along with some Shenna Douglas stamps, Paperatsy words and the butterflies got another outing as well!!   

 

And finally probably my personal fave project from this months designs altough sadly it didnt make our tv screens. I went back to my roots and with a little help from my Mum we cut out lots of the flower creators from the fabulous 60's themed Hippy Chic paper pad to create this fun bright bunting

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the show and all the awesome samples from todays shows ..... the whole DT excelled themselves!!!

 

Right I am off to feed various cats, dogs, bunnies, budgies, cockateels, chickens and cockerels.

 

Stay safe in this wintery weather

Crafty cheers for now

 

Happy Crafting

 

Love Rae

xxx