I love ATCs

and here are two that I had sent to me recently - the first has been in magazine articles so I feel vey honoured to have it in my collection (by Sonya) and the second is by Jackie in Canada - I love the almost visceral feel of the brush strokes

I love badges!

Here's my first 3 tries - I've got so many ideas of what I want to do. The sewing pattern babe is born of a mistake where the plastic coating of the badge got misaligned so I took it off and lightly glazed the badge - so much potential for 3D loveliness!

I'm in love

with yet another inanimate object. This time - an industrial badge machine that I've hired out for a couple of weeks. Will show pics of some of my creations later - a bit migrainey to say the least today. Obviously in preparation for Maz coming to play on Thursday - I've either got a headache or rotten guts every time she visits - truly, it's not psychosomatic

Technical problems

I'm having great fun taking part in a CPS inspired canvas RR.

I worked on Maz's wonderful hexagonal canvas last night and I should think that her ears were burning. As beautiful as Brusho looks sprinkled - of course it is watercolour pigment, so any wet media just reactivates it...... talk about a technical challenge.

I pressed on (what else could I do?!) and I rather like the hot and steamy vibe of this so far - parts of a decorative serviette applied and more PVA glooped around to make the brusho smear and blend in places. Bear in mind that 3 other people have to work on the canvas before it returns to Maz and then if she want to it can go out into the second round. It is uber difficult to stop and leave space for other people to contribute.

Do you rasterbate?

Go on - you know you want to! Nothing like your dirty mind tells you.....

The kindness of strangers

I'm participating in Artella's Spring Sprite exchange for the second time and received a huge package of items from my benefactor today. Thank you Maryelizabeth Martin.

Feeling happy

with another creation after wrestling so long with it in my head - had to be in black and white with the theme of imagination........

Hammering away

Because I don't seem to be able to get this post up!

Weekends are supposed to be about spending time with the family....

But I have to have my little art fixes and often end up finishing off or starting something.

This weekend was no exception so I finished off my altered coaster for Sharon (her theme was 'Female of the Species'). I found it so hard to keep the artwork flat (so the coaster can be used) and I loved the kind of sinister face contrasting with the ultrafeminine lace and - gasp shock horror - fine glitter that was sprinkled onto the glaze while it was wet. No idea why she has that noose of lilac paper around her - it just worked for me! Oh and I like the idea of 'male' almost dropping off the sentence....

Neat feet

The Duck Tape Club

I seem to be making a specialty of finding daft ways to make accessories

Is it me, or is there a growing movement to make crafts more acceptable?

Dr Dolittle

I've not had much time for art and craft - yesterday I took the kiddos to a special animal interaction thing - I was brave and held a giant land snail (and I'm phobic about slugs - the shell makes ALL the difference) - the kids did fine with that, a corn snake and a European toad

ScienceDaily: Gender Equality Leads To Better Sex Lives Among People 40 And Over

ScienceDaily: Gender Equality Leads To Better Sex Lives Among People 40 And Over

Even more reason to strive for equality before I hit the supposedly big 4-0!

A mystery deco

maybe not such a mystery any more. Not so pleased with this one those damn rub ons are crap! But it looks OK on here I think

Happy with this buttons deco

I like this. Jackie is into vintage and I wanted to do it with a bit of a twist. I found these stickers in a box and it was just perfect with the image and theme. The stamp is from Vickie Enkoff and the vintage buttons courtesy of The Artful Zebra.

I loved combining the two techniques of inking off alcohol inks and offsetting the stamped image and of course the dymo had to be distressed!

Here's my entry into a deco for Caz - the theme is Clocks and time

And here is my entry in Jackie's deco of the same theme -




you can't see the sparkly subtlety of the moonglow on this last one

Fru, fru, fru, frustration

I've made a lovely thing for my Artella Spring Sprite but because uncannily I have been paired with someone I know in a t'internet way, I can't post any pics! Not even sure if she reads blogs, but I'm taking no chances in ruining the surprise

So, instead I'm going to post a series of pics of decos I've worked in over the Easter weekend.......

BBC - h2g2 - How to Make a Plastic Bag Bra - A450587

Wouldn't it be a little sweaty?

I know I'm fighting the plastic bag mountain with the totes and sandals, but this is just going a bit too far. Plus of course I would have to go for the industrial strength / size bags.....

Life Size Chocolate Rooms

Life Size Chocolate Rooms

OMG - anyone want to chip in for one of these?

