Rummaging around in the remnants - and recycling! **Edited**

I have got my copy of this months Craft stamper - and couldn't wait to use the free flower head stamp that came with it.

I looked through the magazine to get some inspiration on how to use it - so this is my effort having been inspired by Katy Fox's Vintage Hanging on page 7.

I am not spoiling things for any of  you who have not yet got your copy - as this does not look like hers at all -  you'll see when you look!  But it was inspired by her hanging!

As usual I am waffling before I take a deep breath and add the photos.  So just to set the scene - I used the free stamp as did Katy!  The rest of the materials came from my recycling pot of tea bags - don't groan - wait until you see them - then groan!  Plus a rummage in my recycled remnants bag produced some more 'stuff', but a bit of ribbon was new!

Here goes............

Stamped flowers on teabags. 

The middles (buttons) look more grungy and vintage than the photos show

I layered the stamped teabag onto some netting, and melted the netting with the flame from a church candle.  It left the edges with a lovely mixture of vintage brown and some wax too.

In my remnants box I found some thick 'stuff' that looked like a bit of old sacking, and also a bit of cream bed sheet.   Both of these I cut and frayed.

When I was rummaging for the church candle I came across an old book called Munro's Book-keeping Down to Date! 

It was once the property of a

Hugh Cummings Esq

201 Calder Street

Glasgow.

I can only think I bought it because it is all about book-keeping and I was a book-keeper!

Flicking through it to tear out a suitable aged sheet to use, I came across the accounts of the 'Society of Arts, dated 1803 - so  I used that page as you can see above.

The 'Flapper' lady is an image I transferred onto the torn piece of sheet which I aged with Walnut stain distress ink.

It's taken me most of the day to do - allowing time for the ink and glues to dry

Once all the elements were glued on I glued it onto mountboard

And added the hanger.

I made some more tea bag flowers and at present they are held together temporarily with button brads

When I come to use them on another project the brads will be replaced and the flowers sewn on with buttons to suit the project

** Edit**

Thank you so very much for your comments I really thought that there would have been lots of rolled eyes and 'get a life woman' using tea bags!

Jo Capper-Sandon said...

I totally agree with Chris in that this is certainly WOW! Love how you've given the opportunity for us to see it close ups and at different angles. I bet this is so gorgeously tactile. Certainly worth all the effort Lottie

I have you to thank for that Jo - cos I studied how  you photograph your work and have been practising! (Or should that be shamelessly copying!)

Quiet

I have been rather quiet of late on the internet blogging front - but hope to have a play this morning. So whilst you are awaiting my latest creation with bated breath - that is a JOKE honest, I just wanted to post this........

My lovely lipreading tutor retired last week, and we had a bit of a celebration in class to surprise her. She is the lovely lady on the left with the most amazing smile. 
(As you can see by our shiny glow - it was sweltering in the room despite having the doors open!)

You may remember that I made her the butterfly bag as a leaving gift and kept my fingers crossed that she would like it.

But she didn't.

She said that she absolutely LOVED it! 

As soon as she saw the package amongst the other things we bought her, she went for it first and said with a huge smile, 'Oh, I know who this is from' and couldn't get the paper off it quick enough.

Unbeknown to us she has always had a 'thing' about butterflies so I hit all the right spots with it.

As she has been hearing me enthusing about my chickens for the past few years and reading my Allotment Lady blog, and discussing them with me etc.  She had a Chicken Coop from husband in early spring as a present and two weeks ago she bought three chickens herself - so we all clubbed together and got her chicken related pressies!

I didn't make this cake - one of the other ladies did, but I did get the job of making the lips.   I used to make cakes, for birthdays, weddings, sugarcraft flowers etc as presents but gave it up a while ago

The lady that made this cake took me to one side the previous week and said, 'You're an artist aren't you, so can you make me some red lips for the cake!'  I didn't get time to protest about the artist bit - so made several sets of sugarpaste lips.  (I don't know what the white mark is on the lips - it wasn't there when I made them - think it's icing sugar.)  I made lips from Minnie Mouse - to thick Mick Jagger ones as I didn't know the size she wanted! * Edited to say that these are the Minnie Mouse shaped lips

I am off to my shed now to see if I can get inspired to do some crafty stuff - I have been reading the latest Craft Stamper magazine and it's full of red hot summer colours - and a great free stamp too!

Even Silence Speaks

After receiving Jo's card this morning - I gave myself a good talking to and spent the afternoon in my garden craft shed - Mr Lottie insists I call it a studio - but I do feel a bit silly as that conjures up an artist!

I am in a swap and had a large-ish jigsaw piece to alter and a small one - so I had a go with Jasmin in her 'flaky chocolate mood'

It's not very easy doing a jigsaw puzzle piece I found - and the colours on here are much more vibrant by the way.

On Jo's 'Imagine' card - she created a lovely white misty edging.  I have had a go at it, but I wasn't as bold as I was too scared of messing up the puzzle piece!

Jasmin has just finished all her exams and is just laying in a meadow dreaming of what to do during the summer hols. 

She's doesn't like the sun, so is lying in the misty shade.

(Excuse the mark over her eye - it's not a mark but a bit of stray paper!)

