Thanks ladies!!!

I was given this award by 4 different bloggers in the last week… so thank you very, very much! Thank you Leona and Rubymay, Caroline and Simone. It’s much-appreciated and I’d love to share it with all the wonderful bloggers who are in my links because they inspire others, share their skills, talents, tips, secrets and photos. I have learned so much from Blogland - it’s helped me to grow, develop, share, laugh and enjoy art in all forms. I’ve made what I feel will be lasting contact with some amazing ladies, whose creative talents are only equalled by their sense of humour…

I’ve been working today and am tired, so tomorrow will be better (till I have go to work in the evening!) and I’m going to get a few chores out of the way and then get creative! Night all!

Artygirlz #37

Paint is the theme for this week’s Artygirlz challenge, set by Laura, from Layers Of Color. Now I count these people (Crissi, Julie and Laura) as friends, so I have to take part, don’t I?!! Also, Laura has donated some gorgeous stamps as a prize this week so that just adds to the fun! I really like the stamps she and her family make, so fingers crossed…

The ATC background is made from acrylic painted paper towels on card and she’s wearing a recycled paste tube crown!! Isn’t she cute?!!

New Blog Header!

I just want to shout about my new blog header!! Isn’t it gorgeous? I asked my super-talented friend, Jo, who loves messing with PSP, if she’d design me a new header. Yes, I could do it myself - I made the last two headers in Photoshop! - but I took a chance that she would visualise and realise something very ‘me’ and make it look good. And she did me proud - I love it!

If you’re thinking of having a new header for your blog that personalises it and reflects ‘you’, then get in touch with Jo - her rates are super reasonable and she works so fast (always a bonus if you’re impatient, like me!). She’s amassed quite a portfolio of blogs for whom she’s designed headers, so you can see what she can do before you contact her. There may be a waiting list though…. so hurry!!

Click HERE, or on her name, or on the Siggi Shop button in my sidebar! Go on, you know you wanna!

 

WS - ‘Art’ Tag

Wednesday Stamper’s theme is to use the word “Art” somewhere on our projects and at least one rubber stamp - easy-peasy when you’re addicted to them like me!! Here’s a tag I made, using pastels for the background and then merrily stamping all over it with my own handcarved stamps! The word ART is one of my lino block stamps, before I bought a kit from Stampeaz.

The tiny collage images are by Digital Collage Sheets and the beads are just threaded onto some lurex embroidery thread. Susann wanted to see the other stamps that I have carved, so here’s a pic of them, minus 3 that were given to friends who wanted one! In fact, I should’ve taken a photo of the owl I carved for my (stroke victim) friend Pat - cute, with a wink! I gave it to her this afternoon and now I have to go back and give her an inkpad… doh!

The lino blocks don’t like the textured scraps background, but I don’t mind! The little rubber erasers are great fun and relatively quick to carve - might make me an alphabet!!

I’ve been tagged…

I’ve been tagged by Barbara Hagerty - Artiphy the Heart - and I’m to reveal 6 weird things about myself and tag 5 others… so here goes:

1. I have never met my biological father (to whom, apparently, I bear a striking resemblance)!

2. I’m addicted to carving stamps and feel compelled to ‘make art every day’, since I joined Next Generation Stampers, which is very liberating.

3. I have spoken 6 languages throughout my life and can still think in Spanish! I ‘hear’ languages the way other people hear music…

4. I am a great fan of Mike Dooley’s ‘Notes from the Universe’ after many years of self-psycho-analysis. Now me, myself and I live happily together!

5. If I could come back for a second life, I’d be a male Meteorologist and screw everybody!

6. I should’ve been a stand-up comedienne…

Now who to tag, that will play? Let’s see…

Frieda Oxenham - fascinating, talented lady.

Sally Booth - Aunty and artist, entrepreneur and WAHM.

Jan - Feng Shui expert and die-cut Queen.

Heike - StampingBalou and bi-lingual craft blogger.

Trish Bee - my personal Art Hero and List Mom.

