Playin wit da burds! *

Well this week I came to possess the Bird Crazy die to team up with the stamps. I decided to get ahead by getting some elements for my Christmas cards so I played with cutting and some layered, coloured using polychromos, some have glossy accents and even goggly eyes.

Here they are - Da coolest dudes in town

Introducing Edward, Edwin, Cyril

Cedric, Ronald, Archibald, Bert and Frederick

Thanks for dropping by and please call again real soon

Hugz Elaine xxx

These have been entered into the following challenges

crafting with an attitude ag 1a
crafty gals corner to die for 29j
twisted thursday ag 29j
incy wincy designs 1a

Mid month Tutorial for Rhedd's Creative Spirit *

Hi all - it is my turn at hosting the mid month challenge over Rhedd's Creative Spirit.  I was pondering at what to make until I spotted a kitchen roll insert and an envelope stiffener (cardboard) and from there the idea was born - a pen holder!  

The idea for a mid month is to show step by step tutorial for the project so here goes - a really long post lol - please bare with me on this one lol.

First of I laid out what I thought I would use, pic on left was original idea, pic on the right is more like it - minus the black lace (a thought I added in along the way along with leaf trim lol)

This shows the process of trimming the tubes to desired length - bet you noticed the stray toilet roll insert, slightly smaller than the other one (another unplanned add in lol)  You can see I am no good at step by step huh...

 I cut out a base shap from the envelope stiffen then painted it alongwith the inside and edges of the tube using black acrylic.  Then came the paper hanging lol I started by covering the outsides using beautiful papers called Chalkboard by Craftwork Cards - gorgeous love them. Please note the pic on right shows my first mistake - I did not allow enough paper to fold down completely inside - next pic shows me redoing it lol

 see now rectified

 bit of a bodge up but got there in the end

 After completing all three tubes I wiped the edges using black soot DI 

 Now there was alot of drying time in between the steps and I promise I will not be talking to you in between - I sat on my sofa watching TV - better than watching paper dry lol ...Anyway I am now back from being a couch potato (well I could have been doing the housework instead but chose not to lol) .  This was the point I came across the latest add in - black guipere lace - love this.  I trimmed around the top of the tubes inside and out and around the edge of the base.  I covered the bottom of the base with felt - Ooops lost the pic of that one - still it would have been a boring pic anyway as I am sure you all know what felt looks like lol!

 I stuck the tubes and base together and added flowers and leaf trim to give it a bit of ummmmppphhhh!  Now for copious amount of pics...... I have most probably duplicated pics along the way so please forgive me - I just could not see which angled shot was being merged with what in the end!

 

 Now that's it for now but why not head on over to Rhedd's Creative Spirit for our challenge this month - go on you know you want to as much as we want to see you and your creations.

Hugz to all 

Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

Crafty sentiment designs ag 21j
everybody art papers and embellishments 21j
ttcrd ag 21j
artistic inspirations ag 19j
crafting from the heart ag 20j
craft your passion ag 20j
not just cards ag 1a
simon says stamp monday challenge ag 22j
use your stuff ag 8th September
613avenue create ag 20j
artbymiram ag 24j
simply papercraft ag 19j
crafting with an attitude ag 19j
outlawz twisted thursday ag 17j
crafting by designs reuse/recycle 16j
pennys paper crafty ag 15j

More Christmas cards.*

Well this is typical British weather especially for a weekend - sunshine only ever comes out when stuck in the damn office - rant over!

I wasn't in the mood for much crafting either so just put together three cards for ready for the ''C'' season lol.

Again the Crazy Birds came out of their packet (may as well leave them out as I suspect I will be using them alot lol)  

I stamped images onto the cards and again onto some scraps of Christmas paper from last year - just knew they would come in handy lol.  I then cut out the birds and a little bit of paper piecing onto the cards - this way one doesn't try the impossible of cutting round spindly legs lol,  I added sentiments by Dylusions, wiped ink across the base and voila - three more to count towards the many that will be needed lol.

Thanks for dropping by and do call again real soon

Hugz Elaine xxx

These have been entered into the following challenges
 My time to craft - paper piece 17j
sisterhood of snarky stampers R is for rude 1a
sweet stamping christmas in july 1a
kitty bee designs christmas in july 18j
simply cretae too get ahead for christmas 18j
4 crafty chicks christmas in July 15j
artistic inspirations ag 20j
simon says wednesday 16j 

New Challenge over at Anything but a Card *

Hi all - July already, 6 months away from Christmas, presents needed to be made.  So I chose to alter a cheap tealight holder, costing just 99p from the 99p shop lol.  This is just a stocking filler.  This is a simple project and so quick to do.  I basically used alcolhol inks and a straw to blow them across the jar until achieving an effect I like.

Sorry forgot to take a before piccie.

