2nd canvas book (crazy amigo"butterflies")

I decided to start on a second canvas book today. This is the cover and it has mixture of paper, paint, buttons, threads and tags. The Ambrose tag was off a check shirt that I bought for my husband and it already came grungified which is why I kept it! I quite like the contrast between the peaceful buddha and gentle button butterflies compared with the mad, eclectic background..much like life really..(its nice to have some peaceful moments in a chaotic day!)

mixed media monday "come fly with me"

I made a quick ATC for this featuring a woman wearing her Easter bonnet complete with enormous bird!! The words read "bird on my mind". I have had my sewing machine on my mind today as just as I wanted to do a load of sewing it gives up!!! so I am getting Bob Green the local sewing man out on Wednesday to have a look at it as its making a whirring noise and the handle wont turn.

First fabric bowl

I made a fabric bowl tonight and am very pleased with it. I love the simple Kabuki type of style. I have had this material for quite awhile and was wondering what to do with it. I can see myself making more of these as I love the sculptural quality. Its also got the added bonus of not being breakable so its safe with the kids..who will probably wear it as a hat knowing them!!

"Yesterday" (make a moo or two)

As soon as I saw the word "yesterday" I began to sing "all my troubles seemed so far away..". Well I am from Liverpool and we all learn Beatles songs when we are very young!! Just had time to make some quick moos today as have been reading some great fabric books that arrived from c&t publishing today.

Theme Thursday circus ATC

Did a quick ATC using various paint and ink techniques. I didnt really like going to the circus when I was little but we visited a Chinese State Circus last year and were amazed at the acrobats

Rome Travel round the world swap

For this month Katrin chose Rome for the travel round the world swap. I have used a picture of the Trevi Fountain and various images from magazines. I love using painted plasterboard tape at the moment for texture. When I visited Rome I loved the Trevi Fountain and we had ice cream near there which was delicious.

Created by hand "flowers"

I had another go at making a bondaweb collage..this one features blue scraps and gold thread with my fav stampington flower stamped onto fabric.

Little fabric ATC bag added to my etsy shop

I have just added this little bird ATC bag to my etsy shop. Its ideal for carrying around your collection of ATCs or a small camera etc as the sides are quite wide. It is based on one of the very first fabric collages I did so this little bird is quite special to me.

I won this months "trees" Art Raffle!!

 
 

This morning my friendly postman brought me this huge box. My youngest was so excited opening it and his reaction at everything he opened "oohhh" was exactly how I felt..what a great beginning to the week! Thanks Sarah for organising this and wrapping it up so beautifully.

chinese tea dream (mixed media "oriental")

We had another painting session this morning..my youngest painted some pots and I painted this oriental lady. It was quite difficult to get the skin tone, eyes and lips on this one but I had a go and the results are not bad!

Happy Mums Day & Marie Curie!

Today is mothers day in the UK. I was awoken again at 7am!!! by the kids all excited with their presents and cards for me. They cooked me a lovely bacon toasted buttie (sandwich) and a coffee so at least I had breakfast in bed. I got great beading and polyer clay books, hyacinths in a gorgeous container and lovely homemade cards etc. We all helped out today collecting for Marie Curie cancer support at the local shopping centre. My sons looked lovely in their daffodil hats giving out daffodil badges. Hope all those in the UK had a lovely mums day and were spoilt rotten!!

Saturday Workout "sewn ATC"

I love working with textiles so I quite liked doing this one. Fabric painted stamped background. Stamped and painted hearts and the words read "Do not judge by appearances, a rich heart may be under a poor coat" Scottish proverb.

small world of inchies "flowers"

I did a couple of twinchies as I find inchies really difficult. I have used a tape transfer of some flowers over a collaged background..I have some lovely daffodils and pansies in my garden at the moment..what are your fav flowers?

