Butterfly garden

Here we are mid year already, so I'm making the most of not being particularly busy at work.  I'm chuffed I've found yet another awesome monthly challenge to enter The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge is another site that offers an awesome inspiration board and very minimal requirements to join in.  This month is their birthday so they have put all the themes from the last 12 months on their board. 

 

For those of you who know my work you will know I LOVE FLOWERS, so that is my theme of choice.  Here I've created a tag which I am also entering into the monthly Imagine if . .  challenge.  I am also entering this into the Lindy's Stamp Gang colour challenge using their colour chart



The tag I've created was firstly covered with drywall tape then I added lace, lots of Imagine if chippies then glass beads.  When all the glue was dry it got a coat of gesso, then a coat of black paint. 

 

Then believe it or not I sprayed the whole thing with LSG Sweet Violet Purple Teal where obviously the Teal has really won over the other colours, even though when moisture is applied the purple shines thru.  The little mini roses were coloured with LSG Ramblin' Rose Pink grunged a bit with TH Black Soot.  The velvet stem and leaves was grunged by spraying with LSG Opal Sea Oats. 

 

As usual I had fun making my own flowers, I adore these zipper flowers - this one has a rolled paper flower for the centre along with a bead.  Butterflies from the G45 Steampunk Debutante collection finish the page along with the sweet sentiment.

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope you like what you find here and hopefully I can inspire you in some way with my creations.  To find a tutorial for the zipper flower just follow the link provided in my Tutorials page.



Facebook Challenges with SMS & SGC

As an introduction to the blog hop which is scheduled for Sunday US CST time (Monday morning NZ time)  Jody has organised some challenges for everyone to enter on Facebook as well.  They go live throughout the day, so please join in the fun and try a few of these for yourself.

Sorry but these times are US CST times, with the challenges starting at Saturday 2nd May:
8am     Sketch layout
12pm   Planner
4pm     Treasure Hunt
8pm     Card
These are my contributions:

 

The LO and card have sketches provided on Facebook, while the criteria for the Treasure Hunt (for this I've made the tag) is to 1. Use something still in its bag unused (the stamp), use something gold (the lettering is written on gold foil), use something cork (SMS chevrons), use an office supply (staples). 

 

Please visit us on the official Facebook page here and join in the fun, we'd love to see your work.

 

As I've used lots of flowers on my layout I am also entering it into the monthly I am Roses challenge.

Pretty's for Prima

I am excited and extremely humbled to have the privilege to put together this collection of my work and be considered for a position on the Design Team for Prima Marketing.

Firstly here is an altered journal I've made for my nephew and his fiancé, who are marrying later this year.  I really love doing this type of work and alter all sorts of things.

 

 

Enjoy these close-ups



 

 

 

Prima products used here are: Seashore paper, Sunrise sunset stencil, Shabby Chic Treasures - mailbox, Art basics - modelling paste, gesso, 3D matte gel, micro beads & glass beads.

 

Secondly this simple card was a pleasure to make:

 

 

 

Prima products used here are: Ledger pad paper, flower spray - ladybird, Say it in Crystals - Divine

 

Thirdly, my layout featuring another one of my nephews in his favourite pastime:

 

 

More close-ups to enjoy

 

Prima products used here are: Seashore paper & tags, woodgrain & anchors stencil, Art basics modelling paste, flowers - blue mini rose & seashore, Shabby Chic Treasures - resin birds, Junkyard Findings - Vintage Trinkets, light bulb & bottle caps, flower spray - lady bird.

 

Lastly here is my 'tag' notebook (2 oversized tags turned into a notebook:

 

 

Prima products used here are: Seashore paper, flower, Say it in Crystals - Divine.

 

Thank you for this chance to showcase some of creations to you, it has been a pleasure to put this collection together. 

Life's a Beach

For this week's blog hop with Imagine if . .  Jo has asked half the team to show the fab new MDF xmas trees, and the 2nd half to show off more of the oversized tags.  I got to do the tags, which allows me to get a sneak look at the xmas trees before I have to do mine for next week.

I am trying hard to make all these projects useable, so decided to attach a spine between 2 tags and create a functional notebook.

 

First I had to attach the spin with some adhesive backed canvas, then all surfaces were covered with this gorgeous paper from Prima 'Seashore' collection, all edges were then inked with TH Distress Ink 'Frayed Burlap'.  A burlap trim was attached to the outside of the spine to cover the rough edges.

 



 

Then the fun began in earnest.  These gorgeous vintage beach prints are on a 'Paper Arts' paper available at Imagine if . .  , bling, sea creatures and a few flowers finish the fun vintage look.

 

 

 Inside the photos have been place under a chipboard film strip.  The jotter pad was cut to fit then slipped into a slit on the back page for easy replacement.

Products available at  Imagine if . . are:           Tags
                                                                Seahorse family
                                                                Sea shells
                                                                Film Strip
                                                                Paper Arts papers
                                                                mini roses
                                                                TH Distress Inks

 Follow the links to check out all the other tags and xmas trees that the girls have created this week.  Before me you would seen Carol's tag and as I'm last on the list go back to the beginning and check out Katrina's xmas tree.
                                                    

May IARDC

May in the Northern Hemisphere is spring, whereas here in New Zealand we are in the full flight of autumn.  So here is my entry for the I am Roses monthly challenge which is themed "Hello Spring".  They require a spring tag featuring two of their gorgeous products.

 

I adore using the burlap with the softness of flowers, lace & ribbons.  Firstly I stitched around the card (sadly the pink cotton is really too faint, but it is there), then glued on the inked branches and punched leaves.  On top I've used cherry blossoms in 2 colours & the adorable little S10 blooms.  The felt butterfly comes from Imagine if . . .  Random scraps make up the tassle.

 

Thank you for visiting, please leave a comment.

Feb IARCC

This months challenge at I am Roses is of course 'Valentines' with a colour challenge of pink & yellow (not 2 colours I'd usually put together too much), they also ask for ribbon to be incorporated.  As usual their criteria is to use 2 or more of their gorgeous products . . . easy.

 

Immediately this tag came to mind, with lots of layers oozing texture and prettiness.  I adore the hearts and how they've all come together so well.  The mixture of colours on the ribbons compliment the flowers nicely.

IAR flowers I have used are:  Daisy, Cherry blossom & small S-10 (which I absolutely adore).

 

Thank you for visiting, have a happy, scrappy day.