Play Date Cafe Challenge (PDCC76)

I am thrilled that the team at The Play Date Cafe asked me to join them as Guest Designer this week.  Check out the fabulous colour combination Sarah Anderson chose.  I wanted to create something a little different from a card this week so decided on a felt book cover.

I have stamped the owl onto calico with StazOn ink and needle felted his body with fibres to match our colour story.

I have hand stitched around the edge of my image with sky blue thread and added co-ordinated buttons to one side. A small owl charm has been added to my owl's body.

Ribbon and heart beads have been added in this weeks colour story.

CROP STOP is the sponsor this week and they have a fabulous prize on offer.  Please check out the prize and challenge details at The Play Date Cafe.  The deadline for this challenge is Tuesday, 12th April 2011 at 11:59pm EST. Join in the fun, we would love to see your projects in the gallery.

Thanks once again to everyone at The Play Date Cafe for the invite and a special thank you to Jinny for all your help with the co-ordination.  Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

Floral Squares

Time for another challenge over at The Play Date Cafe and the challenge over at Crafty Individuals is SIMPLY SQUARES.

The picture above details our colour challenge for this week, must admit I struggled a little with the silver.

I have used images from Crafty Individuals and Stampington to create my Spring collage of images.  Distress Inks worn lipstick and broken china have been used for the stamping.

My silver element are the small nail heads on the top and bottom corners of each square. Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

The Altered Alice CHAPTER 3 - Alice Colours of Blue and Yellow

Time for another challenge and my next DT piece for The Altered Alice.

 "Mr. Tenniel is the only artist, who has drawn for me, who has resolutely refused to use a model, and declared he no more needed one than I should need a multiplication table to work a mathematical problem! I venture to think that he was mistaken and that for want of a model, he drew several pictures of "Alice" entirely out of proportion - head decidedly too large and feet decidedly too small."
-- From a letter by Lewis Carroll (pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)

Although the stories were written for and inspired by the brunette Alice Liddell, when it came time for Tenniel to create the illustrations, Carroll sent him a photo of blonde Mary Hilton-Badcock as his image of what Alice should look like. Early color illustrations of Alice show a girl with long blonde hair, wearing either a blue dress with a white pinafore, or a yellow dress with a blue and white pinafore.

I have created two cards for this months challenge using images from Artistic Outpost, this image being a particular favourite of mine.  My image has been stamped onto watercolour card with Archival ink with several layers of watered down Gesso applied over the top.  I wanted my image to appear in the background. I have applied acrylic paints from Claudine Hellmuth, again adding water to dilute the colour.

A Crafters Workshop template has been used to create my clocks on the background, simply sponge Claudine Hellmuth sky blue paint through the stencil, using a very small amount of paint.  Machine stitching, clocks and I'M LATE have been added to compliment the main image.

My second card, again using an image from the same set from Artistic Outpost has been created in the same way.

The flowers and swirl are from a set from Fancy Pants.

Once again I have added machine stitching to the card for that final finishing touch.

Therefore, our challenge this month is to create something that is predominantly blue and yellow, the colors associated with Alice! Although it is not required that you use Wonderland in your project, those that do feature Wonderland will receive two chances at the drawing instead of one! Enter by Friday, April 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -4:00) and the winner will be posted sometime on Sunday, April 24. Enter you challenge over at The Altered Alice blog and the very best of luck.  Tracy x x

Our April sponsor is Aritistic Outpost, makers of fabulous rubber art stamp sets including the Wonderland Collage set that will be featured by our design team. The Artistic Outpost design team will be playing along as well! One lucky winner will receive a $14 gift certificate to the Artistic Outpost store.

The Destination Is London for Grungy Monday

We now have a new challenge for a Monday, GRUNGY MONDAY, a challenge set by Linda following the great success of The Compendium Of Curiosities challenge.  I am only just in time with this challenge as I have had so much to complete this week but at least I made it LOL.

