LITTLE BIRDHOUSE

I am just crazy about birdhouses, and rarely come back from my visits to the USA without another one to alter. This is just a tiny one at 4" tall and I originally did it all pretty in pink and green, but although I liked it the more I looked at it the less it seemed like me.

So I gave it the grungey vintage treatment and now I like it even more! You will spot Distress Crackle paint on the eaves and perch, not to mention all kinds of stamped and collage sheet images. You can see it very well, but the wording around the opening says "Take Your Wings and Fly". I did the sides with wood effect paper and rubbed all the edges with chalk ink to distress it, and finally gave the finished product a coat of Mod Podge to protect it. If I say so myself, I think its CUTE!

THANKS BE TO GOD

After chewing the carpet anxiously for the last 24 hours, we have a third gorgeous grand-daughter, Amelia Lucy, 8lbs 12oz, born by caesarian section, mother and baby both well! Can I breathe now please ......?

INSPIRATION HAS RETURNED!

I sat down yesterday to make some ATCs but ended up producing this instead - and in my favourite vintage style too! It's been so long since I did much in the altered art line, I was beginning to think inspiration had deserted me. However, after a dry spell, it would appear to be back! This piece is about 4.5" x 4" and is based on a wooden block Linda gave me for my birthday.

I painted it with toffee brown acrylic and then added a paper of Basic Grey paper to each side (don't you just love their grungey papers?). I had this idea not so much about the work/life balance thing that everyone seems to be talking about these days, but the separation which often exists between work life and home life - well it did for me anyway! So the front is about home and family and the reverse is to do with offices and work. I'm SO pleased to have made anything at all, let alone something I actually like!

Most of the elements are from various collage sheets, although the little house on the front is a stamp from Invoke Arts, and the swirly bits are also a stamp. I made the key on the reverse from Delight Clay and painted it with metallic black, then rubbed it with bronze to provide an accent.

NEGLECTING ...

I am very conscious that I'm neglecting my blog, but my oldest daughter is having her third baby this week, which has driven everything else right out of my mind! Even my crafty activities have been mainly geared to baby items. Now that my grand-daughters have gone home (phew!) I am hoping to make some ATCs today ... just for a treat!!

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 has been going rather well, but this does mean that I don't get much time left over for doing arty stuff!

I did however manage this homage to Cath Kidston, in my altered tissue box. We recently bought some very pretty bedding which is sort of son of CK (actually it's V & A Collection) and I was looking at the pattern and thinking "I've got a stamp just like that". So I used whatever I could find to make something in harmony with the design and am delighted with the result. It might need a layer of Mod Podge just to seal it.

Now ... back to Chapter 18, in which our heroine realises she is pregnant ...

MORE FELTING

Still trying to make a felt brooch I actually like enough to give as a gift ... I continued working on the felted jumper I shrank in the wash (deliberately I should add)!! I took some recycled silk sari yarn, undid it a bit from its twist, and then felted it into the background fabric.


Then I threaded my sewing machine with gold and stitched over it - I used a herringbone stitch and just sort of did spirals over the silk yarn


Finally I added an assortment of beads. I still don't think I like the results very much, but this is definitely an improvement on my first efforts, so maybe it just takes time and patience. I've got the time but am not sure about the patience ....!!