Funnily enough, there are lots of people I’d love to know more about, but as I’m a bit in awe of many of them, I have picked people who touch my life and my artwork on a regular basis. I would’ve chosen Barbara - cos she’s so funny and shares my lively sense of the ridiculous, and Patty (Magpie’s Nest) for the same reason. Barbara got me first though and Patty doesn’t ‘do’ tagging!!

I should mention that I’m now an Inspirational Craft Blogs Team Member and will be approaching people whose artlings I am inspired by, to feature on the Blog. So don’t be surprised if an email pops into an inbox near you any time soon!

TTFN…. xoxoxo

Shakerbox Ball Game Card!

Here’s my entry for Tracey’s (RattyTatty) competition. It’s a shaker box with a ball game in it - and it really works!! I have only managed to get 2 balls (beads) into the holes, but if I wasn’t so impatient, I could probably do it!! The ‘B’ for blue birdies is the monogram required for TGIF this week… sneaky, aren’t I?

The birdie is my own handcarved stamp, inspired by Hermine, who carved a lovely dove from an eraser. I fell in love with it and finally got round to carving mine last night. I really love him - he is soooo cute!! I used Dovecraft papers behind the box and Paper Pesto papers for the birdie and the card. The tree and frame stamp for the birdies is by Crafty Individuals. I think I should mention that I used a cuttlebug embossing folder cover for the box - much easier than faffing about with foam tape and baby powder! (Knowing me, there would’ve been much more mess to clear up…. I’m not good with baby powder!)

I love the Dovecraft paper packs because they are so versatile and I like the colourways, but I adore the Paper Pesto ones because they are strong and made lovely birdies which didn’t tear or warp and could probably stand up, if they had legs…

Continuing the Clay Play!

I thought the easiest way to show you the progress of my clay experiment was to create a slideshow. I enjoyed the painting yesterday, more experimenting. I had lusted after PearlEx or Perfect Pearls for the longest time untill great mates bought me some for my birthday. I was convinced that they’d imaprove the look of my artlings no end.

I’m not at all sure they were worth the wait, in all honesty. I much prefer the metallic rub-ons they also sent. Much easier and less faff! However, I suppose if I ever get round to viewing some online tutorials, I shall learn the best way of using them. I did try them in with the acrylic paints I used to colour the clay bits, with mixed results. The kiwi powder mixed with brown gave bronzed glints that I was trying for, but the rest were disappointing. It seems to me you have to use quite a lot to get any effect at all!

Anyhow, I brought all the painted pieces downstairs and set about getting covered in metallic rubons! I think they’re beautiful… they have such a rich lustre and I was a bit dubious about varnishing over them, but I found that lightly brushed on varnish didn’t remove the metallic lustre, so less is definitely more in this case!

I must admit, I’m particularly looking forward to the Celtic symbols drying out… these are a set of 5 which I bought from Third Coast RS (and Val kindly sent me an extra one as a free gift!). I intended them for bookmarks for friends’ birthdays and perhaps the more ornate/tricksy ones will go in my shop! We shall see…

They are all drying out now in the intermittent sunshine by the kitchen window and I shall have to wait till they are completely dry before using them on any new projects. That, of course, is the hard part!

How do you fancy…

… winning all the goodies shown on Emma’s new blog? Check it out HERE, as she’s giving away some yummy stuff to celebrate opening her new online shop! I’ve sent her a couple of images to be going on with!! One of them hasn’t even been on my blog yet!

Wednesday Stamper = Gothic Arch!

I love the Gothic Arch challenges - such fun! On Wednesday Stamper this week, the challenge is to make a Gothic Arch! Sadly, a close friend’s mother died on New Year’s Eve and I made this GA as a sympathy/condolence card for her. R.I.P. Molly…

The image(s) and papers are from Crafty Individuals and the butterfly was from a die-cut swap on Auntys Forum.

My Brain Pattern!

Well look what I found…. a picture of my brain pattern!! Teehee, I like what I read though! My 2nd blogpost today - gotta stop this! LOL!

Your Brain’s Pattern

Your mind is a creative hotbed of artistic talent. You’re always making pictures in your mind, especially when you’re bored. You are easily inspired to think colorful, interesting thoughts. And although it may be hard to express these thoughts, it won’t always be.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Take the test and see what your brain’s pattern is like. Fascinating stuff.