TIN-TASTIC

I came across the most fab site through a friend and if like me you love all things altered then you have to check out the Big Art Adventure challenge blog . I was in a real down mood having wanted to craft all day and not feeling in the mood...then i checked out this blog and way hay i was hunting high and low for an empty tin can to alter (thats this weeks theme BTW) so having found a can i set to work.

I've not really worked with tin before and don't have the right tools but me being me, that didn't stop me lol, i started by cutting out a heart shape from the front using a pair of old scissors, some pliers and snips, the edges were very sharp so i cut some long thin strips of funky foam, made a small slit lengthways in the foam and then fed the foam over the edges and secured with foil tape, this actually gave the cool puffiness to the heart, because the foil was visible i cut several bits and randomly stuck them round the rest of the tin so it all looked even, i then used an embossing ball tool to run it into the grooves of the can and smooth it down.

Next i inked both the inside and out using Lettuce, Stream and Denim alcohol inks, punched out several holes round the top edge with my crop-a-dile, and eyeletted. Next i stamped one of my fav stamps (the large Moth from the insects and butterflies plate by artistic stamper) onto some shrink plastic using both blue and green stazon. Shrunk them down and attached hand made jump rings to them to hang round the sides using the cord which would also be the hanging base.

I squeezed a load of PVA in the bottom of the tin and then coiled in some funky fibres to give a greenland feel, added a few small embellishments, flowers, ickle frog, a tiny tin top bead using UTEE & watch parts as the pond and my fav, the CD moth.

{this was made by stamping the Moth onto an old CD using again blue stazon, then using a heat gun to warm the disc and cutting it out slowly, heat-cut-heat-cut.. you get the picture, then added some twisted wire antenna's and attached to the tin propping a tiny bit of foam behind to bring it away from the wall a bit}

finally, i added a couple of sticky ladybugs and the tin was complete.

I had sooooooo much fun making this and look forward to the next challenge.

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xx Hugz xx

Wearable Idea-ology! (SOYBS challenge)

While surfing the net I came across some fab creations using the new Idea-ology range by Tim Holtz... I love these elements so just had to give it a go.

This necklace was made using the following

Idea-ology elements.. (all of which can be purchased here)

Swivel Clasps

Sprocket Gears

Ball Chain

Game Spinners

Jump Rings

Long Fasteners or any Brad if it fits

oh and the use of a pair of pliers and that's it.

Just have a play, use the brads and jump rings to attach things together, and most importantly.. have fun.

Simple yet effective.

This piece ties in nicely with this weeks challenge on Step outside your box saturday where the theme this week is Metal.

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xx Hugz xx

BUSTED

Well in a way!!!

I recently purchased a fab polystyrene bust for Jennie @ the artist stamper, i wanted it as a prop to take photos of the necklaces i had made, but as it came all plain and bare i just had to alter it lol.

I tryed to keep it quite plain so as not to deflect from the items i will hang on it but still keeping it interesting, i decided on some fab writing type papers.

All i did was to dilute some PVA with water to make a paper mache type glue, then just shredded the paper, dipped in the glue and slapped it on in a random fashion.

It was a very slow, very sticky process but had lots of fun and am happy with the way it turned out.

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xx Hugz xx

October "Me 2 You"

Yep, another month and another project for one of my fellow Angels, this time Shaz.

Some time ago i made a motherboard (inspired by a card *of which you can see one similar here* i received by Angie).... what the hell is a motherboard i hear you ask... well basically you just take a sheet of plain paper or card and collage it, with papers, stamps whatever.... when complete it is called a motherboard (don't ask me why, i don't know!!) then you can use this to cut up and make great backgrounds and stuff on cards.... all sounds like alot of work your thinking.. and yes your right, it took way longer than i thought, and i still haven't done anything with it lol... but i digress, anyway at the same time of doing this MB i had some spare bits of paper and an old wooden picture frame, so decided to use up the bits by colleaguing the front of the frame. When done although i liked it, it just looked plain and un-interesting... and had been sat on my desk for several months looking so until recently when a sudden light bulb went off in my head! It's strange but great how sometimes an idea will just capture you and something you had no clue about one day, suddenly becomes clear the next.

Anyway i think I've waffled enough.. here it is completed...

I stamped friend onto the glass using black stazon and a large alphabet stamp set, then turned the glass over, stamped a couple of swirls in green stazon, followed by a an all over inking with my alcohol inks, let this dry, replaced the glass back in the frame and placed a piece of card over the whole back to seal in and protect from any damage. I then used glossy accents to highlight the wording from the front.

To finish i just added a few prima flowers, coloured a couple of clips using my sharpies and clipped one to each corner, added a couple of mini screw hooks and threaded a ribbon to hang.

Now it looks interesting and i do hope that Shaz likes it.

xx Hugz xx

September's "Me 2 U" swap

As you may already know i am part of a swap with fellow Angels called Me 2 You, Last month it was Tracey W's turn to recieve from me, and now i know she has recieved it safe and sound i can share it with you all.

xx Hugz xx

At Last... Stuff to see....Altered Stuff... not a cute image in site!! lol

Hello and welcome, it's been a while i know but i have been laid up in bed for over a week (with a small outing to AP in between.... well it had to be done) with flu but i am slowly feeling better and am now able to show some of my recent makes.

The first couple of pieces were commissions for Jennie @ The Artistic Stamper to display on the boards at some of her upcoming shows (details on her site)

This first piece is made from an old hardback book, pages stuck together, sections cut out and then decorated... All the stamps i used are Artistic Stamper.

This is a wall hanging piece.

(left)I used a thick gold embossing powder and stamped into it while it was still hot (right) I stamped the Santa image onto shrink plastic then once shrunk added some stickles for added dimension.

(left) again i used shrink plastic on one of the other Santa stamps and the candle was stamped onto acetate, coloured from behind and suspended so it floats in the space (pic doesn't do it justice) (right) Is just a stamped image that i layered up to add dimension and a shrink plastic star.
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The next piece i did was an altered CD clock.

Although i failed to find an old CD, but close enough was the clear CD protector piece you find in computer CD packs, which actually worked out far better.

Again all stamps used are Artistic Stamper.. including the large art doll.

I stamped on the back and front of the clear CD to get the mirror image of the figure, stamped the remainder of the images on the back, coloured some in with sharpies, let dry & then used alcohol inks to splodge a background. I edged the CD with a gold pen. I then stamped and cut out the doll pieces, stamped over each part with the number stamp, inked round the edge with a black pen, I used brads to assemble so as you can see from the pics below, the arms and legs are able to move, I then made a small hole in the middle of the tummy for the clock movement to go through. Placed the now dry CD on top of the doll and fed through the clock piece, added the hands, which i also coloured with a gold pen as the hands were a bright green! And hay presto.. one Altered CD Clock.

Well thats just a couple of pieces for now.. more to follow very soon

xx Hugz xx