Altered Beer Mats

I've just been going through my photo album of all my craft makes and came across the 2 Altered Beer Mats that I made for a swap in the UK&Ireland Craft Swap Group on facebook.

The swap started mid September and after a week or so we were all given our swap partners...by the end of September I had already finished mine so posted them out,so until my swap partner received them I couldn't post them here.Of course she did receive them,but me being me, completely forgot to post them to my blog. That challenge ended on the 15th Oct.
My first beer mat is made up using bits and pieces around a lovely vintage image I printed out. The image was then sealed with modge podge and then the whole piece was gessoed twice,dried and then coloured using glimmer mist sprays.
The second beer mat was made using the very distinctive Graphic45 Papers...this one is The French Country Garden...to be honest I just love these papers and images and I have put away a couple of the pages and images that I will never use, will just look at them from time to time,lol.

Some Halloween Atcs

My head has been all over the place recently what with home life and crafting, that I totally forgot to take a photo of my Halloween Atcs that I made for a swap.....

Fortunately,Sue,who runs the Atc Swap group displays all the atcs that arrive, so I was able to use her photo. I usually swap 5 atcs, but I'd made so much Halloween style stuff that by the time I'd made 3,that was enough.lol.

New Challenge Blog & DT Call.

I am so pleased to announce the First Challenge of a brand new challenge blog. I felt very honoured Tonya, the owner of my local craft shop wanted me to set a challenge blog up for her. It's an anything goes challenge blog,well except for complete digital creations, although digital stamps/images are acceptable. The challenges will run every 2weeks on a friday and it's also a Prize Winning Blog, so each challenge will be well worth entering.
So do pop over and have a look and maybe enter the challenge, you will find it here....

                   http://craftyhandsdevon.blogspot.co.uk/
( There is currently a design team call out,so if you are interested,do pop over to the blog for details.)

As one of the admin in the blog,I am also the head design team member, so I have made something rather special for the first challenge....along with the other 2 teamies.
This is my Altered Cube, it measures just under 4" and was cut by my friend's husband from one of my fathers fence posts that was being replaced,but seeing it was still in good condition,we had it cut in to cubes!

Each side,including the top and bottom have been decorated with Graphic45 papers. To finish I added metal embellishments and the bun feet.

A Chunky Halloween Atc....

Another new challenge has been set over at Rhedd & Rosie's, the theme this time is "Anything Goes" and was chosen by me.

This is my design team make, its and a wooden Atc block. I've not altered one of these for ages and thought this theme would be a great reason to use one.
You can find the challenge here....http://rheddandrosies.blogspot.co.uk/.....hope to see you enter the challenge.

Stormy Skies

Stormy Skies indeed,its been dark wet and miserable here today, the wind is howling like crazy too. So I took my self off to my craft room and made this Stormy Sky Atc...also made other things,but that's for a later posting....

This is the first time out for these fabulous stamps, they are by Artistic Outpost, I actually won this set, "Beyond The Sea" in their blog challenge which they run every month...so this little Atc will be entered in to their current challenge here....

http://artisticoutpost.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/artistic-outpost-october-referral.html

There is a lovely swap just for Atcs, so I will be entering this atc in to their challenge here...

http://funwithatcs.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/challenge-98-3-stamps.html

The requirement is to use 3 Stamps...so the ones I have used are the Lighthouse, the Script and the Birds.

October...the month of "Halloween"

My goodness,this week has just flown by again...the days don't seem so long now we are having darker mornings and evenings. Then next weekend our clocks go back by an hour....I do so hate losing the daylight, much better to keep the clocks on our "summertime" ah well, may be one day.
Anyway,enough of my ramblings and on to the new challenge over at Ecletic Ellapu's Challenge Blog. It was May's turn to choose the theme and she has chosen Halloween...do pop over to the blog and have a look at the fabulous work by the talented design team, some gorgeous and spooky makes there, lol.

For my team entry I have altered a peg...for effect I have added  a wooden ghost which I painted white, also some spooky die cuts.From the off cuts of paper I have made a couple of  books and tied them to the peg...the bottles I filled with different dyes and water to compliment the theme of the peg.

You can find the challenge here...http://eclecticellapu.blogspot.co.uk/

A Stitch in Time Pockets

Picture heavy post....
I am at last able to show you the 2 stitching pockets I made for a swap. The group is over on facebook, UK&Ireland Swap Group. The Stitch in Time Pocket Swap was posted and I thought I would join in. Now my swap partner has received them I can publish the photos.

                                       Pocket One

The pockets had to be no smaller that 7" x 5", you were allowed to make them larger if you wish.They also had to have at least 2 inner pockets to hold the tags and sewing pieces.

Pocket Two

These are the large Tags, 3 for each inner pocket, all with a sewing theme.Each one was also stamped with a sewing image on the reverse.

                                                         
 These are the 6 small Tags, again 3 for each inner pocket and stamped on the reverse.

These are the sewing themed goodies that went in to the inside pockets, by the time I had finished,the pockets were virtually bursting at the seams,so I made some punched holes down the sides of each pocket and tied mini bows to ensure they would stay strong enough for the goodies....unfortunately I didn't think to take photos of the pocket once they were filled...which was a shame as the little ribbon bows looked so pretty.

My swap partner was pleased with them,which was a relief as this was my first go at making these....I have in turn received hers and they were stunning...to say I was over the moon would be an understatement.

Autumn Colours....

Hello, I'm back again,this time with my design team make for Rhedd & Rosie's blog.
A fantastic theme too "Shades of Autumn"...you only have to take a walk and see how everything is changing, some of the trees have the most amazing colours.
I have decorated this birdhouse plaque, then sprayed it with warm tones to represent autumn...I think it's worked,lol

Why not pop over here  http://rheddandrosies.blogspot.co.uk/   and have a look at the challenge, some gorgeous makes by the design team too.
Rebecca is one of the teamies and she is sponsoring the challenge and is offering a fabulous prize for the winner.
Hope to see you over there....