Craft Barn Alpha Challenge - letter S

Not many weeks left before a new challenge will start; this fortnight we have letter S to play with.   Check out the Craft Barn challenge HERE, lots of fabulous pages to check out :).

Was thinking Snwflakes or Snowmen as they are a current favourite but as usual, it never quite pans out like that!! I was rummaging around for some festive snowflake confetti and I stumbled across some really old Egyptian stamps.......along came another thought....... lets do a SCARAB beetle Egyptian style.

The background is smooched with gold paint and a pearlised blue ink, I used my Egyptian stamps to create a border.  I made my own Scarab stencil and mask, using black and purple inks to add colour.  

It looked better without being coloured in but its too late now.  

The sun is a mix of orange, red and gold paint.

Had fun using my new stencil cutting hot pen, I'm sure practice will make perfect!!

TFL

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge : letter Q

Over at The Craft Barn the alpha challenge continues with the tricky letter Q.  There is a great wealth of ideas and inspiration there, its all well worth a look.

After must procrastination  I've gone with QUISQUILIAN .  As a big fan of recycling, I took the opportunity to create a page from items in my recycling box, mainly envelopes and cardboard.  The transformation reminded me of butterflies.

 QUISQUILIAN - consisting of rubbish

TFL Lou x

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge Letter N

I really appreciate you all stopping by and having a closer look at my pages.  Thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave me a comment.

The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge can be found here, its well worth a look at all the other entries past and present, there is a wealth of great inspirational work out there.

Time has flown by, I've missed the deadline for the letter L, but managed to tackle this weeks new letter N today.  No faffing , no procrastinating just straight in with my design idea.

NONES : Prayers at 3pm.   

I painted the background in a fawn colour.  I used black gesso to stencil the clock and painted in the silhouette.  There is obviously a theme going on;  thought I'd still share my take on the letter L with you, you'll see what I mean :) .

Leadlights - Decorative windows made with clear glass supported in lead canes; 

a more simple version of the coloured Stained Glass windows.

The blue and green is supposed to be the sky and trees through the clear glass :)

TFL  Lou x

SPOOKY HALLOWEEN CHUNKY ATC

Over on UKSCRAPPERS there is a Halloween themed Chunky ATC swap.  My swapee wanted spooky/halloween; anything that goes bump in the night.  This is what I came up with.....

 

I have it on good authority its been well received.

TFL  Lou x 

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge Letter :J

I can't believe we are at the 20th letter of this challenge already, where has the year gone?  Check out the challenge and other fabulous entries HERE @ Craft Barn Blog.

I've opted for another word from The Prontistery, I love reading through all those oddities!!

J = Joculator aka Jester

Hand drawn traditional jester hat, painted with shimmering H2O in purple and yellow gold. 

Embellished with bells, 

well it wouldn't be a jester hat without those bells now would it.

A quick and easy take on this challenge, just what I needed.

TFL  Lou x

@ Culbin Forest

Found this old picture of me (2006), I think me and my girls were doing the Easter Egg Hunt with my Mum.  It's a beautiful forest with paths leading the the beach along the Moray Firth coastline.  A great place to walk any time of the year.  The sketch challenge set by Sue on her blog HERE seemed perfect for this outdoor photo, not sure why I have a twig in my hair!! 

TFL  

Lou x

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge: Letter Z

The next letter in this challenge is Z. Quite a challenging letter I think.  You can check out the challenge and other fabulous entries HERE.  Calling on my interest in Buddhism once again, I've opted for

ZENDO: a Buddhist mediation hall, more specifically for sitting meditation.

Feeling in need of a Zen-like day, I've opted for a Zen like page. I lightly gesso'd over the background, then stamped the meditating buddha images onto tissue paper, before glueing to the page.  Strips of black paper frame the 'hall'.  Red crystals where applied for a halo of stillness.  

I'd like to thank everyone who takes the time to leave me a comment, I really appreciate it.  I'm delighted to hear  I'm not the only one with a reluctance to embrace OIKOLOGY!!

TFL Lou x

The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge, Letter O

The letter of the moment is O.  There are some amazing entries for this letter check out the challenge and the other entries HERE.  I'm not doing  a great job of playing catch up there are still a few past letters I'm missing, but sunny weather keeps calling me to the great outdoors.  Hopefully as the darker nights descend I'll  get a few more done.  So what does the letter O hold for me?  Something I would NEVER study, I come out in a rash just thinking about it!!

OIKOLOGY: the study or science of housekeeping.

I'm finding it harder and harder to get a good crisp stamped image on my page as the previous layers create a thick bulky book, but for this page 'distressed' stamping works ok. 

Stamps are an old set, I think they are from TANDO Stamps.

TFL  Lou x

The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge, Letter D

I'm loving this alpha dictionary challenge over at the Craft Barn.  It's proving very good for my vocabulary!! The challenge and other entries can be found here. So week 16 and the challenge is letter D.  I checked out a few words and was delighted to find a word relating to Trees, especially as missed last weeks letter due to holidays.

