Thursday 30 January 2014

Mixed Media

I have only really ventured into the realm of mixed media once before and after today I can see the attraction.

Using an old cover from a catolougue I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do and generally just went at it.  Here are a few photos.






Used: 
Dylusions stamps, DCWV Collage Stack, PITT Big Brush pens, Gelatos, black PITT pen, white Sharpie, Claudine Helmuth multi Matt, Tim Holtz Spltter stencil and stamps, rough collage paste and Gesso.

Great fun and will definately be doing this again.

Happy Thursday to you all.

Pauline x






Wednesday 29 January 2014

A 'Winged' Flight of Fancy

So this is my last week of being a Guest Designer for the Stampotique a Designers blog and will be handing over the reins to someone else to keep you all inspired along with our very talented designers.

As you will know me now I'm one for trying to think of off the page projects, and this one is just that.


I have made a light shade into a hot air balloon.  I have made a number of shades before with each one being unique.  As is this one, unique with my favourite gals as guardian angels.


All the wings for my angels come from DCWV Mariposa collection, one of my all time favourites.


I had two daisies left from decorating my mirror in last weeks project and also added pink and purple flowers, all from I Am Roses.


The pink and butterfly charms on each corner of the basket are from my stash.






The paper for the butterflies is DCWV Collage Art Stack.  This collection is only available in the USA but when I saw it I was determined to have it.  Thanks to a friend she trailed to her LCS and mailed it to me.  Pricey but worth it as it is gorgeous.   The butterflies have been layered using velum and ribbon and organza from my stash.

I have a great time being a guest designer this month and truly hope my crafting projects has helped you consider how your own projects can come off your page and into your home creating fun and giggles for every room.

Take care and thanks for dropping by.

Pauline
x













Tuesday 28 January 2014

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Today I am having a very melancholy day.   So I wanted to do a project that reflects my mood. 

I wanted to use stamps in my stash which I had never used before, some old and my house, which is new. 


I started with Distress Ink in olive and green the stamped a Dylusions stamp in red archival ink. I stamped it again onto scrap, cut it out and used it as a mask. I then used green Archival Ink on a Paper Artsy stamp. 


I then used an 01 Micron and drew hearts onto the ends of each blade of grass. 


I then added different script in different fonts and a heart from Dylusions to create the background.  Completely back to front, but hey my head is not quite able to concentrate very well. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Take care of you. 
Pauline x




Monday 27 January 2014

Housework? Yeh Right!

Ok so I HATE HOUSEWORK.

I have a saying.... Housework makes you ugly, that's why I'm beautiful!  Anyone disagree?  

Ok here are my feather dusters.


What ya think, cool ehhhh...... 

Night, night.

Pauline x

Materials:  Dylusions, Distress Ink, Tim Holtz washi tape

A Star Is Born

I have been playing around again today.  I have used for the very first time modelling paste in a project. The one I have seems quite rough and I'm not too sure about it.  What do you think?


I first covered the card with gesso the used my Star stencil from a Tim Holtz and a credit card, which is new but thought if I damaged it then I couldn't use it!  

I then used some green and blue Gelatos and then spritzed them with water and moved the card around to get an effect I was happy with.

I then used Cornflower Blue and Fern Green Archival Ink from Ranger and a dabbler to make inky stars in my background.  I find when using Gelatos you really have to use archival ink for the best effect.


Using Dylusions stamps I used Right Up Your Street and Curious Corrin coloured with Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils for the main character.  Lots of new experimenting and overall just happy playing around trying to be creative.

Hope Monday has been good to you all.  Take care of you.

Pauline

x




Sunday 26 January 2014

I Am Perfectly Wicked

It feels like it's been a long time since I just sat down to play, with nothing in mind and just letting what happens happen.  I don't know about you but when I'm feeling low I sit and stare at my cards, stamps, inks etc and find it incredibly difficult to put something down.  

Here is what I have just finished.


 



The stamps primarily are Dylusions and the box string one is Hero Arts.  I used my PITT big brush to colour and Distress inks on the background.  The black pens are Micron 02 and 03 and the white is a Signo broad.

I then had more fun, stayed in the groove, lol and did this.


Tim Holtz Shatter stencil in the background, which I spayed some water through and his number stencil.  The barbed wire stamp is from Visible Image.

I'm glad I managed to get something completed, quite therapeutic sitting for ages dotting, bit like me - dotty haha.

Hope you have had great weekend.  Take care of you,

Pauline
x

Saturday 18 January 2014

Changes In Life

Have you ever thought about the saying "when one door closes another opens" and really thought about if this is true, well right now I am focussing all my energy on this to try and make it come true.

Yesterday, I took the decision to leave my full time job.  I haven't yet handed in my notice but that may still happen.  I work in a very stressful environment doing a job who everyone I speak to has told me -  " I would hate your job" or " I honestly don't know how you do that job".  It's a job with many rewards mainly hidden and self gratifying and truly only a job you can do if your the right type of person.

Now whilst I believe I have many good qualities and continually aspire to be a giving and compassionate person alas like everyone else at time I get it wrong.  Sometimes, and more often than I really want to admit, I do get it right and others are in the wrong.  

I have spent all my adult life working in a 'people' industry, always adding to my knowledge and experience to help others reach and achieve opportunities in their own lives.  I have undertaken training in order to teach in my chosen profession, which I have been dedicated to.   Honestly, because selfishly in a way it brings out the best in me.  I like that, don't we all?  Self fulfillment, gratification if you like, is a human instinct most people crave and every person choosing to create a life arguably is fulfilling a need for self gratification.  But I digress: my job, my full time paid career and the reason for my current situation is currently a bit in tatters.

