March Tim Tag and fun at The Custard Factory

Faux mosaic technique

Faux mosaic - detail

2nd tag of Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2012, Faux mosaic technique.  I didn't have the woodgrain stamp so I used the embossing folder instead, and I substituted the distress embossing powder for the Cement embossing powder Tim used - Tim's original is here 12 tags of 2012 - March

I was lucky enough to take a couple of workshops at the weekend with Donna Downey in Birmingham, I was so pleased as I missed out last year because of work.  It's been quite a while since I'd been to Birmingham so found a lot of changes (for the better) around the Bullring.

War memorial 

War Memorial and St. Martin's

Tree sculpture

Studded building - Bullring

The classes were held at the Custard Factory in Digbeth, a collection of shops and galleries for designer/makers.

Metal sculpture above door at the custard factory(Aslan?)

Green Man

lake gallery

The first class I took was "Butterfly Moments" Canvas album, loved how this turned out, now need to add photos...I think what I loved most was ripping the canvas :)

Donna and her Husband Bill are both so friendly, and were so very kind to invite me to dinner after class.
We really did have some giggles in class when Donna misheard a  conversation regarding babywipes and dado rails - I'll leave that to your imagination :) Makes me think of the quote by George Bernard Shaw: "England and America are two countries separated by a common language"

From the Heart - Pan Pastel class 

Detail - pan pastel on tissue paper covered canvas board

 Sunday was Artsy Day, first we did the Pan Pastel class, I'd been really looking forward to this.  The pan pastels are so vibrant and rich - not like normal chalk pastels that seem to need several layers - I just had to buy some and now I'm going to sign up to Donna's online technique class... I need more hours in the day to do all the stuff I'd like to work on(Still not started Tim's Chemistry 101)

Next class was Speckled Nest, so much easier than I thought and loved using Golden fluid acrylic paints.

Speckled Nest Class

Graphic 45 Design Team 2012 Audition

Well, at almost the last minute I've decided to try out for the Graphic 45 Design Team for 2012. I absolutely love their product lines, but sometimes find it so hard to cut into the papers - I had to buy 2 packs of the SteamPunk Debutante papers before I could bear to use them :)

Here are my six audition pieces:

1. 50th Anniversary Printer tray

2. 16th Birthday telescoping card

Card Detail

3. Steampunk Debutante easel card

4. Shrine to SteamPunk

4. Shrine to SteamPunk 

4. Close-up, film strip

4. Handmade Resin heart with embedded watchparts

detail

5. Wizard of Oz Canvas

5. Filmstrip, and papermache ruby slipper

5. Detail -Dorothy and the house

5. Shoes on the yellow brick road

5. the cast of characters

6. Steampunk storage box

Wish me luck, and good luck to all the ATT members who are also auditioning.  XX

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2012 - February

12 Tags of 2012 - Feb.

Tim Holtz  has announced on his blog that he won't be doing 12 Tags of Christmas this year BUT instead will be doing a monthly tag for all of 2012 :)  Starting with February so the theme had to be Valentine's day.

Shock-horror I don't actually have the valentine die or embossing folders so I used the large text stamp from the Papillon set and text embossing folder.

Shrink plastic Cupid

 I stamped the Cupid(la Blanche stamps) on shrink plastic and coated with rock candy crackle paint after shrinking.

Honeycomb paper heart

I really like the honeycomb paper, really fun to play with, now I'm looking for other things to use it with!

First crafty meet up of 2012 - something a bit different for me...

Had our first meet up of the year yesterday, and this time we actually finished a project :)

This was a bit out of my usual style, no grungy inked edges and a bit girly but I'm really pleased how it turned out.  These were inspired by Christy Tomlinson's SheArt Girls.

one tidy table - waiting for the girls to arrive

altered coffee jar paint brush holder

We stuck vintage sewing patterns, tissue paper, tissue tape to canvas, used acrylic paint with natural sponges, stencils, sprays, texture paint and patterned papers to make our girls.  I think I might make another...

Bibi & her Girl

Bibi & Sam

Yas's bright idea to take show Sam's in the mirror :)

Oops, didn't realise I wasn't holding mine straight - I blame Yas :)

Sam's

Bibi's

My Girl

I'm going to try doing 365 photo's this year, started on Saturday - Photo is on the bunting in first photo. Polaroid taken with my Diana, need to upload at some point.

 

Late crafty round-up Christmas 2011

First post of 2012 and almost the end of the month already! Happy 2012 to everyone - let's hope it's a good one. Photo collage shows a few of my festive projects.

Will be back soon with first crafty get-together with my friends - something a little bit of a different style for me...