Pyrography wooden box

Click on photos to enlarge

Thank you to blogger 'Angel of the North' for the technical term for this - something else new I learned today!

This is the finished box



I wasn't happy with the burned pattern on the lid - so decided to change it.



I have used gold Krylon paint around the bevelled edge.






I just have to pluck up the courage to varnish it without messing it up!

Playing with a new toy to do some pyrography

I recently bought a soldering iron craft kit - and today I decided to have a play.

Straight in there - no practicing - silly me.

This is a teeny weeny little box.




I drew around a stencil in pencil then just burnt into it free hand.




I did both sides the same pattern




And this is the front.



Trying to burn grained wood is really rather difficult. Well it was for me. Although it looks smooth, it never is when you use a hot tool, so it sometimes has a mind of it's own.

Celebrating Spring Time - with a Bind it All Mini Book

The April showers stopped and the sun came out - and the spring colours looked amazing.

Fresh greens of the new foliage, shades of yellow and orange of daffodils and narcissi, and the pale blue of the Forget-me-nots with little yellow middles.


So this is the way I see Spring. The arrival of birds which migrated elsewhere for winter, and the first sign of hoverflies and bees.

Click photos to enlarge





For this note book I used 1/2inch Bind-it-all silver O wires. Luscious lemon ribbons. I cut out the covers from mountboard, used fabulous K&Co paper, which I scanned and altered the colours to yellows. I inked the edges with deep green, and coloured the paper frames I cut out to tone in with all the colours.

I made the paper flower embellishment, inspired by yellow and white Hellebores (Christmas Roses) in my garden, with a drip of rain in their centre.


This is the outer back cover of the little notebook.


And the inside covers.

Something Different - A mixed media card

I was inspired by Jo's mixed media card and wanted to make one similar myself. But when I went into my studio late this afternoon - the only 'component' I had was a small image.




Whilst lacking in square cards etc, I didn't let it put me off - so I made a mixed media effort of my own.

I have absolutely zero confidence when making cards, and am determined to keep practising until I can make them without trepidation.

This started off as a cream A6 card, onto which I adhered some Basic Grey paper and swished a lime ink pad over it.

I got a new 'toy' late this afternoon so had to try it out. I layered different papers, which I had inked to colour co-ordinate them.

Cut out the little photo image and matted that.


I found two small skeleton leaves - from my flower arranging days, and layered those on too, and finally added the two little silk butterflies. I have just noticed that a bit of the top butterfly's wing is tucked under - so I have now 'flicked' it back out.

So although I didn't manage to get even close to Jo's mixed media card - I did try to make a card and used mixed media to achieve it.

Twinchies - Flowers

These are for a 'Twinchies' swap. The subject was 'Flowers'. I thought I would do my flowers in the style of old Dutch paintings you see. So these are meant to look like little oil painting - on wood panelling. I have embossed parts of them to look like they have been painted in oils.



A peony in full bloom - and yes the lines and scratches are meant to be in these twinches, as its supposed to give the feel of wood panels.



A tulip in full bloom



A Morning Glory






Another tulip




Day lily





Another tulip


And the last Morning Glory

These will all be going to different people - and although some of the images are the same - they are all different when you look at the painting etc.