R&R

Off to visit my mum's for a couple of days - see you all Friday if not before

Crochet crazy

Well I have found a couple MORE things to keep me occupied (as if I need anything else, but at least I can do these things in front of the TV rather than in the craft / dining room)

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/round%20plastic%20bag%20tote.html















great, but hang onto your hats for this next work of genius





http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=87737.0



both are made of recycled plastic bags!

Ready, steady...

Go!

Scrap With Ally - The Complete Idiot's Guide to Scrapbook Projects

Oooh - an altered art call - go to it!

For The Love of Yarn

For The Love of Yarn

(Image is of a wonderful creation by the author of the link) One day......


Ooooooooooooh! I've been looking into this and have even been fondling all of the fibres I have swapped and collected over the past year or so - looks like something I could take to my mum's on Tuesday

Thank you so much oh wonderful Laura Murphy of the Making Stuff blog

I wouldn't have enough tape!

How to really depress yourself

Oh I almost choked on this one! It would be fun but then very distressing to see myself this way, using either of these methods




I think it got a little tight here for this woman




Whereas she is pleased with her friend!

I will if you will.......

Thanks to Vickie Enkoff and her blog for the link

Piccy piccy

I've been stuck on what to do in Maz's mini book from our arty weekend. Her theme is Begin - which is so close to my theme of grow that I've just blocked. So I got CPS yesterday and having had a discussion with Joy about neverdull, it reminded me of another technique that's related.

I was sorting through a box of images last night (why, I don't know - just seemed a good idea at the time) and found a baby, but I wanted to change the background. So, serendipitously, this technique was at the top of my mind.

This takes a bit of forethought or patience or maybe a heatgun? (ooh - that would add texture.......... off in a thought bubble)

So, find a magazine pic or something on glossy paper (I assume - not tried it on other things). and decide which parts of the image you wish to keep. With this image, I wrote lightly in pencil over the baby's head first (not what is visible here) - more to experiment to see what effect it would have. Then smooshed some Shiva like stencil sticks over the face to recolour it a bit. Once you've messed around with the image, coat the areas you want to keep in a reasonable layer of PVA glue. After about an hour or so, I scrawled in the still wet but getting tacky PVA with a pencil - that's the writing that you can see on the poor babe's head - some of it reglooped together but most of the marks stayed clear. Again - just experimenting on the hoof

I let it dry overnight then this morning I rubbed the entire image with Brasso - get the liquid not the wadding format and don't give it an almighty sniff to see what it smells like - almost knocked myself out in Tescos doing that!. The printing came off everywhere but where the PVA was - including my late night scrawling. To colour the background I used the Babywipes and acrylic paint method that Claudia taught to me (who got it from Paperartsy Leandra y'know)

so at least I have a start to that spread.....

Hot drinks

At the arty weekend I recently went to (oh how I miss you guys!), I introduced everyone to the joys of hot chocolate with Baileys.

This morning - another brainwave. I really fancied a hazelnut mocha. I got to the point of unwrapping a Ferrero Rocher, but then thought of the slime factor that would evolve with the wafery bit in the bottom of my mug.... shudder.... so I stuffed it into my mouth and ping! Off to find the Nutella. It took some stirring and it's definitely not coffee house grade, but that could have something to do with it being instant coffee.

It may be the poor gal's version but oh it was yummy!

Just to link it to art, here's some coffee art eye candy:

http://www.latteart.nl/fotos_etching.asp

Psychology

Please, if you think you know me, go to

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Lalheg

and follow the instructions - I'm so curious!

:Making Stuff:

:Making Stuff:

Oh my word this is one powerful woman. 19th Feb - need I say more?

Womenscapes

Womenscapes

Am I the only one who is a little discomforted by this? I can't quite grasp why I have that reaction though....

Divine Digital

I don't really scrap, but I can sure as heck use the inspiration and the freebies!

Love, Life and The Pursuit Of Happiness - My Journey

Love, Life and The Pursuit Of Happiness - My Journey

Oooh - might have to go play here!

Limitless

Feeling kind of free and liberated now I'm putting stuff on here. I love this CJ cover. I loved making it, was in terrors sending it out in case it never came back, and now it is in my sweaty mitt possession again - I look at it repeatedly, obsessively - amazed that I created it

And maybe, just maybe I have started to understand how to do a bit more with this techy stuff - although I need all the help I can get!

Anyone want to tutor me?

It's a deluge

so, two posts in a matter of hours

I was thinking about that stampbord stuff that has made its way over here and decided I could do a poor gal version

A few plays later and I came up with this - what do you think?!

Try, try, try again

Until I can do it right - egged on by two great pals - off we go......
here's what I'm made of (not literally!)