Sculpture and jewellery day

My 5yr old called me out to the garden this morning and showed me this amazing sculpture of a face he had created!! I just had to take a pic of it as I think its fantastic. I went to a jewellery workshop today at my friends craft shop. We all worked from some beautiful kits that my friend Pat had bought. I added some further charms to mine and am really pleased with the result.

Bondaweb collage mums day presents (arty girlz "stamping")

I always try and make something for my mum and my mum in law on mums day which is this Sunday in the UK. I thought I would make them a glasses case each this year in some vintage type colours. I had a go at making a bondaweb collage and then stamped a flower image and added some buttons. It is the last Arty Girlz challenge unfortunately so this qualifies for the "stamping" challenge.

Surreal Liver Bird ATC (crazy amigo paint)

Only had time to make a quick ATC today. Bright paint for the background, images cut up and a pic of the Liver Buildings in Liverpool. There used to be a show in the 1970s called "The Liver Birds" and I used to love watching it as it was very funny...what is your favourite funny show? I watched a great clip of the Ellen show the other night featuring a Texan woman named Gladys with her saying "I love Jesus but I drink a little"!! Here is the link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83JDXXKzOXg

stampboard brooch

At the last textile group I attended I had a go at fusing chiffon together with a soldering iron..I quite liked the effect of all the different layers. The little exammple that I made gave the perfect background for this stampboard brooch. I have wrapped wire around for extra texture. This is for a swap I am taking part in on UK Stampers.

Stained glass and first experiments with utee

My son's cakes that he made for the church stall on Saturday sold well. Whilst we were there I took some photos of the stained glass arched windows they have...they look absolutely amazing with the light shining through them and are a work of true craftsmanship. I love the colours and so did my son and he drew some lovely pictures.
I had a play with utee before. I used Sid's (UK Stampers link) technique of mixing thick embossing powder with a few drops of alcohol inks then heating it to get coloured utee. I think utee is so expensive so I valued this money-saving tip! I have found several utee demos by Suze Weinberg on you tube so think I will have a go at them...as I am not really happy with my first attempts but you have to start somewhere!!!

UK Stampers canvas off Sid

I had a really bad headache this morning and suddenly the postman delivered this gorgeous canvas!! It is made by Sid from UK Stampers. I took part in t bottletop swap and I made a little bag whilst he made this gorgeous canvas. Hazel added a lovely stamped chipboard heart for me with the words "you inspire me". Both Hazel and Sid really inspire me especially with their utee creations..something that I have never worked with..yet! So a big thanks Sid and thanks to Hazel for organising it Check out Sid's and Hazel's blogs in the UK Stampers link to the right...very talented.

Little bird ATC wallet (TGIF birds)

My etsy shop is looking very lonely so made this little ATC wallet for it yesterday. It opens up to reveal 10 little fabric pockets to hold up to 30 ATCs. I wanted to do something completely different so opted for a vintage, pastel palette.

My canvas book made it to California!!

I have been working a lot on a canvas book lately. I finished it this week and posted it off to C&T publishing in California. I was very pleased as they really liked it and are going to use it demonstrate how these great little blank canvas books can be altered dramatically with paint, wax, inks, tissue paper etc. It is going to be shown at the Art retailers show in Kentucky in May so if you see it don't forget to let me know. To get one of these blank canvas books just visit www.ctpub.com where they have them for sale.

Theme Thursday "flowers"

Went to my friends shop today and caught up with making some ATCs. Paper, lace, paper flowers, stamped fabric and images printed on canvas.

Wednesday Stamper "green"

Have been sewing again today so made this ATC with the bits. I have stamped the green fabric background and I quite like the way the frayed material almost looks like grass over the stamped owl

Old sandstone wall and tree textures

As promised here is a pic of the sandstone wall that I was talking about yesterday. Near where I live is an old sandstone quarry so a lot of the walls and old buildings are built out of it. I also spotted an old gnarled tree trunk..I love textures in nature and they provide lots of ideas. These pics would make great digital backgrounds or ideas for fabric printing perhaps.

