Paint Fusioned Wheelbarrow

At last a bit of sunshine and I have been able to paint fusion my little ornamental wheelbarrow planter

These are all the parts that I had to put together

Then I gave it a few coats of damson wood preservative (Garden Shades)

and finally (after all the rain) a month later - I got to do this:

First side painted - daisies and roses

2nd side - more daisies and roses

Back - Ivy leaves and clematis

Front - roses and random leaves

side and back

OK - I did go a bit OTT - but I just got carried away.  Had no particular plan in mind when I picked up the paintbrush, so went with the flow as they say.  So no planning, no fusion stamps, just free-hand playing!

It's in the greenhouse now hardening off - it has had a spray of varnish - then I can plant it up!  whoopee!

Mags


more Shamballa

Today's efforts:



Pink and Blue Shamballa

The blue shamballa is done with a twisted knot, and the pink with a mixture of twisted and flat.  Can now make on in 15 minutes!



The complete selection

Now what shall I make next?  Think the agate beads I purchased at Sandown are talking to me!

Mags

Shamballa Bracelets

Well the "drought" or "liquid sunshine" was getting to me today.  I want to be outside doing things.  Hate being shut indoors.  OK I have got decorating to do, but am still being good as although I have had the stitches out of my shoulder, it was quite deep and I can still feel a "pulling" if I stretch.  Anyway, I decided to do something with the shamballa beads I bought at Sandown last month.

Turquoise Shamballa

White Shamballa

Black Shamballa

with apologies for quality of the photo of black one - think might have to take it again in daylight.  Hope you like them.  I am hooked at mo, and can now do the macrame knots without thinking!


Mags

That Photo again!

As I was so thrilled with that Jak had done to the photo of my aunt, I thought I would try and find the original, as I wanted to compare the colours.

Well it was a case of delving in the back of the cupboard and searching (I am sure we have all done that).  Well ... I found what I thought was the original, which was the "torn" black and white one, with the date - June 1935 on the back; so the photo was taken just after my aunt's 21 birthday.  Thought I was losing my marbles, as I knew the dress was lilac.  A bit more delving and I found the coloured one in an old Album belonging to my parents!  Duh guess what I have the original coloured one and it isn't torn!

I carefully removed it from its corners in the album and discovered that on the back was written (presumably by my Nana :  "I am ever so disappointed in this, have ordered another in Sepia".   Well I know I have never seen a sepia one although I have one of my grandfather in sepia.

So I thought I would scan the original coloured one and post it on here to compare it with the one that Jak did.  I reckon my grandmother would have really liked Jak's version!



Scan of the rediscovered coloured original

 

Jak's coloured version of the repaired black and white photo



I don't know why my grandmother didn't like the coloured photo - I thought it was pretty good for the technology that was available in the 1930s. 

Of course I then had to play with the original in my photo programme, and lighten it slightly.  (Wonder if my Nana would approve of my version or Jak's?)  I think Jak's - as the grass ad vegetation and facial colouring are much more natural; from what I know of Dorothy, I don't think she would have been a red lipstick and rouge person!

 

2012 version of the original coloured photo.


Of course I just couldn't stop there could I!  so here are two more 2012 versions - black and white and sepia!  (Don't think you would have liked the sepia one either Nana! perhaps you didn't which is why it is not in our possession!)

oh that my Dad and my Nan were alive to see these 2012 versions! (My Dad would have been scanning all his old photos!)  and Nana - if you are looking down and watching - I still prefer the coloured version!



Thanks for dropping by and reading my ramblings.

Mags

RAK

I have such lovely craft friends.  Last night on FB, Paul, husband of one crafty friend showed what he had done restoring an old photo with PSP.  I have an old photo that needs something done to it.  So as I have PSP, I had a play.  Was quite pleased with my first attemp last night: and then this morning ... out of the blue Jak Heath messaged me saying she had played with the image and hoped I didn't mind! - well WOW it was brilliant; and then ...........

.... this evening she sent me one she had coloured, or rather somehow restored the colours - I couldn't believe it - it was perfect - I am afraid I was in tears, I was so overwhelmed.



original image we started with




my effort on right using PSP



Jak's repair to the original photo

Jak's coloured version

The original photo was a sort of touched up 1930s coloured photo, and Jak has got the exact colours.  Hasn't she made a fabulous job?  I don't know how she did it.  I think I mentioned that the dress in the original photo was lilac - but I just didn't expect this - it is exactly the colour of the original photo.  I don't even have it scanned in colour on my computer - so it is complete magic to me!