 Dendrology - the study of Trees

The base page has been painted with gold and silver paints.  The head stencil is my own and the tree stencil is by Crafters Workshop.  

TFL  Lou x

BFF - Best Friends FOREVER

I stumbled across this fabby sketch challenge over at the Me and Mine blog. I'm not a very confident multi photo scrapper but thought I'd give it a go.  Here's my take on the sketch:

TFL  Lou

Letter Y @ The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge (week 14)

Thank You to everyone who has taken the time to leave me a comment on my previous entries, I really appreciate you taking the time and love reading all your comments.  I'm always amazed at the variety of pages we all do for each letter, so thank you for sharing.

This fortnight its all about the letter Y over at the craft barn, you can check out the challenge and other entries here.  Y is quite a challenging letter and the extra challenge this time is to use the colour yellow; so following on from Buddhism last week I've decided to go with:

Yin-Yang: two complimentary principles of Chinese philosophy

and still playing catchup here is C: Chanticleer

 and P: Palaeoanthropology

I'm loving this challenge, thanks to The Craft Barn for running it.

TFL

Lou x

Leading Lady & Merly Impressions June layout challenge

The Dream, Believe & Dance LO fits with the current Merly Impressions challenge perfectly, check out the challenge and other fab entries here.

My Mum has just recently started ballet lessons.  She has always wanted to do Ballet and last year she finally had the opportunity to learn.  These 2 layouts are dedicated to her starring in the end of term show.  Mum, you are a great role model for me and my girls and we are very proud of you.

Dream, Believe & Dance

You Are Never Too Old To Learn

TFL  Lou x

Week 13 @ The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who  has taken the time to leave me a comment, I really appreciate  it.  I do  my best to leave as many comments as possible but where blogs ask for email addresses etc I don't leave comments.

This week it's the letter B.  For those of you who know me will not be surprised to see I've chosen Buddhism.  There are some great B pages out there, check out the challenge and the other pages created by the participants by popping over to : http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.ca/2013/06/alphadictionary-challenge-letter-b.html

BUDDHISM: 

An Asian philosophy founded by Siddartha Gautama in NE Indian in the 5th century BC.

I've still got a bit of catch up to with the letters P H E C V and M (Ma-Me).  Hopefully I'll make a dent in my catchup letters over the next few letters.

Thanks For Looking

Lou x

Letter U: The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge

This fortnight, over at the Craft Barn blog, it's all about the letter U, there are some fabulous entries, check them out HERE.  In a moment of madness combined with my love of Ologies, I've opted to go with UFOLOGY: the study of Alien Space Crafts in our skies.
I really enjoyed going for the simple child-like look, well it all really started with the cheeky little alien popping down!!

  catchup #1  AMORETTO: The representation of Cupid in a work of art.  

 catchup #2 WOOLBIRD: an old word from the 18th century meaning SHEEP.

TFL

Lou x

Alpha Dictionary challenge @ The Craft Barn

A crafting buddy signposted me to this great challenge at The Craft Barn. I'm starting in at week 11 but hope to play catchup.  Week 11 is the Letter F, more specifically Fe-Fr, I picked Friendship, so I could use this fabulous stamp 'Children Dancing'  from Indigo Blu.

So deciding to play catchup today as well, week 10 was the letter K, and having just purchased the Andy Skinner Skull stencils,  I was delighted to find the word : 

KTENOLOGY,  the science of putting people to death, 

a bit gruesome I know, but I just love that skull 

TFL  Lou x

FMS May 10th : STAR

Today's theme on FMS photo challenge is: STAR.  I've made myself a funky gadget out of a loo roll and some cardboard -  a STAR shaped lens.









This is my cool photo for the day.  I'm quite pleased with it.



Thanks for looking.

My Buddha Shrine

I spotted this project by Trish Latimer a few months ago and put it on my 'Would Like to Do' list.  Here is my take on it:

My little buddha is a charity shop find and I felt he needed his own home.  

My papier mache technique needs perfecting but still, I'm happy with the final piece.  TFL  Lou x

FMS Photo-a-day Challenge

So a friend of mine has signposted me to the FMS Photo-a-day challenge, you'll find the link here if you fancy playing along.  I'm also posting my pics on facebook if time permits.

May 3 :This is really good!  Flowers from my hubby, really nice especially as I'm not feeling great.

May 2: Morning Ritual.  Got to start the day with a hot shower and my favourite shower gel.

Thanks for looking

Lou x

..and more scrapbook pages

I hope you are all impressed, no scrapbooking for 3+ years then my mojo hits, so enjoying it while it lasts.  Here's my latest 2.

I had a really cool vintage looking  rose napkin that I used for the background.  

I love that cheeky grin!!

I don't do multi photo layouts, but I think this one works. 