Its nice to treat yourself!!

When I am out and about I am always seeing the most amazing textures etc on things but do I ever have my camera with me..no!! so time to treat myself today to a new mobile with a camera in it!! So have been trying to figure out what it does most of the day as I am a bit of a techno phobe. I am the sort of person who still likes albums compared to mp3s!! Beside messing round with my new phone I had a play with textures on canvas. Opposite my son's school is a great sandstone wall full of browns, greens so I wanted to try and capture this on a page. I will try and take a pic of the wall tomorrow now I have got my camera phone!! I am hoping to add wires etc to the page tomorrow. I took these photos with the phone and am quite pleased with the quality...there's no stopping me now!!

Giveaway at one of my fav blogs

One of my favourite blogs is http://colorfulartgirl.blogspot.com/. I won some of fabric scraps from her last giveaway and looking at the fabric gave me the idea to make my popular little art bags. Its a great quilting blog and shows such beautiful bright quilts and fabric art..go on over and visit and enter her fabric giveaway!!

latest little art bag I have added to etsy

A big thankyou to all those who have bought my very popular little art bags..especially Heather in Canada. I made some more and have added them to my etsy shop. Here is a pic of the latest one. I am thinking of doing a bird design one as asked for by Tracey from Stepping of the edge so watch this space!!

Arty Girlz, Theme Thursday & UK Stampers challenge swap

Combined a couple of challenges for these bird twinchies. Arty Girlz was blue and yellow so have added some blue and yellow flowers and threads. Theme Thursday was birds so nice stamped images on teabag stained fabric! Linda reminded me of a bird twinchie swap she is holding on UK Stampers so I can give her these next week. Quite a good creative day as usual at my fav place to spend a Thursday. If any of you live in Liverpool or near the Wirral and would be interested in coming to the Craft n Chat on a Thursday please send me an email and I will give you directions.

Wednesday Stamper "skinny"

I needed a new notepad for my bag and the skinny size (3 x 5) is perfect for covering up cheap notebooks from Asda. Stamped patterned papers with image stamped on fabric and using my fav distressing technique.. a teabag!!

Created by Hand "believe"

I was at my friends Lindas shop today and had a great time using inks and paper for a change. Linda gave me an altered fan shape to alter. I had fun using some paper artsy images stamped on fabric then put on a background of papers stamped using some nice Tim Holtz stamps that Marie brought in. The stamped words read "believe in yourself". I had a great time as usual but am glad I was given a table to myself as I do tend to get very messy and my stuff goes all over the place..I dont think I will ever be a neat crafter..ha ha!!

"frida housework" painted canvas page

Another canvas page but this one opens up with some wire/chinese coin toggles. I quite liked the way this housewife with her soap and mop looked similair to the Frida image. I thought the quote by Picasso with the word "dust" in it fitted in with the theme of housework vs art that I wanted to convey. I think there is more to life than housework but so many women are trapped into thinking that if their house looks perfect then their lives will be!! As long as my house is reasonably clean then we are all happy!

follow your own path painted canvas page

Had another play with paint this morning. I made some painted flags with my son for the garden and I painted this page for my canvas book. The quote is by Ralph Waldo Emerson "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail". I think this quote is so inspiring and encourages us to venture out of our comfort zone and try something new. I have painted this girl with blue eyes for a change and I think the flowers have come out well as I was trying to do them in an impressionist style!

Success with "wet felting" at last!!

I was in the Borders bookshop the other day and managed to get a great book called Creative felting for £2.99 (I have also seen it in The Works for those who live in the UK). I followed the instructions and managed to make this beaded glasses case which I am very pleased with. Yesterday I went to a textile/felting group that I belong to and made a start on a felted bag. I worked on it last night and managed to finish it today. I think it will look really cool with my denim jacket in the summer. I am glad I stuck with wet felting as at first I was finding it very difficult but am so pleased with the results. I think its addictive...