New Links

I found some new links that may be of use to some of you, they are listed under the Inspirational Blogs. One being Gossamer Creations this lady also has a link in flickr and creates some beautiful work. Check her out. The second is the Graphic Fairy this site offers lots of free graphics for your art work, she has added some backgrounds too for your blog, well worth checking out.
Well thats about it as you can tell I have been surfing more than creating...lol...but have managed to try and do a few altered cd's will add them here when completed. Think I totally wrecked my hammer and punches trying to make a few holes...lol..so now I have been given the man size hammer to use...lol....I must admit the one I had was rather feeble.
Well happy crafting all

Holly

Altered book

As I said in my last post I was given 2 little hard board books to alter, so here I have added a couple of pages for you to see, there is more on my flickr pages. You can get to this by clicking on the slideshow on this blog.
The pages were altered by using inks on this page I added some skeleton leaves then inked over and finally covered in 3D embossing varnish it gives a better finish. I have been given another board book to alter larger this time so cant wait to get to work on it. As I have said I am at present time on study for a year so that has to come first, yesterday I completed 27 questions so I can now have time to do some craft work. It may seem simple just 27 questions but when they are on anatomy and physiology not so simple..lol. Also I cant just write one easy answer I have to totally explain myself so they know I understand. Still I hope to get the course done asap. Now I am off to work creating altered CD's today see what they think about doing these..lol.
Cheers

Holly

Crafting again!

Well its been along time getting there but think I have finally got back into crafting again. Still dont feel like I want to use my craft room just yet but have set up a place in my little living room..lol. Thanks to Pattie for keeping on at me and to Debs for giving me a little barbie book to alter, of which has got me off the ground so to speak. I will add some pictures of the book once completely finished to my Flickr pages.
I have never known an illness to knock me off my feet so much and make me go off of certain foods, also to stop me from crafting even though I am deep in study with another course. It must be the babychams...lol...yep got a craving for these now, shame I cannot find a way to alter the bottles...lol. I know they are cheep and not everyones taste but enough for me at the moment.
I have missed so much since January so got alot to catch up on including everyones flickr accounts, so think this is enough for now, so watch out all I am back...lol

Cheers! Holly

Christmas Blown out!

Well I cant say much about Christmas 2008 apart from I did get some nice presents. New years eve was not much of a party in our house this year either. I have been suffering from this awful stomach bug thats been going round, well so the doctor says, I can honestly say I have never felt so ill, now its like learning to walk again Im so weak. I feel sure I have lost around 2 stone in weight, as all I could do was live on water, with the odd soft sweet to stop my mouth from drying up totally. The last day I had a meal was Christmas day since then its been water and the odd cuppa soup, that seemed to make it worse so declined on those in the end. It was quite strange really cause after some time you get to not miss food. Although, you don't realise how weak you are getting, I could not believe how much energy it took getting from my bed to the bathroom! By the time I got back I just fell onto the bed.This week has been much the same, but have managed to try some creamed rice, I was suprised how it settled my stomach, I could only manage 3 spoons of it! I have noticed you have to eat what you really want to eat otherwise you will be back in the bathroom and in need of a sick bowl. I still feel really weak, its such an effort to get up and down the stairs, my poor dog thinks I am on my last legs and cant understand why I am not eating. I have managed more creamed rice, with the added bonus of a piece of fish at tea time. Just trying to eat to get my strength back now. I am still getting some pain but trying to cope with that, its the times when you feel at death's door are most worrying. Guess that will pass eventually fingers crossed. So I hope to be back into my crafting when my body allows, at present time I have no ideas on crafts and feel unable to cope with making a card or such. So until the big light bulb appears in my head I am going to rest up and get myself well again. So keep well everyone!
Holly

Altered Trinket Box

I found a tatty old box at work one morning and thought, I could alter that. It was a box like you get for favours, inside were some tiny shells. So bought it home to alter. I started by painting it with acrylic metallic silver paint. Then using the glitz glitter glues used the palest blue colour, this gives it the bluish effect. I added some blue skeleton leaves around the box and glittered. Then added a row of shells and also added some sparkle to them. The lid was done in the same way as the body with the exception of the tiny blue beads, these were added and using a beaded starfish I added a diamonte gem to the centre. To complete I used a lenght of pretty white lace. It sort of reminds me of the old style shell boxes my gran used to have, and the lace gives it that victorian style look. Inside is painted silver and at the bottom I have covered with a small piece of black felt. Enjoyed this little project.

