Crafty Emblies Blog candy

Crafty Emblies  are offering one lucky winner the chance to own these gorjuss bits of Crafty emblies

9 x 9 Shadow box

Cog Mask

Chicken Wire Mask

Fluer De Lis Mask

Square Mask

Bag of Round Buttons

Bag of Square Buttons

Bag of Star Buttons

Bag of Mixed Cogs

Bag of Inches

Bag of ATC Blanks

4 Page Tag Book

Bag of Love birds

Bag of Mixed Flowers

Bag of Mixed Dominos

Bag of Mixed Blank Jigsaws

Just pop on over to their blog for more information and to enter. 

Good luck everyone xxx

GREAT NEWS

Hi Folks, 

Just a quick post to let you all know my exciting news. As of today I am not only a graphic designer for crafty-emblies but I am also heading up the altered art side of the design team woohoo so excited for this new challenge and look forward to working with Judie, Pete and the rest of my DT team mates. 

If you have not checked out crafty-emblies you really should do they make amazing wooden embellishments and alterable items, they have an amazing 25 inch tall eiffel tower amongst other things so drop by and look around and see if anything catches your eye. 

night all 

love and crafty hugs A xx

Craftage, Ramble and a weekend Hello

Hi All, 

I have been a busy little bee since getting back from visiting Tracy and to be honest with you have not done much crafting at all. That was until this weekend. 

I know crafting helps to de stress but have you ever felt that stressed out or not able to settle to craft even though you know it would help? Thats how I have been this past week or two. I got back from being with Tracy for a few days and had various hospital appointments to do with my impending operation ( more on that closer to the time) been designing new pieces for .crafty-emblies. and spending time with my hubbie and fur babies. 

So Friday saw me sitting here thinking what to do what to do. I grabbed a canvas and my box of emblies and a box of this and thats and just glued randomly to the canvas. I had no design in mind i just went with it. To be perfectly honest it was starting to look like just one big hot glue mess lol. BUT I carried on covered everything with a coat or 3 of gesso and lef tit over night to dry and harden to the max. Then out cam the alcohol inks. I added some of the reinkers to spray bottles filled with water and just sprayed. 

The inks I used are Tim Holtz distress reinkers  in 

frayed burlap 

peacock

vintage photo. 

I then broke out my sprays and used 2 different ones. 

Lindy's glitz spritz in cactus gold over the lighter frayed burlap which has given it a lovely green and golden shimmer and then over the rest of it my tattered angels glimmer mist in dazzling diamond. Dried with my heat tool and hey presto from a hot glue gun mess to a dazzling mixed media art piece and I am very pleased with it. 

Everyone has their little signiture thing they do while crafting be it layouts. mini's or jewellary making etc and mine love and first line craft projects has been mixed media for some time now. Whats yours? 

 Only down side to having a mixed media and altered art fascination is where to keep them once they are finished . . .  well I have come up with a plan, I am going to get a smash book and alter it of course and then take pictures  of projects and crap them. That way I always have a reference for works done and can sell of RAK them. 

Steampunk fairy mixed media canvas 8 x 11 inches 

The other projects where quick and simple. Two wooden frames which I white washed and altered slightly and then printed off backgrounds and two sayings. One is obviously for my craft room but I also do tattoos so the other one includes a tattoo needles and is for my tattoo space. I think they are very simple but effective. 

I hope you have enjoyed todays rambles and my shares I may be back later with some news to share but you never know I have to wait for it to be announced before I can tell you so watch this space. 

Have a great crafty sunday much love and crafty kisses 

A xx

Bit late

Well Hello Follow Bloggers 

As promised here are the pictures from the 80's night with Tracy, I have no idea what possessed us but there ya go us arty types can be pretty random but it was a good laugh almost as much as the end results are laughable. 

I went for giving Tracy the Boy George inspired look 

And Yes I am a classy bird lol 

With out the makeup and looking normal for us. 

Well thats it for now I will be back with more crafty elements and an I love my ink post sometime this weekend. 

love and crafty hugs 

A xx

busy busy busy

I am so sorry it has been a while but things have been pretty busy here for me and I have some exciting news to share. 

Firstly I am now a graphic designer for the wonderful company known as crafty-emblies. If you have not checked out there wooden embellishments and alterable items you really need too. They are a family owned and ran company and work from home.All designing is done by husband and wife team and they have very kindly recently added me to the team. Pete also does all the cutting. 

I also managed to get over to visit one of my closest friends Tracy in Scotland last week. We had a great relaxing time and I managed to get a new tattoo done while there to cover up a nasty one, that lets say was not done to the best standad. It wasnt to painful only my ankle briuised and my god is the foot itchy where it is scabbing over, man it is hard not to scratch lol. We also did some shopping and I am all set for my operation pre op is in 2 days time woohoo I am soooo excited xx 

Tracy and I did a relive the 80's night with our hair and make up and once she has sent me the pictures i will share them with you all i will say is dont spit ya coffee out when u see them but we had a right laugh with it. I turned Tracy into a Boy George fan is all I am going to say. 

Right guys I have to sign off I will be back this week with some crafty bits and bobs and the 80's make over photos. 

