Grungeflower tag

Had another go at this Grungepaste challenge this afternoon as it has been bugging me that I have dried up with ideas.
Decided to use one of my favourite stencils and use the Grungepaste as a cement.

I aged my fabric with some coffee; Grungepasted the flower and quickly set to pushing seed beads into the paste.
Then,I used the stencil and coffee archival onto the fabric and zigzag stitched around it!

I brayered a background using frescos, stencilled again with watering can archival, scribbled a white border and double mounted my fabric.
The word plate has got rusting powder rubbed into the indentations.
So, there's my Grungeflower tag!
Thanks for looking.

Grungepaste Lost and Found

Very slow off the mark this time with the Grungepaste challenge. Mojo for this one has gone for a holiday!
When Leandra remarked that she hoped that peeps would go beyond stencilling with this I was totally stumped!
Determined to join in but boat not really floating that well.
My aim was to incorporate lace into the grungepaste and somehow make it difficult to see the join. Idea being that I could imprint the lace pattern into the grungepaste and then carry on with real lace!
FAIL!!!
I embedded my lace into the paste but totally failed to use the lace as a stencil. The bumpy grungepaste above the tissue paper images is the nearest that I got.....but at least I tried!

I started with grungepaste text, manuscript paper and brushstrokes of Fresco paint, a bit of black printing and some PA stamps onto tissue. Added some rusting powder to the lace.....didn't even manage that properly and arranged a few buttons, a photo and some hardware.
Finished off by spraying some mica mist to age it further!
I think that Lost And Found should refer to my mojo at the moment....little bit cream crackered but still here!
Thanks for looking!

Deconstruction Doily.

My third entry into the PA challenge and what a fabulous creation from Julie Ann last night!
I didn't have a go at the rusting but did pinch her idea of stamping onto fabric and painting!

I have had a drawer full of wonderful crochet mats for a few years that were all lovingly made by my fabulous Great Aunt. Her name was Gwendoline Ivy Montague, and although she had a splendid name she was known to the family as Ti......rhyming with Pie.
She was the sweetest, smiliest, most inspirational person, and despite a tough life with not many comforts, she radiated warmth!
So, I wanted to honour her and her beautiful works of art.
I was certain that I didn't want to cut up any of her mats, so thought of a way round it!
Last night I selected 2 mats and backed them with a circle of felt.

Next, I stamped a couple of PA stamps onto fabric and painted them with fresco paints. The flowers because she loved all flowers, and the fairy, because she was very broad-minded and would have approved of the bare bum!

This morning, I went to the flea market in Chesterfield and bought some embroidered mats and doilies that I could cut up.

I found a couple of photos and began to assemble my elements; machine sewing pieces of embroidery, stamped images and bits of doily. 

My colour scheme was shades of lilac as it was her favourite colour.

I added ribbon and buttons and stamped the word Love and finished off gluing it to an 8x8 box canvas which I had painted with fresco Plum and French Roast.

So, I now have a tribute to my lovely Great Aunt and I didn't chop up any of her beautiful work!

Thanks for looking!

Deconstruction Canvas Book.

I have been a very busy bee since the new topic was announced on PA.
So wanted to try this idea of fastening 2 chunky box canvases together with a hinge to make a book! The most exciting part is the nook at the back of the canvases which is then inside!

First, I used Mermaid fresco over french Roast with crackle glaze for the edges and did some ageing with distress inks.
For the front cover I glued torn pieces of vintage papers and music and added lace, lots of embellies
and a LP lady.

For the back, I glued some torn vintage paper, added 2 LP images, ribbon, vintage buttons, photo and key.

For the inside, I painted French Roast into the recesses and made copies of some family photos....my Mother's photos of souls that I sadly do not know!

Lots of ageing went on and bits and bobs added. Found that I was short of bits and bobs! need to visit charity shops!

This shows the handles and the Crackle! Oh, and forgot to mention Treasure Gold!

I thought about Julie Ann while creating this as her style has influenced me! Might do another one and weave a story into it!

Thanks for looking!

Deconstruction Necklaces.

Very excited yet again at the new PA topic! lots of stimulation from Leandra again and have been trawling Pinterest!
First of all, I wanted to use the wonderful shells that I collected while fidgeting about on a beach in Northern Spain.
I started with one as an experiment, so not my fave one. I drilled a hole into it and stamped and copper embossed a PA mini stamp of skeleton fish onto tissue paper.
Next, I enhanced the shell with White Fire Treasure Gold, and finished it off with Sari silk and a couple of copper jewellery beads. Will wear it in the summer!

Next, I chose a beautiful shell that already had a hole in it! I stamped the other skeleton fish onto tissue and glued it to the back of the shell as the front was far too bumpy!

I rubbed TG in White Fire and a little Aquamarine to enhance the patterns of the shell and fastened a smaller shell higher up the Sari silk!

Thanks for looking!

Playing card book

Really enjoying the inspiration from the PA blog and guest designers. Was looking at the domino ideas and decided to use a mini pack of playing cards to create a book.
I got the cards a couple of years ago in a Christmas cracker, so you can imagine how small they are!
First, I gave the cards a couple of coats of fresco Snowflake. Next I chose some fresco colours inspired by a beautiful photo that I saw in The Times Supplement this weekend of a landscape in Ethiopia. I used French Roast, Bougainvillea, Autumn Fire, London Bus and Lavender.
I brayered the colours onto the cards and then stamped using 3 PA mini stamps .

Next I used LP Asian inspired stamps in Black Archival.

I edged the cards with Frantage Gold embossing powder and this is where I got lost!

I had no idea how to create a book. I thought that I could attach ribbon to the backs and somehow make a book. I wanted to show the playing card backs but it was all too flimsy!

So, plan B....I made a black card concertina to stick down the cards, thereby losing the backs.

So, I frantaged more playing cards to make the front and back covers.

I used Sari silk for my ties and wound copper wire around the ends and attached copper fastening and beads.

The inside, back cover is also a playing card and I am sending this as an 18th birthday card to a friends daughter, so I will write on there.

This was another learning experience for me and although I have created 5 mini pieces, I don't find this topic easy as I am a bit messy and not precise like a lot of the exquisite entries. still having fun though!

Need some tips on photography too!   Thanks for looking!

Birth of Venus.

On my fourth entry into the PA challenge and have taken inspiration from many of the designers.
Last night, just before 10, I decided to tidy my craft room before bed! Big mistake.....or maybe not?
I climbed up to a top shelf and found some small pieces of driftwood that I have collected over the years. Thought that I might paint one and add stamping but didn't want to cover the beautiful wood....so....went to my shell collection and found this!

Mind now whirring...thinking of Treasure Gold and stamped images....LP ones.

Looked at my LP stamps and there was Venus, Botticelli style!

Stamped Venus onto White tissue with Coffee Archival and painted on the back of her face with fresco Vintage Lace. Edged the tissue with Gold Leaf pen.

Rubbed Treasure gold into the driftwood and shell using White Fire and Ruby.

Scratched a groove into the driftwood and glued the shell down!

This morning I decided to add a few "pearls".

Really like my Venus....simple but I think that she works. Overdoing such beautiful objects would, in my opinion, spoil it!

Hardest bit was photographing it to show off the TG.

Thanks for visiting!