This photo means a lot to me - I never knew my aunt Dorothy, she died of TB before I was born, aged 23.  I only have 3 photos of my aunt - this one was in my parents photograph album.  Dorothy is the reason I started my family tree search.   Looking for a photo for my mum's stepsister back in 2000, I came across a little black pocket book which contained a diary started by my grandfather on the day Doh-Doh was born in 1914.  I transcribed his handwritten journal and dated it - suddenly realising that it was Doh-Doh's birthday.   Hairs on the back of the neck time.  (the diary only lasts a few months - and I presume it stopped because my grandfather was called up to serve in WW1 as it stops shortly after his entry for the declaration of war!).

This photo is Dorothy to a "T".  She was an avid book reader and Dad recounted various tales of Dorothy and her "misadventures" whilst always having a nose in her book.   I believe (as family stories go) that Dorothy was very clever, and was one of the first shorthand typists and was very highly qualified.  I think she worked for somebody high up in the publishing business.  (hopefully one day I will remember who it was!).  When I was younger my Dad said I used to look like Dorothy - think it was because I too always had my nose in a book, and I inherited her long legs!

The other reason I love this even more is that recently during my research I discovered from the London Electoral Rolls on Ancestry that Dorothy and my grandmother actually lived in the house where I lived as a child until the age of 5.  I hadn't realised that before.

I think you will all agree this was a real Random Act of Kindness.

Mags

Card for Ben

I made this today for a pal for her grandson's 18th.  Ben is training as a chef in London, and is rarely parted from his Ipad. 

I created the backing paper in MCS using a couple of images of signature dishes from the place he is training at, and also one where he has done some work experience.  Printed on Conqueror paper to give it a sheen.

I then found an image of a chef's hat (hope he wears a white one!), which I distressed around the edges,  and also an image of an Ipad, to which I added computer generated greeting.  Both images were mounted on Conqueror card and black satin finish card.

Because I didn't know whether he wears chef's "whites" or the chef black and white trousers etc, I included a strip of black and white checked card as a faux ribbon.  All mounted on an A5 Navy blue card.

It wasn't quite what I had in mind for his card, as originally wanted to do something with a card in the shape of a chef's hat, and with a sort of cartoon chef - but it just wouldn't come together - so hope he likes this one, and appreciates the "personalised" backing paper.  (I shall have to explain to his gran - in case he doesn't pick up on the nuance!

Mags

Crocus card

oooooo - I could have spat feathers when I was making this card - I had spent ages colouring the topper, but didn't realise that the piece of card I was using to check out the colours of the promarkers had slipped, and in fact I was actually scribbling on the piece of card the topper was on!.  Nightmare!  (You can imagine the words that were said, as I didn't realise until I had finished all the colouring!)

Originally the topper was going to be square, and I had some lovely orange flowers to go on the card to pick up the Clarice Cliff feel.  No way could I cut the topper into a square or an oblong with various purple "colour try outs" scribbled on it, just to the top right of the crocuses!

I had seen Hazel's gorgeous card earlier and commented how inspirational it was - I just loved the shape of the topper - so I am afraid I "pinched" her idea.  As I have a creative memories cutter that does squiggly lines, I used that, (I think Hazel probably did hers with a die), and then used a sort of distressing technique with the orange and greens from my Big and Juicy "Spice" ink pad.  Mounted the image on more card and then did a freehand trim to match the shape I had cut out.  

OK - so problem solved with the image - didn't look to bad - tried putting against various backing papers - no it wasn't right and the flowers I had chosen didn't look right with the weird shape of the topper - so it was back to pinching Hazel's idea and just putting four different coloured squares behind the topper.

Thank you so much Hazel for the inspiration - you really did get me out of a hole!  I was behind with this card, due to fact that I had severe cramp in my hand over the weekend and couldn't finish colouring the topper until last night, and the card needed to go in the post today.  (I probably could have started again this morning, but as it turned out an early phonecall from the surgery meant I had to go down for a minor op on my shoulder this afternoon, so this morning was spent getting ahead on chores that I shan't be able to do for a week until the stitches come out!)

OK so I had better show you the card (the image was from Inklined - The Next Big thing) :

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, once again Hazel.  I think you may have set a new trend!

Mags

ps do have a look at the card that Hazel made that inspired my "get out of jail" design!  http://hazel-hazelshappyhouse.blogspot.co.uk/

and I have since learned that Hazel used the wonky square die - I shall have to look out for that!

Celtic Cross

I used the Celtic Cross image from Inklined "The Next Big Thing" for this sympathy card for the family of a a very dear neighbour, who lost his battle with life this week.

Coloured with promarkers, and a computer generated sentiment added.

Mags

Blue "Rope" Necklace

Another necklace similar to the pink one - with a slight variation.   The "rope" part of the necklace is actually silver beads, but they pick up and compliment the blue of the large bead.  

For anybody who is wondering how the rope (or as somebody described it - pyjama cord look) is achieved - here is a close up of the interlocking beads that create the effect.  You can see why I fell in love with these beads at Sandown Bead Show.