My husband just loves being near the water watching the waves roll in.

Background stamped using a Tim Holtz stamp and distress ink and some paint splattering,

well it wouldn't be me without the splatters now would it!!

TFL  Lou x

Scrap365 April Challenge

I've finally found my scrapping mojo and to help it along I've started to take part in a few challenges.  This is a sketch challenge on SCRAP365 blog which can be found here .  You will also find lots of inspiration and different interpretations of this sketch and many others. 

Freehand drawn hearts, colouring with chalk pastels.  Painted and stamped title and other words.

TFL  Lou x

Altered Paint BRUSH

Over on UKScrappers I have organised an Spring Altered Brush swap.  My swappee asked for a Spring Woodland.  I really enjoyed having a play and hopefully my swapee is equally delighted.

I think I;'ll be making more of these, its a fabulous 'canvas' to work with .  TFL Lou x

Lets get INKY

While surfing the net yesterday I came across a really cool scrapbooking challenge on the Merly Impressions blog.  Basically, create a layout using ink.  There are some excellent examples over there so well worth a look.  This is my INKY layout:

I used the Cosmic Shimmer Mists in Lava Red, Mango Blaze and Aqua Lagoon.  I painted on the rainbow and then used a straw to blow the ink over the top half of the paper.  It was great fun.  I have  used a black ink pen to write the names of the children and draw a very freehand style frame around the photo.  It was great fun and the whole piece shimmers in the sunshine.  

Check out the challenge and other entries here.

TFL

Lou x

My very cute nephew Reece and Mummy

My nephew Reece is the youngest family member and he is such a happy chappy.  That big grin is so infectious and he is such a Mummy's boy, I love this photo of them together:

TFL


Lou x

Not 1 but 2 Scrapbook Layouts........

 ...yes, I've actually done 2 scrapbook LO's over the last couple if days.  I've not scrapbooked for ages.  I've got loads of patterned paper which I'll probably never use, I prefer to make my own backgrounds: as you can see I took a fancy to Moons and Sunbursts  for the backgrounds for these LO's.

The Witches of Mannachie aka Aunty Mel & Emily 

A very old photo of my guys @ Nairn beach.  1994 or 1995. 

Scraplifted from a SCRAP365 LO Aug 2012

Thanks for looking.

Naughty Fairy Altered Sardine Tin

In the latter half of 2012 I was introduced to altering sardine tins.  It is fast becoming a favourite of mine, however, I struggle a bit with altering faces, I guess practise will make perfect eventually.  Here is a Naughty Fairy I was asked to make for a friend.  Do you think she needs a spider in her hair?  I just can't decide :)

Thanks for looking

Lou x

Twinchie Inchies

Over on UKS Kitty Crafts is running an Twinchie Inchie swap, as a bit of a swap junkie, I just couldn't resist taking part.

TWINCHIES "Sail Away"

INCHIES 'Red Hot Lips'                   

Thanks for looking :)  

Shabby Vintage Triptych Canvas Swap

Over on the UKS Secret Swappers group, Sian has been running a mini Triptych Canvas Swap.

My swappee asked for a Shabby Vintage Theme.

I'm really liking the Shabby Chic look just now, so I was delighted with my swappees preferences.

I hope the finished article meets her approval.

Thanks for Looking.

February 2013 Art Journal Calendar

February 2013

Celebrating the Year of the Snake this month.  Amy very kindly sketched my snake for me.  I used Kate's plastic card technique to create the base, stamped on lots of cracks and then splattered some red paint over it, it was all very messy, I was in my element :)

Thanks for looking.

The Lurrrrve Chunky: VooDoo U Love?

  Over on UKScrappers, Chrissie is running another CHUNKY Swap.  A CHUNKY is a 3.5" x 2.5" wooden block which you decorate to your swapees theme/description.

I was given the theme:

The Darker Side of Love.

And voila!  A heart with pins, handmade roses, a skull and a candle.

It will be winging its way to my swappee on Monday.

Thanks for looking.

Lou x

Purely Paper Collaged Postcards

Over on Collabor-ART Sarah challenged us all to create postcards using a background created by one of the other members and using only scissors, paper ie magazine cut outs and glue.  All my favourites like Paint, ink and stamps where forbidden.  The postcards had to travel through the mail 'naked' ie not in an envelope.  Sonja created backgrounds for me and these are the finished cards, both have been posted.

This cheeky little number is my favourite, all credit to the zebra's!!

I'm drawn to clocks, compasses and globes at the moment and this collage definately reflects the time and travel aspect.





Thanks for Looking :)

Shabby Chic Altered Mouse Trap

Xmasbaby on UKScrappers is hosting an Altered Mouse Trap Swap.  Naturally being something a bit different I signed up for it :)  My swappee is Scrapnanny and she asked for a Shabby Chic theme.  I really enjoyed making this,  I had grand ideas but the canvas was way smaller than I expected.   Hope its meets my swappees expectations :)