Love to u all xxxxxx

Altered items

Hello World, 

I  have been a busy little bee over the past few days on a right altering kick. It has taken me a while to do each project even the small ones due to the fact I am having a week where I just can not settle to do anything.I was up at 6 30 the other morning making trifle . . . .  bare in mind I don't go to bed till gone 3 am . . .  Its one of the down sides of Bi polar as I have mentioned, and even though I cant sleep I have not got a ton of energy to even make my extra waking hours useful, nor am I getting the pleasure from crafting that I do on a good day. How ever I do force my self to try and do something as I find crafting to be very therapeutic over all.

Altered Jar. 

This was probably the most useful item I have done this week as not only is it cute but it is also practical. Not sure what I will store in it yet but the plan is there to make a lot more of them as I empty jars and use them. Do you keep jars for storage? If so what do you keep in yours?  

Altered spool ( made from a loo roll more below) 

Altered paper bag. 

This is just a normal paper lunch bag or the kind you can get from a fruit and veg shop back home in the UK.  It's taken me a while to have a go at these but once I got into it I have done a few. I think this one is my favorite. They are a great idea instead of wrapping paper and can be made to be a lot more personal. 

Altered spools. 

As I mentioned above these are made from toilet roll tubes. I love the idea of recycling or upcycling as it is called in the crafting world. Taking something that would normally be thrown away and using it. I need to try and do it more often if I am honest I am sure I throw far to much out. These are so effective for storing lace and ribbon on as well as looking pretty. And we all know every craft room should be full of pretties on display. I am keeping my eyes peeled for a large bowl to put these in. 

Altered canvas. 

I had a few cogs sprockets, gears, screws and nuts from .crafty-emblies I wanted to use. this is what I came up with. My own version of shabby chic meets steampunk. I re purposed an old canvas board I had used in the past but hadn't liked how it had turned out. Gave it a coat of gesso and away we went with the acylic paint and decorating. I am pleased with it and I think the little doves make a nice change. If you have not heard of .crafty-emblies pop along to there store via the clicky link. Just click on their name in this post and it will take you straight there.

Well I think that is about it for now hope you are all keeping well and I will be back soon 

Hugs 

xx A xx

My First Award and some recent crafts

My First Award!

Isn't it beautiful! :) It's the Liebster Award. Okay it's not an Oscar, a Golden Globe or even a BAFTA but it is pretty awesome that my friend Mary nominated me!

What the award is about.

 It is all about new bloggers (those with under 200 followers) getting to know each other and motivating each other.

 Here are the rules: 
1. You must post 11 things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.
3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.
4. Choose 11 new blogs & link them in your post
5. Please leave me a comment on this post with the URL to your Liebster award so I can learn more about YOU!

 Things about me asked by Mary. 

1. What is your dream vacation?   I would love to visit Australia and see where my mum grew up. 
2.  Have you outgrown your childhood fears?  I don't remember having any, and I don't now so I guess that's a big yes.
3. What is your least favorite food? Crabs
4. What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now? Hopefully back in healthcare if I have managed to master the Norwegian Language. 
5.  Why did you start blogging?  As a way to meet new people and to share my crafts and gain inspiration. 
6.  What is your favorite 3 movies? Dirty dancing, xxx and xmen. 
7.  Name 1 major change you would like to do in your life. Become a mother. 
8.  What would you do with one million dollars? Clear debt, IVF,buy a house on a farm and take my mum and dad on a trip of a life time. 
9.  If you could own any animal, what would it be and why? To many to pick, I would love to have a small farm. 
10. What is your favorite tv program?  Sons of Anarchy
11. Who inspires you the most?  My mum. 

11 Random things people don't know about me. 

1. I don't have tv channels my tv is a giant computer monitor and video games screen only. 
2. I hate wearing clothes at home.
3. I am a 3rd wife and have 3 step children.
4. I am addicted to old Australian TV shows like, Prisoner Cell block H, Early Home and Away and Neighbours.
5. I have 4 huskys.
6. I have a weakness for 80's cheesy rock.
7. My favorite drink is Coffee
8. My favorite alcoholic drink is a slippery nipple ( Tia Maria and sambuca).
9. I have no idea what my natural hair colour is as it has been far to long since I have been that colour. 
10. I am only 5 ft 3 inches tall and struggle to reach the top shelf in kitchen units and far to many other things. 
11. I am a qualified motorcycle mechanic. 

The 11 questions to ask my nominates.

1. How old were you when you had your first kiss ?
2. What song represents your life?
3. What is one thing no one knows about you ?
4. If you were a superhero, What would your catch Phrase Be ?
5. What do like to do for fun?
6. What time is it right now?
7. What is the first word that comes to mind when I say the word " Awesome" ?
8. What is the first thing you do when you wake up ?
9. What is your Favourite Colour ?
10. What is your favourite ice cream flavour?
11. Why did you start to blog? 

Ok well apart from answering all these questions, browsing for blogs to give the award to I have also been crafting my little tooshy off ha ha ha little pfft i wish any way moving swiftly along. 

Here is my altered shadow box. Unfortunately the glass was broken in the mail so I removed it and decided to do this pale lace and doily piece of yummyness. 

I hope everyone is staying say and warm and crafty 

hugs 

xx A xx