Mags

Nature's own crafting!

Taken from window earlier this evening ..........

......... and what I did with it in Kaleidoscope Kreator

If I tile them - they could become great backing papers!

Mags

Bead and Chain Maille Bracelet

Well it was too wet to do any gardening or work on my little paint fusion project for the garden, so after a very pleasant lunch out at the local chinese restaurant, I decided to play with some beads, and made myself this little chain maille and bead bracelet.  The glass beads are shaped like rings and are about 10mm across, so it is quite delicate in appearance.  I chose multi-coloured beads, so that I could wear it with anything.  the metal rings are a sort of gunmetal black.

This is another view, done up.  I love the little heart which says "made with love", which I bought at Sandown.  I also have some that are in the shape of hands and say handmade!

Thanks for popping by.

Mags

Easter cupcakes

I felt in the mood to do some baking on Friday evening, and this morning I decorated these cupcakes.

I am not really "into" cupcakes, but thought I had better start making the effort and follow the trend.  So there are 18 normal size fairy cakes and 24 mini ones.  All lemon flavour - some of the larger ones have lemon curd in the middle of them.  Because my son has become dairy intollerant, they are all dairy free (apart from the chocolate eggs - he will just have to take those off!  The "buttercream" as well as being coloured yellow like  the sugarpaste, is flavoured with lemon oil too.

And here are some close-up photos - I will confess I am a little out of practise.



One of each sort

Piped buttercream daffodil

Mags



Quickie Easter Cards

Well having made the creme egg animals yesterday afternoon, I thought I had better get cracking on my Easter cards for the family! Just as I was about to start Jak posted about her freebie papers perfect timing! I didn't need a lot - just a few strips of a couple of the papers.  Here is the link:  http://www.jakheath.com/2012/04/easter-treatdaisy-papers-set.html

Firstly two cards using an image from Inklined The Next Big Thing, colour with promarkers.

Next three used images from Joanna Sheen's Furry Friends - Easter Section:  (The two youngest granddaughters own a rabbit - so obvious choice of images for them).

As you can see the freebie papers from Jak were just what I needed.

Happy Easter to you all

Mags

Creme Egg Animals

I decided to play this afternoon and make the granddaughters some creme egg animals.   They are not that good as I am a bit out of practise!

So if you can't work out what they are - they are an elephant and two Peppa Pigs  (was going to make teddies, but gathered that the two youngest girls have been to Peppa Pig World today - so that was what I attempted to make!).  Must admit I normally make pigs with the eggs laying down on 4 stumpy legs, but wanted to do Peppa's long arms - probably should have given her a skirt instead of legs.

The bodies are creme eggs and are sat on digestive biscuits (glued on with a bit of melted chocolate).  The rest of the animals are sugarpaste (although you could use coloured marzipan/almond paste).  For the eyes, etc. I used some tubes of chocolate flavoured icing from the supermarket.

Hope I have inspired you - and if you don't like creme eggs, just make a pear-shaped body from your sugarpaste/marzipan.

Mags

Simnel Cake

Simnel Cake

A little change from cards and zentangles today.  I made this simnel cake yesterday and thought I would share it with you.

Mags

ps and this photo got shown on the Live with Gabby Show on Channel 5 this morning - whoop whoop!

H is for Hannah

A zentangle for Hannah, with a bit of personalisation of footballs, and anchors, and pretty bag image from "The Next Big Thing"  and some ribbon to feminise it!  All coloured with promarkers and sakura sparkle.

Mags

Ballerina Girl

So here is my second card for yesterday's family birthdays - a card for my three year-old granddaughter.  A 6" square scalloped card from craftwork cards.   Main image is from Joanna Sheen's Daisy and Friends, coloured with promarkers, and mounted on purple pearlescent card.  A strip of glitter card, another made from a Martha Stewart punch and a little bit of pretty ribbon from a Docrafts Goodybag..  Finished off with a couple of peel-offs.

Obviously no zentangle this card, but I played on the envelope! :-)

Thanks for looking.

Mags

Birthday Cakes!

A simple little card for one of today's family birthdays - this one is for my niece - Image is from Inklined "The Next Big Thing" coloured with promarkers.  Chose this image as recently she shared a photo of a rather gorgeous chocolate cake on FB, which I rather liked and she asked if I was volunteering to make it for her.  Unfortunately she has had to make do with these cakes instead!  (well they are less fattening!)

Of course I had to do a Zentangle for her, and I tried to use the colours that I used on the cakes.  Both images mounted onto red pearlescent card, to pick up the red in the images, and a couple of red flowers from my stash to finish.

Thanks for popping by - I shall be posting another of today's birthday cards tomorrow.

Mags