Holly

Altered Domino Box

I bought some cheap domino's and they came with a little carry case, I thought it would be nice to alter the case and make it into a small jewellery box. So I started to peel off the cheap looking plastic and down to the wood. Then using glue and old bits of newspaper I covered it to give it strength. Then covered in a layer of mulberry paper to give it texture. Finally covering with Silver acrylic paint. I wanted to glitter it up a little so then using light green sparkles glitter glue I brused it all over. Let it dry then added some gems to add a bit more sparkle. The shells are tiny and have a mother or pearl effect on them, I brushed over with the same colour sparkle glitter glue. Finally the butterfly, using a die cut shape from the cuttlebug range, I covered with sequins, sticking them on one by one, bit of a task but better effect than using a string of them. The antenna is gold beads on wire with a pearl for the top, then the body part I used clear diamond gems. Inside I covered with dark green felt to place jewellery on. All in all I was quite pleased with the end result.

Easy to make and fun to do happy crafting.

Holly

For Anna

No matter how much we try there is always not enough time or days to fit everything into our busy lives. Something always gets in the way of what we really want to do or take part in. It's not until something sad happens that we realise we should have done that now its too late. Today I am dedicating my blog entry to a work colleague and friend Anna, who sadly passed away yesterday after a long battle with illness. Anna loved the garden and birds, and once when we chatted over a coffee, she mentioned about the robin in her garden and how it followed her everywhere, we both laughed and joked about how we thought they were there to watch over us. So Anna I'm sorry I never knew you were so ill and I hope you come visit me from time to time as the Robin, some special words for you.

A lady with a heart of gold,
Precious to everyone young and old.
An angel came, carried you home,
Your journey long, the longest road.
Special dreams you once had,
Are still there to unfold.
In the place where time has no end,
You will share with friends of old.
Heavens garden now you keep,
Beautiful flowers you'll sow.
Through the Sun and rain,
It will shine on Earth as the rainbow.
Words cannot replace the space,
you have left behind,
Although we are far apart,
Forever you'll live in our hearts.


Holly (C) 2008

SOS Cards for Forces in War Zones

Here is one of many cards I have been designing for the SOS charity. A simple yet effective card, using printed backing paper to cover the front of the card. Found a really sweet angel picture from a collection and mounted on silver mirror card, below is a verse that was on plain paper but to make it all match I used alcohol inks and blended them together, using caramel, cranberry and latte. Then mounted on silver mirror card. To add a finishing touch I tied on a length of satin ribbon in cream colour.

This charity is really important to me, I understand what it is like to have a family member overseas at Christmas time and in dangerous areas of this World. My brother was in the Falklands during the war and in Cyprus when there was trouble with the Turkish and Cypriats. It takes a few moments of my time to put a card together, so far I have made around 9 cards to send to the charity for service men and women to send back home to their families, a couple I am personally sending to them as a gift of Christmas cheer and support.

Remember our service men and women they do a dangerous and brave job, they are not supported enough by this country, they need our support and need to know we are behind them and that we care.

Enough said!

Holly

Christmas Tag

I designed this tag for a competition that was held in a craft forum I belong to. I wanted to use the same size and shape as that of the Gothic arches I had created. Using various background papers torn and edged with inks, I printed out a photograph of a lady with a violin and decided to make her into a angel using butterfly shaped wings. These I inked with alcohol inks and edged with silver pen. The Wording I found in a book of verses for Christmas and used different coloured food dye and let the colours merge into each other. This was the effect that I ended up with.

To complete I added a pretty gold and glittery woollen thread to match the colours of the tags theme.

Really enjoyed making this tag, you can also add poems or a verse on the backs of them. May make some more of these for present tags.

Holly

Autumn Altered Note book

I wanted to make a altered note book for my friend so got down to designing. First I covered the book using quite thick scrapbook papers from the Once upon a time range. Then added some lace down the side. The picture I found on the internet ages ago and thought I could make something with that. The frame is made from pearlised card then embossed using the cuttlebug folders, I quite liked the effect of this folder. To get the frame to look a bit like brass, I used alcohol inks, cranberry and caramel and blotted them on using a felt applicator. You can use tiny pom poms. Then added some bronze stamping ink. I heated the ink to help it dry then stamped all over with clear stamping ink. Then added clear embossing powder and heated once again. I repeated heating and stamping until I was happy with the results. From the same piece of card I cut out corners and attached them to the book. Also using same card I made a name tag. Down the side of the book I attached some fibres, and spaced them out along the spiral holder. Then using a domino of which I had already altered and matched with the same photo, attached using the fibres and attached small gold beads and then greek beads. I was happy with the end result as was the person I made it for....lol. Really enjoyed making this project.

Happy Crafting

Holly