Hens on the Block! Friday 22nd August 2014

Hello Friends!

Hope you are all having a good week...we are gearing up for a major volunteering event at work, so preparing for that,is all I seem to be doing at the moment..not a lot of time to craft..or blog... also been feeling a bit 'below par' so when I have had the occasional hour this week, my mojo has completely not wanted to come out of the cupboard!

I will get around all your blogs soon, just bear with me at the moment please :)

I did however make this little project: a little ATB within an ATB and the perfect little place to keep tiny photos of all our hens..ones we've had and sadly lost over the past 7 years, to the ones we have currently scratching about in the garden, Bella an Cara.

To make the ATB I used my Sissix Scoreboards XL die by Eileen Hull, Graphic 45 French Country papers and a hen and cockerel stamp by Crafty Individuals.

 

  I cut out one large and one small box using quite thick card from some packaging I'd saved and painted them  using 'Warm White' Cosmic Shimmer matt chalk paint.I then sanded all the edges to give it a distressed finish; photos can never really show to best effect, but the finished style it like white washed wood.

I cut sunflower paper from the pad and also individual sunflowers to layer and give some depth. I left the white edges because I didn't want it to look too neat and tidy as it's supposed to be quite rustic. I decorated two sides of the box in this way and the other two using labels, which I cut out from the pad. I then tied green ribbon around the large box and added a button, I decorated the smaller box in a similar way.

The stamp was chosen from my collection because it really complemented the papers. After stamping, I gave the chickens a colour wash with distress inks and cut them out, leaving about 2 cms at the base of each. I then slit a hole in the box and threaded them through, they make the 'handle' to lift the lid. To finish the lid I added some raffia just in front of them, as some 'straw bedding' and a ruched ribbon . I also covered the inside of the box and lid to finish off.

 For the smaller box, I again cut a slit and threaded ribbon through for a 'pull'..

Inside the box I have placed lots of little photos (which will be protected in a glassine envelope) of 'our girls'


I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Art with a Heart, August- Anything Goes

http://www.eileenhull.com/2014/08/vintage-kitchen-sneak-peek.html

Really Reason Ribbons Challenge #101 Pets & Ribbon

http://reasonableribbon.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/challenges



Love and Hugs,
Carole X 

Sunday Stampers week 316: Altered note book - Friday 18th July 2014

Hello Friends,

So did any of you experience those storms last night? Apparently we did, but we slept through it, lol!

Before I start my post properly I would like to say a massive welcome to my 80th follower

 Angela Radford. Angela is celebrating her first year of blogging this month, do pop over and have a look at her fabulous art work - here - 

Thank you so much for following me Angela! 

Sunday Stamper week 316 - Everyday I write the book

For those who don't know, this is a weekly fun challenge set by the uber talented Hels Sheridan. All the deets are here

This week Hels has set the theme of Books, to be interpreted at our will -- alter a book, use book pages, make  a book...as always time is short, but I do like to participate in this challenge if I can. I love to alter note books/make note books and this is probably my quickest project ever! To be honest, it helped get my creative juices flowing as I've been struggling a bit this week...

This started out as a plain 16cms x 20cms exercise book, which (of course) I forgot to photograph in its original state, but believe me it was very ordinary!

I first of all covered the book with this paper by Graphic 45, from a 12x12 French Country design pad. I inked the edges with Vintage Photo distress ink. All the stamps, except for the blossom are by Graphic 45. The blossom is by Jofy for Paper Artsy.

I stamped the word ' Creative' and heat embossed to give it a little lift and shine. I then stamped the script on to a piece of kraft card and inked the edges, then I over stamped the ink bottle. I adhered it to the book, tucking it under the last that I had added to the top.

Next I stamped the 'sign' on to the same paper, rolled one side and a corn and adhered to the book. I stamped the flower  3 times on to the reverse side of this paper using  left over scrap pieces (can't waste any of this paper!), cut it out and layered it. After placing it on the book, I added a metal button.

I decided to add these ideology memo pins, thinking it would be a useful addition, but wanted to show how they could be used. I had stamped this phrase on to card but not used it, so I cut it out roughly and added it to a pin.

That's my offering for this week - thank you so much for stopping by!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X