Re-purposed Box Canvas

November's Challenge has just launched over at More Mixed Media...as always anything goes, but with the option of a colour and this months colour is Black.
I wasn't quite sure what I was going to create for the design team, so after a rummage through my altered art tubs, I found an old box canvas.
It was never completed, hence being in one of the tubs...and the colour that I painted it with originally was a pearly shade of turquoise, whatever was I thinking,lol.
The good thing about the canvas was it already had textures on it and it was in perfect condition to create a project with.

I wish I had taken a photo of it in it's original state, but never thought about that until I had painted it twice with black acrylic paint.

Once the paint was dry I gave the front a few random coats of purple and blue metallic inks by Docrafts Artiste sprays. I then left the canvas to dry over night.

I left the sides of the canvas black.

I used one of the fancy hearts from Fernli Designs ( sadly they have stopped making their lovely MDF items now ). I gave the heart one coat of black paint and when it was completely dry I again used the Docrafts Artiste sprays to colour the heart, the center being blue and the hearts purple.

I adhered some sisal fibres to the canvas before adhering the heart and then added one of Tim Holtz relatives images.
Using a few of my stamps I created a sentiment on some cream card that I mounted on black card.

In this photo you can see some of the mesh/texture that I had used previously before discarding the canvas..so glad I didn't throw it in the bin.

Do please pop over to join in with our challenge, there is a prize on offer.

You can find us here at

More Mixed Media

Halloween Tag....

Just a quick post today, my Tag for Tag Tuesday 
It's Valerie's theme this time around, which is Anything Goes...and there is a prize on offer too.
As we are so near to Halloween I made my tag for that theme...

I started with a white tag and stamped the image..coloured the image with whisper pens.

I used Fossilised Amber distress ink to distress the edges, going as close as I could to the image...then I used Black Soot distress ink lightly around the edges again, not quite covering the previous colour.

The photos doesn't show the lovely sheen that I gave the tag with a dusting of gold powder.

Do pop over and join us in our challenge...we are here at 

TAG TUESDAY

The gorgeous colours of Autumn

This fortnights challenge over at Tag Tuesday has just launched...and I had the choice to chose a theme. I have chosen Autumn because I so enjoy the change in nature and all its wonderful colours, plus it's my most favourite time of the year.
I have created 2 tags for your inspiration...the first being a circular tag with a stamped image of the Harvest Maiden...a stunning wood mounted stamp that I have had for many years, she was just perfect to use for my Autumn theme.
I stamped the image and then using distress inks on my craft mat and adding a very tiny amount of water to each colour, I used a fine paint brush to add the colours to the image.
To finish the tag I distressed the edges with spiced marmalade distress ink and added the eyelet and ribbon.

My 2nd Tag was cut from some water colour card that was an off cut from something I had made ages ago, (I like to keep the scraps) I think I was playing with inks and sprays with the card at the time..anyway, the colours looked good for my Autumn themed tag.

I stamped the script first, then added some muslin that I grubbied up with burlap distress ink and added it to the bottom of the tag. 

The leaves are real that have been pressed and dried, no idea how long I have had them, they were very delicate to use, so my tweezers were essential.

I added the leaves and a flower to the tag and then added the eyelet...in my haste to catch the best light for a photo I forgot to add the ribbon tie...

Do please pop along and join in with our challenge...you can design your tag anyway you wish, so long as you use Autumn colours...

You can find us here at Tag Tuesday

Butterfly Tag

It's the 5th of the month,so time for another challenge over at More Mixed Media. There is the option of using the colour "orange"
My design team project this month is a Tag, the background was coloured using Oxide Inks, then spritzed with water and dabbed with kitchen roll, then dried with my heat tool.
Once completely dry I stamped the image, stamping the large butterfly on a spare piece of card to add as a 3d element.

I coloured the butterflies,flowers and leaves, then distressed the edge of the tag with spiced marmalade distress ink.
Finally I added the butterfly after I attached the orange wire antennae.
Do pop over and join us, there is a prize on offer for the winner of the challenge..hope to see you there...x

Tree Tag

I am still trying to get back in to the swing of things, craft wise..it's certainly taking me a while, it all takes time, but little and often right now is working ok for me.
Over at Tag Tuesday their current theme is Trees and the theme was chosen by design team member Joan.
I have several tree stamps, but this one is my favourite because it comes with such a lovely quote.
The tag was die cut from a piece of off cut card that had been used with oxide inks, the colours seemed to work really well for this design, so a very happy outcome for me.

The current challenge ends on 7th October so there is still time to enter the Tree challenge.

You can find us at Tag Tuesday.....hope to see you there..x

Apples, but no Pears.....

Oh my...teamie Wendy certainly had me thinking about her theme in the current challenge over at Tag Tuesday
I must have at the very least over a thousand stamps, but not one for Wendy's Apple & Pears theme...so the best I could do was find some images from an old book I picked up in a charity shop a  year or so ago, but sadly no images of pears.

I used a page of blackberry images for the background on my tag then swiped it over with some gesso, then lightly wiped that back with a baby wipe.
When it was dry I distressed the edge of the tag in green ink, then added the images of the apples and leaves.
I used some chalks to bring up a bit more colour on the apples and leaves, then with the white pearly chalk I brushed over the complete tag, sadly the photo really doesn't show the light shimmer.
Fingers crossed Wendy doesn't mind the missing pears...
Please do go and check out the challenge, you can find us here at
TAG TUESDAY.

My Purple Tag

I am gradually easing myself back in to my crafting again....and do you know, it really does take up a fair bit of time when you have been away from it for a while, trying to remember where different things are,lol.
Over at Tag Tuesday their current challenge is to use Purple..I do so enjoy making tags, so it's nice to be back in to the swing of things again.
Please do pop over for a look, teamie Michele chose the theme this time around...
Below is my Tag for the challenge...hope you like it.

You can find the challenge here at..... Tag Tuesday

More Mixed Media..with a colour option.

Hello Everyone...I am back crafting again. It's been a while, although I recovered relatively well after my knee replacement, my back let me down for a few weeks, so sitting,standing and even lying down hurt...and to be fair I had no interest in anything.
Finally I am feeling better and more settled and able to get back to my crafting.

So here we are, Septembers Challenge over at More Mixed Media...literally anything goes, but there is an option of a colour and this month the colour is Brown.
There is also a prize to be won, a wonderful selection of papers designed by our boss lady Lozzy...they really are lovely designs too.

All my Artist Trading Coins are quite thick as they are in MDF...with hindsight I think I should have made them from thick card as the MDF tends to leave the pockets slightly open when the album is open...I'll remember that for the next time,lol.

The Atc coins were coloured with distress inks, stamped and when completely dry I sprayed with a gloss spray which bought the colours up beautifully.

I added cellophane to the windows of each pocket, so a bit of a nuisance when taking the photos.

I created the 6 page Artist Trading Coin Album from a video by Teresa Collins on youtube.

So there you are, I hope you like my album...and I hope to see you over at our challenge this month over at....
                            More Mixed Media