Jar without lit tealight

Jar with lit tealight

Thank you for visiting and why not head on over to ABAC for this months fun challenge

Hugz always

Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

The C word *

I thought I had better make a start on my Christmas cards and to give me a little incentive I bought a couple more sets of dylusions stamps. one set of quotes and one of images ie the xmas hat.  Out came my fave stamps - Crazy Birds.  I basically stamped and used distress markers to randomly color the birds. One of the hats was a stamp cut out and the other just cut from scrap paper.his time (because it is a one layer card)  there is just the one pic - yayyy I can hear you say lol

Thanks for dropping by and hope to see you all again real soon

Hugz always

This has been entered into the following challenges

deep ocean challenge 2 stamped images 12j
digichoosday christmas 12j
inky chicks furry friends 12j
one layer christmas 1a
tuesday throwdown no patterned paper  14j
crafty calendar christams in july 1a
crafty hazelnut christmas 1a

Blog Candy Opportunity

over at Monica's blog, fabulous DT girlie over at Eclectic Ellapu so spread the word and and head on over there for a chance to win some fabby prizes - you have until July 6th for a chance to win.  Further details can be seen on her blog HERE.

Steampunk Canvas *

Well it is that time again for a new challenge over at ''The Mirror Crack'd'' and the theme this month is to put together a Canvas.  I decided to go Steampunk - one of my fave styles due to dark colours lol.

Here is the list of the items used

Canvas

gesso

wooden cogs

chipboard dressform

charms

lots of rusty wire coiled by me

glass bottle with watch parts in it

inka gold

wooden bird, bodyform, numbers, clock hands

lots of chain round the cogs

screw

clock mask and modelling paste 

paint and sprays

lace, diamante effect trim for texture
and I ripped the arms from a barbie doll 
For the wings I used wire, mod podge and inks

and a lot of patience lol

Well now for the pics and sorry for overload

Why not head on over to The Mirror Crack'd and join in with the fun

Hugz always

Elaine aka Ellapu xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges
crafty friends ag 17j
crafty catz ag 9j
2 creative chicks ag 1a
crafting musketeers ag 1a
sandee & amiliees steampunk challenge (word, metal and lace fabric) 12s
sisters of craft ag 1a
4 crafty chicks no stamping 8j
crafting with an attitude ag  30j
crafting by design ag 30j

Cockles and mussels alive o live-o *

and that is the closest I will go towards singing a ditty lol.

I recently had some mussels in garlic sauce - really yummy but the enjoyment did not end there.  I cleaned the shells out scrubbed them and decided to home them in my craftroom.  

For my DT project for Rhedd's Creative Spirit July  ANYTHING GOES challenge I altered 2 mussel shells and transformed them into something resembling a Steampunk Butterfly embellishment.

I broke the top edges of 2 seperate shells and glued them back together at a different angle and to make them a little more secure.  Now I have the basis of my steampunk butterfly embellishment for which I will use for a project I have in mind at a later date.

I painted the shells in browns and black and used watch parts to decorate it up.  A couple of scraps of chain down the centre for the body and hangy tails.  I had a  skeleton dagger charm so attached the butterfly to it as a basis.  I wiped inka gold over the top - that's it all done.

Note to self for future shell work - work on the shells separately and glue together at the end lol - would have made life a little easier.

Now for the pics

Why not head on over to Rhedd's Creative Spirit and join in with our monthly challenge of Anything goes as long as it is altered art/mixed media and leave some love for the DT while you are there.  They are a fabulously talented bunch of girlies.

Hugz and love to all

Elaine xx

This has been entered into the following challenges

artistic inspirations ag 4j
crafting from the heart ag 4j
craft your passion ag 4j
haunted design house 6j
simon says monday summer 6j
613avenuecreate ag 4j
crafting with an attitude ag 5j

New challenge Eclectic Ellapu *

Hi all 

This month the challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu for the PINK TEAM is TRAVEL and for the PURPLE TEAM is FAVORITE HOLIDAYS.  As I am on the pink team I had to make a project reflecting travel.  I made a card for my stash.  I used a Katzelkraft stamp and 3 different desiner papers from Craftwork cards range of En Vogue - gorgeous papers.  The sentiment is from IndigoBlu.  I added a little color to the drivers of the car using my distress markers.

Now for the pics

Why not head on over to Eclectic Ellapu and join in with the challenges

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

creative card crew CAS 6j
artistic inspirations ag 5j
crafting from the heart ag 6j
craft your passion ag 6j
open-minded crafting vintage 30 j DT FAVORITE 
creative corner 2 colours 3j
simply papercraft ag 3j
craftyhazelnuts patterned paper 30j

Altered matchbox and domino's - *

For this months challenge over at Altered Eclectics I decided to alter a MDF matchbox and domino's from Fernli Designs - fab company.  

I covered the box and domino's in paper, sealed with mod podge and DI wiped around the edges.  

I made small tags for inside the drawer, covered the back with paper and for the front I used plain paper for the sayings.  I was going to stamp them but unfortunately they were too large for the card so had to hand write them - awful writing I know - sayings are from Dylusions stamps.

I used an old fabric flower and leaves, sprayed them with black Dylusions spray and wiped inka gold over the top.

I used dimensional glue for the domino's leaving a gap for the cards to slot into.  For the handle I used a ball from an old chain.  That's it - finito and now time for the pics.

Why not head on over to Altered Eclectics challenge this month - remember it is always Anything goes as long as it is mixed media/Altered art. Thanks for dropping by all.

Love and Hugz xx

This has been entered into the following challenges

TTCRD ag's 6j
crafting from the heart ag 6j
craft your passion ag 6j
incy wincy designs ag 6j
not just cards ag 6j
613avenuecreate ag 6j