BIA Note Books

I have been experimenting and making a few note books.



Some photos make the books look a bit 'wonky' - its where I had them standing up like tents - they are fine in real life. The one above is embossed with gold.




This one has been stamped then heavily embossed with clear powder. It has a lovely effect in 'real life' and looks very textured.






This one has been stamped and painted - took quite a while - and the colours are more subtle in natural light.



This last one has been stamped and embossed too - and it is hard to see but I have outlined the book edges too and embossed those - again for a nice texture which makes the image 'jump' off the paper

Tree Stamps Prize - From Time for Crafting

I subscribed to the online Time for Crafting magazine and entered a competition and won a set of Tree stamps.

I was so excited - they are wonderful stamps - I just couldn't wait to try them out.

Here is the first thing I have made with them - so far!



The far skyline and tree line I have made misty purposely - so it looks like an autumnal misty sunrise. (which you can't see in the photo) I achieved it by swiping some white chalk over the layered colours.

I drew some birds - some of which got caught in the wire silly me - I should have punched the holes first!

There is clear embossing to give it texture and in the foreground I have stamped a clear embossed tree.

Inside there is another image I stamped and painted with inks. The stamp is from the Goddess plate I have used quite a bit lately.


Her face is flesh coloured but doesn't show up in the photo.

The background painting is a dark shade of brown at the bottom gradually fading into a watery pale hue ar the top - and all with green tints just washed over to give a nice autumnal soft effect. For some reason it looks grey and blotchy in the photo!

Think I might make some more of these.

Bamboo tiles/Dominoes

On the One Powerful Hourthe challenge is to make a Christmas ornament in one hour.




So take your pick - these took an hour each to make - over several days though.




This is the reverse of the bamboo tile below. I can see a left side of a face in my marble-ing - can you? I can see half her face peeking out from a door - an eye, tip of her nose and half a mouth - and the has an old fashioned hair style - long and wavy right down to her shoulder.

Oh - now on the right hand side of her, I can see a young child (boy?)with hands in the pockets of a long white coat that reaches down to the floor - over dark clothes.

His head is tilted downwards as though he is looking at the floor,and he/she has a floppy fringe, or it might be a hat. To the right is a white wall like the side on the house and he/she is walking on a white pavement. LOL Or is it a man in a white coat coming to take me away!

Its a pure fluke

Does that ever happen to you - seeing faces etc in clouds or flames or wallpaper?




Each little tile has at least three layers of varnish - some have five coats.
This little lady I have made into a mobile phone charm.




Each coat of varnish takes 24 hours, at least, to dry.



And I can only do one side at a time obviously.




Although some images appear on more than one tile - every single one is different. I put gold or pewter leaf on them, beads or charms, to make them all individual.

They are such a joy to alter - and patience is needed - in bucket loads.



I have been experimenting as you can see - and not all of them are Christmas themed - and not all of them are finished yet - so come back soon and see how they all turn out.

View from my studio window soon after 6am today

I was in my studio early this morning putting another coat of varnish on the bamboo tiles.

When I looked up I saw this



I ran indoors for my camera.




It looked even better in 'real life'



In a few minutes when the sun rose - it was gone




I am so glad I didn't miss this



Isn't it wondrous? It made me feel so happy - and was such a wonderful experience.

There was total silence - the birds were just waking up - and as soon as the sun was up they started singing - I felt like singing myself.

By 9am it was dull and grey and raining.

Craft Stamper - The winner is my friend Paula

A very talented friend of mine Paula Whittaker of Cardcraft Creations is the winner in this month's Readers Gallery.

Well done Paula - I am chuffed to bits for you - and it is very very well deserved.

Works in progress - Bamboo Tiles/Dominoes

I haven't been able to do a single bit of crafting today - but I have not been idle - I have been working on these for a few days on and off. Still a long way to go yet until they are finished.

I have some lovely images on CD - Vintage of course - so I just had to use them - but trying to resize one by one was a nightmare!

You would have laughed if you had seen my final attempt - cutting and pasting them into word, then reducing them and measuring them on the screen with a ruler - so time consuming!

The Christmas ones I am going to turn into tree decorations I think




Here are some works in progress - which have had to be left for 24 hours after their last coat of Shellac. I still have the reverse sides to do.


Sorry that the photos are a bit rubbish - its the glare from the foiling - should have waited until daylight.

I will remember to take them in sunshine - if we get any - when they are finished with all their dangly bits.




Some people call them tiles sometimes people advertise them as bamboo dominoes - but whatever you call them - they are adorable little bits of wood to alter.

Bamboo Domino Tile - Green Japanese Lady - This Thursday Challenge

The following tiles I am entering for

This Thursday Challenge

These are my first 'efforts' so took me a while to do as it was by trial and error but making them certainly kick started my Mojo again.


This lady has taken me so many hours to make over three days that I think I will keep her and have her as a pendant.

I used Shellac - then a thick coating of diamond glaze and she looks like the is made of glass.

There are not any lumps and bumps - its just the reflection of the flashlight.



On the reverse I used Shellac then Crackle Glaze - I like the finish


I am just waiting on a new batch to arrive - then I have so many new ideas - so watch this space.