All she can hear is the whisper of the long grasses and the only breeze is that from the butterfly wings as they dance around her head.

Hmmm- sounds like heaven!

I am including this is the Lots to Do Challenge this week.

The other little puzzle piece couldn't have been more different if I had tried

Black and white.

Painted  the puzzle white - making  sure that it was textured, then tranferred the image to it, masked it and stamped on the script.

There is a big size difference isn't there!

Stamps used - Jo Capper Sandon's for Stampotique available from Happy Daze - link in side bar.

Jasmin, butterfly, tall grass stem, and 'Even silence speaks' which I have stamped and cut into segments.

Imagine..............

Do you sometimes  get those days when you feel the 'world's' against you, nothing goes right, and you wish you hadn't bothered to get up in the morning?

Well today was one of those days

I walked into the village to post some 'things' (dressed and looking like Miss Havisham!) and had a 'funny turn' in the Post Office - I am sure those in the queue must have thought me the local drunk as I lost my balance and grabbed hold of a card stand - which happened to be a swivel one!  Still a gentleman (yes there are a few about) held it upright or else I would be spinning around now!  I just said that I was a bit dodgy on me feet today - well I was!

The village greens of which we have a few - have benches to sit upon - and they were being sat upon by folks in shorts, and tee shirts soaking up the sun and watching the world go by!  Grrrr - jealously is not a flattering trait to have!

I decided to march home the longer way around - not a good idea when you are carrying a bag with 4 frozen lamb shanks, some frozen bacon bits, and some tenderloin chops - they weighed a bit heavy!

It didn't do me any good - I still felt fed up - until that is, I unlocked the porch door and saw an envelope on my mat!  I dumped the bag, threw off my hat, shawl, long sleeved waterfall cardi, sunglasses, switched on the fan, and flopped down to try and guess who had sent me something.

Do you do that?  Or is it only something old people do cos they don't have anything better to waste their time on?

I didn't recognize the post mark - nor the hand writing - hmm - baffled.

I opened the envelope - and there was another inside - curiouser and curiouser. 

Then I gently prized it open and look what was inside

Well that really lifted my spirits and made my day.  How on earth did that famous lady get my address?

What a treasure and it looks even better in my hand than it does on the blog - can you believe that, as it looks gorgeous on the blog.    I haven't a clue what I have done to deserve it - but I really don't care as it shook me out of my grouch, the sun has gone in - pure bliss - and all's right with the world!

Thank  you so very much Jo for the wonderful surprise - it made my day and I will treasure the card and try and have a go at your brilliant colouring technique.

And another nice surprise - a little dickie bird has told me that a new consignment of Jo' stamps for Stampotique, will be winging their way to Happy Daze  very soon (this week with a bit of luck I hope)

They are selling like hot cakes so if there is one you fancy, I would hot foot it over to the site and reserve it before they sell out!

I am off to sit and gaze some more at my 'Imagine being able to fly' surprise.

Hmmm,  How did she find out my address?

Buzzy Bee

I have been so busy in my garden, up the allotment , and house-wifey things that this is the first time I have had to spend a bit of time in my studio - getting inky

Wild honey distress ink - stamped and painted on with a brush. front and back of card

Flicked water all over it - artistically of course and shaded.

Stamped and painted the queen bee, and did the same with her worker bees.

Dustings of golden pollen here and there and a gold crown (gold stickles)- shame it doesn't show up in the photos.

I interfaced the inside of the card with paper for the message and will add a yellow ribbon to keep it in place.  I will probably stamp a  bee or two inside too.

This will be going to Japan with a jar of Norfolk Honey and Honeycomb.

Bumble bees and honeycomb stamps by Jo Capper Sandon for Stampotique and available from Happy Daze - see side bar for links

Briefcase card

The latest issue of the Time for Crafting magazine is online now.

There are projects, templates, a competition to win a Cricut, and lots more.

They even have a free 'Taster' magazine on the home page!

One of the projects is for a briefcase card - so I had a go at it.

It was a fun project to create.  

I thought I would make something different than you'd expect.

This is the front - I have used Websters lovely paper and cut out some images and collaged them onto the briefcase to give it depth and texture

And this is it with the flap of the briefcase down.   I have dyed the lace on the handle to co-ordinate with the chinese lanterns - and of course I coloured the handle to match

It makes a lovely little card - here is the inside with room for a message and you can see the underside of the front flap with a co-ordinating pattern of chinese lanterns

 I thought that next time I would add a pocket to hold perhaps a £10 note, or a gift token or a little piece of jewellery.

This is the back of it.

The little girl with the butterfly is printed onto material - I thought her colouring just matched perfectly.

This little brief case is so versatile you could adapt it for all sorts of occassions.

It would, of course, be ideal for a male card with money or tokens or vouchers inside.

The template comes with straps and buckles - to make it look like a real briefcase - I just chose to omit them on mine.

Topiary Tree Flower Arrangement

I so enjoyed the workshop I attended earlier in the month when I made the topiary tree design, that on impulse this afternoon I made another.

We had to go into town today, so popped into the small supermarket where I bought the lovely Sweet Williams and a bunch of roses.