It's also my husband's birthday in April so I thought I would combine the challenge with creating something for his special occasion. The next step was what to do when I realised around Christmas I purchased this card blank of London in the Sale.  My husband spends a great deal of time in London with work so I thought this would be ideal.   The challenge is to be inspired by Tim's 12 TAGS OF CHRISTMAS, 2008, TAG 10.  I wanted to make something completely different from a tag but use some of the techniques Tim highlights in his tag which is exactly what I have done.

The card folds together to stand upright to show the London landmarks.  The text here is from playing cards of London destinations that I also found in the sale last Christmas. The masking and LONDON are using a couple of the techniques from Tim's tag.

I had forgotten I had this stamp of Umbrella Man, he is a smaller version than the original and I have used him to represent my husband in London and I love the umbrealla charms I found, perfect to co-ordinate with the stamped image.  The map of Regents Park is from a small tea towel which I cut up and machine stitched into place.  Umbrella Man is also created using the technique from Tim's tag and again I have used Tim's Timeworks mask in the background.

A little more stamping using Tim's range of stamps.

From this angle you can see the detail in the card itself.  I am also entering this into The Stampman challenge which this time around is ANYTHING TIM and this creation fits that perfectly with Tim's stamped images and techniques. Enjoy your weekend, Tracy x x

Top Hat Pin Cushion

Simon Says Stamp and Show A HAT this week, a definite challenge for me, I really had to think about this one as I wanted to make something that I would use. After much consideration I decided to make a TOP HAT PINCUSHION as I always have needles lying around on my desk ready for my next session of hand stitching, which I often add to my artwork.

I used Grungepaper to make the initial shape and coverd with Tim Holtz Crowded Attic Paper Stash. This was extremely fiddly I must say and far too much thinking about on my part LOL.

I added a second hat to continue the theme along with buttons to follow through with the sewing theme.

I used Tim's Pattern and Stitches embossing folder to add detail to the spool from the Sewing Room Die and highlighted the raised areas with pearl paint dabber.  As I have used an embossing folder in a couple of places I am also entering this for The Sunday Stamper challenge which this week is to use TEXTURE FADES/EMBOSSING.

This is the second spool which has also been embossed.  Red ribbon has been added to give a pop of colour.

The text at the bottom is from the Collections Elements range and buttons and snaps have been added to the bottom of my top hat.

The top of my hat is made from felt which has a little stuffing added to give me my PINCUSHION for my needles.

I cannot believe how fiddly such a small item could be but I am quite pleased with the results especially as I really had to think outside the box LOL.  Enjoy your evening, Tracy x x

Weasel's Triptych Party

The Stampotique challenge this time around is to create a triptych. On my triptych Weasel is having a party and inviting all his friends.

Weasel is proudly holding his sign up directing the party goers in the right direction LOL.  He has even made a special PARTY sign from a plant label, he really is getting into the party spirit.

I have added metal brads as my door nobs to the triptych.  My piece has been coloured with Distress Inks spiced marmalade and worn lipstick.

Some of Weasel's friends have already arrived for the party, we have Linda's New Bag, Smile and Head all waiting for the other guests. Weasel has also made a list of PARTY RULES for the party guests.

One of the PARTY RULES is to wear party hats and as you can see Smile is very proud of his hand made creation LOL.

They are all wearing their party hats with pride.

Linda is proud of her outfit and bag too but really wants a few more girlies at the party.

Weasel really has made such an effort with all the signage for his party, lets hope they all have a FaBULoUS time.  Enjoy the rest of your week, Tracy x x

WOYWW Along With Spring Blooms

I took this picture of my desk at 12.30pm, could not sleep so thought I would schedule my post for the phenomenon that is What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.  Pop over to Julia's place for all the details and some great workspaces, simply click on Julia's name and you will be automatically transported to a whole new world LOL.

 

I placed a few things on my desk late last night in preparation for completing my project on Wednesday for Simon Says Stamp and Show, fingers crossed I find some time.  My desk really has not changed much apart from that as I tidy everything away when I have finished a project.

I have been spending most of my time over the last few days in the garden making the most of the fine weather and this little beauty is one of the little gems in bloom at this time of year.  It is a Hepatica and is always one of the first things to bloom in my garden, I love it.  Enjoy your Wednesday, Tracy x x