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!