I have missed crafting so much - but I am back!

And to get me back into the swing of things I thought I would try a challenge on Gothic Arches which is to put a Gothic arch onto a tag

Now this is all experimental - but here goes.

I recycled a clothing tag, that Dee sent me (sadly she doesn't have a blog) but thanks Dee, I am using them!



After peeling off a label it left a nice surface to stamp on - so I did.

The reverse took more work. I scraped off a price tag, then painted over it all with soft lime acrylic paint, to cover up all the printing on it, then stamped it with my favourite 'Love' stamp which I also used above on the back.

Next I cut out a Gothic Arch on some thick material and stamped on that, and attached it to the tag.

The lady was printed on some special paper I am trying out - its a bit fiddly - you print it, let it dry for a few hours, put on a sticky sheet, leave that to set for a while, then peel off the backing of the sticky sheet to glue it to the surface and then treat it like a 'rub on'


At this stage I feel I have to say that this looks so much better in real life. The background showing through the image is really subtle in daylight and not as harsh 'tattooing' as it looks here!

The image reminds me of a younger version of me - years ago - when I used to have curly hair - and romantic weekend trips to Bordeaux one summer.

Alas - that is a story for a book not a craft blog!

Just a card - The Blue Lady

I was browsing through a CD I bought years ago of Victorian images, looking for something to inspire me - and came across this one. I have always loved this picture and decided I would try and make a card out of it.

(click to enlarge)




I inked and stamped a background first to mat it on.

I very very carefully, using a toothpick and glue, added some glitter to highlight her heavily embroidered gold layer of gown - around the neckline and hem. That took ages to do, but it 'real life' it really lifts it and gives it a rich texture, and accentuates and adds weight to her heavy gown.

It's only a simple card - but I just love the image. I might print her on to material.

My next foray into the 'arty crafty' world is to try and make a bag.........
it will take some time I am sure - so don't expect any posts about it real soon.

My project today is to process a carrier bag full of French beans - which I picked from my allotment - to freeze for the winter!

A bird does not sing............

Still using the deconstructed, soaked cardboard box paper. This time a tag using a stamp from the Serenity plate as before.

(click to enlarge)



I am still experimenting with fabrics and stamping etc. This time I have used a canvas type cotton, and cut out the area I wanted. I carefully cut out around the birds and butterflies. I wanted to accentuate the two tiny birds singing to each other - they are so tiny that I thought they got somewhat 'lost' in the over all design of the stamp, but by using the fabric the contrast between that and the cardboard accentuates them.

Serenity - on recycled brown card and swatch sample

You might not be too impressed with these looking at the photos (click to enlarge) but in 'real life' I really like them.

These are still using the cardboard box layers - and this tag is a recognisable tag shape for a change.

The reason I like these is because of the textures and colouring.


Another experiment stamping on a very textured scrap of upholstery material - just as small sample I had. Every time I look at them I 'see' different things.

The stamp is from the 'Serenity' plate - which I bought from Happy Daze. When you hold one in your hand and really study it - you can see not only the stamping, but all sorts of scenery created by the random colours.





The two images look so different don't they when stamped on material. This was a large piece of the cardboard layers which I folded in half. If you look closely you can see that where I frayed the top, the fraying almost looks like tree branches, and the shape continues on the brown paper where I stamped and offset the tree image underneath.

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More brown cardboard tags

As you can see from my post below - you get quite a lot of paper from a small cardboard box, once it has been soaked and the layers magically come apart

Lots to do challenge this week is paper - and I have sure been experimenting with it!

(click photos to enlarge for a closer look)


When I ripped this piece from a large bit - one side of it looked roughly like a heart shape - so that's what I made from it. The corrugated cardboard got a swipe of white chalk in first - which gives a lovely vintage feel to it. Crafty Individual vintage images, and scraps of paper, lace, nylon, and bits and bobs.





As you can see from the back - it's not really a heart shape - but by adding layers of material etc you can make a torn piece of paper into any shape you like.

This one does look rather nice in real life.



'The rites of spring' hasn't photographed very well - it's hard to see the transparent pale blue nylon scraps which match the doll's dress which the little girl is holding. You can see a piece I cut and stamped and glued to the cream material though. In natural light it has a lovely silvery shimmery to it which catches the light.

Recycling Experiment

Fill a sink with water


Add a cardboard box and let it soak





Then it will just all peel off - like material and when dry - gives you soft pieces to play with.

So I am playing making tags.



Just experimenting with textures, stamps, and layout. The button really is a vintage complete with the vintage cotton.

I haven't punched the holes in a couple of them yet as I am not sure if I want to layer them on top of something else.




The back of the label has label too!


Images are by Crafty Individuals - People and Places Book