These pics show the front and first inside pages of the Steampunk Spells album I put together using Graphic 45 papers, I'm really pleased with the end result and the plan is to do a workshop with it in the new year.
At the moment I 'm working on a prem baby quilt, it might as well be a full size one the time I'm taking but I thought I' d start small!!

Birds on a wire..........

A mini quilt I put together to use the bird images that were printed using Thermofax screens and textile inks, it started off as a cushion but I changed my mind halfway through.

I really wanted to do some sewing so this is my afternoons work, I thought of starting a quilt then had a panic and made this cushion instead!!

Catching up.................

Yes I've been cardmaking and stitching, just not blogging as I should so here's a selection of recent projects........

This is a cathedral window pincushion made with left over fabric from a bag i made, I was so pleased how it turned out as it looked so complicated.

Two cards for  a workshop using Crafty Individuals stamps, sorry the pics are not too good.

An 8 x 8 canvas decorated with paper scraps and acrylic paints,stamping, rub ons and a printed butterfly.

One of the cards for the workshop i did friday evening, the theme was flourishes and on this card they were in the form of emossed flourishes and die cut flourished.
Still more to post but will save them for another time.

No stitching.................

I've wanted to make one of these padded notice boards for a while and at last I've done it  - there is a little stitching - the buttons.

Bags of sewing..........

I spent a couple of days making this bag, love the colour combo! but not the best photo in the world.
The next picture is a shot of my poor neglected sewing room , but no more , I'm having a regular appointment with my sewing machine!!

Back in the sewing room.......................

I've recently promised myself that I was going to start sewing again as I've barely done any for a year so last weekend i set to on the needle punch machine and produced the seascape and this afternoon i made the little bag and stamped up the cards to go inside ( with  envelopes). I have to admit that the little bag caused more stress than the picture - unbelievable!!

I'm still here.............

Still here and still crafting passionately - just not blogging as I should!!! We've had a busy time in recent months, we went cruising thro' the baltic up to Russia for our main holiday, what a great experience that was and we've just returned from a caravanning holiday in Norfolk with a crafty friend and her OH.
I'm posting some tags that I created on holiday -very colourful and totally quirky.

More Wings......

This is one of the cards I've designed for a workshop for someones birthday, I'm using the same stamp - which I love - on all the cards to be made and have altered the design, i'll show more later.
Busy at the moment putting together cards etc for workshops and have just completed a set of cards for a magazine on behalf of the shop. I seem to get more done now the days are longer and slightly warmer.

Just a tag..........

I do enjoy making tags, thay can be just decorative or go onto gifts, this one is 6 inches in length and the stamps are from Creative Expressions, a hint of feminine steampunk and it's part of a workshop I'm putting together for later in the year.

Butterfly Wings...........

I was inspired, to make this tag, by a tag made by Hels Sheridan using this lovely Sizzix die and then  I used it in a workshop and got the ladies to make this card ..........

We coloured the base card of the wings with bright distress inks then added water to a white irridescent mica powder  and painted over the ink , it gave a beautiful finish.

Easter challenge..........

This week Ninna has chosen two tangle patterns for her challenge - cracked eggs and warped - both fit well with Easter. It looks like my scanner has cut off a little of the pattern - never mind you get the idea!

This card is made using a crafty individuals stamp coloured with distress inks, I decoupaged and glittered the balloon, the background is a scrunched up square of copy paper inked with the same colours., I think it looks better in reality than this photo, especially as I took the pic from an odd angle.
The tag is my take on one in the Creative Expressions project book, same colours I think but different stamps.

Zentangle challenge

I thought i'd enter Ninna's challenge to use the Escalator tangle pattern as instructed and use blue to add colour - Simple-  no it may look it but I found it really tough to draw and not so happy with it .

Man in black............

This Zentangle picture took 3 hours and I loved doing it, the centre image was stamped using a Tim Holtz stamp then the tangles worked around it - my favourite so far.

Artful Voyage..............

I was suddenly reminded that I had to make a birthday card for OH and what better stamps to use for a cruise addict than 'Artful Voyage' from Tim Holtz.
I am entering this into the Crafty Cardmakers challenge to make a Masculine card featuring  gadgets /technology so hope it fits.

Another crafting addiction...............

Zentangle - I have my box with pencils, pens and card tiles at the side of me, i bought the box especially to keep it all tidy, I've borrowed Barry's Zentangle books and I'm hooked, but the good thing is I can do it when i,m relaxing as that is what Zentangle is all about - a therapuetic art form - so they say - anyway here is one of my first - well one that's halfway good enough to share, I used a butterfly stencil for the outline and filled in with tangles.

I think I'm Back....................

With grateful thanks to Viv's OH who hopefully has sorted out the lack of pictures problem!!!! There's lots of catching up to do with pictures from  my workshops and a picture of the' shop folk' talking to Dyan Reavley and Kate Crane at the craft trade fair a few weeks ago.

I did a crafting with metal workshop two weeks ago and here are two of the cards the ladies made, they also covered a chipboard book but haven't a good pic of that.

I give up......................

Ok Blogger - I give up - I've been trying to post for days now and when I think I've loaded the pics they just aren't there - I think blogland has found out that I can work round their system and has stuck another wall up - not happy!!!! so I'm not on holiday or having a break from crafting or ignoring everyone - just really struggling to post - i'll keep trying but  - who knows!

Mini Journal page

It's really good when you find the right quote to go with a picture you've been hoarding for a journal page.

Alpha challenge - C

I chose Cog this time for my entry in the  altered dictionary page  Alpha challenge over at the Craft Barn mainly because it could be 'steampunked - gently of course in a feminine style with this stamp from Hampton Arts.

Vintage Arches.

I brought these Tando Gothic Arch frames home, from the shop, with a vague idea of what to do with them and as usual did something totally different, Viv had sent me some pics from her cabinet card collection and i used two prints from these and came up with these vintage arches, i used stamps and stencils along with fabric and lace!!they now stand proudly in the shop window!

A Village is.............

The craft barn is having an Alpha Challenge where you can alter a dictionary with journal pages or take a page out and insert it into a journal, the first letter to work with is V so I used dylusions inks on the dictionary page, then stenciled over it with the Tando Wonky street mask and added dictionary page houses with fancy roofs, there is the dictionary definition for Village and the quote is - A village is a house of glass, where nothing unobserved may pass - very true I think!! I am using a page from an old dictionary and sticking it into a journal.

A nearly tag

I put this tag together from the new Creative Expressions project book - it turned out to be a good example of what you can do when you don't have the exact stamps - the colour is correct and that's about it so it's nearly right.

Vintage Canvas

This canvas is covered with 'hessian' (actually a cut up potato bag) then a gessoed , painted and stamped piece of backing paper, onto this I added a printed lady and  fabric and lace etc.

Inspired by...........

I made this tag before christmas and it was inspired by one Andy Skinner had made , not exactly the same but similiar. I'm only just able to post it due to google being at war with my pictures but thanks to Mrs A this should be posted.

Changes or me??

Well I was going to upload a couple of pictures but have things changed since before christmas or am I losing it completely - I can't fathom how to get the pictures so i'll just say Happy New Year everyone and fade back to facebook!!