I like many others have lived with depression for many years.  Generally I try to fool myself into believing I am well, strong and beggars belief never a victim, however the bubble has temporarily been popped and as I lie her 3pm on Saturday feeling sorry for myself and still in my pink fluffy dressing gown I am slowly hoping the saying "when one door closes another opens" has significance for me at this time.  I am coming to recognise whilst I do love aspects of my job I am more than likely not the right type of person to be doing it.  I believe this because I'm emotional, sensitive, far too sensitive at times, a lone parent who has raised 3 children without their fathers help, financially nor emotionally.  But I chose to have children and certainly was never under any illusion it was an easy job, so I am absolutely not looking for any sympathy.  I love them unconditionally, without them I would not be the person I am today and I am always grateful we are close and that they are a huge part of my life.

But recently they have been less of my life that I would wish as when I come home from work rather than share our day, laugh and spend time together I have become distant preferring to hide in bed or lost watching mind blowing rubbish on tv.  Why; because I am exhausted, burnt out and I have little control over my emotions.  This has been how I have felt for many months, probably longer but admitting that is a bit like admitting defeat, and I'm not ready to do this.

So where to go and what to do!  It's hard to consider after working so hard my entire life and still paying off a student loan 12 years after finishing university, being told by my parents work hard as it will bring rewards, that in a matter of months I may be selling my home to pay off debts and have nothing financially to show for more than 25 years of nose to the grind, bloody hard work and looking for my new door to open.

But I will find my new door.  This house is only a home when as a family we are together.  I can live in a tent as long as my children are with me, not really an option in rainy Scotland but you get my drift, right? 

Tomorrow is another day.....

Wednesday 15 January 2014

Stars

This week I have been busy trying to think outside the box and ended up in the smallest room in the house haha.  Well you know me!
I have dressed up my mirror with my Stampotique beauties and added bits and pieces of things from my stash to jazz it all up.





The stars I bought from my LCS and they started out like this.....


I then hot glued some together and added some thick string.




Excellent fun and cheers up any visit to the eeeemmmm..... U no what!

Head over to the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and check out some fantastic and inspiring crafts.  Until next time, take care of you.

Pauline
x



Wednesday 8 January 2014

Something New - Did Santa Bring You A New Stash?

Hello everyone again.  How was your Hogmany and New Year?

Now most folk will be back to work (boo hoo) and the kids back to school (way-hey) it's time to play with all our new goodies.

Being a new year I need a new calendar for my desk at work, so of course I made one using my favourite stamps from Stampotique.

The calendar is from Graphic 45 and each month I have mainly used different stamps, I now have quite a wee collection, or should I say FAMILY lol.  Enjoy.


January


February


March


April


May


June


July


August


September


October


November


December

Hope you have enjoyed this wee project and it brings some inspiration for you to get crafty.

For more truly inspirational creations visit the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog, here's the link:

Saturday 4 January 2014

Shades of Monochrome

Hi all.  Today I want to share a project I made for my daughter and as Country View Crafts challenge this month is monochrome this is just perfect.


I have made a number of these shades as commissions and they have all been great fun, very girly and completely unique.



The paper used is a DCWV stack "Black and White Stack".  I have also used velum to layer the buttereflies.  I used my Sizzix Eclips machine and a Tonic butterfly punch to make all the templates.  I then added lots of bling and sparkle with the beads and lace.  This lace is very old and was found in a cupboard at my mum's church, so ancient indeed.  It did need to be aired as it was very odourous haha

Why don't you click over to the blog and check out some more fantastic creations:

Hope you are having a fantastic weekend.

Pauline
x


Wednesday 1 January 2014

Happy New Year

Hope you all had a fantastic festive time and didn't eat too much but did drink too much hohoho, only joking.

This entire month of January I will be presenting some of my crafts for Stampotique.   This week's theme is "Anything Goes".  This has carried over from December as we have all been busy preparing for our Christmas festivities. 

This project although not huge took me weeks to complete as I have on going health problems and finding the energy to craft, let alone be creative, has been a huge Stampotique Challenge. How and never here is my take on this weeks challenge. 


This house has been recycled from my application to be on the team.  It has been painted, glittered, glued and Christmafied hohoho. 

  

The base was an old catalogue cover, which was painted with gesso then lots of glue applied and then tissue paper crinkled up and adhered. 



I then poured lots of pva glue into a tray and added lots and lots of glitter. This was then liberally plaster onto the house and ground to make my snowy scene. 


 

I used real cinnamon sticks for the logs, pine cone for my tree and an old circle cut from my mums old piano as my skating rink. The fence was bought at a local craft store then hot glued onto the ice rink.  


The snow balls are recycled from Christmas Crackers from 5 years ago hohoho, what a hoarder I am.  You can see them two pictures above.


All the skaters have white mini pegs tuned upside down for ice skates.   My skaters are Waving Spotted Monster, Birdy Up, Smile, Relaxin and Line Up.


The icicles were made using hot glue on my non stick craft mat, leave to cool then adhere using more hot glue.  I used another Stampotique stamp Home Sweet Home to replicate a door using a PITT pen to colour and of course one of my favourite gals Gooseneck.



A fun project, hope you have enjoyed this as much as I did making it. Hop, or should that be 'slide', on over to the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and check out more fantastic crafts:    http://stampotiquedesignerschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/


Take care of you til next week
Pauline 
x