I used sprigs of bay from a tree in my garden, and for a filler I used variegated pittosporum.

It took me half an hour to make

And only cost £6 for the flowers.

It actually looked nice without the flowers in it, so I might make a smaller one with just foliage from the garden.

It makes the lounge smell wonderful

Daydreaming and busy buzzing bees

It's been so very very hot and I had to stay indoors out of the sun.  Instead I sat in the conservatory and looked out of the windows onto the garden.

Little bantams chasing butterflies and insects, hiding in amongst all the flowers and shrubs laying eggs that I can never find - and just running around full of joy.
In the flowerbed near the window, there were bees buzzing in and out of the orange calendula, and alstromeria, and very soon they had a 'coat' of orange dust on their backs as they collected pollen.

I thought I saw a little fairy amongst the flowers - but I must have been day-dreaming.  Or was I?

Well there's a little bee - whizzing around so fast it's a bit blurry

I wasn't dreaming - there is a little fairy nestled in the flowers

There is gold fairy dust on her wings and crown but it is hard to see, it did look so lovely in the sunshine though

She's a fairy princess called Jasmin, with her magical bumble bees

And she is hiding a surprise for little Kerys on her birthday

It's a magic wallet!  Keep watching that money

You blinked and missed it!

It's jumped from one side to the other!

Open it one way and the money is on one side - close it and open it again - and its jumped to the other!

These days children seem to want money instead of presents, but I do miss the 'old days'. 

We will be adding a cheque too of course for Mum and Dad to put into her savings account.

I do think it is nice to have something that no-one else will have, their very own magical fairy wallet!

Slim enough to pop into an envelope - and can be used for all sorts of occassions other than a birthday.  And something that will last longer than a birthday card - hopefully! 

Stamps used:  Stampotique designed by Jo Capper Sandon are:  Jasmin, tiny bee, crown, and bow heart.  Available as before from Happy Daze -  and a link in my side bar.

The fabulous template for the magic wallet is a download from Time For Crafting  -  and a link in side bar.

It's called 'Jacob's Wallet'. 

The great thing about the templates on Time For Crafting is that you can use your own imagination and turn them into anything you like - as I have done here to create something a little bit different.

I am entering this in the Lots to do Challenge

What's on the menu today then?

I have used Jo Capper Sandon's  Stampotique giant 'shroom, daisy, and bow heart stamps (available from Happy Daze see link on sidebar) to create this tag for a 'Cuisine' tag swap.

Can you guess what is on the menu?

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It's chicken and mushroom pie

The Pi symbol I have drawn on the little heart.

And the chicken is a rare breed - so won't end up in a pie really!

Math's was one of my favourite subjects at school!

I hear a mass groan!

Slide Mailer

You can probably guess by the cover that it features Venice.

And the sentiment

'All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware'

I have re-stamped the sentiment since I took this photo.

Well this is my first attempt at altering a slide mailer - and as usual it tells a story!

I started this by inking up the dark cardboard all over, then stamped on top with acrylic paints

I rubbed over some stickles to give it a flavour of the 'carnival' and used lovely images from the Crafty Individuals book.

As you can see, the microscope slides have been edged with silver tape and inked with alcohol ink colours to tone with those of the mailer

The back cover - with another C.I. image.

I used ribbons to bind the spine to make it look like a book

The inspiration for this came from a four day break I spent in Venice in 1994.

Little did I know that it would change my life forever!

This is for a swap - so I won't be seeing it again - but I do have my memories, and living happily ever after with the gentleman who shook my hand and gave me a polite 'peck' on the cheek, whilst standing on the steps with a group of strangers, overlooking the bridges and canals of Venice, as the bells rang out, the clocks chimed, and the sky was alight with fireworks to welcome in the New Year!

More stamping with Jo Capper Sandon

I didn't mean that I actually did some stamping with Jo - in my dreams!

I meant that I used her latest stamps to make a card - and silly me - I forgot to blog it!

Floral Art

On Wednesday I spent two hours in the afternoon doing a bit of floral art. 

Topiary - which I haven't tried before.

Above is the arrangement my tutor made.  I just love the colours - yellow and blue - so I bought it off her for my home. 

And here is my effort below

I tried taking a photo in the garden, but the sun was too bright.

We live in such a tiny bungalow that it is hard to get a decent photo!

To make it you just need a pot of any description and sticks/pole for a 'trunk', which you cement into the container.

Wrap some rubber bands around the top of the 'trunk' and after soaking a piece of floral foam (either a ball or a piece which you cut from a block), push it onto the trunk to sit on the rubber bands, and away you go!  I put foliage in first then filled it out with flowers.

It was a bit of a 'knack' to get it ball shaped, and of course I had to 'alter it' with a bit of hessian - but I really enjoyed the couple of hours and it's great to have flowers in the house and it only cost me £15 all together including the cost of the lesson!

Once these flowers die, I will just put another piece of foam on top and make another!

It'll look great as a Christmas arrangement for my porch - just imagine a topiary tree of holly and ivy and conifer or box hedge with oranges and nuts etc in it.

July we are making an arrangement with a breeze block - the mind boggles!